Rheinlander German Restaurant

I’ve now gone to the Rheinlander a couple of times and had really good experiences both times. German is food is just so rich, but a couple of times of year, I can handle.
This last time was for my BF’s birthday (he loves this place and has been going here for years). When I made our reservation, the person I spoke with asked if it was a special occasion, which I appreciated. I also told the host who seated us that it was my BF’s birthday, who passed it on to our waitress.
Ambiance is great — like you are stepping into a Bavarian haus They have a few private rooms, and a couple of larger party rooms, so they obviously host a lot of private parties, which I think is great. We went on a Wednesday night and were seated in a separate room, so it was nice that we had the privacy.
Menu is pretty large, but we started off with a order of the fondue with smoke bier sausage (so good) and I decided to get to the Schnizel (I went with Chicken). BF got the Rheinlander Feast (his fav). My schnizel was really good — perfectly cooked with a side order of red cabbage and mashed potatoes. I finished it all… delicious. BF obviously loved his feast because he dove in and almost ate it all.
After dinner, the waitress brought out a slice of apple strudel with whipped cream (and a candle), and she, the accordian player, and another waiter sang happy birthday, and another fun German song to the BF. I thought that was a nice touch, and he loved it.
I got to actually eat the apple strudel, because the BF LOVES their chocolate mousse. He had been raving about it for days, so he was in heaven when he got it. And I was happy with the strudel — it was so, so good. Lots of apples and the pastry was nice and flaky. Probably some of the best strudel I have ever eaten.
Overall, it was a great experience and I’m sure we’ll be back again before the end of the year. If you love German food, you have to eat here. It’s a Portland institution!

We are a big fan of Gustav’s — having lived in Bavaria for a year a long, long time ago I was really intrigued by this place, which shares the same entrance with Gustav’s right next to it. There are a couple of major differences —
Pros: the setting and the staff were superior by a long shot over Gustav’s (we haunt the one in Clackamas as it is closest to home).
Cons: No happy hour (?? really ??), not enough parking (probably a complaint that can be made for most «in town» Portland restaurants.
They have a «Legendary Rheinlander’s fondue», and I have to say we felt it stood up to the hype. My wife and I each had one of their locally crafted hard ciders — I went with the traditional apple, she had the blackberry and we both were very happy with our selections.
For dinner, we ordered the Munich Feast and asked for a separate plate, they split the feast into two portions on two plates for us and didn’t charge a plate surcharge, which I thought was great. There was enough food to satisfy both of us, I’m not sure if I would feel the same if we hadn’t of also had the fondue. (But you really shouldn’t skip the fondue). It had two schnitzel variations, a bier sausage and three traditional sides (the spaetzle was spot on, my wife (to her surprise) liked both the red cabbage and sauerkraut. The large soft pretzel was big enough for us to share and neither of us felt like we missed out.
There was a guy playing accordion walking around — I thought he was pretty good, he was able to play all the songs that people requested. While I don’t remember any walking accordionists at the places we ate when we were living in Munich, perhaps we just didn’t go to the right place.
Someone mentioned in an earlier review that they thought the decorations were primarily Bavarian, and while I am by no means an expert, one of the recurring themes we remember from Bavaria was a white and blue color scheme which was not seen here.
Our waitress was helpful in coming up with our selections and we never had an empty water glass.
The place is probably an additional 15 – 20 minutes out from our «normal» Gustav’s and as I mentioned, parking was a pain. We’ll go back here when we really want the authentic experience (or at least the entertaining experience) and stick with the one closer when we’re just going for the food.

We came on a Sunday night about an hour before they closed, and I wasn’t expecting much. There were maybe four other tables with people at them, so we thought the festivities had died down for the night but we were wrong! Our waiter was quirky, and ended up being the singer! He sang 3 – 4 songs that were very entertaining! I had the cabbage rolls and my friend had the fish and chips. We gave both a thumbs up! We don’t live in the area but we’d definitely come back here if we’re in Portland again!

Came in here on a Friday night. .. Décor and vibe was a little over-​the top with stereotypically Bavarian aspects (not sure why it’s called Rheinlander).
They told us there’d be a 30 minute wait for the two of us, so we went into the large waiting area. There was another couple in there, who were seated almost immediately, and then we were seated maybe 10 minutes later. Not bad.
We started with the pesto and sausage fondue — came out with bread that had been sliced, then cut into strips — think small biscotti size. Not quite what we were expecting with fondue, but it worked. Came out with a sliced beer sausage as well.
For my main, I had the chicken jäger schnitzel with spaetzle while the GF had the turkey dinner. I really liked my main — two good sized pieces of schnitzel, well breaded and fried with a nice tender texture. The spaetzle and the accompanying mushroom sauce/​gravy rounded out the plate nicely. Definitely not a healthy meal, but very filling. I didn’t taste the turkey, but the green beans it came with were nice, and the plate looked good.
Total damage for the fondue and the two mains was just south of $ 50.

I had been here a long time ago and it was a great place to eat. Wonderful décor, German music in the background and even hot apple cider as you waited for a table. Just a great cozy place to be.
Not the case anymore. The décor was the same but when we were seated I asked if they served gluhwein (seasonal spice wine in Germany) the hostess had no idea what it was. Our waiter was nice but not too keen on efficiency. He took quite some time to have things brought out. There were very few people in the restaurant so this was puzzling and always seemed to be rushed. There were many other wait staff so they were not under staffed. The menu was mostly americanized not much authentic German food. My wife ordered apple cider and it was hot water with powder mix. We ordered potato pancakes that were good but greasy. My sausages were great but the sauerkraut was a bit on the salty side. Overall I liked my food. The prices were a bit on the high side to me.
I lived in Germany for a few years and this was not very authentic to me. I really wanted to like this place again but was very disappointed. Unless they step up there game I will not return.

My family and I have been here several times. This was our first time on thanksgiving.
When I Unilocaled «thanksgiving dinner», Huber is number 1 and Gustav is #2. We will not do this again.
Service was poor. Didn’t keep up with our drinks, was thirsty all night. Saw him roll his eyes when we asked for water. Took 2 hours to get your food and the food was cold. We ate it because we were hungry.
The only positive side was the ambience. A bit loud but fun.

Took my friend her for her first time for German food and she LOVED it! I so enjoy the ambience of the restaurant and the food is so delicious and there tap root beer is the best!!!

One of my favorite places for any type of celebration, or even just because! Delicious cheese fondue, of course, but everything else is also delish… the singing /​musical entertainment is what makes it extra special. I’ve enjoyed this place since a very young girl, which means over 4 decades.

Went here last Spring for my birthday but then I somehow never wrote a review. Hmmm… too much b-​day cheer???
Anyway, this was a really fun experience. They have accordion players and singers walking around singing to the diners, fortunately, they never really serenaded us, but they were at a distance where we could enjoy the cheesy goodness without being embarrassed.
I had to try the cider that is made exclusively for Rheinlander, it was crisp and tasty! We started out with the crab fondue, which was like creamy seafood heaven on dream-​tastic bread. Amazing!
The one downfall of the evening was the main course. I had the chicken schnitzel, which is a flattened, breaded chicken patty. It was decent, just nothing really special. The accompanying mashed potatoes and cabbage were fine.
For dessert, we had the house made brownie a la mode. Now, this was something extra special! This tasted like homemade: rich and fudge-​y, with a perfect accompaniment of decadent vanilla ice cream.
Rheinlander is sehr gut!, just go for a different entrée.

Wonderful night out for my birthday with the family. German authenticity both in the food and atmosphere. Decent beer selection and not a bad price per Stein. Food was prompt and tasty. Excellent wait staff and service. Man with an accordion in what I guess was period attire, was good and personable. Highly recommend everyone have a Rheinlander experience!

Rheinlander is AWESOME!
Do you like Gustav’s? The food is exactly the same, in fact, the same kitchen serves both the «Gustav’s» half of the restaurant and the Rheinlander half. Why do I rate Rheinlander higher than Gustav’s then? It is FUN!!!
What makes it fun? Rheinlander makes you feel like you’ve been dropped into Germany. There are lederhosen-​clad accordion players, and all of the wait staff are particularly talented singers. Some even clearly are German natives, with English as their second language.
There are no better places to bring a group for a special occasion or just a great meal. Not only does the staff and accordionists sing to you, they get YOU involved, too. Don’t speak German? Not a competent yodeler? Don’t sweat it, the’ll teach you when to bang your fist on the table, or shout, «Hey!» in the song performance. They’ll also do lots of American standards so that everybody can join in.
We’ve been here several times, and have dined in the main dining room, and in three separate private rooms, each with a distinct theme. All very charming.
If you’ve not ready my Gustav’s reviews, the food is excellent. Be sure to take full advantage of their seasonal menus when they’re available. I was VERY happy to see that the German meatballs with cold potato salad added to their regular menu from their seasonal menu from last Fall. I’d heartily recommend it.

Sadly, there were just too many things wrong with my most recent visit to rate this any better than two stars.
I’ve been the the Rhinelander a handful of times, always enjoyed myself, and always had excellent, attentive service and great food. So, this most recent time (Aug 8^th) was kind of a let down.
I had a reservation for a small birthday party, and we were quickly seated in the back. Our waiter was friendly, though he seemed exceptionally stressed and distracted. We ordered various dishes, one of the feast plates, the fondue, the Pork Cordon Bleu, and the sausage trio.
The Sauerbraten on my plate was mildly warm, not in any sense hot, the Pork Cordon Bleu on both mine and my friends plates were unacceptably dry and tough, really almost inedible. The sausages were excellent, however the mashed potatoes were bland and cold. This kind of quality is something almost shocking from how I remember this place, and this would certainly not be my go to for special occasions anymore.
Which brings me to the last issue. We had made reservation for a birthday. Everywhere around us there were waiters and waitresses singing to various birthday or occasion parties, yet our table was singularly ignored. Never was it so much as mentioned, when I had made it clear to the hostess that we had come for the occasion, when we arrived and when we booked the reservation.
So, as much as I hate to say it, I don’t think I would return, instead i’ll try some of the newer German restaurants that have sprung up in Portland.

Sad to say that this isn’t the Rheinlander of my youth. The food, service and ambiance now are only mediocre.
We tried several dishes; all were pretty disappointing.
Sad.

I’m really in the 3 – 4 Star Range on this place. I have very fond memories of the original restaurant back in the 70s and want to rate it higher, but there was a few misses to the experience that would keep it closer to 3 based on the recent visit.
It’s still on Sandy, although looks like it expanded over the years. It is in a neighborhood that isn’t right downtown, so there is parking in their lot and across the street and street side, so you can likely not worry about paying for parking here and your car is safe.
We had a reservation and were sat immediately in the back area, and what I notice in the decades that have passed since I first visited this as a kid, was the place is a little more touristy than it was before. The restaurant I remember had a more authentic feel to it. It looks absolutely great inside, but there was something missing about the experience. Perhaps the according player doing modern tunes versus anything like a German Music Hall had something to do with it. He was playing to families with kids, which was nice, but the adults were left to something you might see at a Chucky Cheese for entertainment and that was a little disappointing. Also the big screen TV in the lounge was more appropriate for a sports bar than a German-​themed restaurant.
Food — scores high — still has an excellent Fondue — we went through that in minutes. Also had a flight of Bavarian style beers to get to try a little bit of everything, which was nice. I had the lentil soup — which also scored well for me, as it was just as good as I remember from growing up in the area. I did the Rhineland Combo plate, which had a little bit of everything (German link, Sauerbraten, Schnitzel, Red Cabbage and Sauerkraut. This was all very good and served at a reasonable price. The gravy on the Sauerbraten was a little tepid, but it wasn’t around long.
Service was fast and we had a waitress dressed for the spot. I guess after 40 years, the place loses some of it’s charm, but I think if you go, you will get a decent meal, for a good price and have maybe a little flash of the experience of what used to be a must visit in Portland.

Der Rheinlander GUSTAV’s has become our go to neighborhood dining establishment. This Portland icon has one of the best happy hours in the city. The fondue is a must have. If you like hard ciders, you are in for a treat as they have the best cider in the city on tap.
Kicks Ass and Balls!

I am updating my review to state that the service at Rheinlander has gone a bit downhill. I still enjoy eating there on occasion, which has gone from every couple of months to once or twice a year.
The establishment was renovated and feels much more American. I am a native German and loved going there because it reminded me of my home. After all, I am a Rheinlander!
The menu has changed a lot and I wish it really hadn’t. It’s become too much feeling like a chain restaurant, instead of a nice pub and eatery you would experience in Germany.

Great service from our server (male named Adrian according to our receipt), great location, great architecture and great happy hour food!
We came here for my birthday tonight and ended up celebrating in the bar for happy hour.
I got the fondue. Fabulouso!
My friend and I split the spicy southwest sausage and pretzel and my family members all got the schnitzel sandwiches. We had no idea what schnitzel was, but I guess it means breaded and baked meat. Not that anyone cared because it was all delicious.
What stuck out most was that our server brought me a birthday dessert with a candle. It was the day after my birthday, but it really meant a lot because the restaurant I went to on my actual birthday didn’t do squat. That was very disappointing, but Adrian made up for it.
I’d heard wonderful things about this restaurant and am so happy it lived up to the hype.

Rhinelander is essentially the more upbeat, authentic of themselves and Gustav’s located in the same Sandy Boulevard location.
They have singing and a constant accordian. It is filled with life as a mix between typical American restaurant enginuity and Portland’s lust for flavor. Rhinelander has the exact same menu as Gustav’s and similar costumes are worn by the staff. It’s mostly the same place, but this was a riot.
As usual the fondue was great. I loved my chicken cordon bleu and my drinks were refilled. The price was reasonable, but the festivity was really special. I came here for a friend’s birthday, but this will do for other occassions. They make this a real experience.
Rhinelander is worth it for the next night of fun.

My husband and I had a date night I was taking him out :-) we had a lot of the happy hour food and I ordered the veal jäger schnitzel that was delicious I loved every bite, I also had 4 margaritas and they were divine.
Service was quick and on top of it:-)

Definitely worth a visit if you have the opportunity.
If you love meats you will appreciate the menu. I tried 3 different sausages and liked them all. The sauerbraten was very very good. I would order it again on my next visit.
Food is great and the staff is even better. If you love a dining experience with a little fun then you will love Der Rheinlander. The singing and accordion come in periodic 5 minute sessions so you can still enjoy conversations with the people at your table. Lynn the accordion player even played Spongebob Squarepants for the kids. Tamara was our fantastic server. She is adorable.
The whole experience deserves 5 stars.