Richard’s Restaurant

Germany is always near and dear to my heart. Here at Richards, you are treated as if you have traveled to the Rheinland!
Wonderful aromas are escaping the kitchen area! Memories of the homeland, for sure!
I have been coming to Richards since 1987. I have never been disappointed!
The service is Great, the music authentic German… and the atmosphere is kid friendly!
Got you Beer Lovers out there, you do not get any better than German Beer! It is here!
And of Course German Wine Too!
The food is authentic and they even offer an American option too! Steak, fish and burgers!
So if you can not handle different try familiar here at Richards!

Wow — we will be coming back! My fiancé and I are taking a dance class nearby, and have been trying different restaurants in town after each class. The last two times we paused when we saw «Richard’s,» but stopped when we saw «German Restaurant.» Neither of us was really familiar with German food, and the thought of bratwurst and sauerkraut didn’t appeal. But last night we walked up and down both sides of the street, and my guy was looking for something «substantial» that the other ethnic restaurants weren’t speaking to him. We opened the door to Richard’s/Pedro O’Hara’s, with no real idea of which way we would turn. I said, after looking at unpronounceable words on the menu — «Hey, I’m up for something new, why not???,» and we turned to the right. Great choice!
I’m gluten intolerant, but I had to try a bit of the rolls that came first to the table (and a bite of the pretzel) because they smelled awesome. That sold me on our first purchase of the evening — the incredible house-​made mustard. The jar went in my purse. We ordered some really nice Austrian red wine, full-​bodied and nicely complex and sweet, then spent some time looking over the menu. The waitress was very helpful and patient with our questions. We ordered the sampler plate, and one of the meals I simply can’t pronounce or spell but it was thin strips of veal in a butter and mushroom sauce.
From the moment our plates arrived we just hopped from one delicious biteful to another — mumbling «OH, you’ve GOT to try THIS one» with our mouths full. I’m pretty sure we devoured our plates in record time, trying to savor, but it was so good we couldn’t help ourselves. I had to be careful what I ate, but the waitress was helpful in pointing out the items that were not gluten-​free. My guts be damned — I tried at least a tiny bite of everything, and the only thing I didn’t enjoy thoroughly was the dumpling, which I found tasteless and heavy, and the spaetzel, which were underwhelming to my palate. The red cabbage, the schnitzels, the sausages and, my favorite, the sauerbraten, were to die for. We also split a Don Ricardo for dessert, and LOVED the crunch coating on the ice cream, but I wasn’t crazy about what tasted like Hershey’s syrup with a bit of rum surrounding it.
All in all, an excellent meal. Not inexpensive, but worth it. We are German food converts!

4 out of 5 for the food 1 out of 5 for the service. My 2 friends and I drove over 30 miles to experience the great food of Richards. However, the way we were treated was horrific. All 3 of us are Bartenders and are very aware of the unwritten rules of the service industry. Our server was a lady named Shannon with fluorescent pink eye shadow. Upon our arrival we were not greeted by her but, Richards son. I really wished he had stayed to serve us. Shannon did not go over any specials, potato, or vegetable of the day. We ordered and may I add that we ordered down to specifics. Thankfully Richard’s son had stayed around to explain the food and beer to us. My friend asked for bread and pretzels ahead of our meal that the menu clearly stated were included before she finished speaking Shannon interrupted by bluntly stating that the pretzel were going to cost extra and we not homemade. When our food arrived one order was missing the Bearnaise and asparagus topping for the Chicken Weiner schnitzel. One of us had to walk over to her and ask for it since she never came back to check on us. When we asked, her response was you should of asked for that we stated that we did when we ordered. She simply walked off at that point. Finally when we asked for separate checks she acted as if that was beyond a reasonable request and was clearly annoyed. As we were checking out 2 gentlemen walked in. We were careful to notice that they received 5 star service with a smile. For us this was our icing on the cake. I don’t recall the last time that I left a 15% tip since may income is based on tips alone. I will be sure to eat here again just not on her shift. If you are a man I feel your service will be fine however if you are a female I suggest coming back when Richards son is there. The the food is excellent not the service.

I love going here for two reasons. 1. They do it up right, the place looks German and they have the right beers and the right music etc. 2. I lived in Germany for 4 years and I loved the food. This is nostalgic for me and therefore I am surely jaded. However being that there is a dearth of German restaurants in the Northeast, this is place you should try because I bet you won’t find it anywhere else. The schnitzels, the Spaetzle, the sauerkraut will all leave you completely blissed out. If you have a couple of dunkels you will get a little tipsy and the rest is murky!

Definitely worth the visit if you’re in the area and looking for authentic German food. The mustard, served with the roll/​pretzel is fantastic. We loved all the meals we ordered.

Well we lived in Germany for 7 years, so we are often looking for a good German meal.
We did not find it here.
It was one of the most disappointing meals I have had in recent memory.
Goulash Suppe was not like any I have ever had, let alone enjoyed.
Kaese Spaetzle! Kaese Spaetzle! The simplest most basic beilagen in a German restaurant. Spaghetti noodles with cheese sauce!
Apple strudel was yummy and the Spaten was cold which is why they get 2 stars from me.

Very good German food. Everything my wife and I enjoyed everything. The staff was very nice, and even tried to help accommodate our rambunctious 2 year old.
Definitely check this place out. Try the German Sampler and the Kase Spetzle.

The classic Cesar Salad was made at the table all fresh ingredients. The fresh bread and soft pretzel were really good as well.

I’ll save skimmers some reading. The food is uneven in quality, the portions are meager, the food is overpriced, and the service was just average. This restaurant is overrated.
We came on a quiet Wednesday evening around 6:30. There were a couple of other parties, but the place was quiet. The waitress commented that there had been a ‘rush’ earlier, which I note as a possible cause for the food issue I had later.
The good: We had the ‘Schellfisch Mulliner Art’. My German is poor, so I’m not sure to what that overwrought appellation for lemony pan fried fish gloriously translates, but it was absolutely delicious, and plentiful, the latter not the norm. The salad bar was freshly stocked, although they should have put some of the nice cherry tomatoes in the appetizer I was served, instead of the awful unripened defrosted slices that comprised the bulk of my bratwurst appetizer. The Gewürztraminer we enjoyed was very nice, although ungenerously poured. Again with the meager. The ‘rotkohl’ was wonderfully delicious. Not a lot of it, but it was an oasis of goodness in a desert of mediocrity. The dribbling of spaetzel was just ‘meh’tzel.
The not so good: the bratwurst app consisted of one small sausage, which was very well cooked, but lonely and laughably accompanied by the traditional sausage companions, sad store-​bought defrosted tomatoes and a giant ¼ of a pickle? Seriously, that’s not an authentic German food pairing, it’s a lazy cook throwing random items on a plate and trying to pass them off as ‘authentic’. Authentic is not weird. Weird and random is just that. The ‘rheinlische sauerbraten’ was the most seriously flawed dish. I don’t know how the folks along the Rhine like their sauerbraten. If they like it dry, sauced with a ridiculously over sweetened gravy mess, and NOT SOUR, then my apologies to these fine folks. My guess is they like it like everyone else, German and non-​German, juicy, tart and sour, and accompanied by a gravy that complements the dish, rather than swamping it in a sickly sweet shroud. Also, maybe more than two meager pieces, although in this instance, piling more bad sauerbraten on top of bad sauerbraten would have been pointless. Here is what I suspect was the problem: the earlier dinner rush cleared out whatever supply of properly marinated meat was available (sauerbraten is typically marinated 2 – 3 DAYS, not the much shorter period this meat was obviously prepped). The chef threw some meat in a marinade and cooked it up, hoping no one would notice or care, then hid the crime with a ridiculous sauce. Blech.
Service: Efficient, but a little sloppy. I almost had a mini-​stroke when my bill arrived and my one tiny piece of bratwurst had jumped to $ 10.00. It was promptly and apologetically fixed, but what was odd was that I overheard one of the only other parties in the place also complain about incorrect prices for items. Check your bill for accuracy.
Thankfully, there’s a wunderbarische German restaurant right near me in Canandaigua New York. I now appreciate it much more and plan to go to it when I return. You know, my bad for looking for sauerbraten in the wilds of Maine. Maybe if they made it with lobster. Don’t laugh, in this place, with its pickle/​tomato/​bratwurst combo, anything is possible.

I have never been to a German restaurant, or to Germany before, but I will definitely be going back to Richard’s! I had the Rheinischer Sauerbraten, or «Sweet and sour German pot roast» with sauerkraut and a bread dumpling on the side. The pot roast was the best I’ve had — melt in your mouth, and the sauce was just perfect. The sauerkraut was a little more sour than any I had before, but still delicious, and the bread dumpling was sweet and surprisingly moist — delicious as well. I am not a big fan of dark beer, which is mostly what they offered, but there was a seasonal lighter beer that was described to me as similar to an Oktoberfest beer, and it was just right for me. For dessert I had a dish of fried ice cream with chocolate, and that put the cherry on top of the wonderful meal experience.
The service was equally as wonderful — the hostess and our waitress were friendly and were helpful when asked about some of the garnishes used on other dishes (capers and anchovies). The restaurant is lined with a variety of beer steins, and the wood paneling and other décor was welcoming and cozy — I definitely recommend eating at Richard’s Restaurant!

If you like German food, then Richard’s is a must.
I went to Richard’s with a really open mind and the realization that although I’ve visited Germany many times, I’d never really had a full, traditional German (or in this case German-​American) meal.
I considered ordering the haddock but I gave into peer pressure and ordered a bratwurst (I think it was brat. Definitely some sort of pork wurst). The sausage itself was good — rich and nicely seasoned. The sides, however, just weren’t what I was hoping for. My general take on just about everything I tasted at Richards was, «it would have been so good if they hadn’t put sugar in it.» My potato salad had a sweet tinge, and the cabbage and even the mustard that was served with the delicious pretzels and rolls — all had a little unwelcome (at least for my palette) sweetness.
Still, my friends seemed to really enjoy their meals and the service was off –the-​charts spectacular. I would absolutely return to Richards if a friend was craving German food.
Go and enjoy! Prost!

Clearly, I am so experienced with German food… being Asian… from Maine… with Italian and British background… right. If this is what ALL German food is like, I’m moving to Germany and my company had better open a branch there ASAP.
The service here was awesome. I have allergies and I knew that one thing on the German sampler had tomatoes in it. I asked the server if they could just leave it off. She let me know that she wanted to check on the contents of the other food (!!!) and politely excused herself to check. Its important to note that I didn’t ask her to check, she did it of her own accord. I think this is possibly the first time I had ever had a server do that and I was quite impressed. She let me know that there were quite a few items on the menu that contained tomato. I was instantly depressed and started thinking about what I would have instead.
BUT then she continued… the kitchen/​chef/​whoever she spoke to in the magic kitchen land agreed that it was unfortunate and would happily substitute other food in (!!!) so that I could still sample all the German deliciousness. Now maybe my experiences at other restaurants have been lacking, but normally its a pain to get anyone to substitute anything. I will tell you that once I got my meal I was even more impressed. Instead of just leaving off a bunch of stuff (which is what most restaurants do), I had a full plate of comparable amounts of delicious food that I knew I could eat. I know this because my friend ordered the same thing and isn’t allergic to everything.
This may not seem like a big, impressive deal to some people and maybe its not worth the extended paragraph in my review, but the extra effort that this server and the kitchen put into making me feel welcome really made me appreciate this restaurant even more.
Anyways, I digress…
–The food was delicious. My cider was delicious. I wasn’t thrilled with my dessert, but honesty that’s because I was so full I was almost rolling out of the restaurant.
–I loved the atmosphere. To my inexperienced, non German self, it seemed pretty authentic. I loved the dark wood and the bar.
–In addition to the allergy paragraph above, the service was excellent. I was there with a large party and they dealt with us seamlessly and were all very friendly. There was not any confusion, the food came out relatively at the same time, and they seemed very happy to have us there.
This restaurant is about forty minutes from where I live and isn’t that convenient to me, but my experience was so great that I will be back. With friends and family!!!

I’m not sure that I’ve ever had German food before, other than the sauerkraut that my mom used to make growing up. Somehow, I don’t think that really counts.
The atmosphere here was what I’d imagine — lots of wood panelling and beer steins. Apparently drinking your beer from the appropriate glassware is important, as the waitress noted that they try to carry one for most of the beers they offer.
The menu was quite extensive with many dishes I’ve heard referenced before — making it all the more challenging for me to decide what I would try. I settled on the schnitzel and selected the German potato salad and spaetzel as my two sides (still thinking I should have gone for the red cabbage). It was all very delicious and I cleaned my plate. Oh, and while waiting for the meals, they provided baskets of fresh baked rolls AND PRETZELS! HOT PRETZELS! With some amazing mustard that was very peppery. I’d go back just for this and the lambics!
We split a variety of desserts and have to say I liked the apple streusel best! It would have been a little better heated up — so I’d ask next time I visit.
Lastly (but not least), I’d like to mention the service. I was there with a rather large party. They were very accommodating. Also, they kept waters filled, drinks coming, and plates cleared. All the while being kind and helpful with our questions.

I have never been to Germany.
I have, however:
A) been to the Biergarten Restaurant in Epcot Germany when I was a freshman in high school. Our server was a girl named Steffi. She offered us beer as polka hypnotically drifted through the sound system. And I ate my literal weight in hot potato salad from the buffet. It was amazing.
B) lived in Ireland with a German woman, her son, and their Slovakian au pair. I’m sure there’s a joke in there somehow. Anyway, I don’t remember us eating anything really German-​specific… we mostly drank.
C) supposedly have some German ancestry. We pay homage to this by hanging a pickle in our Christmas tree.
Obviously, this makes me an expert on all things German.*
That being said, I think Richard’s is an absolute gem in the Maine culinary scene. You want big ol’ platters of meat? Some herring and sour cream? Some chicken stuffed phyllo? A slab of deep fried veal? YOU GOT IT!!!
Unless you’re a vegetarian… which I am. Then what to eat?
Well, when I came — I knew full well that the menu was severely limiting. So I really just wanted four things: beer and pretzels to the sweet sounds of Bavarian «oom-​pah» music while enjoying the great company I was with. And, ooooooooh boy, did I get what I asked for (in the best way possible). Big glasses of Hefeweizen and all-​I-​could-​eat pretzels (which, by the way, are deceivingly dense — also, I can’t believe the servers were okay with bringing us more and more AND MORE AND MORE pretzels like that… how amazing!) dredged in spicy mustard with accordion music and hearty laughter for hours. Yes, yes please.
What I wanted more than anything was the hot potato salad, however it had meat in it. So, in the end, I ordered the Käse Spätzle — the only thing on the menu I could order. However, It was basically the most deliriously delicious mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten in my life (and I don’t even like mac and cheese). Egg noodles sautéed in an über creamy swiss cheese sauce topped with perfectly caramelized onions? Mmmhmmm, that happened. And I couldn’t even eat my entire plate… that’s how much there was on it. I would get this again. I would get this again and again!
The ONLY thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the desserts (we tried both types of sacher torte and the apple strudel — which was cold and tasted like there wasn’t any sugar in it). This is just not their forte, but honestly: you’re probably going to be too stuffed to eat some anyway! I haven’t been that pleasantly uncomfortable in a long time!
Finally… the staff. Accommodating? Patient? Thoughtful? Kind? These folks had it in droves. I can’t believe how perfect our evening of service was. Thank you, Richard’s, for making our night out so easy and fun!
(*This IN NO WAY makes me an expert)

One word: Spätzle.
I grew up on German food (thanks, Mom!) and even though I’ve lived in Brunswick my whole life, I just never really ventured to Richard’s because I didn’t want to pay money for food that I loved growing up… perhaps I just didn’t want to be disappointed? Anyways, my boyfriend surprised me with reservations to Richard’s and I can’t thank him enough for getting me out of my little shell. I’ve wanted to go back so badly! I need a Jägerschnitzel fix… and soon!
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with the service, but was very impressed. The waitress had a great sense of humor, and never scoffed at either of us for our terrible German pronunciation. She suggested some great German import beer to us as well, and let’s face it: If you have good beer, you’ve already won my heart.
Now, the food: Oh. My. Goodness. The food is so great. I’m a lover of Jägerschnitzel, so I definitely recommend that; however, my boyfriend loves the baked haddock they have. He raves about it, actually. I’m highly confident that anything you get will be good. The side I had (Spätzle & seasonal vegetables) were also delicious… and like I began with this review: Spätzle… simply… the best!

Went to this place about a month ago and could not have been more impressed. The food and service was beyond expectations. The soft pretzels they bring to the table are amazing and the mustard is also delicious. I had never had authentic German food prior to this dining experience but will be going back shortly. Headed there again this Saturday to celebrate my dad’s birthday and hoping for the same quality experience as last time.

This place seemed to be as authentiy German restaurant as I could imagine. Te only thing missing was German folks dancing in lederhosen. The food was a wonderful experience of flavors. It started with moist rolls and soft pretzels served with butter and a delightful mustard that complemented both. I got the tour of Germany and the waitress was kind enough to «give me the tour» when it was served. It had a variety of flavorful and perfectly cooked meats including sweet and sour pot roast and bratwurst. It was complimented with multiple side dishes that continued to please the taste buds including red cabbage dumplings an sauerkraut. The service was a little slow but very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu items. It has a unique selection of delicious looking desserts I was unable to even attempt to eat because I was too full.

Not quite knowing what to get, I ordered the Schlactplatte (bratwurst, brauenwurst, and a smoked pork chop with saurkraut) with spaetzel and kosse for my sides. I’m not the hugest fan of saurkraut, but this was delicious. The pork chop was amazing, the bratwurst was the best I’d ever had (we even purchased 6 to cook next weekend). The brauenwurst… eh. It was okay, but not my preference. The spaetzel was bland but the kosse were tasty. The spicy brown mustard they serve with the bread/​pretzel basket is made in-​house and available for purchase. It went well with the sausages.

Having spent 8 years in Germany I have tried several «German» restaurants and this is the first that is fairly authentic.
The Spätzle is very authentic (a bit skimpy portion by German standards). The Schnitzel is fairly authentic although most restaurants in Germany serve thicker cuts of meat. The mushroom gravy on the meat (making it a jägerschnitzel or «hunter’s schnitzel») is authentic.
The German beer selection includes Würzburger Hofbräu, which I have not had in 3 or so years. Tastes just like I remembered, although beers imported to America have lower alcohol content as a rule than they do in Germany.
Overall a rather pleasant surprise right here in Maine.

Richard’s is the best place that you’ll find German food in Brunswick– probably because it is the only German restaurant.
Despite this detail, we generally enjoyed our entrees. The red cabbage was a bit too mushy and overcooked, and the schnitzel was a bit too small for the plate. The warm potato salad was great. Server was amusing and honest about what she found to be a good choice on the menu– and what she did not. (When we asked about the pretzels, she said that they unfreeze them and hand salt them in house!)
In all, Richard’s help meet our German cravings while in Brunswick.