Auerbachs Keller

Fantastic German dining experience at Auerbachs Keller. Service was great throughout the night. Atmosphere was amazing. Generous portions of food. The onion soup was awesome. Would love to return again in the future!

This is an old German restaurant in the heart of Leipzig. According to urban legend, it's mentioned in Goethe's immortal Faust. It's advisable to make a reservation, although we were able to find a seat. I really liked the ambiance and service, but the food could have been better.

The atmosphere is wonderful, with beautifully painted walls that create a unique vibe. The staff are very friendly and welcoming. I really enjoyed both the garlic soup and the main course, you can truly feel the quality in the food. The prices are a bit on the high side, but it’s definitely worth trying at least once. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience!

Soooo where should I start? Of you are thinking about onion soup- just know- there are 6 spoons of broth and everything else is bread😤, although they food with cheese. Beef - hmm… I could eat it as it smelled like liver, brrr… We also got the kids fish dish with mashed potatoes and spinach ( both sides were good ) and fish was over dried 😆 by the way, kids portion was Huge! I watched a video of Leipzig before coming to this restaurant and I think this place is overrated. Staff: very knowledgeable and friendly! Our waitress spoke English, was super nice! It’s just the food that wasn’t great. Also, the house wine - meh Sooo with that being said, it is still a restaurant and it should be about food..

Extremely beautiful historic restaurant visited by German writer Goethe during his university years. Delicious traditional Saxony wild boar 🐗 steak with red cabbage 🥬 and potatoes balls are served. Fast and friendly service. Highly recommended

I've always wanted to visit this famous place, and today I finally had the chance since I was out in the city for some errands and decided to have lunch there. We visited just before 2 PM, and since it was a quiet time with fewer customers, we were able to get seated immediately. The peaceful and calm atmosphere made for a relaxing meal and good conversation. Thanks to that, we didn’t have to wait or make a reservation, which was very convenient. However, after being shown to our seats, it took about 10 minutes before we could place our order. The appetizer (soup) was served approximately 25 minutes later, and the main dishes arrived about 30 minutes after that. Altogether, from being seated to receiving our main courses, it took nearly an hour. Fortunately, we had plenty of time today, but if you’re on a tight schedule, I recommend planning accordingly and arriving with extra time. The staff was polite, the food was delicious, and the portions were very generous. The interior had warm colors and a clean, well-organized feel, which added to the pleasant atmosphere.

I slip into Auerbachs Keller the way I’d slide on a Valentino suit: with practiced indifference and the faint thrill of control. The place has pedigree — Goethe drank here, Mephistopheles allegedly strutted through these rooms — which already gives it a better résumé than most people I know. The interior is aggressively old-world: heavy wood, vaulted ceilings, murals that look like they were commissioned by a duke who owned both serfs and a disturbing amount of silverware. It’s all very heritage, very “we were classy before your country existed.” I approve, mostly. The menu reads like a manifesto of Saxon indulgence. Sauerbraten, Leipziger Allerlei, roast goose — the culinary equivalent of unapologetic excess. I order the Wildschweinbraten with Knödel and Rotkraut, because nothing says disciplined masculinity like conquering an animal that probably terrorized a forest. Instead of wine, I take a local beer. It arrives in a heavy glass, blond and clinically cold, all restraint and carbonation — like it’s been engineered by men who think emotion is a design flaw. It tastes clean, faintly bitter, brutally refreshing, the perfect antidote to the boar’s velvet heaviness. I could drink five and still maintain eye contact. The boar comes glistening in a dark jus that looks like it’s been conditioned with Kiehl’s. The meat is dense, feral, juniper-laced, as if it had unresolved issues with civilization. The Knödel are pale starch monoliths, reliable, obedient. The Rotkraut is jewel-bright and acidic, slicing through everything with surgical efficiency. Service is polite, deferential, slightly intimidated. Ideal. Down in the barrel cellar the air thickens — candlelight, tourists whispering about Faust, everyone desperate for something historic to happen to them so they can pretend it changed them. I stare at the stone walls and think about how easily centuries become décor. Auerbachs Keller isn’t trendy. It isn’t trying to seduce you with foam or ironic plating. It just sits there, ancient, unbothered, serving rich food to people who will be gone in a century while it remains. That’s power. Four stars. The beer is flawless. The past still needs a better soundtrack.

We found it on the Google Maps and give it a go! The restaurant itself was underground and it was beautiful, lots painted walls and painted columns! The food itself was not really that great but is pretty good with portions. The lamb shoulder I ordered was pretty bland. We were going to order some dessert but our waitress was no where to be found for 10 minutes. We lost the appetite when she finally shows up!

We had a rare opportunity, a BachFest event in the special cellar. It was fantastic. The wine of wacherbarth was paired up with Auerbach's food plus a cembalo tenor duo singing songs inspired by wine. The mater of ceremonies was a German wine Queen. We had so much fun, we returned to the big cellar for another meal. It was good hearty Saxon fare. Service was slow and the waitstaff seemed bored, less than interested in us and our experience. I'd make a visit again if in the area.

Great spot to eat!! A very historic restaurant. We were seated quickly (no reservation) - table for 4. Daily special was the best deal. Food came quickly and was delicious. A popular spot for large groups.

Atmosphere was nice and food was good. One of the few recommended restaurants open on Monday. The apple potato "dumpling" was surprisingly good...I was hesitant mixing the two but it worked

Food for tourists, a place for locals to drink. Great atmosphere in this basement bar and restaurant that has been in business since the late 1100's. This was where Angela Merkel hung out while a student in East Germany. Also where Goerte hung out while writing Mephisto Food was ok, small quantities and expensive. And cash only. Fun to order specials from the 1400's and get a history of restaurants. Then to come back for drinks the next time.

Great atmosphere, lots of history if you know the story of Faust. Food was not the best German I've had but was good.

On the one hand, this is a touristy place and the food is on the expensive side. On the other hand, this IS Auerbachs Keller and is any trip to Leipzig complete without eating here? This is in the Maedler Passage which is marked by the large statue of Faust. We had the Mittag (mid-day) special which was Sauerbraten with dumplings and red cabbage. It also comes with a draft beer for 9 EUR. It was a good deal compared to other items on the menu. The service was friendly, they had English menus, the food arrived very quickly, and they can accommodate large groups. We sat in the Goethe room, but fortunately, did not sit near the barrel with Faust on it as every person takes a picture of the barrel and thus intrudes on your lunch.

Avoid at all costs. Ordering was an ordeal, as the staff speak little German, and no English. After my soup, a waiter asked if I wanted dessert, or was I ready to pay. I said "That was my soup. I never got my food." They then brought me something I didn't order. I sent it back. Ten minutes later, they brought back the same wrong food. I asked for the bill for the soup. On my way out, I tried to speak to the manager, who said, "Did you pay for the soup?" I said I did, and I wanted to speak to him. He said, "I don't want to speak with you. Look how many customers I have. Get out!" By the way, they have two thuggish-looking "security" people stationed outside. From the manager's "All I care about is whether you paid" attitude, and the thugs, it seems that a lot of mistreated customers walk out.

I had an excellent lunch at this historic restaurant. I'm giving it 5 stars because I think as far as tourist-type restaurants go, this hits all the right spots. When I walked in, I was greeted by an exceedingly friendly and polite hostess , who brought me to my table. Service from the waitress was quick and efficient. The food was very solid, good quality German fare. I got their daily special, Wildschweinebraten with red cabbage and potato dumplings. This is very typical German food that was well prepared and a good value for the 14.90 Euros. It is a very nice place to seat and eat and look at the many murals on the walls with scenes from Goethe's Faust. I think it's a little unusual to get good quality food, reasonable prices, and good service at a major tourist location like this. I would definitely recommend this place for he visitor to Leipzig. As a disclaimer, I visited the restaurant at what must have been off peak hours, around noon on a Friday.

Its a cool place to check out just once if you're a tourist. I had the salmon and a side of noodles. Overall the food is bland, mediocre and overpriced.

The Mephisto Bar is just another Leipzig cafe with entirely average desserts. You'll be wowed by the display case as you walk by, and let down the second you taste the first bite. On the flip side, they do have decent coffee. Oh, and did I mention the smoking chandelier with the evil laugh accompanied by thunder and lightning? The image of Mephisto that appears on the wall mirror after someone leaves the toilet? No? What about the shaking portraits? Also, you can smoke here. Inside. It's kind of a weird place.

I have lived in Leipzig for over a year and have only now gotten around to visiting Auerbachs Keller (because of visiting tourist friends). I have always seen this place as really just a place for tourists, and I think my suspicions were confirmed after my first (and probably last) visit here. Firstly, the room most people will eat in is not actually the famous Goethe room. That room (across the keller) is usually closed and reserved for special parties, etc. Second, the food here is OK, but you can get much better German food at about a million other places. Add to that the prices are god awful expensive. Really, you can get better German food elsewhere. Perhaps most importantly, the service we received here was really disappointing. I have lived in Europe for many years now and I understand that service isnt generally a strong point, but these servers have clearly been dealing with tourists for too long. There was a lot of eye-rolling and huffing and impatience when our non-German speaking tourist friends were asking questions and trying to order. Pretty obnoxious. Anyway, this place is fine if you are a huge Goethe fan or just a tourist wanting to say you visited, but I cant imagine going back again.

One of Leipzig's Most famous restaurants. Based in the cellars of one of Leipzig's many Passages it isn't hard to find, just look for the large statues of Faust and Mephisto outside. Inside is a very opulent dining room, with painted ceilings and wooden tables. I came with a group of people on business and we were seated pretty quickly. They have menus in both German and English which made ordering easier. Their specials are in German, but thankfully we had Locals as part of our group to help translate. Ordering was a breeze and while the staff don't speak perfect english, it is easy enough to order and pay for your meal. I had a dark beer stew which was absolutely delicious and it came with a german version of a Hash Brown. Certainly enough to keep you full. The dishes and drinks were reasonably priced, but it still isn't a cheap dinner with a meal being about €20+ per head. If you're wanting somewhere where you can experience a bit of german history and eat some Saxony delicacies then this place is worth a visit.

Initially looked a bit touristy, wich it certainly is, but still offers good German food. The place itself is beautiful with nice ceilings and a very rustic decor. The food is soul food style German specialities. Worth a visit!

500 year old German restaurant that used to be haunted by people like Goethe on the reg, I would assume Bach too. Great German food, schnitzel as good as I have had anywhere. I ordered the seafood platter this last time, it came with one scallop, one shrimp, and three small portions of different fishes (one being salmon). The salmon was not fresh, you could smell it as the waitress was bringing it to the table. The other fish portions were tasteless. The shrimp was good, scallop amazing. So very little seafood for the money, and very underwhelming overall. The other three dishes at the table were outstanding, though. Should probably have gone with a more traditional German meal. For the atmosphere and history it is hard to beat, and the food is good if you order the right things. Likely we would eat there on our next trip to Leipzig.

Auerbachs Keller is perhaps the ultimate German restaurant in the whole damn country. Is there anyplace more steeped in history and more Germanic in it's look and feel than Auerbachs? How about the food? It's great! I had wild boar, red cabbage, potato croquettes, knödel on my visit. The boar was so tender and delicious. The waiters and waitresses were attentive and professional. If you go to one restaurant in Leipzig. Make it Auerbachs.

We went there twice. Surprisingly most of the other customers were German. This for me finally satisfied my desire for (non-meat) German food. We all found the food tasty and fulfilling. I had an enjoyable fish main course and an assorted dessert as well as local wines and digestifs. A local friend said the food had improved a lot since last time she had been there 6 months prior. Great decor which was enhanced with festive Christmas decorations. Was a lot of fun. Service can be hit or miss but we didn't mind and mostly people were friendly. Credit cards are accepted, just not American Express.

LOVE the atmosphere and history - that alone makes it worth a visit. ...The food? Not so crash-hot given the price and reputation. I'm a vegetarian, but that definitely doesn't automatically equate 'bad food'. Maybe my poor meal had something to do with the fact I was dining with a language school group and I was served a vegetarian meal as ordered by the school. It was bland and terrible to say the least - I didn't even bother finishing it. I think they were conflating "vegan" with "vegetarian"; I believe I may have had better options had I been given the chance to order a la carte on my own.

The Auerbachs Keller is located in the basement of the Mädler Passage. We had heard that Goethe himself had visited the Auerbachs Keller. Nowadays the walls are decorated with paintings of Goethe's Faust. The food was ok and the staff was nice. The food was quickly served. The atmosphere was nice but very noisy. Enjoy

I really wanted to like this place because of the previous reviews I read. After eating at several German restaurants this week our party of 12 thought the food was mediocre and the ambiance was a bit dated and cold feeling since it was underground. Our food finally came after 45 minutes of ordering and it was definitely not worth the wait or the expensive prices. I could have given this a 3rd star, but the staff was snooty and seemed like they were doing us a favor by allowing us to eat here. Perhaps a slower day or better management could have made this a better experience, but for now I'd steer clear until this place gets it right.

One of the world famous restaurants every tourist likes to say he/she visited. Goethe ate here and wrote portions of Faust here. Mephistopholes greets the diner on the main floor. The food is traditional German, perhaps not the best in Leipzig, but the ambiance and the history make dining here and paying the price worth while. Take your picture here and drink a Gose (a local Leipzig beer) with a platter of Sauerbraten or local Wurst.

Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed by the ambiance, food and service. I really enjoyed the rinderroulade. I will be back next time when I visit Leipzig.

what is traditionally richer and more valuable it gaststronomisch hardly in Leipzig. There is always a pleasure for me and my family, there may be a guest. We already celebrated the birth of my son, his school and is now beginning its next Jugendweihe Hochreit days, family celebrations and spontaneous visits with you. Besides the excellent food and drinks, the atmosphere is international and very pleasant. The friendly staff and perfect service gets 5 stars.

Auerbachs Keller has become one of my favorite restaurants to take guests from the US. First, it has wonderful German ambience without questioning cleanliness. In the summer months, it is great from the perspective of being comfortable via temperature (it is in a cellar after all). The staff speaks enough English and the menu is available in English for those of us still needing that assistance. The options are widely varied and there is something for everyone, including vegetarian and vegan. The beverage selection is excellent. I highly recommend for anyone in the area.