When we travel, my wife and I enjoy dining at some of the restaurants with a local flavor. On our recent trip to Evansville we decided to eat at the Gerst Bavarian Haus, a German restaurant. The restaurant is located in the Heldt and Voelker Building, which was constructed in 1890. The building was a hardware store until 1997, when the owners of the famous Gerst Haus in Nashville, Tennessee, moved the restaurant from its location to Evansville (due to the construction of the Tennessee Titans football stadium). They moved into the closed hardware store and have begun a new chapter in their 100+ year history.
My wife and I were really hungry when we arrived at the restaurant. We found that it is difficult to find a place to eat on weekends in Evansville unless you arrive before 5pm. The line at the Gerst Haus was short, and we wanted to eat some of the traditional German food that can be found at the restaurant. After we were seated, we ordered a beer from the extensive list. There are more than 25 beers on tap, and more than 120 brands of bottled beer served at the Gerst Haus. My wife had a German heffeweis beer, while I ordered a Guinness. I had the Gerst Oyster Rolls as an appetizer. These have been the house specialty since 1890. Anna ordered the Schweine Scnitzel, while I enjoyed a Bavarian combination that included veal, pork, and beef. The meals were served with salads and side dishes. There was so much food that we could not eat all of it. The waitress was attentive to our needs and the food was delicious.
Thankfully we arrived when we did, as the waiting line for seating became more than one hour in length by the time we finished our meal. I did not see reservations for anyone, only names taken at the door. It is my understanding that this restaurant is just as busy daily for lunch and for dinner. The next time that we travel to Evansville, we will definitely return to the Gerst Haus.