Before I get crucified for my thoughts on goetta (pronounced ‘get-uh’), I would like to preface this by saying that I am not a huge fan of sausage (or really any breakfast meats).
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk.
I ventured to the annual Glier’s Goettafest, a two-weekend-long festival that celebrates the Cincinnati delicacy, just across the Ohio River in Newport. Goetta was introduced to the region by German immigrants. The breakfast food was created to “stretch meat” by mixing it with “hearty grains and spices,” per Glier’s website.
I’ve heard too many things about goetta, but had never tried it until Aug. 1. Here’s what I thought.
Grilled Goetta Donut Sandwich
The highly coveted Grilled Goetta Donut Sandwich at the 2025 Glier’s Goettafest in Newport, Kentucky.
One of the first things I tried was the Grilled Goetta Donut Sandwich from Goetta and Sweets, which looks exactly like it sounds. A thick piece of goetta was placed between two hearty glazed donuts and a slice of cheese. There was an option to add bacon, but again, I’m not a huge fan of breakfast meats.
After the first bite, I knew this was going to be good, but the donuts’ sweetness was too overpowering (one bite was enough for me), so I couldn’t take in the full goetta taste and texture.
I gave this sweet and savory dish a 7/10 rating, simply because there was more sweet than goetta in the dish.
The highly coveted Grilled Goetta Donut Sandwich at the 2025 Glier’s Goettafest in Newport, Kentucky.
Skyline’s Goetta Coney
Next up was Skyline Chili’s Goetta Coney. I ordered a plain goetta coney with Skyline’s signature chili and a mound of cheese on top. Now, I love Skyline’s coneys, but I did not like the goetta coney.
I can handle a soggy bun from Skyline, but I couldn’t do it when it was paired with mushy goetta, which stood in for the hot dog. I don’t think the goetta coney necessarily tasted bad, as my fiancé Zac enjoyed the dish. It was more of a texture thing for me.
I’m really sorry, Skyline and goetta fans, but I couldn’t get behind this one. I gave it a 3/10 rating.
Skyline Goetta Coney, which featured the restaurant’s signature chili atop a goetta coney with a mound of shredded cheese.
Goetta’s spin on Frisch’s Big Boy: The Big Goetta
The Big Goetta from Coldiron Concessions was my favorite goetta-inspired meal. I absolutely love Frisch’s Big Boys and McDonald’s Big Macs, so when I saw this at Goettafest, I knew I had to try it.
The sandwich is tiered with two goetta patties, lettuce, a special sauce (not tartar sauce) and pickles. My initial reaction was that I loved the sauce, as it tasted similar to McDonald’s classic Big Mac.
However, just like my previous two tastings, the goetta texture is something I can’t get over. This dish earned a 5/10 rating.
A spin on Frisch’s signature Big Boy sandwich, The Big Goetta. The sandwich consists of two Glier’s goetta patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese and pickles.
What did you think about the 2025 Glier’s Goettafest?
Although I might not have been the biggest goetta fan, there are plenty of goetta fanatics in the Greater Cincinnati area. If you attended Glier’s Goettafest, did you have a favorite dish? What other dishes should I have tried? Or, is there a better way to prepare goetta? Let us know your thoughts at ksloan@cincinnati.com.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: I tried 3 goetta dishes at Glier’s Goettafest. Here’s what I thought
