This is a place you go when you want to get out of the norm. Walking in you are completed transported to Germany. From the Decor to the music and the entire staff is dressed the part.
I went in with my dad and brother and sisters to get a feel of what the place after driving by the billboard so many times.
Service was decent- our server was very very VERYYYY helpful with the million questions we had for the menu. It took us some time to all come up with what we thought we would be able to eat. It honestly was difficult . Myself never eating German food. But to he honest it was good.
The warm pretzel was awesome!! So good and you could deferentially tell it was made fresh!
TIcky Tocky Ticky Tocky OH OH OH~! This was yelled out so many times my younger brother and sister chanted this saying for about a week. LOL Â We watched the other tables around us chant with beers in hand before chugging down. * at 12 PM on a Saturday- Now they are not shy here when it comes to the drinks. We saw a table with a boot beer. A Glass shaped into a tall boot filled to the top for the guy to drink. TICKEY TOCKY TICKY TOCKY OHOHOH!! haha
This wouldn't be a place I would run to every week to eat. but once in a while its a cool location.
The restaurant is first rate. Â You get both food and atmosphere here. Â I have visited several times and had the German pot roast, Sauerbraten and now Jaeger Schnitzel.
As others have pointed out there is a substantial price tag to dinner but know that it includes all courses (including coffee and desert). Â When you order the "big" beer they bring it out and the dining room chants. Â Lot's of fun.
Service is always very nice and accommodating.
The German cole slaw and horseradish cottage cheese with crackers must be experienced. Â We also received a generous amount of fresh bread, soup, salad, corn, applesauce and then the main course. Â The Jaeger Schnitzel was done nicely and came with a delicious brown sauce and mushrooms.
They have a fine selection of German beers - I chose a blonde from Spaten and it worked nicely.
We also added the red cabbage which is a treat and will normally come with the sauerbraten.
Desert was also fine - but by this time the sheer amount of food was beginning to overwhelm.
The accordion player also made several appearances and even played a few kids songs for some of the small children present.
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for good German food and beer and a nice atmosphere. Â This is a family run place and you can tell.
I came here two times, and both times were SO fun and SO yummy. Â Totally worth the price! Â The service is a bit slow, but if you get enough beer to last you, and you wait in patient anticipation for the food, it's one of the best German food experiences you can get in New England.
I really recommend their potato pancake side. Â Their spatzle was only okay. Â Everything else was delicious!
We went here because of a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> coupon. That made it bearable. It's a very kid friendly place. Over the top German decor with loud hoy hoy hoy cheers every time someone orders a liter of beer. Happy birthday was sung restaurant wide half a dozen times during dinner. Silly reusable hats were passed out of a bucket. Other than that the food reminds me of something my grandparents would like; includes soup salad and dessert, but nothings actually tastes that good. Food was somewhere between bad diner and school cafeteria with the exception of the yummy potato pancakes and coconut cream pie. Spaetzel was like soggy udon noodles, and the turkey dinner, a resounding meh. Mashed potatoes are my litmus test--these failed miserably--as did the potatoes au gratin. Beer selection decent but not impressive. I was excited to find authentic German food, upset this wasn't it.
Review Source:Amazing. Get the shot paddle: six shots for the table, one person gets paddled and then gets a free shirt. Yes I said paddled, with a paddle on the ass.
Food is delicious, big portions, apps and dessert. The food isn't really 'authentic' German, but the food is good. There's a lot of Italian food and some polish.
There is an accordion player (Walter) and constant singing from people in costume. Don't order the small beer, you will be mocked.
It's a fun experience.
Remember the line "Ticky Tocky, ticky, tocky, hoy hoy hoy!"
1.) Intro
I give it a 3 as far going there often, but I give it a 4 for those who'd like to have a novel experience of the place.
2.) Reason for going here:
My professor who was actually more of my boss than anything, brought us coworkers out as a celebratory feast to end our year. The food and drinks were on the house.
3.) Aesthetics:
Definitely gave me that medieval/German feel. The decorations were kind of Dark Ages era like. The coworkers dressed the part.
4.) Service:
I'd say the service was decent. I believe it took them some time to bring us the initial and refilled drinks. I would want to say that they were attentive, but it appeared as if the wait staff was more attentive to the other tables. Tiggy-Tocky, Tiggy-Tocky, OY OY.......Ouch!!! I remember that phrase being chanted hundreds of times that night. Like I said, this is probably a place to go to a few times.
5.) Food & Drink:
The food reminded me of a place I went to as a child, "Medieval Times" - large portions from an ancient Northern European location. Basically the adult male's forearm of a chicken wing along with the sides. I thought the entree to be somewhat bland, but then again, I don't believe Germans season their food like other ethnic place do, and I don't believe they seasoned their food much in the Dark Ages. They seemed to have a pretty decent selection of beer on tap however. Even the beer can be served in large portions. I tell you, this is the place that subliminally tells you to drink. With the "I have a beer, I have a beer...." chanting from the wait staff every second, to the large glasses (basically the size of a Size 6 Woman's foot for a mid high boot) for beer on tap, after awhile the quality of food and amount your wallet/purse is spending, i'm assuming wouldn't matter anymore.
6.) Prices:
It can get costly here. The food alone was at least $26 and up. So think of your experience at East Side Restaurant as this, it is a:
a.) Half Door/Vaughan's/Eli Cannon's Pub like place
with a
b.) Entrees priced like Max Downtown
serving
c.) Okay quality food (although, from reading reviews and word of mouth, I hear that Max Downtown's food quality is of the same caliber, but I guess i'll save that for another review).
7.) Impressions:
Come here for a novel experience, but don't be a regular, unless you live down the street and prefer to go there for just the drinks.
How do I love this place? Let me count the ways. Now while I do not eat most meats, this place has seafood, chicken and pasta options that will blow your socks right off your feet. Not to mention the amount of food they give you at a fixed price. On top of that huge beers, cool decor, great waitress's and waiters that dress up and a guy in tights that plays the accordion. Beer garden on second floor, almost frozen jeager, live music some nights, fabulous homemade pies, they sing in your grill when you order a big beer: ticky tocky oy oy oy!! And then talk smack in the form of  a song when you order a small beer. Try the corn fritters as an appetizer. You will not be able to handle it. This place rules so much I cannot say enough.
Review Source:The best restaurants are in bad neighborhoods. East Side is no different. Around for at least 70 years, it seems that the neighborhood grew up around this German food and beer palace, rather than the other way around. Make sure you've got your GPS set to 131 Dwight Street, because you'd never know there was a humungous restaurant in the middle of this otherwise completely residential section of New Britain.
Be not terribly afraid of the entree prices, all of which are in the $26-34 range. Yes, it's a hefty price tag, but it's a complete meal price tag. Allow me to use my $28 meal as a rubric for East Side's admirable value.
-Warm hearty bread, German slaw, and some kind of cheese spread to start
-Chicken Liver Pate (think cat food, but for humans, and REALLY good)
-Small side salad
-Main course: HUGE portion of Jager Schnitzel with Spatzle.
-Two veggies in a divided bowl for the table; sweet corn and mashed turnips were the veggies of the day.
-Dessert: I had rice pudding.
Add beer, and you've got a bona fide seven course German feast. And everything was so well done. Great food, fun waitresses, incredible times.
Just one caveat: Liters of beer are FIFTEEN DOLLARS. Our meal would have been a better value if my girlfriend and I just shared one instead of both getting our own :).
I liked this place all right. Not the best German food nor much of a real selection of it either I've had but decent. I had the jager schnitzel which was fine. I did think the place was a little over the top on prices. Jager schnitzel $29? Come on! Its a breaded pork cutlet with mushroom gravy. They were able to make me a radler from the Hof Brau on tap so I polished off two of those big mas one liters. The service was good and the place was very nicely decorated. I understand its been there 70 years. I'd go again if I had the chance.
Review Source:Went here last weekend for the first time. Â After seeing the onslaught of billboards throughout CT, this restaurant was on my hit list.
For a first timer, I was pleasantly surprised. New Britain has a hidden gem, as East Side is in a residential neighbor-Hood. Walking in, I felt a little like I was at Epcot, as the employees are dressed up in the German garb, though not in character. Plus there is a gift shop hawking tschotckes.
The service was friendly. The decor was kitschy, but in a fun way. We got seated on the quiet side, while the other part of the restaurant was a little more lively. Â The beer is free flowing and there is a lot of bang for your buck. Â Some people may get turned off as its a bit pricier than most places, but bear in mind (no pun intended), you get a full meal (Salad, soup, entree, and dessert). That price also includes the bread, cottage cheese and cole slaw that they give you.
The food was solid. It wasn't the most authentic Bavarian food I've ever had, but that wouldn't deter me from a return visit. I had a nice sauerbraten with a tasty sour cream sauce. It came with potato pancakes.
I'm glad I finally saw the hype for myself and look forward to downing one of those 2L boots filled with a nice Hefeweizen next time I come back.
It's a fun effing time and it's only expensive if you have to have the Das Boot (which I had to have! Obviously!)
There is a live accordion player who goes around and plays and sings. I loved it!!
This place is definitely not for someone who hates life, enjoys misery, and is annoyed easily so you're going to want to bring only your fun time friends here.
Saturday afternoon was just screaming for some beers on a patio so me and my wife met up with our Yelp-Besties for a late afternoon nosh and beers. Â Our friends nabbed a (huge) table in the Biergarten (is that how you spell it?) before we got there so when we arrived I sort of assumed that they got us a pitcher of beer. Â Nope. Â They had each ordered the liter sized beers. Â Daunted by such a huge looking beer, I got a half liter of Hefe-Weiss and it was cold and delicious. Â Also, the half liter does not merit the song which is sung (covered in great detail in other reviews) when one receives the liter or the 2-liter Das Boot. Â One thing which did bother me a bit is that the menu doesn't mention the prices of any of the beers. Â Also, for such pricy beers ($15 for the liter, $7 for the half) they sure leave lots of room for the head of the beer in the mug. Â I would like to see a nice, full beer.
Ok, onto the food. Â We knew we weren't going there for a meal so the four of us split the huge pretzel (exactly what you'd expect however I'm certain that they use Gulden's mustard and I would've expected something more....German?), Â potato pancakes (I loved these and could've easily not shared them with my dining companions), stuffed mushrooms (my wife wanted these, they weren't bad but they were nothing special) and lastly we got a side of spatzle. Â I was hoping this would be more flavorful and maybe have some bacon on it but it wasn't rather flavorless (but decent at sopping up some beer).
Lastly, this place is just an experience that should be tried once. Â I thought it was awesome how many large families were showing up for dinner and just completely into the vibe of the party atmosphere there.
I'm certain I'll it up again and maybe next time I'll eat an entrée (instead of racing to Goldburgers in Newington as I did on this particular Saturday afternoon).
Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! To everyone!
I've never before felt so strongly that I've been suckered in by a restaurants' marketing, but, the marketing machine at east side is a huge freight train that doesn't stop.
As with other restaurants that thrive off overpriced alcohol sales, they often serve up mediocre food at exorbitant prices because, well, everything tastes good when your 6 beers in. I deicded to forego the beer, so that I could taste the food in all its "unglory"
I hope this isn't like the motherland, because all of Germany would be fake. Â Christ, they can't even get the chant right. The accordion player was jamming to "that's amore" upon our entrance, hardly German, but to his credit he did know edelweiss.
Everything in this place was overhyped. Â $45 for a liter of beer? Â No thanks, you can keep it and your fancy glass, Â I can go to the saengerbund and get the same litre for $7. Â
Crackers, horseradish cottage cheese and some pickled cabbage. Â Might as well throw in the boiled goose, what am I 90? Â Ok I'll admit, the horseradish cottage cheese on crackers was rather good, but I felt like I was in the cafeteria at a retirement home.
Clams casino were decent, but the pretzel was hardly worth $12. Â Zen mustard? Â I liked it better when I had it last week, it was called guldens. Â
Lentil soup was good but hardly German, and the "chicken liver pâté" was nothing more than uncased liverwurst.  If you're going to take shortcuts at least try to hide them.
The salad hardly qualified as a salad. It was a pile of lettuce with one grape tomato and one slice of cucumber.
So I got the weiner schnitzel, the pork cutlet was good, but the egg on top was way undercooked and runny. Â The potato pancakes were standard. Â
Spaetzle was bland and horrible, the red cabbage was actually really good.  Vegetables of corn and puréed turnip were brought to our table, corn was frozen, turnip was watery and very bitter.
My wifes baked stuffed shrimp were advertised as stuffed with crabmeat stuffing but we couldnt discern any crabmeat within. Â They were bland and lackluster.
My kids pot roast was probably the best cut of protein throughout the meal. Â Tender and flavorful.
Dessert was good, standard pies and puddings that catered to the 90 year old clientele.
I had a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> certificate for $75, after the coupon, with tax and tip my pocket was nearly $200 lighter for 4 adults and 2 kids, 1 person ordered a beer.
Consensus is that if you want mediocre food, an unauthentic experience and a complete feeling of buyers remorse, go here! Â If you're in the mood for a tourist trap you'll probably like it
I've been here a handful of times and enjoy going with friends. I am not much of a fan of typical German/Bulgarian fare, but there is a large selection to choose from so you'll definitely find something you'll like if you ask questions.
The beer selection isn't large, but it's authentic German brewed beer and it's pretty good. Coming from a non-beer drinker.
It can get loud and in the peak of the dinner rush and the drink cheers can become a bit of nuisance but it's worth the excitement. Just don't order the smaller beer or you'll be in for it!
The prices are pretty high, so it's not a place to go regularly, but the portions match the price. Â You won't go home hungry that's for sure.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. Yes, it's expensive, but the portion sizes are HUGE and so are the beers. The waitstaff is always happy and friendly, and it's a nice environment, whether you're going to "party" or have a family meal. Next time we go I'm opting for the spanking :)
Big tip: call for reservations beforehand, even if you're on the way. They'll be accepted most likely, and it's better than waiting in the lobby for an hour.
The Biergarten is awesome in the summer months. Highly recommended. I just returned from a trip to Germany and the food is indeed authentic.
Drinking, chanting, cheering, eating, a shot or two or six thrown in for good measure...welcome to the worst hangover I've had since I graduated college.
Did I intend on drinking absurd quantities of beer? Â No. Â Did I? Â Oh yes, quite. Â They make it hard to resist. Â WHEN you order a beer, if you get the "small size" they actually make you feel lame for ordering it - think about the tuba noise from the Price Is Right when the contestant doesn't win. Â Though not the same, you will feel emasculated and people will probably laugh at you. Â So, do not order this one.
Next size up is...more or less a liter. Â When you order this one, your waiter/waitress will CHEER for you with a very loud, very head-turning "Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi!!" Â S/he yells it once, and then you (and everyone else in the general area) chime in three or four more times...and then you get your beer. Â Makes you feel proud.
Next size up - Das Boot. Â Even more beer. Â Even better chant, repeated at least five times. Â "DAS BOOOOOOOOT!" Â The only downside - you have to buy the boot ($60) in order to get it filled with beer.
Anyways - this was my Saturday night, and only now can I bring myself to construct an accurate account of what I remember - based on my physical presence and what I was able to piece together over the last few days.
To start off, I had every intention of driving there. Â Good thing I didn't, because my car would have spent a very lonely night in the very sketchy overflow parking "garage" down the street from the restaurant itself (see picture.) Â Its not as much of a parking garage as it is...a place for construction equipment that also happened to fit some cars. Â Sketchiness aside, there is an attendant at the front who was presumably keeping watch over the lot.
We were seated as a table of +/- 14 in celebration of my buddy's 27th birthday. Â
Step 1: Order a beer. Â We got the "Ziche" sized Oktoberfest style beer. Â Dark - but not as heavy as you would expect; it went down smooth - and a little fast.
Step 2: Eat some apps. Â We have some stuffed mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, and clams casino to pass around the table. Â All were decent, though I particularly enjoyed the fresh mozzarella.
Step 3: Embarrass the birthday boy by ordering a paddle of shots. Â Six in total, three different kinds (2 of each.) Â After the shots are gone, he was promptly stood up, bent over, and slapped in the ass by the very same paddle that once housed the shots. Â By no means did the waitress go easy on him either...she put a lot of strength into it. Â It was beautiful.
Step 4: Order another beer. Â I (we) opted for a lighter brew, not sure which one it was. Â Again, it was delicious and huge, supplemented by a chant of celebratory proportions. Â At this point - it was myself, my friend (whose wife drove,) and the birthday boy in our own little world of college reminiscent drinking.
Step 5:  FOOD.  By this time, I was feeling oh so fine, and was oh so hungry.  I think I would have enjoyed anything they placed in front of me.  I ordered the German Pot Roast w/Au Gratin potatoes on the side.  It wasn't the best I've had - but definitely tasty.  I've never been a big fan of hot cabbage, so I'm not the one to ask about that, but I ate about half of it anyway.  Other dishes that looked / tasted good:  Jäger Schnitzel, Paprkia Schnitzel, and Bürgermeister.  All plates were cleaned - so they are all viable options for a good meal.  We were also given some family style corn and "applesauce" (odd..watery and & light taste) on the side - I was much more a fan of a corn than the applestuff.  Prices (as others have indicated) are NOT cheap.
Step 6: Â Let the two other beers settle in a bit more. Â Hit the bathroom. Â Invite the accordion playing gentleman over to play birthday songs / requests.
Step 7: Â Challenge your two friends to another beer, because it is the right thing to do. Â I am normally NOT the one that does this...but for some reason, I was compelled to do so. Â We all got a third round of "Zicke" sized beers.
Step 8: Â Become drunk. Â Hazily pay a portion of the bill, laugh at everything, hit the bathroom again. Â I do not remember much of the drive home. Â I drank a lot of water, made 4 pieces of raisin bread toast (so I didn't get sick - because I felt the sick grumbles) and went to bed.
I woke up the next morning with a massive hangover. Â (As I was told later, they did too.) Â I felt like shit all day - it wasn't until this morning that I felt 100% recovered.
In essence, this is what happens at East Side: Â You will drink very large beers, eat some pretty good German food, and somehow manage to get home. Â My biggest tip: have a DD handy. Â You never know what is going to happen in the presence of giant beers with good company - you could very well wake up the next day with a rogue (small) light bulb in your back pocket with no recollection as to where it came from - or why you took it. Â Like me.
Now that I'm legal to drink I appreciate this place much more. The food was always delicious, but their beer selection is great. All of their food is excellent, though I'm not sure how "authentic" it is.
The atmosphere is loud and a lot of fun to be around. Just be prepared to pay for it.
I went here for a birthday, and while the initial prices of the food were shocking, the beers were great and the glasses were large. As the meal waned on, I realized we actually got a lot of food for the price. My husband and I split a $32 steak, which came with a soup, a salad, and a dessert. He had a 1L beer, and I had a 0.5L, which was more than enough for a school night.
We bought the birthday boy a 1L boot, which was $40, but at least he got to keep the glass. We did a line of shots, and he ended up getting spanked (and it was a real spank!),which was kind of funny. I'm not overly huge on German food in general, but it was pretty good food. I'm a little sad that it's winter, and we were unable to go to the outdoor biergarten, but there's always summer for that.
Went there with a party of 9 for my wife's grandfather's 76th birthday. Â Had a really great time. Â The food and german beer were awesome. Â Beer is served by the 1/2 liter, 1 liter, or in a 2 liter das boot!!! Â Come hungry because you get a ton of food. Â I also suggest having a designated driver!!!
Review Source:Overall I really liked the place - if it was closer and/or cheaper I could see myself being a regular. Â Great Bavarian food, and a fun atmosphere. Â The prices are pretty high, though with how good the Reuben was, it makes a little more sense. Â Oh, and the neighborhood isn't particularly great, but at no point did I feel unsafe. Â
We sat in the beer garden where some of the more affordable entrees (read sandwiches/brats) are available. Â I had a Reuben, which was one of the best I've ever had. Â You could tell it was sliced off freshly cooked corned beef. Â It was very tender and just just fell apart in your mouth - not stringy at all, and not too salty as corned be can sometimes be. Â The have some very nice beers on tap as well, and make some delicious specialty shots that the ladies were quite font of....I really wanted "das boot," but alas I had to drive. Damn.
I'll be back, and that boot is going down! Â How about you? Ticky Tocky or Teeny Tiny?
This is a fun place to go. Â Especially now that they have their outdoor bier-garden going. Â It is a bit on the pricey side though and if you're a vegetarian, you should probably eat something before you go. Â For instance: Â They sell a German style pretzel. Â Very large, and a bit expensive. Â But... Â They serve it with 2 dips, one of which is made with liver pate. Â Come on... Â There is no reason to serve a pretzel with that.
Make sure you tip the accordion player. Â He takes requests and he knows many songs. Â Try and fool him with a crazy request.
For "Fun" factor, I would give this place a 5 - very entertaining, very fun.
Food Factor - I would go with a 2-3. The food is pricey and it's not even that great. The lowest price meal is probably $27, but it does come with salad, soup, and dessert.
I had a bratwurst and knockwurst with potato pancakes and sauerkraut. The 'wursts were ok. Potato pancakes were pretty banging. The chocolate cream pie at the end was pretty decent.
You can definitely get sloshed here and the crowd can be hilarious. I witnessed a guy pour beer into his sneaker and then drink it out of his sneaker. Hilarious.
Also - parking is rough. The parking lot gets completely full and you probably won't find a spot since people stay here for hours at a time. We parked on the opposite side of the street even though the signs say not to.
I was unable to join my friends this time so they gave me a list of all they ate. Since my friend knows the beer supplier for East Side, my husband got the special beer tour. Lucky him!
They feasted on other foods besides beer: bratwurst, sauerkraut with Brezn (German pretzel) and obstada Kaese (cheese), side of Kartoffelpuffer (yummy potato pancakes) , jaegerschnitzel with Rot Kohl (red cabbage), corn and turnips, Kasseler Rippchen (smoked pork loin-yum) with Apfelmuss (apple sauce) and Bratkartoffeln (roasted potatoes), Augustiner Brau
I have eaten here before and have always sat in the fun, loud beer hall room. Expect to shout and sing German drinking songs. Walter, the accordion player, will play "Freebird" if requested!!!
Unfortunately, food is pricey and I have had more authentic foods at Old Heidelberg in Bethel which is owned by a German woman. But every day is Oktoberfest at East Side!
I'd been to this place a few times before, but as a vegetarian my dining options were severely limited (they were family gatherings - I know German food's not very veggie friendly), but now that I'm an omnivore again I was actually able to eat here!
Apparently the roof has just been redone like a German biergarten, and we started out our dinner there with some happy-hour schnapps and liter (LITER!) steins of German beer. Â The beer was excellent and we ordered a few appetizers to go along with the liquid bread - the Bavarian pretzel was huge and salty-delicious.
We moved inside once a private party left and I ordered the Burgermeister with potato pancakes. Â Although the knockwurst wasn't as spicy as I'd like, the sausages were good and the sauerkraut was top notch.
The prices are a bit high, but you get a lot of food. Â We got salads, the main course, and dessert (rice pudding for me!) and left sufficiently stuffed.
The atmosphere borders on Disneyland kitsch, but manages to never cross the line - everything is authentic and enthusiastic - from the waitresses outfits to the wandering accordion player to the "tikki tocki" chants whenever anyone in the place orders a big beer. Â The crowd (there's almost always a crowd) gets swept up in the ambiance, too. Â I'll definitely be coming back here the next time I'm in town.
This neighborhood family restaurant has been around for around 40 - 50 years now.... a lot has changed... it has gotten a lot bigger. but it is still a decent place for fairly traditional German fare.
BUT...I judge a German place by the potato dumplings, those puffs of potato nirvana like my grandma used to make, and theirs are crappy.
The Student Prince in Springfiled is more authentic for the food, but the East Side IS a fun place to go
The beer garden on the roof (where apartments used to be!) is nice.
The prices will frighten you. Â You will turn the color of sauerkraut. Â However, I guarantee you that you'll get your money's worth. Â You'll stuff yourself and walk out with enough leftovers for breakfast the next morning. Â And if you get a big beer...well, go and find out for yourself.
East Side has an excellent atmosphere, excellent food, and you will leave happy. Â Your wallet won't thank you, but what does it know?
Really good German food. I loved the atmoshphere. Every time someone orders a large Beer, they have the whole do the Ticky Tocky chant which is always fun and the kids love it. The service was also really good and everyone was just very nice in general.
The only thing stopping me from giving this 5 stars is the cost. It has such a great family feel to it, but with the kids meals being $10 each, it can get really pricey really quickly. So it turns from a place I would go once a week if I could to a place we could only afford to go to a few times a year.
Three stars for reliable, tasty German-style food. An added star for the atmosphere.
For comfort food that's quite good and a uniquely entertaining atmosphere, this place is a decent value despite the protestations of other posters. Indeed you'll spend about $80-$100 per person if you eat soup-to-nuts and have a few beverages, but it's worth it. Why don't they lower their prices a bit? They don't have to; the place is packed lunch and dinner every day of the week. You can't budge in here for Sunday dinner; it's absolute chaos. Go on another day of the week if you don't like waiting a long time.
You must have an enormous appetite to escape from this handsome restaurant without a doggie bag. The portions are over-the-top out-of-control. Unlike some other places that bombard one with food, the food is actually very good here.
There are, sadly, few left of what I call the "professional restaurants" in the greater Hartford area. This is one of the ones that've survived.
Focus on protein and carbs. Sauerbraten is good although one in our party pronounced it "dry" despite a rich, lovely gravy. We opted for spaetzle and potato pancakes. The potato pancakes are divine. We asked for another order. They have au gratin potatoes only on the weekends.
Smoked pork chops were tasty and moist. Lamb was a little gamey but tender and moist. Both meats were decidedly well-done. This is not the place to look for rare meat but for on the steak offerings. The vegetable bowls that came with our meal were unremarkable. Salads were equally unimpressive. If they concocted some sort of mildly sweet-herby type of dressing it'd be all the more authentic.
On another visit the steak was delicious and cooked to a perfect medium-rare. It's a good value even at the $30 they charge for it.
If you're into chopped liver, order their chicken liver spread. It's just like my grandmother used to make. No fancy toasts here, however; saltines accompanied the pate.
It's weird being a martini drinker in a beer-lover's world, but the bar rises to the occasion making a delightfully clear, cold martini -- with an onion -- at a good price ($9) for mid-shelf liquor. That being said, the owner suggested a lovely dark beer that I actually enjoyed quite a bit with appetizers of the chicken livers and the sausage plate. Schnapps plays a role in the evening here, as well. Beware the icy vodka shots; they go down smoothly.
Go here if you want to be distracted for a while. The owner careens all over the place making toasts with regulars and chanting the peculiar drinking chant. The music, costumes and recently-remodeled decor add to the experience. If you're in a party mood, this place is for you. Bring friends and get ready to make new ones. On one recent visit, we were "adopted" by a table of older people who were thrilled that one in our party could speak their regional German dialect.
The servers all play a part in the carefully-orchestrated chaos. They are friendly and efficient. You may wait for them, but it's because many of the regulars are older, very needy diners who're constantly waving their arms. The waitstaff is professional all across the board. Both servers on our two recent visits were warm, friendly, knowledgeable about their products, and -- best of all -- they seem genuinely invested in the customer's experience. How often do you experience that?
You won't have room for dessert (they're not the greatest but for a kirschwasser-soaked Black Forest cake that's really, really good). Strong coffee and some brandy should do it at the end of this meal.
This place could earn one more star if they invested a little more in the ingredients; a slightly better cut of meat here, a little more butter there and they'd have an award-winning menu as good as their pricey competitor, The Fort and The Student Prince in Springfield, MA.
Don't go here if you want peace and quiet. Don't go here if you want haute cuisine. But DO go here if you want a singular dining experience that you'll talk about for weeks (or at least days).
I'm not really into German food or beer. Â However, I do find amusement out of people acting like complete and utter fools and I've been accused of talking a few decibels louder then is pleasant to the average human ear so I guess it evens out. Â East Side Restaurant is a good excuse to yell as loud as you want: "tiki toki tiki toki hoy hoy hoy!" Â It's also a good excuse for people of all ages from the 21 year old to the 80 year old to consume far too much beer and run around the room acting like animals while chasing waitresses or yelling at other tables to chug "das boot." Â Now that is how men bond. Â
And if you want all eyes on you, you better order a $60 2 liter boot, especially considering you get to keep the hand created glass boot. Â However, there should be someone sober enough to attempt to get this piece of glassware home since the restaurant will NOT give you another boot if you break it. Â And they say it is quite "delicate."
The food? Â I agree with another reviewer that the starters of cottage cheese and coleslaw are hardly enough for one person. Â In addition my soup, while tasty, was far too cold to consume. Â However, we were with a party of 31 so that makes things harder. Â The entrees were very good, especially the Burgermeister (sausage extreme) and Jager Schnitzel (sorry baby cows).
So, the beer was great and it's a great atmosphere to take some friends and have a really great/loud time. The 5 degree shots were awesome, thanks Michele.
The food, a different story. The mashed potatoes tasted weird, the pot roast was inedible. Potato pancakes were so-so. My rule of thumb when going out is if you can make better food at home than the restaurant serves you, stay at home. This certainly applies here. I grew up on this type of German comfort food and maybe I lucked out that my mom is such a  good cook but I really couldn't eat the food here. It's also a crime to charge $28 for pot roast, the whole roast costs $5 at the grocery store.
I will come back, probably to eat in the Munich room and get some bar appetizers. I will never go back for dinner though. Too bad, with better food and better prices it could be a great all around place.
I have a lot of opinions about this place.
1. I liked the menu options but what we received after ordering from the menu was entirely a surprise. For instance a family style side of vegetables was pureed squash and something else mushy.
2. The family style portion of cottage cheese and slaw was hardly enough for one person let alone a party of 4.
3. Basically I felt like I was eating food meant for octogenarians, and everything came from a can. Canned, frozen and dehydrated food are fine and dandy when priced accordingly and mingling with some semblance of fresh food on the plate.
4. My first indication of the style of meal should have been when I saw a basket of wrapped saltines on the table. Oh yeah I emptied the contents of the basket and I am sure I wasn't the first. That basket was about the only thing that was enough for family style.
Now onto the positive
1. I loved the 5 degree shots.
2. I loved the beer and the Munich room. I def want to go back soon and eat upstairs in the Munich room with the under 50 crowd off of the pub menu.
3. Loved the iced tables.
4. service was great and...
5. of course the cheering.
I went here for a friend's birthday party awhile back. Â I think it just really caught me off guard because she didnt tell me how "lively" the place was going to be. Â If you are a beer drinker, love German food, or both, this is the perfect place for you. Â All of the chanting got a little bit annoying "to me", but other people seem to be having a great time. Â The non-German items on the menu were delicious, but overall very pricey. Â It was definitely an experience.
Review Source:we had been driving down the highway and for the longest time, we'd say "we really have to try that place". Â our friends who'd been said, "you guys really need to go there - it's great!". Â so... we finally, with a group of seven of our friends, made the decision to go. Â it was totally worth it. Â I'm glad we went; what a great experience. Â I can't say we'd be going all that often as it was *quite* the expensive outing ($120 for my husband and I), but everything we ate was so flavorful, and the ambiance itself was worth it.
we dined on a thursday night, which was still quite festive due to a large birthday table next to us. Â the ambiance in the dining room was amazing: the waitstaff dressed in authentic german attire, the ceiling filled with liter mugs from the "mug club", and the general sites of so many people enjoying themselves throughout the restaurant. Â our first order was for the round of beer. Â we all studied the menu as there are many brew options, but I opted for the franziskaner hefe-weiss. Â as I expected, it was great. Â a perfect, light option for a heavier german meal (although that's all negated by the fact that it is a *litre* of beer!). Â for openers, we had the snacks on the table: cottage cheese and a slaw-like mixture that was tangy. Â the slaw was great with the saltines out on the table; I didn't try the cottage cheese. Â I believe that all in the group, for the most part, tried different entrees. Â I selected the sauerbraten and potato pancakes with the liver pate. Â I was pleased with the portion size of the meat. Â the gravy was flavorful; quite rich and tangy. Â the chicken pate was really great, too. Â having married into a jewish family, I have had my share of liver pate, and this was right up there in excellence with the homemade pate I'm used to. Â the potato pancakes are another fare I've had before, and these were great in texture and flavor. Â they definitely tasted homemade. Â we didn't get any full desserts as we were all so full from dinner and beer. Â several of us, though, ordered a dessert-like shot called apfel strudle which does, in fact, taste exactly like apple struedel. Â it was a perfect ending to a perfect night.
the only downside to this restaurant is the cost. Â it was quite the splurge to eat here, but we all felt it was worth it. Â I'll still come here when I'm in the mood for great, authentic german cuisine and atmosphere; it just won't be more than a couple times a year. Â hopefully we'll make it back another time when the outdoor seating is completed.
oh - and you just can't beat the 'ticki tocki, ticki tocki, hoy, hoy, hoy!" and the wandering accordian player (who certainly surprised us with his vast knowledge - he even played michael jackson for us!).
TICKI TOCKI TICKI TOCKI HOY HOY HOY!!!! That's what everyone says when they bring you a liter of beer. I think that's the best part because it's funny and even if someone is  in a bad mood it changes right away.
This is a really good German restaurant. Waiters are dressed in the traditional costumes and it looks really good.
Service is very friendly.
Food is pricey, but you get a lot and it's good. So it's worth going at least once.
I love German food and I love East Side! Â It's a little pricey, but think of it as an event--with the big beers, the shared side dishes, hats, songs, and on weekends live music, it's a fun night out with friends. Â
Beyond a great atmosphere, there's great food. Â High quality German beers, excellent German sausages, heavenly spaetzle. Â It's the best German restaurant in CT.
It's a little hard to find because it's located in the middle of a residential street, but it's worth the trek.
Ok, guys don't hate me for the 4 stars.....If the service was better, then it would have been a solid 5.
ALTHOUGH....(honestly, and I hate to say this) the HofbrauHaus in W. Springfield MA (rte. 5) is better/more authentic/fancier.
Upon arrival, we chose to sit in the booth section (which it turns out, is a bit away from the boisterous dining room (altho we got a lil boisterous when someone would order a beer in my area (Ticky Tocky, Ticky Tocky, Hoy Hoy Hoy!)----u need to go, Â to understand that song!
Anyway, upon arrival, we ordered our drinks and an appetizer of potato pancakes neither of us had eaten all day, and it was like 6pm).....that server, at the same time we were ordering, said  'Oh so and so will be your waitress" so we got out drinks a few mins later, then were waiting and waiting for the pancakes. The lady (Blond woman, not sure of her name...but she was VERY scattered throughout the WHOLE evening)  was totally clueless about our appetizer order.  We were like ''yah, remember the woman told you our order when she said u would be our waitress?'' (rec'd dead stare...'huh?')
OK, Whatever, we soon had our potato pancakes, and let me tell you, these were evocative of my late Mother-in-law's fluffy and amazing shredded potato pancakes.....amazing! Â Not the slightest bit greasy, but full of flavor and love. Â We actually stopped and thought for a few minutes about my wonderful M-I-L and how she made them.......I've had lots of them in life, these were the best beside hers!
ahhh..... they were worth the EIGHT DOLLAR CHARGE FOR 4 small cakes!
OK, i'm too stuffed to think about everything....but let me lay it out for you. Â I was treating hubby and I am glad I brought 100 bucks with me (''ooh,, that should be more than enuf''' says Missy at the atm')....
He had a Litre of Beer (12.99)
we had the Pot. Pancakes (8.00)
I had Chick Cordon bleu (27.00)
Hubby had Sauerbraten (26.00)
Red Cabbage (4.00)
----------------dinner for 2 with tip------$100.oo -----------
Our dinners did come with a FULL Course load....so to speak.
An appetizer (he had pate, altho they didn't bring him anything to put it on, no crackers, and the bread was way late) I had 'German' onion soup (which was a flavorful broth, but no cheese on it), pretty decent.
a small salads (not bad)....and it comes with a starch (we had the Spaetzle of course) and a ''family style veggie (corn and turnips came)'', and we ordered a side of Red Cabbage.
Dessert also comes with it (u have a choice of pies, or they have other things you can 'pay' for)....., as well as when u arrive, they give u a slaw and a cup of cottage cheese with some horseradish in it.....(it was ok, not big on cottage chz).
Dinner was yummy. HOWEVER, the damn waitress, every single thing we needed (ie water, lemons, a fricken straw,) just every little thing, she was dragging on. She had only 3 tables and we were all at different times in our meal. Â PIECE OF CAKE!
She was really getting annoying, and we started to laugh about it after a while.....it took her 3 attempts to bring the damn bread so that hubby could have SOMETHING to put his pate on. All they gave him was on lil piece of old looking lettuce, a scoop of pate, and a lil scoop of white onion (which looked like it was part of the lettuce) and a wedge of lemon. Â WHAT, he supposed to eat the pate with a fork?
UGH! Â We were just being laid back, though, and found it funny how she could be so damn scatterbrained! Â She was also lucky that I was finding it all funny when it came to the tip.
The meal came to 80bucks and change......I gave her 100. Â (and she wasn't hurrying back to the table with change either....LOL. but i had already decided to just give it to her...whatever....maybe she will remember us next time and be a BETTER WAITRESS! ugh! Â
So....that is why, I'm not giving it 5 or 15 stars. Â It is fun (which is why i guess i let her crappy service slide (and i didn't even mention half the stuff she did/didn't do...but whatever.....I was so happy with the potato pancakes i didn't care!
OH.....ONE NOTE FOR 'HEALTH' INSPECTOR TYPES....the thing that creeps me out about ''public'' condiment bowls (you know, the ones that have like 3 little metal bowls in a circle)...we got one for the sour cream, applesauce, and mustard for the p. pancakes.....the sour cream and applesauce looked 'pretty fresh' Â BUT, the mustard one, had a huge streak of dried mustard in it, like ppl had been taking things in and out of it all day. Â Â GROSSSSSS!
That is so not sanitary. i used to work in a 4 and 5 star type restaurants, and even one of those i worked in, they would pool all the butter dishes together, what ppl didn't eat (after they were putting their knives in and out)...PLUS u never know who has breathed on them, or licked the damn knife, whatever!
BUT, thats my only complaint. kinda.
I agree with Jonathan about giving Eastside 15 stars if possible:)
Eastside is a fantastic German restaurant in CT. Â I have been here on numerous occasions and always had an enjoyable time.
One thing to be aware of is that you need a reservation to get in. Â Even if it is during the week you are going to have to wait. Â And don't even think about trying to get in on a Friday or Saturday night without one, it won't happen.
As soon as you are seated you feel as if you have been transported to Germany. Â All of the waiters are dressed in leiderhosen and there is a roving accordian player shouting cheers for anyone ordering the "big beer." You'll also notice a bunch of people enjoying their dinner wearing funny hats. Â If you ask your waitress she'll bring you one but you have to return it before you go.
As soon as you are seated you are brought out a horseradish spread with crackers and a pickled cucumber (slaw?) Both are a great way to start off a yummy dinner!
Each entree comes with a salad, choice of soup, chicken liver pate, etc. Â You also get your choice of spaetzle (a German pasta), red cabbage, and a few other sides that I am forgetting. Â The table also gets a big bowl of veggies to share. Â The last time it was corn and mashed turnips. To end your meal you are offered a dessert and coffee. They are all homemade and so good. Try the cream pies or the warm rice pudding.
Entrees are from $18 and up but with all the food and entertainment it is worth every penny. Â A definite spot to hold a birthday party or a large get together.
If I could give this place 15 stars I would. I noticed the big billboard on I-91 last year and tried my best to convince friends to go, to no avail. Finally, after getting tired of trying to convince my friends that this would be fun, I told a date we were going out to dinner, and that it would be a little bit of a different experience. We had a great time.
This led me to force the rest of my friends to go for my 30th birthday party a couple of weeks ago. By the time we left, I had friends from Philadelphia swear to me that they were driving up here to have their next birthdays here.
East Side is crazy, loud, and fun, just like a German Brauhaus should be. Everyone's dressed in lederhosen, stupid hats are handed out for all to wear, and an accordion player roams through the dining room playing everything from Metallica to Brass Bonanza.
For all the side show theatrics, it'd be easy for East Side to cut corners on the food, but they are all about the full experience. The food here is absolutely fantastic. The corn fritters are an explosion of happiness in your mouth. The paprika schnitzel is almost other-worldly. The banana cream pie is almost perfect and a great end to the meal. In addition, you get salad and a choice of starter (soup, pate, etc.) which rounds out a meal that couldn't be more complete... unless...
Unless you get a liter of awesome German beer to wash it down with. There is something satisfying about almost needing two hands to drink a beverage. Plus, all of the food on the menu is made to match the beer perfectly.
They even gave us all a round of shots on the house. Apfel Korn, baby!
The one thing you must keep in mind here is that this is not the place to come if you are trying to get in and get out. It took about 3 hours for all 15 of us from start to finish. But that's okay. You're not just going here for dinner. You're going here for the whole rigmarole.
Also, make sure you make reservations well in advance. I made the reservation for 15 of us a week in advance and they had to "squeeze us in" at 8:30.
I'd recommend this place a thousand times over to everyone and anyone... except maybe vegans...
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,608 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,970 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,309 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,906 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,985 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
