Helmers Restaurant

Went here the other day and I was thoroughly disappointed.
steak sandwich was soaked in butter and oil. everything was greasy and it was inedible.

Helmers is closing down at the end of the month :(
I like Helmers when I am in the mood for a quieter evening. It was the first place I ever tried Radeberger way back when. I like their escargot and even though it is not healthy their open face steak sandwich is amazing. Their bread basket is great with the different mustards. I have had a few dishes here I did not like too much but hey I don’t think I am that used to german food.
Price is okay. The only reason I am only giving this place three stars is that while it is not the best of the best it definitely is not bad and I will come here again.

Went there for lunch and I can’t recommend this place. The waitress seemed to be in a very bad mood, grumpy and rude. The restaurant was nearly empty. Me as a german was looking forward to have a Radeberger beer. For whatever reason they didn’t have it. I had the Helmer sandwich. The quality was poor and very oily

The beer selection was excellent. The bread basket which included a large soft pretzel bun was a good starter. The three different mustards they gave you were probably the best I’ve ever had. I had the bratwurst with mashed potatoes. They give you two brats which was more than enough (I ended up taking the second one home for lunch the next day). The atmosphere was pleasant, and the service was good, but a little slow, although I don’t really hold it against them because we were with a group of 12. All in all a very nice experience.

This is a great restaurant. The meal was inexpensive. The atmosphere is really amazing. Very clean, great atmosphere, the bartender is very knowledgeable about the various beers served and let’s you sample the different beverages. I ended up picking up an amber larger that was smooth and flavorful.
The bratwurst was also descent and was quite a hearty meal. The sauerkraut was mild compared to others that I have had before and there are several different mustards to chose from that tantalize the palate.
I will be back here for another great meal.

A true hidden gem in Hoboken. Great selection of authentic German beers on tab with a great laid back vibe for a few drinks or a family dinner. The staff is friendly and the food has something for everyone. The class German dishes such as brats and schnitzels are fantastic but the hidden gems on the menu like spaetzel with bacon and mushrooms or bacon wrapped
Scallops or bacon and avocado salad (I sense a trend here) are go to favorites if they are on the special list. The fish specials are always fresh and perfectly cooked, maybe one of the best simply prepared salmon filets in Hoboken!

My parents were Swiss, so I grew up with ‘German/​Swiss” cuisine. My parents would often stop by the Swiss Pork Store in Fairlawn (it’s still there… see my 2013 review) and pick up weisswurst, bratwurst, knockwursts… you get the idea from time to time. I had schnitzel and sauerbraten and all kinds of German/​Swiss delicacies served with spaetzle, red cabbage and sauerkraut growing up. I also spent 2 years in Germany with the Air Force «back in the day» so I do know what good German food is.
What I was served in Helmers… well… they call it German cuisine and I guess it is, but man… not by much. Now in all fairness, maybe it was just what I (and my wife) ordered… or the chef (s) had a bad day, but I’m sure I’ll never come here again.
The appetizers were pretty decent… onion rings… thin and crispy… Yum! Leber kaese… (like a meatloaf shaped bologna, almost as good as the Swiss Pork Store… and some spaetzle which seemed more like soggy spaghetti… (Oh Mom… how I miss your home made spaetzle with cheese and grilled onion.)
As an entrée… my wife had their «famous’ open faced steak sandwich. I’m not sure why it’s famous because it was just… ok. She asked for the steak to be medium rare but got it well done (medium well??). Anyway, thank goodness for the buttered bread that gave it some taste. The fries they served were, ok.
I had the wurst platter made up of 3 sausages… knockwurst (boiled), weisswurst (broiled) and country sausage (which ended up being deep fried).
So the good news… the boiled knockwurst (think FAT hot dog) was good, as good as any I’ve ever had… but that’s it. As for the weisswurst (a veal sausage) they must have gotten them from Johnsonville because it was anemic and broiled to death. I’ve had hot dogs that were bigger than the weisswurst. (The weisswurst from the Swiss Pork Store is 2 — 3 times the size and much finer in texture. This was over broiled and coarsely ground.
The deep fried country sausage (a bratwurst??) was just as bad. I’ve never had any German sausage that was deep fried. (I try to stay away from deep fried anything.)
The mashed potatoes… just ok. The sauerkraut was terrible. Way too overcooked and bland.
And then there was the service. Everyone was polite and friendly (which is why they get the 2^nd star.) The appetizers came out promptly… and then we sat for almost an hour waiting for our entrees. Now if the place have been packed I could almost have accepted the delay, but I watched people walk in, get served and walk out, which drives me absolutely nuts!
So, if you want some good German food… stop by the Swiss Pork Store in Fairlawn. By any one of their sausages and grill them carefully in a pan or better still, on your outdoor grill. Be careful and use a medium heat… not high heat. They burn rather easily… but they’re oh so good!

The beer we ordered was very nice. Kind of sweet and aromatic. (Dog hole, I guess if you like some summer seasonal beer, this would be good.) The chef burger was quite huge, even my husband could not finish the whole thing. My pot roast was okay, I did like the mashed potato and red cabbage. As for the meat, somehow it was a bit dry and flaky. Maybe that was German style… May try other beer next time

Walking around Hoboken one Friday afternoon, my boyfriend and I were in the mood for some good beers and German food after a long day. We stumbled upon Helmers and decided to give it a try. It was 5pm and there was no one in the restaurant. We didn’t even think they were open! Gladly being able to chose any seat, we sat outside to enjoy the weather and people watch.
The waitress was a typical tough German woman, straight from Germany. She was a bit cold once we sat down and seemed to be rushing us, but as we began speaking to her about her German roots, she opened up and was really a lovely lady.
We each ordered some specialty draft beers and the German onion rings for app. The waitress even brought over a shot of raspberry liquore to put in our beers (apparently it’s a «German thing») which was actually pretty good! The onion rings was a huge order and delicious.
Next, the waitress brought over a huge basket of bread and a pretzel with 3 different types of mustards– which were all delicious. For entrée we each had the wurst platter– 3 different types of bratwurst, homemade sauerkraut, and onions. Everything was fresh and authentic.
Overall, we had a great experience at Helmers — left with tummies full of German food and great beers!

Today, my boyfriend and I tried Helmer’s for lunch. He ordered the crispy tilapia sandwich and i ordered the wurst sandwich. My boyfriend raved about the sandwich, saying the fish was fried crispy, but not too oily. The wurst sandwich was served on a pretzel bun which was delicious. In addition, it came with homemade sauerkraut which is like nothing I ever had before! We ate outside, which gave us a nice view for people watching. The service was friendly and welcoming. We would definitely dine her again– especially to try some of the beers on their extensive beer menu.

Food was pretty good, but the waitresses are tougher than a $ 2 steak.

Some of the best potato pancakes I have ever had, but make sure you come Monday-​Thursday, because they are made from scratch to order and aren’t available on weekends. Nice beer special, $ 5 for pints of German beers, on Thursdays. Rest of meal was ok, a bit greasy, would definitely come back on a Thursday for beers and potato pancakes.

Food is ok. Experience was not bad up until the time I received the bill and realized they charge $ 3 for coffee. Actually, it was half a cup of coffee that tasted like it was a week old. Its the little things like that which chafe my ass. Other than that, place is mediocre at best.

Have been dining at Helmers for more than 30 years. Top 3 favorite restaurants and the best German restaurant in tri-​state area — which is saying something as there are several great German restaurants in the area.

Had an awesome dinner here on a Friday night. The place is not much to look at, but the food is really good. I had the sauerbraten. It was really delicious. Tender as hell and a litte bit sweet. I added some of the mustards to it as well (not sure if this is how people eat it. but I liked it). The red cabbage was awesome too. I could eat a whole bowl of it.
The beer selection looks pretty good too.
I definitely want to go back and try some of the other german dishes.

If possible, I’d give it 3.5 stars.
It’s been a restaurant that my old extended family has gathered at for various occasions over MANY years — like back to the 1950s. And if there is something you should know about Helmer’s there was «pre-​fire» (2005) and «post-​fire» (2007) Helmer’s. Yes, Helmer’s was closed for 1.5 years in the mid-​2000s because they had a fire which burned the original restaurant to the ground. Obviously today’s Helmer’s is in «post-​fire» mode which sorry to say, isn’t as good. The food isn’t as tasty (or AS greasy for that matter) the booths are not plugged into the walls, and the service has gone downhill a bit.
Still, there is some saving grace to «post-​fire» Helmer’s. Lot’s a great German beer, a tamed atmosphere, a German keyboard musician who performs on Friday nights, and definitely an original charm for the now ‘Yuppie Scum’ overrun Hoboken.
I was pretty shocked that this place wasn’t open past 9:30pm on a Wednesday night for beer. I got pretty bored at Maxwell’s and wanted a change of pace and discovered the door was locked.

This was the worst experience ever! My boyfriend’s parents got us a gift certificate here so we decided to go to an early dinner. I work in a restaurant in Hoboken so I know how annoying it can be to serve younger people, but this was no excuse for how we were treated.
The women server, who was probably in her late 50’s or 60’s was so rude as soon as we sat down. She talked to us like we were bothering her. While ordering she saw that we had a gift certificate and demanded we order apps or else she wouldn’t let us use it. huh? Then she told us we had to order entrée’s, not burgers or sandwiches.
My boyfriend and I eat out a lot, and this women made a big mistake to treat us this way, especially when we do spend money and are generous to servers. What sent me over the edge was they didn’t have the scallops I ordered, which she didn’t come back until 10 minutes after we ordered and plopped the menu down and said, pick something us and walked away. So I couldn’t get a burger, a steak sandwich, or scallops.
While eating the women was walking around saying to the staff «when you’re done texting, get me some water»
It’s a shame our experience was so bad because the food was ok and they had a good beer selection. But I would avoid this place at all cost if it meant seeing that witch of a women again.
Note to Helmers, there are plenty of people willing to be good servers and nice to their customers.
Finally the bill came and it was over $ 85 (she added 20% gratuity for her poor service) Obviously I wasn’t going to argue with someone like that so we left very disappointed and confused.

On March 2, 2013 at 3:15am I saw the light. No I didn’t have an epiphany. I saw God. I was dying. I sat on my porcelain throne praying to God to not let me die like this. Don’t let my last meal be from Helmers Restaurant in Hoboken, NJ.
Mister and I wanted to try something new, so we decided to dine at Helmers. He’s been here many years ago, he enjoyed the food then but he understands that the restaurant may have changed hands. I was nervous because he said the same thing about Casa Dante (read my review on them). But I wanted to be open minded and was eager to try some German food.
For an appetizer, we ordered the rock shrimp and I inquired about the Leberkase. I traveled to Austria (twice) and I remembered eating Shnitzels, Leberkase, etc and I wanted to know if its the same at Helmers. The waitress told me their Leberkase is a sausage… that’s it. Leberkase, in Austria, is usually served in a sandwich. It looks basically like a Spam sandwich. So when she said its a sausage I told her I will pass.
When our rock shrimp appetizer arrived, Mister ask if this was it. The portion was so small. Literally, the order came on a plate that equals the size of a tea cup saucer. Whatttt!!! It was good but definitely a tease.
When it came to our entrees, Mister ordered the «Jäger Schnitzel» and I had the «Black Forest Chicken». We ordered two different things but both of our entrees looked the same. Both were drowned in mushrooms and brown sauce.
Again, I traveled to Austria (twice) and when I ordered schnitzels it looked nothing like this. Our food lacked flavor and the sauce and mushrooms literally drowned the dish. I was overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time.
And for dessert we ordered the German chocolate cake. It was good but «tough». It wasn’t as moist as it should’ve been. But by that point I didn’t expect much from this place.
We both got home and we weren’t feel too well. We were tired and decided to go to bed. Around 3:15am on a Saturday morning, I had severe stomach cramps and rushed to the bathroom. I bought my cell phone with me in case I needed to call the ER. Yes it was that bad. I was sweating, dehydrated and could barely call Mister’s name because I didn’t have the strength.
I’ve always dreamt that my last meal on Earth would be a triple bacon cheeseburger on a glazed donut, macaroni & cheese, Jaxson’s «Kitchen Sink» and wash it all down with a 2 liter bottle of pineapple soda * last meal is subject to change*. But there was no way in HELL I was going out with this Helmer’s filth in my body.
Lord knows I prayed, I didn’t want to die like this. I kept calling Mister and he woke up looking defeated as well. He got me a bottle of water and I felt a little better. I had to cancel my plans because I was done.
Never again will I eat at Helmers. I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m surprised by the reviews. Maybe they were «off» that night but I’m not going to give them a second chance. My life means a whole lot more to me.

Hoboken restaurants generally have a severe lack of soul and character. Thank the food gods for this gem! Helmer’s delivers wholesome, authentic (yes, I’ve been to Germany) dishes in a classy pub atmosphere with an INCREDIBLE selection of imported beer. The no-​nonsense lady who was running things was a touch brash, but poured us two delicious drafts with a perfect head. As for the food…
Saurbraten: The beef had a nice mildly sweet zing to it from being marinated in vinegar and spices, and was fall-​apart fork tender. The dark and creamy gravy provided the perfect contrast to complete a scrumptious bite of slow cooked beef.
Broiled Weisswurst: The sausage was juicy with its mild veal flavor encased in a crisped and snappy browned skin. It came out with the house selection of four German mustards that were fun to sample.
Red Cabbage: I love this stuff… I could eat it for days. The sweet and sour balance is addictive and acts as a great palate refresher for the generally heavy dishes.
The food here is comforting and satisfying… a definite go to on ravenous nights or hung over mornings.

1) What is up with the bathroom here??? There is a large window on the door with a very sheer lacey curtain that does not cover you from being seen while you do your business. To make matters worse, the toilet is inches away from said door. Moreover, the bathroom is next to a very high traffic part of the restaurant, where all the staff constantly go in and out of the kitchen and across from tables.
2) The «special» German mustards are mustards that can be found at your local supermarket… Mr. Mustard for example I have found for a buck and some change in a few major grocery stores. It is good really mustard though… just not «special.»
3) A bit overpriced, but then I’ve never been to a German restaurant that I thought was moderately priced.
4) The beer selection was good. I really liked their beer mixes. They had a few selections that are a mixture of two different beers to create fun flavors. The décor is also nice.

I love beer.
Helmers has unique beers.
I love Helmers.
In all seriousness, Helmers has a lot to offer. I’ve sampled two of their chicken entrées and have been completely satisfied both times. My fellow diners were just as happy with the different sausages. I wouldn’t recommend it for lunch, but dinner is a sure thing. Just be aware that the kitchen can be very slow at times.
There are a wide variety of imports on tap with Affligem being my favorite. Happy Hour specials feature $ 5 drafts which is a great price for these beers.
I don’t believe there is currently any other restaurant like Helmer’s in Hoboken, so make sure you try it.