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Wowzer. This place is expensive for dinner. I mean, $25 for schnitzel?!!
I absolutely loved the decor and ambiance: authentically German inside and out. Waitresses dressed as little Fräuleins. Drinks served in cute beer steins. Beautiful carved wooden furniture.
I came with a group of 20 (yes, we had reservations) an hour before close. Because of that, we had some serious 'tude from the waitress. I felt kinda bad, but this lady was getting a seriously big tip! So that earned a scowl from me already.
But let's talk about the food. Besides being way expensive, it was...pretty good. I was desperate to try the liver dumpling soup, but they already dumped it out. So I got the Oxtail Soup. It was chunky and flavorful...but room temperature. Practically cool. Yuck. I was too scared to ask the mean waitress to reheat it, so I choked it down. I assume it tastes better piping hot.
The Reuben Rolls were raved about, but they were really, seriously salty. Combined with the mustard dipping sauce and you were chugging beer like there was no tomorrow. Maybe that is their intent?
The highlight? My spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. That shit was fantastic, and gave my two-star experience a three.
I hate to sound whiny, after all, it's a great atmosphere with pretty good food. If the entrees were in the low teens, I would definitely recommend it for someone visiting Milwaukee. As it was...you know. meh! (The exclamation point is supposed to add a little enthusiasm.)
I guess I don't like German food. I came here with my girlfriend because of the many great reviews and we were pretty disappointed. The sausage sampler wasn't very good either. I acknowledge that I'm inexperienced with authentic German food, and maybe I just don't like it. Oh well. The atmosphere was nice and the servers were good though.
It was way too expensive for the quality of food, in my opinion.
I'm someone still mourning the death of Haussners in Baltimore.This may be the nearest equivalent I can think of.I actually like German food ,which is not fashionable or hip.This place offers some German combo plates which allow you to get all the classics in .You can also get beer in a rather weird boot glass .It's fun but a little messy if you're not careful , which I wasn't.
The ambiance and the atmosphere is really good. That's what the two stars are for and the root beer. None of which has anything to do with the food. The kassler chops were dry and so salty, the soup was awful, it is so over rated. I don't mind paying for good quality food, if it were so, but it really wasn't.
I wouldn't be going there again.
What a major letdown. I was really looking forward to enjoying some quality German food but sadly Mader's did not deliver. Looking at the menu (and the prices--almost $20 a plate for lunch!) I was expecting the servings to be large and filling. What we received was small portions of bland-tasting food.
My boyfriend ordered the German Sampler, which consisted of a small ramekin of Hungarian Style Goulash (flavorless!), a small piece of Kassler Rippchen (basically a piece of ham-nothing special about it), two small pieces of Sauerbraten (unlike any other Sauerbraten I've had before, and not in a good way), a Potato Dumpling (basically a ball of mashed potatoes), and a ramekin with half sauerkraut and half sweet cabbage.
I ordered the Sauerbraten and Wiener Schnitzel plate. Again, Sauerbraten is marinated for 10 days--how can it be so bland? The Wiener Schnitzel was pork and not veal, which is what a proper Wiener Schnitzel should be. It was OK, but it could have been better. The Potato Dumpling was forgettable. The best part of my dish was the sauerkraut, which is sad.
The service was spotty, and our waitress was hard to find at times. Mader's definitely did not live up to its reputation. It is a good place to grab a great beer (and maybe a pretzel!), but that's it. I can get better German food back in Chicago at the Chicago Brauhaus.
First of all, I am not a huge fan of German food. Don't get me wrong, I like sausages, just on a whole it ranks near the bottom on my regional cuisines list. If you have never been to Germany, and want to try some pretty authentic food then this is the place to come. If you have been to Munich, for example, then I have to rank this place as a skip. The food is alright, very filling, but nothing revelationary, and will just leave you upset you ate that much fattening food for that much money. IT IS PRICEY.
The giant boot of beer for lunch actually saved this from being two stars for me.
Sausage. Goulash. Cabbage. Potatoes. Cheesecake. Be still my beating heart - literally. I felt like my body was trying to digest a compacted heap of scrap metal when I was done. Ugh.
Reading other reviews, it's clear that dinner shines. Instead, we happened upon their all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch. Most of the food was average tasting/quality (nothing too offensive, and only a few items to rave about) and common fare of pretty much any brunch you're used to (eggs, cheese platter, fruit/veggie platter, fried potatoes, etc.) . In the mix were about maybe 30% of what I could identify as German-based food.
Highlights:
-Bavarian Goulash with Mashed Potatoes - Delicious and savory, real comfort food.
-Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake - wow. I think this was one of the best pieces of cheesecake I've had. Ironically, one of the lighter offerings.
-Service - the women kept our coffee cups full, they were personable, smiles, and they cleared our plates quickly.
-Waffle Bar - no comment necessary
-Self-serve mimosas - yep, all you can drink. Pretty decent tasting champagne too. All of this for about $20/person was a pretty good deal.
Low lights:
-Most of the food was average brunch food you could find anywhere.
-A lot of the sausage/ham/link items were a bit on the rubbery side as they sat in their warming trays (we arrived when the restaurant opened).
-Omelet bar - just as heavy as their meat offerings (whisk those eggs, damnit!)
German food really sticks to your ribs. I wasn't ready for another meal for at least another eight hours...and I craved nothing but rabbit food for the rest of the day. It was a good thing we had nothing else planned that day other than to trek around downtown and burn off the damage.
We came here for dinner and before I begin this review, I have to admit that German food is not one of my favorite ethnic cuisines. It's very heavy on the potatoes and meat especially sausages, which I prefer to have for breakfast. My DH insisted on coming here since when he was in Germany he had this amazing schnitzel and was hoping to find it here.
The atmosphere was lively, fun and the costumed waitresses were friendly. It was a weekday and our waitress was probably new since she was forgetting things left and right. But she was so charming and funny so we didn't mind. For our dinner we ordered the ritter schnitzel and pork shank. Yes, the meat was falling off the bones but the flavor was a bit lacking and there was nothing very distinct about the taste. My husband's schnitzel was ok... he was disappointed that he hasn't found the amazing schnitzel he had in Germany.
Overall, a fun place to hang out with a big group of people, but I wouldn't come back for the food.
Authentic German, for sure. I ordered an excellent Sauerbraten from the lunch menu. It reminded me of the meal that we used to leave in a pot to marinate for days in our basement, when I was a child.
Lunch is casual and we were there on an early Saturday afternoon. I'll bet that dinner is amazing, but probably pricey.
You should definitely ask to "see" the dessert menu.
meh,
I had their famous pork dish and it was honestly pretty bland. Cool setup though.
The Oxtail Soup that my husband got and the Lobster bisque that I ate was really good!
I got the Beef Tenderloin stuffed on a bed of Spinach and my husband got the Bavarian Platter which was also very tasty.
Our server was REALLY REALLY great. We just sat and enjoyed our meal then next thing we noticed was that almost 3 hours had gone by!
Definitely worth the drive from Chicago and it's a splurge so expect to spend a good chunk of bills per person.
Can't wait til next time!
A pretty famous place, Mader's was featured on a Rachel Ray episode on the Food Network. It's also, they say, the most well-known German restaurant in North America.
I came with my parents, brother, and sister-in-law. We sat at a table where Paul Newman once dined a few years ago. Everyone seemed envious of what I ordered, the pork shank. Basically a hunk of meat on a bone, standing up on a plate surrounded with potatoes and sauerkraut. Sooo delicious. The pork was ultra tender and fell apart at the slightest tug. My sister in-law kept egging me on to eat the bone marrow....
I recommend the reuben rolls for an appetizer. Terrific egg-roll-like poppers filled with corned beef. And do yourself a favor and try a shoe-shaped stein of beer!
I give this place an A for atmosphere -- the server outfits and decor lended to the experience. I learned a lot of new vocabulary -- most excited about learning what a hummel is!! Everything was BIG -- the bread basket (pretzel rolls...emmm), the liver dumplings in the liver dumpling soup (this is um, quite a sight if you have never tried it), the pork shank on top of saurkraut with red potatoes. I would have liked if the food was served a little warmer; it was slightly above room temperature. I did appreciate the cherry strudel, which I got a la mode, of course. The server was really nice. Not sure if I would come again just for the food. It's not really my style. But I think it is a good experience, particularly for those not familiar with German fare. Tab for three (includes two drinks) came out to be $140 after gratuity.
Going there during Octoberfest should mean never a bad decision... Well I was disappointed with the prices and taste of the food.. You may want to think again before you spend the cash. I remember this place as a child and I think that's why it is still so popular. So BEWARE.. this place has changed!
Do yourself a favor and avoid Maders. The German food does not compare to other restaurants in the city (Karl Ratzsch's). However, the ambience in the facility is excellent.
Meine liebechin, Only a scheisskopf would turn his nose up at this joint.
Ich liebe Mader's. Sehr gutes essen. Nicht gourmet, but very good and authentic.
For Milwaukee, this is a great place to go with family, and we go every year on Christmas Day.
The real plus at Mader's is the authentic Bavarian feel of the place--complete with antique swords and suits of armor standing in discrete corners, and commemorative plaques honoring long-time and/or famous guests. They even have dirndle-strapped women manning the front desk to seat you. And the biggest bonus in that cramped corner of downtown is that they have valet parking in a fenced-in lot.
Beyond all those pluses, the food is authentic, with such unique local touches as a caraway balance to what can often be a mouth-puckering experience of sauerkraut. The Kassler Rippchen I had and the Wiener Schnitzel my husband had were both delicately prepared for being standard, hearty German fare, and didn't sit heavily at all.
update: Definitely worth the 5 stars this time. Service was prompt and friendly... and she sold us on their desserts, which were HEAVENLY. I had a strawberry schaumtorte that was unbelievably light and refreshing, and my husband's creme brulee was perfectly done.
Gemutlichkeit!
I wish i could give 3 1/2 stars.
I love good German food. I think veal is incredibly cruel but when you call it 'wiener schnitzel' i'm willing to forget it's tortured baby cow and just remember it's pure deliciousness and I can't get enough.
I had heard a lot about Mader's so there was a lot of hype going into this. I talked to my friend about going for months and finally we did just last week.
We went kinda late (9pm on a tuesday) and the parking lot was empty but still the valet acted a little cocky that we were attempting to eat at Mader's without reservations. Despite that he was funny and nice and we went right in and were seated. As expected we were only one of very few parties.
The decor of the place was as to be expected, old world German, beautiful in it's awkward way.
Right off the bat we knew this was going to be difficult and I felt like as jerk, the friend I had brought with me was a vegetarian and there was almost nothing she could eat on the menu. The staff however was super accommodating and pulled something together for her anyway.
In a state of shock I ordered the 'German sampler' and to be honest I kinda regret it. It was just about every type of meat prepared in a traditional german style. Don't get me wrong, it was excellent but I think I overloaded my palette.
My guest didn't enjoy her food as much as I did however, but was extremely grateful of the accommodations they had made for her.
Any gripes we had vanished when the desserts came out though. Everything looked and sounded incredible.
More than looking and sounding amazing... they were amazing. She had the cheesecake, I had the apple strudel with a scoop of ice cream. We both enjoyed out respective desserts so much we forgot to taste each-other's. I can't remember that ever happening before.
The beer and wine list was excellent as well, though the food was good, I'm actually very tempted to go back just for drinks and dessert, as both were phenomenal.
We were in Milwaukee on the weekend of Riversplash in late May / early June. After hitting the art museum (very nice) we wandered towards the river, one thing led to another and I had successfully maneuvered my wife into Mader's.
If I can get her into a German restaurant, I've accomplished something.
Anyways, coming from the south with the festival going on, we could have passed Mader's completely if I didn't have my eyes open. entering the restaurant they gave us the choice of eating in the restaurant proper or the Knight's Bar, where they had mainly sandwiches and snacks. And beer of course. Initially we sat in the Knight's bar, which was all wood, with booths opposite the bar, and illuminated by the light from the front windows. When we sat down, though, we quickly reconsidered... a brat sandwich just wasn't what I was looking for.
So we went back to the host station (which doubles as a stein and souvenir display area) and asked to be sat in the dining room. No problem. The dining room was darker, with lots of wood decor, dark carpet, and various Bavarian murals in the style you might expect. The ceilings were arched and perhaps supposed to approximate the feeling of a beer cellar. My wife complained that the place was dark, and she was right... but that's the style. White tablecloths make the place feel formal, but the waitstaff is not. Instead, they were very efficient.
The drink:
My wife started with a nice half-liter of Spaten pils in a great glass boot - the point of the beer boot is that when you get near the bottom, the beer sloshes out of the toe and can splash the unwary drinker in the face. Wisconsinites know more about this than people from less Germanic areas of the country, but there's a drinking game you can play with a group and a big five liter boot. We didn't though. I just had a half-liter of Franziskaner dunkel weisse, a dark wheat beer that they served with a slice of orange that I discreetly but disdainfully removed from the rim. Ahem. Later I had a half-liter of Sprecher Black Bavarian, a very tasty and smooth dark lager brewed in Milwaukee.
The food:
My wife ordered the chicken schnitzel off of the lunch menu (we were there at about 2 pm), with spaetzle. I chose the Bavarian sampler, a plate with a bratwurst, a knockwurst, a slice of pork loin, and a potato dumpling; sauerkraut was on the side and there was also a large crock of mustard. Salad and bread came with our meals. The pretzel rolls were good according to my wife; the salads were really excellent, with mixed baby greens, cherry tomatoes, and carrot shavings; this was not the iceberg lettuce chunk with sweet vinegar dressing that I expected. A large salad here would make a great meal with some of the bread on the side.
My wife was afraid that the chicken would taste like sauerkraut; it didn't. I had a bite and it seemed moist and flavorful to me; I love spaetzle so they were a treat. As for my food, there was lots of it. The dumpling and pork loin had a gravy of some sort on them, which I could have done without. The mustard was excellent and really added to the flavor of the sausages, which were slightly too salty and dry for my taste (I wondered as I was eating if they were from Usinger's which is literally across the street but I didn't ask). The pork loin was fine but with so much food I pretty much just focused on the sausages. I also didn't eat all of the potato dumpling, which was dense but still slightly fluffy. The sauerkraut was simmered with spices (caraway seeds, and maybe others), and but it was not excessively rinsed. By that I mean it was on the tart side, and I like my sauerkraut.
Dessert looked good but we didn't have any.
After we ate, I had to check out the stein store upstairs. The display was impressive, with some really massive vessels that would make great souvenirs. I ended up getting a Mader's 100 year anniversary stein for $10; not as ornate but I'll actually use it.
Would I go back? Yes. Would my wife? Only to please me.
I lived in Germany for 6 years, married a German (Bavarian) woman and both my kids were born in Germany. Mader's is the real deal, with excellent Germany food prepared authentically. Any of the meals are good, but if they have it, try the liver dumpling soup (Leberknoedelsuppe), is it incredible.
A tip: While Mader's is a more formal restaurant, if you go for lunch, it's more causal and prices are lower.
Mader's has some of the best German food in the midwest. Order the German sampler and the bratwurst but especially if you like duck do not pass up the duck a' la orange and also if you are a pork fan they have a famous pork entree ( a pork shank ) that is wonderful. The duck liver soup is also a favorite and the Bavarian platter. Again it is famous for it's German food and I see some people talking about driving there for dinner from Chicago. It is about an hour and 1/2 drive and you are not dinning at Lutece or Le Cirque. I have eaten here many times but it is usually when I am attending a Marquette basketball game and I have decided not to eat at Karl Ratzsch's. Mader's is a fun dinning experience and it is right around the block from the stadium where Marquette and the Bucks play their home games. I recommend Mader's for it's wonderful German food and the GF Guy Bacci who has dined there even more than myself concurs.
I wish they'd move to the west coast so we could take a break from having Chinese food all the time.
Good schnitzel, nice space and cool gift shop.
For the record, I'm giving 3.5 stars here based on two visits, three years apart.
We first ate at Mader's in 2005 while on the way back to Minnesota from Michigan. It was a memorable meal: I'm not all that experienced with German food, but my partner grew up with it and understandably loves it, and I've grown to like a few dishes, too. I'm no expert on the cuisine, so I'm not going to embarrass myself and comment on its authenticity.
I usually play it safe and order the familiar at a German restaurant: schnitzel or sauerbraten. I remember my schnitzel meal on the first trip as being terrific: golden brown, crunchy, flavorful. The spaetzle was awesome. Not many places we've been to serve it the way Mader's does: lightly sauteed with a bit of butter (?). The red cabbage was tart and a bit sweet but still had a good cabbage flavor. Other places we've been to make their red cabbage far too sweet. The apple streudel we got for dessert was just right: served warm with sweet whipped cream piped on top.
Cut to 2008. We are, again, coming back to MN from MI, and we decide to hit Mader's again.
Dinner started off well enough: I ordered the pretzel on the appetizer menu. Now, I love pretzels. They're a weakness of mine. I've never been to Germany, so I wouldn't know how it measures up, but I have to say: if what I got at Mader's is "authentic," I'm gong to Germany. Or at least, I'll try to learn how to make these myself. The waiter brought out this huge, dinner plate-sized soft pretzel dusted with salt and cups of cheese sauce and brown mustard. It didn't taste as if it had been made earlier in the day and simply reheated. It was wonderfully browned on the outside and surprisingly light on the inside. It wasn't doughy at all. It was, by far, the best pretzel I've ever had. (Then again, after a lifetime of eating mostly SuperPretzels, that isn't saying much.)
On our first visit, my guy got the sauerbraten and I remember taking a bite and sort of regretting I hadn't ordered it. So, for this second dinner I had sauerbraten. It was...good. Not great, but good. I found it to be a bit too much on the sweet side, but it was otherwise OK. The cabbage was just as tasty, but the spaetzle was awfully dry and tasteless.
We had dessert in spite of the fact that I'd polished off almost all of the pretzel. (No, I don't weigh 400 lbs., and I'm not that hearty of an eater.) We both ordered cherry streudel. What arrived was half-baked cherry streudel. Actually, maybe that's generous. It was more like 1/4-baked. Yes, it was that bad. The phyllo dough just under the crust was still chewy and gummy. You know, like dough tends to be before it's baked.
We didn't inform the waiter. Yeah, yeah, I know: we're bad and we should have said something, but...really.
So, dinner was certainly acceptable but disappointing compared to our first experience. We're willing to go again if we happen to be in Milwaukee, in the hopes that it was just an off night in the kitchen.
Besides, I have to have another pretzel.
I won't go into long detail, but if you like good German food this is the real deal. I love this place. Wear something nice because it is on the dressy side.
A sentimental favorite from my hometown. Mader's makes the best bratwurst I have ever had in my life. I start drooling the minute I think about it...crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside...smothered in sauerkraut. Mmmmm...heaven in a bun!!
had 2 slices of smoke "pork tender", basically, ham, for $10. with a glob of some potato thing, and a glob of saurkraut. apparently this is German food.
i don't care if this place is famous. the armour and swords are a part of the schtick. the food: wieners? and ham? for $11? are you kidding me?
berghoffs got me once, i never went back. mader's got me once, i will never go back.
As a Marquette grad, I went to Mader's a few times with my parents. It was even the place we picked for my graduation dinner after the ceremonies. Lots of others were there too! I don't remember exactly what items I ordered but everything was always great! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that it is very expensive. But it is an experience and recommended at least one time!
The dessert was incredible. I would go there just for the dessert. Plus they serve two types of rolls. The rolls were warm and went so well with the whipped butter. They were so yummy that I ate at three! The service was good and the waiters were in quaint costumes. The building was old and I liked all the period artifacts. The ONLY PROBLEM was that the actual German main course did not impress me. I am not sure if this is how Bavarian German food should taste or if it was an example of a well-prepared Bavarian meal. It seemed to have all the right ingredients and style, but I just did not enjoy it. I would go back and try one of the American style dishes. I think there may have been some chicken dishes that were more American than Bavarian.
I went there for the first time recently and the food was pretty good. I saw some really awful review online but decided to give it a go anyway.
It was worth it. Everything we tried was tasty and delicious.
We had some schnitzel, which was moist inside and crispy on the outside.
We also had an appetizer that was fried and filled with corned beef, I think. It was good but necessarily good for you. Coronary clogging for sure, but every once in a while....
A couple of our favorite things were the beer sampler that was like 8 or 10 small mugs of different beers. Very good selections and just the right amount of beer to get tipsy without shnockered.
Also the hallway that leads to the bathrooms is filled with celebrity portraits...Brett Favre being my favorite. But lots of old timey ones too. Excellent!
Our server was really fun and friendly even though we were the last ones out at a late lunch.
Another benefit if going there: it's next to the Spice House (A++++) and across from a cheese store and Usinger's sausage. A little gourmet mecca / ghetto!
A bit pricey, but the decor is authentic, albeit kitschy. The sauerbraten is to die for. The cusine has gone a little bit too upscale, but the you get what you pay for.
Milwaukee, WI
Category: German
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Lounges
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Restaurants
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Food
Milwaukee, WI
Category: Museums
