Gerst Haus Restaurant

Embarrassing! As a German I went to this restaurant in hope to get some home food. All I get was embarrassment. It is a shame that they sell this food as German food and even worse that the Americans think that is German food. more

A tip for the management. Learn how to cook frites. Put a decent mustard on the table. Use beef brisket for the reubens instead of that cheap bottom round cured to taste like cb. Learn how to make potato salad instead of buying it in a tub. more

Having lived in Germany for many years I was excited to give it a try, but excitement quickly gave way to disappointment. My jaeger schnitzel was not a good piece of veal or pork hammered thin instead it was a chicken fried steak that was hard to cut through. That made the $20 price tag even harder to swallow than the tough piece of meat. The spaetzle was a sad little bowl of under cooked dough pellets. My wife had the Goulash which was better than my meal however it would have been nice if they had trimmed the large piece of fat off the meat so you didn't end up with something you were forced to spit out. We weren't expecting it to be perfect but we would have settled for good. Our lunch experience can be summed up by watching our waitress reach over our plates to refill my tea only to dump tea into my wife's soup as she pull the pitcher back. My first thought as we left was, ""This would make a great candidate for Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares!"" more

I agree with most of the other reviews...the Gerst Haus does NOT serve authentic German food. The food is over priced and frankly awful! My grandparents were from Germany. I have been to German many times and love authentic German food, but the Gerst Haus makes a poor attempt at serving authentic German food. I have tried to like this place as I crave good German food, but to no avail. I have been to this restaurant several times and will not go back. Each time I was thoroughly disappointed. The potato salad that they serve tastes like it came right out of the can. And, I have had better German sauerkraut from a can. Don't try the sausage sampler. I couldn't eat it. It was very greasy and and tasted terrible. more

We had Father's Day lunch at the Gerst Haus just a few hours ago and it was as bland and unGerman as it gets. We were seated immediately by a nice gentleman, brought waters promptly and greeted by our gum smacking waitress. Our drink order was taken and then we sat there for 10 mins waiting to order our food. After we placed an order two people in our party sat for a further 15 minutes with empty glasses while our waitress proceeded to take care of a shiny nose, and fluff her hair right in front of the kitchen. I wish I could say the service was due to how busy the place was but 6 total seated tables and a few bar patrons is not busy. The food was delivered in a reasonable amount of time in huge bland portions. The waitress did get one plate wrong and instead of just taking it back she argued with my father about saurkraut for goodness sake. Our table sat full of dirty plates our entire dining experience and we were visited once by our waitress when she brought back the correct plate. When she finally came over instead of clearing the table she reached over my son shook a couple of ketchup bottles in the air and fixed the condiment dispense and walked off leaving dishes on the table with a check. She never asked if we wanted another round, or dessert. We paid our tab for overpriced under seasoned, non-German food and left with our pockets over $100 lighter...this will be our last trip to Gerst Haus and my suggestion is to give this one a pass. more

This restaurant does not serve German food. I'm not sure what it was, but I would classify the stuff on our plates as neither ""German"" nor ""food."" Nor would I have the AMAZING gall to charge $75 for it. I visited the Gerst Haus for the first time with 3 other people during a recent trip to LP Field. BAD DECISION. We sat outside on the patio, which was somewhat grimy and cluttered with miscellaneous junk. Our waiter was surly and indifferent--I think I heard him mumble ""whaddayawant"" when he couldn't avoid taking our orders any longer. The rest of the time he just kind of dropped things on our table and then slunk away without a word. This included the condiments in an old, dirty, greasy beer carton that someone had apparantly fished out of a dumpster in a sad attempt at whimsy. Everyone at our table ordered the Schweine Schnitzel and a variety of sides. The meat was hopelessly overdone, bland, and coated in a substance resembling pea gravel. The warm German potato salad and red cabbage were horribly SWEET. The German fries were okay-ish, but greasy and covered with lots and lots and LOTS of black pepper. As bad as all that was, I think the most offensive thing about the experience was that the applesauce was so painfully, obviously from a jar. I've made applesauce before. It's not that hard. You peel and core apples, add a touch of water, cook 'em til they're soft, add sugar, and mash them. No jars or industrial-sized cans involved. Just don't waste your money here. YOU WILL REGRET IT. more

I am greatly impressed with both the service and authentic food (as well as quality) at this establishment. Twice I have taken business meals here and the experience has not failed to impress both myself and my guests. One of which (being an assistant minister of trade for Duetchland) has considerably more exerience with traditional and authentic german cuisine then myself. The management and staff, in my experience, have always been competant. I relish the thought of eating their food and enjoying an unequaled experience. more

I have lived in Nashville since 1974 and one of the first places locals told me to go was the Gerst House, when it was across Woodland, over near LP Field. Having moved here from Cincinnati where GOOD German food is a way of life, I was very plesently surprized how good the food WAS. Noticed I stressed WAS. Since new ownership took over several years ago, the quality of food, service and atmosphere has gone down hill faster than a slalom skier. The Oyster Roll once was considered a delicacy by all who like oysters, now it is a brick with rubbery crustaceans. They also had very good Hasenfefer, sadly no longer. The only thing that has stayed consistant is the Gerst Amber Beer. Please Sportsmans Grill folks, don't mess with that. more

Those looking for a good German restaurant, this is not it! I have tried this place 5-6 times now in hopes that I could find something good about it and I have been unsuccessful. The only reason this place exists is from lack of competition. I recently got back from Disney and Epcot-Germany blows this away!!! The food is awful and not authentic. The waiters and waitresses are not personable and not dressed how you would expect in German attire. I wish the owners would visit the German buffet in Epcot-Germany and totally recreate their whole business model, menu, and recipes. Going 5-6 times, I have honestly given it my best shot and now I will never be back. Each time I've revisited, it sucked more each time than the time before. more

They missed the mark when they built the new building in order to make way for the Titans stadium parking lot. From the outside (if you have ever been to Germany) the place LOOKS like an authentic German Gastatte (gasthaus) even the interior could pass, but that is where the resemblance ENDS!!! In fairness... I don;t think they have ever been considered an authentic German restaurant. The Gerst house has always been a bar and restaurant IMHO. However, if you are going to offer German food on your menu... by God DO IT RIGHT!!! The food here is horrible!!!! No self respecting German cook would put BROIWN GRAVY on Spaetzle! Avoid this place if you desire a great German food experience at all cost's. DO COME if you want Paulaner or other real German beer on tap. (tell them that German Bier does NOT get served in FROSTED mugs, nor does a weitzen get served in a MUG PERIOD) Nashville needs another TRUE German restaurant like Old Heidelberg downtown, but alas it has been closed for years now :( more

The food is NOT authentic German, it's what Taco bell is to Mexican food. The service is very poor. On a more positive note, there is a good variety of beer on tap. more

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Germany and we were hungry for a good Schnitzel. I can honestly say that meal we had at the Gerst Haus was an insult to German cooking. The scnitzel was overcooked and tough.The red cabbage was like rubber and couldn't be chewed. The German fries were swimming in grease. I could go on but I think you're getting the idea. more

These people think they have the right to call this German Food I have eaten in many German Restraunts , some good some not so good, This is absolutely the worst food I have ever eaten. I would not recomend this place to anyone unless they need to get drunk. Pros: No pros except Bar Business Cons: Everything else is horrible the food is horrible more

Other people have had the Gerst Haus overcharge, but I have never had that happen. The atmosphere is wonderful, especially if you get to see the Oompahs. The food is great. My meal (a classic Reuben) was wonderful and my only complaint would be that the entree portion was smaller than one would expect and in comparison to other comparable restaurants. However the quality of the food and the sides offered are wonderful so don't take my con as a real negative or downside to then restaurant, I just didn't want to leave the space blank. Pros: Wonderful food and atmosphere Cons: Price vs. Portion (only slightly a con) more

This is by far the worst restaurant we have ever been to. It is dark, filthy and the food is little better than pig slop at prices fit for a king. Calling this a 'German restaurant' is an insult beyond description to the excellent German cuisine. The present owners are obviously not German. They evidently hate German food traditions with a passion. It is a riddle why the city of Nashville does not close them down. This place is not only an insult to German food but it is also an insult to the wonderful city of Nashville. Before you go to the place, please read all of the reviews, particularly the negative ones that talk about the defects of the various, pathetically poorly prepared dishes. Do you want to pay for these insults with your perfectly good money? Pros: The bottled beer was not warm. Cons: The place is dark, filthy, the food is 'soup kitchen'. more

My Memphis family has been eating at Nashville's Gerst Haus since the 80's when they were in another location. We fondly remember the funny bathroom with the maze of hallways and three steps up to the toilet. The new location is so much better, not fancy, just comfortable. My sister and I make several trips a year just for lunch. The stroganoff is my favorite but the Berlinger Met is a close second. I usually get both then tote the rest home in a container I always bring with me. I'm normally not a beer drinker but I love the fishbowl Gerst beer. Love the cornbread cakes. Tried the Kraut Ball. Once was enough. I hear they have great hamburgers but I can never pass by my favorites to try one. We have never had a problem with service or our billing. We have found the wait staff to be very accommodating. I agree with the previous wirter, if you want fast food go to McDonalds. We will be seeing you soon Gerst Haus. Pros: Large portions of good food Cons: It's not in Memphis more

I read the reviews indicating diners had been overcharged, so I checked my statement. An additional $2.00 was added to the charge. While this is a small amount, we will never go back. Cons: Credit card over charged more

The Gerst House is an eclectic dump - part lodge, part shabby cafeteria with christmas decorations still up in July - tacky . The food is pricey although you get a large portion, presentation mirrors the ambiance - second rate. All three people in our party had terrible indigestion after eating there. The beer, however, is cheap and served in a nice frosty mug. Go for that and sit at the bar - skip the high priced industrial feel fare. Pros: cold beer mugs Cons: unremarkable preentation and poor atmosphere more

We have eaten at Gerst Haus on several occassions. The food is really great and you get generous portions. Last time we went there was a polka band, we really enjoyed the listening to the music. The down side was the service was very slow. After about 15 minutes we finally complained about not getting waited on. Luckily the band kept us entertained while we waited. Would recommend as long as you are not in a hurry. Pros: Great Food, Big Portions, Great Polka Band Cons: A little pricey, location is difficult to get too more

For the user, bionici, who wrote the review about the credit cards...My family owns the gerst and I took off the extra tip authorization. I am sorry that happened to you. I thought I had taken that off a long time ago, but I obviously didn't. I hope you will come back and eat with us. It should not happen again. more