Opened in 1976 – ancient by Houston-restaurant standards – Rudi Lechner's has long been a popular stop for German cuisine and fun. The fare can be described as hearty and honest, befitting a menu filled with traditional southern German and Austrian cooking, including wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten, kasseler rippchen (smoked pork chop), grilled sausages, sides of sauerkraut and red cabbage, and apple strudel and the like for dessert. But the menu is not solely Germanic – there are also offerings with Continental and Texas accents. These include crab cakes, quesadillas, a Southwestern-style grilled vegetable plate, whole trout, pasta Galveston and the locally familiar chicken-fried steak. Rudi Lechner's also provides a salad bar that is highly recommended. Live music Wed, Fri and Sat nights. Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. Closed Sun.