The Heidelberg Restaurant

by Abby C.

I am giving the Heidelberg 3 stars for a few reasons, but none of them include the quality of the food in the restaurant.  I've never ordered anything off of the menu, and I probably never will.  But I still feel that the Heidelberg deserves 3 stars from me for the reasons that I am about to list.1) RIDICULOUS Happy Hour on Thursdays and Fridays (unless it's changed in the last year or so.  I haven't been in awhile.) Thursdays 5 to 7, with the purchase of 2 drinks (beers count), FOR FREE you can eat all-you-can-eat tacos.  Fridays 5 to 7, with the purchase of 2 drinks (and again, beers count), FOR FREE you can eat all-you-can-eat chips/salsa and chicken wings.  IPA bottles of beer are $2 so in theory for a total of $5, you can have 2 beers and dinner (albeit an unhealthy one).2) The Boot.  I believe they have mini-boots now, but the true boot is about 100 oz of beer that you can fill up for $20 with any beer on tap.  Yes, there's a deposit, but hopefully you (or a friend) can make sure you don't break the thing so you get your money back.  I once thought that my friend was ridiculous for finishing 1 boot until I realized the table of large, construction-worker-esque looking men had each finished 2 and some were ordering a 3rd.  That was ridiculous.3) The Heidelberg is really busy for Happy Hour on Thurs/Fri, but otherwise, it's a pretty low-key place to go for some drinks before you really head out for the night.  I also appreciate the fact that they have a jukebox.I ate many a meal during college at the Heidelberg Happy Hour and have a few fond memories so that makes the Heidelberg alright in my book.

by Eric M.

After living in Germany for a couple of years, I came back to find the Heidelberg.  I was pleasantly surprised when I took the first bite... not bad at all.  It's pretty hard to make everything just exactly the same, because of ingredients, but the general idea is pretty much there.  Good food, not too expensive, and it's on THIS side of the transatlantic flight.  not bad. I can't speak for the rude barkeep downstairs, but I used to enjoy heading down  there.  Great beer, too!

by Keith S.

The Downstairs, the Rathskeller, is a great place to find good beer for a lot less and the best happy hour ever!  You have not fully lived the Ann Arbor experience if you have not ordered "The Boot" (make sure you bring some friends)

by Becki B.

We finally checked out the Heidelberg last night for dinner. I'd heard great things about the bars when I lived in Ann Arbor, but that wasn't our scene with the baby in tow.Having spent a few months in Germany last year, we found the food to be pretty decent German fare, but we were used to northern Germany, and these were Bavarian specialties. We still enjoyed our meals. The biggest drawbacks for us were just because of kid stuff (and there were high chairs available, so I'm assuming it was intended to be a family restaurant). First I forgot to order the baby's dinner. Oops! All my fault, I know, but I wish the waitress had asked if she would be eating something.. Secondly was the fact that since the restrooms on the main floor have been remodeled (they're bigger now!), there is no changing table in either restroom. The waitress offered to block the front door and let us change the baby in the vestibule, which was kind.I have to add that both the bartender and the waitress were great - definitely not at all representative of typical German customer service (because there is no customer service in Germany..).

by Jonas L.

Heidelberg can be very good, in a very limited way.When should you go? Friday happy hour (5-7). All-you-can-eat wings and chips with two drinks! And for the drinks, you can get the Hofbrau bottles for $2.50 (used to be $2), which is a pretty good deal for one of the most famous German breweries.Otherwise, stay away. The "German" plates are poor imitations of the real thing, and not particularly cheap. The crowd tend to be somewhat weird and sketchy. The music frankly sucks. Don't bother, unless it's Friday happy hour.

by Marissa B.

The Heidelberg is three levels and essentially three different worlds.  The basement is a dive bar, long and narrow with lots of places to sit dart boards towards the back.  The main level is a restaurant and the upstairs is a unremarkable bar that has more music/karaoke sort of events.  I've only been upstairs on Wednesday nights, karaoke.  It can get PACKED by later on, so don't go there with your heart set on getting to sing all your fav's... it could take a while for you even to get up there once.  There are usually good beer specials, but mixed drinks are pricey - Jack Daniels for example is about $6... which is expensive, even for Main St.The basement bar could have turned into a favorite for me, I like the space I love played darts.  However, I avoid going here at all costs because (as numerous other reviewers have noted) the bartender has the WORST attitude I have ever encountered.  She's the first bartender who's actually made me feel guilty for ordering a drink.  Umm... isn't that what you're SUPPOSED to be doing at a bar?!  She has said such rude and inappropriate things to both people I've been with and to me that I've been flabbergasted.  The first time or two I wrote it off thinking "ohh, she's just had a bad day.." but after numerous occasions, and hearing stories from others, I've had to give up that theory.  For example, my friend sat at the bar one evening, patiently trying to get a beer... Monica (the bartender) walked past several times, helping other people.  Finally, Monica stood right in front of my friend and started doing paperwork, as if taunting her.  My friend said "excuse me, is it possible to order a beer?" and Monica glared at her and snarled, "Well, if you'd made eye contact with me when I'd looked at you earlier, you would've had it by now".  My friend's jaw just about hit the bar... and the townies who were nearby just shrugged said "that's how she is".  It's as if some of them almost find her disdain for helping customers endearing.  Umm, not me!  I'd much rather head to other places where I'm greeted with a smile the bartender is a jovial person who's fun to banter with.  I sure don't need to pay $6 for a jack 'n coke + tip to be treated like that.The other downside to the Heidelberg are the womens' bathrooms (can't speak about the mens...).  The space between the edge of the toilet and the stall door is approximately... ooh... I'd say 3 inches.  So if you are any taller than 4ft 6 inches, you are going to seriously struggle  and will have to contort yourself into a very strange position to get anywhere even close to sitting down.  A nice visual, I know.  BOTTOM LINE:  Craptastic bartender attitude and bruised knees make this a place that you're better off skipping right over.  Trust me, you're not missing anything.

by Margot F.

Word of mouth calls the food served at the family restaurant at ground level "authentic" (to Germany, I presume), reports that it arrives in "generous portions," and recommends the schnitzels.  Me, I only eat sausage on my knees, so I'm an upstairs/ downstairs gal at the Heidelberg.  Upstairs,the live entertainment is wildly hit-or-miss, but the venue is so peculiar it seems like a particular treat when it's a hit.  Stand-up comedy every Tuesday is worth the $5 admission exactly once, because the same very funny guys are there every week (~10:30pm).  If poetry slams are your thing, the soap box sets up on the first and third Tuesdays of the month around 8pm.  Besides occasional rock shows, the "Club Above" is a dance club on most weekend nights with little to recommend it.  That's when it's time to head downstairs, to the Rathskellar.  Long wooden tables, cozy high-back dark wood booths, a familiar juke box and darts in the back, prompt and smart cocktail servers, and lots and lots of beer.  Almost divey, almost hip, almost a townie bar, and mostly just German.  People aren't nearly as interesting to look at or interested in looking at you as at they are further down Main St., which makes it a nice stop for a last call with few expectations.  Oh, and slip a doodle or trinket under the glass on the tables for future drinkers' entertaiment.

by Jonny P.

Ok if you are not a bar person, just stop now find somewhere else to drink water or whatever. This place ROCKS! I had the greatest time during the weekend of Purdue/Michigan (Take into account that I attended a small Liberal Arts school i.e. I don't give a flying f*ck about college football.) I had a great time going to watch my Arsenal match earlier and walked around for a bit trying to find this place. Once we got here the beer spirits kept flowing. Oh yes besides having a plethora (3 Amigos!!!) of suds there is an intimidating amount of spirits to choose from. I'm a snobbish bourbon drinker I couldn't complain about the selection. I also met a ton of people who work in and around Ann Arbor's restaurant industry so you know the place is money...

by Clarence C.

The Heidelberg serves good beer in the basement bar and the German food is widely believed to be authentic. Although dinners are on the expensive side, for a downtown restaurant not-owned-by-Main-Street-Ventures, there's a lunch menu with special mostly ranging between $5 and $8. These include sandwiches, a hamburger, salads and soup.The first Tuesday of every month, the Heidelberg is home to the Ann Arbor Poetry Slam. The event starts at 7:30 and costs $5 for non-members. You can bring your own poetry to read during the open mike part of the show.

by Dan E.

The Heidelberg (this review is only for the bar downstairs) is a place that I wanted to like so much more than I actually did.  I love German beer, I love darts, and I had hoped that Heidelberg could be a comfortable place to enjoy some beer with friends.  Boy was I wrong...The biggest problem for me was the rude attitude of the bartender from whom I ordered beers.  Another reviewer mentioned that they felt "guilty" when ordering drinks, and that description is incredibly apt.  When I ordered beers, I felt like I was bothering the bartender (who was doing nothing otherwise).  This is a bar - I'm supposed to order drinks, what's the deal?The place is also ridiculously smoky, probably the function of low ceilings and poor ventilation.  The darts area is actually great (high quality darts and board), but it can sometimes be very difficult to get a spot on one of the two boards.  I can see how Heidelberg can be a fun bar for some, but I feel quite out of place when I'm there...