Checkers Old Munchen, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

There are many words you could use to describe Checkers Old Munchen—"warm," "welcoming," and "boisterous" come to mind—but "quiet" certainly isn't one of them. The lively German watering hole resounds with oom-pah tunes and friendly chatter from open to close. Diners sit at weathered wooden tables, clinking massive boot-shaped steins and sharing plates of schnitzel. Cheerful servers command the full length of the bar, doling out pours from a selection of more than 30 German beers—from crisp pilsners to sweet hefeweizens to malty bocks.

In the kitchen, plump bratwurst sausages sizzle in pans, pots of goulash bubble on the stove, and hissing kettles whisper German fairy tales. It's in this bustling space that chef Andre Zanith whips up traditional German dishes lauded as brilliant recreations by the Broward Palm Beach New Times. Zanith's favorite dish on the menu is the wiener schnitzel—a tender veal cutlet sauteed in creamy lemon butter and topped with homemade gravy. Traditional sides include red cabbage, potato dumplings, and spaetzel noodles.