Haxenhaus - Deutsches Restaurant Köln am Rhein

Very charming restaurant with amazing food. The menu is focused on German traditional dishes that were amazing. There were salads on the menu if pork or lamb is not your thing. The beer was nice and cold and the waitresses were very friendly and spoke perfect English. The restaurant is laid out as communal tables with cute candle centre pieces. Was a perfect meal after the Christmas Markets.

Been there on a festival day. It was fun to be surroınded by joyful people in funny and colorful costumes. We had a goulach, German bread with chese along with dozen of cowboys, a bee, a ladybug, some couples from medieval era and some clowns. Nice day it was.

The young woman serving our group was so kind and attentive. She made sure we were well taken care of. The Schweinhaxen was phenomenal! Everyone was so happy with the meal, drinks, and dessert. 5/5 stars on everything for us.

A gem of German authenticity. Food was plentiful and delicious. Service friendly and efficient. Loved the decor and the ambience. Would recommend to friends.

Preface: the food was great. Zero issues but they were out of a few things. No big deal. The big problem was the service. Mohamed was awful, to put it plainly. Sat us right away, but we were ignored almost the entire time we were there. After waiting about 15 minutes for the initial approach, we were finally able to order some water. We had adequate time to view the menu, so we ordered a couple of appetizers. There were also two different menus, which was confusing to say the least, since one of them was obviously out of date but we were left guessing which one. We waited about 20 minutes for the pork belly, which was very good, and seemed reasonable. We also ordered some bread and butter, which for some reason, took over 30 minutes to arrive. We were then just waiting, waiting, waiting for service to actually order dinner. Finally our server arrived, not asking how the food was so far, just seemingly rushing us for our order. We placed our order and then waited over 45 minutes for food to arrive. They weren't very busy, so it seemed off. Doubly strange since people who came in after us got their food very quickly, finished eating, and left before we got ours. Our main course finally arrived. Two different kinds of Haxe, which were both delicious. During the entire waiting period I had made eye contact with the waiter several times with an empty glass of water but he didn't come over or even ask if we needed more to drink. I finally got the opportunity to ask a different server for water, and he brought it nearly instantly after asking. We were finishing up and decided to order a dessert as a takeaway. We did so from another waiter because ours was missing the entire time. We also got a box from him and he came back with it straight away. Finally our waiter came back over to us and asked if we needed anything. I mentioned that we had ordered a cake, which he seemed to know nothing about. He said he would go check on it. Strangely, he was able to bring that back almost instantly. It seems like the dessert was just sitting in the back, waiting to be picked up. Luckily the rest of the food was hot and it didn't really affect the meal. I have 10 years of food and beverage experience. I've worked in kitchens and in the front of the house, and in management. If I had to guess, he just didn't care about us or his job. Honestly, it was some abysmal service. I wouldn't go back even if the food was good. Unfortunate because it really was delicious.

Top beer, top food and lovely smiling staff! Recommend it! The atmosphere is great!

All of the above loved this place traveled from Canada, the best food I had in Germany, got the Knuckle, portion was big! Food was cooked to perfection, and the vibe was vibing! Highly recommend if you’re in Cologne Germany!

An Evening at Haxenhaus in Cologne: A Night to Remember My evening at Haxenhaus in Cologne was nothing short of memorable. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by Freddy, the charming and hospitable owner, who treated us like old friends. Freddy made the evening feel special right from the start, offering us a cold beer to start and a customized cocktail crafted just for me. While my partner enjoyed his beer, I sipped on my cocktail and felt like we’d found one of Cologne’s hidden gems. When our meals arrived, I was served the most delicious potatoes and lamb shank I’ve ever tasted—tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Each bite was a delight, making the meal one I won’t soon forget. To make the night even more unique, Freddy treated us to a tour of the historic building, sharing stories of its rich past. His passion was evident as he recounted tales that brought the place to life, leaving us with a sense of the legacy we were dining within. It was an emotional glimpse into the restaurant’s story, adding depth to an already remarkable experience. I left Haxenhaus with both a full stomach and a happy heart, grateful for a wonderful meal and the warm hospitality that made our night so unforgettable.

Good experience enjoying beer and meat with friends and colleagues during the show in Cologne. A bit crowded for the chairs and tables.

Good old German favourites. Beer hall ambience. Prompt delivery of food with courteous service.

I am a regular here. The service, ambience, and food quality are exceptional and take the quintessential German experience to the next level. Authentic is an understatement. I have tried every Haxe, side dish, and always complete my meal with a desert and half meter of Kölsch. The freshness, textures, layers, temperature, and overall quality are incomparable when you're looking for the traditional German food experience. The meat is so tender it is literally falling off the bone, yet the skin is so crispy that it can even be purchased as a side item at the bar on occasion. The coziness, decor, and history of the building is another factor in and of itself. The building was built in the 1100s and is even older than all of the Cologne cathedrals, much less most buildings in the northern hemisphere. The history is palpable and adds to the overall experience. The reason this restaurant does not have a 5-star rating is a mystery to me. Long live Haxenhaus!

The food here is pretty good, however I don't think it's worth as much as they are charging. To me, it seems like it's a bit of a tourist spot and I prefer to eat at places that aren't. I noticed they had long boards to serve the kolch beer on if you ordered 5 or 10. These were definitely picture worthy, so, I'd recommend getting one with a group of people if you get the chance!

A totally amazing restaurant. This place was recommended by the cruise Ship. I'm a pork knuckle slut so they had me with the name. We started with the swartensticks, roasted pork strips served with slaw. OMG I wished I didn't a cholesterol problem because I wanted more. We also had the Augustus haze, their special dish. The portion size was huge and was enough for three or four diners. Served with sauerkraut and baked potato slices. It was fantastic. Moist meat with a crispy skin. A great selection of beer. Views of the river. Wonderful outside seating.

We all had different knuckles. This fabulous old building takes your breath away. Go up magnificent staircase to the restroom. All the knuckles were so tender and delicious. All totally different. Mine had wonderful fresh vegetables.

Disgusting food, don't come near that place.. We ordered homemade sausage which was dry as the desert.. the ribs was even worse..and of course the prices were as high as our expectations of that place.

Service is a bit sparse, but pleasant face to face. Their menu includes English translations and they accept American Express. It's s nice spot to people watch and enjoy the day - whether it be a relaxing drink or something to eat, it is great for both. It is not however a place to get a hurried bite to eat.

Great location with solid food. Service was a little slow as there are SO many people, but the waitress came around several times later to check on us! Just be patient. Ordered the pig knuckle, of course! Okay, some people complained that it's dry while others rebuff their complaints. Okay, honestly... It's a little bit dry, but dunk it in some tasty mushroom sauce, and you're good to go. Amiga got the salmon with potato gratin and crushed her whole plate... I'm guessing it was good! There is weaker free city wifi available but no restaurant network for you to hop onto. A really nice place to enjoy an easy dinner outside by the river. Definitely recommend.

A nice, more touristic restaurant that serves you good food and great beer. Stepping into the Haxenhaus makes you feel like you've been transported to a hunting lodge in the Black Forest, with its array of long tables, mounted hunting trophies, and dark wood paneling. We ended up spending the better part of an evening here, meeting up with an old friend and drinking Kolsch with dinner. The food is delicious and comes in healthy portions for the price, but it's not going to be your cheapest dinner. You just have to expect a higher price in the central, touristic areas, but it was worth it to me. They serve more traditional dishes like Schweinehaxe and Schnitzel with Kartoffelsalat, which are some of my favorite dishes now after studying abroad in Cologne in the past. You can't help but relax here, which was especially needed after a long day of travel. The meal was good and we would happily return on another trip back to Cologne!

We arrived as soon as the restaurant opened so we had our choice of outdoor, covered seating. While we are, the restaurant began to fill quickly. I would suggest you arrive early. The house specialities are grilled pork knuckles (ham hocks) and homemade sausages. There are several choices among the dishes with pork knuckles. I chose the butternarkt and was pleased with the pork. It was tender and juicy. However the sides that came with my dish (sauerkraut and mashed potatoes) were a bit bland. The sauerkraut tasted almost exactly like the type we can buy in the supermarket in the States. This is unusual in my experience in Germany as the sauerkraut is usually delicious. The mashed potatoes were ok, but nothing special. So, I would suggest avoiding the buttermakt dish. My wife had the Beijing Haxen and it had an unique but tasty flavor. The mixed vegetables were crunchy and good. Kids had kinder schnitzel and fries. They ate nearly everything on their plates and said it was pretty much as expected (they usually order schnitzel in Germany... safe dish and hard to mess up). The service was a little slow, but more warm and welcoming than most places in Germany. The view of the people walking by and the ships passing on the Rhine River was nice. The prices were reasonable. Overall, nice dinner and friendly service. Worth a visit.

Nice location along the river. Service is friendly and informative. They took the time to explain some details of menu items. Food was good and everything came out at once. It's easy to get to and plenty of tables inside and out.

First time experience for me. Never have I tasted or seen anything like the meal I had here. Eating outside with the nice breeze from the water and nice scenery in general make it a nice place for a dinner. I will say that you should at least go and try the pork knuckle at least once because it is a fun experience. That being said it is quite expensive and not quite worth the money. The meat is tasty but I would much rather eat a steak or a meat fillet of some sort. I ordered the Bierkutscher which can with potato wedges and a cold slaw. The potato wedges were dry and not so good and the cabbage was nothing special. The spicy brown sauce was a good compliment to the meat but there wasn't nearly enough. A fun and interesting experience that everyone should try.

quite good, and food is delicious...... the weather is raining, so we cant sit outside. ..................

Worst service I have ever had honestly. The second we sat down we got menus and ordered a beer. 30 minutes later someone finally comes to take our order after we had already asked them. 45 minutes later my friends get their food and i dont get mine. My friends finish eating and my food still isnt there..i ask when its coming. They forgot about it so the guy puts it in again. 20 minutes go by and still i dont have my food and my friends are done eating...sooo we are all over it and we want to leave and i go inside to pay cause everyone is ignoring us. A really rude lady says i have to pay for the food i ordered even though I still dont have that food, have not eaten it, and THEY forgot about it. I was definitely not paying for their mistake!!! She was telling me i was lying and that I ordered my food only 20 minutes ago.... no i had literally been waiting over an hour and my friends had already eaten. Then she storms away and we are just standing there confused on how we are paying and every one was still ignoring us. We almost walked away without paying cause we were so confused on what was happening. Finally some nice waiter helps us and lets us pay and comped my meal. But this was seriously the worst food service experience i have ever had i am still shook.

SCHWEINSHAXE! i didn't have enough time during my deutschland expedition to actually go to the bavaria. but at the time, haxenhaus would do. the servers are in dirndl. the ones that are not in dirndl are just extremely handsome. the schweinshaxe here is delicious and cooked like how it's supposed to cook. but i have no baseline for comparison really. but it's just objectively delicious. we also got the goulash, which is also delicious. the service is a typical german waiting service. they don't bother you that much but they are not so attentive either, which i actually appreciate. the restaurant is facing the river, so that's really awesome. also one can go get beer and stuff from somewhere and sit at the lawn right in front of the restaurant. but schweinshaxe! haven't given five stars in a while. this place is awesome. let me say it again. SCHWEINSHAXE!

Excellent food and service was very nice. Pleasant place to be and you get your moneys worth.

Super bomb diggety sauce type atmosphere (somewhat like alpine ski resort decor inside with vintage aluminum beer and soda signs, old wood square bar, seating for big and small parties). Big on schweinehaxe, one and one-half meter bratwurst, and the infamous one meter kolsch round (which I'm told a person MUST experience in Koln). Large drink, soup, entree selection ... Only four appetizers. Price range from six to thirty euro per dish. Of course, drinks are typically inexpensive. Waiting staff is excellent, welcoming, English friendly and menus have English translation. Fun fact, Angela Merkel visited this place ... Not very vegetarian friendly on that note.

The building is worth it all - Our friends nicked name this place the Meter Bar because of the beer by the meter, and I recommend it for that very activity. However the food is good as well. Don't let the term "knuckle" freak you out, it's actually a very tasty, tender piece of pork, delicious! Give it a try for both drinking and the beer.

They serve good food here, although a bit pricey. You can get the same haxe at Köln Hbf for a third from the price. Always a good place to bring people from abroad when they come to Cologne.

I had a horrible experience here. There was a man that would move in on people sitting at the tables. I had noticed a threesome behind me when i sat down. Shortly after, two of them (a couple) left to go sit somewhere else in the restaurant. So now the man is behind my back and two different times I felt something on my butt only to turn around and be facing the guy. The second time I told my party that I was moving to hang my coat away from this guy when he got up, walked over to the bar area, stood there a bit, and then left the restaurant. I thought it odd that nobody working there ever asked him for an order. After that, I found the service slow and the knuckle dry. I would avoid this place.

Good service. Good beer and food. Potato soup was brand.