Before I start this review, I must note that I'm an incredibly picky eater, as well as inept with…read moredirections.
| THE LOCATION |
Die Herzl is definitely a little odd to find, so be patient. It's worth the confusion. It took me 10 minutes around the property/building to open the correct door. I will note that it's quite fun to know that it's a secret, charming gem. It's also incredibly spacious, authentic, and welcomingly cozy. The atmosphere alone boded well for a tasty meal.
| THE SERVICE |
As an English speaker, I am occasionally awkward with conversing in very local-driven restaurants. The servers here speak English quite well and didn't approach me as a "tourist" or treat me differently. In fact, I felt like I was an appreciated local here. Their English menu is well written and clearly explained the foods I could order. The prices are well within my college student budget for a nice treat here in Graz.
I was a bit peckish prior to arriving, so I was ready to chow down. With that, I know some places are quite slow with service, testing patrons' patience. This isn't the case here. Surrounding customers were joyful with the impeccable timing; not too fast to rush you, nor too slow where you're left wondering if they forgot you existed. I ordered a second bier, which sometimes (at other eateries) takes ten minutes to arrive. It took two, and the bar is quite far from my table. This clearly showed that the employees genuinely cared about my experience and quality of it.
| THE FOOD |
I'm sure you want to hear about the food. The schnitzel (I had some my first day of my arrival this weekend trip) was up there with the best, and the offering of a lemon added to the flavor. The spaetzle trumped my prior one, and the generous helping made it worth the price tag. I'm a fan of simple, homestyle plating where you feel like the chef is cooking in your own home -- not the perfect plate with elegant layout. It's food, damnit. If it's good, you don't need to showcase a work of art. It looked, and tasted, like an Austrian (grand)parent cooked it. Absolutely wonderful.
| IN CONCLUSION |
Overall, Die Herzl made for a perfect (second to) last meal for my three day expedition to Graz, Austria. If you're a local or a traveler passing through/staying for a short period of time, you have -- no, NEED -- to eat here. It is worth every penny.
*And this is coming from a picky eater who often does not try new foods. However, I would return here again and again, I would even go as far as saying I'd take the trek from my University in Florence to eat here again. My plate was impeccably clean after finishing.
Tl;dr: Go here. You'll regret it otherwise.
