"A half-timbered 1858 Lucerne institution that breads and fries its Wiener schnitzel in butter at your table — book it for the ritual."
About Old Swiss House
Old Swiss House has stood on Löwenplatz, a few steps from Lucerne's Lion Monument, since the half-timbered building went up in 1858. The Buholzer family has run it since 1931, and three generations on it remains the city's best-known table for one dish above all: the Wiener schnitzel, breaded and fried in butter on a trolley at your table. It sells well over a thousand a month.
It sits among Lucerne's better rooms. Compare the two-star cooking at Colonnade at the Mandarin Oriental, the one-star Lucide at the KKL and the modern bistro Mille Feuille, or browse the wider fine-dining picks.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is built around tableside theatre. The signature is the Wiener schnitzel: a thin escalope, breaded to order and fried in butter on a guéridon beside your table, finished with a wedge of lemon and a side of rösti or potatoes. Around it sits a classic Swiss-and-European card — lake fish, veal, seasonal game in autumn — backed by a deep, old-school wine cellar.
Pricing is upper-tier for the city but in line with the room and the ceremony: the schnitzel runs about CHF 75 and other mains land roughly between CHF 45 and 80, with the cellar climbing well beyond for the labels that matter.
The Room
The room is the draw alongside the schnitzel: a creaky, antique-filled half-timbered house from 1858, all dark wood, paintings and polished service, with a small terrace facing the Lion Monument square. It feels like a living museum of Swiss bourgeois dining, run by a family that has done it the same careful way for nearly a century. Service is formal, warm and used to marking an occasion.
Best for a traditional Swiss dinner with a sense of occasion
Old Swiss House suits a traditional Swiss dinner with a sense of occasion — the candlelit timber room makes it a natural first-date or anniversary table, and the tableside ceremony makes it a confident way to host a visiting guest. For more of the city's rooms, see Lucide or browse the full Lucerne dining guide.
Not for
Not for vegetarians or anyone after a light, modern dinner — this is a meat-and-butter classic in a formal antique room, and the schnitzel ritual is the whole point.
Frequently Asked
What is Old Swiss House known for?
Its Wiener schnitzel, breaded and fried in butter at your table on a trolley — the half-timbered Lucerne institution by the Lion Monument serves more than a thousand of them a month.
What should I order at Old Swiss House?
The tableside Wiener schnitzel is the signature and the reason to come, served with rösti or potatoes; the kitchen also does lake fish, veal and seasonal game from a deep wine cellar.
How much does Old Swiss House cost?
Upper-tier for Lucerne: the Wiener schnitzel runs about CHF 75 and other mains roughly CHF 45 to 80, with the old-school wine cellar climbing well beyond for fine labels.
Where is Old Swiss House?
On Löwenplatz in Lucerne, a few steps from the Lion Monument, in a half-timbered building that dates from 1858; it has a small terrace facing the square.
How long has Old Swiss House been open?
The building dates from 1858 and the Buholzer family has run the restaurant since 1931, making it one of Lucerne's longest-running family-owned dining rooms.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Old Swiss House
Book via the Old Swiss House website or by phone; tables go quickly in the summer season.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressLöwenplatz 4, 6004 Lucerne, Switzerland
NeighbourhoodA half-timbered house on Löwenplatz, by the Lion Monument
CuisineSwiss / European
PriceTableside Wiener schnitzel about CHF 75; other mains roughly CHF 45–80
Dress CodeSmart casual
SeatingAntique dining rooms plus a small square-facing terrace; booking advised
ReservationBooking advised, especially in summer and at weekends
