Gustav's Bier Stube

07/14/2008 Posted by pdxmodchick

Seriously, if 10 bucks is spendy for a sandwich, then you may need to go to Jack in the Box. Yes, they are spendy in that aspect, but the service is awesome! The beer selection and price is great, and the lentil soup is my favorite!!! If someone wants the "German" experience for cheap, they ought to catch the early bird dinner next door. The stube, is just that, a stube, bar food is served there, oddly enough.

05/22/2008 Posted by fishberryjam

I really can't believe this restaurant has 5 stars so far. This was quite honestly one of the worst meals I've had in my life. It wasn't even an issue of it not geting good 'german' food, which it wasn't, but it wasn't good food in general. I had something floating in my drink, my spatzle was hard, crunchy (yes crunchy!) and gummy, my sauerbraten was not recognizeable. sort of a burnt mystery meat with funny sauce ... icky.

Pros: the service was decent, if a bit rushed

Cons: awful, awful food

03/02/2008 Posted by lord_humongous

Gustav's Bier Stube appears to be a very popular eatery as there was a constant small crowd waiting to be seated. Luckily for us the wait was not too long and we were seated in one half of the restaurant after a few minutes. Apparently, the restaurant is split in two, one half seemed to be a family style restaurant with a roaming band of musicians and the other half had more of an upscale bar/steakhouse vibe to it. The employees were all friendly and the food was excellent Germanic fare. And, as expected from a restaurant called Gustav's Bier Stube, the beer selection was also quite good. Anyone looking for some great German food and some great beer to go with it can not do wrong going to Gustav's.

Pros: Great Food, Good Beer

Cons: The Wait, Not Enough Parking

06/14/2007 Posted by rocknjeff

I just went to Gustav's for the first time about a month ago. Our server was very knowledgable about their beers, many of which I'd never had, and was able to make very good suggestions on what to try. We started with two fondue's as appetizers; the crab fondue (pretty good) and the pesto fondue (excellent). Next, I tried a brat sandwich (good), with spicy coleslaw. (not much of a slaw fan, but I really enjoyed it) Everyone else I went with had nothing but good things to say about their meals. We came with a toddler, and it was nice that they had toys and crayons for kids to use at the table, although I'd say this is a better place to enjoy with other adults than with your kids. It was a good experience, and I will return!

Pros: Good food, good beer, neat atmosphere

Cons: none

04/20/2007 Posted by sweetadeleine

I normally don't write reviews about the places I've been to. However, my significant other and I had been waiting for a good night to frequent Gustav's, and last night seemed to be the night; we were hungry, and we had a lot of extra money to spare for some excellent food and drink. The service was excellent; the hostess and waitress were very friendly and accommodating and gave us just the right amount of attention. They were also fast with the drinks and food (though we did go when the place was nearly empty, so that's no help for you if you're going when it's busy; it could be different). We had fish and chips, which were quite good (but not as good as I've had) and an excellent Waldorf salad, probably the best salad I've ever had. My cocktail, however, hardly had any gin and it was far too sweet for how it was depicted on the menu. The Hefeweizen was excellent though; spicy and full of flavor. The real disappointment came when they brought out the dessert. We really wanted cheesecake, but they only had banana cheesecake, so we decided to go with bread pudding. I've had some really excellent bread pudding in my life (mainly at the Moon and Sixpence) and this was terrible. It had obviously been heated in a microwave because some spots were hot and others weren't, and overall it was stale and far too sweet. It also had a piece of paper on the bottom, which proves my point that it wasn't made on the spot. When I'm paying this much for my food, I expect things to be made right when I get there. I'm not paying for atmosphere and service when I go out nearly as much as I'm paying for the actual food. So, regardless of the salad and the service, I will not go back to Gustav's.

Pros: service, salad skills, beer

Cons: cocktails, reheated desserts, overpriced based on the latter

01/08/2007 Posted by apschwend

We checked out Gustav's last night for the second time in the last few months. I must say that since the chain has exploded, the food has gone the other way. I had the spatzle and meatballs, which happens to be my favorite dish. Some of the spatzle was hard and was bland. The meatballs, however, were very good, as was the service. Gustav's is a staple of Portland dining and I'd hate to see another legend fall (Gustav's neighbor Sylvia's Class Act closed not too long ago). I hope the down turn is just a temporary thing.

Pros: service, ambience

Cons: Food is starting on a downturn

01/05/2007 Posted by ballack462

Never had a bad meal or bad service here in all my experience. Great atmosphere and classic german food.

Pros: Great Food

Cons: Expensive

05/04/2005 Posted by debutante8

We've been going to Gustav's regularly for quite a few years. The food and beer are excellent. For an appetizer, have the cheese fondue and sausages! For lunch or a light dinner, I love the Curried Turkey & Mango Salad, as well as the Bier Onion Soup. The Schnitzels are wonderful and I LOVE the Apricot Glazed Pork. I have tried much of the menu---usually all selections are excellent. They also offer a monthly menu, which lends a nice change. I had an excellent duck pasta a few years ago---hope to see it again! They have great desserts too! Be prepared to wait for a seat most nights---it's worth it! If you wait in the lobby instead of the bar, sample the lemonade during the summer months and hot apple cider during the winter. The staff is usually excellent also---very attentive, knowledgable and honest. Love their outdoor dining patio too!

Pros: Value, Outdoor Dining

Cons: Parking, Group seating limited, No reservations

01/13/2005 Posted by patrick787

We just got back from having lunch at Gustav's and really enjoyed it. My wife, who has German parents, said the food was quite authentic and the portions are generous. We particularly liked the tasty potato pancakes, potato salad, and beets. We look forward to going back for happy hour soon. We liked this place much better than the Berlin Inn that we recently tried since the food is much better and the ambiance is a lot more fun.

Pros: Authentic, Tasty, Nice atmosphere

08/13/2004 Posted by eliazer

Luke warm food, oversalted and with no redeeming qualities--reminded me of my school cafeteria. Sausage was tepid, chicken schnitzel dry and starchy, crab cakes gooey and flat. We began our visit with a Server announcing his name and his intention to wait on us. After a 25-minute wait he finally arrived with our orders. In between, he didn't approach our table. When I placed a twenty-dollar bill with the check, he asked if we wanted our change. Stay away--the food is only possible if you leave it all on your plate.

Pros: Builds character, Good for masochists

Cons: , Service, Food