This Unassuming Ohio Restaurant Is Hiding Some Seriously Delicious German Food

Some of the best meals hide in small towns, behind old doors, on quiet main streets where you would never think to slow down.

Picture a brick house built in the early 1800s, with crooked floors, low ceilings, and fireplaces that still work.

Inside, plates come out loaded with schnitzel, sauerbraten, spaetzle, and homemade pie that tastes like somebody’s grandmother made it that morning.

Travelers rolling through this part of Ohio often pass right by, then hear about it later and wish they had stopped. Do not make that mistake.

A village square, a historic courthouse, and a restaurant serving German comfort food are all waiting within a few steps of each other. It is the kind of detour that turns an ordinary road trip into a story you retell for years.

A Brick House With Secrets

Built somewhere between 1812 and 1820, the building on this corner has outlived almost everything around it. It started life as a private home and passed through the hands of a tinsmith, a doctor, and in 1834, George Jackson, a cousin of President Andrew Jackson.

Today that same house holds Clay Haus, a German restaurant that opened its doors in 1978. The name honors the owner’s father, Irwin Clay Priest, with Haus being a Pennsylvania Dutch word.

Stories say both Andrew Jackson and statesman Henry Clay once dined under this roof.

During renovations, workers pulled some strange things out of the walls and ground. Civil War buttons, bullets, animal claws, and jawbones all turned up, which says plenty about how much life this place has seen.

Here is a detail that surprises visitors. Because the street level changed over the years, what is now the second story may have originally been the front entrance.

The building has literally sunk into its own history.

From the sidewalk, it looks like an ordinary old brick home in a sleepy Ohio village. No flashy signs, no fuss.

That is exactly the charm. Pull over, walk up, and let the front door surprise you.

Sauerbraten, Schnitzel And Spaetzle Heaven

Let’s talk about the food, because that is why you drove out here. Sauerbraten shows up slow-cooked and tangy, schnitzel comes out golden and crisp, and spaetzle soaks up every bit of gravy on the plate.

Bratwurst holds its own on the menu too. So does the German Chicken, a grilled marinated chicken breast served in a sweet and sour cabbage and caraway broth.

It sounds unusual. It tastes fantastic, and travelers keep ordering it.

For starters, Goetta Bites give newcomers a fun introduction to German-American cooking. They disappear fast, so order extra if your table has more than two people.

Portions here lean generous. Nobody walks out hungry, and plenty of visitors leave carrying a box.

One traveler admitted driving fifteen miles out of the way just to eat here again, which tells you something.

The menu shifts daily, with specials at both lunch and dinner. That means repeat visits never feel repetitive.

Regulars check the board first, then decide.

If German food is new territory for you, start simple with the schnitzel. If you already know your way around a German menu, go straight for the sauerbraten.

Either way, this corner of Ohio delivers flavors you would not expect from a village this small.

The Reuben That Wins Arguments

Ask around and one sandwich keeps coming up in conversation. The Reuben here stacks corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on grilled rye bread, finished with a special sauce that people try and fail to reverse engineer at home.

It arrives with homemade German potato salad on the side, warm and tangy instead of cold and creamy. One visitor called that potato salad an A-plus, and honestly, it earns the grade.

Sandwich loyalty runs deep. A traveler who eats all over the region called this the best Reuben they have ever had.

Another simply said it was amazing and left it at that.

What makes it work is the bread. Grilled rye holds up instead of going soggy, so every bite stays crisp at the edges and messy in the middle, which is exactly how a Reuben should behave.

Pair it with a cup of soup on a cold Ohio afternoon and you have a lunch worth planning a drive around. Lunch service runs midday, so build your route accordingly.

Fair warning, though. Once you try this version, grocery store Reubens will feel a little sad.

That is a risk worth taking.

Pie, Cake And Custard Glory

Save room. Seriously, save room, because skipping dessert here is a genuine mistake.

Homemade pies rotate through the kitchen, and walnut pie has developed something close to a fan club. Visitors mention it by name, unprompted, over and over.

German chocolate cake sits right beside it, rich and layered the way it should be.

Old-fashioned custard also makes appearances. It is the kind of simple dessert that has mostly vanished from modern menus, which makes finding it here feel like a small victory.

Breads and desserts are made in house, not shipped in frozen. You can taste the difference immediately, and so can everybody else at your table.

Strategy tip from experienced diners. Portions at Clay Haus run big, so consider splitting an entree if dessert is the real goal.

Or box up half your meal and give the pie your full attention.

One couple described finishing their meal with walnut pie and called the whole experience fantastic. Another traveler listed German chocolate cake as the grand finale of a perfect lunch.

Dessert selection changes with the day, so ask what came out of the kitchen that morning. Whatever the answer, order it.

Treat yourself. You drove all this way through Ohio for exactly this kind of moment.

Sunday Fried Chicken Draws Crowds

Sundays run on a different rhythm around here. Country fried chicken takes center stage, served family-style or by the plate with a lineup of sides.

Tables fill quickly. One visitor noticed that nearly everyone in the dining room had ordered the fried chicken, which is a pretty strong endorsement without anyone saying a word.

Family-style service means bowls come to the table and everybody passes and grabs. It turns a meal into something social, which fits perfectly with the old house setting and its low ceilings.

Not in the mood for chicken? The chicken salad plate has its own quiet following, built with strawberries, pineapple, and walnuts over greens, finished with poppyseed dressing and a small cinnamon muffin on the side.

Saturdays bring prime rib for those who prefer something heartier. Homemade meatloaf appears regularly too, alongside a genuinely fun dish called Chicken in a Bird’s Nest, where grilled chicken sits in an edible hash brown nest under pot pie gravy.

Sunday hours differ from the rest of the week, and the restaurant closes between lunch and dinner on certain days to prepare. Check the current schedule before you head out so your Ohio road trip lands at the right hour.

Ghost Stories On The Menu

Old buildings collect stories, and this one has more than most. Locals have long claimed the place is haunted, with reports of furniture shifting and odd noises drifting through empty rooms.

Nobody pushes the ghost angle on you. There are no gimmicks, no costumed guides, no spooky soundtrack.

It is simply part of the lore, mentioned with a shrug and a grin.

One visitor put it perfectly, saying the place is allegedly haunted but the atmosphere alone was the best part. The building shows its age proudly, and that honesty is the appeal.

Think about what has passed through these rooms since 1812. Settlers, soldiers, presidents, and two centuries of ordinary people eating ordinary dinners.

Some of that energy lingers in the floorboards.

If you want more of the spooky stuff, Somerset offers guided ghost tours through its historic alleyways. Pair a walking tour with dinner and you have a full evening of small-town Ohio adventure.

Bring the kids, bring skeptical friends, bring whoever loves a good story. Nothing here is frightening, just wonderfully atmospheric.

Worst case scenario, you eat an excellent meal in a fascinating old house. Best case, something creaks upstairs and your table has a story to tell for years.

Rooms Full Of Old Charm

Walk inside and the first thing you notice is the floor. Wide plank boards, worn smooth, slightly uneven, absolutely original.

One traveler described the building as crooked but somehow exactly right.

Low ceilings and original woodwork wrap around you. Historic photos, documents, and antiques cover the walls, each one hinting at another chapter of the house’s story.

There is not just one dining room. A main level greets you first, then a lower-level Tavern area known as the Rathskeller, another dining room downstairs, and the Blue Room upstairs on the second story.

Each space has its own old stone hearth, and several fireplaces still work. On a chilly Ohio evening, that detail turns dinner into something cozy and memorable.

Guests who have booked large groups mention how accommodating the staff can be, even on short notice. Several travelers specifically recommend asking for the lower-level Rathskeller for its atmosphere.

Prefer fresh air? Outdoor seating is available when the weather cooperates, giving you a view of the quiet village street.

Weekends get busy, so reservations are a smart move. Call ahead, pick your favorite room, and settle in.

Half the fun at Clay Haus is choosing where in the house you want to eat.

Make A Whole Day Of It

Here is how to turn one meal into a full day out. The restaurant sits at 123 W Main St in Somerset, Ohio, right along Route 22, part of the historic Zane Trace Trail that early settlers once traveled.

Start with the village square and the statue of General Philip Sheridan. Then visit the Old Perry County Courthouse, standing since 1829, and Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, established in 1843 and recognized as the oldest Catholic church in Ohio.

Art lovers should stop by the Somerset Artists’ Co-Op for local and regional work. Outdoor types can head to Perry State Forest, where miles of trails welcome hikers and off-road vehicles.

A short drive opens up even more. Dawes Arboretum offers plenty of walking paths, the Ohio Glass Museum in Lancaster shows off beautiful glass artistry, and Buckeye Lake brings boating, fishing, and kayaking within easy reach.

Plan your meal around your route. Lunch works well before an afternoon hike, and dinner rewards a long day of exploring.

Always check current hours before you drive out, since the schedule shifts and the kitchen closes between services on certain days. One stop in this small Ohio village, and you will understand why people keep coming back.