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German Food
Beer and pretzels
As food fads come and go, German cuisine is rarely on trend, but in Milwaukee it never goes out of style. Not surprising, considering how deeply German culture is embedded in the city’s makeup. While 17% of the population of the United States claims German heritage, that figure zooms up to 45% in Wisconsin. Starting in the 1830s, a flood of German immigrants made their mark on Milwaukee’s arts, architecture, industry and education, and turned brewing into big business. Along with the German people came German restaurants. Today, there are great options for satisfying cravings for wiener schnitzel, sauerkraut and pretzels, at restaurants like The Bavarian Bierhaus, Von Trier, Old German Beer Hall and Milwaukee Brat House. But as far as true old guard establishments go—restaurants that don’t just tap into the city’s German history but have been part of it for more than 100 years—there are now just two: Kegel’s Inn and Mader’s Restaurant.
Both have loyal followings, and debate over which is best persists wherever diners compare notes. Mader’s dominates city-wide polls, winning “Best German Restaurant” in the Shepherd Express’ annual survey from 2018 through 2024, with Kegel’s snatching victory in 2022. I dined at both restaurants in preparation for writing this article and deem those survey results correct … but incomplete. The two establishments occupy different niches in the landscape, and a one-to-one comparison of identical dishes misses that point. After all, French restaurants come in five different types, from an ultra-casual tabac up through cafés, bistros, and brasseries to formal restaurants; why would it be any different for German food?
Dining at Mader’s is a splurge-worthy affair, demanding multiple courses and a wander through the onsite museum that hosts a $3 million art collection, including pieces dating back to the 14th century). The excellent serving staff, dressed in lederhosen and dirndls, bustle without appearing to rush. Mader’s boasts of being the restaurant in Milwaukee most visited by celebrities and backs it up with photographic proof. The list of visiting celebs on their menu is continually updated, so the likes of Billie Eilish, Usher, and Vincente Fox share space with Nat King Cole, Tony Curtis and John F. Kennedy. It’s a tradition to have your picture taken in the huge velvet-upholstered chair that stands guard in the entryway. The whole evening is an event, and not a cheap one—you’ll take a hit to your wallet, and you’ll like it.
Rustic Beer Hall
By contrast, Kegel’s is less formal and more laid-back; it’s a neighborhood haunt, suited to a weeknight dinner or a weekend hangout. Rather than a grand space, it recreates a rustic German beer hall; the walls of the dark, wood-paneled dining room are adorned with hand-painted murals depicting often humorous scenes of hunting, feasting, drinking, and general revelry. (Kegel’s has its own reason for boasting: It gained a spot on the National Register of Historic places in 2010.)
Both restaurants offer traditional German fare—you’ll find rouladen, hasenpfeffer, roast duck, sauerbraten, liver dumpling soup and an array of schnitzels on both menus. Mader’s has made updates subtly, without obvious or radical changes to their recipes. We shared an order of caramelized Brussels sprouts ($15) as a starter; the fresh and tart dish was a cross between a warm German-style salad and sauerkraut, with melted Swiss cheese holding it together and a red wine gastrique adding tang. I ordered the Rhine Sampler ($43) to taste two different entrees: The beef goulash was rich, hearty and complex, served over a bed of delightfully light spaetzle, and the wiener schnitzel was tender, with a light, perfectly crispy coating. My companion had the pork shank ($44), which was literally fall-off-the-bone tender: The bone she held up for inspection was perfectly bare.
Bavarian Nachos?
Kegel’s takes more chances in modernizing their menu. They also serve pork shank, but also use the meat to create Bavarian nachos ($14), pork shank rolls ($10) and pork shank hoagies. Their sausages show up in traditional Bavarian-style sausage platters (2/$19; 3/$26; 6/$33), but also are sliced up and served in an Alpine poutine ($16), topping French fries with cheese curds, bratwurst and duck gravy. They offer a host of loaded brat options ($15-$17), reflecting a more freewheeling attitude toward their culinary roots.
The difference in attitude—respectful authenticity vs. mischievous tweaking of tradition—was there from the beginning. Charles Mader’s dream was to open his own tavern, which he did in 1902. When Prohibition passed in 1920, he thrived by concentrating on his wife’s sauerbraten, pork shank, and wiener schnitzel. Kegel’s, by contrast, debuted as a speakeasy in 1924, calling itself a “soft drink parlor” with straight-faced innocence all while brewing beer in the basement. At Mader’s, elaborate stained glass panels separate the main dining room from the Knight’s Bar. At Kegel’s, their lovely and more modest stained glass is on the outer walls, blocking the patrons from the eyes of the authorities.
Recent additions Kegel’s has made embrace its more rollicking flair. In the summer, they offer live music and outdoor dining at Oktoberfest-style long tables in “bootleggers alley” behind the restaurant. A drive-through window handles the demand for their rightfully famous Friday Fish Fry ($15-20, $32 for a sampler); diners can choose between cod, lake perch, walleye, grouper, catfish, baked cod, and jumbo shrimp—there’s even a vegan option.
So, if you have a craving for German flavors, and want to visit a restaurant that has stood the test of time and thousands of diners, just match the place to the occasion and you can’t go wrong.
Mader’s Restaurant
- 1041 N. Old World Third Street
- madersrestaurant.com, (414) 271-3377
- Hours: Monday–Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m.
Kegel’s Inn
- 5901 W. National Avenue
- kegelsinn.com, (414) 257-9999
- Hours: Tuesday–Thursday & Saturday, 4 p.m.–8 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed Sunday & Monday
