Recognizing that neighborhood German restaurants seem to be a dying breed in the United States, we try to visit them when we can. We've been aware of Laschet's Inn for a number of years, having stayed in the general neighborhood before. And this time, our AirBnB was only four blocks away, so Laschet's seemed like a no-brainer. Laschet's has been around for five decades and has the cozy and inviting old-world ambience and decor to prove it. Very nice and evocative. Relatively speaking, we're German-food ignoramuses, having grown up in the German-food-free South and lived in the increasingly German-food-free Midwest for the last 15 or so years. But Laschet's has a menu that seems authentic for the most part. Our experience was largely enjoyable. Big starter of fried smelt was tasty and a good deal. (Unbelievably, first time for this middle-ager.) Entree portions were very generous, and the side salad was surprisingly fresh and green (if a bit overdressed). German potato salad had great flavor, and the sauerkraut was quality. Laschet's beer list featured a bunch of German ones that I was unfamiliar with, but the beer descriptions were helpful, and whatever pilsner I got was robust and pleasant. Our server the entire evening was helpful and efficient. So why only "largely" enjoyable? The meat entrees the wife and I got--the frikadellen (kofte-like pan-fried pork and beef meatball/patties) for me and a Konigsberger Klopse special (different type of pork and beef meatballs with a lemon caper sauce) for the wife were as bland as can be and overcooked. Although we're no German-food experts, we know enough to know that German meat entrees can be quite a bit better than this--as our Bavarian neighbors in Cincinnati have shown us more than once. Close to five stars for most everything about this visit, but the dud entrees bring it down to a weak four. read more

Great food, nice ambiance and terrible service. Oh well as Meatloaf said "two out of three ain't bad". The food runner and hostess were great, but everyone else must have been having a bad day. From reading other people's reviews about Laschet's Inn it appears that they have bad days very often. read more

It was packed and that says a lot about a restaurant! Great German food. We were a tiny bit disappointed with the goulash as we were expecting more of a soup style, but everything else was excellent! We will go back. PS The restaurant was a little warm. The poor waitresses were dying. read more

We were in the area and amazed that there were several German options within walking distance. The Yelp reviews directed us to Laschet's, first time in. From the street, very nondescript. We were seated immediately by friendly hosts at a table in the bar area that was mark reserved. I was looking forward to the beer and was surprised to find that there were not many dark options on tap. Having said that though, the one dark option I did have was good, and the doppelbock was delicious. We opted for the portobella starter and however they treated the portobella, it was delicious, would totally get it again. Next was salad time, my wife opted for traditional. I tried something new, the pineapple bean salad. I would never in my lifetime have thought to combine what was going on with that salad, but you know what, it was pleasantly and surprisingly good and healthy. For entree, my wife tried something new to her, rouladen. I opted for the mushroom goulash. Both were good and generous in their portion. The red cabbage was a zinger, much more zesty than other types I have had before, good for clearing the sinuses ;) The spaetzle was on the drier and crispier side, almost like home fried potatoes. Maybe spaetzle is like gumbo and everyone makes it differently? I am by no means an expert on German food, but the times I have had it, the spaetzle and the red cabbage, both seem to fluctuate the most. We both ended up taking half of our meals home with us. The food is good, it is filling, as is the beer. Before we left, we both did aperitif schnapps shots which are complimentary on the house. Nice touch! Prost! The vibe and the clientele both seemed were very chill/local. I could see popping in here for a bev and bite if we were. At least when we were there, there was no Octoberfest music playing or anything like that, it was just a typical restaurant atmosphere. The timing of the service is important to note. When we were there, we arrived around 6 and left around 8. There was plenty of time in between portions and it was very non-rushed. The overall feeling was that it could have moved just a touch faster. They do offer daily specials so be sure to check them out. Gut sein! read more

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Laschets is a long running institution famous for its world-class German beer service. Many patrons have been eating and drinking with family and friends there for decades. The latest management capably carries on the legacy and has tastefully improved the interiors without straying from tradition. The food is amazing, if gas inducing. The German style dishes are large, and there are set daily specials. The crowd is diverse, but orbits a core of hearty middle aged men regulars. It is not an actual Inn with lodging. The units upstairs are apartments. Street parking availability varies on busy Irving Park road. A must-visit Chicago experience. Everything you would expect from a German tavern. read more

Service was very good and the ambience was busy. I didn't have any beer but apparently the beer was very good. The food was pretty authentic so I would definitely recommend. I was with a person who is from Germany and they said it was above average but they weren't super impressed. However, I think their standards are pretty high and I think this food was pretty authentic and tasty. read more

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Excellent ambiance. The age of the building & space is respected and celebrated. The decor, lighting, & music enhances the feel. Would love to hang out here any time, for bar or restaurant. We went with a large group (ages varying), with a reservation. All parties found something on the menu to enjoy. I would definitely return for the pretzel, soups, Goulash, fried cod, & vibes. Sausage platter was a hit! I found the Schnitzel to be decent, but dry. Lots of love on the red cabbage. Overall, sharing was really fun & serving size generous. read more

Great German food and highly recommend their goulash. Nice size portions. Kudos for moving away from styrofoam carryout containers to paper. I order a lot of carryout and it always hurts me when restaurant don't use biodegradable options if possible. Thank you Laschets for making this change. read more

Laschet's Inn - Kudos for earth friendly carryout containers! - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ordered: Hot Sausage Platter Giant Pretzel Chicken Paprikash (Red Cabbage, Spaetzle) Goulash Apple Strudel Raspberry Sacher Torte Ideal Move: Come here to get your German food craving satisfied. Laschet's Inn offers very traditional German food in an excellent no frills bar in the front and dinner room in the back. Order a few appetizers (the hot sausage platter is a must) and split an entree. As long as you get dessert and beer this will be more than enough food for a dinner party of four. My Experience: Laschet's Inn surpassed our expectations for a German dinner in Chicago. There are many places to get good German sausages and pretzels, but the places for authentic red cabbage and spaetzle are fewer and farther between. Laschet's is a place that does the classics very well. The beer list if long and contains the German brews you would want. I would recommend coming hungry because the portions for entrees are quite large. The service was also great! read more

Laschet's Inn - Raspberry Sacher Torte - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Whenever I come back to visit Chicago, I always make a trip to Laschet's, great old school German restaurant/bar and the Cub's games are always on the boob tube. The food is authentic and the service is always on par.... read more

Laschet's Inn - Love it. - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here so excited for a good ol German meal. I left after barely touching my food because the owner/manager(?) went on a LOUD expletive laden scream fest on the kitchen staff. I was sat right next to the kitchen but I'm sure the whole restaurant could hear as this woman stood at the door using the "f" word many times at her cook over an appetizer taking 15 minutes. I was so repulsed by her behavior and treatment of staff. She could have done this in private or not at all. I don't know if they are family, friends or strangers. No one deserves to be treated that way. Her screaming and putting down her staff killed the experience. read more

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Quality German restaurant up on the north side. I'm not German cuisine expert by any means, but I certainly enjoyed what I had. I got the leberkase sandwich. I'm not sure what meat it is exactly, kind of like ham, but it was very good, had an egg on it, and was big and definitely left me full, a good value for its cost. If you're a beer fan, all their beers look good, I got the Dunkel. It was quite good, and I ended up getting 2. There's plenty of tables, or bar seating, but if you have a group I would get a reservation, especially if it's on a weekend. We were able to make 9 people work, but they seemed a bit overwhelmed, it was all fine, we got everything we ordered, but it might be more ideal to go with a smaller group. It's right by the Irving brown line stop, or you can do metered parking on Irving. I'd be down to come back. read more

Laschet's Inn - Leberkase sandwich - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great German spot in north center right on Irving park. Highly recommend the pork shank when you can get it, it's unbelievable. Make sure to come to this place hungry! The bar is a great spot to sit to take in the ambiance inside. The staff is always friendly and great to talk with. Beers on tap are great as well. The staff can help with recommendations if you need help with foreign beers. read more

Wish I could've loved this place, but had a very unpleasant visit! Upon entering we made our way to the host stand, and a server motioned us to an empty table, which we started walking towards. Immediately, the bartender yelled at us, "Did I say you could sit there?" She very rudely told us to wait to be seated, shooting us a glare as she continued to wipe down the bar. Mind you, it was 3pm on a Saturday, and the place was 80% empty. Another server came to seat us, pointing to the EXACT TABLE we had just been rudely chastised away from! We were laughing a bit at the absurdity of the situation when we received a hostile "What's so funny?" from our server. Sobered our mood entirely. I've never felt so unwelcome in a restaurant. The food was pretty good, but not good enough to come back. read more

The area around Lincoln and Grace has been sacred ground to me ever since I spent the night before Thanksgiving sitting up and talking with a favorite blues musician, at the age of 20, in a blizzard. While the old apartment building he lived in seems to have been demolished, I still go by there sometimes--and inevitably get hopelessly lost. (These pilgrimages started when I was 23 and had to interrupt a group of very sweet and chivalrous Puerto Rican 10-year-olds, who were playing some sort of ballgame on the sidewalk, and ask for directions, thinking that if I circled the block one more time trying to find the place they might get suspicious.) Yesterday I took a stroll around there and assumed I could find my way back to Lincoln, but that didn't happen. After admiring a lot of architecture I finally ended up on Irving Park through no genius of my own, and fortunately stumbled on this weird old gem of a bar and restaurant. The creamed herring was perfect and the atmosphere was old-school and entertaining. It was a great place to read for an hour. The music was interesting--European, miscellaneous contemporary (I think). I felt transported--not sure where to, more like the past. My server was old-school, too: matter-of-fact and pleasant. read more

Laschet's Inn - This was across the room from me. - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ambient - legit Food - unique Staff - weird a little bit,not sure if it was a bad day or what, but everyone was kind a " lost " on their own way and RUDE big time( only reason for 4 STARS ) Overall good place to visit !!! read more

Laschet's Inn - Chicken Schnitzel Diner vs Cucumber salad !!! - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ok this place is great!!! Give you so much good food! Great service and the daily special should always be considered. Most recent visit had mushroom goulash which my mother loved ! I had the roulade. Excellent. My husband had the pork shank. We had so much left over. We used the shank meat to stuff enchiladas the next day! Finally the bottle of Gruner vetliner was the right wine to pair with our meal. Apple strudel was a great ending. Be back again. read more

This is, by far, the BEST German restaurant in Chicago! Hands down! Erin, the owner, has created a spectacularly genuine restaurant that is warm, cozy and welcoming. It harkens back to those gloriously rich, cultured German dining spots of old while celebrating classic rustic fare that needs no introduction. The appetizer selection is grand and elegant and includes perfectly prepared hackepeter, a robust jumbo Bavarian pretzel, delectable potato pancakes and expertly breaded fried smelt. The lunch menu will satisfy ever taste with terrific savory sandwiches such as the Laschet's Reuben, chicken schnitzel, smoked pork butt and bratwurst. Mouthwatering roasted potatoes, spaetzel, sauerkraut and warm German potato salad are majestic accompaniments to choose from. Their dinners are all "Must Try!" and feature incomparable sauerbraten, Wiener schnitzel, rouladen, goulash and many, many other dinner highlights that truly stand out as superb. Much love, care and attention go into every meal that it's virtually impossible to pick an absolute favorite. They are all spectacular. Outstanding desserts include decadent German chocolate cake, delicious apple strudel and a "too-good-to-be-true!" apple crisp that really sets the bar really, really high. Of course, we can't forget beer! A full, traditionally beautiful bar showcases the finest, freshest selections of German and Austrian beers available to balance and compliment everything on the menu. The staff is just ideal! Friendly, professional, warm and attentive, the staff always goes above and beyond to make ones dining experience memorable. Bravo to them!!! After a great meal and a beer, it's easy to just sit back and feel relaxed, content and throughly happy. Perhaps sit at the bar when done in the comfortable dining room. You're amongst friends. Family. That's how this place make one feel. True, there are quite a few German restaurants in Chicago, but Laschet's Inn far exceeds the usual fare by building the flavor components to an eye-opening level and turns dining into thoroughly enjoyable moments not to be missed. Laschet's Inn is Chicago's iconic German restaurant, and it truly provides a 5-Star dining occasion to be relished. By all means, do become a regular!!! read more

This was our first time to Laschet's Inn. I wanted to try it before the restaurant closed for a month (or more) for renovations. We ended up ordering a good amount to sample. We sat outside but take note that all of the tables are on a pretty hefty slant due to the sidewalk. We managed, but others may want to just eat inside. We started off with goulash soup and a full order hackepeter. The goulash was very hearty and had great flavor and the hackepeter was very unique but tasty as well. Definitely very meaty dishes, but we loved it. I ordered the smoked pork butt sandwich and we also had fried chicken on the table. The pork sandwich came with tons of sauerkraut and was a lot, serving wise. Tasted like a huge and hearty ham sandwich. The fried chicken was the star I think-the chicken was perfectly fried! It was so crispy, but the chicken was not dry at all. I definitely recommend! I will echo what other reviewers say about the service being odd and rude at times. I didn't take it personally, but others might be put off from it. This is a very old school place, and with that comes old school and potentially not the friendliest service. If you can get over that part, you will be in for some pretty tasty and authentic food. read more

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Great old world ambience. Easy street parking on a side street. Food was excellent. I had schnitzel and my husband had sauerbraten.Service was prompt. read more

I loved this place! I happened upon in when I went to a yarn shop nearby (also five stars). I didn't have a lot of time so I just ordered steak tartare and liver pate to go. I had a lovely glass of peach schnapps while I waited served by the friendly and efficient bartender. I wish I had had more time to enjoy myself there. If I'm ever in the area again I'll definitely go back. read more

Laschet's Inn - Bar area - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service and excellent food, we will be back! The food is very authentic and delicious. read more

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Amazing beer selection, laid back atmosphere and a killer goulash made for a perfect afternoon oasis.

I have never had a bad meal here, and the food is always great! Even though I typically do not have desserts, I recommend the desserts at Laschet's Inn as they are European sweet. read more

Good food & ambiance. Bar area is friendly and quieter areas are located as you go more inside the restaurant. Excellent service and good amount of food for the price. Potatoes were especially soft and loved the sauerkrauts. Fresh buffalo wings. read more

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I'm so glad this place is still in the neighborhood. Laschet's is a traditional German-American restaurant that has fantastic food, classic old-school ambiance, and a great beer selection. I almost always get the wienerschnitzel, which is absolutely fantastic. However, they have a large menu and everything I've ever had is very good. The value is amazing considering the portion size and quality of the food. If you appreciate this place for exactly what it is, you will love it. read more

Everything is always wonderful at Laschets. The beer, the staff, the food, the service. It's so nice to have a neighborhood place like this to go to that never disappoints. Thank you Laschet's! read more

Incredible place, super unique and exciting menu...genuinely in my top ten meals ever, and so much potential in everything I didn't get to try. Highly recommend the Goulash-- it was fall-apart tender and deliciously seasoned. Others in my group got the sausage dinner (enjoyed), the frikadelle (also enjoyed), and the Rouladen (my friend was not crazy about this one). Overall, I definitely made the right call-- the goulash was unbeatable. Generous portion & solid value as well. Just got home from here and I'm already plotting my return. read more

Laschet's Inn - Goulash - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My German cousins wanted to eat at a German restaurant while visiting. Laschet's Inn ended up being a fantastic choice. My uncle is fastidious about food and was thrilled that the Weiner Schnitzel was clearly handmade in-house. They said the cooked Sauerkraut, red Cabbage, etc. was also authentic and yummy. I went with goulash soup (tasty!) and klopse meatballs in a lemon caper sauce with spaetzel. Decor and alcohol menu were also ethnic. If you want a genuine German meal that is made fresh, in-house, then this is the place. read more

Laschet's Inn - Klopse with spaetzle and vegetables, alongside Ayinger Oktoberfest beer - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you're craving German food, Laschet's will satisfy the craving. If you're a German cuisine connoisseur, you might be disappointed. Came for dinner during prime time on a Saturday night and didn't have to wait. :D I ordered the Wiener Schnitzel's "small" portion, to which our waiter said I might be disappointed with its size. I was not disappointed with the size - it was perfect, granted I do eat less than most people. The small portion is one slice of veal about the size of a slice of bread while the regular size is two of those slices. The schnitzel is thin, though not the thinnest wiener schnitzel I've ever had. As always, best when doused with lemon juice! Accompanying the meat is potatoes and red cabbage or sauerkraut. Potatoes had a nice bit of a crisp on them but weren't seasoned so I suggest requesting some salt (or tough it out to be healthy, which is what I did). I found the red cabbage to be extremely sweet and quite tart. Not sure if that's how it's supposed to be but I'm not a fan. Prior to the meal, they also give you a small loaf of that delicious dark brown German bread. Usually not big on it but I am when it's served warm with butter on the side. The schnitzel (and I assume all entrees) was also served with a soup or salad. I got the mixed greens salad with bacon vinaigrette but found the dressing to be too sweet as well. Didn't help that it was a ton of dressing. Other than the food, atmosphere is exactly what you'd expect from a German restaurant: wooden tables, minimal lighting (but still bright if that makes sense), and German decor. In a word: rustic. read more

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Exploring the 77 neighborhoods in Chicago is my goal this summer. So decided to check out Irving park to see where locals hang out. Laschet's inn was highly rated so decided to check out this German pub. They had really good selections on their menu but decided to do the schnitzels and sausage. The food was really delicious and service was good. Our waiter even gave us a free shot of schnapps. We will definitely come back and try more dishes next time :). They are open for dining also!!!!! read more

Laschet's Inn - German beer - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was a regular hangout back when I lived in the city, and after meeting some friends for a late-lunch I have to make a point to come back more often ... there is too much on the menu that I need to come back for. TODAY we had the sausage trio platter (thuringer, bratwurst and knockwurst) with PERFECTLY seasoned sauerkraut (even if you don't normally like sauerkraut... just TRY IT!, you may be in for the most pleasant surprise), I had the half order of rouladen (with the goulash I ordered instead of salad or soup of the day I did NOT need the whole order) and my friend ordered the Wiener schnitzel which was perfection! And, our dinner orders came with a complimentary shot of schnapps. I don't drink so our other friend who orders the fried cod sandwich was the lucky recipient...which she said was a nice 'finish' to our meal (I'll take her word for it). Thank you for a wonderful dining experience, and my friends were completely charmed with the restaurant's atmosphere. Well done-again!! read more

This place is fab neighborhood restaurant for great German food. The stroganoff is our personal fav. But the schnitzels are great too. And, of course, there's plenty of beer options. Friendly owner. Cara and Greg are wonderful bartenders/servers. And they've got a patio. Open during COVID for both reservations and takeout. Easily the best German restaurant we've experienced in Chicago. read more

One word: AMAZING! This old school spot has all you need - booze, great food, and friendly atmosphere. read more

Laschet's Inn - Wienerschnitzel Sandwich - German Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great neighborhood spot friendly staff good food. Can't beat the welcoming service and atmosphere.

It's wonderful. Food beer atmosphere. Yum. Bartenders are always welcoming. Authentic German as far as I'm concerned!

Food was delicious, service was average. Our table had roulade, goulash and chicken schnitzl.

I can't figure out if this place changed or I did. It's been almost six years since I moved out of Chicago, and when I lived here I considered this my favorite restaurant. I hyped the place up to my girlfriend and was super excited to visit, but I was pretty disappointed. The pretzel was good, but I've definitely had better. It only comes with mustard so you have to specifically ask if you want the superior cheese dip as well. The spätzle was okay, but pretty bland. The potato pancakes were also just sort of okay, but the sour cream that was served with them tasted off somehow so we didn't eat it. We wound up bringing most of the pancakes home and eating them the next day with store-bought sour cream and they were much better. Our server was also a little awkward; he mumbled a lot and made some jokes that didn't really land. There was also a weird vibe in the restaurant that night. The best way I can explain the vibe is just to tell you that there was an approximately 11-year-old boy using a kick scooter riding around the restaurant and he scooted past our table at least four times. His mom didn't seem to care, nor did any of the employees of the restaurant. It was a strange experience. read more

I took a large group these last August. It is certainly an old school German restaurant. The food was okay. My chicken schnitzel was dry and tough. Others felt similarly. The biggest issues was the waitress. If you do not enjoy being in the hospitality business, find a new career. She was rude and insulted by every request. I will skip going again. read more

Excellent service!!! Great food! Lively crowd for a Sunday night. I will be returning!