While on our recent trip to DC we received a recommendation to check out Cafe Berlin for the best German food in the city. Back where i live, good authentic German food is hard to come by and we feeling nostalgic since the last time we traveled during the holiday season was prior to the pandemic when we toured around German, Vienna, Prague, etc. The beer selection here is decent as well. I think the best part of our meal was the strudel. Its freshly baked and tasted wonderful. The only thing was that parts of the center dough was undercooked. Overall it was still a good meal but unfortunately nothing can compare to what we had on our trip. read more

We stopped in for dinner while in the neighborhood unexpectedly. Our group ordered three different entrees and found all delicious. I already want to come back to eat the cod dish I enjoyed last night and an order of potato pancakes. The patio was a pleasant place to enjoy our meal. Service was friendly and welcoming. read more

Excellent food and wonderful ambiance! I enjoyed a perfectly elegant birthday dinner here and can;t wait to return. such a beautiful restaurant, perfect for any day, and especially perfect for a special occasion. --(also--family members with shellfish allergies can safely dine here!) read more

I came here during their Oktoberfest around 5-6pm on a Friday. There were maybe two other tables there. But even though they weren't busy, the service was terrible. The staff was just hanging out and chatting and would check in maybe every half an hour or so. I literally had to get up and order drinks at the bar because our server didn't seem interested. I already wasn't having a great time, but the real atrocity is the bartenders didn't know how to pour beer. At a Biergarten during Oktoberfest?! I have included a picture to illustrate just how much foam was in each pour. A quarter of the stein is foam. And that was consistent for every stein that was ordered. read more

Cafe Berlin - What passes for an acceptable pour - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Do you like german beers poured proper and delicious food from scratch? Yeah? of course you do unless you're a big dummy. Neighborhood gem. Sitting outside in the biergarten is a treat. read more

Food was good, but the service was terrible. It took over 30 minutes to get a beer...in a beer garden. Getting the food took just as long. Really disappointing. I have heard so many good things about this place, but I will not be returning. read more

Had an early supper here. We started with the beer cheese and pretzel. It was pretty good-I think the mustard might have been a better choice. I got the sauerbraten, my daughter the chicken schnitzel, and my husband got the wurstfeast. All were delicious. The sauerbraten cane with a potato dumpling and a bread dumpling. I had never had either-so nothing to compare it to. They had no flavor, but the sauerbraten and the cabbage had so much, maybe it was meant to be that way? The cheese spatzel was awesome. We also got a liter of beer (yes a liter) which was light and refreshing. We got the Black Forest cake and the apple crumble for dessert. I didn't care for either, but my husband and daughter loved them. The service was excellent. I recommend Cafe Berlin. read more

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What an absolute gem! My husband drove by here at random and asked me if I wanted to do brunch here the following day. Um, YES! Yes I do! I haven't had good German food in years. So I was really excited to try this place out. We both ordered a litter of beer (pils for me hefeweizen for him), to the staff's amusement at 11 am on a Sunday. But we had to! They had pretzels on the menu and pretzels need beer.... that's just science! I ordered the hansel and gretel, but they were out of steak, so it came with a thinly breaded piece of chicken. TBH, I didn't miss the steak, the chicken was fantastic. I don't remember what my husband got, I was so into my own meal. Also, the had the best cake! I cannot wait to come back when it warms up and hang out on their patio! read more

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My wife and I had lunch here. The beer selection is limited, but good choices. The service was excellent. We did not feel rushed or ignored. However, the food quality was sad. My wife had käsespatzle. It was ok, but pretty greasy. The flavor was bland. The onions were the most interesting part! I had a bratwurst sandwich with sauerkraut and a curry sauce. The sausage was meh and the curry sauce - no joke - was bland. The food here was disappointing. Perhaps dinner patrons get a higher level? I hope so. read more

Cafe Berlin did not make me feel like a citizen of the World - it made me feel more like a citizen of the Capitol Hill. If you see my food picture you would not know what ethnic food I ordered. Was it Hungarian or German or ....? The lunch menu is not really adventurous because the wild game (wild boar) options are not available during the lunch time. You may not get your favorite German beer (the selection is not wide) but your beer will be good regardless. The interior does not have any kitsch art but there is no heavy German woodwork in the interior either. I am thankful that kind staff did not have to prance around in German traditional garbs because that is not what Cafe Berlin is about. Food was OK, nothing to be swooned about. For a good company I would visit them again and try those wild boar pests next time. read more

Cafe Berlin - German stew and salad - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very disappointed in this restaurant. I ordered 2 meals the day before for a certain time. I went to the restaurant and they canceled my order 2 minutes before pick up. I drove all the way there and parked. What a waste of my time. I'll not order from here again. read more

Great German food, awesome service, good beer selection, quaint, and comfortable. Highly recommend!

Came for Octoberfest last year. Server was friendly. Food was delicious although I don't have much experience with German food to tell you how authentic it would be. The mushroom pasta I had was delicious. Great date night spot with a charming patio. read more

A quaint antique house with gorgeous outdoor seating as well as quiet and comfortable indoor seating. They are authentic German cuisine. It was quite delightful to have a waiter who pronounced the German words correctly yet still described them the food to our understanding. Everything was so well-prepared and came out fairly quick for all being prepared to order. They used fresh mushrooms cooked into the gravy and it had a delicate saltiness to it. The cheese spetzel (käsespätzle) was extraordinary, like the comfort Mac n cheese your mom makes back home (only better). The red cabbage was zingy and not overpoweringly vinegary. Tip: be adventurous and taste the small plates. There is so much to discover about German food, and the best way to figure it out is through their food. read more

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We made reservations and got seated early on the patio. Beautiful cafe and very nice selections of beer, wine and food. We ordered Jaegerschnitzel and they were out of pork. Thought that was a bit strange for it being only an hour and half into service. They substituted wiener schnitzel with the up charge. We order apfelstreudel and they were out. We had just seen one come out of the kitchen 20 min earlier. It was 8 pm. Hard to believe they were out already. We all believe that the kitchen didn't want to take the time to make one since it was an hour and a half before closing. The staff was friendly but by 9 pm they wanted us out. Hard to understand when the last seating is 9 pm. The food is good and very traditional to Germany. I believe the staff needs a little coaching. I have been a waiter in the past and I know it can be a tough job. All in all we would go back but we wouldn't stay if they were out of two of the top 3 items on the menu. read more

We came here for lunch during our recent family vacation in Washington, DC. The restaurant is located in what appears to be a converted Victorian house in the Capitol Hill area. With the maps feature on my smartphone, it was easy to find. I came here based on reviews by other Yelpers. We always try to find a German restaurant when we journey to the "mainland" (continental US), as we don't have any German restaurants in Honolulu. I ordered the Weiner Schnitzel, which included German potato salad. The service was satisfactory and the schnitzel was satisfactory, but the schnitzel wasn't as good as what I've grown accustomed to in other parts of the country. However, the potato salad was quite tasty. read more

Cafe Berlin - Cafe Berlin - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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After my meal at Cafe Berlin, I had some time to reflect upon the dining experience as I took a leisurely stroll back to Union Station. The following words popped into my mind to describe both the food, service, and overall experience: "Meh" "Average" "Mediocre" "Unremarkable" On early April evening in DC, which equates to borderline uncomfortable humidity, made bearable by intermittent breezes from passing traffic, the patio was the filled with office workers with loosened ties and tourists reading their unfurled maps. I briefly surveyed the smallish interior dining space, but decided the lack of air circulation and old carpeting made for a not so pleasant dining experience. The brick-lined patio is small so the basic metal chairs and tables are semi-cramped so as to make the diner focus on the conversation at his/her table and not on their neighboring tables discussions. The concept of "made to order" or fresh at Cafe Berlin is used with some creative license. The "made to order" OBATZTER UND BRETZEL appetizer is a re-heated frozen pretzel with thick cut red onions and the house beer cheese. It wasn't horrible, but for $11 bucks, it would've been nice if the pretzels hadn't turned as hard as a rock 5 minutes after arriving at the table; but this happens with re-heated frozen stuff. My entree was the BAYERISCHES BIER GOULASCH. The description sounded promising enough with dark beer and paprika seasoned stewed beef, spatzle, red cabbage. The spatzle was "made to order", but I found their consistency to be gummy with not enough resistance to the chew of the noodles. But my main criticism is with the beef itself. It was a good portion size, but the main flavor note was beer and salt. I could hardly taste the paprika or anything or seasoning...and hate to say it, but the beef was dry, as in almost leathery dry. The dessert was perhaps the most amusing course, since it was a "made to order" cheesecake. "Made to order" in this case, meant slicing a piece of pre-made cheesecake, plating it with some garnish, and then serving on a plate. Not horrible, but very average and definitely not worth $8. Cafe Berlin is pleasant enough and they serve a huge glass of beer for $10 at Happy Hour, so that's not a bad deal. But then again, in the Capitol Hill/NoMA area, there aren't a lot of good choices for dining, so three stars is par for the neighborhood. Dinner for two, with appetizer, drinks (alcohol), entree, dessert, and tip will average to about $30-$35/person. read more

Cafe Berlin - Bier Goulasch - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had a really wonderful evening in their secret garden! Really excellent service, and I don't know what made someone decide to fry sauerkraut, but the Sauerkraut Balle are to die for. I also enjoyed my bourbon and vodka cocktails and the Kartoffel Pfannkuchen potato-applesauce pancakes, but the asparagus Spargelsuppe was a little bland. And my main, a salmon dish with pureed potatoes and greens, really nailed it--I would eat that over and over again. The desserts looked delicious and I *so* wish I had room for one; I will have to come back and attempt to refrain from so many appetizers next time... read more

Opted to sit indoors. Service wasn't particularly absent. Only three beers on tap and one was out. Table bread was room temp, which I wouldn't mind if the butter (and the condiments with our orders) hadn't been chilled. Kartoffel pfannkuchen were simple but reasonably tasty once the applesauce and sour cream were applied, sort of like griddled hash browns. Absolutely enjoyed the heringstip, since the smokiness of the marinated herring was well-balanced by its other ingredients. Picture a fishy apple salad tossed in sour cream that tastes better than how it sounds. Then, the entrees bummed me out. I love butter but seeing a Hollandaise sauce break moments after the plate hit our table made me sad. Asparagus was a little overcooked but otherwise the paniertes schweineschnitzel mit spargel was okay. Breading on the pork cutlet wasn't particularly soggy and the meat wasn't tough. The boiled potatoes on the side were cooked through. On the Deutsche wurstplatte, I favored the bratwurst over the weisswurst, and both sausages on the platter were scored with a light sear. Sauerkraut seasoning was conservative, and the home fries soaked up the juices nicely. Hearty meal that left me neutral at the end. read more

Out second time here. Food was ok but today a large party caused a backup in the kitchen. With no explanation, i finally asked after waiting 40 minutes and watching servers take food into the adjoining room. Only then did we find out. As compensation they were going to comp the entire tab but we insisted to pay for out lunch anyway and they comped the drinks. We almost walked out not knowing what the problem was. Would be good to tell the customer what the problem is when it is happening. read more

Cafe Berlin - Cute print in the mens room. Love it - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing food and drinks. Attentive and informative staff. We sat in the beer garden. Try the apple strudel!! (But remember to order it early since they hand make each one) read more

Curry wurst was some of the best I've had, schnitzel was really good. Sides were great German traditions. Nice beer selection, friendly staff. Potato cakes were average. Only issue was cost. It's very very expensive. Good food and beer.....5 apps, 6 beers, 3 entrees, 2 desserts. $380 all in.Special occasion sure. But not an everyday drop in. read more

I have eaten at Cafe Berlin at least twice, maybe thrice, over the past decade. I selected them because they are an easy walk from Union Station. I would visit again, not only because of proximity to transit. I had the schnitzel. It was appropriately thin, expertly breaded, and fried golden. I had it with sauerkraut and cabbage, two side dishes that came in heaping quantities suitable for a table of four, which we were not. My college roommate and I also split the potato pancakes, which are difficult to do other than well. Now that I am considering it, I'd bet I've been to this venue more than I can recall in detail. At least one of those occasions was for dinner. I also imbibed. They have non alcoholic beer that is not bad at all, and perhaps it has a placebo effect, or at least it feels transgressive to have that flavor during the day. The decor has a dark look. They have a brick patio too. Once, I was chatting with a friend of German ethnic origin -- for much of American history, the single most numerous ancestry represented, even greater than English -- about why German food is not more common. She thought about it, and her reply was insightful. What she said was German food has become American food, and it is everywhere, just not called German food; for example, Kasespatzle became mac and cheese. In any event, this presentation of the cuisine is more than satisfying. The occasion was also a reunion. My college roommate, incidentally, has become famous. I only see him every few years. He is known for his fecundity. A sperm donor, he has at least 21 children at last count. But that is not the punchline to the story. He and one of the mothers became a couple, 12 years after their child was conceived. So Cafe Berlin was a nice place for us to catch up. read more

Wonderful! My boyfriend and I came here after purchasing a Groupon, it has been on our list for a while so we were happy to see that! The service here was amazing and the food was just as good. To start we ordered the sauerkraut balls and potato pancakes. The potato pancakes were as good as you would expect, what really stood out to me was the applesauce provided with them! It was killer. The sauerkraut balls were great and I was happy to see them on the menu. My mom makes them every year for Thanksgiving, so it was my first time seeing them outside of my home! They were great and the mustard sauce with them was delicious as well. Not as good as mom's, but...is anything? For my entree I ordered the schweine medallions. Good LORD. Heaven. In. My. Mouth. I mean...seriously. Very rich gravy, tender meat, and the kasespatzle? Amazing. German mac and cheese is how I would describe it. It was superb and went along nicely with my meal. This mushroom cream gravy will change your life. In fact, it actually DID change my life. My boyfriend does not like mushrooms (he is one of those ppl). I slyly asked if he wanted a bite (hoping he did not read the menu description of my meal) and he said yes. I loaded that fork up with all the deliciousness and he said OMG what kind of gravy is that? MUSHROOM muahahah. Ladies and gentleman, we have made progress in our relationship, my man is now "OK" with mushroom GRAVY. We haven't made it to whole mushrooms yet, but, baby steps! He ordered the sauerbraten. I thought the beef, sauce, and cabbage were delicious. I found that I do no like the style of dumplings served with this (I believe it was a bread and a potato dumpling). I haven't really met a carb that I didn't like before, but this just didn't do it for me. He seemed to enjoy it though, which is all that matters. We both agreed that my meal was the winner (AS usual, I do my homework on Yelp!). Bottom line? Go here. The staff, food, and ambiance are all 5 star worthy. I cannot wait to return to eat some schnitzel and drink some delicious beer! read more

Cafe Berlin - Schweine medallions---ORDER THIS! - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Randomly been coming here since the late 90's. Newest owner is looking for a lawsuit. Table for six, we sat, the wait person greeted us and I immediately ask if we may order our bier. We been out all day, in the hot muggy weather. The wait person obliged. I politely asked to be sure to put the Zitronen (lemon), in our Kristall Weizen. This is when the wait person got perplexed, rather upset. It was foolish of me to think, in a Authentic German restaurant, the wait staff would understand basic German wordage, such as a lemon. I did explain happily, what I was asking. The bier had not yet arrived and the wait person came back by, to explain, orders were now ready to be taken, while remarking to me the feelings they were having about me already knowing what I wanted to order, in a sarcastic tone. I dismissed it and smiled, remaining polite, not knowing what was going on with this person. I ordered for my wife and I, pronouncing the meals as written, in German. I am German and every time I spoke, I was corrected by the wait person, incorrectly pronouncing the entrée. Wierd to say the least. Our biers arrived, not one had a lemon in it. None the less, throughout the dining, the person came by as little as possible. We finished, waited, eventually went up front to pay, standing in the entry way. When it all came to surface. The owner, unknowingly to us, while waiting, standing there, overheard the younger acquaintance, in our party, speak to me about the waitperson. Explaining to me why he thought we had weird experience, when we were all cordial, during our stay. What set the female owner off, was that my young acquaintance wasn't sure how to address the wait person as a male or female. And that was said in passing. The owner yell at us to get out. I replied the bill hasn't been paid, nonetheless, she orders us to leave. Threatening us with police presence. I left , despite having not once displaying rudeness to the wait person. I did let the owner know how i felt. Customers shouldn't have to deal with staff having self-esteem issues. I just came to have a bier and eat a schnitzel, not to walk on eggshells. The young acquaintance ended up tipping $40, on top of the gratuity, already included in the bill. The restaurant is definitely pricy. The food good, but the staff definitely are on a superiority complex. read more

I love this place. Always a fan of German food. I always look at yelp pictures then order so I already knew what i wanted. The wiener and jäger schnitzels are my favorites off the menu. But everything looks good here. They already know what the favorites are so it makes it easier to order just from that list alone. I would repeat here if I'm around the area. The waiters/waitresses are in German themed outfits and it's a nice outdoor atmosphere. Inside is kind of like a bar area but it's prolly more know for its outdoor seating areas. Nothing beats eating German food and drinks German beer in October. read more

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Cozy environment with great service and food. Their potato salad is amazing! If you're in the Capital Hill district, this is a great choice. This is a great place to find some authentic German food. It's white table but not pretentious. read more

Cafe Berlin - Wiener Schnitzel - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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German food just makes you feel some sorta way. It has all of the fat and starch of good ol' southern cooking without the political sphere of the far right looming over your every bite. It'll make you want to sleep right after, but only after a few more mugs of beer and I don't know what's more blissful than that. Anyways, got the wienerschnitzel with a side of the mushroom gravy and some of the sauerkraut. It was pretty good lowkey (jk it was actually fantastic so highkey, i have a personal problem of using lowkey when it deserves the highkey). The schnitzel was phenomenally cooked, but I'm not a fan of just having a dry meat so I highly highly highly highly encourage you to get a side of the mushroom gravy also. Just pour it on, don't be scared, it's just mushrooms. The sauerkraut was a nice and delicate palette cleanser as well and it won't overwhelm you. Got the pretzel and the currywurst and both were also phenomenal. If you're in the Union Station area and are looking for a nice nice meal (meaning that you should have airpods in order to eat here aka u aint brokeeee (jk this meal wasn't on my tab)), I definitely recommend this place (only 1 veg option tho so not for my vegetarians rly) read more

11am can't come early enough! Limped into Cafe Berlin looking for a 10:55 beer after completing the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run. No dice until 11:00 (laws?), when we were promptly seated in the beautiful garden seats. (Indoor seats exist, but for the love of God, why?). Ended up going with a jagermeister+orange juice cocktail, which was a curious upgrade over the standard mimosa brunch. Food was reasonable. Pretzel emerged hot, salted, and with a globe of cheese. Groesstle, a hot skillet amalgamation of potatoes, dumplings, chicken, bacon, and egg was satisfying to a starving person, but the flavors and textures homogenized to the point that each bite offered no difference from the previous. Others ordered the Cafe Berlin Benedict, which was a glorious-looking benny sitting on a substantial fried potato latke base (no need for an English muffin!) Overall, glorious outdoor brunch experience, though the food itself was just above average. read more

Cafe Berlin - Groesstle skillet. Tastes homogenize to the point that it stops being interesting halfway through. - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Sweet little spot! The ambiance was cute and cozy. The wait staff was attentive but I didn't feel rushed, it was lovely. Rainy day so we sat inside but the Biergarten looked like a fun spot for a nice day/evening. The food! We had a pretzel with the beer cheese, the caraway seeds that flavored it was really nice. I had the Huhnerschnitzel and it was super crispy with delicious sauce. Husband had a roasted pork in mustard sauce with sides-roasted potatoes and sauerkraut and he loved it. We live in a very rural area, so it's always my goal when in an urban area to eat somewhere that has food I can't get at home. I was very happy we came here. Highly recommend. read more

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Came for dinner with 4 friends for dinner and will definitely be back. 3 of us got the Currywurst Appetizer and it was so good. We shared a charcuterie board which was huge and so delicious. Large selection of beer, wine, cocktails and mock tails. I definitely want to return soon and try more entrees. read more

Great food, a little pricy. I got the fischbrotchen and the natur radler grapefruit. Everything tasted amazing.

Food and outdoor atmosphere are good but the service was unfriendly. I felt like I was annoying the waitress with my presence.

Oooh yes. If you're craving German food, this is the place to go. Everything was delicious! When you first enter the restaurant, the first thing you will walk into is a small bar that can sit no more than 5 people at a time. Immediately, I noticed two men each holding a 1 liter beer! You heard me! Our waitress was lovely. While reading the menu, I really couldn't pronounce some of the menu items but she took the time to explain each and every item on the menu for me. They start you off with bread and homemade butter. I then had huhnerschnitzel- which is lightly breaded chicken breast on top of schintzel with mushroom gravy. Ooh my goodness! It was SO DELICIOUS! The portion is big as well. If you're not that hungry, you can definitely split it with another person. My husband had jagerschnitzel which was similar to mine except it was with lightly breaded pork. My husband loves German food since he lived there for a couple of months! He says it's just like what he used to eat when he used to live there! Great place, lovely staff, delicious food, and 1 liter beer! What more can you ask for! read more

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We are holiday regulars and the Father's Day Pig Roast did not disappoint. We love the ambiance as well as the service so it was a no brainer to book a reservation to treat my husband. Of course he opted for the pre-fix pig roast. I will never turn down the snitzel (sp?) and spaetzle. For our app, we had Brie. For dessert it was German cheesecake and apple strudel. As always, the meal was fragrant and delicious. One of the few restaurants in the city that we are free to dine, eat great food and talk amongst each other without being rushed to do the "paperwork" and leave. Yum! read more

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We ate here at the behest of my MIL who is German. We found this establishment to be quaint with a great outdoor seating area. The owner was welcoming and friendly, especially as we had small people in tow. Among our selections, we had the pretzel appetizer, veal/chicken schnitzel, and the trout. It was a solid and tasty meal. I can't speak to its authenticity because I've never been to Germany. The sides were a little lacking in flavor but maybe that's how spaetzle is? The Apple strudel was fantastic. I don't think you will be disappointed here. read more

Superb, authentic food. Fantastic selection, excellent service, very satisfying, high quality and an extremely clean kitchen. Not cheap, but well worth it! Rouladen - OMG so good!! All home made meals - I will be trying everything on the menu, over time. So glad I tried it, because I have never had real German food before. Good place to practice your language skills! read more

Café Berlin is the first German restaurant that made me want to visit Germany and see how the experience stacked up. The restaurant is in a lovely building with a large patio out front. We opted to sit outside for our Sunday brunch and watch the world pass by. That lasted as long as the first beer and Bellini, but you know what I mean. Reservations are a must unless you arrive right at opening. The service was friendly and quick, not overbearing. We had the pretzels and obatzler, served on a board shaped like Germany (cute touch) to start. I had the Hansel and Gretel - poached eggs, graved salmon, hollandaise and roasted potatoes. The spouse ordered a platter with sausages, potatoes, eggs and bread. Both were excellent hangover-worthy dishes. Of course, no German café would be called so without beer. They have a great selection of German brews as well as many German wines. We could have stayed here all day, but the patio began to fill up and with good reason. Excellent food, drinks and atmosphere. read more

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Lovely little cafe with outdoor patio seating during appropriate weather here! Nice to find German dining options that I haven't experienced in quite some time, brought a lot of nice memories back. I had a daily special with German potato salad and it was delicious! read more

Cafe Berlin - Schweinehaxe - German Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I loved the ambiance. The beer was awesome! They had quite a few to choose from. However, Daniel, our server was awful. It took forever just to place a beer order. I got the jager schnitzel and it was ok, not good, not bad. I wish they put time and energy into the gravy, as that is what makes that dish. The killer for me, no apple strudel on the menu. How can you claim to be a German restaurateur and not have apple strudel. All in all, the prices are too high for average food. Combined with bad service, I do not plan to go back. read more