This one might feel easy — because it is almost the same as in English. The German noun Restaurant means exactly what it does in English: a place where you go to eat out. But pronunciation and grammar matter, and it shows up in some uniquely German phrases too.

Restaurant is a neuter noun, so the correct article is das — das Restaurant. Still unsure about all the der / die / das business? Our quick and super-useful 5-minute video lesson gives you just the tools you need.

Real conversations where Restaurant might come up

Obviously, you'll hear it whenever you're making plans to eat out, writing reviews, or giving directions. It can be formal or casual — and used in both big-city and small-town life.

– Kennst du ein gutes Restaurant in der Nähe?
– Ja, das neue italienische am Marktplatz ist super!
(“Do you know a good restaurant nearby?” – “Yeah, the new Italian place on the square is great!”)

Beginner sample dialogue

Noah: Hast du Hunger?
Emma: Ja. Gehen wir ins Restaurant?
Noah: Gute Idee!

(Noah: Are you hungry?
Emma: Yes. Shall we go to a restaurant?
Noah: Good idea!)

Grammar in action: How to use Restaurant

Here’s how Restaurant plays out in all four cases:

• Nominative: Das Restaurant ist sehr beliebt.
  (The restaurant is very popular.)

• Accusative: Wir besuchen das Restaurant morgen.
  (We’re going to the restaurant tomorrow.)

• Dative: Wir essen heute Abend im Restaurant.
  (We’re eating at the restaurant tonight.)

• Genitive: Die Terrasse des Restaurants ist neu.
  (The restaurant’s terrace is new.)

Want to feel confident using German cases? Our simple grammar course explains it all in plain English — no stress, no jargon.

Other ways to say restaurant in German

Although Restaurant is the standard word, you might hear more specific terms depending on the type of place:

• Gaststätte – old-fashioned word for a local eatery

• Lokal – casual term for a bar or small restaurant

• Imbiss – snack bar or takeaway

• Café – for lighter food or coffee

• Biergarten – outdoor beer-and-food garden, especially in Bavaria

Word variations and tidbits

German speakers often pronounce Restaurant with a soft nasal ending like in French: [re-sto-RAHN]. But in fast or casual speech, you’ll hear simplified versions too.

Common phrases include:

• ins Restaurant gehen – to go to the restaurant

• ein gutes Restaurant empfehlen – to recommend a good place to eat

• das Essen im Restaurant war lecker – the food at the restaurant was delicious

Also note: Restaurants is the correct plural in German (not Restaurante or Restauranten). So:

Viele Restaurants sind sonntags geschlossen.
(Many restaurants are closed on Sundays.)

Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Restaurant

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