Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter

We had a really great experience at Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter. Everything we ordered was delicious and the atmosphere felt very authentic. We tried the schnitzel and the Käsespätzle, and both were excellent. The meal also came with a nice side salad, a small German black bread roll, and a little carrot salad, which was a nice touch. We also had the potato dumpling (Knödel), which was very good and paired well with the meal. If I had one small suggestion, it would be to add roasted onions on top of the Käsespätzle to make it even more authentic. But overall, the dish was still very tasty. The atmosphere was great as well — Bavarian music was playing in the background, but it wasn’t too loud, which made it pleasant while eating and talking. They also offer a great selection of German beers, which really completes the experience. Overall, a very enjoyable visit with great food, good drinks, and a nice Bavarian atmosphere. We would definitely come back!

I’m not German but as a Swede having never been to Germany, this feels as authentic as you can get in MN. The decor, the beer, the traveling accordions… I adore German fare and the Gausthaus has never disappointed! I have not been since the new owner took over a couple years ago. It is as good as ever. I had the Jager schnitzel with red cabbage and the warm cider potato salad. I added a knockwurst for good measure. I didn’t see the Bavarian Favorites combo I used to adore with Jager schnitzel, Rahm Schnitzel, knockwurst and the potato dumplings but this was very close. Six adults and everyone left full and happy. Thank you for another fabulous experience!

I loved the wonderful German flare of this restaurant. I was there with a group and everyone enjoyed their meal. I had the noodles with cheese, and onions plus a delicious side salad with beets! The goats in the back were fun to watch.

Absolutely wonderful!! Get reservations if you’re going on a weekend. It gets packed. Husband and I both had the most wonderful pork dishes, service is impeccable and every side dish was well balanced and delicious. We will be back to try everything else on the menu.

The atmosphere at Gasthaus is incredible. It has a very traditional German homey vibe. Reminds me of my great grandmothers home. Food was delicious! I ordered the Jagerschnitzel which was great. I do however wish the spatzle wasn't plain. I think it needs to be seasoned or have some kind of flavoring added before serving. Fortunately I had some mushroom sauce left over from my schnitzel. The accordian player is very talented and is open to conversation and informing you about the instrument or songs. Our server was unfortunately not very friendly and seemed to be in a bad mood. Don't know if it was circumstantial or just their personality but it lowered the rating and is sadly memorable.

I had my birthday celebration here. The food and desserts were fantastic. The atmosphere was delightful. And the accordion player was such a joy to have there. Such a treat to be able to have this great experience in our area! Thank you so much!

Loved this place. We got lucky on an early Friday and got seated right away without a reservation. This is not the norm! The food was great the atmosphere was perfect the acordian player was great! We really enjoyed ourselves! The service was welcoming, friendly and was wonderful. We will be making reservations next time!

This is one of my favorite bars. Was so happy when the Xmas market came around so we could bring the puppies up drink some beers, listen to some live music, drink some German beers, a little shopping, and some hammerschlagen.

Great ambience. The food is good. I can see how it can get very busy on the weekends though, so come early if you don't have reservations. Great outdoor seating in the summertime. Good food portions. Order a few items and eat family styles. Try the chocolate forest cake dessert, it's very yummy! Afterward, it's a short driving distance from downtown Stillwater. There are trails there where you can walk off the calories.

Great food and fun experience!! This restaurant came highly recommend and lived up to the hype! The schnitzel was delicious! Several tables came to celebrate each other and Rick made it a special night for everyone.

Amazing food, beer and service!! We found this place by happy accident and so glad we did. The ambience of this place was incredible. Loved all the decor. Our waitress was very kind, knowledgeable, patient, polite, helpful and all around the perfect waitress. Thank you Shannon for a wonderful experience

It was....fine. It was our first time back since the new owners took over. We had the feeling of being rushed through the meal. We had a reservation which was good because the place was packed. (We had a group of 6). It's just everything felted pressured and hurried. The food was... ok. No one's were particularly hot. It was all... fine. We went for my birthday and the accordion player did play for me which was nice, but that was really the highlight of the evening. Not that great of service, not particularly amazing food. We were so excited to come back and it was.... Fine. Sadly I don't think we will be racing to return. Attached parking lot. Accessible entrance.

Another wonderful experience at the Gasthaus celebrating my father in laws bday! The cherry on top was the accordion player...he was awesome! Thank you for making his bday soooo special and having such delish and authentic German fare.

Great place, highly recommend as it's a traditional German restaurant with great food and great beer. I will be back there very soon.

We meet our family here to celebrate our daughters birthday last night. It has been closed for some time and I think there are new owners. It was quite busy when we arrived luckily we had a reservation. We enjoyed the accordionist he played all sorts of music from christmas to childrens songs. Our grandsons loved the music thank you! The food wasnt as good as we have had in the past. We also felt rushed but we tried not to let is bother us. The server wasnt as attentive as usual. She never came back to see if the food was right and we had to ask for water and dessert. We did have a nice time.

We came here for dinner and to celebrate our daughters birthday. We had a nice time. Just a bit disappointed in the food and service. It was ok but our waitress never came back to see if the food was ok, we had to ask for water, just seemed like we were being rushed out. It is not an inexpensive place so we wanted to enjoy our selves. We did really enjoy the accordionist he was get with our grandsons singing songs they knew. We did have a nice time.

We ate there tonight and it was amazing on all levels. The food was delicious. The beef was tender. All the food was well paired and well described on the menu, which helped everyone in our party make decisions. The owner was our waiter for the night, helping out his staff. Jimmy was personable and perfectly conversational. He answered our questions and made great suggestions that left my friends very satisfied. He was jovial and really seems to love his job. The ambiance fits the theme well. It isn't tacky and the table clothes are made in Austria and well protected from damage as they are 100 years or so old. The place was busy but not loud. And the service didn't reflect that they were busy, which is nice because it shows they know good service. There are goats outside off the deck that you can say hi to, they all came and stared at us, staring at them. Highly recommend.

Oh my gosh! What a wonderful surprise!!! Our kids brought us here after they enjoyed a rehearsal dinner just last weekend. Everything was delicious and the service great. The ambiance is fun and authentic!. We had chicken schnitzel with the hunters mushroom sauce and cheese spaetzle. Lindy was a wonderful server. We loved the Black Forest Cake!!!

Great food. Recommend the Schwinehaxen. Great authentic German atmosphere. About a dozen German beers on tap. Service was good.

Horrible non-authentic food and ambiance. I always try German restaurants whenever I visit a new area. This is by far the worst one I've been to out of all I've been to. The inside was dirty and didn't have that German feel most folks expect. Flies everywhere because they leave the windows open for beer going outside. The bland dinner salad was sliced cucumbers in a watery mayonnaise. Dinner rolls we're pre-frozen. Waitress was inattentive and hard to get to come by. I ordered the schweinshaxe which was horrendous. The skin, which is supposed to be about as crispy as a pork rind, was so soft and fatty. I took all the skin off (I could have rolled it around a pencil tightly 20 times no problem) and was left with little edible meat. I had maybe 3 bites before just eating my sides and giving up. My wife's schnitzel was good, so an extra star for that. I would not recommend this place to anybody. Might be a decent spot for a loud drinking crowd, but if you're looking for a nice authentic German meal, or a good meal in general, go elsewhere.

We are so glad this institution has a new life! We went for my husband's birthday and everyone loved it! The food and service are just as good as they used to be. The accordion player, Bill was the icing on the cake!

I was there on SEPTEMBER 9th, 2023. This hidden gem in the woods is unforgettable and a place I am planning to go visit again soon! I think I'm a reliable, reputable reviewer of German food and culture due to my authentic German heritage. You see, my heritage is German and Austrian. My parents grew up Sheboygan Falls and Plymouth, Wisconsin, where many people with German roots lived and still reside. Both of my grandmothers made sauerkraut, German-style potatoes & other German foods; my grandfathers would grill the brats. One of my grandfathers was a farmer, sang in a barbershop choir (German style), played the accordion, sax, banjo, organ, guitar & drums and played in a polka band. He even made his own dandelion wine and honey. I've been to many events featuring bands where polka music was played. My German relatives have had many parties and events featuring German foods and sausages following recipes passed down from generations of people who migrated to America from Germany in the mid 1800's and early 1900's. I've been to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, at the Hofbrauhouse. My boyfriend planned this night out for my parents, sister & her husband. I thought, "Noooo, not another German restaurant that botches German food. I have not had a good experience at restaurants that claim to serve German-style food the last few years, until now!" We all were pleasantly surprised with the excellent HOT food, service, music and atmosphere. We had reservations, which you should do, and were seated promptly. Our server, Tonya, was experienced and knowledgable about the food. Tonya, you are a rockstar! We were served our drinks and food in a timely fashion, as was everyone else around us! I was watching! It's refreshing when servers bring the food when it's hot off the grill, which is what they did. I typically don't eat sausages anymore, but that night I got the knockwurst, which is red and similar to a polish sausage, and the weisswurst which is white and made with veal. The sausages were not greasy or fatty and were perfectly seasoned. The sauerkraut was also very good. I wish it had caraway seeds, but that's okay because it was not bland and was delicately seasoned. The Wallaye cakes and the grapefruit RADLER were a hit with everyone at the table - even the non-beer drinkers. My mom ordered the kartoffelpuffer, fried potatoe pancakes with apple cream, a dish her mother made. YUM! They were crispy like hash browns. She loved it. We all sampled that and really liked that! The menu says applesauce but it's really served with apple cream! My bf had the porkknucklef which was perfectly done and I added a picture of it in my review. My brother-in-law ordered the sauerbraten, roast beef topped with red wine and vinegar. It was tender. A highlight of the evening was Mike Opitz, the accordian player, whom is in a couple of pics in my review. He played and sang about 5 or 6 tunes for us. He played some familiar polka tunes that I remember being played at weddings and other events with polka bands back in Wisconsin. My favorite genre of music is 70's and 80's rock, but I still can recognize specific polka tunes that I have not heard in 30 years. My parents are both 79 and danced to a tune by Mike Opitz! He was playing with an accordion that is made in Germany! He's an amazing musician. We briefly met the new owner who is absolutely wonderful and hard-working. It's obvious he loves what he's doing! We are planning to go there soon to sample more food. We'd also like to go there and enjoy a beer in their outdoor Biergarten with live music on Sundays.

It was a nice hidden German restaurant in Stillwater Minnesota, the food was decent. I pretty much order the same food every German restaurant just so to see if there's anything different! They have live music playing as well. Pictures would tell it all :) will definitely go back again !

If you like good German food, you need to check out this restaurant. We took our son who lived in Germany for several years out for lunch. He thought he died and went to heaven. Food was great and so was the ambience.

Great food. If you have food allergies, probably not your best choice. Fair price for quality and quantity of food. Ambiance is old school German pub and service was great.

Great spot. Just reopened. Cozy little bar with nice German beers. Food is excellent. Jaegerschitzel was extraordinary!

Excellent food and service. Best Friday fish fry I've ever had. Excellent cod, not greasy, served with mashed potatoes and coleslaw.

Wonderful location with nice authentic Germanic type people, not German, but presenting the culture in a heartwarming fashion. Had a wonderful meal, and the fellows playing the accordion made for a awesome evening out with my wife. Great rendition of "Piano Man" by Billy Joel. No doubt, you will be singing while downing liters of German beer and authentic German food. Looking forward to going again next time I'm in The Cities.

So happy that they are back open. I'd say there isn't a more picturesque place around to have a beer in the summer. We love to take bike rides and stop there since it is just off the Browns Creek trail. Food is good and fairly traditional German. We tend to go for the ambience and stay for the great beer selection. A giant pretzel is a winner too.

This place is a real gem. I'm so glad it is back. German beer garden on a summer afternoon is a must. Food is good, but just like every other restaurant in the country, prices have gone up. Can't beat the service at this place. As busy as this place gets, the servers hustle like crazy. The environment inside the dining area is great too. If you're looking for a change from the typical national chain restaurant, this is a great option.

Wonderful food and atmosphere! Service is always great. Go-to spot for German food and beer in the east Meteo.

The new owner has vowed to keep this establishment the same as the previous owners. Very traditional German cuisine and atmosphere.

They are back as good as ever! Lucky to get a table tonight for the first weekend back at Gasthaus. It was a packed house and it was as great as it always was. Fantastic service, delicious classic recipes and all the bier favs. We missed the taste of and nostalgia of our German friends but are so glad the new owners kept the little piece of the Bavaria we knew and loved! Prost

Beautiful location. Such depths of flavor. The red cabbage is so good. The potato salad is also good. You get a small salad which is almost like Cole slaw. My daughter didn't like her half portion of chicken schnitzel and spatzle but she's very picky. I got the pork knuckle which is really big but that's really because of the bone. I still had leftovers though. The gravy it comes with is a necessity else the tender meat becomes too bland. Husband liked the jaegerschnitzel. The apple strudel is really good but quite expensive when you add on the $3 a la mode charge. Service was reallllly slow. The place was packed and we were seated relatively quickly but it was awhile before we got our drinks including water and then another really long wait for the little Cole slaw and 2 little rolls (for 3 mains?). So amazing food, ample parking, nice servers but just don't be starving or have hungry young children to feed.

So glad to have them "OPEN" again .. My #1 ..FALL" eating place ..never been disappointed with the Food & good services PCW.

Not owner of dog friendly Brought the dog. Had to sit in the beer garden field. Not a problem. Until we could not eat any appetizers or meals. No takeout food allowed either. Staff was confused on what were the rules (that did not match last Fall) Drank good beer. Left. Be back? Maybe, but not with the dog. We can go elsewhere for better treatment. Sad experience for a German restaurant with good food, good beer.

Fantastic food and it is very authentic. Not sure why some were negative. Ours were great and many excellent German beers on tap. Also owner Jimmy is very welcoming and friendly. Excellent service.

Definitely imitation German, poor service, and average food at best. The hostess wad distracted and non-welcoming, the server was late and non-attentive .... even though we were one of only five tables.

We always like to take a drive somewhere in the fall when the leaves are turning. We recently took a drive to the Stillwater area on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. One of my favorite places to go in the Stillwater area is the Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter restaurant. We have always had wonderful food there. And this Sunday we were again pleased with the food the wait staff and the friendly atmosphere that's always present at this restaurant. Fall is always a wonderful time Do you have a good German food. If you have never been to this restaurant put it on your to do list. You'll be pleased you tried it.

Six of us walked up to the hostess stand, smiling and ready to have a cold German beer and some comfort food. We stood there for 10 minutes while the "hostess" brushed past us, answered the phone, and never once even acknowledged that we were there. Two things - we will never come back, and No Neck Nick's in Lake Elmo was happy to host our group. This place really has gone into the dumps!

Good food, different from other experiences in German cuisine. Would love to try again with other items further down the menu

My wife and I are long time patrons of this restaurant. We were thrilled at the reopening and had eaten there earlier this summer. We made reservations for tonight, Sunday, and were somewhat concerned about the large number of cars parking all the way down to the road. The lawn and a live band and that's where all the people were. Inside the restaurant we were promptly seated. We had bowls of the goulash, every bit as good as the previous administration. Our food came promptly and was absolutely excellent. Large portions and I ate everything. I don't mind accordion music but on this night there was none. Probably due to the live band outside. So, to sum up, the guy that bought this restaurant has done a great job keeping what was so good and special about the restaurant. I was kind of thinking I might be disappointed, but was not in any way.

Horribly slow service and prices have skyrocketed from previous owners. Quality is way down on food as well. Would not recommend

Gasthaus is the only place in the Twin Cities where you can eat German food, drink German beer, and watch live goats out the back windows! They've been around since 1966. The restaurant oozes old world German charm. There's a lot of dark wood giving everything a Black Forest type vibe. I had a great time trying the meaty, savory, sour, kraut flavors. Of course, I had to drink some German good too. Our server was great. She was dressed in authentic German garb. The food came out hot & fast and the service was spot-on. They're tucked away on a huge wooded lot with farmland and a couple of houses as neighbors. They also have a ridiculously giant parking lot that looks big enough to host a football game. Finally, they have fainting goats out back. Yes...I'm talking about real, living, furry goats. If you sit at one of the back tables, you can watch the critters eating and doing goat things while you enjoy your meal. Thumbs up! -Daddy Maxx Retro

A disappointing experience. Food was average...I had ordered the short ribs but what I got was, I think, overcooked brisket. Very tough and tasteless. Potato dumplings were also tasteless, not seasoned at all. No dinner roll was served. The biggest disappointment was they were "out" of two of the three desserts on the menu, and they waited until the conclusion of our meal to tell us. We had all been looking forward to the Black Forest cake. We won't be going back.

We are long time Gasthaus lovers so when we heard the restaurant had reopened, we were excited to visit. Food was okay, but not as we remembered it; the gravy on the not-very-sour sauerbraten was salty, chicken schnitzel was overcooked, and no pumpernickle or rye bread, just white rolls. The "entertainment" was not just distracting, but overpowering; we couldn't communicate with the waitress, nor would we converse with our table mates because the accordion music was so loud; good for those who enjoyed it because he didn't take a break in the 2 hours we were there. Our waitress told us the music is scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday so no weekend day is open for people who just want to relax and have a peaceful dinner. We are hopeful that ambiance and food will be adjusted over time; we will wait for a while before trying this beloved spot again.

Very good New owners have kept it the same. Food was delicious. Service was fantastic

Great service and the food is delicious. So happy they are open again. The sauerkraut seems not as bitter as it used to be.

This place is amazing as always. We were able to safely order takeout from the outdoor window. We found a very scenic picnic table in the woods. The food was very tasty. We had plenty to take home after eating. We are never disappointed in the food here.

Just returned from the Gasthaus. Food was great. Waitress was great. However, bar tab was in error and the bar tender treated us like we were nobody when we asked him about the bill. We haven't been treated that poorly in a restaurant establishment by one of the staff ever that I can recall.

The large beer is the size of your leg...amazing. My husband and I landed here after a jaunt on the gateway trail. There's a nice little patio, but we opted for inside since the mosquitoes were in full force. It's definitely German, decorated neatly so, with servers in dirndl's. The restaurant is large, but their weren't too many diners so it looked even larger. We ordered beers quickly and settled on the smoked liver pate appetizer and the Bavarian King Size Platter which came with pork hock, smoked pork chop, knackwurst and bratwurst, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut. Then of course I finished it off with a German chocolate cake. The smoked pate was missing the smoke. My favorites on the platter were the knackwurst and bratwurst. I'd get these separate and try some of the other sausage options, but the rest of the platter was pretty meh. Then my cake was kinda dry. Our server was fine, but she lacked any enthusiasm and seemed to just want to go home.

Open for indoor, patio deck & outdoor dining. Luxurious bicycle parking & signs near the Browns Creek State Trail, so no excuse not to stop and quench your thirst! I tried the pop & lemonade non-alcoholic drink today & it was wonderful!

excellent food and service! atmosphere is very appropriate for a German Gasthaus... accordian player strolling around, staff in Lederhosen and Dirndls... nice lawns and trees...will definitely be back... glad the restaurant was saved..Thank you!

Off the beaten path from Manning ave there is a cute little German restaurant. I'm sad to say I only visit once a year for there Oktoberfest fest celebration. Two weekends in September they set up a huge tent. Inside the tent they have a live band that plays a ton of German and regular songs with a dance floor. Tons of tables to sit at and drink beer and eat all the good German foods. Kettle Corn Pops in another area on the tents edge. You can purchase hot seasoned nuts. My favorite is playing hammerschlaggen this isn't free but a few dollars per person where the winner claims a prize. We always choose a loud colorful cowbell as the prize but there are other items to choose. This time I chose two big pretzels with cheese. Affordable and so so good. So many people come here dressed up but you definitely don't have to.

Quaint, cozy spot with a great selection of German taps. Favorites include the sausage plate, soft pretzel, walleye cakes. They used to have a roast pork with bread dumplings that was awesome, hopefully they'll bring it back someday (hint, hint). The bar area is cute and cozy in the winter, but I especially enjoy events on the lawn in the summer. Such a lovely setting for live music and a beer.

We have been here multiple times in the past for their Oktoberfest tent party (which is wisely canceled this year!), but I hadn't eaten dinner here in decades. I was glad they had patio seating available, so we could have our meal outside, because we are once again back to not eating inside because of the pandemic- Delta variant. I highly recommend the walleye cakes, my mother and I both loved them. And the brussels sprout slaw that they came on top of what was on point. However, I cannot recommend the walleye dinner, which my husband had. I didn't even think it tasted like walleye, and it definitely didn't flake like walleye. I also thought it was overcooked and a bit rubbery. So I am giving 4 stars for beers and ambience and 3 stars for the food and service. The beers, as always were on point, being from Germany. We highly recommend the Spaten Optimator Doppelbock and the Paulaner Hefeweitzen. I hope someday the pandemic gets under control, because the tent party is a helluva good time.

This place reminded me of my German grandma is a good way! Went here for a belated Father's Day. Inside looks like Grandmas and so does the garden outside. We ordered Brie and my dad ordered herring for appetizers. The Brie was delicious with slivered almonds served with crackers. Did not try the herring because I'm picky with fish but he enjoyed it. For entrees we picked the sauerbraten (roast beef with potato dumpling and red cabbage), rahm puten schnitzel (breaded chicken cutlet with sour cream gravy, spaetzle, and vegetables) and walleye. My favorite was the rahm puten, so delicious. My poor mom only got ONE potato dumpling and did not really like the gravy. I let her have half of mine and she was happy. So mostly good. Would be back when craving Spaetzle!

I really like this place. It has good German beer and German food--simple wholesome food made well.