The Bavarian Lodge - (Near Lisle, IL)

5 /5 Jim Manley: Had a really nice lunch with family at the Lodge. Big menu with lots of options for food and drinks. The venue is really nice and has a great atmosphere. Staff are friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our food and it was a nice change having different food options. I had the liver dumpling soup and hunter schnitzel. All very good and I recommended getting the rolls with your dinner.

5 /5 Jim McClanahan: Very good hearty Bavarian food. At least 25 local craft and international beers on tap. Large portions, reasonable prices. Cozy lodge/supper club setting. Friendly bar and wait staff. Talia was our server. No reservations, but start with a beer at the bar. Food served at the bar, too.

2 /5 Jonathan: The service was good, and honestly, that’s the only reason I’m giving an extra star. Otherwise, this would be a 1/5. I’m being honest and harsh with this review because of the prices they’re charging. At those prices, I would expect the quality to be good at the very least. Unfortunately, everything we ordered was incredibly bland. The “classic” poutine is not a classic poutine at all, and it tasted like dirty dishes. We thought it was the utensils at first, but it turned out to be the poutine itself. The pierogis weren’t terrible, but they still weren’t great. I would expect them to have at least some flavor, but they were extremely bland. Mrs. T’s frozen pierogis is miles better. As a restaurant making homemade food, there are expectations to be met, and if your food can’t compete with a frozen brand, that’s a major red flag. As for the goulash, it was possibly the worst I’ve ever had. Again, another frozen brand I had in Prague was miles better. Finally, the chicken schnitzel was, surprise, surprise, BLAND. If you like food with absolutely no flavor, to the point where salt won’t even save the dish, then this place is for you. I will say the German potato soup was the best thing we tried. It was very comforting and reminded me of my grandma’s soup. Other than that, I left extremely dissatisfied, having only eaten enough to kill my hunger, while my wife was still hungry. It was a horrible experience for a bill of $90+. This was even more disappointing after having some delicious German food the day before at the Christkindl market.

5 /5 Yessie Herrera: Bavarian Lodge is a great place for classic German food. There is usually a wait time of about 20 to 40 minutes, but it is absolutely worth it. You need to check it at time of arrival. The food is tasty, filling, and consistently high quality. We tried the dumpling liver soup, chicken noodle soup, and lentils, which were our top favorite. The cheese curds are the best in the area and honestly might be even tastier than some you can find in pubs in Milwaukee. Portions are generous. The schnitzel is excellent. The meat is very tender, soft, and full of flavor. The mashed potatoes also stand out, with a great texture and rich taste. For drinks, they offer a wide range of beers. One highlight is the sampler option, where you can order small tasting cups for $2 each. It is a fun and affordable way to explore their beer selection. Service is amazing. The only area for improvement would be the restrooms. Because the place is always very busy, it sometimes feels like they could be cleaned more often. Overall, Bavarian Lodge is a fantastic spot for hearty German food, great beer, and a lively atmosphere. Highly recommended.

5 /5 Brian Renken: Fantastic food and very extensive beer and Meade list. Service was excellent too. Sort of loud here but the conversation was still able to continue with elevated voices. I had the 4 meat German Platter. Delicious and got to try more foods. Our table ordered the duck and someone ordered the pork shank. That was the best out of all of us. We shared the plates to sample everything. Portions are on the larger side. The liver soup was on point. Very good! The only meal that was a disappointment was the beef stroganoff. Maybe it was us that expected a different texture. It still tastes good but did not fit our mental image of what it should look like. Kids menu actually has lots of choices foe the kids! Thank you foe that! It was packed. Apparently we walked in on the 1st day of oktoberfest and they had tapped a real wooden keg too! It was awesome. Was told 45 minute wait. Ended up being 20 and we hit the bar for a pint of on tap as we waited. Looked the part and enjoyed the German style atmosphere. They have a winner here and I can see why it gets great reviews. Thanks for a good time and delicious meal!