Peotone Bierstube

I loved the Frankfort location. I like this place. I’ll stop for a fine German brew while passing through late in the afternoon. There will be a few locals at the bar and everyone has been friendly enough. Great beers. When they are on their game the food is every bit as good as Frankfort. On occasion it’s just a little off. Not bad, just not as good. The prices dictate the need for a little more consistency. Stop by for a beer. Bring a date and enjoy the festivities in the beer garden. It can be fun and a little romantic.

I had never heard of Peotone. People born in Peotone don’t even know where Peotone is. I know because I asked, and they just stared at me quizzically. I’m still not convinced it’s an actual town. But Bierstube is somewhat memorable.
It’s fitting that a town that hasn’t visually changed since the 1940’s has a bar decorated with World War II memorabilia. German… World War II memorabilia. Which if you’re anything other than Anglo might leave you feeling awkward. Thankfully they methodically employ some cordial Latinos to mitigate those uncomfortable vibes that Nazi paraphernalia gives some people.
I can’t vouch for the food. The beer is mainly Warsteiner and macro American stuff. I’m not a huge fan of either, but I wasn’t expecting anything stellar. I mainly dig this place because it’s totally inscrutable.
I don’t expect to be around these parts much, if at all. But I’d definitely stop in for a beer again.

I don’t really like German food. However, my boyfriend loves this place so I make the annual pilgramage with him out of girlfriendly obligation.
My boyfriend loves the schnitzel (Did I even spell that right?) here. I don’t like schnitzel or pork which elimates at least 50% of the menu for me. I geneally stick to the potato pancakes which are pretty good. They’re not too greasy which I appreciate. Last time they were a bit overcooked, but still tasty. On our last trip, I got the beef stroganoff since that’s something I kind of like. It was a bit greasy, but the spatzel (again with the spelling) was really good — nice texture and good buttery flavor. I found the beef to be a bit tough, but I’ve been told that’s the cut fo beef that’s used for stroganoff. Oh! the fried cambert cheese with raspberry sauce appetizer is outstanding. You could definitely get that.
The décor toes the fine line between kitschy and overwhelming. I don’t love the vast array of dead animals on the wall, but they’re easier enough to ignore. The waitstaff seems to consist entirely of very time, but very old women, but they provide good enough service.

The old place in Frankfort would have gotten the fifth star. My family used to make the annual December trek to Bier Stube, so we’ve continued the tradition at Peotone.
I think fans of the old place will find the food similar. Portions are always generous, and our family all leave taking something home. The breaded, stuffed pork chop is huge and tasty; it is my favorite menu item. The range of schnitzels is impressive, my favorite being the cordon bleu.
Some people may not like the décor. Me? I think it is perfect for a dark, cold, preferably snowy December evening. Still have to experience the Biergarten atmosphere in the summer.

So this is hard one for me… some items on the menu are traditional and great, others look like the americanized version. There are a few appetizers and combos that left me scratching my head. The food I ordered took awhile to get, but still delicious… the waitstaff, meh
The décor is right on, exactly like the beer houses in germany.
Fix the waitstaff, toss the non-​traditional items… and this would easily gain a star and a half.

Whenever we are in Chicago, we have to visit. What a great place!

I dined there with a party of four. All complained that the food was salty. We also had purchased a dinner coupon from
and the restaurant would not honor it because of a dispute they had with the coupon site. Evidently, they asked the coupon site to remove their offer and it took them 30 days to do so (which our waitress said was in the small print indicating Bierstube was in the wrong). However, our coupon was purchased months before the dispute. So, essentially, they made their problem with
their customer’s problem. Poor business practice. However, it was a win for Bierstube, because they collected full price from our group and none of us would return again anyway. Had we not traveled so far to get there, we would have left before having to pay full price. Again, aside from this, the food was not good. However, the beer was great :)

Stumbled upon this for lunch after birding at Kankakee State Park. Great atmosphere! Wonderful food and beers. Very fun place.

From the time we pulled up to the Bierstube, we had a feeling that we should have made another choice. The place was totally empty and we were the first to be seated for dinner service on a Friday afternoon. When I sat down, I was greeted with a filthy menu, and overpriced food. When I looked away to think, the gaudy décor was in my face.
The staff’s accents were so thick, they were difficult to understand. The food was OK. I was surprised to see fresh mushrooms instead of frozen in the fried vegetable appetizer. My wife and I ordered the walleye and it was a generous portion. The hush puppies were the best we have ever had. Another thing that could use improvement is the fact they charge for refills on the soft drinks. That is an old, 1980’s type notion. We agreed we will not be going back. Thank You for free will!

Ive only been to Chef Klaus’s Bier Stube in Peotone once. I wanted to try the Mokena location but it just happened to be Oktoberfest and the Peotone location had a special going on.
A group of 6 of us went and had a great time. Largely due to the fact that we were all drinking the ½ and 1 liter beers and the live German music was blasting most of the night.
I had one of the Schnitzel’s. The traditional Wiener Schnitzel to be exact. The thing was huge. It came with a huge hunk of lemon to squeeze on there. I got 2 sides, I did the sauerkraut and German roasted potatoes. I thought my dinner was great.
My husband had the Rouladen. He knew he liked the dish already (I tried making it a few times) so didnt go out too much on a limb. He literally nearly whipped his plate clean.
Others in our group got the Schweizer Schnitzel which has mushrooms and Jarlesburg cheese on top, which was said to be pretty good, though really heavy on the mushrooms.
The service was good but not overly friendly, especially when one in our group reluctantly sent back his dinner because he thought it tasted off. They roasted a huge pig for Oktoberfest and my friend just wasnt a fan. The chef came out and told us if he had a problem he should have came directly to him rather then the waitstaff (ummmmmm oooookk). In the end he got another dinner and was happy with it.
Prices arent cheap, if you are going to have dinner and a a half liter (or be like us and have quite a few ½ liters haha), its going to run you over $ 35 per person.
Its a destination type restaurant. Great to go to once or twice a year when you want to be in that great German atomosphere and have some down home traditional German food.

I’m sorry to say. It’s over. Those of us that loved the original and romanticized the new one… don’t. Have you ever walked into a place and immediately felt that the locals didn’t want you there? This is the atmosphere now. The bar overpowers the restaurant. The once great German food has been replaced by bar food quality fare. I had to leave with my family, when an intoxicated patron from the bar came to the dinning room to eat and began cursing and telling lewd jokes loudly. The staff apologized but refused to ask the «gentleman» to quiet down or leave. Instead they ignored the incident. In closing. The fall of this restaurant leaves a void in all of us that loved the original.

I have eaten here several times over the years, I have NEVER had a bad meal. The Warsteiner on tap is great, shcnitzels to die for, pork shank is delicious. I keep going back over and over!

I brought my dad here earlier this afternoon. We had planned to go to another German restaurant, but it was closed on Tuesdays. I wouldn’t tell my dad where we were going, but being from Germany, I knew he would enjoy the familiar fare. We were surprised to see so many Hispanic people working there, being that it was a German restaurant, but the service was good and so was the food. When I told my dad which restaurant I had planned to take him to, he said he didn’t like the food there because it was simple (translation-​Americanized) and that the Bierstube had better food.
Our waiter didn’t rush us and even offered me a sample of the beer I was asking about to make sure I liked it before I ordered one.
No complaints. Just wish we had one closer to the southside of the city!

Slightly different from the Bier Stube in Frankfort, IL. It has the same great food and atmosphere. I am not sure what the deal is or why they are slightly different, but it is my understanding that it is all the same family and recipes. The outside area is dynamite and has live German music just about every time I have been there. It’s a great place to enjoy some great food, good beer and welcoming atmosphere. We love to go in the summer and sit outside here, you can’t beat the music and the fun of the performer, as the night goes on the older couples will start to dance. Just as a side note, my wife and I always order the gravy on the side because they really make the schnitzel swim in it.

I have eaten at both Bierstubes, what is not to like?
It seems harder and harder to find traditional German food, and Beer for that matter, not at the stube. At the Peotone location we sat outside with some bikers, our server was a survivor of the original that burned down, she regaled us with stories of schnitzel and wurst, I drank it all in with my Dortmunder, the food was good, this is not the kind of food that makes you born again, this is the food you are born with. It is easy to say, it was bland or lackluster, but I disagree, the breading on the schnitzel was a perfect blend of bread crumbs, tender meat, seasoned nicely, not greasy, there is a lot going on here, maybe you only notice when it goes bad. The potato salad, the balance of sweet, salty, and vinegar is genius, the cooked cabbage tender, rich from the addition of some kind of pork. There is so much food here, it lends well to groups, unfortunately in the groups there is always a «food snob» who will be appalled at the size of the thing, or the lack of «lightness» to them I say live large or risk not living.

The best German food on the south side of Chicago. I’ve NEVER been disappointed here. Great selection of German beirs (even by the liter if you want) and recently when I ate here last I tried the ribs which were one of the best tasting meals I’ve ever had. The outdoor bier garden is open after Mothers Day and is a blast on the weekends. The Schnitzel, no matter what choice is great and huge, enough for two. Try it and have a great time.

To be fair to the last reviewer, perhaps not all of the food is tops here, but the real reason this place is a destination is to have a honkin large Warsteiner (or a couple) in the beer garden on a nice day or evening. I tend to stick to somewhat «safer» food choices when eating German and so I usually have a brat (that is passable here) with kraut, but my friends ordered an appetizer that has mushrooms stuffed with escargot that they raved about, and the menu certainly has some interesting choices. The best time to go here is in the fall for their Oktoberfest — they have a pig roast and 2 polka guys from Austria that get the party started (lederhosen optional).

This is about serious food: sausage, Schnitzel, Herring salad, … not gourmet, but incredibly tasty! Leave your health food thoughts at home, have fun and enjoy the excellent sausage platter. Or, if you are brave, try the farmer’s platter. Their beer is great, especially the Warsteiner, and the décor is German kitsch.