DER LÖWE Becker Gastro GmbH in Essen

The food is good, but not super good. If you're going for a burger, then you want decent buns. I'm happy to pay a little more for that.

If you are a tourist, don’t ever come to this restaurant. The waiter is hostile and they serve locals first even if they come 30 minutes later and ordering the same food! We was so excited about having some decent german food. It ended up with all disappointment. We have waited for 1 hour and 45 minutes but the food aren’t ready. The waiter was hostile during the order, and after an hour, he asked did we order anything. Afterwards, the waiter asked us to wait for 5 minutes. It then ended up waiting for 45 minutes. What an experience!

Four of us were there on a Saturday evening (booked online at 6:30 p.m.) for the traditional start-of-the-holiday meal. The beer garden was well-filled - inside = completely empty. Due to a small "event" within walking distance of the restaurant, we were treated to badly sung pop music - but the Löwe can't do anything about that. What the management can do is help the service staff! And ours was abysmal. Language barriers, obvious overwhelm when using the handheld device to order food, and simply unbelievably slow. We waited forever for three schnitzels and a salad plate, and after asking several times, we received increasingly absurd explanations. The cooking machine was broken - there was a backlog in the kitchen - our order was forgotten or not sent to the kitchen - what can I say? The initial good mood was gone. After 90 minutes, that point had passed, and after we said we were leaving, the food arrived within five minutes - Weird?!? The taste was okay. Not a highlight—just okay. Limes instead of lemons for the Wiener Schnitzel—pepper sauce poured over the schnitzel instead of being served separately. The Lederhosen salad was just a three-shallow side salad with a handful of chicken. 🤷🏻‍♂️. All in all, rather mediocre... Prices are obviously too high for what you get—but where isn't that the case? Will we go there again? NO!!! Sorry, but that wasn't anything. If that's the concept, if that means managing the large beer garden at the Königshof, then you need a lot of time...

2nd visit. Last time, two years ago, a given 5. Today it was a weak 2nd. The fact that it didn't get a 1st is entirely due to being full. Terrible service. Cold food. Promise of delivery immediately when pointed out, but which ends up with you having to go into the kitchen yourself after almost half an hour to get delivery. Sorry Der Löwe - tonight you lost not only me but probably also many of those who read my reviews. 😪

The food was simply delicious. Could have been a little hotter. The staff was very friendly, funny, and attentive. It's a shame they're moving soon. I loved the beer garden with the big tree.

Thank you for the great food and excellent service!

Food and drinks very tasty, service first class.

Unfortunately, we couldn't eat at the Löwen. Despite the beautiful weather, they wouldn't give us a seat outside. ALL the tables were empty. What a shame.

After a long walk downtown, my colleagues and I happened to stumble upon this restaurant. We managed to get a seat outside. Nothing to complain about the beer or the food - very good. Service was quite slow for how many people were in the garden or in the restaurant. Reasonably priced.

I wanted to make my partner happy and bring home something special. So I spontaneously decided to order two crispy knuckles to go. Unfortunately, my partner (who loves knuckles and has eaten them many times) told me at home after the meal that they were among the worst knuckles she'd ever eaten. In fact, the meat inside (beneath the crust) was completely dry and tough. I'm giving it two stars because the knuckles tasted okay and the food was plentiful. My partner thought the mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a packet and were of inferior supermarket quality; however, that's less important because I'm primarily interested in the knuckle. I personally found the sauerkraut and dumplings decent, but the sauce was mediocre. Since I believe that the knuckle is a key indicator of what a German restaurant can do, I'd like to give it a maximum of two stars and, based on current information, unfortunately cannot recommend the restaurant.

Yes, a cozy Bavarian restaurant. Good food, great service. The Kaiserschmarrn is fantastic.

A bit strange to find an Oktoberfest atmosphere in a restaurant in the middle of summer. The cheerful, friendly! service was dressed in Dirndl and Lederhose. This immediately put a smile on our faces. Okay, we were prepared for real German food but had no idea that we would end up in a Bavarian atmosphere. A bit of a shame that the soup beforehand (Leberknödel Suppe) was apparently heated in the microwave. The Leberknödel was cold inside and the broth lukewarm. Nice that we were offered a new plate of soup but here too the same story, the soup was lukewarm. You could even see from the Leberknödel that it was not simmering in the broth. One side was darker in color than the other. Missed opportunity by the chef to make up for the mistake. The beef goulash was fine and the Käsespätzle too. The sauerkraut tasted like it had been cooked in gravy, which may be the way it is in Bavarian cuisine, but it wasn't our thing. Furthermore, the restaurant was almost empty at 9:30 PM and it seemed to us that the staff wanted to get rid of us. A bit of a shame on a Friday night with another half hour of opening time anyway. So we had our coffee and dessert at home. Missed opportunities, I would say.

Friendly service, fairly priced food and proper beers. The old beer advertisements on the walls create an authentic atmosphere. Recommended!

All in all, very disappointing. The food and service have been better. We waited over 45 minutes for the appetizer, which was just the pretzels. Unfortunately, the burger was very cold, as the warm patty was placed on ice-cold sauce and a very cold tomato. As a result, the meat had cooled down before it reached the customer. The waitress seemed very stressed and complained about other customers in full view of the customers.

Unfortunately, we were very disappointed with the service. After our first drink, we didn't see anyone for 1.5 hours, so we had to go to the bar to ask for drinks. Our food was completely forgotten. Only after we asked for it did they take care of it. The food itself was very tasty, but that's not enough to make us come back again.

The price/performance ratio is very good. Typical Bavarian dishes.

Good beer, great atmosphere, but some of the meat we ordered was very dry, and I felt sick for the rest of the day after eating.

We went to chat in an informal setting. We didn't eat this time, we got something to drink. But the orders of others looked and smelled quite appetizing. We were met here with smiles and friendly and they serve visitors in the same way, quickly, attentively and positively. Of the minuses that I noticed, and in Germany, unfortunately, this often happens, there is a smell in the toilet, which gives the feeling of not very careful attitude to cleanliness and hygiene. What else do visitors need to get used to and draw the attention of the owners of establishments, that for us it is very unpleasant that if customers come in pairs, they will be asked to sit at a table for two. Those who have the mentality of people from other countries, this is perceived as a very unfriendly attitude and restriction of the client (there is not much space there, there is nowhere to put personal belongings, etc.) and this directly affects the mood and desire to order something in this establishment. Especially when we see a bunch of empty seats at the bigger tables!

The very affordable schnitzel on the lunch menu tempted me, but the culinary experience was worth the price. The table next to me enjoyed the same dish. The staff was very friendly. The ambiance can't compete with a true Bavarian brewery. The outdoor terrace was very pleasant; the shady spot under the plane trees almost has the feel of a Bavarian beer garden.

Very nice service and delicious food. Gladly again.

Unfortunately we cannot recommend the restaurant. We were happy to spontaneously find a Bavarian restaurant in Pott. Service was okay, ambience was good, it smelled like a typical beer garden, but none of us liked it. The marrow dumpling soup was not good - and the dumplings from a ready-made package. The roast pork was far dry, the red cabbage was a tasteless mush and the potato dumplings weren't even cooked through. The waffles tasted like plastic and were hard. Did you take them out of the prepackaged package, let them sit all day and then warm them up again briefly? Only the chocolate souffle and the drinks were okay. The waitresses could be more attentive. But it was a city festival, so perhaps the day had been strenuous.

Rarely have I experienced something so good in a long time. Mega staff, delicious food and drink at top prices and clean at its best. You'll see us again 👍🏻

Great food. Schnitzel on point. Rula the service is extremely friendly and competent. Drinks arrived quickly and were cold. Food was hot, tasty and arrived quickly. Ambience really well done. Toilets super clean and modern. Highly recommended even if the city here is not beautiful.

Delicious food and large portion. Courteous staff whether when ordering food or drinks. Fair prices.

If you are looking for a good Bavarian restaurant with good old German cuisine, you have come to the right place!! Super tasty and everything handmade and homemade... gladly again In the picture you can see the schnitzel patte enough for at least 3 people.

Good Bavarian restaurant very centrally in Essen city. We had schnitzel and knuckle. The knuckle was really very large with 2 dumplings and lots of sauerkraut. There was also a good sauce. Additional sauce was available for €3.50. If you are not a very good eater you can also order half a knuckle. I like that. Ambience rustic as you would expect. You have to wait half an hour for the knuckle and it says so on the menu. But I would say that's more of a good sign than a bad sign for a restaurant (no pinging to be heard from the microwave :-)) No own parking spaces as far as I could see. Parking could therefore be a bit difficult. On the other hand, it's in the middle of the city so there are enough parking garages in the area. We were there on a Sunday and of course it was fine because the shops weren't open. We can recommend the restaurant.

I immediately felt like I was in a brewery in Munich. All staff are appropriately dressed and very friendly. The portion was generous and very tasty. If I hadn't made it, I would have gotten the leftovers. Highly recommended and I will try the pork knuckle next.

We were there as part of a company event and had a great time! We would particularly like to highlight Rula, who constantly kept the mood high with her open and warm nature. Their attention and good mood made us feel extremely comfortable - and we certainly ended up ordering more than we would have otherwise. Definitely a win from a business perspective! Thank you for the great service, we'll be happy to come back!

Wonderful restaurant, we ate very tasty food and had a very fun evening with the very nice service staff. Special thanks to Rula, we had a lot of fun!

A little bit of Bavaria in the Ruhr area for over 20 years. Bavarian beers. Bavarian classics such as pork knuckle, liver dumpling soup etc. So rather hearty cuisine, primarily with meat dishes. Just right for “schnitzel hunger & beer thirst”. When the beer level rises at the next table, it can sometimes get louder, so it's not a "sophisticated whisper atmosphere", but rather a relaxed/down-to-earth atmosphere.

We had some great food and obviously great beer here! Would definitely come back. I really enjoyed the old pictures on the walls.

A nice restaurant, you feel like you're in Bavaria. The beer was delicious, the food was great and the service was also very good.

As always, very good. Very friendly staff. Food also very good 👍

Our food was ok, but we wouldn't go there again. The waiter was very nice and attentive

How many times have I walked past here and thought to myself, go in there? Today (Sunday) the time had come; three of us spontaneously went there for dinner. Arrive shortly after opening, i.e. shortly after 12 p.m. Super friendly greeting with a smile, pleasant atmosphere, immediate seating and then the service basically started. Menus were handed out, then drink orders were taken. A little later the food orders were taken after the drinks were brought to the table. The food was also delivered to the table in a reasonable time frame and, above all, was served hot. Once again the note: We arrived shortly after 12 p.m. If there is a higher number of visitors at a later date, you may have to be a little more patient. However, even shortly after opening there wasn't too much going on. The prices are reasonable. The portions are big enough and there is something for everyone. The quality was excellent, at least for the dishes we ordered. Due to the “Bavarian cuisine”, you should be prepared for meat-based food. You can park in the side streets around Kopstadtplatz. This is possible free of charge on Sundays and in the evenings from the times shown on the parking ticket machines. Otherwise, don’t forget your parking ticket! The quickest way to get there by public transport is via Porscheplatz. When you choose from the menu, one thing is certain - we'll be happy to come back!

It is always a celebration to come to you Keep it up Michael

Ordered thread soup and 1/2 pork knuckle with sauerkraut and dumplings. The Fädle soup had more vegetables in it than Fädle (pancake strips) and tasted a bit bland. The pork knuckle itself was delicious, crossy and big enough to fill you up. The dumplings were also good. The sauerkraut tasted rather mediocre. And there wasn't enough sauce, but it was delivered upon request (but also charged for). The service was very friendly and even had time for small talk. The ambience was like a Bavarian brewery (beers from Löwenbräu and Franziskaner)

Were here with 4 people and ate schnitzel. Everything excellent, quick, delicious. Great atmosphere and nice service. If we were to go to Essen again, it would only be for this restaurant. Greetings from Schleswig-Holstein

Great, great, great! We were there for the first time last night. Four of us + dog had a wonderful evening. Thank you.

It's not a very attractive restaurant. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food is sufficient.

Had dinner there today. Great atmosphere, quaint and beautiful. Great food, really great food. Really great value for money for the mega portion. The waitresses are also super friendly and always attentive. Would love to come back. Thank you for this great evening that I was able to have with you with my wife

The food was really tasty. Despite the small portion ordered, it was very filling. The salad was very varied. Not just lettuce, cucumber, tomato. The service was quick and you were asked after the meal if you would like something to drink.

Schnitzel tasted fine but was slightly overcooked and therefore a bit tough. However, the atmosphere was fine and the service was also extremely friendly. Nice location.

Good food, generous portions, good beers, welcoming staff.

Fantastic food, great service and a lovely atmosphere

I loved the knuckle of pork with fried potatoes and sauerkraut in a dark beer sauce at the Löwen in Essen. Now it's about €6 more expensive, which is obviously due to inflation, although it's steep compared to other restaurants. On top of that, the quality of the product has deteriorated dramatically. Both the knuckle of pork and the dumplings were completely unseasoned, even lacking salt, the sauce a disgustingly slimy, ready-made product, and the red cabbage completely overly sweet. My friendly suggestion to the waitress, that the kitchen should be a bit bolder with the seasoning, gave the waitress cause for discussion. No, no, no, the Löwen in Essen is no longer up to scratch, and I no longer have the desire to go there.

I ate the best schinitzel of my life at this restaurant! Plus the attention is great!! It's surely worth it

Haven't eaten there often, but it's good, so yes you can do it.

Two dishes, rollade with red cabbage Shank with cabbage. Plate cold. Sauce curdled, red cabbage cold, sauerkraut cold, plate too small for knuckle. Service asked every now and then whether everything was OK. and would have brought us new supplements. Taste ok

Very friendly service in a nice atmosphere. Schnitzel and soup were OK, but not particularly enjoyable either. The knuckle at the next table looked sensational. I'll try these on my next visit. Beer was tasty

Highly recommended. Food was very good. Service very friendly and accommodating.

The beer is the best in Germany, the food is the worst in the world.

Very tasty food, very funny and friendly staff, would love to come back 👌😍

Friendly staff delicious food would love to come back

Food was OK. Only the strong woman who served my friend and I was a bit unfriendly and still had to learn a lot as a waiter... unfortunately she also smelled a bit of alcohol. Otherwise it's a nice atmosphere.

The food was great, the service was also great, thank you Rula.

The four of us ate there yesterday afternoon (February 7, 2025). What you could call food. Two of us had spaetzle with goulash. The goulash fart was dry and completely without sauce. It was also cold. The spaetzle cold and dried out. The goulash soup from my colleague was cold. I've eaten there twice now and twice the food was just rubbish. I wouldn't have even given that to my dog. We will never enter this store again.

Really great food. Nice atmosphere and the service Rula is really great. The best waitress you can have.

With this kitchen in the royal court - well then, good night, Johanna.

Delicious food, Rula was a great waitress. Very accommodating!

Food was okay. Potatoes n meat :)) the mac & cheese like dish was good the rest just ok

The reception was friendly but a bit assertive and arrogant in the allocation of seats. Despite the very manageable number of visitors, we were supposed to sit close to each other with other guests. It was different and all the conversations of the people sitting next to us could be clearly heard. It was not possible to move despite there being a lot of free places (even when we left it wasn't particularly well attended). The food was a 4 - in my dish the black pudding was spoiled the complaint was complicated the staff were of the opinion that it couldn't be. The restaurant is not for anyone who wants to enjoy eating out. No recommendation.

Were there for the first time and we will definitely come by more often. The food (including the starter) was served at a reasonable interval and the quality is unique. We travel to Munich often and of course always enjoy visiting the Hofbräuhaus, but we never knew that we could get such quality food and drinks in the heart of Essen. In short: Top price, top service, top ambience, top beer, top quality of food. Finally, all that remains to be said is that only the toilets could be cleaner, unfortunately the toilet seat in the women's toilet was “hanging at half past eight” and the floor was dirty and sticky. But we were able to “look past” that, which is why we give it 5 stars and will definitely recommend further visits.

Disappointed in the lion January 2025 We had dinner at Löwen with 4 people. Three of us chose the schnitzel platter. If we had known that the schnitzels were prepared in the deep fryer, we definitely would not have chosen it. About how to serve the schnitzel platter: A cold buffet platter, with a few fries topped with schnitzel, three gravy boats and store-bought coleslaw. Two of the sauces that were served with it tasted identical, the only difference being that one sauce had peppercorns and the other had three mushrooms. The fourth person among us chose a lumberjack steak, you had to look very closely at the plate to see it. It was very small, even for me, who doesn't eat large portions, it wouldn't have been enough, the fried potatoes that came with it were swimming in fat. We can't describe all of our food as a culinary delight; if we had known that we were going to be eating at a snack bar there, we wouldn't have eaten there. What we have to say about the drinks is that we didn't expect that a large cola would be one liter. Maybe it would be useful to mention that a large cola is a liter when taking in the drinks. The conclusion from all of us is that we won't eat there again, price and performance simply don't match.

Great place. If you want to feel the German atmosphere, I recommend this address. Perfect schnitzel. Waiters very polite. We will definitely come back!

I think sometimes some restaurants (like this one) forget that the customer leaves their money in the restaurant and not the restaurant with the customer. This is how the impression was created on January 16th. with us . The restaurant wasn't very busy, I estimate the occupancy to be around 20%. We went there spontaneously, the lady at reception seemed a bit arrogant and untrained. We asked for a table for two the lady asked reserved we said no. With a hand signal and then an unfriendly one, she wanted to assign us a table. We asked if it wasn't possible to sit at a place we had mentioned, but only received the answer no, as reservations still come in and the seats must remain free. We said that during the Christmas season we always spontaneously got one of the large tables without any problems, even though the shop was always very full in December. The answer was yes, that's not possible. We then went somewhere else. On the way back the place was still empty :)) The two of us leave at least as much money in the restaurant as four people, plus a tip of 10 euros. But if you don't want to... In December we apparently came across trained staff who knew a lot about people. As a customer you are not a supplicant in a restaurant - there are enough restaurants that are happy to have customers.

I wish the beer had been a little cooler. The atmosphere is very nice.

We thought for a long time whether we should write the review or not. Basically the lion is really okay. The beer is tasty, and so is the food. Prices have certainly increased since our first visit and today but where haven't they? However, what doesn't fit at all and I have no idea why, since we also travel a lot in the catering industry and don't have such problems anywhere: us and the staff. It started when we, as regular guests, could no longer order beer from a waiter because they had made the last round without notice. Mind you, 2 neighboring tables just got 2 measurements each. So there would definitely have been time for a small beer. We then stayed away for a while and looked elsewhere. Which was also due to the derogatory way in which it was communicated to us. But the waiter didn't work there much longer either. Now we were there 2-3 times at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. The waitress served us very nicely last time. And then at our table we were really insulted by the impossible loud company. We didn't even know the waitress. Leaves a strange feeling. Who knows what they will say about us to others. And about a week ago we wanted to stop by again. A few beers and a snack. Didn't get around to it. If only we could sit on the bench at the front left because there are only two of us. I asked for the table for two on the right by the window. No. Just the bank. The waiter shrugged listlessly. It just doesn't seem to fit. Too bad. There are plenty of other alternatives. The review was written because it is only fair that the owner also knows what happens in his shop and how guests who actually come often and enjoy being treated are treated. There used to be a few nice waitresses back then, but from our observations they no longer work there. Unfortunately, the current staff doesn't seem very friendly.

Very good inn with a great team that brilliantly manages a fully staffed location with just a few staff. I take my hat off 😊👍 The food tasted delicious, our drinks were refilled in no time, all in all a great evening, despite the restaurant being full. 🥰

Tasty, good service, but sometimes the music is too loud. Oh yes, some people don't like to be called by their first name or given their first name just because they heard it during service. Very invasive...☝️ The friend didn't say anything about it, but if the young lady had done that to me, I would have politely but firmly pointed it out to her and asked her not to do it. Otherwise, always happy again!!!

Super nice service and very good food. I had a very tasty schnitzel - super thin and breaded, just the way you want it. The side dishes were so generous that I was completely full. I would particularly like to highlight the service...... A very nice girl in a traditional dirndl served us very friendly. ..... and a hunky boy in lederhosen was not only a feast for the eyes, but also greeted and said goodbye to us with his charming smile. That smile alone deserves 5 stars. The restaurant is very good all around. I'll definitely go there again.

Very nice authentic German beerstube. The classic schnitzels were great and the service very friendly.

Good food and good service for a nice price.

Got very tasty goose breast. Great Christmas food

Thank you “Demi” for the great hospitality. The food was good. Price performance ratio class. I can only recommend this restaurant. Greetings to the counter and kitchen. A merry Christmas to all of you and a good start into the new year 2025. Stay healthy. 😇🙏👁️♾️

The St. Martin's goose was perfect: crispy skin, delicious sauce. Serve with dumplings and red cabbage, really recommended. For dessert there was delicious cherry tiramisu.

Food was wonderful and the prices were okay too. There is also often the option to order a smaller portion.

Food is simply great! This is how pork knuckle should taste!

The boss is unfriendly and some things could be optimized. It's not possible for a group of people to get their main course and the speaker has to ask and then notice that the second course wasn't released.

Delicious food, tasty German. People walk in leather goods and dirndolls. No matter how busy it is, they remain cheerful and correct.

Despite the heavy crowds, the team is focused and tries to do justice to all guests. We were extremely happy and had some fun with the staff. Great restaurant, very good food, can only be recommended. In front of the restaurant you can drink mulled wine in front of a Christmas backdrop. Thank you “Löwe”, we’ll be back. ☺️😉

Very clean and very tasty food. Will stop by again

Enjoy your meal Good service Great atmosphere Keep it up 👍

The food was delicious and the staff friendly. There was a deduction for my wife ordering a large Coke and getting a liter. Maybe you could ask again if you had a liter of cola.

Haxe could only be opened with a saw.

What a great German restaurant We at PVMaersk went here for dinner and drinks on two evenings The schnitzels are great and the atmosphere is really great. The service is alert and you will not be short of anything We enjoyed it Thank you for the opportunity to receive 2 x 50 harbor vouchers during the busiest period

Very nice restaurant where you can enjoy delicious Bavarian food.

A Bavarian beer hall in the middle of Essen. Delicious Bavarian specialties. Dedicated friendly staff.

Like in Bavaria. Wonderful… you just have to go there😉

Very friendly staff and very tasty German food

Bavarian flair with the accompanying food and drinks. In addition, friendly staff who clear the empty plates too quickly when others at the table are still eating. But otherwise everything was delicious and good. Haxe is very good.

Great German bite in the middle of the city of Essen. Everything was fine, with a few minor drawbacks. The sauerkraut was very sweet and the liver cheese very salty. The service walked around in ridiculous quasi Bavarian clothing that undermined their professionalism a bit.

Nice brewery with solid food and great service.

Great ambience, super nice service, good food. Here the gypsy schnitzel is still called gypsy schnitzel.

Had a lovely evening and had a delicious meal. The table was already available for the booked date

We were there several times this year. It was always lively, pleasant, friendly, fun. The food has always been of good quality. However, this time, the stimubg was low, the music was quite quiet, the food, apart from the burger, was unfortunately not of good quality and didn't taste great either. The service was friendly and attentive, the interior was still beautiful. Unfortunately not as politicizing as it was at the beginning or middle of 2024.

5 people sat at my table, the food was either very small or the meat was dry and rock hard. The only good thing was the knuckle. Unfortunately, the service is just as unorganized and rude. You were asked to pass your plate across the entire table with hand signals, drinks were sometimes placed on the table without comment and had to be distributed yourself. On the way out I was confronted about my assessment in front of the whole group. Maybe just think about how such an assessment comes about instead of questioning it.

Typical German restaurant with good beer. The service was efficient and friendly. The food quality wasn't consistent. Schnitzel was very good, nuremberg sausages were goog, leberkase (meatloaf) was like "watery" and not good. I would agree with other comments that sour cabbage and potato pure were mushy. The atmosphere is cheerful

The restaurant atmosphere was nice and the service was attentive. The food was just okay. The pork knuckle was overcooked and the sauerkraut was mushy. The goulash soup was good.

The soup, the main course, and the dessert did not impress. But what bothered me the most was that the service was not attentive and we had to serve everything to her.