My godmother is an amazing German cook who makes the best wienerschitzel. That being said, my exposure to German food is rather limited. Be warned, the portions here are huge! You will not leave hungry! Metzger's wienerschitzel was quite good, but did not surpass that of my godmother's. The red cabbage and saurkraut were really amazing though and I highly recommend getting those two sides. We also ordered knackwurst, which is my favorite German sausage. Two of the biggest sausages on a platter were brought with a heaping pile of sauerkraut and spatzle with gravy. I really prefer my knackwurst to be warmed in beer which adds a special malty flavor to it but Metzger's does not do that. Overall, solid German food and you can't go wrong with bringing family or out of town guests here.
(3)
Kevin W.
Top notch. We tried a little of everything. Had jagerschnitzel, spaetzel, red cabbage, potatoe pancakes, lake perch. Also tried a decent pilsner and the gluwein. Good sized servings of everything. the devil is in the details and Metzger's nails the details. Will be back whenever passing through Ann Arbor.
(4)
Claire H.
Great atmosphere and service. You have to try the brat combo and French dip - amazing!!
(4)
Robert R.
I had just returned from 9 days in Germany and talked my family into trying some German food. This place gives a nice try but misses by a mile. Deep fried mashed potatos are not potato pancakes! And canned gravy over lunch meat is not saurbraten. I could have forgiven the food but the idiot that waited on us couldn't get the order right for 4 people. This place is not cheap either! The next time I am in the mood for fake German food I will just make the trip to Frankenmuth.
(2)
Terrell O.
Went here based in positive reviews and left disappointed. The spatzle was not very good and I didn't like the potato salad at all. I ordered the pork shank (schweinshaxe) and was surprised to see that it appeared to have been boiled...the skin was soggy and not at all crispy like it should have been. I am surprised to see positive reviews from people that have spent time in Germany. I thought the food was terrible.
(1)
Katie C.
First off, the food was excellent. I had the spinach salad with sirloin strips (rare) and bacon dressing, Steak was cooked perfectly and the dressing was hot and homemade. My boyfriend had the meat patties which he said was like good meatloaf, his sides were a salad- mixed greens and lots of veggies with a nice chunky blue cheese dressing- and mashed potatoes. I had a bite of his potatoes and they were great, and the portion is huge, two big scoops that he had to ask for more gravy for! The reason I'm only giving two stars is the service we had. It was an average Wednesday evening at 7:15, and the restaurant started out about half full and was nearly empty by the time we left an hour and a half later. We could not understand why everything, from getting our order in, to getting a coke refilled, to getting the check took an unnatural pace to happen. The last time I had service this slow was when we accidentally showed up to Weber's at 7:00 on the Saturday of graduation weekend. Unfortunately because of this, it is unlikely we will visit Metzger's again.
(2)
Bryan H.
I love this place. I lived in Germany when I was younger and I have to say the food was spot on and great decor inside made me feel like I was in Germany again. I'm not from the area but try to stop in whenever I'm in town.
(5)
Heather J.
A Spanish princess drove her minders mad at the Chicago World's Fair because she kept sneaking out of official engagements to hang out at the German tent. They found her downing steins of tasty brews instead of tiny coffee cups, and dining on piles of sausage and kraut rather than teeny tapas and oranges. Clearly she was on to something about a filling meal, and less noble souls can feast like a prince(ss) at Metzgers of Ann Arbor. With ninety years under belt, Metzgers has their menu fine-tuned to feature the age-old favourite pairings of beer thick enough to cut and butter with dark, slightly coarse breads fresh from the vat... err, oven. Ales run from light, fruity lagers like Schneider Weiss for the child at heart through dark and hearty concoctions that'll put meat on your bones. My beau had a dark warsteiner in a half-liter stein that I sipped at and found especially tolerable, with no sharp and hoppy aftertaste. Beer flights are available to sample a spectrum of light to dark German beers, one of the best values not on the menu. My expensive palate spurns beers save the most eclectic so I gauge the warsteiner to be very good. More importantly, they serve spiced gleuwine (glowwine), a lush, rich red that is a staple of German Christmas markets. Gleuwine is essential for maintaining warmth in numbed extremities while standing outside in an alpine blast as Mom wanders from stall to stall, cooing over wooden puppets and tiny clogs produced by gnomes. Food draws from old standbys like sauerbraten, veal bavarian, and cottage schnitzel to assuage Old World appetites. You'll find none of the Spanish penchant for serving entrees on silver dollar-sized plates just large enough to accommodate a sprig of parsley and a single anorexic sausage or a tablespoon of spatzen. Portions range on the healthy Bavarian dairy-maid side, although never to excess. The Yelp! International Dinner Club ordered a variety of side dishes, and they were German Goldilocks size -- just right. My beau savoured his heavily cinnamon-spiced applesauce and I inhaled the delectable cucumber salad done up German style, fit for a queen. Potato pancakes were relished all around our linked banqueting table and smelled delicious. For groups, the Haus or Bavarian platters are ample enough for two -- two families, two groups or two small villages. Impressive stout sausages languished atop alpine slopes of potato salad and red cabbage like great, placid dragons. The tureens of horseradish, spicy mustard, and some other savory concoction allows you to enjoy the mellow, smoky flavour or breathe fire upon your fellow diners. Mettwurst and Knockwurst received good reviews and I enjoyed the slice I got to share. (Thank you, fellow generous Yelpers!) I sampled the Jager sauce which was peculiarly fruity thanks to roasted peppers and tomatoes. The wine base pops through without overwhelming the vegetables. I recommend using a small dish for dredging the addictive brown bread, for a flavourful side dish. While being pickier than a Habsburg eyeing up potential brides, I ended up selecting the spatzle primavera with shrimp that were clearly East German bodybuilders in the prawn-weight category. My strategy to remain healthy were met rather well. The light butter-wine sauce spritzed with lemon was swirled over the buttery, springy spatzle (plump egg noodles rolled into squishy curls) and fat chunks of tomato, snap peas, and peppers. It was too much for me to finish in no small part due to the uber-shrimp lifting spatzle to my ready mouth. Those suckers were huge and tasty. A visit to Metzgers takes a clever strategy to leave room for German desserts, and a logistical approach to balance the lure of the Grand Traverse Pie Company (pie!). In this case, share a bread pudding or a torte with your loved ones... or maybe not, if you think you'll be fighting over the raisin-studded, quivering bread melange drizzled in vanilla sauce. I spent a few minutes talking and turned back to an empty plate (!), though not after getting a few spoonfuls in myself. I finished off the night with a buy one entree, get the second for 50% off coupon to add that special touch of savings atop a splendid night, thanks to my delightful company and hearty food. There are few details about what the Spanish minders did upon discovering their wayward princess, but chances are they led her back to her suite like a sleepy, content cat. German diplomacy at its finest!
(4)
Heather H.
My favorite place to go when I'm on the west side of A2. I grew up eating traditional meat and potato dinners every day at my grandma's house. When I walked into Metzger's for the first time it finally dawned on me that all those meals were very german influenced. I love the saurbraten and kraut. Every time I go I mean to try something else but I can't resist the vinegary goodness! As a side note, my husband doesn't really care for german food. He still likes to go since they have great salads and an especially good burger served on a pretzel roll.
(5)
Phaedra Y.
Went to Metzger a couple of weeks ago. Tried their sauerbraten special -- not too special after all. Poor plate presentation --- the beef was too acidic .. sauce mediocre. my boyfriend ordered the meatloaf - he definitely tasted better. Tried the spatzen that people were raving about - basically tasted bland. I ordered the spiced wine .. that seemed to be the only good thing about this place. My bf ordered brandy and coffee with whipped cream. tasted horrible! he couldn't even finished it and wasted $6.50. Overall, the service was good. I would not come back but glad I tried it
(2)
Carolyn C.
The potato pancakes are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.
(5)
Liz W.
Metzger's is a delight. Fantastic food, plenty of good drink and a nice atmosphere. The only downside was the hit and miss service, otherwise this would likely be a five star review. We will go back and hopefully next time it will be. Being newbies we ordered the haus platter for two for experimentation purposes. It comes with a choice of soup or a salad. We decided to try the cheesy chicken tortellini soup and the creamy garlic dressing on a salad. The soup was amazing, big chunks of chicken, red peppers and perfectly cooked tortellini in a smooth brothy type cheese sauce. The salad was mixed greens (yay for frisee) with ideally thin sliced onion, dark and light rye croutons and a garlic dressing with dill. Both were winners. We were slightly annoyed that every table other than ours got bread. We did not need it at all but it still made us feel odd. Our drinks also never got refilled. Yes we still had water glasses but does that mean we cannot have more pop or tea? I hate having to ask, not that our waitress was around to ask at any rate. Empty glasses should be an indication someone needs more drink though. Soon enough a huge platter arrived. Heaped with potato salad, spatzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut. On either side was a half a piece of lemon topped schnitzel and on top were fat links of mettwurst, bratwurst and knackwurst. On the side was a dark and a light mustard and some excellent horseradish. We were totally intimidated but dove in bravely. The mild knackwurst was enjoyed, the familiar bratwurst and the mettwurst were utter happiness. The schnitzel was very well done but a bit lost in our sausage bliss. The mustards were lovely additions and I always appreciate a bit of horseradish. The spatzle is nicely done here with a bit of gravy, the sauerkraut has good snap to it but we both liked the red cabbage and the potato salad best. Just perfect renditions. We had to take a ton home. This did not concern us in the least. Happy reheats and bonus points to the waitress (at last) for getting us containers to pack up mustards and horseradish too. We also got a box for some carrot cake for two, a real treat I must say. We did not have a single bite we did not truly adore. We can't wait to go back for rouladen, sauerbraten, potato pancakes and strudel next time. Be sure to come for a birthday, get your meal free with the purchase of another plus they throw in a free dessert! Yum!
(4)
Denise K.
Went here yesterday with my family. Prices went up a lot. Found a very long hair in my spaetzle. Spoke with someone else who goes there. Same thing happened to both of them. Waitress tried to downplay this but this is problem they need to address. Won't ever go back. Not worth the price.
(1)
Allen L.
Metzger's has been so consistently good for decades that I never think about writing a review for it. I go here frequently for both lunch and dinner. It's somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me. This is not light food. :) Some favorites: - Steinhager Martini - any of the different schnitzel - sausage - spatzen - beer (Warsteiner, Franziskaner) Always good service. Always super friendly with the owner(s) frequently greeting you.
(5)
Robert B.
I have now eaten here multiple times and the food is just consistently very good and really good specials rotating on the weekly menu. The last two weeks finds braised rabbit on the menu which sells out and I was lucky enough to get some today. Definitely a cut above average and local ingredients to boot.
(4)
Kelli P.
Most German restaurants weird me out due to their overzealous approach of trying to capture "Bavarian culture". Just because you see a man in lederhosen does not mean the food will be authentic. In fact, it would be in your favor to run in the other direction if you are waited on by an American who calls himself "Gunther" between the hours of nine and five and is donning Bavarian garb. Metzger's is a no-nonsense German restaurant with friendly waitstaff, somewhat classic decor (I could see how this might be debatable), and downright delicious food. For vegetarians, käsespätzle, potato pancakes, beet salad, and sauerkraut are all safe choices. Schnitzel is a classic entree for the carnivorous type. The bread pudding is a tasty way to wrap up your meal. If you're looking for a touristy German restaurant where people pose with giant cuckoo clocks and snap pictures in their cut-off blue jeans, head north. For a more authentic approach to German cuisine, visit Metzger's.
(5)
Barbi P.
I do not like German food. It makes me wanna puke a little. So this review is based on the 3 things I can tell you. 1.) My parents and grandfather love this place. They are big German food fans and this is where they go. They tell me it is authentic and very good. I will take their word. 2.) My chicken Caesar salad was pretty good. The dressing was great and the chicken was really moist. 3.) My Manhattan was really big, really strong and I felt really fuzzy by the time we left. Mmmm.
(4)
Kristen M.
I may be a slightly biased reviewer but Metzger's is awesome. I have had ample opportunity to sample the menu and these are my favorite items: -Tornadoes: usually a weekend special, beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and served with au jus for dipping -Mettwurst: flavorful German sausage -Fish specials: always unique and tasty -French onion soup: cheesy, salty and delicious -Fries: crispy and well seasoned -Chocolate cherry torte: a very rich, flourless chocolate cake w/ rasbperry sauce Also, Metzger's is very kid friendly. I used to take all the kids i babysat there and they loved it. It's also fun to go with a group of friends and share a boot of beer! You won't find anything else like it in Ann Arbor.
(5)
Ally K.
My parents and I decided to have dinner here for my mom's early birthday dinner (Her actual birthday is St. Patty's Day) and seeing as I've had this place on a list of restaurants to try for a while, I was looking forward to it. Ordering was easy, as we love sausage. My mom and I got the Wurst Platte to split, minus the sauerkraut which we replaced with potato pancakes. My dad got a weekly special, which was a pork sausage. The Wurst Platte was quite good. The mettwurst was great, and the knackwurst was mild, but became better when paired with the dijon mustard (you also get a sweet mustard and horseradish, both of which are really tasty). My mom wasn't a huge fan of the bratwurst, and I thought it was just alright. I'm really happy that we got the potato pancakes, which are crispy, thick, and great with the applesauce and sour cream! The spaetzle was pretty much just filler, but it was nice to have, sort of like how it's nice to have mashed potatoes with a good roast. My dad liked his pork sausage, which I got to try. I actually kind of wish I had gotten these because they were nicely spiced. Okay, now that I've got the savory stuff covered, it's time to focus on my favorite part of every meal: Dessert! This is where Metzger's really won our hearts. We got the carrot cake, apple strudel, and bread pudding. I'll just start off by saying that the carrot cake is the best that I've ever had. Seriously, it may have been for two, but I was perfectly willing to eat both pieces. The cream cheese frosting was delicious and plentiful, and the cake itself was moist and loaded with shredded carrots and nuts. I gave the other half to my parents, and they agreed with me. The apple strudel went to my mom (but I got a bite), and she was happy to report that it was fantastic. The bread pudding with vanilla sauce that my dad got was good, although it could have been a little warmer. All in all, this was a good and hearty meal. I would come back here again, especially for the dessert.
(4)
Jeroen V.
Growing up in Europe, Schnitzel was one of my favorite things to eat so I was very excited to find this on the menu at Metzger's. I ordered the Zigeuner Schnitzel and it was really bland and badly seasoned. There was nothing about this dish that reminded me of the Schnitzels I ate "back home". I cannot judge the rest of the menu, but I was very underwhelmed with this specific dish and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that has ever had a Schnitzel in Germany or Austria.
(2)
Greta D.
Very friendly staff and cute decor. Food was good and came out much faster than expected. Beer and cobbler was the best part. Just kind of high priced. A once in a while place.
(3)
Eric P.
Metzger's is my favorite German restaurant in Metro-Detroit. When my fellow alums came in from out of town we all agreed that Metzgers was a rare treat we needed to revisit. And until last week, I had forgotten how good Metzger's food tastes. The quality is still there. The schnitzel, the sausages, the potato pancakes, the spatzen, the sauerkraut, and everthing I've eaten here has been amazingly delicious. The menu is expansive and will cater to all tastes, although I wouldn't order Perch or a Steak here. You can get that anywhere. Go for the specialty items. Entrees run about $16ish and come with two sides. There's so many good sides, but you really have to try the potato pancakes with sourcream and apple sauce. They're really unhealthy but so delicious. On my latest visit I planned on ordering the Weiner Schnitzel but they ran out of it so I went with the Jager Schnitzel (breaded and fried pork served with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a wine-based "Jager" sauce. I'm not quite sure what was in the sauce but it sure was tasty. The wait was a bit long for a table (usually a good sign), but once we were seated we received excellent service. The decor is great, wooden tables, German memoribilia, I really feel like I'm in an authentic German restaurant. I wouldn't change a thing about Metzger's, its practically perfect! Except for maybe moving the location closer to my house so I could go more often.
(5)
Jorge C.
Metzger's is an Ann Arbor staple! You cannot get better sausage and German food anywhere in Ann Arbor. My favorites are the Metwurst, potato pancakes and cucumber salad. They also have beers straight from Germany constantly rotating in their draft selection
(5)
Colleen Z.
We just arrived home after another great dinner at Metzgers. We love this place so much for so many reasons. First, if you want a low calorie, jumping, high energy restaurant Metzgers is not the place for you. Many patrons are older and the decor is.....well.....homey. But the food, the food. Nothing can be better than the sauerbrauten and weiner schnitzel with warm dark rye bread on a Friday night. Add spaetzle and red cabbage and your life will be complete. Well, not until the carrot cake for two is delivered. Trust me, it may be for two but you will have leftover cake for the next three days. Well worth the price. John, the owner, and the wait staff make sure you are always happy. You can not miss with a evening at Metzgers.
(5)
Tom S.
Something Very good has been happening here lately. I grew up going to Metzgers and it was always pretty good, then they moved out to Zeeb road and while still Ok it seemed like I had a series of very mediocre meals there spanning 5-6 years. We took a fairly long hiatus and went back sometime in the late fall of 2010. What a surprise ! the first time back the meal was top notch across the board and we left happy thinking it we probably just got lucky. We went back again a couple of weeks later and the meal was even better. Since October we have been back maybe 5 times and it's always packed and it's always excellent. I wonder if they have gotten a new chef or kitchen manager? Some personal favorites are. Warsteiner on tap Kassler Rippchen Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen)
(4)
K F.
Amazing Potato Pancakes! Louder environment - but it's of positive energy.
(4)
Jesse W.
I would give this place 2.5 stars if I could, but "Meh, I've experienced better" pretty much sums it up. First off, the service and ambience were fine--very friendly and lots of coats of arms to ogle. But I'm biased towards the food. I should start by saying that because of my Swiss grandmother (from a Germanic area, linguistically and culinarily), a lot of these foods were familiar to me. I was actually planning on taking her here when she came to visit. But after going for the first time, I don't think that I could. We ordered the Haus platter for two. The wursts were fine--not fantastic, but fine. The weiner schnitzel was pretty good. However, the potato salad, kraut, and red cabbage swung wildly between sickening sweet (red cabbage) and salty (potato salad and kraut). I'm not sure if they claim to make their own kraut, but it tasted canned. The red cabbage was cooked to mush. If I hadn't experienced these foods growing up, I would think that I just don't like German food. But I know it can be prepared much better than this. Finally, the all important mustard selection fell flat. The spicy mustard, if it ever had a kick, had lost it, and the horseradish was stale (sour but with no kick). For a place that was rated with 4.5 stars, I expected better.
(2)
David M.
My least favorite thing about Metzger's is the fact that it's in a strip mall, and I've never known strip mall restaurants to be good. Thanks for the cognitive dissonance, Metzger's. If you're paying attention, my last review was on the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. Some of the food was pretty good, but it was overall way too kitschy and pricey to justify the trip. Metzger's is the opposite. The interior is nice, active but not too loud, and dark but not gloomy. My parents took my girlfriend and I there for dinner, so cost wasn't an issue (thanks folks!) but even if it were, Metzger's has pretty reasonable prices. Most things here are under $20, and come with two sides. I had the sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel (trying not to laugh) and both were very good; the sauerbraten was the second best I've ever had. Considering I've only had it three times, that may not be saying much, but it was still quite good. The spatzle and red cabbage on the side were great, especially the spatzle, which has the perfect texture to it. I tried a potato pancake as well, which was ok but a little too thick. Also didn't order but tried the rouladen, and that was probably the best thing on the menu. Ah, buyer's remorse... If you're looking for German food in the area, you can't go wrong here. Next on my list to try is the Heidelberg, but reading the reviews, it seems like I'll probably be disappointed and calling Metzger's to make another reservation (which they only do for groups of 5 or more, btw).
(5)
L K.
This place specializes in serving bullshit that is way overpriced and people who say this place is great had been raised on cow dungs. Forgive me, but I think real German people have better taste than this, you know, the ones who keep it real.
(1)
Diane L.
My husband and I went here during restaurant week. Dinner is served all day on Sunday, and we dined around 1pm so we ended up with a huge lunch! So for $25 each we got a cheese plate, soup, an entree with a side and a full size dessert. We seriously rolled ourselves home after taking away half of our food. I had the cottage schnitzel with spatzle and bread pudding with vanilla sauce. My husband had the pretzel crusted fish with mustard sauce and beet salad and he also had the bread pudding for dessert. Everything had excellent flavor, was well seasoned and was not greasy. My husband has traveled around Germany and he thought the food and the ambiance was very homey and authentic. The service was very good and I would go back again. They also have a nice patio area that I think would be great on a sunnier day. I'm so glad Ann Arbor has restaurant week, it's a great event.
(5)
Cean W.
Excellent potato pancakes and cucumber salad. Even though the name of the entree is a bit racist ("Zigeuner"? Lol), it was delicious. I eat here every time I travel to Ann Arbor.
(5)
Katherine E.
Took my dad here for Father's Day dinner. Service was excellent : friendly, efficient, and helpful. I had the Schnitzel with the mushroom sauce with spatzle. Delicious! My fiance had the fried chicken with potato pancakes. He was unusually quiet through the meal because he was so busy stuffing his face. My dad got the weinerschnitzel with potato salad and was very happy. Desserts were good, too. We shared the bread pudding, apple streudel, and chocolate cherry torte. Portions are generous and prices are fair.
(5)
Mei O.
The schnitzel was yummy. The spaetzel was yummy. The beer was yummy. Basically everyone at the table was happy with what they ordered, wanted to keep eating, but knew their stomach would explode a la Monty Python if they did. We love Metzger's.
(4)
Flinch B.
This is a nice german restaurant skipping most of the standard-issue kitsch. I went there on a business trip and grabbed a table in the bar area. That I was sitting alone didn't stop the people near me from chatting me up which I appreciated. Certainly, there is a nice core of regulars at Metzger's that rally help the vibe. The Wienerschnitzel I ordered was a very good effort. The Spaetzle and Red Cabbage sides were also very respectable sides. They also had a nice, diverse selection of desserts including several that were not German. I skipped the dessert but if the main meal was any indication, I'm sure these would have been tasty as well. It may be a while before I return to Ann Arbor but when I do, I'll try to make it a point to visit Metzger's to explore other items on their menu.
(4)
David S.
Metzger's targets the "mature" market. There's nothing wrong with that -- and it's sort of expected, considering it serves German fare and is on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. While the students and young professionals dine on burgers, italian food, and up-and-coming cuisines in downtown Ann Arbor, the older crowd has found a gem in Metzger's (I'd say the average age when I went was about 50). Metzger's offers a wide variety of authentic German food and beer. A plate of brats, spatzen, and sauerkraut will run you upwards of $20, and German beers are $5-$6 each. It's darn tasty though, and they give you a heaping amount. I like the variety of mustards on the table, and ordered the "variety platter" of wursts -- they were all tasty, and when they came I wish I could remember what the differences between them were (I like the "whitest" one the most, though!). Service was great, and the free, fresh-baked bread was addicting. Without accounting for price, I'd give the food 4*, and the beer selection 5*. Had to knock the overall rating down to 3*, however, because sausage can't be THAT expensive to make - especially when you're out on Zeeb Road and rent is half as much as in downtown A2.
(3)
Steven L.
I don't usually indulge myself in places like this. It is not for important people like me. But I had to wine and dine some Germans for a business matter. The so-called foodies of Yelp told me that this is a great place. The Germans thought the food was supposed to be an insult. I almost lost the account, but luckily they did not judge me by this, and I was able to put them in their place. From now on, no more ethnic restaurants and I will stop listening to the uneducated bums on Yelp. It recieved 3 stars because the server did not cut us off, so I could get the clients drunk.
(3)
Shannon N.
Yummy! Love the red cabbage!
(4)
Eric K.
Excellent food. We tried four different dishes and every element of each dish was delicious. I haven't had this experience yet while living in Ann Arbor and I've been living here for six years now. The food was superb, service excellent/friendly, and it came out quick. I encourage everyone to give this place a try. The lunch is an especially good value.
(5)
A. G. U.
if you like german food, this is definitely the place! They were great when they were in Ann Arbor, and still have the same excellent food at their new location - although the ambience is not what it used to be when they were in downtown Ann Arbor.
(4)
mike w.
I mean any place that serves Warsteiner light in a boot, (yea, a glass boot!), get's 3 stars automatically. 1up for having good food as well. A bit pricey, but I have never been disappointed.
(4)
katie W.
Every time my parents are in town, this is the place they want to go. It's always great. The spatzle, and potato salad are amazing. Any of the wursts and traditional German dinners are great too.
(5)
Dee T.
This restaurant used to be located in downtown Ann Arbor, but relocated a few years ago to a strip mall just off of I-94. We hadn't tried it out since the move, so we were eager to give the new space a try. The restaurant was packed on a Sunday night which made for a convivial vibe. The bar is fantastic, with lots of wood, ample seating, and tons of German antiques and memorabilia. The beer selection, of course, was impressive and heavily favored German brews. The bartenders and our server were friendly and efficient. This would be a great place to come with family (as many diners were, for Sunday supper apparently) or for a casual meal with friends...it's too bad we don't live anywhere nearby. We were given a basket of pumpernickel bread to start; the bread was dense and warm and perfect with a smattering of butter. Our meals included the weiner schnitzel and chicken Vienna. The food is delicious - heavy and hearty, as German food should be. The side dishes are absolutely necessary to cut into the denseness; each entree comes with a choice of two sides, such as potato pancakes, spatzle, hot German potato salad, and beets. I loved my red kraut, hubby loved his sauerkraut, and we both stuffed ourselves full of spatzle. It was quite impossible to pursue dessert after our meal. I hope we'll get a chance to go back again someday. It was a pleasurable experience all around.
(5)
Jill C.
My husband and I came for our wedding anniversary lunch. The description online sounded good , so we thought we would give it a try. It wasn't busy, but the median age of the patrons there was somewhere north of sixty. We were seated quickly and, throughout the meal the service was good. That is the best thing I can say about the place. I ordered the house specialty, the Sauerbraten with red cabbage and vegetable of the day(snow peas). My hubby ordered the sirloin steak with rice pilaf and snow peas. The bread arrived and it was warm and so incredibly chewy that I found it hard to eat. I'm glad our server gave us lots of water to drink so I could wash it down. Our dinners arrived soon after. My Sauerbraten was best described as meh. The meat was tender, but thin, and the gravy was overwhelmingly vinegary. I know the first part of the name of the dish means sour in German, but that was waaaay too much. The meat was gray and looked more like slightly thick lunchmeat. The red cabbage was also a little to sour for me. The snow peas were ok, they should have snipped the little ends off of them, though. My Husband's steak was overcooked(he ordered it medium rare and it came out medium well). The rice was dry, dry, dry. The "sauce" that came with it(beef broth)couldn't do anything for it. I would say the best thing about the meal was the pie we had at the Grand Traverse Pie Company three doors down. Probably won't go back.
(2)
Amy B.
Being of German descent, I have high standards when it comes to schnitzel, spaetzel, and sauerbraten. Metzger's did more than meet my expectations, they exceeded them. One of my favorite things on Metzger's menu is the rouladen, which they only serve during the weekend. I recommend trying it at least once. Be warned, if you go during dinner on the weekends there will be a wait, but I think a 20-25 wait is a small price to pay for yummy German food!
(4)
Jeff M.
Good food but good luck getting a drink from the bartenders. They're too busy flirting with the customers.
(3)
ryan k.
So I was watching a recent episode of Andrew Zimmern and he was in Germany. Watching the episode got me hungry for some of my ancestral cuisine so I took to yelp to search out some local German fare. Metzger's it was. So this past Saturday the wife and I packed up and headed to Ann Arbor for what was sure to be a quality experience. I was blown away. First off, our waiter was phenomenal, pure blooded German who was super nice and helpful. Right away I told him I wanted the biggest dark German beer I could get my hands on. He warned me that it was the boot, and contained over 2 1/2 liters of Germany's finest. GREAT! I ordered it. Das boot, full of Warsteiner dark. We also ordered the wurst sampler which was friggin delicious and the kaesespaetzle which was a real treat. The wurst sampler was served with bratwurst and mettwurst, 3 choices of mustard, and warm fresh pumpernickel bread. For our main courses I ordered the sauerbraten and my wife got the vienna chicken. We were both very pleased. For sides I had the beet salad and the red cabbage, and she had the German potato salad and the potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. Best potato pancakes I've ever tasted. We also ordered the carrot cake to go, it was up there with the best I ever tasted as well. By the time I was 3/4 of the way through das boot, I was chatting up our waiter, stumbling around admiring all of the awesome decor, wanting to buy this sweet stein..etc. Here is a fair warning. If you order the boot, just prepare yourself for complete and total obliteration. It was FANTASTIC! I most certainly will be back, sooner than later, for sure. This is my new favorite place and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars but what are you gonna do you know? If you've never experienced authentic German fare treat yourself to an evening out at Metzger's and you won't leave disappointed. Especially if das boot has anything to say about it. Oh BTW, there is NOTHING remotely close to this place in Frankenmuth. This is as real as it gets. Thank you Metzger's for the great time, and this awesome new avatar photo!
(5)
Kristina D.
I love Metzger's. I went to the restaurant when it was in downtown Ann Arbor, but then they moved to Zeeb Rd and it's still worth the drive. If you like traditional south German food, this is the place for you. They have a lot of traditional dishes. Love their wursts and the chicken livers. They also have a lot of good German beer on tap and huge boots to drink them from (think beerfest ;-) ). You don't find many traditional places like Metzger's very often. This year is their 80th anniversary and they are still going strong.
(4)
William B.
The first time I had the privilege of eating at Mezger's, they were serving rouladen for their daily special. What a treat! I dare say, their rouladen was tastier than my German grandmothers-no small feat since she was the best cook I've ever known! The service was superb, and has been on every subsequent occasion I've dined there. Attentive server offered extra rouladen sauce, as well as keeping us well stocked on their delicious, warm, pumpernickel bread. I went in for lunch recently and tried their German-style goulash served over buttered egg noodles-I fell in love with the place all over again! I always get their sauerkraut as a side-it tastes almost exactly like the barrel-aged stuff my grandmother made when I was a child. One previous reviewers assessment that the atmosphere transports you to Bavaria is spot on. Within minutes, I forget that I'm in dreary old Michigan, just off of highway I-94. The thing that I love most though about Metzger's, is their expansive menu, which will afford me opportunities to keep trying new things for many visits to come!
(5)
Mae S.
If you like things that never change, try Metzger's. Well, ok, they moved from downtown to a strip mall. But the new atmosphere is a lot like Ann Arbor downtown before it became a destination for young professionals from Toledo and Plymouth or wherever they come from. On weekends, Metzger's can still be crowded, too, just like when it was one of very few downtown restaurants. Above all, the food is really just like it's always been for several generations -- before any of the customers or even the unchanging staff were born, when they probably bought all those beer steins on the walls. SO...if you are a fan of fried liver and onions, you'll find it here. Also potato pancakes with apple sauce, German potato salad, sauerbraten, lightly breaded cutlets of various kinds, and rye bread. I was delighted to learn recently that at lunch there's an option for just ordering a selection of side dishes. Swabia, before World War I, was the source of a tight-knit community that came here and maintained customs, language, and religion for several generations. Metzger's is the last visible remnant of that community. Once I was in that part of Germany. Our German hosts told us we were going to try something unique, that we had never had before. I didn't say anything, but the unique item has been on Metzger's menu from Day I. Frankly, I'm glad there are a lot more choices than we used to have.
(3)
Marc W.
Metzger's is okay. I used to go here about once a month and usually had an enjoyable meal but something started bugging me. After trying many of their menu items I got the feeling they were assembled cafeteria style. I guess I'm expecting more out of a moderately priced restaurant.
(3)
Bjorn G.
Metzger's used to be one of three German restaurants in downtown. I could walk there from home. Now it's out on the western fringe of town, on Zeeb Road. It's still well worth going there. They have a lot of good traditional items on the menu. Their specialty is the sauerbraten, and it just can't be beat. Get it with the red cabbage and German fried potatoes.
(5)
Evie B.
Service was excellent and food was cooked to perfection. Hubs had the rolled beef , as he did the last time, too. Tender beef w/ great sauce- very tasty. I had the pork cutlet special - tender thin cutlets of pork, perfectly fried and topped with a dreamy sis cheese sauce- red cabbage that was perfect and yummy potato pancakes. Had to take half of the meal home. My gripe- reaaaaaaaaaly pricy- yes, great quality, good portion, great service but $19 for each of those entrees- I could see $12-$14, but almost $20... I guess it's one way to keep people from going all the time and expanding their waist sizes because if I could, I would frequent here more often, but the$$ make it a special treat.
(4)
Alix M.
I've been to a few German restaurants but I always go back to Metzgers! Love their schnitzel, spatzel and sauerkraut!
(5)
Jaclyn B.
Metzger's rocks. Husband and I usually go here right after our massages. We grab a liter of beer each (usually the Hofbrau but occasionally we branch out), the price isnt bad at just under $10 each. We are all over the board with ordering and EVERYTHING has been great. We really love the variety of sausages- knackwurst, bratwurst, etc... The entrees come with delicious bread and cold butter. Our personal favorites for the sides are the beet salad, red cabbage, spatzel, and egg noodles. If you are in the area, give this place a try! It is fantastic!
(5)
Lois M.
I love German food!! The potato pancakes are ok, but their rouladen, which unfortunately is only served either Fri-Sun or just weekends, is AMAZING!!!!!!! I love it(essentially it's a pickle wrapped in beef, wrapped in bacon, covered in tomato sauce)...portions are large and I always have leftovers. I tried the rabbit once...it was good...covered in gravy. Their sides are normally nothing to write home about. If you want good German comfort food and big portions, go eat at Metzgers.
It's a German restaurant. It's not supposed to be trendy. Metzger's delivered. Good stick-to-your-ribs food at reasonable prices. Dark wood. Stained glass. Sausage and sauerkraut. Jawohl!
(4)
Carter L.
A small business travelers paradise has been found! Booked a room at the new HiExp (excellent) and had dinner at Metzger's! I spent a month in Germany recently and my two dinners at Metzger's were BETTER than what I experienced in Germany!
(5)
Susan S.
Metzger's has my absolute favorite German potato salad ever! At our last visit, they had just run out of my favorite main dish - the rouladen - so I opted for the fried chicken, which was perfectly prepared. My very German husband always gets the sausage plate - a trio of large portions that makes him very happy. I have several "people connections" to the Metzger family and restaurant, so I enjoy each visit for the memories it brings back.
(5)
Carol G.
I love this place. The food is authentic and a lot of small items, such as salad dressing and applesauce, are made from scratch, probably in-house. These yummy details are not to be overlooked! You can just taste the difference in the quality of food here. The entrees and sides are delicious (schnitzel, spaetzle, potato pancakes, rouladen, kassler rippchen, cucumber salad, cabbage rolls, chicken vienna, are items we've tried). Staff is always friendly, welcoming and efficient. We come here about once every 1-2 months. The place is decorated with steins along the wall and decor is simple and clean. If you're in the mood for German food, I absolutely recommend this over the other German Restaurant that is in downtown Ann Arbor (The Heidelberg)...
(5)
Caro H.
Loved this place since I was a kid in downtown Ann Arbor. Try some German food it's delicious!
(5)
Gary V.
Excellent German food just like what I had in Fulda Hessen Germany. The restaurant is done up in a very nice German decor. The wait staff made us feel at home. The carrot cake for two is too die for.... Worth the trip.
(5)
Richard A.
Metzger's goes flat. Have eaten there before and was quite good, yesterday was a much different story. Way below average food, tiny portions, high prices, below average service. I had the lunch special cabbage rolls, one small roll with cardboard like potato pancakes for $10.49; my guest had weiner schnitzel, one tiny cutlet fried to death for $9.99. Left broke and hungry. Stay away.
(2)
William B.
My family is German, and my better half's family is German, been to the Father Land dozens of times. And I worship German beer. So when in the area this place is a must. Unfortunately in LA, we have very few good German places, but Metzger's is one of those great places I wish was in SoCal. Went on Sunday the 8th for lunch, we were greeted at the entrance from a wonderful nice hostess and we were seated immediately with warmth and personality. Our server came over promptly and set us up with bread and took our drink order, and moments later our giant German beers were in front of us, "Zum Wohl" The place wasn't packed, but full, and its decor is pleasant, not overly done but standard for a German style place. The old location was much darker and way more fitting, but hey it still works. Very clean, and all the service was perfect and friendly. I had the Rouladen, red cabbage and fried potatoes, (just writing this is making my mouth water) The Rouladen was delicious, and cooked to perfection. I nibbled on many of my guests plates as well and the spatzle was good also, as was the cold salad, pickled meats with cheese, name escapes me, but very good. And of course the beers were flowing. I must admit everything was terrific, and the service was top notch!
(4)
Brian G.
I don't know how better to sum it up than - meh! Maybe I am being generous w 3 stars. I had a roast pork special (roast pork here like roast beef from Arby's - you only know what it is because they tell you). The special green bean side was just green beans from Kroger served Luke warm. I was still hungry so against my better judgement took the bread pudding. My waitress (very friendly) warned me that it was hot. If only that was true - everything Luke warm and bland. Wine prices seem good but the pour very light :( After writing changing my rating to 2 stars. First and last at Metzgers. Speedy service of the check - comes before dessert is served!
(2)
Alexandra K.
This place is mega kitsch and serves up that hearty and heavy German food most Americans love so much. People like it more than the Heidelberg and I have to say, their carrot cake (yeah not super authentic, eh?) is one of the best I've ever had. As for the food, I'd stick to the chicken or sauerbraten and leave the rest be. Entrees -German Sauerbraten (slow roasted beef marinated in wine, vinegar, and spices): the meat is extremely tender and the sauce is of course what makes this so juicy and wonderful. The sauce is not necessarily on the creamy side, although it does taste like a creamy wine sauce. -Jäger Chicken (chicken breast, pan fried and topped with provolone cheese and Jäger sauce): this is absolutely phenomenal. The lightly fried chicken is extremely tender and the Jäger sauce is deliciously creamy and somewhat spicy with fresh vegetables (peppers and mushrooms). The provolone is what makes the dish even creamier and is what keeps it milder. -Spatzen (Spätzle): this is either hit or miss. Sometimes the spätzle lacks in cheese, and sometimes it's just the perfect mix (although it shouldn't taste like creamy mac'n'cheese because that is not what it is). The noodles are nicely made and I prefer just the side order of this as opposed to the spätzle with mushrooms and sauerkraut as these added toppings take away from the taste. Desserts -Apple Strudel: not worth it. It looks like baklava actually and doesn't taste like your normal strudel. It's flaky like a croissant instead of buttery and creamy the way my Oma used to make it. -Carrot Cake: one of the best I've ever eaten. They give you a humongous portion of the moist, richly-flavored cake with perfect sections of cream cheese frosting. It's decadent and to be shared (or not) FINAL VERDICT: A restaurant in a strip mall isn't my favorite atmosphere but when in need of a German fix, what can you do? The usual crowd is a bit older, but once you've packed in a few beers you won't even notice. Come hungry.
(3)
Amanda Z.
The Haus Platter for Two is a great way to share a meal and experience a variety of German cuisine, plus have a to go box for lunch tomorrow. The atmosphere is quaint and there is so much to look at while waiting for your meal. The bartender (who is a German teacher) was extremely helpful in our entree selection.
(4)
MaryLiz S.
I don't go here for the food. I've had better. (My mother-in-law is German, and makes all the traditional German fare.) But know that it's consistently OK. Because it's German food, there's not much here for a vegetarian, or even someone who likes a lot of vegetables, for that matter. You *can* get a Caesar salad topped with grilled salmon, but that's not what they're known for. I go here when there's a big frat gathering for my father-in-law's buddies. UofM alumni gather from all over, and spend a weekend or even a week visiting each other, and invariably there is a big dinner here to meet & greet. This place has a great atmosphere for that kind of party. I have had many fabulous evenings at Metzger's. One of our friends says he has to get back to Metzger's for "more German health food" every now and then. Herb, you're so funny!
(4)
Hubert S.
I adore pigs knuckles (Schwein Haxe) and theirs are very, very good. Maybe better that Dusseldorf or Munchen! Big party and we were well taken care of and fed. Highly recommended. One odd note: I am a Nationally Ranked Beer Judge and so my smeller is fairly good. Some dishes (plates) came out reeking of disinfectant. This can happen when they overdose their washing machinery. The owner was adamant that I was incorrect albeit very cordial. It happens to the best of places and I always sniff my wine glass to see if it's a stinker--about 5% of the time it is.
(4)
Joseph K.
German food is hard to get wrong, at least in my opinion. But so many places seem to fail at providing the right experience. Metzgers gets it so, so, so right! The room is cozy and very well appointed. Lots of family crests, soft lighting, gentle polka music, and warm wood tones. The service is prompt, polite, and very welcoming. You are made to feel comfortable from the start. The food is terrific. I started with two slices of soft, perfect pumpernickel bread. My entree was the Bratwurst, seasoned just right, with wonderful red cabbage and Spatzel. I am very impressed, and will gladly return.
(4)
Allison L.
I love coming here in the winter and enjoying mulled red wine with dinner - as my server says, it tastes like Christmas! I can never resist the wurst platter - three lovely sausages with a side of sauerkraut and a couple of different mustards. The sausages are rich but not greasy and perfectly spiced. The atmosphere is cozy with German decor and the service is friendly and efficient. If you still have room after dinner (I almost never do) you can visit the Grand Traverse Pie Company afterwards.
(4)
Gary K.
Enjoyed a terrific meal with Sandra, Jim and Ava. A reunion after 15 years! The Rouladen was extraordinary accompanied by a crisp tossed blue cheese salad, Bavarian red cabbage and a potato pancake with sour cream and applesauce. Two of us enjoyed this meal. A medium rare bacon-wrapped fillet with tossed salad and redskin potatoes really was a standout winner for Sandra. The selection of German beers were mind boggling. If you're looking for new high-quality and authentic German taste opportunities, give Metzger's a try!
(4)
Allen W.
Went in today for lunch and sad to say that it will be my last time. I ordered the French onion soup and there was more bread then onions and a simple slice of cheese on top. I had to hunt for the onions. Basic salad was good. Main course was Schnitzel with spatzle. The spatzle had no flavor, the pork was simples a breaded pork chop no seasoning, very BLAND meal sent it back partner has sauerbraten and he like the meat. It was not as great as I remember from the last time. Sorry that's the best I can say for this review
(2)
Michael R.
Solid German food in a comfortable atmosphere. Wiener Schnitzel was good, and the red cabbage was very sweet (didn't need dessert). Pretty good selection of beers, but few on tap-the Wolverine Amber was good, and I realize Beck's is like Budweiser for German beer, but to only have Beck's dark and not "regular" was a surprise. Worth a trip for a weeknight dinner-didn't notice a ton of enthusiasm in the place-maybe the weekends are livelier.
(3)
Patrick T.
The only other place I've had German food was in Germany. I waited in front for a while before someone came buy to seat my party. The prices were higher than on the PDF menus I looked up right before coming, so I was a little disappointed with that. Ordered the kassler ripchen, which is two hunks of smoked pork. It was very salty, and nothing super special. Just a big piece of ham. The potato pancakes that I picked as a side were the best part of the meal. I had expected them to be latkes for some reason, but they were pretty thick potato patties. They were A-OK nonetheless. Came with apple sauce and sour cream. I got the daily vegetable as a side, and it was a very measly portion of boiled cauliflower. My friend got the German Sauerbraten. It was really an awful dish. The meat ("roast beef") might as well have been canned. It was worse than the roast beef you get at subway. The gravy was no better. To sum it up, the quality of the dish was similar to that which you would find in a frozen TV dinner entree at a budget grocery store.
(2)
Joann B.
Amazing German food, reasonably priced. The service is fast and friendly. The Rouladen was delicious and authentic. The bratwurst is amazing, as is the Wiener schnitzel. Definitely recommend.
(4)
James H.
Not technically in Ann Arbor anymore since they moved to the middle of nowhere, but it's worth the trek if you're looking for good German food. A little too much German bling for my taste and the tables are way too close together. I usually get one of the various Schnitzels and have never been disappointed. Pork shank is also incredible. Awesome selection of sides. This time I went with the sausage platter which I wouldn't do again. They were out of weisswurst and they substituted a second bratwurst. I don't think humans were designed to eat that much sausage in one sitting. Made my tummy angry.
(4)
Michael R.
Awesome authentic German restaurant. Great food and wonderful service. Bet it would be a great place to watch US best Germany in the World Cup group stage.
(5)
Beth H.
No exaggerating.... This has always been my dad and I's go-to place for a nice hearty lunch, with consistant quality, but yesterday....OMG!!!! We never order the fish, but Betsy fell over herself recommending it. We both ordered the special. So glad we did! Sea Bass - cooked perfectly, with a nice crisp top. 1 inch thick, good size piece. Topped with a candied carrots that I thought was fruit, at first. Almond cream sauce and fried shoe-string onions. So good, it deserves an F-bomb. F*** Fabulous! We were about to lick our plates. I could have eaten that fish until I was sick. One of those once in a lifetime, perfect meals that you will always be comparing others to this dish. They might still have it on special today. GO GET IT!!! I hear that props go to Ryan Metzger. Betsy says he's back and does some amazing stuff in the kitchen.
(5)
Andy M.
Food was excellent, but an hour and a half for a dinner for 2 on a relatively slow Wednesday night wasn't great.
(2)
Annette J.
I've been kind of putting off writing this review for months now because I don't feel as though I can quite encompass how much I love Metger's in one but I'll give it a shot. Been coming here for a while now and every time I come I find something new I love. My standby used to be the wiener schnitzel with mushroom gravy, a side of potato pancakes and spatzen. I certainly did love it (although I do wish the mushroom gravy had more mushroom) but then I tried the Kassler Rippchen. HOLY. CRAP. Upon one bite I knew that this would now be my go to order here. Two pork loin chops smoked to perfection. It was amazing. It just tasted like a wonderful smokey ham. Moist and so so perfect. I love the sides as well. I've never met a potato pancake I didn't like and these are no exception although to me what really makes it is the apple sauce. I love their apple sauce and they come with a little cup of that and sour cream. The spatzen is great. Much like the potato pancakes I've never met a noodle I didn't like and these come topped with a brown gravy. Admittedly I'm not much of a brown gravy gal but I do like this one. Also, aside from the pancake (which doesn't retain its crispiness) all my leftovers reheated perfectly for lunch the next day. The joy continues! I've never tried their wursts, brats or anything else because I just fall into such a pattern of ordering the same thing over and over but maybe one time I will change it up. I have had the apple strudel and I found that to be fantastic as well. Although I usually walk out of there in quite a bit of pain following all that delicious food. Staff has always been incredibly friendly and accommodating. We came here with a huge group for a Yelp dinner a few weeks ago and they were so happy to have us in and took care of us perfectly, even doing separate checks. Above and beyond for sure. You really feel like a part of their family here. I love it. Great beer and beer flights as well. I've also had their honey libations (wine and liquor) and both have been delicious. Looking forward to my next visit already!
(5)
Crystal R.
Came here last week with my good friend who was born/lived in Germany for years. We definitely over-ordered. I will say that the potato pancakes are as amazing as everyone says they are! My cabbage rolls were also good. We were sat at the table right on the other side of the register which was a little uncomfortable, but the service was decent and the food was great. Can't complain too much! Their garlic salad dressing was amazing as well!
(4)
Sam G.
I promise that my low star rating is not residual Polish crankiness of all things German during WWII. Heck I've even been to Germany a couple times. See! No hard feelings. As far as the place inside, it's like a chain that's been decorated with German knickknacks like beer mugs and beer flags. There are also cuckoo clocks. This does not a German restaurant make! Luckily the servers are NOT dressed in 'traditional' German garb. But the whole thing seems a little campy to me. Not AS cheesy as it could be but definitely not in a wooden cabin somewhere (thanks, Colorado!) or with simple decor and home-cooked German food. I'm glad I've been eating like a starved child the past few days because this let me sample a decent amount of food stuffs: the wursts, the sauerkraut, the plain schnitzel, and the spatzen. None of these things wowed me in the least. The wursts were bland. I like my white sausage with that familiar... white... flavor. Yea. Helpful, isn't that? I just mean I'm familiar with the interesting peppery flavor of white sausage and this didn't have it. The other brat was just as plain. The sauerkraut seemed straight out of a jar and the horseradish to me was weak and way too vinegary. Mustard was straight dijon (grey poupon probably?) and a honey mustard that was a little better. The potato pancakes... where do I start... mushy, neither sweet nor savory nor salty, just fried - applesauce was plain plain plain and the sour cream wasn't even sour. Spatzen was decent. It was a little fat and a little over-boiled with some gravy on top. I don't know. It wasn't amazing but at least it had a LITTLE flavor. Schnitzel was ok but not great. At least it was thin and breaded decently - no fat hanging onto the sides - but pretty dry. Lemon and mustard were a must. Portions are huge. Beer selection was fun and tasty. Service at the bar was unbearably inefficient and kind of abrupt. I'm totally at a loss of the adoration for this place. Maybe I was expecting German food. Or something that was at least made from scratch or ordered from somewhere with fresh ingredients. I would end this with something clever in German but that language has WAY too many syllables for my taste. So I'll just say this restaurant doesn't sign any kind of peace treaty with me.
(2)
M T.
I am rarely surprised by restaurants in the Ann Arbor area but this place did it. I've driven past the "strip mall" dozens of times and have heard good things about Metzgers but haven't stopped in until now. I was excited to try all of the traditional German dishes (half of them I can not spell without reference so I'm not going to try). We love everything we tried. We sat in the bar area- Brynna was our server- friendly, fast and delightful! We will definitely be returning again soon!
(5)
John B.
Metzger's is an amazing restaurant with a great atmosphere. The food is authentic, the service is great and overall it's a fantastic experience. If you love German food, this is the place to go.
(5)
Barron M.
We never had a bad time...food is great as well as the service. The Wurst platter is one of our favorites so is their German potato salad.
(5)
Derek J.
Poor service was, unfortunately, the part we'll remember from our lunch visit. The waitress immediately got snippy when we spoke German to her jokingly. She told us that she was in America so she doesn't speak anything but English. How dare we in a German restaurant! From there, coffee cups sat empty, two simple order requests were screwed up and overall, this waitress's attitude overrode the decent food and good decor. We'll be looking elsewhere for German food next time, too bad.
(2)
Liz R.
Metzger's has been on my yelp radar since Ken mentioned he wanted German food about 6 months ago. We do not get to Ann Arbor as often as we would like, so we tried another local German place (Richter's Chalet in Dearborn), which was good but not great = 3 stars. When yelp offered up Metzger's as their first leg of an ethnic restaurant supper club, we jumped at the chance to try it. We liked the ambiance at this restaurant, even though it was full to bursting (and that was before our 10+ yelp group descended on them). Loved the cuckoo clocks! Ken also enjoyed that they had a number of German beers on tap, with the option of a sampler. We ordered the Haus Platter for Two, which was just too large of a plate for the small table they set up for our group. It would have worked just fine if the two of us had been alone, but it was too much at a group table. The platter included one link each of Bratwurst, Mettwurst and Knockwurst, a Wiener Schnitzel cut in half, plus spatzle, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and red cabbage. All on the same plate. Now, I'm not usually that person who doesn't like my food to touch... but when my spatzle is purple and sour (sauer) because all the sides have run together... blech. The pork was thin and dry. And the sausages would have been a lot better if they had some color to them from a flat top. So... Metzger's is on the low side of the 3 rating. IF we go back, I'll know what to ask for. Sides on the SIDE. Sausages grilled.
(3)
Kate R.
I enjoyed my experience at Metzger's, but I really can't say that I have enough of a handle on German food to accurately compare.... My family and I went into Metzger's for lunch following my brother's graduation at U of M. I was both impressed and a little distracted by the German-themed decor. It's kind of... like Frankenmuth on crack, but with better food. Sadly, Frankenmuth is the only basis for comparison that I have and I almost feel like an inexperienced German-foodie. I enjoyed the bread basket that came to the table, but declined my family's order of fried mushrooms (bleck...). I ordered the sauerbraten - the meat was exceptional, my asparagus was perfectly cooked and I thoroughly enjoyed my spaztel. I also had the opportunity to try the rouladen and my brother's seared scallops, both very good.... though I would probably have to get used to the rouladen. I was very impressed with the food, I though my sour cream gravy was a bit salty, but overall the meal was exceptional. I would have gone with four stars, but I had some issue with our server - she seemed a bit detached, relatively inattentive and generally irritated if we asked for something that she had forgotten about. I was actually quite annoyed to be honest. The individual who worked with us for our reservation was exceptionally helpful! I'd love to go back though and try other menu items - and hope for a better service experience.
(3)
Marie C.
Staff is friendly, service is good, food is not good. Schnitzel seemed to be frozen patties of meat over-microwaved. Very dry, hard, and tasteless. Spaetzel was doughy and smothered in brown gravy. Once was enough.
(2)
Sarah R.
Yes, Metzger's has already been reviewed more than 40 times, so what do I have new to add? A vegetarian perspective! I have a friend who says she reads my reviews to figure out which places are most veggie-friendly and what to order, so I had to write a review saying that the restaurant was much more vegetarian-friendly than I had anticipated! I went here with a large group, and the service was prompt and friendly, but we didn't feel rushed. They had a nice beer selection and will provide sampler "flights." First off: the main menu only has two vegetarian options (omelets or pasta primavera). If you're pescetarian (which I am), this opens up some new possibilities. If you're strict veggie, I'd recommend sticking to the appetizers and the sides. I started with the Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen), which the appetizer menu describes as "Light noodle-like dumplings served warm over sauerkraut and smothered with onions and melted, aged Swiss cheese." I especially liked the ribbons of carmelized fried onions on top. This was delicious and was filling enough that I would probably just order this as my main dish if and when I return. My main dish was the charbroiled salmon filet. You can get it with BBQ sauce or with lemon and dill. I got the latter, and the fish was spectacular- perfectly charred, juicy and flaky and flavorful inside. With most main dishes, you get two sides. I chose the German beet salad - pickled beets and onion slices in a vinegary sauce - simple but delicious! I also got the redskin potatoes, but I was so full by the time they came out, I barely touched them. It was probably just as well since they were a little bland. If and when I come back here, I'd like to sample more of the traditional side dishes - both the cucumber salad and the potato pancakes look fantastic, and a friend who got the potato pancakes said the accompanying apple sauce was quite good.
(4)
Chester C.
Metzgers is awesome... Solid and consistent food, great staff and cozy atmosphere. Always a great experience.
(5)
nancy j.
Reading the other reviews, I'm not sure if the food has seriously gone down hill in the past couple weeks or what. Maybe I only have higher standards because I eat out across the country for work as much as I do. My companion and I agreed our recent meal at Metzger's was a huge disappointment. I ate at Metzger's a year ago and loved it. Today I'm embarrassed I took my friend there. The service was great but the food was terrible. The gravy was cold and tasted like it came out of a can. The schnitzel was dry and could have been previously frozen. The sauerbraten was almost inedibly sour and the meat tasteless. Most heartbreaking -- the potato pancakes. They used to be flavorful and crisp. Now they are dry, rubbery and nothing but flour. What happened to the potatoes? Really, until Metzger's goes back to the way they used to cook just keep driving.
(1)
J K.
Best bartenders! Great spatzel & potato salad
(5)
Nate F.
Excellent food. Love this place. Worth the drive. Plenty of parking.
(5)
Jason C.
Went to Metzger's as part of the restaurant week deal.... Haven't had German food in long time, so I was excited and eager!!! I went with Tender Deep Fried Calamari, Potato Leek with Kale Soup, Pretzel Encrusted Whitefish with a Mustard Cream sauce, Spatzen & Cheese Cake with Raspberry Sauce. The calamari was little salty and saltier when you dip it into the dipping sauce.... I guess this is what you get when you get a previously frozen calamari that's fried and served... and when did German restaurant offer calamari??? :) I had an opportunity to have Grilled Mettwurst and I would highly recommend this option... the Metwurst was little salty, but that's what you expect from a sausage and it had a devine bacon taste (I guess they cook it in bacon grease???). The soup was luke warm.... otherwise it was good. The fish was excellently cooked, moist! The only dislike was that it was on the salty side, but having a beer as a drink helped!! The crust was perfectly cooked and crunchy. As for the spatzen... its very doughy... it looks doughy, taste doughy and yeah... I wish I had more sauce to mask it... yeah... won't be getting it again next time! The cheese cake was good.... You get a lot of food for the $25! I will be bak for sure to try other food they offer... We sat around after dinner to chat, as we were all too full to move! The restaurant is kind of hidden.... it's on Zeeb road, after I-94!
(3)
Mree K.
Nice atmosphere with German deco but ridiculously overpriced for food that is impressively mediocre. The house specialty consists of a couple slabs of beef soaking in a pretty tasteless preprepared dressing. Wouldn't come again.
(2)
Tim B.
This place has great authentic German cuisine. Try some of the old world entrees, such as sauerbraten, rouladen and even the rabbit. There are many different delicious dishes to choose from, each crafted with a "home-style" feel. The staff seems knowledgable and the building is decked out with several cultural items. The less than perfect rating stems from the potato pancakes, which were flavorless, greasy and had a raw flour taste to them.
(4)
Michelle C.
Looking for good comfort food? Never tried German cuisine? This is the restaurant! Start off with warm pumpernickel bread... No need to order appetizers, because you won't be able to breathe after the meal! Schnitzel with mushroom sauce is my favorite here... but honestly, there is NO bad dish on the menu. All main meals come with 2 sides. Be sure to get their potato pancake and spatzen. Their red cabbage and potato salad are also excellent.. I usually end up adding abother side dish or 2 to my meal. Eat here! You won't regret it!
(5)
Meeta B.
I ALWAYS forget about Metzgers and how good the food is, until I am reacquainted with it. It's like forgetting how much fun an old friend is, until you see them years later and remember oh yeah! That's why I like you! Ok, anyhow, Metzgers I think because it's on the other side of town I don't go there as often, but friends of mine texted me on St. Pat's day- "At Metzgers, saving you a seat". Yes, my friends decided that going to a German restaurant on an Irish holiday was the way to go and by god they were right. I showed up to my rowdy group of friends who were drinking green beer out of these glass boots. Ed- the bartender was a really good sport and was really accommodating to my friends- who are great people...who get slightly rowdy when they've been partaking in libations. Trying to stay with my whole " I don't drink green beer" (although peer pressure got the better of me), Ed made me a green drink that I THINK had ice cream in it. All I can really equate it to was a McDonald's Shamrock shake with alcohol in it. Either way, it was delicious and had I not been driving I would have probably said "Please sir, can I have more?!" Anyhow, then we ordered. But first, before we ordered, Ed brought out this delicious brown bread that was warm and fresh. And, even though I'm not a huge bread eater, that was definitely some bread I didn't turn down. Our table ordered a plethora of food- chicken vienna (which was said to be delicious), fried chicken, baked chicken, wienerschnitzel, corned beef and cabbage and I got the cabbage rolls. The cabbage rolls were delicious! I don't like a bunch of sauce on my food, and these rolls had the perfect amount of sauce. The filling of beef and rice was perfectly seasoned, and tasted great the next day. Although I didn't try anyone else's main meal, I did try some of their sides. Now, I had ordered the Bavarian beet salad, which had the perfect amount of crunch and a good amount of acidity from the vinegar. I ate mine...almost had to spear a fork into the bestie's hand because she kept pilfering my beets. Luckily we had people at the table who were willing to share their beets with her. The Spaetzle- omg those noodles were good. I was sad I didn't order my own. But I really wanted their potato pancakes- which, were delicious with the sour cream and apple sauce. It was crunchy on the outside and creamy like mashed potatoes in the inside. I wasn't sad I got those, I was just sad I couldn't finish it and it didn't taste as crispy the next day (they weren't bad...just not the same). We had a great time at Metzgers. And maybe if I didn't whine to myself "it's soooooo far away", because it really isn't, I'd probably get there more often.
(4)
Cat K.
Metzger's has Käsespätzle! KÄSESPÄTZLE!!! As a German, and as a girl with a schwäbisch Father. I was delighted. Especially after it was good. After a trip to Metzger's I found myself full, and happy. They have a wide range of traditional German foods that I found to be the most authentic I've found outside of Germany. Great Zwiebelrostbraten too. It doesn't really get much better (and fattening) than good German comfort food!
(5)
Nikki C.
I'd never heard of Metzger's until very recently. What a cool place! It's very homey....warm, comfy & cozy. The decor is like someone's home. There are cuckoo clocks lining the walls, beer steins, cloth covered lights on the chandeliers. The service was great! I was with a fairly big party and the waitresses were patient, quick & efficient. They took good care of us. Being that I'm trying to be a good weight watchers girl, I couldn't indulge in some of the large platters of comfort food being dished up. But everyone else's looked great! The portions were nice and big and appeared to be filling. There weren't just heavy duty meals on the menu... I ended up going with a salmon filet glazed in lemon & dill and had a side of applesauce and side of green beans which appeared to be grilled and/or sauteed. Everything was really delicious and I'm glad I made that meal choice. Let me tell you.. had I NOT been into WW, I would have gone for the gusto with the potato pancakes and warm bread pudding and oh my -- the HUMMER. I almost splurged and used some of my weekly allowance points for it, but snapped out of it. (Then I probably would have given one more star) Truth be told, I'm in the Detroit area, so I don't see myself sitting at home and saying "Gee, I sure could go for some Metzger's" and driving up 94 for dinner. BUT, that being said, I'm really glad I went. I LOVE trying new places and venturing out from time to time.
(3)
Colleen Z.
We just arrived home after another great dinner at Metzgers. We love this place so much for so many reasons. First, if you want a low calorie, jumping, high energy restaurant Metzgers is not the place for you. Many patrons are older and the decor is.....well.....homey. But the food, the food. Nothing can be better than the sauerbrauten and weiner schnitzel with warm dark rye bread on a Friday night. Add spaetzle and red cabbage and your life will be complete. Well, not until the carrot cake for two is delivered. Trust me, it may be for two but you will have leftover cake for the next three days. Well worth the price. John, the owner, and the wait staff make sure you are always happy. You can not miss with a evening at Metzgers.
(5)
Tom S.
Something Very good has been happening here lately. I grew up going to Metzgers and it was always pretty good, then they moved out to Zeeb road and while still Ok it seemed like I had a series of very mediocre meals there spanning 5-6 years. We took a fairly long hiatus and went back sometime in the late fall of 2010. What a surprise ! the first time back the meal was top notch across the board and we left happy thinking it we probably just got lucky. We went back again a couple of weeks later and the meal was even better. Since October we have been back maybe 5 times and it's always packed and it's always excellent. I wonder if they have gotten a new chef or kitchen manager? Some personal favorites are. Warsteiner on tap Kassler Rippchen Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen)
(4)
K F.
Amazing Potato Pancakes! Louder environment - but it's of positive energy.
(4)
Jesse W.
I would give this place 2.5 stars if I could, but "Meh, I've experienced better" pretty much sums it up. First off, the service and ambience were fine--very friendly and lots of coats of arms to ogle. But I'm biased towards the food. I should start by saying that because of my Swiss grandmother (from a Germanic area, linguistically and culinarily), a lot of these foods were familiar to me. I was actually planning on taking her here when she came to visit. But after going for the first time, I don't think that I could. We ordered the Haus platter for two. The wursts were fine--not fantastic, but fine. The weiner schnitzel was pretty good. However, the potato salad, kraut, and red cabbage swung wildly between sickening sweet (red cabbage) and salty (potato salad and kraut). I'm not sure if they claim to make their own kraut, but it tasted canned. The red cabbage was cooked to mush. If I hadn't experienced these foods growing up, I would think that I just don't like German food. But I know it can be prepared much better than this. Finally, the all important mustard selection fell flat. The spicy mustard, if it ever had a kick, had lost it, and the horseradish was stale (sour but with no kick). For a place that was rated with 4.5 stars, I expected better.
(2)
David M.
My least favorite thing about Metzger's is the fact that it's in a strip mall, and I've never known strip mall restaurants to be good. Thanks for the cognitive dissonance, Metzger's. If you're paying attention, my last review was on the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. Some of the food was pretty good, but it was overall way too kitschy and pricey to justify the trip. Metzger's is the opposite. The interior is nice, active but not too loud, and dark but not gloomy. My parents took my girlfriend and I there for dinner, so cost wasn't an issue (thanks folks!) but even if it were, Metzger's has pretty reasonable prices. Most things here are under $20, and come with two sides. I had the sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel (trying not to laugh) and both were very good; the sauerbraten was the second best I've ever had. Considering I've only had it three times, that may not be saying much, but it was still quite good. The spatzle and red cabbage on the side were great, especially the spatzle, which has the perfect texture to it. I tried a potato pancake as well, which was ok but a little too thick. Also didn't order but tried the rouladen, and that was probably the best thing on the menu. Ah, buyer's remorse... If you're looking for German food in the area, you can't go wrong here. Next on my list to try is the Heidelberg, but reading the reviews, it seems like I'll probably be disappointed and calling Metzger's to make another reservation (which they only do for groups of 5 or more, btw).
(5)
Evie B.
Service was excellent and food was cooked to perfection. Hubs had the rolled beef , as he did the last time, too. Tender beef w/ great sauce- very tasty. I had the pork cutlet special - tender thin cutlets of pork, perfectly fried and topped with a dreamy sis cheese sauce- red cabbage that was perfect and yummy potato pancakes. Had to take half of the meal home. My gripe- reaaaaaaaaaly pricy- yes, great quality, good portion, great service but $19 for each of those entrees- I could see $12-$14, but almost $20... I guess it's one way to keep people from going all the time and expanding their waist sizes because if I could, I would frequent here more often, but the$$ make it a special treat.
(4)
Kathy T.
Very authentic restaurant! I love the homemade German potato salad and my husband loves the deep fried shrimp!
(5)
Jaclyn B.
Metzger's rocks. Husband and I usually go here right after our massages. We grab a liter of beer each (usually the Hofbrau but occasionally we branch out), the price isnt bad at just under $10 each. We are all over the board with ordering and EVERYTHING has been great. We really love the variety of sausages- knackwurst, bratwurst, etc... The entrees come with delicious bread and cold butter. Our personal favorites for the sides are the beet salad, red cabbage, spatzel, and egg noodles. If you are in the area, give this place a try! It is fantastic!
(5)
Alix M.
I've been to a few German restaurants but I always go back to Metzgers! Love their schnitzel, spatzel and sauerkraut!
(5)
Lois M.
I love German food!! The potato pancakes are ok, but their rouladen, which unfortunately is only served either Fri-Sun or just weekends, is AMAZING!!!!!!! I love it(essentially it's a pickle wrapped in beef, wrapped in bacon, covered in tomato sauce)...portions are large and I always have leftovers. I tried the rabbit once...it was good...covered in gravy. Their sides are normally nothing to write home about. If you want good German comfort food and big portions, go eat at Metzgers.
(5)
Tabitha M.
It's a German restaurant. It's not supposed to be trendy. Metzger's delivered. Good stick-to-your-ribs food at reasonable prices. Dark wood. Stained glass. Sausage and sauerkraut. Jawohl!
A small business travelers paradise has been found! Booked a room at the new HiExp (excellent) and had dinner at Metzger's! I spent a month in Germany recently and my two dinners at Metzger's were BETTER than what I experienced in Germany!
(5)
Susan S.
Metzger's has my absolute favorite German potato salad ever! At our last visit, they had just run out of my favorite main dish - the rouladen - so I opted for the fried chicken, which was perfectly prepared. My very German husband always gets the sausage plate - a trio of large portions that makes him very happy. I have several "people connections" to the Metzger family and restaurant, so I enjoy each visit for the memories it brings back.
(5)
Carol G.
I love this place. The food is authentic and a lot of small items, such as salad dressing and applesauce, are made from scratch, probably in-house. These yummy details are not to be overlooked! You can just taste the difference in the quality of food here. The entrees and sides are delicious (schnitzel, spaetzle, potato pancakes, rouladen, kassler rippchen, cucumber salad, cabbage rolls, chicken vienna, are items we've tried). Staff is always friendly, welcoming and efficient. We come here about once every 1-2 months. The place is decorated with steins along the wall and decor is simple and clean. If you're in the mood for German food, I absolutely recommend this over the other German Restaurant that is in downtown Ann Arbor (The Heidelberg)...
(5)
Caro H.
Loved this place since I was a kid in downtown Ann Arbor. Try some German food it's delicious!
(5)
Gary V.
Excellent German food just like what I had in Fulda Hessen Germany. The restaurant is done up in a very nice German decor. The wait staff made us feel at home. The carrot cake for two is too die for.... Worth the trip.
(5)
Richard A.
Metzger's goes flat. Have eaten there before and was quite good, yesterday was a much different story. Way below average food, tiny portions, high prices, below average service. I had the lunch special cabbage rolls, one small roll with cardboard like potato pancakes for $10.49; my guest had weiner schnitzel, one tiny cutlet fried to death for $9.99. Left broke and hungry. Stay away.
(2)
William B.
My family is German, and my better half's family is German, been to the Father Land dozens of times. And I worship German beer. So when in the area this place is a must. Unfortunately in LA, we have very few good German places, but Metzger's is one of those great places I wish was in SoCal. Went on Sunday the 8th for lunch, we were greeted at the entrance from a wonderful nice hostess and we were seated immediately with warmth and personality. Our server came over promptly and set us up with bread and took our drink order, and moments later our giant German beers were in front of us, "Zum Wohl" The place wasn't packed, but full, and its decor is pleasant, not overly done but standard for a German style place. The old location was much darker and way more fitting, but hey it still works. Very clean, and all the service was perfect and friendly. I had the Rouladen, red cabbage and fried potatoes, (just writing this is making my mouth water) The Rouladen was delicious, and cooked to perfection. I nibbled on many of my guests plates as well and the spatzle was good also, as was the cold salad, pickled meats with cheese, name escapes me, but very good. And of course the beers were flowing. I must admit everything was terrific, and the service was top notch!
(4)
Alexandra K.
This place is mega kitsch and serves up that hearty and heavy German food most Americans love so much. People like it more than the Heidelberg and I have to say, their carrot cake (yeah not super authentic, eh?) is one of the best I've ever had. As for the food, I'd stick to the chicken or sauerbraten and leave the rest be. Entrees -German Sauerbraten (slow roasted beef marinated in wine, vinegar, and spices): the meat is extremely tender and the sauce is of course what makes this so juicy and wonderful. The sauce is not necessarily on the creamy side, although it does taste like a creamy wine sauce. -Jäger Chicken (chicken breast, pan fried and topped with provolone cheese and Jäger sauce): this is absolutely phenomenal. The lightly fried chicken is extremely tender and the Jäger sauce is deliciously creamy and somewhat spicy with fresh vegetables (peppers and mushrooms). The provolone is what makes the dish even creamier and is what keeps it milder. -Spatzen (Spätzle): this is either hit or miss. Sometimes the spätzle lacks in cheese, and sometimes it's just the perfect mix (although it shouldn't taste like creamy mac'n'cheese because that is not what it is). The noodles are nicely made and I prefer just the side order of this as opposed to the spätzle with mushrooms and sauerkraut as these added toppings take away from the taste. Desserts -Apple Strudel: not worth it. It looks like baklava actually and doesn't taste like your normal strudel. It's flaky like a croissant instead of buttery and creamy the way my Oma used to make it. -Carrot Cake: one of the best I've ever eaten. They give you a humongous portion of the moist, richly-flavored cake with perfect sections of cream cheese frosting. It's decadent and to be shared (or not) FINAL VERDICT: A restaurant in a strip mall isn't my favorite atmosphere but when in need of a German fix, what can you do? The usual crowd is a bit older, but once you've packed in a few beers you won't even notice. Come hungry.
(3)
MaryLiz S.
I don't go here for the food. I've had better. (My mother-in-law is German, and makes all the traditional German fare.) But know that it's consistently OK. Because it's German food, there's not much here for a vegetarian, or even someone who likes a lot of vegetables, for that matter. You *can* get a Caesar salad topped with grilled salmon, but that's not what they're known for. I go here when there's a big frat gathering for my father-in-law's buddies. UofM alumni gather from all over, and spend a weekend or even a week visiting each other, and invariably there is a big dinner here to meet & greet. This place has a great atmosphere for that kind of party. I have had many fabulous evenings at Metzger's. One of our friends says he has to get back to Metzger's for "more German health food" every now and then. Herb, you're so funny!
(4)
Amanda Z.
The Haus Platter for Two is a great way to share a meal and experience a variety of German cuisine, plus have a to go box for lunch tomorrow. The atmosphere is quaint and there is so much to look at while waiting for your meal. The bartender (who is a German teacher) was extremely helpful in our entree selection.
(4)
Brian G.
I don't know how better to sum it up than - meh! Maybe I am being generous w 3 stars. I had a roast pork special (roast pork here like roast beef from Arby's - you only know what it is because they tell you). The special green bean side was just green beans from Kroger served Luke warm. I was still hungry so against my better judgement took the bread pudding. My waitress (very friendly) warned me that it was hot. If only that was true - everything Luke warm and bland. Wine prices seem good but the pour very light :( After writing changing my rating to 2 stars. First and last at Metzgers. Speedy service of the check - comes before dessert is served!
(2)
Hubert S.
I adore pigs knuckles (Schwein Haxe) and theirs are very, very good. Maybe better that Dusseldorf or Munchen! Big party and we were well taken care of and fed. Highly recommended. One odd note: I am a Nationally Ranked Beer Judge and so my smeller is fairly good. Some dishes (plates) came out reeking of disinfectant. This can happen when they overdose their washing machinery. The owner was adamant that I was incorrect albeit very cordial. It happens to the best of places and I always sniff my wine glass to see if it's a stinker--about 5% of the time it is.
(4)
Joseph K.
German food is hard to get wrong, at least in my opinion. But so many places seem to fail at providing the right experience. Metzgers gets it so, so, so right! The room is cozy and very well appointed. Lots of family crests, soft lighting, gentle polka music, and warm wood tones. The service is prompt, polite, and very welcoming. You are made to feel comfortable from the start. The food is terrific. I started with two slices of soft, perfect pumpernickel bread. My entree was the Bratwurst, seasoned just right, with wonderful red cabbage and Spatzel. I am very impressed, and will gladly return.
(4)
Allison L.
I love coming here in the winter and enjoying mulled red wine with dinner - as my server says, it tastes like Christmas! I can never resist the wurst platter - three lovely sausages with a side of sauerkraut and a couple of different mustards. The sausages are rich but not greasy and perfectly spiced. The atmosphere is cozy with German decor and the service is friendly and efficient. If you still have room after dinner (I almost never do) you can visit the Grand Traverse Pie Company afterwards.
(4)
Gary K.
Enjoyed a terrific meal with Sandra, Jim and Ava. A reunion after 15 years! The Rouladen was extraordinary accompanied by a crisp tossed blue cheese salad, Bavarian red cabbage and a potato pancake with sour cream and applesauce. Two of us enjoyed this meal. A medium rare bacon-wrapped fillet with tossed salad and redskin potatoes really was a standout winner for Sandra. The selection of German beers were mind boggling. If you're looking for new high-quality and authentic German taste opportunities, give Metzger's a try!
(4)
Allen W.
Went in today for lunch and sad to say that it will be my last time. I ordered the French onion soup and there was more bread then onions and a simple slice of cheese on top. I had to hunt for the onions. Basic salad was good. Main course was Schnitzel with spatzle. The spatzle had no flavor, the pork was simples a breaded pork chop no seasoning, very BLAND meal sent it back partner has sauerbraten and he like the meat. It was not as great as I remember from the last time. Sorry that's the best I can say for this review
(2)
Michael R.
Solid German food in a comfortable atmosphere. Wiener Schnitzel was good, and the red cabbage was very sweet (didn't need dessert). Pretty good selection of beers, but few on tap-the Wolverine Amber was good, and I realize Beck's is like Budweiser for German beer, but to only have Beck's dark and not "regular" was a surprise. Worth a trip for a weeknight dinner-didn't notice a ton of enthusiasm in the place-maybe the weekends are livelier.
(3)
Patrick T.
The only other place I've had German food was in Germany. I waited in front for a while before someone came buy to seat my party. The prices were higher than on the PDF menus I looked up right before coming, so I was a little disappointed with that. Ordered the kassler ripchen, which is two hunks of smoked pork. It was very salty, and nothing super special. Just a big piece of ham. The potato pancakes that I picked as a side were the best part of the meal. I had expected them to be latkes for some reason, but they were pretty thick potato patties. They were A-OK nonetheless. Came with apple sauce and sour cream. I got the daily vegetable as a side, and it was a very measly portion of boiled cauliflower. My friend got the German Sauerbraten. It was really an awful dish. The meat ("roast beef") might as well have been canned. It was worse than the roast beef you get at subway. The gravy was no better. To sum it up, the quality of the dish was similar to that which you would find in a frozen TV dinner entree at a budget grocery store.
(2)
Joann B.
Amazing German food, reasonably priced. The service is fast and friendly. The Rouladen was delicious and authentic. The bratwurst is amazing, as is the Wiener schnitzel. Definitely recommend.
(4)
James H.
Not technically in Ann Arbor anymore since they moved to the middle of nowhere, but it's worth the trek if you're looking for good German food. A little too much German bling for my taste and the tables are way too close together. I usually get one of the various Schnitzels and have never been disappointed. Pork shank is also incredible. Awesome selection of sides. This time I went with the sausage platter which I wouldn't do again. They were out of weisswurst and they substituted a second bratwurst. I don't think humans were designed to eat that much sausage in one sitting. Made my tummy angry.
(4)
Annette J.
I've been kind of putting off writing this review for months now because I don't feel as though I can quite encompass how much I love Metger's in one but I'll give it a shot. Been coming here for a while now and every time I come I find something new I love. My standby used to be the wiener schnitzel with mushroom gravy, a side of potato pancakes and spatzen. I certainly did love it (although I do wish the mushroom gravy had more mushroom) but then I tried the Kassler Rippchen. HOLY. CRAP. Upon one bite I knew that this would now be my go to order here. Two pork loin chops smoked to perfection. It was amazing. It just tasted like a wonderful smokey ham. Moist and so so perfect. I love the sides as well. I've never met a potato pancake I didn't like and these are no exception although to me what really makes it is the apple sauce. I love their apple sauce and they come with a little cup of that and sour cream. The spatzen is great. Much like the potato pancakes I've never met a noodle I didn't like and these come topped with a brown gravy. Admittedly I'm not much of a brown gravy gal but I do like this one. Also, aside from the pancake (which doesn't retain its crispiness) all my leftovers reheated perfectly for lunch the next day. The joy continues! I've never tried their wursts, brats or anything else because I just fall into such a pattern of ordering the same thing over and over but maybe one time I will change it up. I have had the apple strudel and I found that to be fantastic as well. Although I usually walk out of there in quite a bit of pain following all that delicious food. Staff has always been incredibly friendly and accommodating. We came here with a huge group for a Yelp dinner a few weeks ago and they were so happy to have us in and took care of us perfectly, even doing separate checks. Above and beyond for sure. You really feel like a part of their family here. I love it. Great beer and beer flights as well. I've also had their honey libations (wine and liquor) and both have been delicious. Looking forward to my next visit already!
(5)
Heather H.
My favorite place to go when I'm on the west side of A2. I grew up eating traditional meat and potato dinners every day at my grandma's house. When I walked into Metzger's for the first time it finally dawned on me that all those meals were very german influenced. I love the saurbraten and kraut. Every time I go I mean to try something else but I can't resist the vinegary goodness! As a side note, my husband doesn't really care for german food. He still likes to go since they have great salads and an especially good burger served on a pretzel roll.
(5)
Phaedra Y.
Went to Metzger a couple of weeks ago. Tried their sauerbraten special -- not too special after all. Poor plate presentation --- the beef was too acidic .. sauce mediocre. my boyfriend ordered the meatloaf - he definitely tasted better. Tried the spatzen that people were raving about - basically tasted bland. I ordered the spiced wine .. that seemed to be the only good thing about this place. My bf ordered brandy and coffee with whipped cream. tasted horrible! he couldn't even finished it and wasted $6.50. Overall, the service was good. I would not come back but glad I tried it
(2)
Carolyn C.
The potato pancakes are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.
(5)
Sam G.
I promise that my low star rating is not residual Polish crankiness of all things German during WWII. Heck I've even been to Germany a couple times. See! No hard feelings. As far as the place inside, it's like a chain that's been decorated with German knickknacks like beer mugs and beer flags. There are also cuckoo clocks. This does not a German restaurant make! Luckily the servers are NOT dressed in 'traditional' German garb. But the whole thing seems a little campy to me. Not AS cheesy as it could be but definitely not in a wooden cabin somewhere (thanks, Colorado!) or with simple decor and home-cooked German food. I'm glad I've been eating like a starved child the past few days because this let me sample a decent amount of food stuffs: the wursts, the sauerkraut, the plain schnitzel, and the spatzen. None of these things wowed me in the least. The wursts were bland. I like my white sausage with that familiar... white... flavor. Yea. Helpful, isn't that? I just mean I'm familiar with the interesting peppery flavor of white sausage and this didn't have it. The other brat was just as plain. The sauerkraut seemed straight out of a jar and the horseradish to me was weak and way too vinegary. Mustard was straight dijon (grey poupon probably?) and a honey mustard that was a little better. The potato pancakes... where do I start... mushy, neither sweet nor savory nor salty, just fried - applesauce was plain plain plain and the sour cream wasn't even sour. Spatzen was decent. It was a little fat and a little over-boiled with some gravy on top. I don't know. It wasn't amazing but at least it had a LITTLE flavor. Schnitzel was ok but not great. At least it was thin and breaded decently - no fat hanging onto the sides - but pretty dry. Lemon and mustard were a must. Portions are huge. Beer selection was fun and tasty. Service at the bar was unbearably inefficient and kind of abrupt. I'm totally at a loss of the adoration for this place. Maybe I was expecting German food. Or something that was at least made from scratch or ordered from somewhere with fresh ingredients. I would end this with something clever in German but that language has WAY too many syllables for my taste. So I'll just say this restaurant doesn't sign any kind of peace treaty with me.
(2)
M T.
I am rarely surprised by restaurants in the Ann Arbor area but this place did it. I've driven past the "strip mall" dozens of times and have heard good things about Metzgers but haven't stopped in until now. I was excited to try all of the traditional German dishes (half of them I can not spell without reference so I'm not going to try). We love everything we tried. We sat in the bar area- Brynna was our server- friendly, fast and delightful! We will definitely be returning again soon!
(5)
John B.
Metzger's is an amazing restaurant with a great atmosphere. The food is authentic, the service is great and overall it's a fantastic experience. If you love German food, this is the place to go.
(5)
Tricia K.
My godmother is an amazing German cook who makes the best wienerschitzel. That being said, my exposure to German food is rather limited. Be warned, the portions here are huge! You will not leave hungry! Metzger's wienerschitzel was quite good, but did not surpass that of my godmother's. The red cabbage and saurkraut were really amazing though and I highly recommend getting those two sides. We also ordered knackwurst, which is my favorite German sausage. Two of the biggest sausages on a platter were brought with a heaping pile of sauerkraut and spatzle with gravy. I really prefer my knackwurst to be warmed in beer which adds a special malty flavor to it but Metzger's does not do that. Overall, solid German food and you can't go wrong with bringing family or out of town guests here.
(3)
Kevin W.
Top notch. We tried a little of everything. Had jagerschnitzel, spaetzel, red cabbage, potatoe pancakes, lake perch. Also tried a decent pilsner and the gluwein. Good sized servings of everything. the devil is in the details and Metzger's nails the details. Will be back whenever passing through Ann Arbor.
(4)
Claire H.
Great atmosphere and service. You have to try the brat combo and French dip - amazing!!
(4)
Robert R.
I had just returned from 9 days in Germany and talked my family into trying some German food. This place gives a nice try but misses by a mile. Deep fried mashed potatos are not potato pancakes! And canned gravy over lunch meat is not saurbraten. I could have forgiven the food but the idiot that waited on us couldn't get the order right for 4 people. This place is not cheap either! The next time I am in the mood for fake German food I will just make the trip to Frankenmuth.
(2)
Beth H.
No exaggerating.... This has always been my dad and I's go-to place for a nice hearty lunch, with consistant quality, but yesterday....OMG!!!! We never order the fish, but Betsy fell over herself recommending it. We both ordered the special. So glad we did! Sea Bass - cooked perfectly, with a nice crisp top. 1 inch thick, good size piece. Topped with a candied carrots that I thought was fruit, at first. Almond cream sauce and fried shoe-string onions. So good, it deserves an F-bomb. F*** Fabulous! We were about to lick our plates. I could have eaten that fish until I was sick. One of those once in a lifetime, perfect meals that you will always be comparing others to this dish. They might still have it on special today. GO GET IT!!! I hear that props go to Ryan Metzger. Betsy says he's back and does some amazing stuff in the kitchen.
(5)
Terrell O.
Went here based in positive reviews and left disappointed. The spatzle was not very good and I didn't like the potato salad at all. I ordered the pork shank (schweinshaxe) and was surprised to see that it appeared to have been boiled...the skin was soggy and not at all crispy like it should have been. I am surprised to see positive reviews from people that have spent time in Germany. I thought the food was terrible.
(1)
Katie C.
First off, the food was excellent. I had the spinach salad with sirloin strips (rare) and bacon dressing, Steak was cooked perfectly and the dressing was hot and homemade. My boyfriend had the meat patties which he said was like good meatloaf, his sides were a salad- mixed greens and lots of veggies with a nice chunky blue cheese dressing- and mashed potatoes. I had a bite of his potatoes and they were great, and the portion is huge, two big scoops that he had to ask for more gravy for! The reason I'm only giving two stars is the service we had. It was an average Wednesday evening at 7:15, and the restaurant started out about half full and was nearly empty by the time we left an hour and a half later. We could not understand why everything, from getting our order in, to getting a coke refilled, to getting the check took an unnatural pace to happen. The last time I had service this slow was when we accidentally showed up to Weber's at 7:00 on the Saturday of graduation weekend. Unfortunately because of this, it is unlikely we will visit Metzger's again.
(2)
Michael R.
Awesome authentic German restaurant. Great food and wonderful service. Bet it would be a great place to watch US best Germany in the World Cup group stage.
(5)
Crystal R.
Came here last week with my good friend who was born/lived in Germany for years. We definitely over-ordered. I will say that the potato pancakes are as amazing as everyone says they are! My cabbage rolls were also good. We were sat at the table right on the other side of the register which was a little uncomfortable, but the service was decent and the food was great. Can't complain too much! Their garlic salad dressing was amazing as well!
(4)
Andy M.
Food was excellent, but an hour and a half for a dinner for 2 on a relatively slow Wednesday night wasn't great.
(2)
Barron M.
We never had a bad time...food is great as well as the service. The Wurst platter is one of our favorites so is their German potato salad.
(5)
Cat K.
Metzger's has Käsespätzle! KÄSESPÄTZLE!!! As a German, and as a girl with a schwäbisch Father. I was delighted. Especially after it was good. After a trip to Metzger's I found myself full, and happy. They have a wide range of traditional German foods that I found to be the most authentic I've found outside of Germany. Great Zwiebelrostbraten too. It doesn't really get much better (and fattening) than good German comfort food!
(5)
Marie C.
Staff is friendly, service is good, food is not good. Schnitzel seemed to be frozen patties of meat over-microwaved. Very dry, hard, and tasteless. Spaetzel was doughy and smothered in brown gravy. Once was enough.
(2)
Liz R.
Metzger's has been on my yelp radar since Ken mentioned he wanted German food about 6 months ago. We do not get to Ann Arbor as often as we would like, so we tried another local German place (Richter's Chalet in Dearborn), which was good but not great = 3 stars. When yelp offered up Metzger's as their first leg of an ethnic restaurant supper club, we jumped at the chance to try it. We liked the ambiance at this restaurant, even though it was full to bursting (and that was before our 10+ yelp group descended on them). Loved the cuckoo clocks! Ken also enjoyed that they had a number of German beers on tap, with the option of a sampler. We ordered the Haus Platter for Two, which was just too large of a plate for the small table they set up for our group. It would have worked just fine if the two of us had been alone, but it was too much at a group table. The platter included one link each of Bratwurst, Mettwurst and Knockwurst, a Wiener Schnitzel cut in half, plus spatzle, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and red cabbage. All on the same plate. Now, I'm not usually that person who doesn't like my food to touch... but when my spatzle is purple and sour (sauer) because all the sides have run together... blech. The pork was thin and dry. And the sausages would have been a lot better if they had some color to them from a flat top. So... Metzger's is on the low side of the 3 rating. IF we go back, I'll know what to ask for. Sides on the SIDE. Sausages grilled.
(3)
Derek J.
Poor service was, unfortunately, the part we'll remember from our lunch visit. The waitress immediately got snippy when we spoke German to her jokingly. She told us that she was in America so she doesn't speak anything but English. How dare we in a German restaurant! From there, coffee cups sat empty, two simple order requests were screwed up and overall, this waitress's attitude overrode the decent food and good decor. We'll be looking elsewhere for German food next time, too bad.
(2)
Kate R.
I enjoyed my experience at Metzger's, but I really can't say that I have enough of a handle on German food to accurately compare.... My family and I went into Metzger's for lunch following my brother's graduation at U of M. I was both impressed and a little distracted by the German-themed decor. It's kind of... like Frankenmuth on crack, but with better food. Sadly, Frankenmuth is the only basis for comparison that I have and I almost feel like an inexperienced German-foodie. I enjoyed the bread basket that came to the table, but declined my family's order of fried mushrooms (bleck...). I ordered the sauerbraten - the meat was exceptional, my asparagus was perfectly cooked and I thoroughly enjoyed my spaztel. I also had the opportunity to try the rouladen and my brother's seared scallops, both very good.... though I would probably have to get used to the rouladen. I was very impressed with the food, I though my sour cream gravy was a bit salty, but overall the meal was exceptional. I would have gone with four stars, but I had some issue with our server - she seemed a bit detached, relatively inattentive and generally irritated if we asked for something that she had forgotten about. I was actually quite annoyed to be honest. The individual who worked with us for our reservation was exceptionally helpful! I'd love to go back though and try other menu items - and hope for a better service experience.
(3)
Heather J.
A Spanish princess drove her minders mad at the Chicago World's Fair because she kept sneaking out of official engagements to hang out at the German tent. They found her downing steins of tasty brews instead of tiny coffee cups, and dining on piles of sausage and kraut rather than teeny tapas and oranges. Clearly she was on to something about a filling meal, and less noble souls can feast like a prince(ss) at Metzgers of Ann Arbor. With ninety years under belt, Metzgers has their menu fine-tuned to feature the age-old favourite pairings of beer thick enough to cut and butter with dark, slightly coarse breads fresh from the vat... err, oven. Ales run from light, fruity lagers like Schneider Weiss for the child at heart through dark and hearty concoctions that'll put meat on your bones. My beau had a dark warsteiner in a half-liter stein that I sipped at and found especially tolerable, with no sharp and hoppy aftertaste. Beer flights are available to sample a spectrum of light to dark German beers, one of the best values not on the menu. My expensive palate spurns beers save the most eclectic so I gauge the warsteiner to be very good. More importantly, they serve spiced gleuwine (glowwine), a lush, rich red that is a staple of German Christmas markets. Gleuwine is essential for maintaining warmth in numbed extremities while standing outside in an alpine blast as Mom wanders from stall to stall, cooing over wooden puppets and tiny clogs produced by gnomes. Food draws from old standbys like sauerbraten, veal bavarian, and cottage schnitzel to assuage Old World appetites. You'll find none of the Spanish penchant for serving entrees on silver dollar-sized plates just large enough to accommodate a sprig of parsley and a single anorexic sausage or a tablespoon of spatzen. Portions range on the healthy Bavarian dairy-maid side, although never to excess. The Yelp! International Dinner Club ordered a variety of side dishes, and they were German Goldilocks size -- just right. My beau savoured his heavily cinnamon-spiced applesauce and I inhaled the delectable cucumber salad done up German style, fit for a queen. Potato pancakes were relished all around our linked banqueting table and smelled delicious. For groups, the Haus or Bavarian platters are ample enough for two -- two families, two groups or two small villages. Impressive stout sausages languished atop alpine slopes of potato salad and red cabbage like great, placid dragons. The tureens of horseradish, spicy mustard, and some other savory concoction allows you to enjoy the mellow, smoky flavour or breathe fire upon your fellow diners. Mettwurst and Knockwurst received good reviews and I enjoyed the slice I got to share. (Thank you, fellow generous Yelpers!) I sampled the Jager sauce which was peculiarly fruity thanks to roasted peppers and tomatoes. The wine base pops through without overwhelming the vegetables. I recommend using a small dish for dredging the addictive brown bread, for a flavourful side dish. While being pickier than a Habsburg eyeing up potential brides, I ended up selecting the spatzle primavera with shrimp that were clearly East German bodybuilders in the prawn-weight category. My strategy to remain healthy were met rather well. The light butter-wine sauce spritzed with lemon was swirled over the buttery, springy spatzle (plump egg noodles rolled into squishy curls) and fat chunks of tomato, snap peas, and peppers. It was too much for me to finish in no small part due to the uber-shrimp lifting spatzle to my ready mouth. Those suckers were huge and tasty. A visit to Metzgers takes a clever strategy to leave room for German desserts, and a logistical approach to balance the lure of the Grand Traverse Pie Company (pie!). In this case, share a bread pudding or a torte with your loved ones... or maybe not, if you think you'll be fighting over the raisin-studded, quivering bread melange drizzled in vanilla sauce. I spent a few minutes talking and turned back to an empty plate (!), though not after getting a few spoonfuls in myself. I finished off the night with a buy one entree, get the second for 50% off coupon to add that special touch of savings atop a splendid night, thanks to my delightful company and hearty food. There are few details about what the Spanish minders did upon discovering their wayward princess, but chances are they led her back to her suite like a sleepy, content cat. German diplomacy at its finest!
(4)
Sarah R.
Yes, Metzger's has already been reviewed more than 40 times, so what do I have new to add? A vegetarian perspective! I have a friend who says she reads my reviews to figure out which places are most veggie-friendly and what to order, so I had to write a review saying that the restaurant was much more vegetarian-friendly than I had anticipated! I went here with a large group, and the service was prompt and friendly, but we didn't feel rushed. They had a nice beer selection and will provide sampler "flights." First off: the main menu only has two vegetarian options (omelets or pasta primavera). If you're pescetarian (which I am), this opens up some new possibilities. If you're strict veggie, I'd recommend sticking to the appetizers and the sides. I started with the Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen), which the appetizer menu describes as "Light noodle-like dumplings served warm over sauerkraut and smothered with onions and melted, aged Swiss cheese." I especially liked the ribbons of carmelized fried onions on top. This was delicious and was filling enough that I would probably just order this as my main dish if and when I return. My main dish was the charbroiled salmon filet. You can get it with BBQ sauce or with lemon and dill. I got the latter, and the fish was spectacular- perfectly charred, juicy and flaky and flavorful inside. With most main dishes, you get two sides. I chose the German beet salad - pickled beets and onion slices in a vinegary sauce - simple but delicious! I also got the redskin potatoes, but I was so full by the time they came out, I barely touched them. It was probably just as well since they were a little bland. If and when I come back here, I'd like to sample more of the traditional side dishes - both the cucumber salad and the potato pancakes look fantastic, and a friend who got the potato pancakes said the accompanying apple sauce was quite good.
(4)
Chester C.
Metzgers is awesome... Solid and consistent food, great staff and cozy atmosphere. Always a great experience.
(5)
nancy j.
Reading the other reviews, I'm not sure if the food has seriously gone down hill in the past couple weeks or what. Maybe I only have higher standards because I eat out across the country for work as much as I do. My companion and I agreed our recent meal at Metzger's was a huge disappointment. I ate at Metzger's a year ago and loved it. Today I'm embarrassed I took my friend there. The service was great but the food was terrible. The gravy was cold and tasted like it came out of a can. The schnitzel was dry and could have been previously frozen. The sauerbraten was almost inedibly sour and the meat tasteless. Most heartbreaking -- the potato pancakes. They used to be flavorful and crisp. Now they are dry, rubbery and nothing but flour. What happened to the potatoes? Really, until Metzger's goes back to the way they used to cook just keep driving.
(1)
J K.
Best bartenders! Great spatzel & potato salad
(5)
Jason C.
Went to Metzger's as part of the restaurant week deal.... Haven't had German food in long time, so I was excited and eager!!! I went with Tender Deep Fried Calamari, Potato Leek with Kale Soup, Pretzel Encrusted Whitefish with a Mustard Cream sauce, Spatzen & Cheese Cake with Raspberry Sauce. The calamari was little salty and saltier when you dip it into the dipping sauce.... I guess this is what you get when you get a previously frozen calamari that's fried and served... and when did German restaurant offer calamari??? :) I had an opportunity to have Grilled Mettwurst and I would highly recommend this option... the Metwurst was little salty, but that's what you expect from a sausage and it had a devine bacon taste (I guess they cook it in bacon grease???). The soup was luke warm.... otherwise it was good. The fish was excellently cooked, moist! The only dislike was that it was on the salty side, but having a beer as a drink helped!! The crust was perfectly cooked and crunchy. As for the spatzen... its very doughy... it looks doughy, taste doughy and yeah... I wish I had more sauce to mask it... yeah... won't be getting it again next time! The cheese cake was good.... You get a lot of food for the $25! I will be bak for sure to try other food they offer... We sat around after dinner to chat, as we were all too full to move! The restaurant is kind of hidden.... it's on Zeeb road, after I-94!
(3)
Nate F.
Excellent food. Love this place. Worth the drive. Plenty of parking.
(5)
Mree K.
Nice atmosphere with German deco but ridiculously overpriced for food that is impressively mediocre. The house specialty consists of a couple slabs of beef soaking in a pretty tasteless preprepared dressing. Wouldn't come again.
(2)
Michelle C.
Looking for good comfort food? Never tried German cuisine? This is the restaurant! Start off with warm pumpernickel bread... No need to order appetizers, because you won't be able to breathe after the meal! Schnitzel with mushroom sauce is my favorite here... but honestly, there is NO bad dish on the menu. All main meals come with 2 sides. Be sure to get their potato pancake and spatzen. Their red cabbage and potato salad are also excellent.. I usually end up adding abother side dish or 2 to my meal. Eat here! You won't regret it!
(5)
Tim B.
This place has great authentic German cuisine. Try some of the old world entrees, such as sauerbraten, rouladen and even the rabbit. There are many different delicious dishes to choose from, each crafted with a "home-style" feel. The staff seems knowledgable and the building is decked out with several cultural items. The less than perfect rating stems from the potato pancakes, which were flavorless, greasy and had a raw flour taste to them.
(4)
Meeta B.
I ALWAYS forget about Metzgers and how good the food is, until I am reacquainted with it. It's like forgetting how much fun an old friend is, until you see them years later and remember oh yeah! That's why I like you! Ok, anyhow, Metzgers I think because it's on the other side of town I don't go there as often, but friends of mine texted me on St. Pat's day- "At Metzgers, saving you a seat". Yes, my friends decided that going to a German restaurant on an Irish holiday was the way to go and by god they were right. I showed up to my rowdy group of friends who were drinking green beer out of these glass boots. Ed- the bartender was a really good sport and was really accommodating to my friends- who are great people...who get slightly rowdy when they've been partaking in libations. Trying to stay with my whole " I don't drink green beer" (although peer pressure got the better of me), Ed made me a green drink that I THINK had ice cream in it. All I can really equate it to was a McDonald's Shamrock shake with alcohol in it. Either way, it was delicious and had I not been driving I would have probably said "Please sir, can I have more?!" Anyhow, then we ordered. But first, before we ordered, Ed brought out this delicious brown bread that was warm and fresh. And, even though I'm not a huge bread eater, that was definitely some bread I didn't turn down. Our table ordered a plethora of food- chicken vienna (which was said to be delicious), fried chicken, baked chicken, wienerschnitzel, corned beef and cabbage and I got the cabbage rolls. The cabbage rolls were delicious! I don't like a bunch of sauce on my food, and these rolls had the perfect amount of sauce. The filling of beef and rice was perfectly seasoned, and tasted great the next day. Although I didn't try anyone else's main meal, I did try some of their sides. Now, I had ordered the Bavarian beet salad, which had the perfect amount of crunch and a good amount of acidity from the vinegar. I ate mine...almost had to spear a fork into the bestie's hand because she kept pilfering my beets. Luckily we had people at the table who were willing to share their beets with her. The Spaetzle- omg those noodles were good. I was sad I didn't order my own. But I really wanted their potato pancakes- which, were delicious with the sour cream and apple sauce. It was crunchy on the outside and creamy like mashed potatoes in the inside. I wasn't sad I got those, I was just sad I couldn't finish it and it didn't taste as crispy the next day (they weren't bad...just not the same). We had a great time at Metzgers. And maybe if I didn't whine to myself "it's soooooo far away", because it really isn't, I'd probably get there more often.
(4)
Nikki C.
I'd never heard of Metzger's until very recently. What a cool place! It's very homey....warm, comfy & cozy. The decor is like someone's home. There are cuckoo clocks lining the walls, beer steins, cloth covered lights on the chandeliers. The service was great! I was with a fairly big party and the waitresses were patient, quick & efficient. They took good care of us. Being that I'm trying to be a good weight watchers girl, I couldn't indulge in some of the large platters of comfort food being dished up. But everyone else's looked great! The portions were nice and big and appeared to be filling. There weren't just heavy duty meals on the menu... I ended up going with a salmon filet glazed in lemon & dill and had a side of applesauce and side of green beans which appeared to be grilled and/or sauteed. Everything was really delicious and I'm glad I made that meal choice. Let me tell you.. had I NOT been into WW, I would have gone for the gusto with the potato pancakes and warm bread pudding and oh my -- the HUMMER. I almost splurged and used some of my weekly allowance points for it, but snapped out of it. (Then I probably would have given one more star) Truth be told, I'm in the Detroit area, so I don't see myself sitting at home and saying "Gee, I sure could go for some Metzger's" and driving up 94 for dinner. BUT, that being said, I'm really glad I went. I LOVE trying new places and venturing out from time to time.
(3)
Bryan H.
I love this place. I lived in Germany when I was younger and I have to say the food was spot on and great decor inside made me feel like I was in Germany again. I'm not from the area but try to stop in whenever I'm in town.
(5)
Kelli P.
Most German restaurants weird me out due to their overzealous approach of trying to capture "Bavarian culture". Just because you see a man in lederhosen does not mean the food will be authentic. In fact, it would be in your favor to run in the other direction if you are waited on by an American who calls himself "Gunther" between the hours of nine and five and is donning Bavarian garb. Metzger's is a no-nonsense German restaurant with friendly waitstaff, somewhat classic decor (I could see how this might be debatable), and downright delicious food. For vegetarians, käsespätzle, potato pancakes, beet salad, and sauerkraut are all safe choices. Schnitzel is a classic entree for the carnivorous type. The bread pudding is a tasty way to wrap up your meal. If you're looking for a touristy German restaurant where people pose with giant cuckoo clocks and snap pictures in their cut-off blue jeans, head north. For a more authentic approach to German cuisine, visit Metzger's.
(5)
Barbi P.
I do not like German food. It makes me wanna puke a little. So this review is based on the 3 things I can tell you. 1.) My parents and grandfather love this place. They are big German food fans and this is where they go. They tell me it is authentic and very good. I will take their word. 2.) My chicken Caesar salad was pretty good. The dressing was great and the chicken was really moist. 3.) My Manhattan was really big, really strong and I felt really fuzzy by the time we left. Mmmm.
(4)
Liz W.
Metzger's is a delight. Fantastic food, plenty of good drink and a nice atmosphere. The only downside was the hit and miss service, otherwise this would likely be a five star review. We will go back and hopefully next time it will be. Being newbies we ordered the haus platter for two for experimentation purposes. It comes with a choice of soup or a salad. We decided to try the cheesy chicken tortellini soup and the creamy garlic dressing on a salad. The soup was amazing, big chunks of chicken, red peppers and perfectly cooked tortellini in a smooth brothy type cheese sauce. The salad was mixed greens (yay for frisee) with ideally thin sliced onion, dark and light rye croutons and a garlic dressing with dill. Both were winners. We were slightly annoyed that every table other than ours got bread. We did not need it at all but it still made us feel odd. Our drinks also never got refilled. Yes we still had water glasses but does that mean we cannot have more pop or tea? I hate having to ask, not that our waitress was around to ask at any rate. Empty glasses should be an indication someone needs more drink though. Soon enough a huge platter arrived. Heaped with potato salad, spatzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut. On either side was a half a piece of lemon topped schnitzel and on top were fat links of mettwurst, bratwurst and knackwurst. On the side was a dark and a light mustard and some excellent horseradish. We were totally intimidated but dove in bravely. The mild knackwurst was enjoyed, the familiar bratwurst and the mettwurst were utter happiness. The schnitzel was very well done but a bit lost in our sausage bliss. The mustards were lovely additions and I always appreciate a bit of horseradish. The spatzle is nicely done here with a bit of gravy, the sauerkraut has good snap to it but we both liked the red cabbage and the potato salad best. Just perfect renditions. We had to take a ton home. This did not concern us in the least. Happy reheats and bonus points to the waitress (at last) for getting us containers to pack up mustards and horseradish too. We also got a box for some carrot cake for two, a real treat I must say. We did not have a single bite we did not truly adore. We can't wait to go back for rouladen, sauerbraten, potato pancakes and strudel next time. Be sure to come for a birthday, get your meal free with the purchase of another plus they throw in a free dessert! Yum!
(4)
Denise K.
Went here yesterday with my family. Prices went up a lot. Found a very long hair in my spaetzle. Spoke with someone else who goes there. Same thing happened to both of them. Waitress tried to downplay this but this is problem they need to address. Won't ever go back. Not worth the price.
(1)
Allen L.
Metzger's has been so consistently good for decades that I never think about writing a review for it. I go here frequently for both lunch and dinner. It's somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me. This is not light food. :) Some favorites: - Steinhager Martini - any of the different schnitzel - sausage - spatzen - beer (Warsteiner, Franziskaner) Always good service. Always super friendly with the owner(s) frequently greeting you.
(5)
Robert B.
I have now eaten here multiple times and the food is just consistently very good and really good specials rotating on the weekly menu. The last two weeks finds braised rabbit on the menu which sells out and I was lucky enough to get some today. Definitely a cut above average and local ingredients to boot.
(4)
Kristen M.
I may be a slightly biased reviewer but Metzger's is awesome. I have had ample opportunity to sample the menu and these are my favorite items: -Tornadoes: usually a weekend special, beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and served with au jus for dipping -Mettwurst: flavorful German sausage -Fish specials: always unique and tasty -French onion soup: cheesy, salty and delicious -Fries: crispy and well seasoned -Chocolate cherry torte: a very rich, flourless chocolate cake w/ rasbperry sauce Also, Metzger's is very kid friendly. I used to take all the kids i babysat there and they loved it. It's also fun to go with a group of friends and share a boot of beer! You won't find anything else like it in Ann Arbor.
(5)
Ally K.
My parents and I decided to have dinner here for my mom's early birthday dinner (Her actual birthday is St. Patty's Day) and seeing as I've had this place on a list of restaurants to try for a while, I was looking forward to it. Ordering was easy, as we love sausage. My mom and I got the Wurst Platte to split, minus the sauerkraut which we replaced with potato pancakes. My dad got a weekly special, which was a pork sausage. The Wurst Platte was quite good. The mettwurst was great, and the knackwurst was mild, but became better when paired with the dijon mustard (you also get a sweet mustard and horseradish, both of which are really tasty). My mom wasn't a huge fan of the bratwurst, and I thought it was just alright. I'm really happy that we got the potato pancakes, which are crispy, thick, and great with the applesauce and sour cream! The spaetzle was pretty much just filler, but it was nice to have, sort of like how it's nice to have mashed potatoes with a good roast. My dad liked his pork sausage, which I got to try. I actually kind of wish I had gotten these because they were nicely spiced. Okay, now that I've got the savory stuff covered, it's time to focus on my favorite part of every meal: Dessert! This is where Metzger's really won our hearts. We got the carrot cake, apple strudel, and bread pudding. I'll just start off by saying that the carrot cake is the best that I've ever had. Seriously, it may have been for two, but I was perfectly willing to eat both pieces. The cream cheese frosting was delicious and plentiful, and the cake itself was moist and loaded with shredded carrots and nuts. I gave the other half to my parents, and they agreed with me. The apple strudel went to my mom (but I got a bite), and she was happy to report that it was fantastic. The bread pudding with vanilla sauce that my dad got was good, although it could have been a little warmer. All in all, this was a good and hearty meal. I would come back here again, especially for the dessert.
(4)
Jeroen V.
Growing up in Europe, Schnitzel was one of my favorite things to eat so I was very excited to find this on the menu at Metzger's. I ordered the Zigeuner Schnitzel and it was really bland and badly seasoned. There was nothing about this dish that reminded me of the Schnitzels I ate "back home". I cannot judge the rest of the menu, but I was very underwhelmed with this specific dish and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that has ever had a Schnitzel in Germany or Austria.
(2)
Greta D.
Very friendly staff and cute decor. Food was good and came out much faster than expected. Beer and cobbler was the best part. Just kind of high priced. A once in a while place.
(3)
Eric P.
Metzger's is my favorite German restaurant in Metro-Detroit. When my fellow alums came in from out of town we all agreed that Metzgers was a rare treat we needed to revisit. And until last week, I had forgotten how good Metzger's food tastes. The quality is still there. The schnitzel, the sausages, the potato pancakes, the spatzen, the sauerkraut, and everthing I've eaten here has been amazingly delicious. The menu is expansive and will cater to all tastes, although I wouldn't order Perch or a Steak here. You can get that anywhere. Go for the specialty items. Entrees run about $16ish and come with two sides. There's so many good sides, but you really have to try the potato pancakes with sourcream and apple sauce. They're really unhealthy but so delicious. On my latest visit I planned on ordering the Weiner Schnitzel but they ran out of it so I went with the Jager Schnitzel (breaded and fried pork served with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a wine-based "Jager" sauce. I'm not quite sure what was in the sauce but it sure was tasty. The wait was a bit long for a table (usually a good sign), but once we were seated we received excellent service. The decor is great, wooden tables, German memoribilia, I really feel like I'm in an authentic German restaurant. I wouldn't change a thing about Metzger's, its practically perfect! Except for maybe moving the location closer to my house so I could go more often.
(5)
Jorge C.
Metzger's is an Ann Arbor staple! You cannot get better sausage and German food anywhere in Ann Arbor. My favorites are the Metwurst, potato pancakes and cucumber salad. They also have beers straight from Germany constantly rotating in their draft selection
(5)
Diane L.
My husband and I went here during restaurant week. Dinner is served all day on Sunday, and we dined around 1pm so we ended up with a huge lunch! So for $25 each we got a cheese plate, soup, an entree with a side and a full size dessert. We seriously rolled ourselves home after taking away half of our food. I had the cottage schnitzel with spatzle and bread pudding with vanilla sauce. My husband had the pretzel crusted fish with mustard sauce and beet salad and he also had the bread pudding for dessert. Everything had excellent flavor, was well seasoned and was not greasy. My husband has traveled around Germany and he thought the food and the ambiance was very homey and authentic. The service was very good and I would go back again. They also have a nice patio area that I think would be great on a sunnier day. I'm so glad Ann Arbor has restaurant week, it's a great event.
(5)
Cean W.
Excellent potato pancakes and cucumber salad. Even though the name of the entree is a bit racist ("Zigeuner"? Lol), it was delicious. I eat here every time I travel to Ann Arbor.
(5)
Katherine E.
Took my dad here for Father's Day dinner. Service was excellent : friendly, efficient, and helpful. I had the Schnitzel with the mushroom sauce with spatzle. Delicious! My fiance had the fried chicken with potato pancakes. He was unusually quiet through the meal because he was so busy stuffing his face. My dad got the weinerschnitzel with potato salad and was very happy. Desserts were good, too. We shared the bread pudding, apple streudel, and chocolate cherry torte. Portions are generous and prices are fair.
(5)
Mei O.
The schnitzel was yummy. The spaetzel was yummy. The beer was yummy. Basically everyone at the table was happy with what they ordered, wanted to keep eating, but knew their stomach would explode a la Monty Python if they did. We love Metzger's.
(4)
Flinch B.
This is a nice german restaurant skipping most of the standard-issue kitsch. I went there on a business trip and grabbed a table in the bar area. That I was sitting alone didn't stop the people near me from chatting me up which I appreciated. Certainly, there is a nice core of regulars at Metzger's that rally help the vibe. The Wienerschnitzel I ordered was a very good effort. The Spaetzle and Red Cabbage sides were also very respectable sides. They also had a nice, diverse selection of desserts including several that were not German. I skipped the dessert but if the main meal was any indication, I'm sure these would have been tasty as well. It may be a while before I return to Ann Arbor but when I do, I'll try to make it a point to visit Metzger's to explore other items on their menu.
(4)
David S.
Metzger's targets the "mature" market. There's nothing wrong with that -- and it's sort of expected, considering it serves German fare and is on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. While the students and young professionals dine on burgers, italian food, and up-and-coming cuisines in downtown Ann Arbor, the older crowd has found a gem in Metzger's (I'd say the average age when I went was about 50). Metzger's offers a wide variety of authentic German food and beer. A plate of brats, spatzen, and sauerkraut will run you upwards of $20, and German beers are $5-$6 each. It's darn tasty though, and they give you a heaping amount. I like the variety of mustards on the table, and ordered the "variety platter" of wursts -- they were all tasty, and when they came I wish I could remember what the differences between them were (I like the "whitest" one the most, though!). Service was great, and the free, fresh-baked bread was addicting. Without accounting for price, I'd give the food 4*, and the beer selection 5*. Had to knock the overall rating down to 3*, however, because sausage can't be THAT expensive to make - especially when you're out on Zeeb Road and rent is half as much as in downtown A2.
(3)
Steven L.
I don't usually indulge myself in places like this. It is not for important people like me. But I had to wine and dine some Germans for a business matter. The so-called foodies of Yelp told me that this is a great place. The Germans thought the food was supposed to be an insult. I almost lost the account, but luckily they did not judge me by this, and I was able to put them in their place. From now on, no more ethnic restaurants and I will stop listening to the uneducated bums on Yelp. It recieved 3 stars because the server did not cut us off, so I could get the clients drunk.
(3)
Shannon N.
Yummy! Love the red cabbage!
(4)
Eric K.
Excellent food. We tried four different dishes and every element of each dish was delicious. I haven't had this experience yet while living in Ann Arbor and I've been living here for six years now. The food was superb, service excellent/friendly, and it came out quick. I encourage everyone to give this place a try. The lunch is an especially good value.
(5)
Dee T.
This restaurant used to be located in downtown Ann Arbor, but relocated a few years ago to a strip mall just off of I-94. We hadn't tried it out since the move, so we were eager to give the new space a try. The restaurant was packed on a Sunday night which made for a convivial vibe. The bar is fantastic, with lots of wood, ample seating, and tons of German antiques and memorabilia. The beer selection, of course, was impressive and heavily favored German brews. The bartenders and our server were friendly and efficient. This would be a great place to come with family (as many diners were, for Sunday supper apparently) or for a casual meal with friends...it's too bad we don't live anywhere nearby. We were given a basket of pumpernickel bread to start; the bread was dense and warm and perfect with a smattering of butter. Our meals included the weiner schnitzel and chicken Vienna. The food is delicious - heavy and hearty, as German food should be. The side dishes are absolutely necessary to cut into the denseness; each entree comes with a choice of two sides, such as potato pancakes, spatzle, hot German potato salad, and beets. I loved my red kraut, hubby loved his sauerkraut, and we both stuffed ourselves full of spatzle. It was quite impossible to pursue dessert after our meal. I hope we'll get a chance to go back again someday. It was a pleasurable experience all around.
(5)
Amy B.
Being of German descent, I have high standards when it comes to schnitzel, spaetzel, and sauerbraten. Metzger's did more than meet my expectations, they exceeded them. One of my favorite things on Metzger's menu is the rouladen, which they only serve during the weekend. I recommend trying it at least once. Be warned, if you go during dinner on the weekends there will be a wait, but I think a 20-25 wait is a small price to pay for yummy German food!
(4)
Jill C.
My husband and I came for our wedding anniversary lunch. The description online sounded good , so we thought we would give it a try. It wasn't busy, but the median age of the patrons there was somewhere north of sixty. We were seated quickly and, throughout the meal the service was good. That is the best thing I can say about the place. I ordered the house specialty, the Sauerbraten with red cabbage and vegetable of the day(snow peas). My hubby ordered the sirloin steak with rice pilaf and snow peas. The bread arrived and it was warm and so incredibly chewy that I found it hard to eat. I'm glad our server gave us lots of water to drink so I could wash it down. Our dinners arrived soon after. My Sauerbraten was best described as meh. The meat was tender, but thin, and the gravy was overwhelmingly vinegary. I know the first part of the name of the dish means sour in German, but that was waaaay too much. The meat was gray and looked more like slightly thick lunchmeat. The red cabbage was also a little to sour for me. The snow peas were ok, they should have snipped the little ends off of them, though. My Husband's steak was overcooked(he ordered it medium rare and it came out medium well). The rice was dry, dry, dry. The "sauce" that came with it(beef broth)couldn't do anything for it. I would say the best thing about the meal was the pie we had at the Grand Traverse Pie Company three doors down. Probably won't go back.
(2)
Jeff M.
Good food but good luck getting a drink from the bartenders. They're too busy flirting with the customers.
(3)
A. G. U.
if you like german food, this is definitely the place! They were great when they were in Ann Arbor, and still have the same excellent food at their new location - although the ambience is not what it used to be when they were in downtown Ann Arbor.
(4)
mike w.
I mean any place that serves Warsteiner light in a boot, (yea, a glass boot!), get's 3 stars automatically. 1up for having good food as well. A bit pricey, but I have never been disappointed.
(4)
katie W.
Every time my parents are in town, this is the place they want to go. It's always great. The spatzle, and potato salad are amazing. Any of the wursts and traditional German dinners are great too.
(5)
L K.
This place specializes in serving bullshit that is way overpriced and people who say this place is great had been raised on cow dungs. Forgive me, but I think real German people have better taste than this, you know, the ones who keep it real.
(1)
Kristina D.
I love Metzger's. I went to the restaurant when it was in downtown Ann Arbor, but then they moved to Zeeb Rd and it's still worth the drive. If you like traditional south German food, this is the place for you. They have a lot of traditional dishes. Love their wursts and the chicken livers. They also have a lot of good German beer on tap and huge boots to drink them from (think beerfest ;-) ). You don't find many traditional places like Metzger's very often. This year is their 80th anniversary and they are still going strong.
(4)
ryan k.
So I was watching a recent episode of Andrew Zimmern and he was in Germany. Watching the episode got me hungry for some of my ancestral cuisine so I took to yelp to search out some local German fare. Metzger's it was. So this past Saturday the wife and I packed up and headed to Ann Arbor for what was sure to be a quality experience. I was blown away. First off, our waiter was phenomenal, pure blooded German who was super nice and helpful. Right away I told him I wanted the biggest dark German beer I could get my hands on. He warned me that it was the boot, and contained over 2 1/2 liters of Germany's finest. GREAT! I ordered it. Das boot, full of Warsteiner dark. We also ordered the wurst sampler which was friggin delicious and the kaesespaetzle which was a real treat. The wurst sampler was served with bratwurst and mettwurst, 3 choices of mustard, and warm fresh pumpernickel bread. For our main courses I ordered the sauerbraten and my wife got the vienna chicken. We were both very pleased. For sides I had the beet salad and the red cabbage, and she had the German potato salad and the potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. Best potato pancakes I've ever tasted. We also ordered the carrot cake to go, it was up there with the best I ever tasted as well. By the time I was 3/4 of the way through das boot, I was chatting up our waiter, stumbling around admiring all of the awesome decor, wanting to buy this sweet stein..etc. Here is a fair warning. If you order the boot, just prepare yourself for complete and total obliteration. It was FANTASTIC! I most certainly will be back, sooner than later, for sure. This is my new favorite place and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars but what are you gonna do you know? If you've never experienced authentic German fare treat yourself to an evening out at Metzger's and you won't leave disappointed. Especially if das boot has anything to say about it. Oh BTW, there is NOTHING remotely close to this place in Frankenmuth. This is as real as it gets. Thank you Metzger's for the great time, and this awesome new avatar photo!
(5)
William B.
The first time I had the privilege of eating at Mezger's, they were serving rouladen for their daily special. What a treat! I dare say, their rouladen was tastier than my German grandmothers-no small feat since she was the best cook I've ever known! The service was superb, and has been on every subsequent occasion I've dined there. Attentive server offered extra rouladen sauce, as well as keeping us well stocked on their delicious, warm, pumpernickel bread. I went in for lunch recently and tried their German-style goulash served over buttered egg noodles-I fell in love with the place all over again! I always get their sauerkraut as a side-it tastes almost exactly like the barrel-aged stuff my grandmother made when I was a child. One previous reviewers assessment that the atmosphere transports you to Bavaria is spot on. Within minutes, I forget that I'm in dreary old Michigan, just off of highway I-94. The thing that I love most though about Metzger's, is their expansive menu, which will afford me opportunities to keep trying new things for many visits to come!
(5)
Mae S.
If you like things that never change, try Metzger's. Well, ok, they moved from downtown to a strip mall. But the new atmosphere is a lot like Ann Arbor downtown before it became a destination for young professionals from Toledo and Plymouth or wherever they come from. On weekends, Metzger's can still be crowded, too, just like when it was one of very few downtown restaurants. Above all, the food is really just like it's always been for several generations -- before any of the customers or even the unchanging staff were born, when they probably bought all those beer steins on the walls. SO...if you are a fan of fried liver and onions, you'll find it here. Also potato pancakes with apple sauce, German potato salad, sauerbraten, lightly breaded cutlets of various kinds, and rye bread. I was delighted to learn recently that at lunch there's an option for just ordering a selection of side dishes. Swabia, before World War I, was the source of a tight-knit community that came here and maintained customs, language, and religion for several generations. Metzger's is the last visible remnant of that community. Once I was in that part of Germany. Our German hosts told us we were going to try something unique, that we had never had before. I didn't say anything, but the unique item has been on Metzger's menu from Day I. Frankly, I'm glad there are a lot more choices than we used to have.
(3)
Marc W.
Metzger's is okay. I used to go here about once a month and usually had an enjoyable meal but something started bugging me. After trying many of their menu items I got the feeling they were assembled cafeteria style. I guess I'm expecting more out of a moderately priced restaurant.
(3)
Bjorn G.
Metzger's used to be one of three German restaurants in downtown. I could walk there from home. Now it's out on the western fringe of town, on Zeeb Road. It's still well worth going there. They have a lot of good traditional items on the menu. Their specialty is the sauerbraten, and it just can't be beat. Get it with the red cabbage and German fried potatoes.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Tricia K.
My godmother is an amazing German cook who makes the best wienerschitzel. That being said, my exposure to German food is rather limited. Be warned, the portions here are huge! You will not leave hungry! Metzger's wienerschitzel was quite good, but did not surpass that of my godmother's. The red cabbage and saurkraut were really amazing though and I highly recommend getting those two sides. We also ordered knackwurst, which is my favorite German sausage. Two of the biggest sausages on a platter were brought with a heaping pile of sauerkraut and spatzle with gravy. I really prefer my knackwurst to be warmed in beer which adds a special malty flavor to it but Metzger's does not do that. Overall, solid German food and you can't go wrong with bringing family or out of town guests here.
(3)Kevin W.
Top notch. We tried a little of everything. Had jagerschnitzel, spaetzel, red cabbage, potatoe pancakes, lake perch. Also tried a decent pilsner and the gluwein. Good sized servings of everything. the devil is in the details and Metzger's nails the details. Will be back whenever passing through Ann Arbor.
(4)Claire H.
Great atmosphere and service. You have to try the brat combo and French dip - amazing!!
(4)Robert R.
I had just returned from 9 days in Germany and talked my family into trying some German food. This place gives a nice try but misses by a mile. Deep fried mashed potatos are not potato pancakes! And canned gravy over lunch meat is not saurbraten. I could have forgiven the food but the idiot that waited on us couldn't get the order right for 4 people. This place is not cheap either! The next time I am in the mood for fake German food I will just make the trip to Frankenmuth.
(2)Terrell O.
Went here based in positive reviews and left disappointed. The spatzle was not very good and I didn't like the potato salad at all. I ordered the pork shank (schweinshaxe) and was surprised to see that it appeared to have been boiled...the skin was soggy and not at all crispy like it should have been. I am surprised to see positive reviews from people that have spent time in Germany. I thought the food was terrible.
(1)Katie C.
First off, the food was excellent. I had the spinach salad with sirloin strips (rare) and bacon dressing, Steak was cooked perfectly and the dressing was hot and homemade. My boyfriend had the meat patties which he said was like good meatloaf, his sides were a salad- mixed greens and lots of veggies with a nice chunky blue cheese dressing- and mashed potatoes. I had a bite of his potatoes and they were great, and the portion is huge, two big scoops that he had to ask for more gravy for! The reason I'm only giving two stars is the service we had. It was an average Wednesday evening at 7:15, and the restaurant started out about half full and was nearly empty by the time we left an hour and a half later. We could not understand why everything, from getting our order in, to getting a coke refilled, to getting the check took an unnatural pace to happen. The last time I had service this slow was when we accidentally showed up to Weber's at 7:00 on the Saturday of graduation weekend. Unfortunately because of this, it is unlikely we will visit Metzger's again.
(2)Bryan H.
I love this place. I lived in Germany when I was younger and I have to say the food was spot on and great decor inside made me feel like I was in Germany again. I'm not from the area but try to stop in whenever I'm in town.
(5)Heather J.
A Spanish princess drove her minders mad at the Chicago World's Fair because she kept sneaking out of official engagements to hang out at the German tent. They found her downing steins of tasty brews instead of tiny coffee cups, and dining on piles of sausage and kraut rather than teeny tapas and oranges. Clearly she was on to something about a filling meal, and less noble souls can feast like a prince(ss) at Metzgers of Ann Arbor. With ninety years under belt, Metzgers has their menu fine-tuned to feature the age-old favourite pairings of beer thick enough to cut and butter with dark, slightly coarse breads fresh from the vat... err, oven. Ales run from light, fruity lagers like Schneider Weiss for the child at heart through dark and hearty concoctions that'll put meat on your bones. My beau had a dark warsteiner in a half-liter stein that I sipped at and found especially tolerable, with no sharp and hoppy aftertaste. Beer flights are available to sample a spectrum of light to dark German beers, one of the best values not on the menu. My expensive palate spurns beers save the most eclectic so I gauge the warsteiner to be very good. More importantly, they serve spiced gleuwine (glowwine), a lush, rich red that is a staple of German Christmas markets. Gleuwine is essential for maintaining warmth in numbed extremities while standing outside in an alpine blast as Mom wanders from stall to stall, cooing over wooden puppets and tiny clogs produced by gnomes. Food draws from old standbys like sauerbraten, veal bavarian, and cottage schnitzel to assuage Old World appetites. You'll find none of the Spanish penchant for serving entrees on silver dollar-sized plates just large enough to accommodate a sprig of parsley and a single anorexic sausage or a tablespoon of spatzen. Portions range on the healthy Bavarian dairy-maid side, although never to excess. The Yelp! International Dinner Club ordered a variety of side dishes, and they were German Goldilocks size -- just right. My beau savoured his heavily cinnamon-spiced applesauce and I inhaled the delectable cucumber salad done up German style, fit for a queen. Potato pancakes were relished all around our linked banqueting table and smelled delicious. For groups, the Haus or Bavarian platters are ample enough for two -- two families, two groups or two small villages. Impressive stout sausages languished atop alpine slopes of potato salad and red cabbage like great, placid dragons. The tureens of horseradish, spicy mustard, and some other savory concoction allows you to enjoy the mellow, smoky flavour or breathe fire upon your fellow diners. Mettwurst and Knockwurst received good reviews and I enjoyed the slice I got to share. (Thank you, fellow generous Yelpers!) I sampled the Jager sauce which was peculiarly fruity thanks to roasted peppers and tomatoes. The wine base pops through without overwhelming the vegetables. I recommend using a small dish for dredging the addictive brown bread, for a flavourful side dish. While being pickier than a Habsburg eyeing up potential brides, I ended up selecting the spatzle primavera with shrimp that were clearly East German bodybuilders in the prawn-weight category. My strategy to remain healthy were met rather well. The light butter-wine sauce spritzed with lemon was swirled over the buttery, springy spatzle (plump egg noodles rolled into squishy curls) and fat chunks of tomato, snap peas, and peppers. It was too much for me to finish in no small part due to the uber-shrimp lifting spatzle to my ready mouth. Those suckers were huge and tasty. A visit to Metzgers takes a clever strategy to leave room for German desserts, and a logistical approach to balance the lure of the Grand Traverse Pie Company (pie!). In this case, share a bread pudding or a torte with your loved ones... or maybe not, if you think you'll be fighting over the raisin-studded, quivering bread melange drizzled in vanilla sauce. I spent a few minutes talking and turned back to an empty plate (!), though not after getting a few spoonfuls in myself. I finished off the night with a buy one entree, get the second for 50% off coupon to add that special touch of savings atop a splendid night, thanks to my delightful company and hearty food. There are few details about what the Spanish minders did upon discovering their wayward princess, but chances are they led her back to her suite like a sleepy, content cat. German diplomacy at its finest!
(4)Heather H.
My favorite place to go when I'm on the west side of A2. I grew up eating traditional meat and potato dinners every day at my grandma's house. When I walked into Metzger's for the first time it finally dawned on me that all those meals were very german influenced. I love the saurbraten and kraut. Every time I go I mean to try something else but I can't resist the vinegary goodness! As a side note, my husband doesn't really care for german food. He still likes to go since they have great salads and an especially good burger served on a pretzel roll.
(5)Phaedra Y.
Went to Metzger a couple of weeks ago. Tried their sauerbraten special -- not too special after all. Poor plate presentation --- the beef was too acidic .. sauce mediocre. my boyfriend ordered the meatloaf - he definitely tasted better. Tried the spatzen that people were raving about - basically tasted bland. I ordered the spiced wine .. that seemed to be the only good thing about this place. My bf ordered brandy and coffee with whipped cream. tasted horrible! he couldn't even finished it and wasted $6.50. Overall, the service was good. I would not come back but glad I tried it
(2)Carolyn C.
The potato pancakes are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.
(5)Liz W.
Metzger's is a delight. Fantastic food, plenty of good drink and a nice atmosphere. The only downside was the hit and miss service, otherwise this would likely be a five star review. We will go back and hopefully next time it will be. Being newbies we ordered the haus platter for two for experimentation purposes. It comes with a choice of soup or a salad. We decided to try the cheesy chicken tortellini soup and the creamy garlic dressing on a salad. The soup was amazing, big chunks of chicken, red peppers and perfectly cooked tortellini in a smooth brothy type cheese sauce. The salad was mixed greens (yay for frisee) with ideally thin sliced onion, dark and light rye croutons and a garlic dressing with dill. Both were winners. We were slightly annoyed that every table other than ours got bread. We did not need it at all but it still made us feel odd. Our drinks also never got refilled. Yes we still had water glasses but does that mean we cannot have more pop or tea? I hate having to ask, not that our waitress was around to ask at any rate. Empty glasses should be an indication someone needs more drink though. Soon enough a huge platter arrived. Heaped with potato salad, spatzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut. On either side was a half a piece of lemon topped schnitzel and on top were fat links of mettwurst, bratwurst and knackwurst. On the side was a dark and a light mustard and some excellent horseradish. We were totally intimidated but dove in bravely. The mild knackwurst was enjoyed, the familiar bratwurst and the mettwurst were utter happiness. The schnitzel was very well done but a bit lost in our sausage bliss. The mustards were lovely additions and I always appreciate a bit of horseradish. The spatzle is nicely done here with a bit of gravy, the sauerkraut has good snap to it but we both liked the red cabbage and the potato salad best. Just perfect renditions. We had to take a ton home. This did not concern us in the least. Happy reheats and bonus points to the waitress (at last) for getting us containers to pack up mustards and horseradish too. We also got a box for some carrot cake for two, a real treat I must say. We did not have a single bite we did not truly adore. We can't wait to go back for rouladen, sauerbraten, potato pancakes and strudel next time. Be sure to come for a birthday, get your meal free with the purchase of another plus they throw in a free dessert! Yum!
(4)Denise K.
Went here yesterday with my family. Prices went up a lot. Found a very long hair in my spaetzle. Spoke with someone else who goes there. Same thing happened to both of them. Waitress tried to downplay this but this is problem they need to address. Won't ever go back. Not worth the price.
(1)Allen L.
Metzger's has been so consistently good for decades that I never think about writing a review for it. I go here frequently for both lunch and dinner. It's somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me. This is not light food. :) Some favorites: - Steinhager Martini - any of the different schnitzel - sausage - spatzen - beer (Warsteiner, Franziskaner) Always good service. Always super friendly with the owner(s) frequently greeting you.
(5)Robert B.
I have now eaten here multiple times and the food is just consistently very good and really good specials rotating on the weekly menu. The last two weeks finds braised rabbit on the menu which sells out and I was lucky enough to get some today. Definitely a cut above average and local ingredients to boot.
(4)Kelli P.
Most German restaurants weird me out due to their overzealous approach of trying to capture "Bavarian culture". Just because you see a man in lederhosen does not mean the food will be authentic. In fact, it would be in your favor to run in the other direction if you are waited on by an American who calls himself "Gunther" between the hours of nine and five and is donning Bavarian garb. Metzger's is a no-nonsense German restaurant with friendly waitstaff, somewhat classic decor (I could see how this might be debatable), and downright delicious food. For vegetarians, käsespätzle, potato pancakes, beet salad, and sauerkraut are all safe choices. Schnitzel is a classic entree for the carnivorous type. The bread pudding is a tasty way to wrap up your meal. If you're looking for a touristy German restaurant where people pose with giant cuckoo clocks and snap pictures in their cut-off blue jeans, head north. For a more authentic approach to German cuisine, visit Metzger's.
(5)Barbi P.
I do not like German food. It makes me wanna puke a little. So this review is based on the 3 things I can tell you. 1.) My parents and grandfather love this place. They are big German food fans and this is where they go. They tell me it is authentic and very good. I will take their word. 2.) My chicken Caesar salad was pretty good. The dressing was great and the chicken was really moist. 3.) My Manhattan was really big, really strong and I felt really fuzzy by the time we left. Mmmm.
(4)Kristen M.
I may be a slightly biased reviewer but Metzger's is awesome. I have had ample opportunity to sample the menu and these are my favorite items: -Tornadoes: usually a weekend special, beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and served with au jus for dipping -Mettwurst: flavorful German sausage -Fish specials: always unique and tasty -French onion soup: cheesy, salty and delicious -Fries: crispy and well seasoned -Chocolate cherry torte: a very rich, flourless chocolate cake w/ rasbperry sauce Also, Metzger's is very kid friendly. I used to take all the kids i babysat there and they loved it. It's also fun to go with a group of friends and share a boot of beer! You won't find anything else like it in Ann Arbor.
(5)Ally K.
My parents and I decided to have dinner here for my mom's early birthday dinner (Her actual birthday is St. Patty's Day) and seeing as I've had this place on a list of restaurants to try for a while, I was looking forward to it. Ordering was easy, as we love sausage. My mom and I got the Wurst Platte to split, minus the sauerkraut which we replaced with potato pancakes. My dad got a weekly special, which was a pork sausage. The Wurst Platte was quite good. The mettwurst was great, and the knackwurst was mild, but became better when paired with the dijon mustard (you also get a sweet mustard and horseradish, both of which are really tasty). My mom wasn't a huge fan of the bratwurst, and I thought it was just alright. I'm really happy that we got the potato pancakes, which are crispy, thick, and great with the applesauce and sour cream! The spaetzle was pretty much just filler, but it was nice to have, sort of like how it's nice to have mashed potatoes with a good roast. My dad liked his pork sausage, which I got to try. I actually kind of wish I had gotten these because they were nicely spiced. Okay, now that I've got the savory stuff covered, it's time to focus on my favorite part of every meal: Dessert! This is where Metzger's really won our hearts. We got the carrot cake, apple strudel, and bread pudding. I'll just start off by saying that the carrot cake is the best that I've ever had. Seriously, it may have been for two, but I was perfectly willing to eat both pieces. The cream cheese frosting was delicious and plentiful, and the cake itself was moist and loaded with shredded carrots and nuts. I gave the other half to my parents, and they agreed with me. The apple strudel went to my mom (but I got a bite), and she was happy to report that it was fantastic. The bread pudding with vanilla sauce that my dad got was good, although it could have been a little warmer. All in all, this was a good and hearty meal. I would come back here again, especially for the dessert.
(4)Jeroen V.
Growing up in Europe, Schnitzel was one of my favorite things to eat so I was very excited to find this on the menu at Metzger's. I ordered the Zigeuner Schnitzel and it was really bland and badly seasoned. There was nothing about this dish that reminded me of the Schnitzels I ate "back home". I cannot judge the rest of the menu, but I was very underwhelmed with this specific dish and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that has ever had a Schnitzel in Germany or Austria.
(2)Greta D.
Very friendly staff and cute decor. Food was good and came out much faster than expected. Beer and cobbler was the best part. Just kind of high priced. A once in a while place.
(3)Eric P.
Metzger's is my favorite German restaurant in Metro-Detroit. When my fellow alums came in from out of town we all agreed that Metzgers was a rare treat we needed to revisit. And until last week, I had forgotten how good Metzger's food tastes. The quality is still there. The schnitzel, the sausages, the potato pancakes, the spatzen, the sauerkraut, and everthing I've eaten here has been amazingly delicious. The menu is expansive and will cater to all tastes, although I wouldn't order Perch or a Steak here. You can get that anywhere. Go for the specialty items. Entrees run about $16ish and come with two sides. There's so many good sides, but you really have to try the potato pancakes with sourcream and apple sauce. They're really unhealthy but so delicious. On my latest visit I planned on ordering the Weiner Schnitzel but they ran out of it so I went with the Jager Schnitzel (breaded and fried pork served with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a wine-based "Jager" sauce. I'm not quite sure what was in the sauce but it sure was tasty. The wait was a bit long for a table (usually a good sign), but once we were seated we received excellent service. The decor is great, wooden tables, German memoribilia, I really feel like I'm in an authentic German restaurant. I wouldn't change a thing about Metzger's, its practically perfect! Except for maybe moving the location closer to my house so I could go more often.
(5)Jorge C.
Metzger's is an Ann Arbor staple! You cannot get better sausage and German food anywhere in Ann Arbor. My favorites are the Metwurst, potato pancakes and cucumber salad. They also have beers straight from Germany constantly rotating in their draft selection
(5)Colleen Z.
We just arrived home after another great dinner at Metzgers. We love this place so much for so many reasons. First, if you want a low calorie, jumping, high energy restaurant Metzgers is not the place for you. Many patrons are older and the decor is.....well.....homey. But the food, the food. Nothing can be better than the sauerbrauten and weiner schnitzel with warm dark rye bread on a Friday night. Add spaetzle and red cabbage and your life will be complete. Well, not until the carrot cake for two is delivered. Trust me, it may be for two but you will have leftover cake for the next three days. Well worth the price. John, the owner, and the wait staff make sure you are always happy. You can not miss with a evening at Metzgers.
(5)Tom S.
Something Very good has been happening here lately. I grew up going to Metzgers and it was always pretty good, then they moved out to Zeeb road and while still Ok it seemed like I had a series of very mediocre meals there spanning 5-6 years. We took a fairly long hiatus and went back sometime in the late fall of 2010. What a surprise ! the first time back the meal was top notch across the board and we left happy thinking it we probably just got lucky. We went back again a couple of weeks later and the meal was even better. Since October we have been back maybe 5 times and it's always packed and it's always excellent. I wonder if they have gotten a new chef or kitchen manager? Some personal favorites are. Warsteiner on tap Kassler Rippchen Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen)
(4)K F.
Amazing Potato Pancakes! Louder environment - but it's of positive energy.
(4)Jesse W.
I would give this place 2.5 stars if I could, but "Meh, I've experienced better" pretty much sums it up. First off, the service and ambience were fine--very friendly and lots of coats of arms to ogle. But I'm biased towards the food. I should start by saying that because of my Swiss grandmother (from a Germanic area, linguistically and culinarily), a lot of these foods were familiar to me. I was actually planning on taking her here when she came to visit. But after going for the first time, I don't think that I could. We ordered the Haus platter for two. The wursts were fine--not fantastic, but fine. The weiner schnitzel was pretty good. However, the potato salad, kraut, and red cabbage swung wildly between sickening sweet (red cabbage) and salty (potato salad and kraut). I'm not sure if they claim to make their own kraut, but it tasted canned. The red cabbage was cooked to mush. If I hadn't experienced these foods growing up, I would think that I just don't like German food. But I know it can be prepared much better than this. Finally, the all important mustard selection fell flat. The spicy mustard, if it ever had a kick, had lost it, and the horseradish was stale (sour but with no kick). For a place that was rated with 4.5 stars, I expected better.
(2)David M.
My least favorite thing about Metzger's is the fact that it's in a strip mall, and I've never known strip mall restaurants to be good. Thanks for the cognitive dissonance, Metzger's. If you're paying attention, my last review was on the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. Some of the food was pretty good, but it was overall way too kitschy and pricey to justify the trip. Metzger's is the opposite. The interior is nice, active but not too loud, and dark but not gloomy. My parents took my girlfriend and I there for dinner, so cost wasn't an issue (thanks folks!) but even if it were, Metzger's has pretty reasonable prices. Most things here are under $20, and come with two sides. I had the sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel (trying not to laugh) and both were very good; the sauerbraten was the second best I've ever had. Considering I've only had it three times, that may not be saying much, but it was still quite good. The spatzle and red cabbage on the side were great, especially the spatzle, which has the perfect texture to it. I tried a potato pancake as well, which was ok but a little too thick. Also didn't order but tried the rouladen, and that was probably the best thing on the menu. Ah, buyer's remorse... If you're looking for German food in the area, you can't go wrong here. Next on my list to try is the Heidelberg, but reading the reviews, it seems like I'll probably be disappointed and calling Metzger's to make another reservation (which they only do for groups of 5 or more, btw).
(5)L K.
This place specializes in serving bullshit that is way overpriced and people who say this place is great had been raised on cow dungs. Forgive me, but I think real German people have better taste than this, you know, the ones who keep it real.
(1)Diane L.
My husband and I went here during restaurant week. Dinner is served all day on Sunday, and we dined around 1pm so we ended up with a huge lunch! So for $25 each we got a cheese plate, soup, an entree with a side and a full size dessert. We seriously rolled ourselves home after taking away half of our food. I had the cottage schnitzel with spatzle and bread pudding with vanilla sauce. My husband had the pretzel crusted fish with mustard sauce and beet salad and he also had the bread pudding for dessert. Everything had excellent flavor, was well seasoned and was not greasy. My husband has traveled around Germany and he thought the food and the ambiance was very homey and authentic. The service was very good and I would go back again. They also have a nice patio area that I think would be great on a sunnier day. I'm so glad Ann Arbor has restaurant week, it's a great event.
(5)Cean W.
Excellent potato pancakes and cucumber salad. Even though the name of the entree is a bit racist ("Zigeuner"? Lol), it was delicious. I eat here every time I travel to Ann Arbor.
(5)Katherine E.
Took my dad here for Father's Day dinner. Service was excellent : friendly, efficient, and helpful. I had the Schnitzel with the mushroom sauce with spatzle. Delicious! My fiance had the fried chicken with potato pancakes. He was unusually quiet through the meal because he was so busy stuffing his face. My dad got the weinerschnitzel with potato salad and was very happy. Desserts were good, too. We shared the bread pudding, apple streudel, and chocolate cherry torte. Portions are generous and prices are fair.
(5)Mei O.
The schnitzel was yummy. The spaetzel was yummy. The beer was yummy. Basically everyone at the table was happy with what they ordered, wanted to keep eating, but knew their stomach would explode a la Monty Python if they did. We love Metzger's.
(4)Flinch B.
This is a nice german restaurant skipping most of the standard-issue kitsch. I went there on a business trip and grabbed a table in the bar area. That I was sitting alone didn't stop the people near me from chatting me up which I appreciated. Certainly, there is a nice core of regulars at Metzger's that rally help the vibe. The Wienerschnitzel I ordered was a very good effort. The Spaetzle and Red Cabbage sides were also very respectable sides. They also had a nice, diverse selection of desserts including several that were not German. I skipped the dessert but if the main meal was any indication, I'm sure these would have been tasty as well. It may be a while before I return to Ann Arbor but when I do, I'll try to make it a point to visit Metzger's to explore other items on their menu.
(4)David S.
Metzger's targets the "mature" market. There's nothing wrong with that -- and it's sort of expected, considering it serves German fare and is on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. While the students and young professionals dine on burgers, italian food, and up-and-coming cuisines in downtown Ann Arbor, the older crowd has found a gem in Metzger's (I'd say the average age when I went was about 50). Metzger's offers a wide variety of authentic German food and beer. A plate of brats, spatzen, and sauerkraut will run you upwards of $20, and German beers are $5-$6 each. It's darn tasty though, and they give you a heaping amount. I like the variety of mustards on the table, and ordered the "variety platter" of wursts -- they were all tasty, and when they came I wish I could remember what the differences between them were (I like the "whitest" one the most, though!). Service was great, and the free, fresh-baked bread was addicting. Without accounting for price, I'd give the food 4*, and the beer selection 5*. Had to knock the overall rating down to 3*, however, because sausage can't be THAT expensive to make - especially when you're out on Zeeb Road and rent is half as much as in downtown A2.
(3)Steven L.
I don't usually indulge myself in places like this. It is not for important people like me. But I had to wine and dine some Germans for a business matter. The so-called foodies of Yelp told me that this is a great place. The Germans thought the food was supposed to be an insult. I almost lost the account, but luckily they did not judge me by this, and I was able to put them in their place. From now on, no more ethnic restaurants and I will stop listening to the uneducated bums on Yelp. It recieved 3 stars because the server did not cut us off, so I could get the clients drunk.
(3)Shannon N.
Yummy! Love the red cabbage!
(4)Eric K.
Excellent food. We tried four different dishes and every element of each dish was delicious. I haven't had this experience yet while living in Ann Arbor and I've been living here for six years now. The food was superb, service excellent/friendly, and it came out quick. I encourage everyone to give this place a try. The lunch is an especially good value.
(5)A. G. U.
if you like german food, this is definitely the place! They were great when they were in Ann Arbor, and still have the same excellent food at their new location - although the ambience is not what it used to be when they were in downtown Ann Arbor.
(4)mike w.
I mean any place that serves Warsteiner light in a boot, (yea, a glass boot!), get's 3 stars automatically. 1up for having good food as well. A bit pricey, but I have never been disappointed.
(4)katie W.
Every time my parents are in town, this is the place they want to go. It's always great. The spatzle, and potato salad are amazing. Any of the wursts and traditional German dinners are great too.
(5)Dee T.
This restaurant used to be located in downtown Ann Arbor, but relocated a few years ago to a strip mall just off of I-94. We hadn't tried it out since the move, so we were eager to give the new space a try. The restaurant was packed on a Sunday night which made for a convivial vibe. The bar is fantastic, with lots of wood, ample seating, and tons of German antiques and memorabilia. The beer selection, of course, was impressive and heavily favored German brews. The bartenders and our server were friendly and efficient. This would be a great place to come with family (as many diners were, for Sunday supper apparently) or for a casual meal with friends...it's too bad we don't live anywhere nearby. We were given a basket of pumpernickel bread to start; the bread was dense and warm and perfect with a smattering of butter. Our meals included the weiner schnitzel and chicken Vienna. The food is delicious - heavy and hearty, as German food should be. The side dishes are absolutely necessary to cut into the denseness; each entree comes with a choice of two sides, such as potato pancakes, spatzle, hot German potato salad, and beets. I loved my red kraut, hubby loved his sauerkraut, and we both stuffed ourselves full of spatzle. It was quite impossible to pursue dessert after our meal. I hope we'll get a chance to go back again someday. It was a pleasurable experience all around.
(5)Jill C.
My husband and I came for our wedding anniversary lunch. The description online sounded good , so we thought we would give it a try. It wasn't busy, but the median age of the patrons there was somewhere north of sixty. We were seated quickly and, throughout the meal the service was good. That is the best thing I can say about the place. I ordered the house specialty, the Sauerbraten with red cabbage and vegetable of the day(snow peas). My hubby ordered the sirloin steak with rice pilaf and snow peas. The bread arrived and it was warm and so incredibly chewy that I found it hard to eat. I'm glad our server gave us lots of water to drink so I could wash it down. Our dinners arrived soon after. My Sauerbraten was best described as meh. The meat was tender, but thin, and the gravy was overwhelmingly vinegary. I know the first part of the name of the dish means sour in German, but that was waaaay too much. The meat was gray and looked more like slightly thick lunchmeat. The red cabbage was also a little to sour for me. The snow peas were ok, they should have snipped the little ends off of them, though. My Husband's steak was overcooked(he ordered it medium rare and it came out medium well). The rice was dry, dry, dry. The "sauce" that came with it(beef broth)couldn't do anything for it. I would say the best thing about the meal was the pie we had at the Grand Traverse Pie Company three doors down. Probably won't go back.
(2)Amy B.
Being of German descent, I have high standards when it comes to schnitzel, spaetzel, and sauerbraten. Metzger's did more than meet my expectations, they exceeded them. One of my favorite things on Metzger's menu is the rouladen, which they only serve during the weekend. I recommend trying it at least once. Be warned, if you go during dinner on the weekends there will be a wait, but I think a 20-25 wait is a small price to pay for yummy German food!
(4)Jeff M.
Good food but good luck getting a drink from the bartenders. They're too busy flirting with the customers.
(3)ryan k.
So I was watching a recent episode of Andrew Zimmern and he was in Germany. Watching the episode got me hungry for some of my ancestral cuisine so I took to yelp to search out some local German fare. Metzger's it was. So this past Saturday the wife and I packed up and headed to Ann Arbor for what was sure to be a quality experience. I was blown away. First off, our waiter was phenomenal, pure blooded German who was super nice and helpful. Right away I told him I wanted the biggest dark German beer I could get my hands on. He warned me that it was the boot, and contained over 2 1/2 liters of Germany's finest. GREAT! I ordered it. Das boot, full of Warsteiner dark. We also ordered the wurst sampler which was friggin delicious and the kaesespaetzle which was a real treat. The wurst sampler was served with bratwurst and mettwurst, 3 choices of mustard, and warm fresh pumpernickel bread. For our main courses I ordered the sauerbraten and my wife got the vienna chicken. We were both very pleased. For sides I had the beet salad and the red cabbage, and she had the German potato salad and the potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. Best potato pancakes I've ever tasted. We also ordered the carrot cake to go, it was up there with the best I ever tasted as well. By the time I was 3/4 of the way through das boot, I was chatting up our waiter, stumbling around admiring all of the awesome decor, wanting to buy this sweet stein..etc. Here is a fair warning. If you order the boot, just prepare yourself for complete and total obliteration. It was FANTASTIC! I most certainly will be back, sooner than later, for sure. This is my new favorite place and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars but what are you gonna do you know? If you've never experienced authentic German fare treat yourself to an evening out at Metzger's and you won't leave disappointed. Especially if das boot has anything to say about it. Oh BTW, there is NOTHING remotely close to this place in Frankenmuth. This is as real as it gets. Thank you Metzger's for the great time, and this awesome new avatar photo!
(5)Kristina D.
I love Metzger's. I went to the restaurant when it was in downtown Ann Arbor, but then they moved to Zeeb Rd and it's still worth the drive. If you like traditional south German food, this is the place for you. They have a lot of traditional dishes. Love their wursts and the chicken livers. They also have a lot of good German beer on tap and huge boots to drink them from (think beerfest ;-) ). You don't find many traditional places like Metzger's very often. This year is their 80th anniversary and they are still going strong.
(4)William B.
The first time I had the privilege of eating at Mezger's, they were serving rouladen for their daily special. What a treat! I dare say, their rouladen was tastier than my German grandmothers-no small feat since she was the best cook I've ever known! The service was superb, and has been on every subsequent occasion I've dined there. Attentive server offered extra rouladen sauce, as well as keeping us well stocked on their delicious, warm, pumpernickel bread. I went in for lunch recently and tried their German-style goulash served over buttered egg noodles-I fell in love with the place all over again! I always get their sauerkraut as a side-it tastes almost exactly like the barrel-aged stuff my grandmother made when I was a child. One previous reviewers assessment that the atmosphere transports you to Bavaria is spot on. Within minutes, I forget that I'm in dreary old Michigan, just off of highway I-94. The thing that I love most though about Metzger's, is their expansive menu, which will afford me opportunities to keep trying new things for many visits to come!
(5)Mae S.
If you like things that never change, try Metzger's. Well, ok, they moved from downtown to a strip mall. But the new atmosphere is a lot like Ann Arbor downtown before it became a destination for young professionals from Toledo and Plymouth or wherever they come from. On weekends, Metzger's can still be crowded, too, just like when it was one of very few downtown restaurants. Above all, the food is really just like it's always been for several generations -- before any of the customers or even the unchanging staff were born, when they probably bought all those beer steins on the walls. SO...if you are a fan of fried liver and onions, you'll find it here. Also potato pancakes with apple sauce, German potato salad, sauerbraten, lightly breaded cutlets of various kinds, and rye bread. I was delighted to learn recently that at lunch there's an option for just ordering a selection of side dishes. Swabia, before World War I, was the source of a tight-knit community that came here and maintained customs, language, and religion for several generations. Metzger's is the last visible remnant of that community. Once I was in that part of Germany. Our German hosts told us we were going to try something unique, that we had never had before. I didn't say anything, but the unique item has been on Metzger's menu from Day I. Frankly, I'm glad there are a lot more choices than we used to have.
(3)Marc W.
Metzger's is okay. I used to go here about once a month and usually had an enjoyable meal but something started bugging me. After trying many of their menu items I got the feeling they were assembled cafeteria style. I guess I'm expecting more out of a moderately priced restaurant.
(3)Bjorn G.
Metzger's used to be one of three German restaurants in downtown. I could walk there from home. Now it's out on the western fringe of town, on Zeeb Road. It's still well worth going there. They have a lot of good traditional items on the menu. Their specialty is the sauerbraten, and it just can't be beat. Get it with the red cabbage and German fried potatoes.
(5)Evie B.
Service was excellent and food was cooked to perfection. Hubs had the rolled beef , as he did the last time, too. Tender beef w/ great sauce- very tasty. I had the pork cutlet special - tender thin cutlets of pork, perfectly fried and topped with a dreamy sis cheese sauce- red cabbage that was perfect and yummy potato pancakes. Had to take half of the meal home. My gripe- reaaaaaaaaaly pricy- yes, great quality, good portion, great service but $19 for each of those entrees- I could see $12-$14, but almost $20... I guess it's one way to keep people from going all the time and expanding their waist sizes because if I could, I would frequent here more often, but the$$ make it a special treat.
(4)Alix M.
I've been to a few German restaurants but I always go back to Metzgers! Love their schnitzel, spatzel and sauerkraut!
(5)Jaclyn B.
Metzger's rocks. Husband and I usually go here right after our massages. We grab a liter of beer each (usually the Hofbrau but occasionally we branch out), the price isnt bad at just under $10 each. We are all over the board with ordering and EVERYTHING has been great. We really love the variety of sausages- knackwurst, bratwurst, etc... The entrees come with delicious bread and cold butter. Our personal favorites for the sides are the beet salad, red cabbage, spatzel, and egg noodles. If you are in the area, give this place a try! It is fantastic!
(5)Lois M.
I love German food!! The potato pancakes are ok, but their rouladen, which unfortunately is only served either Fri-Sun or just weekends, is AMAZING!!!!!!! I love it(essentially it's a pickle wrapped in beef, wrapped in bacon, covered in tomato sauce)...portions are large and I always have leftovers. I tried the rabbit once...it was good...covered in gravy. Their sides are normally nothing to write home about. If you want good German comfort food and big portions, go eat at Metzgers.
(5)Lise G.
The German food is so amazingly delicious, here! My favorites are Sautéed Lake Perch or the Knackwurst. The sides are so hard to choose from and the selection of beers are a must. Waitstaff do a wonderful job and really know the menu. It's always a joy to come here.
(5)Tabitha M.
It's a German restaurant. It's not supposed to be trendy. Metzger's delivered. Good stick-to-your-ribs food at reasonable prices. Dark wood. Stained glass. Sausage and sauerkraut. Jawohl!
(4)Carter L.
A small business travelers paradise has been found! Booked a room at the new HiExp (excellent) and had dinner at Metzger's! I spent a month in Germany recently and my two dinners at Metzger's were BETTER than what I experienced in Germany!
(5)Susan S.
Metzger's has my absolute favorite German potato salad ever! At our last visit, they had just run out of my favorite main dish - the rouladen - so I opted for the fried chicken, which was perfectly prepared. My very German husband always gets the sausage plate - a trio of large portions that makes him very happy. I have several "people connections" to the Metzger family and restaurant, so I enjoy each visit for the memories it brings back.
(5)Carol G.
I love this place. The food is authentic and a lot of small items, such as salad dressing and applesauce, are made from scratch, probably in-house. These yummy details are not to be overlooked! You can just taste the difference in the quality of food here. The entrees and sides are delicious (schnitzel, spaetzle, potato pancakes, rouladen, kassler rippchen, cucumber salad, cabbage rolls, chicken vienna, are items we've tried). Staff is always friendly, welcoming and efficient. We come here about once every 1-2 months. The place is decorated with steins along the wall and decor is simple and clean. If you're in the mood for German food, I absolutely recommend this over the other German Restaurant that is in downtown Ann Arbor (The Heidelberg)...
(5)Caro H.
Loved this place since I was a kid in downtown Ann Arbor. Try some German food it's delicious!
(5)Gary V.
Excellent German food just like what I had in Fulda Hessen Germany. The restaurant is done up in a very nice German decor. The wait staff made us feel at home. The carrot cake for two is too die for.... Worth the trip.
(5)Richard A.
Metzger's goes flat. Have eaten there before and was quite good, yesterday was a much different story. Way below average food, tiny portions, high prices, below average service. I had the lunch special cabbage rolls, one small roll with cardboard like potato pancakes for $10.49; my guest had weiner schnitzel, one tiny cutlet fried to death for $9.99. Left broke and hungry. Stay away.
(2)William B.
My family is German, and my better half's family is German, been to the Father Land dozens of times. And I worship German beer. So when in the area this place is a must. Unfortunately in LA, we have very few good German places, but Metzger's is one of those great places I wish was in SoCal. Went on Sunday the 8th for lunch, we were greeted at the entrance from a wonderful nice hostess and we were seated immediately with warmth and personality. Our server came over promptly and set us up with bread and took our drink order, and moments later our giant German beers were in front of us, "Zum Wohl" The place wasn't packed, but full, and its decor is pleasant, not overly done but standard for a German style place. The old location was much darker and way more fitting, but hey it still works. Very clean, and all the service was perfect and friendly. I had the Rouladen, red cabbage and fried potatoes, (just writing this is making my mouth water) The Rouladen was delicious, and cooked to perfection. I nibbled on many of my guests plates as well and the spatzle was good also, as was the cold salad, pickled meats with cheese, name escapes me, but very good. And of course the beers were flowing. I must admit everything was terrific, and the service was top notch!
(4)Brian G.
I don't know how better to sum it up than - meh! Maybe I am being generous w 3 stars. I had a roast pork special (roast pork here like roast beef from Arby's - you only know what it is because they tell you). The special green bean side was just green beans from Kroger served Luke warm. I was still hungry so against my better judgement took the bread pudding. My waitress (very friendly) warned me that it was hot. If only that was true - everything Luke warm and bland. Wine prices seem good but the pour very light :( After writing changing my rating to 2 stars. First and last at Metzgers. Speedy service of the check - comes before dessert is served!
(2)Alexandra K.
This place is mega kitsch and serves up that hearty and heavy German food most Americans love so much. People like it more than the Heidelberg and I have to say, their carrot cake (yeah not super authentic, eh?) is one of the best I've ever had. As for the food, I'd stick to the chicken or sauerbraten and leave the rest be. Entrees -German Sauerbraten (slow roasted beef marinated in wine, vinegar, and spices): the meat is extremely tender and the sauce is of course what makes this so juicy and wonderful. The sauce is not necessarily on the creamy side, although it does taste like a creamy wine sauce. -Jäger Chicken (chicken breast, pan fried and topped with provolone cheese and Jäger sauce): this is absolutely phenomenal. The lightly fried chicken is extremely tender and the Jäger sauce is deliciously creamy and somewhat spicy with fresh vegetables (peppers and mushrooms). The provolone is what makes the dish even creamier and is what keeps it milder. -Spatzen (Spätzle): this is either hit or miss. Sometimes the spätzle lacks in cheese, and sometimes it's just the perfect mix (although it shouldn't taste like creamy mac'n'cheese because that is not what it is). The noodles are nicely made and I prefer just the side order of this as opposed to the spätzle with mushrooms and sauerkraut as these added toppings take away from the taste. Desserts -Apple Strudel: not worth it. It looks like baklava actually and doesn't taste like your normal strudel. It's flaky like a croissant instead of buttery and creamy the way my Oma used to make it. -Carrot Cake: one of the best I've ever eaten. They give you a humongous portion of the moist, richly-flavored cake with perfect sections of cream cheese frosting. It's decadent and to be shared (or not) FINAL VERDICT: A restaurant in a strip mall isn't my favorite atmosphere but when in need of a German fix, what can you do? The usual crowd is a bit older, but once you've packed in a few beers you won't even notice. Come hungry.
(3)Amanda Z.
The Haus Platter for Two is a great way to share a meal and experience a variety of German cuisine, plus have a to go box for lunch tomorrow. The atmosphere is quaint and there is so much to look at while waiting for your meal. The bartender (who is a German teacher) was extremely helpful in our entree selection.
(4)MaryLiz S.
I don't go here for the food. I've had better. (My mother-in-law is German, and makes all the traditional German fare.) But know that it's consistently OK. Because it's German food, there's not much here for a vegetarian, or even someone who likes a lot of vegetables, for that matter. You *can* get a Caesar salad topped with grilled salmon, but that's not what they're known for. I go here when there's a big frat gathering for my father-in-law's buddies. UofM alumni gather from all over, and spend a weekend or even a week visiting each other, and invariably there is a big dinner here to meet & greet. This place has a great atmosphere for that kind of party. I have had many fabulous evenings at Metzger's. One of our friends says he has to get back to Metzger's for "more German health food" every now and then. Herb, you're so funny!
(4)Hubert S.
I adore pigs knuckles (Schwein Haxe) and theirs are very, very good. Maybe better that Dusseldorf or Munchen! Big party and we were well taken care of and fed. Highly recommended. One odd note: I am a Nationally Ranked Beer Judge and so my smeller is fairly good. Some dishes (plates) came out reeking of disinfectant. This can happen when they overdose their washing machinery. The owner was adamant that I was incorrect albeit very cordial. It happens to the best of places and I always sniff my wine glass to see if it's a stinker--about 5% of the time it is.
(4)Joseph K.
German food is hard to get wrong, at least in my opinion. But so many places seem to fail at providing the right experience. Metzgers gets it so, so, so right! The room is cozy and very well appointed. Lots of family crests, soft lighting, gentle polka music, and warm wood tones. The service is prompt, polite, and very welcoming. You are made to feel comfortable from the start. The food is terrific. I started with two slices of soft, perfect pumpernickel bread. My entree was the Bratwurst, seasoned just right, with wonderful red cabbage and Spatzel. I am very impressed, and will gladly return.
(4)Allison L.
I love coming here in the winter and enjoying mulled red wine with dinner - as my server says, it tastes like Christmas! I can never resist the wurst platter - three lovely sausages with a side of sauerkraut and a couple of different mustards. The sausages are rich but not greasy and perfectly spiced. The atmosphere is cozy with German decor and the service is friendly and efficient. If you still have room after dinner (I almost never do) you can visit the Grand Traverse Pie Company afterwards.
(4)Gary K.
Enjoyed a terrific meal with Sandra, Jim and Ava. A reunion after 15 years! The Rouladen was extraordinary accompanied by a crisp tossed blue cheese salad, Bavarian red cabbage and a potato pancake with sour cream and applesauce. Two of us enjoyed this meal. A medium rare bacon-wrapped fillet with tossed salad and redskin potatoes really was a standout winner for Sandra. The selection of German beers were mind boggling. If you're looking for new high-quality and authentic German taste opportunities, give Metzger's a try!
(4)Allen W.
Went in today for lunch and sad to say that it will be my last time. I ordered the French onion soup and there was more bread then onions and a simple slice of cheese on top. I had to hunt for the onions. Basic salad was good. Main course was Schnitzel with spatzle. The spatzle had no flavor, the pork was simples a breaded pork chop no seasoning, very BLAND meal sent it back partner has sauerbraten and he like the meat. It was not as great as I remember from the last time. Sorry that's the best I can say for this review
(2)Michael R.
Solid German food in a comfortable atmosphere. Wiener Schnitzel was good, and the red cabbage was very sweet (didn't need dessert). Pretty good selection of beers, but few on tap-the Wolverine Amber was good, and I realize Beck's is like Budweiser for German beer, but to only have Beck's dark and not "regular" was a surprise. Worth a trip for a weeknight dinner-didn't notice a ton of enthusiasm in the place-maybe the weekends are livelier.
(3)Patrick T.
The only other place I've had German food was in Germany. I waited in front for a while before someone came buy to seat my party. The prices were higher than on the PDF menus I looked up right before coming, so I was a little disappointed with that. Ordered the kassler ripchen, which is two hunks of smoked pork. It was very salty, and nothing super special. Just a big piece of ham. The potato pancakes that I picked as a side were the best part of the meal. I had expected them to be latkes for some reason, but they were pretty thick potato patties. They were A-OK nonetheless. Came with apple sauce and sour cream. I got the daily vegetable as a side, and it was a very measly portion of boiled cauliflower. My friend got the German Sauerbraten. It was really an awful dish. The meat ("roast beef") might as well have been canned. It was worse than the roast beef you get at subway. The gravy was no better. To sum it up, the quality of the dish was similar to that which you would find in a frozen TV dinner entree at a budget grocery store.
(2)Joann B.
Amazing German food, reasonably priced. The service is fast and friendly. The Rouladen was delicious and authentic. The bratwurst is amazing, as is the Wiener schnitzel. Definitely recommend.
(4)James H.
Not technically in Ann Arbor anymore since they moved to the middle of nowhere, but it's worth the trek if you're looking for good German food. A little too much German bling for my taste and the tables are way too close together. I usually get one of the various Schnitzels and have never been disappointed. Pork shank is also incredible. Awesome selection of sides. This time I went with the sausage platter which I wouldn't do again. They were out of weisswurst and they substituted a second bratwurst. I don't think humans were designed to eat that much sausage in one sitting. Made my tummy angry.
(4)Michael R.
Awesome authentic German restaurant. Great food and wonderful service. Bet it would be a great place to watch US best Germany in the World Cup group stage.
(5)Beth H.
No exaggerating.... This has always been my dad and I's go-to place for a nice hearty lunch, with consistant quality, but yesterday....OMG!!!! We never order the fish, but Betsy fell over herself recommending it. We both ordered the special. So glad we did! Sea Bass - cooked perfectly, with a nice crisp top. 1 inch thick, good size piece. Topped with a candied carrots that I thought was fruit, at first. Almond cream sauce and fried shoe-string onions. So good, it deserves an F-bomb. F*** Fabulous! We were about to lick our plates. I could have eaten that fish until I was sick. One of those once in a lifetime, perfect meals that you will always be comparing others to this dish. They might still have it on special today. GO GET IT!!! I hear that props go to Ryan Metzger. Betsy says he's back and does some amazing stuff in the kitchen.
(5)Andy M.
Food was excellent, but an hour and a half for a dinner for 2 on a relatively slow Wednesday night wasn't great.
(2)Annette J.
I've been kind of putting off writing this review for months now because I don't feel as though I can quite encompass how much I love Metger's in one but I'll give it a shot. Been coming here for a while now and every time I come I find something new I love. My standby used to be the wiener schnitzel with mushroom gravy, a side of potato pancakes and spatzen. I certainly did love it (although I do wish the mushroom gravy had more mushroom) but then I tried the Kassler Rippchen. HOLY. CRAP. Upon one bite I knew that this would now be my go to order here. Two pork loin chops smoked to perfection. It was amazing. It just tasted like a wonderful smokey ham. Moist and so so perfect. I love the sides as well. I've never met a potato pancake I didn't like and these are no exception although to me what really makes it is the apple sauce. I love their apple sauce and they come with a little cup of that and sour cream. The spatzen is great. Much like the potato pancakes I've never met a noodle I didn't like and these come topped with a brown gravy. Admittedly I'm not much of a brown gravy gal but I do like this one. Also, aside from the pancake (which doesn't retain its crispiness) all my leftovers reheated perfectly for lunch the next day. The joy continues! I've never tried their wursts, brats or anything else because I just fall into such a pattern of ordering the same thing over and over but maybe one time I will change it up. I have had the apple strudel and I found that to be fantastic as well. Although I usually walk out of there in quite a bit of pain following all that delicious food. Staff has always been incredibly friendly and accommodating. We came here with a huge group for a Yelp dinner a few weeks ago and they were so happy to have us in and took care of us perfectly, even doing separate checks. Above and beyond for sure. You really feel like a part of their family here. I love it. Great beer and beer flights as well. I've also had their honey libations (wine and liquor) and both have been delicious. Looking forward to my next visit already!
(5)Crystal R.
Came here last week with my good friend who was born/lived in Germany for years. We definitely over-ordered. I will say that the potato pancakes are as amazing as everyone says they are! My cabbage rolls were also good. We were sat at the table right on the other side of the register which was a little uncomfortable, but the service was decent and the food was great. Can't complain too much! Their garlic salad dressing was amazing as well!
(4)Sam G.
I promise that my low star rating is not residual Polish crankiness of all things German during WWII. Heck I've even been to Germany a couple times. See! No hard feelings. As far as the place inside, it's like a chain that's been decorated with German knickknacks like beer mugs and beer flags. There are also cuckoo clocks. This does not a German restaurant make! Luckily the servers are NOT dressed in 'traditional' German garb. But the whole thing seems a little campy to me. Not AS cheesy as it could be but definitely not in a wooden cabin somewhere (thanks, Colorado!) or with simple decor and home-cooked German food. I'm glad I've been eating like a starved child the past few days because this let me sample a decent amount of food stuffs: the wursts, the sauerkraut, the plain schnitzel, and the spatzen. None of these things wowed me in the least. The wursts were bland. I like my white sausage with that familiar... white... flavor. Yea. Helpful, isn't that? I just mean I'm familiar with the interesting peppery flavor of white sausage and this didn't have it. The other brat was just as plain. The sauerkraut seemed straight out of a jar and the horseradish to me was weak and way too vinegary. Mustard was straight dijon (grey poupon probably?) and a honey mustard that was a little better. The potato pancakes... where do I start... mushy, neither sweet nor savory nor salty, just fried - applesauce was plain plain plain and the sour cream wasn't even sour. Spatzen was decent. It was a little fat and a little over-boiled with some gravy on top. I don't know. It wasn't amazing but at least it had a LITTLE flavor. Schnitzel was ok but not great. At least it was thin and breaded decently - no fat hanging onto the sides - but pretty dry. Lemon and mustard were a must. Portions are huge. Beer selection was fun and tasty. Service at the bar was unbearably inefficient and kind of abrupt. I'm totally at a loss of the adoration for this place. Maybe I was expecting German food. Or something that was at least made from scratch or ordered from somewhere with fresh ingredients. I would end this with something clever in German but that language has WAY too many syllables for my taste. So I'll just say this restaurant doesn't sign any kind of peace treaty with me.
(2)M T.
I am rarely surprised by restaurants in the Ann Arbor area but this place did it. I've driven past the "strip mall" dozens of times and have heard good things about Metzgers but haven't stopped in until now. I was excited to try all of the traditional German dishes (half of them I can not spell without reference so I'm not going to try). We love everything we tried. We sat in the bar area- Brynna was our server- friendly, fast and delightful! We will definitely be returning again soon!
(5)John B.
Metzger's is an amazing restaurant with a great atmosphere. The food is authentic, the service is great and overall it's a fantastic experience. If you love German food, this is the place to go.
(5)Barron M.
We never had a bad time...food is great as well as the service. The Wurst platter is one of our favorites so is their German potato salad.
(5)Derek J.
Poor service was, unfortunately, the part we'll remember from our lunch visit. The waitress immediately got snippy when we spoke German to her jokingly. She told us that she was in America so she doesn't speak anything but English. How dare we in a German restaurant! From there, coffee cups sat empty, two simple order requests were screwed up and overall, this waitress's attitude overrode the decent food and good decor. We'll be looking elsewhere for German food next time, too bad.
(2)Liz R.
Metzger's has been on my yelp radar since Ken mentioned he wanted German food about 6 months ago. We do not get to Ann Arbor as often as we would like, so we tried another local German place (Richter's Chalet in Dearborn), which was good but not great = 3 stars. When yelp offered up Metzger's as their first leg of an ethnic restaurant supper club, we jumped at the chance to try it. We liked the ambiance at this restaurant, even though it was full to bursting (and that was before our 10+ yelp group descended on them). Loved the cuckoo clocks! Ken also enjoyed that they had a number of German beers on tap, with the option of a sampler. We ordered the Haus Platter for Two, which was just too large of a plate for the small table they set up for our group. It would have worked just fine if the two of us had been alone, but it was too much at a group table. The platter included one link each of Bratwurst, Mettwurst and Knockwurst, a Wiener Schnitzel cut in half, plus spatzle, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and red cabbage. All on the same plate. Now, I'm not usually that person who doesn't like my food to touch... but when my spatzle is purple and sour (sauer) because all the sides have run together... blech. The pork was thin and dry. And the sausages would have been a lot better if they had some color to them from a flat top. So... Metzger's is on the low side of the 3 rating. IF we go back, I'll know what to ask for. Sides on the SIDE. Sausages grilled.
(3)Kate R.
I enjoyed my experience at Metzger's, but I really can't say that I have enough of a handle on German food to accurately compare.... My family and I went into Metzger's for lunch following my brother's graduation at U of M. I was both impressed and a little distracted by the German-themed decor. It's kind of... like Frankenmuth on crack, but with better food. Sadly, Frankenmuth is the only basis for comparison that I have and I almost feel like an inexperienced German-foodie. I enjoyed the bread basket that came to the table, but declined my family's order of fried mushrooms (bleck...). I ordered the sauerbraten - the meat was exceptional, my asparagus was perfectly cooked and I thoroughly enjoyed my spaztel. I also had the opportunity to try the rouladen and my brother's seared scallops, both very good.... though I would probably have to get used to the rouladen. I was very impressed with the food, I though my sour cream gravy was a bit salty, but overall the meal was exceptional. I would have gone with four stars, but I had some issue with our server - she seemed a bit detached, relatively inattentive and generally irritated if we asked for something that she had forgotten about. I was actually quite annoyed to be honest. The individual who worked with us for our reservation was exceptionally helpful! I'd love to go back though and try other menu items - and hope for a better service experience.
(3)Marie C.
Staff is friendly, service is good, food is not good. Schnitzel seemed to be frozen patties of meat over-microwaved. Very dry, hard, and tasteless. Spaetzel was doughy and smothered in brown gravy. Once was enough.
(2)Sarah R.
Yes, Metzger's has already been reviewed more than 40 times, so what do I have new to add? A vegetarian perspective! I have a friend who says she reads my reviews to figure out which places are most veggie-friendly and what to order, so I had to write a review saying that the restaurant was much more vegetarian-friendly than I had anticipated! I went here with a large group, and the service was prompt and friendly, but we didn't feel rushed. They had a nice beer selection and will provide sampler "flights." First off: the main menu only has two vegetarian options (omelets or pasta primavera). If you're pescetarian (which I am), this opens up some new possibilities. If you're strict veggie, I'd recommend sticking to the appetizers and the sides. I started with the Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen), which the appetizer menu describes as "Light noodle-like dumplings served warm over sauerkraut and smothered with onions and melted, aged Swiss cheese." I especially liked the ribbons of carmelized fried onions on top. This was delicious and was filling enough that I would probably just order this as my main dish if and when I return. My main dish was the charbroiled salmon filet. You can get it with BBQ sauce or with lemon and dill. I got the latter, and the fish was spectacular- perfectly charred, juicy and flaky and flavorful inside. With most main dishes, you get two sides. I chose the German beet salad - pickled beets and onion slices in a vinegary sauce - simple but delicious! I also got the redskin potatoes, but I was so full by the time they came out, I barely touched them. It was probably just as well since they were a little bland. If and when I come back here, I'd like to sample more of the traditional side dishes - both the cucumber salad and the potato pancakes look fantastic, and a friend who got the potato pancakes said the accompanying apple sauce was quite good.
(4)Chester C.
Metzgers is awesome... Solid and consistent food, great staff and cozy atmosphere. Always a great experience.
(5)nancy j.
Reading the other reviews, I'm not sure if the food has seriously gone down hill in the past couple weeks or what. Maybe I only have higher standards because I eat out across the country for work as much as I do. My companion and I agreed our recent meal at Metzger's was a huge disappointment. I ate at Metzger's a year ago and loved it. Today I'm embarrassed I took my friend there. The service was great but the food was terrible. The gravy was cold and tasted like it came out of a can. The schnitzel was dry and could have been previously frozen. The sauerbraten was almost inedibly sour and the meat tasteless. Most heartbreaking -- the potato pancakes. They used to be flavorful and crisp. Now they are dry, rubbery and nothing but flour. What happened to the potatoes? Really, until Metzger's goes back to the way they used to cook just keep driving.
(1)J K.
Best bartenders! Great spatzel & potato salad
(5)Nate F.
Excellent food. Love this place. Worth the drive. Plenty of parking.
(5)Jason C.
Went to Metzger's as part of the restaurant week deal.... Haven't had German food in long time, so I was excited and eager!!! I went with Tender Deep Fried Calamari, Potato Leek with Kale Soup, Pretzel Encrusted Whitefish with a Mustard Cream sauce, Spatzen & Cheese Cake with Raspberry Sauce. The calamari was little salty and saltier when you dip it into the dipping sauce.... I guess this is what you get when you get a previously frozen calamari that's fried and served... and when did German restaurant offer calamari??? :) I had an opportunity to have Grilled Mettwurst and I would highly recommend this option... the Metwurst was little salty, but that's what you expect from a sausage and it had a devine bacon taste (I guess they cook it in bacon grease???). The soup was luke warm.... otherwise it was good. The fish was excellently cooked, moist! The only dislike was that it was on the salty side, but having a beer as a drink helped!! The crust was perfectly cooked and crunchy. As for the spatzen... its very doughy... it looks doughy, taste doughy and yeah... I wish I had more sauce to mask it... yeah... won't be getting it again next time! The cheese cake was good.... You get a lot of food for the $25! I will be bak for sure to try other food they offer... We sat around after dinner to chat, as we were all too full to move! The restaurant is kind of hidden.... it's on Zeeb road, after I-94!
(3)Mree K.
Nice atmosphere with German deco but ridiculously overpriced for food that is impressively mediocre. The house specialty consists of a couple slabs of beef soaking in a pretty tasteless preprepared dressing. Wouldn't come again.
(2)Tim B.
This place has great authentic German cuisine. Try some of the old world entrees, such as sauerbraten, rouladen and even the rabbit. There are many different delicious dishes to choose from, each crafted with a "home-style" feel. The staff seems knowledgable and the building is decked out with several cultural items. The less than perfect rating stems from the potato pancakes, which were flavorless, greasy and had a raw flour taste to them.
(4)Michelle C.
Looking for good comfort food? Never tried German cuisine? This is the restaurant! Start off with warm pumpernickel bread... No need to order appetizers, because you won't be able to breathe after the meal! Schnitzel with mushroom sauce is my favorite here... but honestly, there is NO bad dish on the menu. All main meals come with 2 sides. Be sure to get their potato pancake and spatzen. Their red cabbage and potato salad are also excellent.. I usually end up adding abother side dish or 2 to my meal. Eat here! You won't regret it!
(5)Meeta B.
I ALWAYS forget about Metzgers and how good the food is, until I am reacquainted with it. It's like forgetting how much fun an old friend is, until you see them years later and remember oh yeah! That's why I like you! Ok, anyhow, Metzgers I think because it's on the other side of town I don't go there as often, but friends of mine texted me on St. Pat's day- "At Metzgers, saving you a seat". Yes, my friends decided that going to a German restaurant on an Irish holiday was the way to go and by god they were right. I showed up to my rowdy group of friends who were drinking green beer out of these glass boots. Ed- the bartender was a really good sport and was really accommodating to my friends- who are great people...who get slightly rowdy when they've been partaking in libations. Trying to stay with my whole " I don't drink green beer" (although peer pressure got the better of me), Ed made me a green drink that I THINK had ice cream in it. All I can really equate it to was a McDonald's Shamrock shake with alcohol in it. Either way, it was delicious and had I not been driving I would have probably said "Please sir, can I have more?!" Anyhow, then we ordered. But first, before we ordered, Ed brought out this delicious brown bread that was warm and fresh. And, even though I'm not a huge bread eater, that was definitely some bread I didn't turn down. Our table ordered a plethora of food- chicken vienna (which was said to be delicious), fried chicken, baked chicken, wienerschnitzel, corned beef and cabbage and I got the cabbage rolls. The cabbage rolls were delicious! I don't like a bunch of sauce on my food, and these rolls had the perfect amount of sauce. The filling of beef and rice was perfectly seasoned, and tasted great the next day. Although I didn't try anyone else's main meal, I did try some of their sides. Now, I had ordered the Bavarian beet salad, which had the perfect amount of crunch and a good amount of acidity from the vinegar. I ate mine...almost had to spear a fork into the bestie's hand because she kept pilfering my beets. Luckily we had people at the table who were willing to share their beets with her. The Spaetzle- omg those noodles were good. I was sad I didn't order my own. But I really wanted their potato pancakes- which, were delicious with the sour cream and apple sauce. It was crunchy on the outside and creamy like mashed potatoes in the inside. I wasn't sad I got those, I was just sad I couldn't finish it and it didn't taste as crispy the next day (they weren't bad...just not the same). We had a great time at Metzgers. And maybe if I didn't whine to myself "it's soooooo far away", because it really isn't, I'd probably get there more often.
(4)Cat K.
Metzger's has Käsespätzle! KÄSESPÄTZLE!!! As a German, and as a girl with a schwäbisch Father. I was delighted. Especially after it was good. After a trip to Metzger's I found myself full, and happy. They have a wide range of traditional German foods that I found to be the most authentic I've found outside of Germany. Great Zwiebelrostbraten too. It doesn't really get much better (and fattening) than good German comfort food!
(5)Nikki C.
I'd never heard of Metzger's until very recently. What a cool place! It's very homey....warm, comfy & cozy. The decor is like someone's home. There are cuckoo clocks lining the walls, beer steins, cloth covered lights on the chandeliers. The service was great! I was with a fairly big party and the waitresses were patient, quick & efficient. They took good care of us. Being that I'm trying to be a good weight watchers girl, I couldn't indulge in some of the large platters of comfort food being dished up. But everyone else's looked great! The portions were nice and big and appeared to be filling. There weren't just heavy duty meals on the menu... I ended up going with a salmon filet glazed in lemon & dill and had a side of applesauce and side of green beans which appeared to be grilled and/or sauteed. Everything was really delicious and I'm glad I made that meal choice. Let me tell you.. had I NOT been into WW, I would have gone for the gusto with the potato pancakes and warm bread pudding and oh my -- the HUMMER. I almost splurged and used some of my weekly allowance points for it, but snapped out of it. (Then I probably would have given one more star) Truth be told, I'm in the Detroit area, so I don't see myself sitting at home and saying "Gee, I sure could go for some Metzger's" and driving up 94 for dinner. BUT, that being said, I'm really glad I went. I LOVE trying new places and venturing out from time to time.
(3)Colleen Z.
We just arrived home after another great dinner at Metzgers. We love this place so much for so many reasons. First, if you want a low calorie, jumping, high energy restaurant Metzgers is not the place for you. Many patrons are older and the decor is.....well.....homey. But the food, the food. Nothing can be better than the sauerbrauten and weiner schnitzel with warm dark rye bread on a Friday night. Add spaetzle and red cabbage and your life will be complete. Well, not until the carrot cake for two is delivered. Trust me, it may be for two but you will have leftover cake for the next three days. Well worth the price. John, the owner, and the wait staff make sure you are always happy. You can not miss with a evening at Metzgers.
(5)Tom S.
Something Very good has been happening here lately. I grew up going to Metzgers and it was always pretty good, then they moved out to Zeeb road and while still Ok it seemed like I had a series of very mediocre meals there spanning 5-6 years. We took a fairly long hiatus and went back sometime in the late fall of 2010. What a surprise ! the first time back the meal was top notch across the board and we left happy thinking it we probably just got lucky. We went back again a couple of weeks later and the meal was even better. Since October we have been back maybe 5 times and it's always packed and it's always excellent. I wonder if they have gotten a new chef or kitchen manager? Some personal favorites are. Warsteiner on tap Kassler Rippchen Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen)
(4)K F.
Amazing Potato Pancakes! Louder environment - but it's of positive energy.
(4)Jesse W.
I would give this place 2.5 stars if I could, but "Meh, I've experienced better" pretty much sums it up. First off, the service and ambience were fine--very friendly and lots of coats of arms to ogle. But I'm biased towards the food. I should start by saying that because of my Swiss grandmother (from a Germanic area, linguistically and culinarily), a lot of these foods were familiar to me. I was actually planning on taking her here when she came to visit. But after going for the first time, I don't think that I could. We ordered the Haus platter for two. The wursts were fine--not fantastic, but fine. The weiner schnitzel was pretty good. However, the potato salad, kraut, and red cabbage swung wildly between sickening sweet (red cabbage) and salty (potato salad and kraut). I'm not sure if they claim to make their own kraut, but it tasted canned. The red cabbage was cooked to mush. If I hadn't experienced these foods growing up, I would think that I just don't like German food. But I know it can be prepared much better than this. Finally, the all important mustard selection fell flat. The spicy mustard, if it ever had a kick, had lost it, and the horseradish was stale (sour but with no kick). For a place that was rated with 4.5 stars, I expected better.
(2)David M.
My least favorite thing about Metzger's is the fact that it's in a strip mall, and I've never known strip mall restaurants to be good. Thanks for the cognitive dissonance, Metzger's. If you're paying attention, my last review was on the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. Some of the food was pretty good, but it was overall way too kitschy and pricey to justify the trip. Metzger's is the opposite. The interior is nice, active but not too loud, and dark but not gloomy. My parents took my girlfriend and I there for dinner, so cost wasn't an issue (thanks folks!) but even if it were, Metzger's has pretty reasonable prices. Most things here are under $20, and come with two sides. I had the sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel (trying not to laugh) and both were very good; the sauerbraten was the second best I've ever had. Considering I've only had it three times, that may not be saying much, but it was still quite good. The spatzle and red cabbage on the side were great, especially the spatzle, which has the perfect texture to it. I tried a potato pancake as well, which was ok but a little too thick. Also didn't order but tried the rouladen, and that was probably the best thing on the menu. Ah, buyer's remorse... If you're looking for German food in the area, you can't go wrong here. Next on my list to try is the Heidelberg, but reading the reviews, it seems like I'll probably be disappointed and calling Metzger's to make another reservation (which they only do for groups of 5 or more, btw).
(5)Evie B.
Service was excellent and food was cooked to perfection. Hubs had the rolled beef , as he did the last time, too. Tender beef w/ great sauce- very tasty. I had the pork cutlet special - tender thin cutlets of pork, perfectly fried and topped with a dreamy sis cheese sauce- red cabbage that was perfect and yummy potato pancakes. Had to take half of the meal home. My gripe- reaaaaaaaaaly pricy- yes, great quality, good portion, great service but $19 for each of those entrees- I could see $12-$14, but almost $20... I guess it's one way to keep people from going all the time and expanding their waist sizes because if I could, I would frequent here more often, but the$$ make it a special treat.
(4)Kathy T.
Very authentic restaurant! I love the homemade German potato salad and my husband loves the deep fried shrimp!
(5)Jaclyn B.
Metzger's rocks. Husband and I usually go here right after our massages. We grab a liter of beer each (usually the Hofbrau but occasionally we branch out), the price isnt bad at just under $10 each. We are all over the board with ordering and EVERYTHING has been great. We really love the variety of sausages- knackwurst, bratwurst, etc... The entrees come with delicious bread and cold butter. Our personal favorites for the sides are the beet salad, red cabbage, spatzel, and egg noodles. If you are in the area, give this place a try! It is fantastic!
(5)Alix M.
I've been to a few German restaurants but I always go back to Metzgers! Love their schnitzel, spatzel and sauerkraut!
(5)Lois M.
I love German food!! The potato pancakes are ok, but their rouladen, which unfortunately is only served either Fri-Sun or just weekends, is AMAZING!!!!!!! I love it(essentially it's a pickle wrapped in beef, wrapped in bacon, covered in tomato sauce)...portions are large and I always have leftovers. I tried the rabbit once...it was good...covered in gravy. Their sides are normally nothing to write home about. If you want good German comfort food and big portions, go eat at Metzgers.
(5)Tabitha M.
It's a German restaurant. It's not supposed to be trendy. Metzger's delivered. Good stick-to-your-ribs food at reasonable prices. Dark wood. Stained glass. Sausage and sauerkraut. Jawohl!
(4)Lise G.
The German food is so amazingly delicious, here! My favorites are Sautéed Lake Perch or the Knackwurst. The sides are so hard to choose from and the selection of beers are a must. Waitstaff do a wonderful job and really know the menu. It's always a joy to come here.
(5)Carter L.
A small business travelers paradise has been found! Booked a room at the new HiExp (excellent) and had dinner at Metzger's! I spent a month in Germany recently and my two dinners at Metzger's were BETTER than what I experienced in Germany!
(5)Susan S.
Metzger's has my absolute favorite German potato salad ever! At our last visit, they had just run out of my favorite main dish - the rouladen - so I opted for the fried chicken, which was perfectly prepared. My very German husband always gets the sausage plate - a trio of large portions that makes him very happy. I have several "people connections" to the Metzger family and restaurant, so I enjoy each visit for the memories it brings back.
(5)Carol G.
I love this place. The food is authentic and a lot of small items, such as salad dressing and applesauce, are made from scratch, probably in-house. These yummy details are not to be overlooked! You can just taste the difference in the quality of food here. The entrees and sides are delicious (schnitzel, spaetzle, potato pancakes, rouladen, kassler rippchen, cucumber salad, cabbage rolls, chicken vienna, are items we've tried). Staff is always friendly, welcoming and efficient. We come here about once every 1-2 months. The place is decorated with steins along the wall and decor is simple and clean. If you're in the mood for German food, I absolutely recommend this over the other German Restaurant that is in downtown Ann Arbor (The Heidelberg)...
(5)Caro H.
Loved this place since I was a kid in downtown Ann Arbor. Try some German food it's delicious!
(5)Gary V.
Excellent German food just like what I had in Fulda Hessen Germany. The restaurant is done up in a very nice German decor. The wait staff made us feel at home. The carrot cake for two is too die for.... Worth the trip.
(5)Richard A.
Metzger's goes flat. Have eaten there before and was quite good, yesterday was a much different story. Way below average food, tiny portions, high prices, below average service. I had the lunch special cabbage rolls, one small roll with cardboard like potato pancakes for $10.49; my guest had weiner schnitzel, one tiny cutlet fried to death for $9.99. Left broke and hungry. Stay away.
(2)William B.
My family is German, and my better half's family is German, been to the Father Land dozens of times. And I worship German beer. So when in the area this place is a must. Unfortunately in LA, we have very few good German places, but Metzger's is one of those great places I wish was in SoCal. Went on Sunday the 8th for lunch, we were greeted at the entrance from a wonderful nice hostess and we were seated immediately with warmth and personality. Our server came over promptly and set us up with bread and took our drink order, and moments later our giant German beers were in front of us, "Zum Wohl" The place wasn't packed, but full, and its decor is pleasant, not overly done but standard for a German style place. The old location was much darker and way more fitting, but hey it still works. Very clean, and all the service was perfect and friendly. I had the Rouladen, red cabbage and fried potatoes, (just writing this is making my mouth water) The Rouladen was delicious, and cooked to perfection. I nibbled on many of my guests plates as well and the spatzle was good also, as was the cold salad, pickled meats with cheese, name escapes me, but very good. And of course the beers were flowing. I must admit everything was terrific, and the service was top notch!
(4)Alexandra K.
This place is mega kitsch and serves up that hearty and heavy German food most Americans love so much. People like it more than the Heidelberg and I have to say, their carrot cake (yeah not super authentic, eh?) is one of the best I've ever had. As for the food, I'd stick to the chicken or sauerbraten and leave the rest be. Entrees -German Sauerbraten (slow roasted beef marinated in wine, vinegar, and spices): the meat is extremely tender and the sauce is of course what makes this so juicy and wonderful. The sauce is not necessarily on the creamy side, although it does taste like a creamy wine sauce. -Jäger Chicken (chicken breast, pan fried and topped with provolone cheese and Jäger sauce): this is absolutely phenomenal. The lightly fried chicken is extremely tender and the Jäger sauce is deliciously creamy and somewhat spicy with fresh vegetables (peppers and mushrooms). The provolone is what makes the dish even creamier and is what keeps it milder. -Spatzen (Spätzle): this is either hit or miss. Sometimes the spätzle lacks in cheese, and sometimes it's just the perfect mix (although it shouldn't taste like creamy mac'n'cheese because that is not what it is). The noodles are nicely made and I prefer just the side order of this as opposed to the spätzle with mushrooms and sauerkraut as these added toppings take away from the taste. Desserts -Apple Strudel: not worth it. It looks like baklava actually and doesn't taste like your normal strudel. It's flaky like a croissant instead of buttery and creamy the way my Oma used to make it. -Carrot Cake: one of the best I've ever eaten. They give you a humongous portion of the moist, richly-flavored cake with perfect sections of cream cheese frosting. It's decadent and to be shared (or not) FINAL VERDICT: A restaurant in a strip mall isn't my favorite atmosphere but when in need of a German fix, what can you do? The usual crowd is a bit older, but once you've packed in a few beers you won't even notice. Come hungry.
(3)MaryLiz S.
I don't go here for the food. I've had better. (My mother-in-law is German, and makes all the traditional German fare.) But know that it's consistently OK. Because it's German food, there's not much here for a vegetarian, or even someone who likes a lot of vegetables, for that matter. You *can* get a Caesar salad topped with grilled salmon, but that's not what they're known for. I go here when there's a big frat gathering for my father-in-law's buddies. UofM alumni gather from all over, and spend a weekend or even a week visiting each other, and invariably there is a big dinner here to meet & greet. This place has a great atmosphere for that kind of party. I have had many fabulous evenings at Metzger's. One of our friends says he has to get back to Metzger's for "more German health food" every now and then. Herb, you're so funny!
(4)Amanda Z.
The Haus Platter for Two is a great way to share a meal and experience a variety of German cuisine, plus have a to go box for lunch tomorrow. The atmosphere is quaint and there is so much to look at while waiting for your meal. The bartender (who is a German teacher) was extremely helpful in our entree selection.
(4)Brian G.
I don't know how better to sum it up than - meh! Maybe I am being generous w 3 stars. I had a roast pork special (roast pork here like roast beef from Arby's - you only know what it is because they tell you). The special green bean side was just green beans from Kroger served Luke warm. I was still hungry so against my better judgement took the bread pudding. My waitress (very friendly) warned me that it was hot. If only that was true - everything Luke warm and bland. Wine prices seem good but the pour very light :( After writing changing my rating to 2 stars. First and last at Metzgers. Speedy service of the check - comes before dessert is served!
(2)Hubert S.
I adore pigs knuckles (Schwein Haxe) and theirs are very, very good. Maybe better that Dusseldorf or Munchen! Big party and we were well taken care of and fed. Highly recommended. One odd note: I am a Nationally Ranked Beer Judge and so my smeller is fairly good. Some dishes (plates) came out reeking of disinfectant. This can happen when they overdose their washing machinery. The owner was adamant that I was incorrect albeit very cordial. It happens to the best of places and I always sniff my wine glass to see if it's a stinker--about 5% of the time it is.
(4)Joseph K.
German food is hard to get wrong, at least in my opinion. But so many places seem to fail at providing the right experience. Metzgers gets it so, so, so right! The room is cozy and very well appointed. Lots of family crests, soft lighting, gentle polka music, and warm wood tones. The service is prompt, polite, and very welcoming. You are made to feel comfortable from the start. The food is terrific. I started with two slices of soft, perfect pumpernickel bread. My entree was the Bratwurst, seasoned just right, with wonderful red cabbage and Spatzel. I am very impressed, and will gladly return.
(4)Allison L.
I love coming here in the winter and enjoying mulled red wine with dinner - as my server says, it tastes like Christmas! I can never resist the wurst platter - three lovely sausages with a side of sauerkraut and a couple of different mustards. The sausages are rich but not greasy and perfectly spiced. The atmosphere is cozy with German decor and the service is friendly and efficient. If you still have room after dinner (I almost never do) you can visit the Grand Traverse Pie Company afterwards.
(4)Gary K.
Enjoyed a terrific meal with Sandra, Jim and Ava. A reunion after 15 years! The Rouladen was extraordinary accompanied by a crisp tossed blue cheese salad, Bavarian red cabbage and a potato pancake with sour cream and applesauce. Two of us enjoyed this meal. A medium rare bacon-wrapped fillet with tossed salad and redskin potatoes really was a standout winner for Sandra. The selection of German beers were mind boggling. If you're looking for new high-quality and authentic German taste opportunities, give Metzger's a try!
(4)Allen W.
Went in today for lunch and sad to say that it will be my last time. I ordered the French onion soup and there was more bread then onions and a simple slice of cheese on top. I had to hunt for the onions. Basic salad was good. Main course was Schnitzel with spatzle. The spatzle had no flavor, the pork was simples a breaded pork chop no seasoning, very BLAND meal sent it back partner has sauerbraten and he like the meat. It was not as great as I remember from the last time. Sorry that's the best I can say for this review
(2)Michael R.
Solid German food in a comfortable atmosphere. Wiener Schnitzel was good, and the red cabbage was very sweet (didn't need dessert). Pretty good selection of beers, but few on tap-the Wolverine Amber was good, and I realize Beck's is like Budweiser for German beer, but to only have Beck's dark and not "regular" was a surprise. Worth a trip for a weeknight dinner-didn't notice a ton of enthusiasm in the place-maybe the weekends are livelier.
(3)Patrick T.
The only other place I've had German food was in Germany. I waited in front for a while before someone came buy to seat my party. The prices were higher than on the PDF menus I looked up right before coming, so I was a little disappointed with that. Ordered the kassler ripchen, which is two hunks of smoked pork. It was very salty, and nothing super special. Just a big piece of ham. The potato pancakes that I picked as a side were the best part of the meal. I had expected them to be latkes for some reason, but they were pretty thick potato patties. They were A-OK nonetheless. Came with apple sauce and sour cream. I got the daily vegetable as a side, and it was a very measly portion of boiled cauliflower. My friend got the German Sauerbraten. It was really an awful dish. The meat ("roast beef") might as well have been canned. It was worse than the roast beef you get at subway. The gravy was no better. To sum it up, the quality of the dish was similar to that which you would find in a frozen TV dinner entree at a budget grocery store.
(2)Joann B.
Amazing German food, reasonably priced. The service is fast and friendly. The Rouladen was delicious and authentic. The bratwurst is amazing, as is the Wiener schnitzel. Definitely recommend.
(4)James H.
Not technically in Ann Arbor anymore since they moved to the middle of nowhere, but it's worth the trek if you're looking for good German food. A little too much German bling for my taste and the tables are way too close together. I usually get one of the various Schnitzels and have never been disappointed. Pork shank is also incredible. Awesome selection of sides. This time I went with the sausage platter which I wouldn't do again. They were out of weisswurst and they substituted a second bratwurst. I don't think humans were designed to eat that much sausage in one sitting. Made my tummy angry.
(4)Annette J.
I've been kind of putting off writing this review for months now because I don't feel as though I can quite encompass how much I love Metger's in one but I'll give it a shot. Been coming here for a while now and every time I come I find something new I love. My standby used to be the wiener schnitzel with mushroom gravy, a side of potato pancakes and spatzen. I certainly did love it (although I do wish the mushroom gravy had more mushroom) but then I tried the Kassler Rippchen. HOLY. CRAP. Upon one bite I knew that this would now be my go to order here. Two pork loin chops smoked to perfection. It was amazing. It just tasted like a wonderful smokey ham. Moist and so so perfect. I love the sides as well. I've never met a potato pancake I didn't like and these are no exception although to me what really makes it is the apple sauce. I love their apple sauce and they come with a little cup of that and sour cream. The spatzen is great. Much like the potato pancakes I've never met a noodle I didn't like and these come topped with a brown gravy. Admittedly I'm not much of a brown gravy gal but I do like this one. Also, aside from the pancake (which doesn't retain its crispiness) all my leftovers reheated perfectly for lunch the next day. The joy continues! I've never tried their wursts, brats or anything else because I just fall into such a pattern of ordering the same thing over and over but maybe one time I will change it up. I have had the apple strudel and I found that to be fantastic as well. Although I usually walk out of there in quite a bit of pain following all that delicious food. Staff has always been incredibly friendly and accommodating. We came here with a huge group for a Yelp dinner a few weeks ago and they were so happy to have us in and took care of us perfectly, even doing separate checks. Above and beyond for sure. You really feel like a part of their family here. I love it. Great beer and beer flights as well. I've also had their honey libations (wine and liquor) and both have been delicious. Looking forward to my next visit already!
(5)Heather H.
My favorite place to go when I'm on the west side of A2. I grew up eating traditional meat and potato dinners every day at my grandma's house. When I walked into Metzger's for the first time it finally dawned on me that all those meals were very german influenced. I love the saurbraten and kraut. Every time I go I mean to try something else but I can't resist the vinegary goodness! As a side note, my husband doesn't really care for german food. He still likes to go since they have great salads and an especially good burger served on a pretzel roll.
(5)Phaedra Y.
Went to Metzger a couple of weeks ago. Tried their sauerbraten special -- not too special after all. Poor plate presentation --- the beef was too acidic .. sauce mediocre. my boyfriend ordered the meatloaf - he definitely tasted better. Tried the spatzen that people were raving about - basically tasted bland. I ordered the spiced wine .. that seemed to be the only good thing about this place. My bf ordered brandy and coffee with whipped cream. tasted horrible! he couldn't even finished it and wasted $6.50. Overall, the service was good. I would not come back but glad I tried it
(2)Carolyn C.
The potato pancakes are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.
(5)Sam G.
I promise that my low star rating is not residual Polish crankiness of all things German during WWII. Heck I've even been to Germany a couple times. See! No hard feelings. As far as the place inside, it's like a chain that's been decorated with German knickknacks like beer mugs and beer flags. There are also cuckoo clocks. This does not a German restaurant make! Luckily the servers are NOT dressed in 'traditional' German garb. But the whole thing seems a little campy to me. Not AS cheesy as it could be but definitely not in a wooden cabin somewhere (thanks, Colorado!) or with simple decor and home-cooked German food. I'm glad I've been eating like a starved child the past few days because this let me sample a decent amount of food stuffs: the wursts, the sauerkraut, the plain schnitzel, and the spatzen. None of these things wowed me in the least. The wursts were bland. I like my white sausage with that familiar... white... flavor. Yea. Helpful, isn't that? I just mean I'm familiar with the interesting peppery flavor of white sausage and this didn't have it. The other brat was just as plain. The sauerkraut seemed straight out of a jar and the horseradish to me was weak and way too vinegary. Mustard was straight dijon (grey poupon probably?) and a honey mustard that was a little better. The potato pancakes... where do I start... mushy, neither sweet nor savory nor salty, just fried - applesauce was plain plain plain and the sour cream wasn't even sour. Spatzen was decent. It was a little fat and a little over-boiled with some gravy on top. I don't know. It wasn't amazing but at least it had a LITTLE flavor. Schnitzel was ok but not great. At least it was thin and breaded decently - no fat hanging onto the sides - but pretty dry. Lemon and mustard were a must. Portions are huge. Beer selection was fun and tasty. Service at the bar was unbearably inefficient and kind of abrupt. I'm totally at a loss of the adoration for this place. Maybe I was expecting German food. Or something that was at least made from scratch or ordered from somewhere with fresh ingredients. I would end this with something clever in German but that language has WAY too many syllables for my taste. So I'll just say this restaurant doesn't sign any kind of peace treaty with me.
(2)M T.
I am rarely surprised by restaurants in the Ann Arbor area but this place did it. I've driven past the "strip mall" dozens of times and have heard good things about Metzgers but haven't stopped in until now. I was excited to try all of the traditional German dishes (half of them I can not spell without reference so I'm not going to try). We love everything we tried. We sat in the bar area- Brynna was our server- friendly, fast and delightful! We will definitely be returning again soon!
(5)John B.
Metzger's is an amazing restaurant with a great atmosphere. The food is authentic, the service is great and overall it's a fantastic experience. If you love German food, this is the place to go.
(5)Tricia K.
My godmother is an amazing German cook who makes the best wienerschitzel. That being said, my exposure to German food is rather limited. Be warned, the portions here are huge! You will not leave hungry! Metzger's wienerschitzel was quite good, but did not surpass that of my godmother's. The red cabbage and saurkraut were really amazing though and I highly recommend getting those two sides. We also ordered knackwurst, which is my favorite German sausage. Two of the biggest sausages on a platter were brought with a heaping pile of sauerkraut and spatzle with gravy. I really prefer my knackwurst to be warmed in beer which adds a special malty flavor to it but Metzger's does not do that. Overall, solid German food and you can't go wrong with bringing family or out of town guests here.
(3)Kevin W.
Top notch. We tried a little of everything. Had jagerschnitzel, spaetzel, red cabbage, potatoe pancakes, lake perch. Also tried a decent pilsner and the gluwein. Good sized servings of everything. the devil is in the details and Metzger's nails the details. Will be back whenever passing through Ann Arbor.
(4)Claire H.
Great atmosphere and service. You have to try the brat combo and French dip - amazing!!
(4)Robert R.
I had just returned from 9 days in Germany and talked my family into trying some German food. This place gives a nice try but misses by a mile. Deep fried mashed potatos are not potato pancakes! And canned gravy over lunch meat is not saurbraten. I could have forgiven the food but the idiot that waited on us couldn't get the order right for 4 people. This place is not cheap either! The next time I am in the mood for fake German food I will just make the trip to Frankenmuth.
(2)Beth H.
No exaggerating.... This has always been my dad and I's go-to place for a nice hearty lunch, with consistant quality, but yesterday....OMG!!!! We never order the fish, but Betsy fell over herself recommending it. We both ordered the special. So glad we did! Sea Bass - cooked perfectly, with a nice crisp top. 1 inch thick, good size piece. Topped with a candied carrots that I thought was fruit, at first. Almond cream sauce and fried shoe-string onions. So good, it deserves an F-bomb. F*** Fabulous! We were about to lick our plates. I could have eaten that fish until I was sick. One of those once in a lifetime, perfect meals that you will always be comparing others to this dish. They might still have it on special today. GO GET IT!!! I hear that props go to Ryan Metzger. Betsy says he's back and does some amazing stuff in the kitchen.
(5)Terrell O.
Went here based in positive reviews and left disappointed. The spatzle was not very good and I didn't like the potato salad at all. I ordered the pork shank (schweinshaxe) and was surprised to see that it appeared to have been boiled...the skin was soggy and not at all crispy like it should have been. I am surprised to see positive reviews from people that have spent time in Germany. I thought the food was terrible.
(1)Katie C.
First off, the food was excellent. I had the spinach salad with sirloin strips (rare) and bacon dressing, Steak was cooked perfectly and the dressing was hot and homemade. My boyfriend had the meat patties which he said was like good meatloaf, his sides were a salad- mixed greens and lots of veggies with a nice chunky blue cheese dressing- and mashed potatoes. I had a bite of his potatoes and they were great, and the portion is huge, two big scoops that he had to ask for more gravy for! The reason I'm only giving two stars is the service we had. It was an average Wednesday evening at 7:15, and the restaurant started out about half full and was nearly empty by the time we left an hour and a half later. We could not understand why everything, from getting our order in, to getting a coke refilled, to getting the check took an unnatural pace to happen. The last time I had service this slow was when we accidentally showed up to Weber's at 7:00 on the Saturday of graduation weekend. Unfortunately because of this, it is unlikely we will visit Metzger's again.
(2)Michael R.
Awesome authentic German restaurant. Great food and wonderful service. Bet it would be a great place to watch US best Germany in the World Cup group stage.
(5)Crystal R.
Came here last week with my good friend who was born/lived in Germany for years. We definitely over-ordered. I will say that the potato pancakes are as amazing as everyone says they are! My cabbage rolls were also good. We were sat at the table right on the other side of the register which was a little uncomfortable, but the service was decent and the food was great. Can't complain too much! Their garlic salad dressing was amazing as well!
(4)Andy M.
Food was excellent, but an hour and a half for a dinner for 2 on a relatively slow Wednesday night wasn't great.
(2)Barron M.
We never had a bad time...food is great as well as the service. The Wurst platter is one of our favorites so is their German potato salad.
(5)Cat K.
Metzger's has Käsespätzle! KÄSESPÄTZLE!!! As a German, and as a girl with a schwäbisch Father. I was delighted. Especially after it was good. After a trip to Metzger's I found myself full, and happy. They have a wide range of traditional German foods that I found to be the most authentic I've found outside of Germany. Great Zwiebelrostbraten too. It doesn't really get much better (and fattening) than good German comfort food!
(5)Marie C.
Staff is friendly, service is good, food is not good. Schnitzel seemed to be frozen patties of meat over-microwaved. Very dry, hard, and tasteless. Spaetzel was doughy and smothered in brown gravy. Once was enough.
(2)Liz R.
Metzger's has been on my yelp radar since Ken mentioned he wanted German food about 6 months ago. We do not get to Ann Arbor as often as we would like, so we tried another local German place (Richter's Chalet in Dearborn), which was good but not great = 3 stars. When yelp offered up Metzger's as their first leg of an ethnic restaurant supper club, we jumped at the chance to try it. We liked the ambiance at this restaurant, even though it was full to bursting (and that was before our 10+ yelp group descended on them). Loved the cuckoo clocks! Ken also enjoyed that they had a number of German beers on tap, with the option of a sampler. We ordered the Haus Platter for Two, which was just too large of a plate for the small table they set up for our group. It would have worked just fine if the two of us had been alone, but it was too much at a group table. The platter included one link each of Bratwurst, Mettwurst and Knockwurst, a Wiener Schnitzel cut in half, plus spatzle, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and red cabbage. All on the same plate. Now, I'm not usually that person who doesn't like my food to touch... but when my spatzle is purple and sour (sauer) because all the sides have run together... blech. The pork was thin and dry. And the sausages would have been a lot better if they had some color to them from a flat top. So... Metzger's is on the low side of the 3 rating. IF we go back, I'll know what to ask for. Sides on the SIDE. Sausages grilled.
(3)Derek J.
Poor service was, unfortunately, the part we'll remember from our lunch visit. The waitress immediately got snippy when we spoke German to her jokingly. She told us that she was in America so she doesn't speak anything but English. How dare we in a German restaurant! From there, coffee cups sat empty, two simple order requests were screwed up and overall, this waitress's attitude overrode the decent food and good decor. We'll be looking elsewhere for German food next time, too bad.
(2)Kate R.
I enjoyed my experience at Metzger's, but I really can't say that I have enough of a handle on German food to accurately compare.... My family and I went into Metzger's for lunch following my brother's graduation at U of M. I was both impressed and a little distracted by the German-themed decor. It's kind of... like Frankenmuth on crack, but with better food. Sadly, Frankenmuth is the only basis for comparison that I have and I almost feel like an inexperienced German-foodie. I enjoyed the bread basket that came to the table, but declined my family's order of fried mushrooms (bleck...). I ordered the sauerbraten - the meat was exceptional, my asparagus was perfectly cooked and I thoroughly enjoyed my spaztel. I also had the opportunity to try the rouladen and my brother's seared scallops, both very good.... though I would probably have to get used to the rouladen. I was very impressed with the food, I though my sour cream gravy was a bit salty, but overall the meal was exceptional. I would have gone with four stars, but I had some issue with our server - she seemed a bit detached, relatively inattentive and generally irritated if we asked for something that she had forgotten about. I was actually quite annoyed to be honest. The individual who worked with us for our reservation was exceptionally helpful! I'd love to go back though and try other menu items - and hope for a better service experience.
(3)Heather J.
A Spanish princess drove her minders mad at the Chicago World's Fair because she kept sneaking out of official engagements to hang out at the German tent. They found her downing steins of tasty brews instead of tiny coffee cups, and dining on piles of sausage and kraut rather than teeny tapas and oranges. Clearly she was on to something about a filling meal, and less noble souls can feast like a prince(ss) at Metzgers of Ann Arbor. With ninety years under belt, Metzgers has their menu fine-tuned to feature the age-old favourite pairings of beer thick enough to cut and butter with dark, slightly coarse breads fresh from the vat... err, oven. Ales run from light, fruity lagers like Schneider Weiss for the child at heart through dark and hearty concoctions that'll put meat on your bones. My beau had a dark warsteiner in a half-liter stein that I sipped at and found especially tolerable, with no sharp and hoppy aftertaste. Beer flights are available to sample a spectrum of light to dark German beers, one of the best values not on the menu. My expensive palate spurns beers save the most eclectic so I gauge the warsteiner to be very good. More importantly, they serve spiced gleuwine (glowwine), a lush, rich red that is a staple of German Christmas markets. Gleuwine is essential for maintaining warmth in numbed extremities while standing outside in an alpine blast as Mom wanders from stall to stall, cooing over wooden puppets and tiny clogs produced by gnomes. Food draws from old standbys like sauerbraten, veal bavarian, and cottage schnitzel to assuage Old World appetites. You'll find none of the Spanish penchant for serving entrees on silver dollar-sized plates just large enough to accommodate a sprig of parsley and a single anorexic sausage or a tablespoon of spatzen. Portions range on the healthy Bavarian dairy-maid side, although never to excess. The Yelp! International Dinner Club ordered a variety of side dishes, and they were German Goldilocks size -- just right. My beau savoured his heavily cinnamon-spiced applesauce and I inhaled the delectable cucumber salad done up German style, fit for a queen. Potato pancakes were relished all around our linked banqueting table and smelled delicious. For groups, the Haus or Bavarian platters are ample enough for two -- two families, two groups or two small villages. Impressive stout sausages languished atop alpine slopes of potato salad and red cabbage like great, placid dragons. The tureens of horseradish, spicy mustard, and some other savory concoction allows you to enjoy the mellow, smoky flavour or breathe fire upon your fellow diners. Mettwurst and Knockwurst received good reviews and I enjoyed the slice I got to share. (Thank you, fellow generous Yelpers!) I sampled the Jager sauce which was peculiarly fruity thanks to roasted peppers and tomatoes. The wine base pops through without overwhelming the vegetables. I recommend using a small dish for dredging the addictive brown bread, for a flavourful side dish. While being pickier than a Habsburg eyeing up potential brides, I ended up selecting the spatzle primavera with shrimp that were clearly East German bodybuilders in the prawn-weight category. My strategy to remain healthy were met rather well. The light butter-wine sauce spritzed with lemon was swirled over the buttery, springy spatzle (plump egg noodles rolled into squishy curls) and fat chunks of tomato, snap peas, and peppers. It was too much for me to finish in no small part due to the uber-shrimp lifting spatzle to my ready mouth. Those suckers were huge and tasty. A visit to Metzgers takes a clever strategy to leave room for German desserts, and a logistical approach to balance the lure of the Grand Traverse Pie Company (pie!). In this case, share a bread pudding or a torte with your loved ones... or maybe not, if you think you'll be fighting over the raisin-studded, quivering bread melange drizzled in vanilla sauce. I spent a few minutes talking and turned back to an empty plate (!), though not after getting a few spoonfuls in myself. I finished off the night with a buy one entree, get the second for 50% off coupon to add that special touch of savings atop a splendid night, thanks to my delightful company and hearty food. There are few details about what the Spanish minders did upon discovering their wayward princess, but chances are they led her back to her suite like a sleepy, content cat. German diplomacy at its finest!
(4)Sarah R.
Yes, Metzger's has already been reviewed more than 40 times, so what do I have new to add? A vegetarian perspective! I have a friend who says she reads my reviews to figure out which places are most veggie-friendly and what to order, so I had to write a review saying that the restaurant was much more vegetarian-friendly than I had anticipated! I went here with a large group, and the service was prompt and friendly, but we didn't feel rushed. They had a nice beer selection and will provide sampler "flights." First off: the main menu only has two vegetarian options (omelets or pasta primavera). If you're pescetarian (which I am), this opens up some new possibilities. If you're strict veggie, I'd recommend sticking to the appetizers and the sides. I started with the Käsespätzle (Cheese Spatzen), which the appetizer menu describes as "Light noodle-like dumplings served warm over sauerkraut and smothered with onions and melted, aged Swiss cheese." I especially liked the ribbons of carmelized fried onions on top. This was delicious and was filling enough that I would probably just order this as my main dish if and when I return. My main dish was the charbroiled salmon filet. You can get it with BBQ sauce or with lemon and dill. I got the latter, and the fish was spectacular- perfectly charred, juicy and flaky and flavorful inside. With most main dishes, you get two sides. I chose the German beet salad - pickled beets and onion slices in a vinegary sauce - simple but delicious! I also got the redskin potatoes, but I was so full by the time they came out, I barely touched them. It was probably just as well since they were a little bland. If and when I come back here, I'd like to sample more of the traditional side dishes - both the cucumber salad and the potato pancakes look fantastic, and a friend who got the potato pancakes said the accompanying apple sauce was quite good.
(4)Chester C.
Metzgers is awesome... Solid and consistent food, great staff and cozy atmosphere. Always a great experience.
(5)nancy j.
Reading the other reviews, I'm not sure if the food has seriously gone down hill in the past couple weeks or what. Maybe I only have higher standards because I eat out across the country for work as much as I do. My companion and I agreed our recent meal at Metzger's was a huge disappointment. I ate at Metzger's a year ago and loved it. Today I'm embarrassed I took my friend there. The service was great but the food was terrible. The gravy was cold and tasted like it came out of a can. The schnitzel was dry and could have been previously frozen. The sauerbraten was almost inedibly sour and the meat tasteless. Most heartbreaking -- the potato pancakes. They used to be flavorful and crisp. Now they are dry, rubbery and nothing but flour. What happened to the potatoes? Really, until Metzger's goes back to the way they used to cook just keep driving.
(1)J K.
Best bartenders! Great spatzel & potato salad
(5)Jason C.
Went to Metzger's as part of the restaurant week deal.... Haven't had German food in long time, so I was excited and eager!!! I went with Tender Deep Fried Calamari, Potato Leek with Kale Soup, Pretzel Encrusted Whitefish with a Mustard Cream sauce, Spatzen & Cheese Cake with Raspberry Sauce. The calamari was little salty and saltier when you dip it into the dipping sauce.... I guess this is what you get when you get a previously frozen calamari that's fried and served... and when did German restaurant offer calamari??? :) I had an opportunity to have Grilled Mettwurst and I would highly recommend this option... the Metwurst was little salty, but that's what you expect from a sausage and it had a devine bacon taste (I guess they cook it in bacon grease???). The soup was luke warm.... otherwise it was good. The fish was excellently cooked, moist! The only dislike was that it was on the salty side, but having a beer as a drink helped!! The crust was perfectly cooked and crunchy. As for the spatzen... its very doughy... it looks doughy, taste doughy and yeah... I wish I had more sauce to mask it... yeah... won't be getting it again next time! The cheese cake was good.... You get a lot of food for the $25! I will be bak for sure to try other food they offer... We sat around after dinner to chat, as we were all too full to move! The restaurant is kind of hidden.... it's on Zeeb road, after I-94!
(3)Nate F.
Excellent food. Love this place. Worth the drive. Plenty of parking.
(5)Mree K.
Nice atmosphere with German deco but ridiculously overpriced for food that is impressively mediocre. The house specialty consists of a couple slabs of beef soaking in a pretty tasteless preprepared dressing. Wouldn't come again.
(2)Michelle C.
Looking for good comfort food? Never tried German cuisine? This is the restaurant! Start off with warm pumpernickel bread... No need to order appetizers, because you won't be able to breathe after the meal! Schnitzel with mushroom sauce is my favorite here... but honestly, there is NO bad dish on the menu. All main meals come with 2 sides. Be sure to get their potato pancake and spatzen. Their red cabbage and potato salad are also excellent.. I usually end up adding abother side dish or 2 to my meal. Eat here! You won't regret it!
(5)Tim B.
This place has great authentic German cuisine. Try some of the old world entrees, such as sauerbraten, rouladen and even the rabbit. There are many different delicious dishes to choose from, each crafted with a "home-style" feel. The staff seems knowledgable and the building is decked out with several cultural items. The less than perfect rating stems from the potato pancakes, which were flavorless, greasy and had a raw flour taste to them.
(4)Meeta B.
I ALWAYS forget about Metzgers and how good the food is, until I am reacquainted with it. It's like forgetting how much fun an old friend is, until you see them years later and remember oh yeah! That's why I like you! Ok, anyhow, Metzgers I think because it's on the other side of town I don't go there as often, but friends of mine texted me on St. Pat's day- "At Metzgers, saving you a seat". Yes, my friends decided that going to a German restaurant on an Irish holiday was the way to go and by god they were right. I showed up to my rowdy group of friends who were drinking green beer out of these glass boots. Ed- the bartender was a really good sport and was really accommodating to my friends- who are great people...who get slightly rowdy when they've been partaking in libations. Trying to stay with my whole " I don't drink green beer" (although peer pressure got the better of me), Ed made me a green drink that I THINK had ice cream in it. All I can really equate it to was a McDonald's Shamrock shake with alcohol in it. Either way, it was delicious and had I not been driving I would have probably said "Please sir, can I have more?!" Anyhow, then we ordered. But first, before we ordered, Ed brought out this delicious brown bread that was warm and fresh. And, even though I'm not a huge bread eater, that was definitely some bread I didn't turn down. Our table ordered a plethora of food- chicken vienna (which was said to be delicious), fried chicken, baked chicken, wienerschnitzel, corned beef and cabbage and I got the cabbage rolls. The cabbage rolls were delicious! I don't like a bunch of sauce on my food, and these rolls had the perfect amount of sauce. The filling of beef and rice was perfectly seasoned, and tasted great the next day. Although I didn't try anyone else's main meal, I did try some of their sides. Now, I had ordered the Bavarian beet salad, which had the perfect amount of crunch and a good amount of acidity from the vinegar. I ate mine...almost had to spear a fork into the bestie's hand because she kept pilfering my beets. Luckily we had people at the table who were willing to share their beets with her. The Spaetzle- omg those noodles were good. I was sad I didn't order my own. But I really wanted their potato pancakes- which, were delicious with the sour cream and apple sauce. It was crunchy on the outside and creamy like mashed potatoes in the inside. I wasn't sad I got those, I was just sad I couldn't finish it and it didn't taste as crispy the next day (they weren't bad...just not the same). We had a great time at Metzgers. And maybe if I didn't whine to myself "it's soooooo far away", because it really isn't, I'd probably get there more often.
(4)Nikki C.
I'd never heard of Metzger's until very recently. What a cool place! It's very homey....warm, comfy & cozy. The decor is like someone's home. There are cuckoo clocks lining the walls, beer steins, cloth covered lights on the chandeliers. The service was great! I was with a fairly big party and the waitresses were patient, quick & efficient. They took good care of us. Being that I'm trying to be a good weight watchers girl, I couldn't indulge in some of the large platters of comfort food being dished up. But everyone else's looked great! The portions were nice and big and appeared to be filling. There weren't just heavy duty meals on the menu... I ended up going with a salmon filet glazed in lemon & dill and had a side of applesauce and side of green beans which appeared to be grilled and/or sauteed. Everything was really delicious and I'm glad I made that meal choice. Let me tell you.. had I NOT been into WW, I would have gone for the gusto with the potato pancakes and warm bread pudding and oh my -- the HUMMER. I almost splurged and used some of my weekly allowance points for it, but snapped out of it. (Then I probably would have given one more star) Truth be told, I'm in the Detroit area, so I don't see myself sitting at home and saying "Gee, I sure could go for some Metzger's" and driving up 94 for dinner. BUT, that being said, I'm really glad I went. I LOVE trying new places and venturing out from time to time.
(3)Bryan H.
I love this place. I lived in Germany when I was younger and I have to say the food was spot on and great decor inside made me feel like I was in Germany again. I'm not from the area but try to stop in whenever I'm in town.
(5)Kelli P.
Most German restaurants weird me out due to their overzealous approach of trying to capture "Bavarian culture". Just because you see a man in lederhosen does not mean the food will be authentic. In fact, it would be in your favor to run in the other direction if you are waited on by an American who calls himself "Gunther" between the hours of nine and five and is donning Bavarian garb. Metzger's is a no-nonsense German restaurant with friendly waitstaff, somewhat classic decor (I could see how this might be debatable), and downright delicious food. For vegetarians, käsespätzle, potato pancakes, beet salad, and sauerkraut are all safe choices. Schnitzel is a classic entree for the carnivorous type. The bread pudding is a tasty way to wrap up your meal. If you're looking for a touristy German restaurant where people pose with giant cuckoo clocks and snap pictures in their cut-off blue jeans, head north. For a more authentic approach to German cuisine, visit Metzger's.
(5)Barbi P.
I do not like German food. It makes me wanna puke a little. So this review is based on the 3 things I can tell you. 1.) My parents and grandfather love this place. They are big German food fans and this is where they go. They tell me it is authentic and very good. I will take their word. 2.) My chicken Caesar salad was pretty good. The dressing was great and the chicken was really moist. 3.) My Manhattan was really big, really strong and I felt really fuzzy by the time we left. Mmmm.
(4)Liz W.
Metzger's is a delight. Fantastic food, plenty of good drink and a nice atmosphere. The only downside was the hit and miss service, otherwise this would likely be a five star review. We will go back and hopefully next time it will be. Being newbies we ordered the haus platter for two for experimentation purposes. It comes with a choice of soup or a salad. We decided to try the cheesy chicken tortellini soup and the creamy garlic dressing on a salad. The soup was amazing, big chunks of chicken, red peppers and perfectly cooked tortellini in a smooth brothy type cheese sauce. The salad was mixed greens (yay for frisee) with ideally thin sliced onion, dark and light rye croutons and a garlic dressing with dill. Both were winners. We were slightly annoyed that every table other than ours got bread. We did not need it at all but it still made us feel odd. Our drinks also never got refilled. Yes we still had water glasses but does that mean we cannot have more pop or tea? I hate having to ask, not that our waitress was around to ask at any rate. Empty glasses should be an indication someone needs more drink though. Soon enough a huge platter arrived. Heaped with potato salad, spatzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut. On either side was a half a piece of lemon topped schnitzel and on top were fat links of mettwurst, bratwurst and knackwurst. On the side was a dark and a light mustard and some excellent horseradish. We were totally intimidated but dove in bravely. The mild knackwurst was enjoyed, the familiar bratwurst and the mettwurst were utter happiness. The schnitzel was very well done but a bit lost in our sausage bliss. The mustards were lovely additions and I always appreciate a bit of horseradish. The spatzle is nicely done here with a bit of gravy, the sauerkraut has good snap to it but we both liked the red cabbage and the potato salad best. Just perfect renditions. We had to take a ton home. This did not concern us in the least. Happy reheats and bonus points to the waitress (at last) for getting us containers to pack up mustards and horseradish too. We also got a box for some carrot cake for two, a real treat I must say. We did not have a single bite we did not truly adore. We can't wait to go back for rouladen, sauerbraten, potato pancakes and strudel next time. Be sure to come for a birthday, get your meal free with the purchase of another plus they throw in a free dessert! Yum!
(4)Denise K.
Went here yesterday with my family. Prices went up a lot. Found a very long hair in my spaetzle. Spoke with someone else who goes there. Same thing happened to both of them. Waitress tried to downplay this but this is problem they need to address. Won't ever go back. Not worth the price.
(1)Allen L.
Metzger's has been so consistently good for decades that I never think about writing a review for it. I go here frequently for both lunch and dinner. It's somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me. This is not light food. :) Some favorites: - Steinhager Martini - any of the different schnitzel - sausage - spatzen - beer (Warsteiner, Franziskaner) Always good service. Always super friendly with the owner(s) frequently greeting you.
(5)Robert B.
I have now eaten here multiple times and the food is just consistently very good and really good specials rotating on the weekly menu. The last two weeks finds braised rabbit on the menu which sells out and I was lucky enough to get some today. Definitely a cut above average and local ingredients to boot.
(4)Kristen M.
I may be a slightly biased reviewer but Metzger's is awesome. I have had ample opportunity to sample the menu and these are my favorite items: -Tornadoes: usually a weekend special, beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and served with au jus for dipping -Mettwurst: flavorful German sausage -Fish specials: always unique and tasty -French onion soup: cheesy, salty and delicious -Fries: crispy and well seasoned -Chocolate cherry torte: a very rich, flourless chocolate cake w/ rasbperry sauce Also, Metzger's is very kid friendly. I used to take all the kids i babysat there and they loved it. It's also fun to go with a group of friends and share a boot of beer! You won't find anything else like it in Ann Arbor.
(5)Ally K.
My parents and I decided to have dinner here for my mom's early birthday dinner (Her actual birthday is St. Patty's Day) and seeing as I've had this place on a list of restaurants to try for a while, I was looking forward to it. Ordering was easy, as we love sausage. My mom and I got the Wurst Platte to split, minus the sauerkraut which we replaced with potato pancakes. My dad got a weekly special, which was a pork sausage. The Wurst Platte was quite good. The mettwurst was great, and the knackwurst was mild, but became better when paired with the dijon mustard (you also get a sweet mustard and horseradish, both of which are really tasty). My mom wasn't a huge fan of the bratwurst, and I thought it was just alright. I'm really happy that we got the potato pancakes, which are crispy, thick, and great with the applesauce and sour cream! The spaetzle was pretty much just filler, but it was nice to have, sort of like how it's nice to have mashed potatoes with a good roast. My dad liked his pork sausage, which I got to try. I actually kind of wish I had gotten these because they were nicely spiced. Okay, now that I've got the savory stuff covered, it's time to focus on my favorite part of every meal: Dessert! This is where Metzger's really won our hearts. We got the carrot cake, apple strudel, and bread pudding. I'll just start off by saying that the carrot cake is the best that I've ever had. Seriously, it may have been for two, but I was perfectly willing to eat both pieces. The cream cheese frosting was delicious and plentiful, and the cake itself was moist and loaded with shredded carrots and nuts. I gave the other half to my parents, and they agreed with me. The apple strudel went to my mom (but I got a bite), and she was happy to report that it was fantastic. The bread pudding with vanilla sauce that my dad got was good, although it could have been a little warmer. All in all, this was a good and hearty meal. I would come back here again, especially for the dessert.
(4)Jeroen V.
Growing up in Europe, Schnitzel was one of my favorite things to eat so I was very excited to find this on the menu at Metzger's. I ordered the Zigeuner Schnitzel and it was really bland and badly seasoned. There was nothing about this dish that reminded me of the Schnitzels I ate "back home". I cannot judge the rest of the menu, but I was very underwhelmed with this specific dish and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that has ever had a Schnitzel in Germany or Austria.
(2)Greta D.
Very friendly staff and cute decor. Food was good and came out much faster than expected. Beer and cobbler was the best part. Just kind of high priced. A once in a while place.
(3)Eric P.
Metzger's is my favorite German restaurant in Metro-Detroit. When my fellow alums came in from out of town we all agreed that Metzgers was a rare treat we needed to revisit. And until last week, I had forgotten how good Metzger's food tastes. The quality is still there. The schnitzel, the sausages, the potato pancakes, the spatzen, the sauerkraut, and everthing I've eaten here has been amazingly delicious. The menu is expansive and will cater to all tastes, although I wouldn't order Perch or a Steak here. You can get that anywhere. Go for the specialty items. Entrees run about $16ish and come with two sides. There's so many good sides, but you really have to try the potato pancakes with sourcream and apple sauce. They're really unhealthy but so delicious. On my latest visit I planned on ordering the Weiner Schnitzel but they ran out of it so I went with the Jager Schnitzel (breaded and fried pork served with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a wine-based "Jager" sauce. I'm not quite sure what was in the sauce but it sure was tasty. The wait was a bit long for a table (usually a good sign), but once we were seated we received excellent service. The decor is great, wooden tables, German memoribilia, I really feel like I'm in an authentic German restaurant. I wouldn't change a thing about Metzger's, its practically perfect! Except for maybe moving the location closer to my house so I could go more often.
(5)Jorge C.
Metzger's is an Ann Arbor staple! You cannot get better sausage and German food anywhere in Ann Arbor. My favorites are the Metwurst, potato pancakes and cucumber salad. They also have beers straight from Germany constantly rotating in their draft selection
(5)Diane L.
My husband and I went here during restaurant week. Dinner is served all day on Sunday, and we dined around 1pm so we ended up with a huge lunch! So for $25 each we got a cheese plate, soup, an entree with a side and a full size dessert. We seriously rolled ourselves home after taking away half of our food. I had the cottage schnitzel with spatzle and bread pudding with vanilla sauce. My husband had the pretzel crusted fish with mustard sauce and beet salad and he also had the bread pudding for dessert. Everything had excellent flavor, was well seasoned and was not greasy. My husband has traveled around Germany and he thought the food and the ambiance was very homey and authentic. The service was very good and I would go back again. They also have a nice patio area that I think would be great on a sunnier day. I'm so glad Ann Arbor has restaurant week, it's a great event.
(5)Cean W.
Excellent potato pancakes and cucumber salad. Even though the name of the entree is a bit racist ("Zigeuner"? Lol), it was delicious. I eat here every time I travel to Ann Arbor.
(5)Katherine E.
Took my dad here for Father's Day dinner. Service was excellent : friendly, efficient, and helpful. I had the Schnitzel with the mushroom sauce with spatzle. Delicious! My fiance had the fried chicken with potato pancakes. He was unusually quiet through the meal because he was so busy stuffing his face. My dad got the weinerschnitzel with potato salad and was very happy. Desserts were good, too. We shared the bread pudding, apple streudel, and chocolate cherry torte. Portions are generous and prices are fair.
(5)Mei O.
The schnitzel was yummy. The spaetzel was yummy. The beer was yummy. Basically everyone at the table was happy with what they ordered, wanted to keep eating, but knew their stomach would explode a la Monty Python if they did. We love Metzger's.
(4)Flinch B.
This is a nice german restaurant skipping most of the standard-issue kitsch. I went there on a business trip and grabbed a table in the bar area. That I was sitting alone didn't stop the people near me from chatting me up which I appreciated. Certainly, there is a nice core of regulars at Metzger's that rally help the vibe. The Wienerschnitzel I ordered was a very good effort. The Spaetzle and Red Cabbage sides were also very respectable sides. They also had a nice, diverse selection of desserts including several that were not German. I skipped the dessert but if the main meal was any indication, I'm sure these would have been tasty as well. It may be a while before I return to Ann Arbor but when I do, I'll try to make it a point to visit Metzger's to explore other items on their menu.
(4)David S.
Metzger's targets the "mature" market. There's nothing wrong with that -- and it's sort of expected, considering it serves German fare and is on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. While the students and young professionals dine on burgers, italian food, and up-and-coming cuisines in downtown Ann Arbor, the older crowd has found a gem in Metzger's (I'd say the average age when I went was about 50). Metzger's offers a wide variety of authentic German food and beer. A plate of brats, spatzen, and sauerkraut will run you upwards of $20, and German beers are $5-$6 each. It's darn tasty though, and they give you a heaping amount. I like the variety of mustards on the table, and ordered the "variety platter" of wursts -- they were all tasty, and when they came I wish I could remember what the differences between them were (I like the "whitest" one the most, though!). Service was great, and the free, fresh-baked bread was addicting. Without accounting for price, I'd give the food 4*, and the beer selection 5*. Had to knock the overall rating down to 3*, however, because sausage can't be THAT expensive to make - especially when you're out on Zeeb Road and rent is half as much as in downtown A2.
(3)Steven L.
I don't usually indulge myself in places like this. It is not for important people like me. But I had to wine and dine some Germans for a business matter. The so-called foodies of Yelp told me that this is a great place. The Germans thought the food was supposed to be an insult. I almost lost the account, but luckily they did not judge me by this, and I was able to put them in their place. From now on, no more ethnic restaurants and I will stop listening to the uneducated bums on Yelp. It recieved 3 stars because the server did not cut us off, so I could get the clients drunk.
(3)Shannon N.
Yummy! Love the red cabbage!
(4)Eric K.
Excellent food. We tried four different dishes and every element of each dish was delicious. I haven't had this experience yet while living in Ann Arbor and I've been living here for six years now. The food was superb, service excellent/friendly, and it came out quick. I encourage everyone to give this place a try. The lunch is an especially good value.
(5)Dee T.
This restaurant used to be located in downtown Ann Arbor, but relocated a few years ago to a strip mall just off of I-94. We hadn't tried it out since the move, so we were eager to give the new space a try. The restaurant was packed on a Sunday night which made for a convivial vibe. The bar is fantastic, with lots of wood, ample seating, and tons of German antiques and memorabilia. The beer selection, of course, was impressive and heavily favored German brews. The bartenders and our server were friendly and efficient. This would be a great place to come with family (as many diners were, for Sunday supper apparently) or for a casual meal with friends...it's too bad we don't live anywhere nearby. We were given a basket of pumpernickel bread to start; the bread was dense and warm and perfect with a smattering of butter. Our meals included the weiner schnitzel and chicken Vienna. The food is delicious - heavy and hearty, as German food should be. The side dishes are absolutely necessary to cut into the denseness; each entree comes with a choice of two sides, such as potato pancakes, spatzle, hot German potato salad, and beets. I loved my red kraut, hubby loved his sauerkraut, and we both stuffed ourselves full of spatzle. It was quite impossible to pursue dessert after our meal. I hope we'll get a chance to go back again someday. It was a pleasurable experience all around.
(5)Amy B.
Being of German descent, I have high standards when it comes to schnitzel, spaetzel, and sauerbraten. Metzger's did more than meet my expectations, they exceeded them. One of my favorite things on Metzger's menu is the rouladen, which they only serve during the weekend. I recommend trying it at least once. Be warned, if you go during dinner on the weekends there will be a wait, but I think a 20-25 wait is a small price to pay for yummy German food!
(4)Jill C.
My husband and I came for our wedding anniversary lunch. The description online sounded good , so we thought we would give it a try. It wasn't busy, but the median age of the patrons there was somewhere north of sixty. We were seated quickly and, throughout the meal the service was good. That is the best thing I can say about the place. I ordered the house specialty, the Sauerbraten with red cabbage and vegetable of the day(snow peas). My hubby ordered the sirloin steak with rice pilaf and snow peas. The bread arrived and it was warm and so incredibly chewy that I found it hard to eat. I'm glad our server gave us lots of water to drink so I could wash it down. Our dinners arrived soon after. My Sauerbraten was best described as meh. The meat was tender, but thin, and the gravy was overwhelmingly vinegary. I know the first part of the name of the dish means sour in German, but that was waaaay too much. The meat was gray and looked more like slightly thick lunchmeat. The red cabbage was also a little to sour for me. The snow peas were ok, they should have snipped the little ends off of them, though. My Husband's steak was overcooked(he ordered it medium rare and it came out medium well). The rice was dry, dry, dry. The "sauce" that came with it(beef broth)couldn't do anything for it. I would say the best thing about the meal was the pie we had at the Grand Traverse Pie Company three doors down. Probably won't go back.
(2)Jeff M.
Good food but good luck getting a drink from the bartenders. They're too busy flirting with the customers.
(3)A. G. U.
if you like german food, this is definitely the place! They were great when they were in Ann Arbor, and still have the same excellent food at their new location - although the ambience is not what it used to be when they were in downtown Ann Arbor.
(4)mike w.
I mean any place that serves Warsteiner light in a boot, (yea, a glass boot!), get's 3 stars automatically. 1up for having good food as well. A bit pricey, but I have never been disappointed.
(4)katie W.
Every time my parents are in town, this is the place they want to go. It's always great. The spatzle, and potato salad are amazing. Any of the wursts and traditional German dinners are great too.
(5)L K.
This place specializes in serving bullshit that is way overpriced and people who say this place is great had been raised on cow dungs. Forgive me, but I think real German people have better taste than this, you know, the ones who keep it real.
(1)Kristina D.
I love Metzger's. I went to the restaurant when it was in downtown Ann Arbor, but then they moved to Zeeb Rd and it's still worth the drive. If you like traditional south German food, this is the place for you. They have a lot of traditional dishes. Love their wursts and the chicken livers. They also have a lot of good German beer on tap and huge boots to drink them from (think beerfest ;-) ). You don't find many traditional places like Metzger's very often. This year is their 80th anniversary and they are still going strong.
(4)ryan k.
So I was watching a recent episode of Andrew Zimmern and he was in Germany. Watching the episode got me hungry for some of my ancestral cuisine so I took to yelp to search out some local German fare. Metzger's it was. So this past Saturday the wife and I packed up and headed to Ann Arbor for what was sure to be a quality experience. I was blown away. First off, our waiter was phenomenal, pure blooded German who was super nice and helpful. Right away I told him I wanted the biggest dark German beer I could get my hands on. He warned me that it was the boot, and contained over 2 1/2 liters of Germany's finest. GREAT! I ordered it. Das boot, full of Warsteiner dark. We also ordered the wurst sampler which was friggin delicious and the kaesespaetzle which was a real treat. The wurst sampler was served with bratwurst and mettwurst, 3 choices of mustard, and warm fresh pumpernickel bread. For our main courses I ordered the sauerbraten and my wife got the vienna chicken. We were both very pleased. For sides I had the beet salad and the red cabbage, and she had the German potato salad and the potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. Best potato pancakes I've ever tasted. We also ordered the carrot cake to go, it was up there with the best I ever tasted as well. By the time I was 3/4 of the way through das boot, I was chatting up our waiter, stumbling around admiring all of the awesome decor, wanting to buy this sweet stein..etc. Here is a fair warning. If you order the boot, just prepare yourself for complete and total obliteration. It was FANTASTIC! I most certainly will be back, sooner than later, for sure. This is my new favorite place and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars but what are you gonna do you know? If you've never experienced authentic German fare treat yourself to an evening out at Metzger's and you won't leave disappointed. Especially if das boot has anything to say about it. Oh BTW, there is NOTHING remotely close to this place in Frankenmuth. This is as real as it gets. Thank you Metzger's for the great time, and this awesome new avatar photo!
(5)William B.
The first time I had the privilege of eating at Mezger's, they were serving rouladen for their daily special. What a treat! I dare say, their rouladen was tastier than my German grandmothers-no small feat since she was the best cook I've ever known! The service was superb, and has been on every subsequent occasion I've dined there. Attentive server offered extra rouladen sauce, as well as keeping us well stocked on their delicious, warm, pumpernickel bread. I went in for lunch recently and tried their German-style goulash served over buttered egg noodles-I fell in love with the place all over again! I always get their sauerkraut as a side-it tastes almost exactly like the barrel-aged stuff my grandmother made when I was a child. One previous reviewers assessment that the atmosphere transports you to Bavaria is spot on. Within minutes, I forget that I'm in dreary old Michigan, just off of highway I-94. The thing that I love most though about Metzger's, is their expansive menu, which will afford me opportunities to keep trying new things for many visits to come!
(5)Mae S.
If you like things that never change, try Metzger's. Well, ok, they moved from downtown to a strip mall. But the new atmosphere is a lot like Ann Arbor downtown before it became a destination for young professionals from Toledo and Plymouth or wherever they come from. On weekends, Metzger's can still be crowded, too, just like when it was one of very few downtown restaurants. Above all, the food is really just like it's always been for several generations -- before any of the customers or even the unchanging staff were born, when they probably bought all those beer steins on the walls. SO...if you are a fan of fried liver and onions, you'll find it here. Also potato pancakes with apple sauce, German potato salad, sauerbraten, lightly breaded cutlets of various kinds, and rye bread. I was delighted to learn recently that at lunch there's an option for just ordering a selection of side dishes. Swabia, before World War I, was the source of a tight-knit community that came here and maintained customs, language, and religion for several generations. Metzger's is the last visible remnant of that community. Once I was in that part of Germany. Our German hosts told us we were going to try something unique, that we had never had before. I didn't say anything, but the unique item has been on Metzger's menu from Day I. Frankly, I'm glad there are a lot more choices than we used to have.
(3)Marc W.
Metzger's is okay. I used to go here about once a month and usually had an enjoyable meal but something started bugging me. After trying many of their menu items I got the feeling they were assembled cafeteria style. I guess I'm expecting more out of a moderately priced restaurant.
(3)Bjorn G.
Metzger's used to be one of three German restaurants in downtown. I could walk there from home. Now it's out on the western fringe of town, on Zeeb Road. It's still well worth going there. They have a lot of good traditional items on the menu. Their specialty is the sauerbraten, and it just can't be beat. Get it with the red cabbage and German fried potatoes.
(5)