Bremen Ratskeller

Restaurant · Bremen

Bremen Ratskeller

Restaurant · Bremen

2

Am Markt, 28195 Bremen, Germany

Photos

Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by junko_tabuchi/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by junko_tabuchi/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by mario_carlo_stara/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by junko_tabuchi/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by travellntruman/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by travellntruman/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by junko_tabuchi/used with permission
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null
Bremen Ratskeller by null

Highlights

Discover classic northern German meat and fish dishes in a charming, centuries-old cellar with vaulted ceilings, perfect for cozy meals in the city center.  

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Am Markt, 28195 Bremen, Germany Get directions

ratskeller-bremen.de

$$$$$$ · Menu

Reserve

Information

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Am Markt, 28195 Bremen, Germany Get directions

+49 421 321676
ratskeller-bremen.de
ratskellerbremen

$$$$$$ · Menu

Reserve

Features

dine in
takeout
delivery
payment credit card
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reservations
wifi
outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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@atlasobscura

The Culinary Delights Hiding Below, Inside, and Above Government Buildings

"It’s good to make the rules. This was especially true if you were a local politician in 15th-century Bremen, Germany. The city forbade the private sale of alcohol, consolidating the city’s wine supply into giant casks stored in a cellar beneath town hall. Bremen relaxed its liquor laws over the subsequent six centuries, but you can still visit the cellar, home to Germany’s oldest cask wine. In fact, it’s now a restaurant.  If there’s a place to wine and dine like it’s 1405 (when the place was built), this is it. Priolken, or private booths, line the walls on one side of the grand hall under dramatic vaulted ceilings. Ornately designed casks the size of elephants line the opposite wall, allowing the wines to mature undisturbed in the controlled cellar environment, imparting the still air with notes of fruity oak. Simple North German fare, from goulash soup to young herring to a variety of meat and cheese boards, is on offer, but the true draw is, of course, the drink list. With 1,200 German vinos available daily, there’s a wet for every whistle (just don’t expect your server to know each and every one). Celebrity visitors throughout the years include Johannes Brahms, Otto von Bismarck, Richard Wagner, and Kaisers Wilhelm I and II.  It’s also in this tranquil, underground wine hideout that Germany’s oldest cask wine rests: a Rüdesheim wine from 1653. To sample it, however, you’ll have to either become the cellar master or royalty. The last person to have tried the vintage was Queen Elizabeth II in 1978." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/government-building-restaurants
View Postcard for Bremen Ratskeller
@atlasobscura

Bremer Ratskeller – Bremen, Germany - Gastro Obscura

"It’s good to make the rules. This was especially true if you were a local politician in 15th-century Bremen, Germany. The city forbade the private sale of alcohol, consolidating the city’s wine supply into giant casks stored in a cellar beneath town hall. Bremen relaxed its liquor laws over the subsequent six centuries, but you can still visit the cellar, home to Germany’s oldest cask wine. In fact, it’s now a restaurant. If there’s a place to wine and dine like it’s 1405 (when the place was built), this is it. Priolken, or private booths, line the walls on one side of the grand hall under dramatic vaulted ceilings. Ornately designed casks the size of elephants line the opposite wall, allowing the wines to mature undisturbed in the controlled cellar environment, imparting the still air with notes of fruity oak. Simple North German fare, from goulash soup to young herring to a variety of meat and cheese boards, is on offer, but the true draw is, of course, the drink list. With 1,200 German vinos available daily, there’s a wet for every whistle (just don’t expect your server to know each and every one). Celebrity visitors throughout the years include Johannes Brahms, Otto von Bismarck, Richard Wagner, and Kaisers Wilhelm I and II. It’s also in this tranquil, underground wine hideout that Germany’s oldest cask wine rests: a Rüdesheim wine from 1653. To sample it, however, you’ll have to either become the cellar master or royalty. The last person to have tried the vintage was Queen Elizabeth II in 1978. None" - lukefater

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bremer-ratskeller
View Postcard for Bremen Ratskeller

Yu Yuk

Google
The service is excellent! Have a real great experience with the staff always interacting with us in English. Excellent recommendations on wine!

Ed

Google
Cosy old-fashioned restaurant with a good menu. Price and quality are fine. Very friendly staff Recommended, but make an appointment in advance!

FRANK PR

Google
Was Incredible, their attention, the service, the food and beer, amazing… Btw a special recognition to Bastian, he make our visit unforgettable, and for Spanish and English speakers, Bastian speaks as well.. thanks thanks

Sewon Park

Google
Possibly the best restaurant in Bremen. Such a cool venue and the location is fantastic too!

Steviehead

Google
Such a beautiful restaurant. Food was lovely and the service was spot on. Money well spent.

Michel Franke

Google
The food was amazing! The service was good from the man who took the orders from us. But the others were kind of lost or were looking that they wanted even to be home. I'm also wad working in a Restaurant, and I knowing that could be a though day. But every time we leave the kitchen, take a smile!! This is just a small piece of advice 😉 but I'm sure I will come again

Anastasia Mohammad

Google
We have been here for lunch and we loved it. Service is great, prices are normal (i have expected it to be overpriced because of its location)and the food is delicious 😋 Definitely recommended!

Pierre-Philippe Ravier

Google
We had lunch at this restaurant in June. The atmosphere downstairs is really cute and full of old and typical elements. We ate inside what looked like a huge barrel :-) Naturally you can also have a more normal table. The food was typical and not too expensive for such central place. We were satisfied at the end. The service was also fairly quick.
google avatar

Sherry L.

Yelp
I think this place is worth visiting just for the ambiance itself. We chanced upon it as we were strolling through downtown Bremen and saw a group of what looked like tourists waiting in line to enter. Since we were looking for a dinner spot, we decided that we would check it out. Thankfully there was no wait, and we were seated very quickly. The lofted ceilings and the huge wine caskets were very cool and were fun to photograph. We asked if we could sit in one of the private booths, which they very kindly allowed. It got to be super stuffy in the booth and I would not recommend dining with a large group in the booths, but it was cozy and romantic for just me and my husband. Food was just okay, I felt like everything was a bit too salty for my palate, but there was a great assortment of land and sea options.
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Mike V.

Yelp
Very beautiful restaurant, staff was friendly. Food was amazing. Will definitely try again next time in town.
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Bob C.

Yelp
As for location, this is one of the best possible locations in the city - located the basement of the historic Town Hall, eating here has an undeniable tourist/historic value. However, the food was only average, which was too bad because they did so much right. We were traveling as a family and found this to be a great place for families, an awesome wine list and nice atmosphere for dining without feeling stuffy. Maybe we were there on a bad night, but I would say overall - this might be one to overlook unless you are in the mood for drinking and appetizers.
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Brenda A.

Yelp
Glad my fiancé and I dropped by ourselves since we checked the yelp review and they weren't the greatest but this place was great. I loved the location and that Its located in the cellar of the Town hall. Not only was it cool to be in since the art work and nooks you can can eat it but the food was delicious. Check it out if you're in town!
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Sarah C.

Yelp
What a cool way to spend a couple of hours with friends. We popped in to have a drink and a snack around 1 or so in the afternoon. The Rathaus was not open to the public on this particular afternoon so we decided to just drink and eat instead. :) Sitting in the basement, or ratskeller was so cool! They have vaulted ceilings that are ornate and help transport you to another time. The sides have semi-private booths that are tucked away. You sit inside this little nook and feel like no one else is anywhere around. It was a really neat place. I am glad we decided to order the cheese plate...yum! The cheeses, bread, jams/butter were all so tasty. The beer was good too. Of course, when in Bremen you should order at least one Beck's...since it's originally from there. The service was friendly without being overbearing. I liked having some privacy/alone time with friends while at the same time being checked on occasionally to make for sure our drinks were full and our hearts were happy. :)
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William H.

Yelp
I did NOT have a good experience at the Ratskeller. Rude host looked at me quizzically when I asked for a table for one the grudgingly have me a seat at a table that wasn't yet cleared. He the ignored me for another 10 minutes skillfully avoiding eye contact. I left after it was obvious the service was not going to improve and walked across the tracks to my next check-in If you are with a large group I am sure the ratskeller is fantastic but no place in the house for a single diner.
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Rolanda S.

Yelp
Been coming for years and nothing has changed people keep coming and the service is simply horrible....no quality service and not enough service for our large party on Dec 26th. Nicht gut!!
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Mark H.

Yelp
The restaurant itself is in the cellar (=Keller) of the town hall (=Rathaus). But due to the beautiful sunny weather, I enjoyed my lunch outside. As it was a Sunday, there was not much traffic, so this was very nice (apart from the wind trying to blow things away from time to time). I enjoyed a nice young herring ("maatje") with a bit (could be more) salad and a great bowl of baked potatoes with onions and lard. The service was friendly but a bit slow due to a lot of customers.The menu had an extensive choice of goodies and some nice drinks.I would return here.
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Yang D.

Yelp
You basically eat the environment, not the food. Historical place, doesn't deserve the bad quality of food at all. The food we had was only pub food level, nothing traditional nor fine dinning standard. Wine collection was new and just a matter of length, not impressed at all. Do not recommend to go.

Paul T.

Yelp
The decor and location are amazing. We had a catered party in the lower hall. The service was good. Plenty of food and it tasted good to me. I have no idea how "authentic" it was, but I thoroughly enjoyed it
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Joe P.

Yelp
I got engaged here in 2014 so naturally, I have great memories of the place. It's just so old you have to expect there might be rats... We were seated in a tiny ante-room that looked like a small wine cellar itself which gave us the ideal privacy needed to pop the question!
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John B.

Yelp
I enjoy a visit to The Bremer Ratskeller on every trip I make to Bremen. Fantastic food, wine, beer, and service in a 600 year old wine seller located in the Stadt Square. What a great experience! If you visit Bremen, don't let the chance to eat dinner here pass you by. Worth every Euro.
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Eryka S.

Yelp
Man, I didn't like this place at all. Is a great looking restaurant but that's about it. Food was not good or impressive. My hostess wasn't nice. Then my waitress had a lack of knowledge on her product that was impressive. Coming to what suppose to be " the biggest wine collection" I expected people that know about wine or what they have. She knew nothing. I asked a sime question and she answered by reading the menu then she said to not know. When my food came, I was very disappointed because I had high expectations about the quality and such. But then again, the place loos great, thats why I gave 2 stars.
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Thomas J.

Yelp
It's hard to imagine a better setting for a late summer group dinner than the large outdoor seating area in front of the 1405 AD Ratskeller, one of the great town squares in the world with its Roland sculpture. Sometimes I have been with groups that stick to the traditional beef or pork-based menu, but the fish courses are the best thing they serve. The service was excellent and the overall Stimmung was ideal.
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Jennifer K.

Yelp
A visit to Bremen is not complete without visiting the Ratskellar. Yes, you will find tourists from all over the world. But it does not take away from the ambiance of the restaurant, in my opinion. This wasn't my first visit, as I normally will dine here when I visit family. But this is my first review for the Ratskellar. We arrived prior to the posted noon opening time. But since the door was opened, we thought that we would chance it. It did take a few minutes to get a hosts attention. Once we did, he offered us a cabinet booth and took our drink order right away. He did tell us that the kitchen would open at noon. My party of three knew what we wanted to order, the Bremer Knipp, however the menu stated that it could not be served until 1430. Since I cannot get this plate at home, I was resided to the fact that I would have to get the Knipp Starter plate. When the host came back to take our order one person in my party told him of our situation and he said that the kitchen could make the Knipp. I ordered an Alster, a cup of Goulash Soup and the Bremer Knipp. The Bremer Knipp is a big enough to fill you up, so the soup was not necessary. The Knipp came with fried potatoes and apple sauce. It was a lot of food for a good price. We could not do dessert afterwards. The service was friendly and attentive to our needs. In good weather you can choose to sit inside or at the tables just outside of the entrance. While it was beautiful outside, we wanted to stay inside the restaurant for the experience. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that visits.
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Delia O.

Yelp
Very nice restaurant with good food and nice service. The prices are ok, keeping in mind that it's located in the main plaza of Bremen. A nice looking 600 years old restaurant. Would go again.

Lucian T.

Yelp
Bad food, and...rats?!? Inside the booth there were rat traps behind the legs.

Yu W.

Yelp
We were expecting it to be a high end wine place in the beginning, by looking at their manual, it is not a pricy place in Bremen. Food is OK., service is good, accept American credit card without problem. The environment is nice and interesting, close to the all attractions.