I left Milwaukee long ago, and have stayed south of the Mason-Dixon Line ever since (DC, New Orleans, San Francisco and Bangkok all being well south of that line). I used to head back to Milwaukee and treat the family to two grand meals, one...at Mader's and the other at Karl Ratche's. The latter is long gone: sic transit gloria mundi. Of the very many German and Austro-Hungarian restauirants I remember, most are gone with the wind. But, Mader's is still alive and kicking, Gott sei Dank! Here is a piece of Old Germany, Bismarckian Germany, Hapsburg Vienna, the land of Goethe and Brahms, Schiller and Strauss, still alive a century after the Western Front and the de-Germanization of Milwaukee. When in Milwaukee, if you want a look and taste of Old Milwaukee, go to Maders. Join the crowd, which included Laurel & Hardy, John Wayne, Presidents Reagan and Kennedy, John Lennon, and a host of others (you can see dozens of them in a back corridor, just ask your waitress how to find it. I took my brother and sister there; brought back memories. To my astonishment, their Leberknödelsuppe is now called "Liver Dumpling Soup." Well, I suppose most guests in 2021 wouldn't understand German, so I get it. Though Sauerbraten's name remains the same: it's untranslatable into English, same as pizza, paella and pate de fois gras. They have excellent German biers vom fass to quench your thirst and traditional German cakes to finish off your meal. The wine list looked first-rate, though we stuck to draft pilsners. Adding a grand touch to our evening, our waitress, Amelia, is no only extraordinarily competent, but fluent in German as well. Mader's food is wunderbar; its Germanic atmosphere takes you back to the start of the last century. If you can afford one splurge while in Milwaukee, and you want an experience that you'll remember for the rest of your life (whether or not you've been to modern Germany), don't miss Mader's. p.s. I strongly recommend getting a reservation before you arrive; but if you're feeling lucky.... To Mader's I give a heart-felt "Danke schon!"More

The waitress was fantastic. The atmosphere was enjoyable and fun. The food was excellent. The wiener schnitzel was above reproach. Can't wait to go back.

We were looking forward to our dinner given the reviews and history. I’ll separate this review into relevant sections: Ambiance: The restaurant opened in 1902 and has an impressive cast of patrons ranging from US presidents and other politicians, Hollywood stars, and famous musicians/rock and...roll artists. The interior is dated but in a good way as it added to the ambiance. Service: Even though the room in which we were seated had guests at only 4 of the 10 tables, our service was not the best. One waiter was responsible for the entire room. I understand there are shortages of staff everywhere, and I’ve taken that into consideration writing this review. After being seated, we waited a bit for our server who recognized we didn’t have drink menus and promptly provided them. At this time, we were only the second table seated in the room. Service was very slow. My emptied water glass sat unfilled regardless of the fact I placed it clearly in view at the edge of the table. Bread came out after our appetizers. And we were presented with a check without being offered the option for a dessert. We had to flag him down to order it. Food: I was mostly unimpressed. The potato pancakes were heavy on flour and were too well done, but the accompanying apple sauce was delicious. My husband enjoyed the onion soup and rated the German Sampler (Wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten and kassler rippchen) as fair. I had the Wiener schnitzel and agree it was nothing special. The red cabbage was delicious. And, the Apple strudel a la mode was excellent. I would not feel the need to return if I make it back to Milwaukee. I’m sure there are other good restaurants from which to choose.More

I was not sure to go about reviewing this very historic restaurant in Milwaukee. The place is EXTREMELY full of color, history, charm, a moveable feast for the eyes. To be sure , if one wants a full out German experience, this is the place...to go. However, the prices blew me away. Our bill for one old fashioned and a cheese/meat tray was $35! (we filled our tummies at a local sports bar for WAY less than that!)More

To bad we had a waitress that had ZERO PERSONALITY with us. We over tipped her but not good enough since the people behind us tipped her $40 to start the evening. Great food and props to the chef and the Friday night bartenders. We...were there on Friday October 1st and Saturday October 2nd. Different vibe in bar between the 2 nights.More

We're from California and are visiting states we haven't been to, looking for things that are unique to these different places. Mader's certainly qualifies as an experience we don't get at home. Food was delicious, service was excellent. Atmosphere certainly reminiscent of Germany.

We had heard about Mader’s while visiting friends in Milwaukee. We love to get authentic German cuisine when we can. The building and antiques inside are amazing , the restaurant itself is cozy and charming. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable in assisting us...to order and answer questions. We had the 100 year old brandy old fashioned, the tour of Germany for 2 and finished it with the apple strudel. Everything was delicious we had a wonderful time. 10/10 would recommend to anyone visiting Milwaukee looking for a great time and good food.More