Is Essen Haus finally getting the boot?

At Essen Haus, beer steins hang from the ceiling, waitstaff wear lederhosen and dirndls, and polka music plays from the small dining-room stage. The downtown restaurant is a showcase of Wisconsin’s lasting German cultural heritage, and since it opened in 1983, Essen Haus has been a gathering place for everyone from families to local fraternity brothers.

The menu includes some American fare, like the Reuben or the Philly steak sandwich, but the most popular offerings are German classics, like rouladen (thinly sliced beef rolled around meats and vegetables and smothered in gravy) and käsespätzle (noodles with cheese and ham).

“It’s Wisconsin, [so] of course people come in for bratwursts,” says general manager Neale Hansen. Essen Haus delivers with its Wurst Teller, a trio of German sausages served with sauerkraut and house-made sauces like hot-and-sweet mustard and curry ketchup.

It’s no secret that Germany is also known for its beer, and Hansen goes so far as to say it’s the best in the world. Naturally, Essen Haus boasts a long list of tap beers, including pilsners, lagers and German styles like weiss beers and Oktoberfest beers.

At Essen Haus, a meal or drink often comes with a side of live entertainment. While Thursdays bring a mixed bag of genres, from jazz to country music, Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for polka. “It’s in the DNA of the business,” Hansen says.

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RSK: A lot of hoops to go through before the Essen House gets "Das Boot" for a development that makes sense. Stay tuned!