As a child in Bozeman, I thought of the Rialto Theater as just another one of several now-altered movie theaters where I could utilize the school-sponsored coupons for a matinee, a tiny popcorn, and a tiny Pepsi. It was here that my sister and I viewed such classics as Beetlejuice, Short Circuit, and Crocodile Dundee. And who knew what was upstairs? Not us. We just wanted our ice cream soda at Bungalow Drug after the show. 

​Today, we know what’s going on up there, and it’s Gute Laune, a space for friends new and old to gather, and where Montana bratwurst meets German beer. I recently sat down with Erik Nelson, owner, and Stefan Schleigh, the chef (who hails from Pennsylvania), for a little chat within the historic brick walls of 10 West Main. A Bozeman native, Nelson has witnessed the lifespan of every old school downtown Bozeman restaurant, from the survivors (the Bacchus, McKenzie River Pizza, Ale Works) to the extinct (Wong’s, Boodles, the Cowboy Café). As a lifelong resident, he brings his heart and soul to the creation of Gute Laune (pronounced “goot-uh LOWN-uh”).

Katie Thomas: First things first: what does Gute Laune mean?

Erik Nelson: It means “good spirits.” It’s not so much a direct translation as it is an attitude. It’s about just being in the present moment, about bringing a good attitude to where the good things happen: good friends, good food, good spirits.

KT: Is anyone here German?

EN: No, the naming is a derivative of the fact that we’ve seen concepts of local brats and sausages and things like that, and it was a hole in the market. We wanted to bring something fresh and inspired, and something local. There are lots of fantastic local sausages and local butchers, and so it went from there. The idea for the restaurant came first, and the name came second.

KT: How was Gute Laune conceptualized?

EN: This whole space was conceived as a place to bring community together. We had been doing that successfully for a while with the Rialto Theater, and as we emerged from Covid, we established a great partnership with Logjam Presents. We had this space upstairs that wasn’t really being utilized as much as we wanted it to be; it was used for conferences and other specialty events, but we just didn’t get enough community interaction. So we saw a great opportunity to activate the space more frequently by putting in a restaurant. We asked; ‘What’s the community missing; what could it use?’ We looked for an idea that was very approachable and was a broad enough price point for everyone in the community to come and enjoy. We intend it to be very inclusive. So that’s how we got here.

KT: What’s your relationship to the Rialto Theater?

EN: We own both, but they’re two different businesses in one building. We’re thrilled that there’s an opportunity to provide this kind of casual, approachable food for the concert-goer, which is something that wouldn’t work in other types of restaurants. It’s also a place where if things got loud and crazy downstairs, you could come upstairs if you wanted to. It’s a very symbiotic relationship between the two.

KT: What would you like people to experience when they walk through your doors?

EN: Gute laune.

Stefan Schleigh: Friendly people, good hospitality, good food. We’ve started doing beer dinners, and our first one was really cool – this whole table was full. We had 20 people show up, from all different places, sitting across from each other, just enjoying the moment. It was similar to a busy Friday night – these long tables are full and everyone’s just chatting, getting to know new people, having a good time. It’s very cool.

KT: So was that intentional, with these long community tables?

EN: For sure. What’s very interesting to me about German beer halls is they never call them German beer halls. They’re just a place where community gets together, and that was the inspiration that we saw. So, while our aesthetic hints at a German design house, we deliberately didn’t try to make it kitschy. It’s intended to be a place that is of now, and of this place, and not any other.

SS: We’re German-inspired, but we’re not here to be a German beer hall.

EN: Right – we’re German-inspired, Montana made.

KT: What would you say makes Gute Laune unique in the Bozeman food scene?

EN: We have the wurst! Downtown Bozeman has a lot of excellent options for burgers, for pizza, for tacos. We offer something different, something that’s equally tasty, and can be equally as inventive and fulfilling.

SS: That and, I’d say, affordability. We do a nice little picnic platter with rotating meats and cheeses for less than $25. And I don’t know where else you can get a seven dollar Old Fashioned.

KT: Do you both have a favorite menu item?

EN: Fries. I love fries!

SS: Me too, that’s my go-to snack. If I had to pick a brat, it’s the jalapeño cheddar. The beef is phenomenal – it’s all grass-fed, from B Bar Ranch. And it’s crazy, because I’m a huge carnivore, but I also love the Lion’s Mane wurst. I just started working with SporeAttic. If I blindfolded you and fed it to you, you wouldn’t know it’s mushrooms. It’s a great vegetarian option, served with chimichurri and pickled serranos.

EN: By menu design, this is a brat restaurant, but over fifty-percent of the menu is actually vegetarian.

SS: I’ve definitely had some freedom with the menu – we run chef specials either weekly or by popularity. The kielbasa Philly just ran out; that was an ode to my hometown – sliced kielbasa on an amoroso roll, with beer cheese and caramelized onions.

EN: Beer cheese – that’s one of the reasons I like the fries.

KT: What menu item do regulars keep coming back for?

SS: The currywurst has been super popular. The general manager at another downtown restaurant is German, and she asked if we had it, and we didn’t, yet. So I put it on as a special, and it was a big hit. So now it’s on the menu. 

KT: What do you hear about what people like to come back for, Erik?

EN: Well, I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but the fries. Fries and currywurst.

SS: You should get them together!

EN: Yes, they’re very traditional in German and Austrian street food.

KT: What do you personally enjoy most about being part of the Bozeman community?

EN: I think Bozeman is an inspired place, and I’m very grateful to have grown up here, to continue to be able to live here, and participate in a thriving community. Everyone can identify with our town’s challenges, but at the end of the day, Bozeman always comes together as a community, and it always has. I love that about Bozeman.

SS: I just moved to Bozeman in April, so I’m a new guy in town. This is a new restaurant in town. I agree with Erik; this community comes together. The downtown restaurants are a family. The owner at Shine has been super helpful, as has Wyatt Nelson, one of our main sources for local food. I recently ran into the brewer from Bunkhouse, and we connected, and next week we’ll have our own house beer on tap.

KT: What else would you like readers to know about Gute Laune?

EN: We have a big Oktoberfest in the works. On October 4th, there’s going to be a Bobcat pep rally at that time, so the road will be closed – it will be a Main Street sidewalk party. We’ll have stein-holding and other fun stuff.

SS: We’re sourcing as locally as possible. The Steak Frites, that’s coming from S Ranch in Hardin. The pork for the pork chop entrée comes from a local rancher. Working with Wyatt really gives me access to bring in these hardworking folks in our state, and put their products on your plate.

EN: And I want people to know that we really have the desire to do our level best to connect with local food. That is near and dear to our hearts; we try and really deliver that. The goal is to showcase what people have – whether it’s the farmer, the chef, or the designer of the space. Everyone we work with is very creative, and they all work so hard to make this happen.

For a show of a different kind, visit Gute Laune, open 5pm to midnight, Wed thru Sun.