Staff photo by Fritz Busch Kaiserhoff restaurant staff stand in front of a cocktail lounge mural. Pictured from left, server Katie Nilson, owner Herb Knutson and manager Jill Sellner. Restaurant hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

NEW ULM — It’s often the first place people return to after visiting or living in New Ulm and coming back to the town.

Herb Knutson bought the landmark German/American restaurant, The Kaiserhoff at 221 N. Minnesota St. last June for the second time in three years. He originally bought the business April 1, 2022 from Jan Veigel. Knutson sold it to Collin Gieseke April 1, 2024 before buying in back from Gieske last June.

“We went back to using some original recipes that had been changed,” he said.

Knutson’s immediate plans including using earlier Ray’s Salad dressing ingredients and opening up the K Bar (on the south end of the restaurant) for public use instead of just private parties.

Knutson’s future plans included adding an outdoor K Bar patio with artificial turf and installing French doors behind the existing bar. Plans are for the patio to open this spring.

“We think this is a good idea to make sure of the space behind the building,” he said. “We would like to use the dining area behind the K Bar for meetings, anniversaries and birthdays.”

“We feel we will have indoor space for large or small groups now around the K Bar,” said manager Jill Sellner who has been working at the Kaiserhoff for 23 years.

“Some of our events in which we’ll run specials are Valentine’s Day, Saturday, Feb. 14 and St. Patrick’s Day, Thursday, March 19,” she said. “We’re happy to have Herb back. Everybody is happy to have him back.”

Knutson has been in the restaurant business much of his life.

He operated a restaurant and bar in Isanti before selling it and retiring decades ago.

Knutson visited New Ulm a few years ago and enjoyed it so much, he bought the Lamplighter Family Sports Bar at 214 Minnesota North St. and moved here in 2019.

After a fire severely damaged the Lamplighter in 2022, Knutson bought building across the street that formerly housed the Sozial restaurant and opened the 209 Pub and Grill, which offered a good share of the former Lamplighter food items.

“I got bored in retirement. I’m excited to be back at the Kaiserhoff. It’s a landmark in town,” Knutson said after purchasing the Kaiserhoff again last summer. “I want to thank all our customers and my staff for making everything possible.”

The restaurant menu continues to include many old time favorites including Kaiserhoff ribs with their own special barbeque sauce, ribeye and sirloin steak, walleye bike, salmon, jumbo shrimp, sauerkraut, bratwurst, landjaegers and hot German potato salad, to mention a few.

Kaiserhoff hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. K Bar hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, visit https://kaiserhoff.org/ and visit the Kaiserhoff on Facebook.