Old style German pub. Fantastic atmosphere with terrific service. Plenty of variety. Summer offers the beer garden which is a great way to relax. Easy parking all around as this restaurant is located downtown Indianapolis. Try the mustard with the sausage and pretzel appetizer, it's got a real kick!!! Enjoy read more

Highly recommend this experience! We visited on a Sunday evening and it was delicious. The baked brie was the perfect amount to share between 5 people and the surprise baked pretzels (no picture) were piping hot. + The side salads came with fresh mushrooms and the ranch tasted homemade. Very delicious. +Portion sizes were huge, so we split meals and had food leftover. +The service was wonderful and they kept coming by to offer water refills and clear dishes. Our server was knowledgeable, kind, and very efficient despite it being quite busy. +The ambiance was nice, I appreciated the decorations. We were seated right by the entry, which I was concerned might detract from our experience but as we started eating, we didn't even notice. Bonus+ the tall beer was HUGE! read more

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I was really looking forward to trying Rathskeller, but was soooooo disappointed. I was expecting a pretty lively atmosphere, but walked into a huge space that was virtuallly empty. There are probably 40 tables inside and there were 5 occupied including my party of one. I'm from out of town and was told to get a pork tenderloin sandwich. It resembled a grocery store chicken patty, but with less flavor. I also had the spaetzle noodles and German potato salad, which I've had plenty of times with my German great grandmother. The spaetzle had some sort of watered down beef gravy (I think), but was pretty tasteless. Then German potato salad was very heavy on the vinegar but was also dark brown which was a surprise. All of the food had a flavor profile which would have been suitable for a 5 year old, and could best be described as "blaaaaah". read more

The atmosphere and decor this place is amazing, Wednesday through Saturdays this place host some of the best live local bands around from Rock to Rhythm and Blues. The meal begins with bread. The Big pretzel is a must-try. The mustard that comes with is no joke though. It's horseradish mustard and super spicy. I did not care for the Chocolate Stout, somethings just do not go to together, and chocolate beer is not for me, but you may wish to give it a try. I ordered the Cold Appetizer Sampler, a variety of sausages and cheese with the spicy mustard and imported cheese and old world bread is amazing. Anyone who is a fan of poppers must try the Cajun Chicken Poppers the Creole mayo is a culinary masterpiece in flavor. For those who prefer fish, the Atlantic Salmon fillet is a site to behold. For fantastic service and authentic German Cuisine this place is a landmark. Must try you will not be disappoint. read more

This is the oldest restaurant in Indy and it is awesome. We went on a Friday night around 8 and had no wait. They also have an area with live music and a banquet hall. Our food was amazing and the service was awesome. When you walk in you feel like you are in Germany. We shared the jagerschnitzel . They let you split a meal for $11.50 and you each get 2 sides. That was plenty for both of us. For desert we had the bread pudding and it was very good also. This place is definitely worth trying read more

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We were seated right away in Kellerbar. We were served with pretzels and our waiter did warn us about the spicy mustard. The pretzel was cold and hard. We didn't like the spicy mustard either. We ordered the French onion soup and it was flavorful and gooey with cheese. The pork tenderloin was average and the bun was okay. I did ask for the fries to be extra crispy and they delivered. Overall, we had a good time enjoying the atmosphere but the food was average. read more

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This was my first time eating at the Rathskeller and it did not disappoint! We sat in the basement which was very cool and traditional, I loved checking out the stained glass windows, and different pictures. I had a tasty heffenwisen beer, that was very tasty and refreshing! I very much enjoyed it. We split a pretzel, with what I'll call Saint Elmo's mustard, so delicious! For my main course, I had the jagerschintzel, sour kraut, and spatzel, all of it was delicious and tasty. Very impressed and I'll be back! read more

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Food choices had all the German staples and some Cajun choices thrown in there. I'm guessing the owner/cook is a Louisianna German‍. I ordered the French Onion Soup, Jaegerschnitzel, with Spaetzle and Potato Pancake. Waitress was friendly and made a few recommendations for those in my party not familiar with German cuisine. Ambiance was like an authentic German restaurant, looked like they had a fest hall on one side also. Good was good, a little pricey but good. We also got the appetizer and that was a mix of pretty good little snacks. Complimentary bread and pretzel basket came with some of the spiciest house made mustard ever. Cleared my sinuses and I made sure everyone else tried it and experienced that, haha. read more

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In my twenties, I often visited the biergarten. Now I come for lunch. I still highly recommend the beer garden for the life music and fun patio. Probably the best patio in Indy. Today we came with a plan to share the Reuben and the Hot Wurst Platte. The wurst platte itself was more than enough for 2 people, but we can never resist a Reuben. I loved the different sausages, Sauer kraut, and the braised cabbage. I am likely to get this plate every time I visit. The Reuben was delicious and I loved the potato salad. I did not, however, like the spaetzle. It left much to be desired. The pretzel to start was not extraordinary, but the Dijon was. Holy horseradish hotness. If you have a cold, this is sure to help clear your sinuses. The dessert list looked delicious but we opted out as we had too much already. We had excellent service and I enjoyed the room we were seated in, just off to the left of the entrance. The wood, fireplace, bar, and decor gave the place a very traditional German feel. We love German food and will definitely return. I love the room in the back, towards the biergarten. It's very bright with natural sun coming through. read more

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Spending the night in Indianapolis, and wanted a good, as in big and filling, dinner before another night in another hotel. Located downtown, it was a great GREAT find. Sunday evening and downtown was very busy. Having spent a couple of years living in Germany it was a taste treat. I Found it some of the best German food this side of the ocean. Also the space was amazing- and historic. Had the Hot App plate while my husband had the "pork chops". Both were wonderful and the beer selection simply divine! Great staff (working hard to keep up with customers) they seemed short staffed- like most places today. Definitely worth a visit! read more

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What a great experience. From customer service to the food! We had Amy as our server and we thought she went above and beyond serving our food and drinks. The restaurant itself is absolutely gorgeous from the inside. It almost feels like you've traveled back in time to Medieval Germany. It's a beautiful restaurant with a lot of charm. Highly recommended! read more

My wife is German and this is her favorite place when we are in town. We love the schnitzel and homemade desserts. Great service. read more

You can't beat the history and old feel of the Rathskeller. The dining room and bar have so much history and the Biergarten with the stage is a staple in Indianapolis. This was my first time eating in the dining room and love the pretzels with cheese and spicy mustard as the free bread basket. Overall the food was heavy on the meat, but as expected. Not my normal food preference but worth a try. Service was excellent with knowledge of the history and answering questions. read more

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We did not have reservations but were seated promptly and had very friendly service. Our waiter new the whole menu and could explain everything! Some people are out off my the dark ambience but that is a tradition German restaurant and I really enjoyed it. We ate I night main dining room, we did not have time to enjoy the bar or beer garden. The only reason I gave 4/5 stars was for the food. It was good but I had much higher hopes. I love German food and it's so hard to find it done well. They did many things well, like the jaegerschnitzel, but the spaetzle noodles were very bland. I would go back again and recommend everyone should try it. read more

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First visit to this iconic Indy spot. The place is huge and I was told they had outside concerts in their backyard. We had a large group this evening. We shared the Brat 'n Kraut balls (ok) and the Hot Wurst Plate - this was pretty good but watch out for the spicy mustard, it will clear your nostrils! I had the Rouladen. It was a huge plate of food yet it was moderate quality and not especially flavorful. For sides I chose the German Potato salad (interesting and had some good flavors) and the spaetzle noodles (simply dumplings and not much taste save for the gravy they were topped with). Had some German beer on tap with all others being can/bottle. Overall, just an average experience. read more

The Rathskeller - Drink menu - German Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

By far the best German Restaurant you'll find in Indianapolis. Food is wonderful, the service is always great, and the atmosphere is perfect. There IS usually a wedding reception in the ballroom that can get a little rowdy, especially if you are seated in the narrow area between the maître d' podium and the beer hall. But always a good time, and a fun experience. read more

We love the Rathskeller, we love it so much we decided that we will get married at their athanæum. We love bringing our out of town guests here to try their warm soft pretzels and the mustard to see if they can handle the heat! We also love enjoying their outdoor music garden the Biergarten and just listening to music with a drink and pretzel in hands Love the historical story of this building and what it does for the community, german food is not my favorite, but when the craving hits this is surely the place to go get them read more

The Rathskeller - Soft Pretzel - German Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Not sure if the chef had a bad day, but their Jägerschnitzel tastes like a reheated below average frozen food. The 2 stars are for the portion. Still such a disappointment for 30+ bucks... read more

YUMMY GERMAN FOOD & BEER ========================== We met my son and his girlfriend at The Rathskeller for lunch on the way to the Indy Int'l Airport. If you are trying to avoid carbs turn and run the other way because you will veer off your path of avoiding carbs with their warm pretzels. My son ordered one of their German specialties and he loved that. I can't remember what my husband ordered, but he like that. I was in hog heaven with a big bowl of their French onion soup. It paired perfectly with one of their beers on tap and their fresh pretzel. The pretzel was so good I ordered another one to go for my flight home. You need to check this place out if you are in Indy. Good place to go before your flight if you want to avoid airport food. read more

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Very nice German food and ambiance. Great Server. Made a reservation but was 20 minutes late, finding a parking space on a Friday evening

For the price not really worth it taste wise. Everything was ok but just ok. Started off with baked brie. Bri was barely warm inside. Needed more of the Chambord Syrup or Brown Sugar for more sweet. I liked the pretzel. I tasted just a smidge of it. Holy Crap it was hot. Other sauce we guessed was cheese but it was super thin. I got Oxtail Soup and Shrimp Scampi. Oxtail soup had a bad consistency. To be honest it was slimy. Maybe thats how Oxtail soup is. Shrimp Scampi was good. It had a surprising number of shrimp and an huge amount of pasta. The pasta could have served 4 people. Husband got the filet, baked potato, Caesar Salad and potato cake. You don't put onion, tomato and mushrooms on a Ceasar salad. That is just a salad. He thought the filet was ok. I thought it tasted pretty good. I've made potato cakes all my life and I liked theirs. It has been probably over a decade since we've been here. I think this mainly because I didn't have a yelp review already. I think they need to up date the menu. It seems to be stuck in the 70s. read more

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The staff was welcoming and so kind to our kids.. However this was not the German meal I was hoping for. The beer was tasty but wish the glass had been cold. Please do yourself a favor, skip this one if you are from out of town and only have a few meals in town. To start, the complimentary pretzel was average at best. The over the top spicy mustard was the highlight but the "cheese" sauce was reminiscent of warm, flavorless plastic. Then there's the entrées...it didn't get better. I opted for a light lunch, salad and spud. Much to my surprise the loaded potato came with the same "cheese sauce", one bite, immediately No. The croutons and the chunky blue cheese were the highlight. My kids favorite is a braut, they couldn't fight through more than a bite but the kettle chips weren't great! Finally, my German food loving husband got the traditional schnitzel. Came looking great, however about two bites in he turned green and ran to the bathroom to puke. Come to find out, it was raw! The saff was great, but skip this stop. read more

If you like traditional German food, this is your place. Sausage and sauerkraut and beer. And then more sausage, sauerkraut and beer.

Food was awesome and the service even better! Thanks to Jennifer for a lovely evening.

The food was decent and authentic and the servers were helpful. Whoever they have coordinating the events at the beergarden is absolutely abysmal. We specifically asked the workers up front if we would be allowed in the beergarden after visiting the restaurant and were assured that we'd be allowed in by multiple people. After spending a good amount on dinner, we were then told at the back door that we were not given correct information. When confronted, the front door workers denied ever saying that and the venue did absolutely nothing to rectify that error. It was especially embarrassing because I had guests from out of town. read more

Joined a friend for appetizers before a concert. Had the stuffed mushrooms two orders. Service was good and food was very good

What a beautiful, historic gem!! I've been craving European food so hard and The Rathskeller was everything I wanted and more. First off, as a fan of historic places, I was delighted to see it marked with a historic plaque and to take in the gorgeous interior and exterior of the building. The staff were incredibly friendly and seated me straight away in the beautiful ambiance. Everything was very clean and the food was so, so good. I received a complimentary pretzel with mustard and enjoyed a Weiner schnitzel with spaetzle and red cabbage. The entree also came with a salad, which was also delicious. The server recommended the Black Forest cake, which is exactly what I wanted to have for dessert. This is such a fabulous restaurant that is walkable from the shops on Mass Ave. A word of warning with parking--I first visited Mass Ave on a Saturday and parking was absolutely not happening. I visited again on a Thursday and it was a breeze and inexpensive. Go during the week if you can! read more

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Great German beer, get a big stein and it's a fantastic deal. Food may appear pricey but you get a hell of a lot for that $30. The back bar is really cool with all the animal heads and such. I'll be back next month. read more

Went as dad-in-law's choice for his birthday. Ambience: DARK. Dark wood, tavern-in-the-Black-Forest sensibility, with old mounted animal heads and very dim lights. Once the sun went down it was hard to see. Hard wooden chairs did my back no favors, and did not encourage lingering. Restroom weird, small, down stairs in a stone basement. Difficult to navigate. The building is OLD. Service: prompt, but the server tried to take D.I.L's salad before he was done with it, then offered a to go box, while he was in the middle of meal and conversation. Kinda oblivious. D.I.L. was annoyed. Water served in plastic cups with plastic straws already in the cups. To go boxes styrofoam and tucked into plastic bags. I cringed a bit. Food: ok, the warm pretzel was nice. Served with a tasty mustard hot enough to melt your brain. But the frikadelle, billed as the Rathskeller's version of a German hamburger, was just plain bad: bland unseasoned hunk of grilled ground pork on buns with some sad wilted tomato slices and a PILE of shredded iceberg lettuce (seriously?) -- served with the spaetzle, which was rubbery cooked paste in a sauce that had no flavor at all. I've HAD good German food. This was not it. I've never had to use the salt shaker so liberally at a restaurant in years. Totally regrettable. Drinks: Not a lot of choice in beers, for a bierhaus. My choice ended up being pretty uninteresting. All in all, the company was the best part of the evening. read more

Great place for authentic German food with great atmosphere. Would recommend if in the Indy area

The decor and atmosphere is great in here! Always such a vibe especially if you're out for drinks and a good time. The staff is incredibly helpful and go above and beyond to make sure we have a good time and that we get exactly what we wanted. I haven't ordered any entrees here but I ordered the pretzel with a side of Dijon, as much as it literally brings me to tears I never stop eating it and I keep coming back! read more

The Rathskeller - German Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Great German food place! Very authentic, service was amazing. Felt like we were in a Christmas cottage.

We were going to a live nation event and thought what better place than the Rathskeller to have a light dinner. It was the night of the Christlmarket. When we arrived, there were lines of people. Trying to get into anywhere in the building. Seems the Atheneum had its new event, two large parties and regular dining guests. You would think I would post a negative review, but I can't. They pulled off all of the people and did so within the regular working environment. Our night was not disrupted at all, and the food was great. Of course, the beer, always good. The Christmas festivity was small, in the bier garden, but in a couple of years watch out. They had actors dressed in traditional German Christmas characters. One was dressed as the bad Christmas Goat that had switches for bad boys and girls, then Santa came along and forgave them and gave gifts. Fairy Princesses, etc all made up in all their glory. Really something. We decided to eat in the bar area, and I can't tell you our servers name, but he NEVER missed a beat. He waited on people at the bar, then people who came in from the party and the regular diner. Somehow he even knew when we were ready for our check even though there were about 20 people around the bar. (I kidded him saying we thought you would forget us, and we would dine and dash...he cracked up) But service was that good. Would we go back, you "betcha". read more

Walking into the restaurant, I really wanted to like The Rathskeller as it had one of the most traditional German ambiances that I have seen and it had all the right feeling of being something quite awesome. However, ambiance aside, what we then encountered was a moderately just okay experience. Though we had a reservation for the dining section, no one was at the check-in desk and it took about five minutes for someone to finally make their way over. There was a good crew of people cleaning (our reservation was a bit on the later side) but no one came over to greet us or bring us to our seat for a while. Once seated, our waitress was kind and friendly and did a nice job hospitality wise from start to finish. The pretzel brought as an appetizer was a nice tough and the beer cheese was the star side with the pretzel. The mustard was warned to be "on the hot side" but the mustard actually was able to singe nose hairs and was inedible. I don't mind a spicy mustard but this was off the charts. The salad was good and fresh and a nice dressing accompanied it well. For an entree, I opted for the schnitzel (pork) with two sides of sauerkraut and spaetzle. The spaetzle was an interesting orange hue and had gravy on top of it and lacked any real flavor. The sauerkraut had raisins in it and had an almost acrid taste to it; not a fan. The schnitzel was pounded nice and thin and the breading was tasty and overall well cooked; this was the star of the meal. All in all, The Rathskeller was good just not anything great and if ever back in the Indianapolis area likely wouldn't be the first place that I would pick to go back. read more

If you love German food, this is the place to go! They have a number of authentic dishes (I even asked a friend how it compared to food in Germany itself, and he said it was respectable) German beer on tap. More important, they have an open rooftop where you can drink and smoke with live music. They do sell cigars up there. plus it's a nice view of the city. read more

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This is a classic spot to dine in Indianapolis, I like the old building as it has tons of character. We started out with rolls and the pretzel. The spicy mustard tastes very strong of horseradish. I ordered schnitzel, and enjoyed it. The portions are large and they have a wide variety of traditional German sides. They have multiple rooms, so it is a great place for large parties or to hold events. read more

The Rathskeller - Schnitzel - German Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We needed to find a location with short notice for a party of 7. Reservations were made on OpenTable. Service was good. I ordered a caesar salad with a side of sauerkraut to stay on track of a new years resolution. The rest of the party enjoyed appetizer combos of fried food and lots of dipping sauces as well as the sausage combo plate. It was decked out in holiday decor and was a really pretty environment to have dinner for a larger group. read more

Excellent Service, and wonderful authentic German food. Large portions. We did not leave hungry. I loved the soup and pretzel. Horseradish mustard is a must try. --- A great place to take out of town guests for a unique experience. I'm never disappointed when I dine at The Rathskeller. read more

The Rathskeller is located in one of Indy's iconic spots - the 19th century Athenaeum at 401 East Michigan Street. It's an almost poetic weaving together of quaint inn and German beer hall, a facility that offers multiple types of dining options and atmospheres ranging from incredibly serene to downright festive. Out of full transparency, I was at The Rathskeller last evening for a benefit concert and silent auction that was raising funds for me, or more accurately, for an accessible van following my most recent health issues and left leg amputation. While I don't feel like this is impacting my review, I'm definitely coming from a place of gratitude. We were located inside the Rathskeller's ballroom area, a private event space that can seat a couple hundred and easily accommodate room for a modestly sized silent auction and bands. There's two entrances into the facility - one has steps, but the other has an easily accessible ramp (and I had multiple people in wheelchairs attending with zero complaints). I was a little concerned about attendance given the hit-and-miss nature of downtown parking, but the crowd was solid and most of the parking around the place is free on Sundays. There are accessible parking spots, though I actually rode with a friend. The entryway is through a fairly solid door with a bit of a lip - so be aware of that. There's an elevator to the basement. Once we got to the basement, the doors were open. I never tried the restrooms. The Athenaeum as a building is truly a 19th century creation, but they've done what they can in terms of accessibility. Because of its age and historic status, it is not required to be ADA compliant as I recall. They had our room set up with round tables - the ballroom is a somewhat dimly lit area, but fantastic for a show. The performers (Henry Lee Summer, Patchwork, Soulshine, Jeff DeHerdt, Frank Bradford) all were on their A-game and sounded incredible in this room. There was room for a dance floor. We also had room for several auction tables. The Rathskeller's staff was friendly, effective, and efficient. They set up an area where you went to them if you wanted to order food, appetizers, or meals. We needed to go into the restaurant for drinks. I liked that they offered a full menu, but were able to make an arrangement that didn't interrupt the event. They were all mostly reserved personalities, but friendly and helpful. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich - they had multiple side options - I chose steak fries. I also had my iced tea. It was a really great sandwich that was generous in size and great tasting. The steak fries were thick-cut; only a few fries, but they were large fries. Delicious. I would easily order this meal again. I saw other people with appetizers and fellow Yelp Elite Rick G. tried their tenderloin. While The Rathskeller generously donated the space (Thank you!), we paid for food and drinks and it was easily worth the reasonable price point. The Rathskeller, in addition to the event space, has their outdoor Biergarten (amazing facility), the Dining Room, and the Kellerbar. Our event space was able to accommodate all ages and was just a beautiful setting. I said to a friend "If I ever get married, it's going to be in this room." Don't worry, I'm not getting married. Truly, The Rathskeller is a beautiful facility that was made more beautiful by the friendliness of the staff and the quality food and drinks. Located in one of Indy's most historic buildings, it's a perfect date night or space for a special occasion. I'll definitely be back. read more

The Rathskeller - Attendees of Local Legends Rock for Richard - German Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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We had really great service and the food was delicious. The music could be a bit more fitting and that would make the ambience a bit more enjoyable :) but the things that matter most - the food and service - are wonderful! read more

The Rathskeller - Schon - German Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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