Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern
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Had a great meal here visiting Waterloo! This was recommended by the locals as one of the must visit German restaurants (160 years of local history!). Super cozy family style dining, and folks are very friendly. We of course ordered the signature smoked pork hock dinner - the pork hock was very large in portion, and the meat was super juicy and tender! The meat could literally fall off the bone even though we were given two knives. The skin was tender as well, but retained it's chewiness, which was a great combination with the meat. As the richness of the flavor kicks in, the acidity of the sauerkraut perfectly balances out the meat flavors. Other sides in the dish were pretty good as well - would recommend you getting whichever you like normally (i.e., french fries vs. mashed potatoes, vegetables vs sauerkraut). Additionally, we also ordered the Country Sausage and Weiner Schnitzel - personally would prefer the country sausage over the Weiner schnitzel. You have a choice of ordering a "dinner" which comes with sides of potatoes + sauerkraut + coleslaw, or a "no trim", which provides only the meat and bread. In terms of drinks, we also ordered a few pints (20oz.) of local beers - would recommend the lager, the flavor goes really well with the pork hock, sausages and schnitzel. Had fun dining here with family and friends in a group of 4! Would definitely recommend if you're visiting Waterloo.
Highly recommend when passing by, will definitely bring my parents here again My husband and I went to St Jacobs market. after buying groceries at market, we decide to come here for food. this place seems to be very popular among Chinese community, even my parent know about this place. when we came to this restaurant around 3 pm, there are a few tables. however, it seems like all customers there are asian. We ordered the famous pork hock, and surprisingly, it came quickly. it was very nicely cooked. the meat fell off the bone. it was too much for 1 person. the waitress was pretty nice. I would highly recommend this place if you are in the area and want to try some good german food.
They close at 8pm, we arrived around 7:30pm. We were only 2 people so they let us in. We were to pay first so we don't have to be as rushed. My friend and I both gotten the pork hock dinner. My meat was soft and fall off the bone type. I enjoyed it mostly but I don't really like the sauce being on the sweeter side. My friend's plate had harder meat and she said not much seasoning on her meat. The portion was big so we both took home half. We should have ordered just one glass of beer, took a bit long for us to finish the pitcher. Felt sorry the last person had to wait for us to leave. The server should have suggested to order just the pint if they had to rush to get out and didn't wish us to stay too long, instead, I had to hear a person talking from the kitchen. "There is always that one last table" That doesn't make me feel very good when we were told that we could still stay and not rush because we paid up front when we ordered. The place was bigger than I thought. 3 rooms in total, but I don't think I would drive back there again from Toronto.
$62 for combo of 1 sausage, 1 rib, 1 pigtail, 2 pork hocks, mashed potato, french fries, boiled vegetables, and sauerkraut was a great deal. Smoked Pork Hock is their specialty but I was disappointed that the skin was tough and rubbery, I have had Roasted Pork Hock where the skin is crunchy and edible. The meats were good but not great. The sauerkraut tasted homemade and I enjoyed that. The other sides were just OK.
Visited here as I was recommended by many friends and my lady. We were literally starving to death. Not because there aren't many option for foods, this place is indeed descent for a meal and unwind before a king drive back home! The pork hock is truly a killer of their menu, it's must try! Very tender and sauce is fairly mild and well soaked into the meat! No wonder everyone was raving about it. Be sure to have it with either sauerkraut or a pop to rest your tongue from the greasiness. :p Now, I must admit schnitzel could be a big miss. It doesn't look like hand tendered nor tossed given the top perfect shape of it. I'd had better one back in Toronto however, the pork hock was just impressive enough to let it slip. I wouldn't comment on the quality of schnitzel either since it was fried based on the textbook. Let's appreciate that at least they didn't burn it! I'm sure this will be the go to place for more pork hocks and other menus next time. Hopefully I'll be conscious enough to update the review on a new food items they offer :D
This restaurant has a very old town vibe to it. I like how they kept to their roots but the chairs are very beaten up and the tables feel sticky. The servers are kind of friendly when greeting you but they seem a little inattentive at times. Just talking among themselves or to their regular customers only. We ordered beer and hot water but they forgot to bring it completely, when we reminded them, they brought it out instantly. The food was very greasy but it feels like a very authentic place, holding onto old traditions likely. It is a good place to try German food once but I don't think I would enjoy it a second time.
Recommended if you are visiting st Jacob market. It's only 5-7 min away. This is an old school diner type of resto. Don't expect fancy decor or upscale dining area. The building I aged. Last time I visited was more then 10 years ago. Ordered my usual pork hock and sausage. It tasted exactly the same as decade ago. Service was friendly. Price is cheap. Too bad it's far away from me or else I will visit often.
This restaurant is also a motel and you can get a room for $64.99 a night so if you want to eat and rest, this is the place to stop. We came here because our friend recommended it. The inside is really rustic and they have plenty of seats (with three rooms) so it was easy to find a place to sit down. I ordered the schnitzel dinner special (which is their dinner special every night lol) with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. I also tried some of the pork hock, which is what they are famous for. I haven't tried the schnitzel anywhere else but Germany and you can't compare but the schnitzel was smaller than expected and was kind of like a fried hamburger patty. I tried a little bit of the pork hock and it was really tender and nicely marinated, but it was a very average dish. The best thing we had there was their fries--we ordered it halfway through our meal and I swear, our server brought it to our table within a minute. Our server was very helpful and nice and the service was amazing and surprisingly fast. They also had really cute holiday drawings on their wall so it was very festive!! Overall, average place but great service!
Located in the middle of nowhere (at least to me it was nowhere) stood a old rundown motel that offers a room under $70/night. If our friend didn't mention this place, I wouldn't dare enter the doors - almost like something out of a scary movie. However, if you're here, it's clearly because someone told you bout it (like us). Once you enter the doors, a very nice lady greets you and if it's not busy, you get to sit wherever you want. I'm tempted to say that the restaurant is run by a family, but I can't say for sure since I didn't ask. I feel like I'm in a small German town cafe/restaurant- everything is made of wood, kind of antique-ish. I loved the vibe. If you're here or planning to come here, come hungry!!! Their German pork hock (doesn't matter whether or not you get the dinner option or no trim option), will stuff you silly! we ordered one dinner and one no trim, two guys and me, and we were walking out of there comatosed. But oh my god, it's SOOO WORTH IT!!! Pork hock: Smoked to perfection - the meat/fat pretty much falls off the bone and melts in your mouth!! Coleslaw (part of dinner): reminded me of the ones my aunt made when I was a kid - homemade. Homey. And CREAMY!!! Mashed potatoes/gravy (part of dinner): made from real potatoes (skin and all) was creamy, but with little bits of potatoes for chewing. Gravy, oh wow. That gravy was thick and flavourful. For these two dishes, the meal came to around less than $40 (before tax)!! If it wasn't in the middle of nowhere, I'd be going back every week!!!
It's a cute place recommended by family. They seem to stick to the German traditions so that's nice to see. The pork hock is supposedly the most popular item here so we tried it. It's really soft but lacks any sauce or glaze so it's quite plain. The ribs I would not recommend. Very dry and virtually tasteless...I had to ask for bbq because they literally cooked it without seasoning or sauce.. I will say the fries were delicious. :) And the staff here are really friendly and welcoming.
Came here with my family to try their pork hock as recommended by a family friend. We ordered their battered mushrooms to start, the pork hock dinner, roast beef dinner, and broasted chicken dinner. Service was very attentive and friendly, but I have to say that the food was just okay - could use a bit more taste/flavour.
1 month ago
I remember coming here when I was in elementary school. Fast forward now I am close to 30 and went to St. Jacobs farmers market for a day trip with my mom and sister. It was such a nostalgic feeling walking back into this restaurant. Not a thing has changed and I liked that We were served by multiple waitresses and all of them were super sweet and kind. It really felt like you were in a small town community. They are known for their ham hock but it was super hot out today so we decided to go with the rib and pigtail combo. Super delicious and the meat falls off the bone. We also got some wings for their Thursday wing deal. $1.75 per wing. The garlic dill seasoning was a very pleasant surprise. Now as someone who is Asian and not German... it's a bit odd to see a lot of Asian people coming into this restaurant. But this place has been talked about and recommended by all of my Asian peers since I was a child. Which I think is quite impressive and speaks for the food itself. Because if you know a lot of older Asian parents, they can be quite picky when it comes to non-Asian food. read more
1 year ago
The smoked pork hock is worth the occasional 2 hours drive from Toronto. The portion is good, food is tasty and hearty. The servers are friendly and the place is cozy. read more
The restaurant is a definite tourist attraction/trap depending who you ask. They serve a traditional German smoked pork hock, which is hard to find and worth a try if you haven't had one before. We came with a large group of people due to a family trip (20+ people) with a reservation and the restaurant was well prepared for us. They were able to serve 20+ adults quickly and efficiently, which speaks to the long experience of the service and kitchen staff. Extra star for completing that feat alone! The pork hock was well cooked, very tender and a generous portion for one. If you have a smaller appetite, I would recommend sharing one between two people as the massive amount of meat and fat can be too much for one person. Our plate also had veggies, coleslaw and mash potatoes also. The restaurant is very old and it has some charming relics placed around. Unfortunately the charm does not extend to the washroom, which could really use an update. read more
4 years ago
Had a great meal here visiting Waterloo! This was recommended by the locals as one of the must visit German restaurants (160 years of local history!). Super cozy family style dining, and folks are very friendly. We of course ordered the signature smoked pork hock dinner - the pork hock was very large in portion, and the meat was super juicy and tender! The meat could literally fall off the bone even though we were given two knives. The skin was tender as well, but retained it's chewiness, which was a great combination with the meat. As the richness of the flavor kicks in, the acidity of the sauerkraut perfectly balances out the meat flavors. Other sides in the dish were pretty good as well - would recommend you getting whichever you like normally (i.e., french fries vs. mashed potatoes, vegetables vs sauerkraut). Additionally, we also ordered the Country Sausage and Weiner Schnitzel - personally would prefer the country sausage over the Weiner schnitzel. You have a choice of ordering a "dinner" which comes with sides of potatoes + sauerkraut + coleslaw, or a "no trim", which provides only the meat and bread. In terms of drinks, we also ordered a few pints (20oz.) of local beers - would recommend the lager, the flavor goes really well with the pork hock, sausages and schnitzel. Had fun dining here with family and friends in a group of 4! Would definitely recommend if you're visiting Waterloo. read more
Always my go-to place for a meal when I'm in the Waterloo area. Ordered a spare ribs dinner and a country vegetable soup. Food is always great, as always. For a change, I ordered the spare ribs dinner instead of my usual Smoked Pork Hock dinner. read more
Highly recommend when passing by, will definitely bring my parents here again My husband and I went to St Jacobs market. after buying groceries at market, we decide to come here for food. this place seems to be very popular among Chinese community, even my parent know about this place. when we came to this restaurant around 3 pm, there are a few tables. however, it seems like all customers there are asian. We ordered the famous pork hock, and surprisingly, it came quickly. it was very nicely cooked. the meat fell off the bone. it was too much for 1 person. the waitress was pretty nice. I would highly recommend this place if you are in the area and want to try some good german food. read more
2 years ago
They close at 8pm, we arrived around 7:30pm. We were only 2 people so they let us in. We were to pay first so we don't have to be as rushed. My friend and I both gotten the pork hock dinner. My meat was soft and fall off the bone type. I enjoyed it mostly but I don't really like the sauce being on the sweeter side. My friend's plate had harder meat and she said not much seasoning on her meat. The portion was big so we both took home half. We should have ordered just one glass of beer, took a bit long for us to finish the pitcher. Felt sorry the last person had to wait for us to leave. The server should have suggested to order just the pint if they had to rush to get out and didn't wish us to stay too long, instead, I had to hear a person talking from the kitchen. "There is always that one last table" That doesn't make me feel very good when we were told that we could still stay and not rush because we paid up front when we ordered. The place was bigger than I thought. 3 rooms in total, but I don't think I would drive back there again from Toronto. read more
$62 for combo of 1 sausage, 1 rib, 1 pigtail, 2 pork hocks, mashed potato, french fries, boiled vegetables, and sauerkraut was a great deal. Smoked Pork Hock is their specialty but I was disappointed that the skin was tough and rubbery, I have had Roasted Pork Hock where the skin is crunchy and edible. The meats were good but not great. The sauerkraut tasted homemade and I enjoyed that. The other sides were just OK. read more
Visited here as I was recommended by many friends and my lady. We were literally starving to death. Not because there aren't many option for foods, this place is indeed descent for a meal and unwind before a king drive back home! The pork hock is truly a killer of their menu, it's must try! Very tender and sauce is fairly mild and well soaked into the meat! No wonder everyone was raving about it. Be sure to have it with either sauerkraut or a pop to rest your tongue from the greasiness. :p Now, I must admit schnitzel could be a big miss. It doesn't look like hand tendered nor tossed given the top perfect shape of it. I'd had better one back in Toronto however, the pork hock was just impressive enough to let it slip. I wouldn't comment on the quality of schnitzel either since it was fried based on the textbook. Let's appreciate that at least they didn't burn it! I'm sure this will be the go to place for more pork hocks and other menus next time. Hopefully I'll be conscious enough to update the review on a new food items they offer :D read more
4 years ago
This restaurant has a very old town vibe to it. I like how they kept to their roots but the chairs are very beaten up and the tables feel sticky. The servers are kind of friendly when greeting you but they seem a little inattentive at times. Just talking among themselves or to their regular customers only. We ordered beer and hot water but they forgot to bring it completely, when we reminded them, they brought it out instantly. The food was very greasy but it feels like a very authentic place, holding onto old traditions likely. It is a good place to try German food once but I don't think I would enjoy it a second time. read more
4 years ago
Restaurant famous for their smoked pork hock. The pork hock was super fall of the bone tender. They make the best pork hocks I've ever tried. Service was okay and restaurant was not the cleanest. Would come back just to get the smoked pork hock. read more
4 years ago
Recommended if you are visiting st Jacob market. It's only 5-7 min away. This is an old school diner type of resto. Don't expect fancy decor or upscale dining area. The building I aged. Last time I visited was more then 10 years ago. Ordered my usual pork hock and sausage. It tasted exactly the same as decade ago. Service was friendly. Price is cheap. Too bad it's far away from me or else I will visit often. read more
This restaurant is also a motel and you can get a room for $64.99 a night so if you want to eat and rest, this is the place to stop. We came here because our friend recommended it. The inside is really rustic and they have plenty of seats (with three rooms) so it was easy to find a place to sit down. I ordered the schnitzel dinner special (which is their dinner special every night lol) with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. I also tried some of the pork hock, which is what they are famous for. I haven't tried the schnitzel anywhere else but Germany and you can't compare but the schnitzel was smaller than expected and was kind of like a fried hamburger patty. I tried a little bit of the pork hock and it was really tender and nicely marinated, but it was a very average dish. The best thing we had there was their fries--we ordered it halfway through our meal and I swear, our server brought it to our table within a minute. Our server was very helpful and nice and the service was amazing and surprisingly fast. They also had really cute holiday drawings on their wall so it was very festive!! Overall, average place but great service! read more
Located in the middle of nowhere (at least to me it was nowhere) stood a old rundown motel that offers a room under $70/night. If our friend didn't mention this place, I wouldn't dare enter the doors - almost like something out of a scary movie. However, if you're here, it's clearly because someone told you bout it (like us). Once you enter the doors, a very nice lady greets you and if it's not busy, you get to sit wherever you want. I'm tempted to say that the restaurant is run by a family, but I can't say for sure since I didn't ask. I feel like I'm in a small German town cafe/restaurant- everything is made of wood, kind of antique-ish. I loved the vibe. If you're here or planning to come here, come hungry!!! Their German pork hock (doesn't matter whether or not you get the dinner option or no trim option), will stuff you silly! we ordered one dinner and one no trim, two guys and me, and we were walking out of there comatosed. But oh my god, it's SOOO WORTH IT!!! Pork hock: Smoked to perfection - the meat/fat pretty much falls off the bone and melts in your mouth!! Coleslaw (part of dinner): reminded me of the ones my aunt made when I was a kid - homemade. Homey. And CREAMY!!! Mashed potatoes/gravy (part of dinner): made from real potatoes (skin and all) was creamy, but with little bits of potatoes for chewing. Gravy, oh wow. That gravy was thick and flavourful. For these two dishes, the meal came to around less than $40 (before tax)!! If it wasn't in the middle of nowhere, I'd be going back every week!!! read more
It's a cute place recommended by family. They seem to stick to the German traditions so that's nice to see. The pork hock is supposedly the most popular item here so we tried it. It's really soft but lacks any sauce or glaze so it's quite plain. The ribs I would not recommend. Very dry and virtually tasteless...I had to ask for bbq because they literally cooked it without seasoning or sauce.. I will say the fries were delicious. :) And the staff here are really friendly and welcoming. read more
5 years ago
Came here with my family to try their pork hock as recommended by a family friend. We ordered their battered mushrooms to start, the pork hock dinner, roast beef dinner, and broasted chicken dinner. Service was very attentive and friendly, but I have to say that the food was just okay - could use a bit more taste/flavour. read more
5 years ago
The restaurant keeps table in a very good distance and also they have huge outside sitting area. This pork hoc is a signature dish, surprisingly it is juicy, very tender and not greasy. You can share with friend as the size is big. read more
11 years ago
Very popular tourist spot near the St. Jacobs Farmer's Market. If you want fast service, this place may meet your expectations. If you want a clean and well-lit place, then this may not be the place to check out. SERVICE & FOOD Fast.. fast service. I sat down, ordered the Pork Combo (1 riblet, 1 pig tail, 2 pork hocks, mash potatoes, fries, sauerkraut, coleslaw, carrots) and was served 10 minutes later. I was starving so the fast service made my day. This is my second time at the restaurant, and I must say that the food was much better the first time I visited. The portions were decent but I remember I got a lot more food last time. The pork hock was tasty but seemed a little bland. The pig tail (which is what I would recommend) tasted much better. The sausages were dry and overcooked cause it tasted like they threw it back into the frier to heat up again. The sides were decent, nothing too special. read more
6 years ago
So I always come back here once every couple of weeks for their pork hock when I get the craving. Falls off the bones good, and my dogs love the bones I take home too! read more
Came here with family as my parents heard some hype about this place from WeChat. We took a nice drive from Toronto to the Waterloo area to try this place out. We ordered the Pork Combo platter and this was enough to fill our party of 5. The meat was tender and tasted pretty good. My only wish was that there was a bit more variety in the platter. Maybe some nice salads or variety of vegetables to balance out the meat. By the end of the meal you feel like you have overstuffed your tummy with protein. The service was alright - be prepared to wait a while for dressings or additional sauces as the location is quite busy especially for a Sunday afternoon. Definitely recommend this place to satisfy your meat cravings but I would skip out on this one if you are looking for a fancy place to have a date night. read more
[Location] 3/5 This located is located at Heidelberg, nothwest of Waterloo. Driving is needed. [Service] 5/5 Service is very good. Waitress is always here for help when we needed. [Decoration] 4/5 It is an old fashioned German bar/motel, which is heartwarming. [Food] 4/5 The portion is huge! It proably takes 3 person to finsh a smoked pock hock and fries. Very reasonable price. It tastes good but could be better (I understand it is hard to get the salt deep inside the hock. [Overall] 4/5 Pretty good! I would recommend people driving here during the weekend. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
10 years ago
Food: 4 stars This is my second time returning for their renowned smoked pork hock. Last time I was here, it was on a Saturday evening and it was PACKED with people. I would recommend making reservations and if you're here for the pork hock to reserve your meal as well because they could be sold out. Luckily, no such issues on a Monday night. My boyfriend got the roast beef dinner and it was ok. Portion looked a little small. He wanted vegetables as one of his sides and he got was corn. The waitress was nice enough to give him some sauerkraut on the side since we thought there would be a mix of vegetables. So be sure to ask! Now for the highlight! Impressive size and presentation but don't get too excited yet because lots of it is fat. Delicious but not exactly artery-friendly. The meat is SUPER tender and there's a good amount of meat under all the fat. Ambiance: 3.5 stars There's a recreational room with pool tables and a day board. Comfy green booth seats along the sides of the main dining hall. Feels a little like you've gone back in time to dine at a small German family's home. Service: 3.5 stars Fast and friendly service. Our food was served less than 15 minutes after ordering and it came out nice and hot. Plates were cleared promptly and our waitress made sure we had everything we needed. read more
11 years ago
This run-down German is a very popular spot at St. Jacobs. You'll be surprised to see a lot of asians inside all because of their popular Smoked Pork Hock. We were a group of 9 asians and we got 2 orders of Battered Mushrooms and 3 orders of the Smoked Pork Hock. I'm not a veggie person so I was very surprised on how much I liked the Battered Mushrooms. The batter was crispy on the outside but fluffy inside. The mushrooms were juicy. I really liked the Smoked Pork Hock too. It's a huge dish so it can be shared among 2-3 people. The meat was juicy and tender, and the smoke flavor was really strong. I would've liked it more if the skin was crispy or had some sauce. I'm biased on this because I love the Filipino Crispy Pata (deep fried pork hock) and the Chinese Style Pork Hock. People might have issues with the cleanliness as the place is really old and run down. Some of the glasses we got even had some stuff in them. read more
9 years ago
Famous for its pork hock. Many out of towners drive here just to try the pork hock. It's a large dinner made very well. Soft juicy on inside but a nice firmer outside. Good with honey mustard. Not a big fan of any other item. Ordered the large country sausage but it was hardly large. Just standard size. And at 17.95 it really was not worth it. Not even close. But get the pork hock and you'll. be happy. They used to have their own microbrewery. Not sure where that went. read more
This place is a must try for all moms and pops visitinng their kids at Waterloo. The place gets packed at lunch, and you literally had to make reservations if you don't plan to come early during weekends. They have this $54 combo for large groups, which I feel you're better off ordering individual portions. The environment here is quite...old, and not the cleanest place out there (the table and menu were so sticky). Overall it's not bad, a novel place to eat once in a while. Make sure you have a car though, busing will take forever because you have a walk a fair distance after you get off read more
7 years ago
CHARACTER....The only word that describes this restaurant. We stumbled upon this throwback to a different time while driving around the scenic farmlands. The food was unique and delicious. When was the last time you enjoyed a pork hock? Amazingly tender, very tasty pork that is quite similar to ham. The coleslaw is the best I've ever tried and the sauerkraut is authentic. read more
7 years ago
14 years ago
14 years ago
9 years ago
Absolutely purely legendary Pork Hocks! This place is precious old gem for locals but also many many students and parents from nearby University Of Waterloo. The pork meat is perfectly smoked and incredibly tender where it almost falls off the bone. My parents, family and I would often come here as a treat when I studied at Waterloo. Now that I'm working abroad, I'd still crave it's food. read more
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More info about Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern
3006 Lobsinger Line
RR 15
Heidelberg, ON N0B 2M1
Canada
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(519) 699-4413
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Visit Website
http://www.oldhh.com/
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10 years ago
Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern - german - Updated July 2026
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