Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn

Stayed in the whirlpool tower suite. The view in the morning is great. A little pricey but you’re right next to EVERYTHING. Plus if you’ve got a little one like us, set ‘em loose in one of the many pools or arcades. A great place to go if you’ve got kids!

After hearing so much about the famous Bavarian inn chicken dinner, we drove 2 and a half hours to get some. We should have stayed home. The chicken was dry and nothing special, certainly not for 22 dollars for 2 breasts and two legs. The sides, while several, we’re just not good. The chicken soup had the same taste as cup-​a-​soup and everything just had an old, unfresh quality about it. The only good part was the ice cream. This was an extremely disappointing dinner.

The Best Food! We were fitted in Tiny’s room and we went during Snowiest and our waitress was o nice and was really up on things kept coming to see if we needed anything very good waitress. The food was so good to!!! I go up almost once a month and we try and go to both but I like Bavarians Mash potato’s better. I Like there all you can eat add ons are better!!! And the Chicken is fantastic!!!

Little pricey but good service. Great chicken.

This place seems popular enough but it is not good food Bavarian or otherwise. What little German language is on the menu has spelling errors so you can easily tell they are not even trying with the theme either.
The mustard provided with the bratwurst was neither the traditional sweet bavarian whole grain mustard or the sharp tasty mustards common in other parts of Germany and Austria. The food seems to be largely deep fried, perhaps made elsewhere, and then warmed up in an oven from a frozen state. In any case there is no evidence of a good chef in the kitchen making anything with a care for how it tastes. There are no fresh vegetable sides or garnishes with meals adding to the feeling that the goal is just to put out food without any concern for its presentation.
The bread doesn’t resemble anything from a decent bakery or from even a low end grocery store in Germany. It is mushy, white, and without the grains, seeds, crunchy crust or sourdough characteristics that makes for a good bread. One would hope for at least a decent rye loaf if not some nice sour Vollkornbrot which would be awesome. The bread being sold as a Stollen is in name only and bears a remote resemblance to a Panettone and no resemblance to Stollen.
We ordered some sausages, rotkraut, sauerkraut, spaetzle, and an appetizer sampler platter. The sausage platter for $ 13 amounts to three sausages rolling about on a plate. No garnish or vegetables at all and no decent mustard to eat them with. The white sausage was flavorless and not worth eating, the bockwurst was ok like and oversized hot dog but not exceptional, and the bratwurst was one of the wurst I have ever had. No tasty fennel or anything in it to give it some hope.
The Spaetzle lacked any flavor. All it really would have needed was a bit of nutmeg or herbs and it is easy to make and should have tasted good. The appetizer sampler platter was an inedible mass of fried globs and burned pieces of pretzel with something pretending to be artichoke dip but I couldn’t find even a piece of artichoke in it. One item which was supposed to be a Knödel, came out as a friend glob of sauerkraut. Whether you are expecting a dumpling or a boiled bread as a Knödel usually is served as, you would never imagine it could become a deep fried breaded glob of sauerkraut. The Inn comped the cost of this terrible appetizer, but with the lack of other good options on the menu to order from, I picked at the sauerkraut and went home hungry.

Great for families and groups!
I’m a Bavarian Inn regular. I love how there is so much to do for everyone in the family. For the adults there is a private swimming area, however we opt to spend time with the kids in the kiddie pool :).
There are two waterslides that challenges even the bravest that dare to get on them. There is a blue and white water slide that allows for each person to ride a tube. There are single and double rider options. I like that one better, since I’m a novice. I did have a go on the red waterslide. All I can say is, it’s fast, dark, and only a one time event for me :).
Aside from the arcade, miniature golf and food inside of the Bavarian Inn, there is so much more to do on main street.
One of my favorite places to go is the Wolcott Winery. They make their own wine and chocolates. Wine tasting is only $ 5 for 6 tastings. You can either opt to get a souvenir glass or a side of chocolates with your tasting. I chose the chocolates ;)
Overall, I always enjoy my experience in Frankenmuth. There is so much to do and again, something for everyone!

Who knew this place existed?! So we came into this spot just thinking oh there’s a little shopping area in the inn. Nope! It’s more elaborate than that! It has a bakery, eatery, and toy store. It was so much fun to just see my nieces explore and me go googly eyed for the pastries. I wish I did get to try them, but maybe another time. But don’t miss out on the Bavarian Inn and just go down the stairs and it’s like a mini wonderland!

I’ve been to Frankenmuth many times, as it’s only an hour from my house, but I haven’t eaten at the big restaurants since I was a kid. But this Christmas Eve, we were invited to go with another family, so I got to try it as an adult.
My sister’s boyfriend, who invited us, took charge and ordered everybody (8 of us!) the Ultimate Family Style dinner. It was a crazy amount of food, as the others said. The only things I didn’t try were the bratwurst and sauerkraut. The meats were pretty ordinary; I didn’t hate them, but I wasn’t impressed, either, and most of the sides were just ok. The mashed potatoes were kind of dry and didn’t seem like there was much in them, but the cole slaw & cranberry relish were good. The buttered noodles & chicken soup was nothing special, either. And some veggies — perhaps a salad? — would’ve rounded things out nicely. However, we were very pleasantly surprised by how good the chicken was! We expected it to be salty and greasy, but it was neither! I really wish I’d had more of it; on the other hand, because I didn’t, I got leftovers.
I do think they charge way too much, but I think it’s the experience you’re looking for when you come here, what with the overly decorated rooms and the staff in German costumes. They serve an incredible number of people at the same time, and rather efficiently. And I don’t know if it was because it was a holiday or if they always do this, but there was a woman walking around to the different tables and playing the accordion. I think I will consider getting the chicken if I find myself there again, although, as my nephew commented, «I don’t really think of fried chicken when I think of Bavaria.»

I stopped in this gem on the recommendation of a friend who grew up around there and I have to admit I was blown away. This place was fantastic, every bit of this experience blew my mind. I recommend getting the family style chicken because it lets you try all of the sides with unlimited refills of them all including the chicken.
The chicken was cooked perfectly not to dry and not to moist with a breading that was soft yet crispy and the seasoning in the breading was not overpowering. The thing that took this chicken from being good to possibly the best chicken on the planet was their chicken seasoning powder offered on the table. The best way to describe the taste of the chicken seasoning is it is like a non salty version of the chicken ramen noodle flavoring, it sounds weird I know but by god it was one of the best seasonings I have ever tasted.
The sides were also great and plentiful they had cranberry sauce, butter noodles, stuffing, gravy, coleslaw, chicken pasta salad & Mac & cheese each of them were great in their own right and when paired with the chicken gave each of my taste buds a mini flavor explosion with every bite.
If you are ever up this way I can not recommend this place enough.

Food is really good but also pretty expensive. We dropped almost $ 400 for dinner of 8. We do this every year as tradition the second week of Decemeber. Not see if it was because of the nice weather but it was much busier than usual. Luckily, we made a reservation a week in advance. The line was so long I don’t think we would’ve have waited. Britany, our waitress was very friendly and on top of everything. She gave great service and we tipped her 35%.
Overall, food’s great with lot of variety. Obviously family
Chicken dinner is a no brainier. Cheesy potatoes they make are awesome too! Their bean dip and butter noodles are awesome as well! Service and atmosphere are great. Margaritas we ordered left something to be desired as we all agreed they tasted like all sour mix. Pricey and long wait if you don’t plan ahead.
We’ll see you again next year Bavarian Inn

Chicken dinner anyone? I know you came here for their Chicken Dinner special. Ru not a big fan of unlimited chicken dinner? No it’s not a buffet, it’s table side service chicken dinner that EVERYONE drove hours and hours to sit down and family style the heck out of it. Trust me, you’re gonna wanna order the Chicken Dinner special.
I don’t care who you are or where you come from. At one point in your life, someone brung you here to sit down with family and partake in one of the most memorable chicken dinner experience you have ever had. I for one would probably never even open that menu up, we sit down, the server comes to introduce and ask for drinks, and we automatically say, we came for your chicken dinner special. Of course there are other things in the menu, but why not just order the chicken dinner? You can even choose if you want the dark meat, combination, or if your tastebuds aren’t working, the white meat.
The side dishes are great as well. Chicken Noodle to start, then cranberry relish, Cole slaw, macaroni salad and navy beans to go along with the first course. Second course consists of dressing, squash, mashed potatoes and buttered noodles. These go along with the tender, moist and succulent, all at the same time Bavarian Inn world famous fried chicken.
Eat til you can’t eat anymore, they’ll send whatever on the table you couldn’t finish home with you. I’m boxes of course.
For best results, come properly hungry. I know I did.
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This was my 3^rd trip to Frankenmuth with my wife and 3 kids, but our first time visiting the Bavarian Inn. We ate at Zender’s before and were not impressed with the service or food, especially considering the prices. Check out my review for more on that. Needless to say I was skeptical before eating at Bavarian Inn, but had to give it a try. I’m glad we did! Although the interior/​exterior of the restaurant is not as fancy as Zender’s, the service and food were much better.
Despite having a party of 5, we were seated promptly for lunch. Our server was quick and friendly, and had many good suggestions from the menu. The kids had… chicken tenders and fries of course! They seemed to like them. I chose a combination plate with dark meat chicken, schnitzel, and bratwurst. All the meats were perfectly cooked, juicy and flavorful, especially the fried chicken. The potato pancakes on the side were also excellent, fluffy and rich.
Next time we’re in Frankenmuth, we’ll definitely stop back in to Bavarian Inn. If you’re trying to decide between Zender’s and Bavarian Inn, I’d choose the latter.

I love me some Frankenmuth family fun time! Sure the Zehnder family probably only gets wealthier off of the faux-​German kitchiness during the holidays – they’re seriously like the mafia here – but it’s just so much fun to walk around town and end up bloated from the all-​you-​can-​eat fried chicken dinners. Yes it’s a tourist trap, but believe me, it’s still got a lot of appeal for folks who love to eat, shop, browse, and dig that holiday aesthetic.
I’ve been to both Zehnder’s restaurant across the street and the Bavarian Inn for the famous Frankenmuth fried chicken dinners and I honestly prefer this one. I mostly enjoy the cozy ambiance of the dining room here, which seems warmer and comfier in contrast to the less-​festive banquet room look of Zehnder’s. Also, woah, Zehnder’s looks like an overwhelming mosh pit of people from the moment you walk in, which is enough for a lot of folks to say (and I’ve heard this), «let’s just go back to Ann Arbor.»
Bavarian Inn vs. Zehnder’s: their meals and recipes are comparable and I can’t tell much of a difference in tastes. Their uniquely fried chicken, those wonderful butter noodles, that sweet cole slaw (though this is the one thing I do prefer at Zehnder’s), and those fresh slices of stollen bread are awesome. You seriously can’t go wrong. For $ 22, it’s seriously all-​you-​can-​eat. Don’t fall for the add another meat for the extra $ 2, which just detracts from the chicken you should be eating. I got the rouladen before, but those were a little disappointing (just average with thin underwhelming gravy). Bonus points for the chicken not being too salty. I can’t stand when food is over salted, but in my opinion, it’s seasoned just right here.
That said, get in line and eat here! You’ll be sad you left town without the experience.

The Bavarian Inn not only provides a wonderful restaurant, but also great shopping. We made reservations, which was an absolute must as the line was practically out the door. Our reservations were for 2:00, and by 2:00 we were seated at our table.
It was a bit noisy, but that was to be expected with that many people. The staff was very nice, and the condition of the restaurant was warm and inviting.
We all ordered the homestyle meal and were not disappointed. The chicken was out of this world, perhaps some of the best fried I have ever had. Juicy and moist surrounded by light flaky breading. Wow. The butter noodles and mashed potatoes were also good. For dessert, I had the pumpkin ice cream. Everyone else got something different but they all wished they had ordered what I did.
My only complaint would be parking. It was a nightmare.
Overall it was a very enjoyable experience.

My review may be biased (what review isn’t) due to many good memories at this place — we traveled up here quite a few times with my then girl friend’s family (now wife) to visit Frankenmuth, Birch Run and of course get a wonderful chicken dinner. The hotel/​lodge is pricey compared to a standard room at a Choice Hotel, but it is a fun experience; and now they have a cool pool with water slides! The lodge is a nice place to stay and is clean enough for me!
The restaurant is… AWESOME! Ok, the costumes are a bit corny, but it’s the experience you are going here for and you sure get it. The accordion music is done well and sets a whole different vibe than your standard restaurant. The family style meals are a must when visiting (why do they even have other options?) — your pick between just fried chicken and the German meat options. I love all of the meats but am satisfied with just chicken. My favorite sides are … Well everything. But the noodles in particular. Four different «salads» and a small cup of soup to start, noodles, Hubbard squash (story later), mashed potatoes and gravy, are the sides — you must ask for the potato puffs! The fried chicken is a very good, lightly breaded masterpiece.
The stores and bakery below the restaurant are a nice way to meander after you stuff yourself upstairs. At the bakery they have this wonderful pastry called guten-​tag. You must call and order ahead to make sure you get some — it’s the best!

Five stars all day if this was 2003 or before. Something has changed… the chicken is all white meat, every piece, even the leg or thigh… I don’t get it. I HATE white meat (breasts) yet any piece you choose tastes the same… my only guess is they are giving into to the granola hipster movement save the sea urchin people and free ranged these birds to acre of land where they run all day and get too healthy. I say overfeed them, cage ‘em up and bring my greasy dark meat deliciousness back. Oh and no more cottage cheese?! Not cool. The buttered noodles are perfection, the seasoning salt on the table is heavenly and worth the MSG risk. And at the end you can still make the plastic guy and girl ‘do it’ in the ice cream. Waitresses and waiters are usually super cool too. White meat or not, I’ll be back. Good times

The famous german family style chicken dinner.
I’ve been coming here since childhood.
This is a meal that is equivalent to a Thanksgiving
feast, one that will surely put you in a carbohydrate
coma! Nappy time will be a calling you as you pop the button of your pants from your bloated belly.
That being said Bavarian Inn restaurant has a certain Je né sais quoi. There is a festive feeling to this dining experience. The staff is decked out in full german garb. The ladies in their dirndl dresses and floral garden head piece and the men in their lederhosen and alpine hat’s is like being in a cultural time warp.
The restaurant is huge with several dining rooms and the décor of course is decked out complete german style, It’s quite lovely. Below the restaurant are the ever so lovely and charming Castle shops, filled with all kinds of trinkets and souvenirs. The service has always been top notch. The famous renowned chicken delicious.
I highly recommend dining here at least once in your lifetime, it is truly something special and an experience you won’t soon forget.

Definitely a tourist trap, but that’s what I specifically asked for from my cousins showing us around Michigan. The sausage platter was inedible and looked unappealing. Almost as if it was microwaved in hot water. The best part of the meal was the side dishes and the traditional outfits the servers wore (probably for the tourists to take pictures).
I was disappointed that they didn’t have a boot glass for my beers. Was really looking forward to that. Oh well, there’s always Oktoberfest in Munich next month.
Side note: Don’t go on the horse carriage rides here! The tour was horrible and parts of it were spent going around in the parking lot. The nicer carriages were located across the street and ACTUALLY took you along Main Street.

No wonder this is World renowned. Frankenmuth is after all a tourist attraction.
The Bavarian Inn Restaurant was told to us to be a place to visit if we ever went there, and visit we did!
Has off street private parking. Complete with automobiles of different horsepower ratios and also a couple of real horses, hooked up to their respective carriages.
I was lucky enough to meet «Teddy» a golden quarter horse. Who even ate from a bowl that I held up to his snout for 1 US Dollar (cash only, credit cards not accepted).
The Bavarian Inn restaurant famous for it’s chicken dinners! Did not become famous just like that. When you walk in through the 2 wooden double doors, you turn right to mosey on to the Edelweiss room, the star attraction.
The whole place is divided into 3 sections. The Edelweiss room being the far east end. On the ground floor are shops.
We were ushered to a table almost immediately when we got there, nice waitstaff by the name of «Patti» was all set to serve us, when we were asked what we wanted to drink, I asked if they had caffeine free diet pepsi, which I was told they have. In all the restaurants I have been to in my life, this has to be the very first one. All others carry diet pepsi, but never caffeine free. My doctor’s orders cannot have the other kind.
Thank you for thinking of the rest of us who can only have certain stuff. We both ordered the Frankenmuth Chicken dinners, that arrived also almost immediately.
The chicken was nice and juicy but cooked! Unlike the ones at Kroger’s rottiserry chicken that are most times on the uncooked side. Or the ones that are cooked to the point of dry.
We did not have any dessert, for we were truly stuffed.
Over all excellent lunch experience. And we will surely direct our friends and family to this restaurant should they like to visit here.

A very touristy multi dinning room restaurant, cutsey shops in the basement level. The décor is semi German, waiters in old time Germanish clothes, lots of cartoon German fairy tales painted on the walls.
The main reason to come is the family style dinner of baked breaded chicken and a great many sides. It is most often served all you can eat.
On this visit the chicken was okay but not great. The noodles were more watery than buttery. The other sides – gravy, potatoes, pasta salad, bread. — were good.
This is very much a place to take family for a long dinner to make grandma happy and distract young children, but it isn’t the finest chicken you have ever had.
Reservations are a good idea on weekends because of long lines.

Sehr gutes Essen, wie fast immer in den USA erstklassiger Service, und dazu eine manchmal etwas skurril anmutende bavarisierte Umgebung mitten in Michigan. Auf jeden Fall einen Besuch wert.

Zur Weihnachtszeit ist Frankenmuth bei den Amerikanern besonders beliebt, zum shoppen und essen. Das Ambiente ist gelungen und das Essen ok, entspricht aber nicht der deutschen Qualität. Denke mal das liegt an den Zutaten. Den meisten Amis gefällts, die Deutschen können sich den Besuch jedoch sparen