Mirabell Restaurant & Lounge

Great! Not totally like my grandma’s cooking, but close enough. Very filling, lots of food. and lots of beer! I thought they were closing but overtime I drive by it still looks open. will have to go back again soon!

The Mirabell is still open till Christmas. They’re only open on Thursdays-​Sundays. This is one of best, reasonably priced, places to get a good Schnitzel in the US.
So a few things that are awesome about the place:
1. It’s easy to get to: It’s a block away off of the blue line (Unlike Lincoln square which is a remote place off of the northern section of the Brown line).
2. The Schnitzel and the Spaetzle (which is the default thing that comes with it. these people get it!) is awesome. Also it’s priced at a reasonable price point.
3. The drinks are cheap
4. The atmosphere is extremely authentic. Even the radio is playing German tunes. The atmosphere is a very nature like/​comfortable German lodge.
The owner, Jeff, is extremely sociable. Unfortunately I don’t see many people here.. Not sure why. My assumption is that when they were going to close before, and people stepped up and said it was awesome, it wasn’t communicated that they’re still open.

I had the Hungarian goulash soup and the BBK Pilsner Braised Oxtails. Both where excellent. It was my first time having Oxtail and I am so glad I tried it. The meat was extremely tender falling of the bone and very tasty. Black forest cake for desert. This was the best meal I have had in a long time. I highly recommend going before they close forever!

Where do I start? My first visit to this charming gem of a restaurant in North Chicago makes me feel like I’m back in Germany! From the heartfelt German décor to the genuine love they put into each home made authentic dish, this place is not to be missed. The staff is wonderful, kind and soulful in not only the preparation but service. The rare experience that you would be willing to fly across the country for, this is why I love Mirabell!
Not closed, open Thursday-​Saturday. Eat there so they don’t close!!!

So sad they are closing. I asked the waitress and they may stay open for another month if the demand stays high. Come out and support! Its a small menu now. They kept the good stuff! Still good brews.
Try Mirabell before its gone!

Not anywhere I would go again. My husband and I got there on a Saturday afternoon and were seated right next to the only other two people in the place.
The loud European Disco music literally gave me a headache. By now we were the only two people in the dining room and we asked to have it turned down and it never was.
They were out of the item I wanted to order but it took 10 minutes for them to figure it out.
Food was dismal at best.

Just heard that Mirabell is closing after 38 years. Our last visit over the past summer was kind of telling. We heard that the original owners had retired and left the business to their son. Oftentimes, the second generation just doesn’t have the same goals and desires as do the founders. We are truly sorry to see Mirabell close. Will always retain some great memories.

Horrible service. Horrible food. Will never return. My grandparents and parents brought me here for my birthday and the waitress forgot one of our party members order and continually forgot over a 20 minute time period as she was taking shots behind the bar. It’s too bad another german restaurant has failed! Other places are much better do not waste your time.

I’m so sad this place is closing.
I love the liver dumpling soup, the goulash, the spatzle, the schnitzel, the stuffed cabbage, and the meatloaf. Not to metion the cheesy au gratin potato side.
You’ll be missed!

My visits are limited to getting hammered and a free shot with the owner, who is a pretty sweet guy. The dining area is decked out in über German decoration, don’t let the exterior fool you. A great spot to host a dinner with friends or fam. Sadly, can’t say that I’ve had the chance to dine. Though, with the article online, I think I’ll have to get over there again quickly.
Sad to hear that they plan to close. I’d had a fated conversation with him once about the possibility of a beer garden and looked forward to «warming beers» on weekends. Guessing it never became a reality. On this expanse of road heading out West, many German places could be found. This is one of the better ones.

Mirabells is a Chicago institution. It has been my favorite bar for over thirty years. Used to drink with Mike Royko here in the seventies. I live fifty miles from here and still try to get here as often as I can. If you like German beer and who doesn’t the beer selection is second to none. Real German food from one of the last authentic German restaurants left in Chicago. The goulash soup is off the hook.

This place has on been on the list for a while and I finally managed to stop in on the first warm Saturday (3÷8÷15) of the year.
Some friends and I came by after getting a mild buzz on at the Revolution Kedzie brewery.
We got things started with a round of beer and a sausage sampler. To drink, I had what’s listed as «BBK Dark». Looking at the beers listed on
, I’m not actually sure which product or style this is. It tasted like a doppelbock, though I don’t see one listed there. In any case, it was quite delicious.
The sausage sampler was also awesome. There were four different varieties sliced and served with sauerkraut, including the standout battered and fried veal bratwurst that is highlighted on the menu.
The spicy goulash soup was fantastic. I think you could sit me down with a big pot of the soup and a loaf of rye and I wouldn’t get up until the pot ran empty.
Sauerbraten is my go-​to dish when checking out a new German restaurant and this version didn’t disappoint. Tender beef smothered in sauce and served with red cabbage and fresh spatzle.
Jeff, the owner, was walking around and checking on the satisfaction of the tables. In the owner’s notes on Unilocal,he offers a round of Zicke Zoggie (vodka and apple spirits) shots for mentioning you’re a Unilocal user. We took him up on the offer, which was a nice bonus to end the evening with.
Entrees were around $ 20 and half-​liter beers around $ 7. Total damage was around $ 45/​ea. after our appetizers and tax/​tip. Overall, a good deal for an excellent German dinner.

Started out with the 4 sampler for all the excellent German beers on tap. Next it was time to eat. I ordered the liver dumpling soup and goulash. The soup was served with fresh rye bread and real butter. The goulash came with a side of cabbage and spaetzle. The food was top notch, the goulash just melts in your mouth and the sauce was heavenly.
Washed down the excellent fare with a flavorful dark beer on tap. The oversize steins appeared to be about 24 ounces. The beer was a little pricey, but so worth it.
The staff was friendly enough, and good with recommendations.
Excellent food and drink. One of the top restaurants in the area.

If you want genuine German food with an atmosphere to match, come here! The food was amazing (homemade lox appetizer was incredible) the owner stopped by and when. we asked his opinion on a couple wines he sent over samples of them all. Other patrons were welcoming, truly awesome diamond in the ruff here in Avondale!

In a word: charming! As a past patron of the «big 3» German restaurants (Mirabell, Chicago Brau Haus, and Hofbrauhaus) I can say that Mirabell is my favorite. Its aged, loud, and completely true to itself. Rosemont’s Hofbrauhaus has a superior pork Hoxen (roast pork shank), but it is definitely a schticky tourist spot which lacks real German warmth. Mirabell’s shank comes with mashed potatoes and a sweet sauerkraut. I loved the sweetness but my group had mixed reviews. Two Wiener schnitzel diners enjoyed the crispy veal, but it may have been pounded a little thin. My mother ordered the rouladen with a tasty red cabbage. I loved the pickle and bacon rolled inside.
All our dinners began with a Bavarian cream of chicken soup. My mother checked in for a free slice of German chocolate cake. Survey said it was moist and tender.
We came on the last day of Oktoberfest. There was live music and a packed dining room. I find it unfortunate that there wasn’t a wait. Brauhaus had an hour on the wait list. Honestly, I understand the draw to Lincoln, but to me it is a commercialized version of German hospitality. Mirabell is true to the idea of community and entertainment — there wasn’t a table made for two in sight. Long communal tables are a must for a true Oktoberfest experience. I definitely recommend Mirabell for large groups. Bring an appetite, good attitude, and drinking shoes!

After driving by this place for years thinking to myself, I really wanna check this place out — I finally did! Boy, am I glad! The main entrance leads into a small 1970’s tavern, but turn left or right at the end of the bar and you’re lead to 1 of 3 dining rooms. The place is actually quite large providing ample seating for parties of any size. We had 12 in our dinner party.
The wait staff and the owner were amazing — fast, attentive, and super friendly. The owner stopped by several times throughout our dinner to make sure we were good on drinks, shared some history about the place, and even bought us shots and did «Ziggy Zaggy» with us after dinner!
The food, authentic German, was absolutely delicious! It was quite hard to choose an entrée from so many delicious options. Our large party covered most of menu choices and everyone was thrilled with their meals.
I will definitely be going back — the sooner the better!

I can’t say that I’m an expert in German cuisine, but the food here was pretty plain. I had the chance to meet the owner, and interacted with the staff at the bar and at our table; all very nice people. But I wish they moved just a little faster… over the course of a meal that lasted for about 150 minutes, there were long gaps between apps, entrees, drink replacement and the check, which I can’t understand since we were literally 75% of the people in the restaurant for the second half of our meal.
I tried the schnitzel trio… very plain, average dish. All cooked just right, but no really distinct flavors (again, this could just be German food!). Also tried a number of appetizers… only the sauerkraut and corned beef balls really register as «must try.» Otherwise, everything was okay.
Obviously, the place where Mirabell crushes it is in the beer category… so, if you love beer, you can’t go wrong. The patio outside is a little small (a beer garden, this is not), but drinking here seems fun if you are a local or with a small group enjoying the weather. It doesn’t look like it gets rowdy, really ever.
I won’t be back, but I was hoping for more with this experience.

Haven’t been here in a while and so glad we stopped. A new chef is on hand here and making some wonderful food. We had the fortune to be guinea pigs for his «in the works» German pizza, maybe bialy better termed.
The staff were so nice and we actually both started our day here and returned on the way back from the city to end the day here. Both good choices.

Mirabell recently completed an overhaul of their menu, and it is quite good.
Back in November I stopped by for the menu unveiling and was very impressed by the duck grilled cheese, veal bratwurst, thuringer, and other menu items served in finger food format. I downed a couple glasses of BBK and declared victory.
A couple of weeks ago Kelly and I needed serious comfort food during one of the stretches of Chiberia and stopped in on a Friday night. We had no problem getting a table, for the dining room was at about 30% capacity. Hopefully, that will increase as word gets out about the new menu.
I started with a cup of Hungarian style goulash and followed that with their weekend special, ½ roast duck with stuffing, marsala wine sauce and sun dried cherries. I don’t think their goulash is quite accurate to Hungarian style — it is soupier than the goulash I am used to, and very, very spicy — as if the batch was sabotaged with a paprika overdose. I would not order this again.
The duck, however, was incredible. The skin was very crispy and the leg meat was rich and juicy. The breast meat was a bit drier — always a risk with fowl — but that can be alleviated by mixing with the sauce and stuffing. Simply put, I loved this duck. It is quite a lot of meat for the money and made for fantastic leftovers. I recommend having it for breakfast, heated up in bacon fat, with eggs cooked in duck fat.
Kelly had the pork wiener schnitzel and loved it, along with the spatzle.
Desserts are fine, but I don’t think they are made in house. But if you check in on Unilocal during your meal, they are free, so the price is right.
My manhattan was well made, and the wine list is quite affordable. You won’t get a bone dry Alsatian style reisling, but their driest reisling is a fine accompaniment to your dinner.
The dining room received an overhaul along with the menu, and it is a very cozy and pleasant space. The owner and service are friendly, and Mirabell makes for a lovely neighborhood destination with above average food. I’ll definitely be back.

First, I’ve seen some reviews that call this place a «dive bar», which is kinda B.S. It’s not brand new with floor to ceiling glass and a minimalistic theme, or made hipster renovated like Girl & the Goat. It’s old school and so is the food. Right down to the decorative plates and the bar.
I love this place because it’s not trendy. When I come here it’s a destination. I put on some nice clothes, get my kids in some nice clothes and we show up like a bunch of old men hitting the VFW on a friday night. This place brings me back to growing up and having my grandparents take me out for a nice dinner with their friends. Italians-​Americans have steak houses, German-​Americans have places like Mirabell.
As far as the food. It’s good German food. schnitzel this, sausage that. If you like German food, you’ll be happy. If you’re looking for a culinary tour-​de-​force, wrong place. Beer? Yes. Foam on a plate? No.
If you ever read any of my other reviews you see, I don’t sit here and focus on the food. Chefs travels, buildings don’t. This place has a cool vibe to and I know it would have made my grandma happy to have dinner here with me. This place just feels right.