Christmas Time Is here and so is the infamous Rolfs Biergarten decorations. This review is solely for the bar area. Rolfs is a fun beautifully decorated bar that as soon as you walk in you are emerged with elegant Christmas decorations. It is a fun bar to go to with friends to talk about the holidays and drink festive drinks. Beware though it is extremely packed and you will be squeezed in next to random people as the bar area is pretty small. The drinks they had that most people were getting were the spiked cider and the egg nog with bourbon. The drinks were very week and bland and they had a built in 20% tip at the bar which I thought was weird. I had never seen that before. It was good to experience this bar but I most likely won't be coming back during the holidays. In short: - Elegant Christmas decorations - weak drinks - forced 20% tip at the bar - extremely packed read more

Rolfs - Bourbon egg nog - German Near Me - New York, New York

It's decorated great. Problem is that you go into the bar and they say one drink minimum and I am ok with that but then you get inside and you have to be a midget to walk through the place. My closet is bigger than the bar. The door man was an asshole and then some Guido looking goon about 5"6 says go all the way in. You can't move 2 feet. Looks like an infested place to get sick. If you dine in and eat at a table you feel better. That's the only way to do this place. Not worth the fuss. Food was 5 at best. Go elsewhere to see decorations in New York City. Lots of places to go that have more class than Rolf's. read more

I'll update this review when management lets me know how to go about getting any kind of a reservation. I've tried calling all hours of the day, on all three lines. They claim to only take reservations by phone, not online or in person. I know it's the holidays but to call at literally any time of the day and either receive a busy signal or the mailbox isn't setup is just bad business in my opinion. read more

$30 for a drink? Yup and you're packed in so tight you literally can't breathe. If the fire department ever came they'd be shut down in a minute. read more

I'd so go for the Christmas decor pictures, but you've seen them all online already. Don't bother! If you manage to call early enough in the season to get a reservation, you still have to wait outside for 30 minutes to get inside and sit. Cocktails are $~25 for the most basic of "winter-themed" creamy drinks. The food both looked and tasted like it was from the now defunct diner across the street. The veal Weiner schnitzel was chewy and the knackwurst was worse than the hotdogs served at some Yankees games. The one redeemer is the wait staff - our waiter was attentive, friendly, and talked through the whole menu. read more

Bad food, bad service. It's gone down hill over the last 2 decades. They once knew how to make Jaeger Schnitzel but now it comes out with watery gravy from a diner. I wouldn't eat at this dump if you gave me a free trip to Germany. Take a picture of the decorations. Food is awful. Hope they go broke! read more

The decor is beautiful and I did get an instagram worthy picture ... but otherwise this place will suck the Christmas right from you. The food is nasty and the drinks are awful. Definitely not the worth the hype. I usually don't write reviews but this place was so awful I couldn't resist .... read more

Rolf's was an accident in the finding, but was apparently a tradition in the making. This year marks the third annual "Go to Rolf's, look at lights and get shitfaced" Christmas gala. Get the big beer and you'll know what I mean. BIG. A three and a half hour wait at Serendipity III and a nice nudge in the right direction (followed by a cab ride in the right direction) landed us at this magical land of beer, singing, friends, and very tight spaces all those three years ago, and we've been back annually ever since, sometimes even toting awe-faced family and friends. Be prepared to drink some good German beer (I prefer the Wifficinchianzen (sp. fail), or as I call it, "The "W" one"). Get up and CLOSE with some people and immerse yourself in the most Christmastacular celebration of trees, lights, ornaments, and the like so close to your face you might actually think you are stuck in a giant tree. Beyond the holiday season I see no differentiating allure to the place; i've never had the food... It looks fine. read more

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Ugh...the decor is charming but dare I say the most overpriced restaurant I have ever been to, even as a resident of NYC

MAKE SURE YOU MAKE A RESERVATION! Cute place to go for the holidays. Cocktails were so yummy and the service was great! Space was a little tight and the entrees weren't anything to rave about. Overall a good experience and a good stop during the holidays! read more

Rolfs - Drink Specials - German Near Me - New York, New York

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Came from out of state to visit Rolf's only to be denied access with a real Connecticut ID. Bully at the front door doesn't know how to check ID's, and unsure if I would return because of it. I'll be sure to pass the word along to family and friends though. read more

Do not give this place your hard earned money. I would give it zero stars if I could. They have gotten too big for their britches and think now that they're IG famous, they don't have to take care of their customers. I made a reservation back in September to come here for Christmas dinner. I came from out of town and unfortunately my transportation was late. I showed up for my reservation 9 minutes late due to unforeseen circumstances and was told our table was given away to walk-ins. I understand I was late. I take full accountability but I called and called and called to say please don't give the table away, I'm coming, and not one person answered the phone. Another family had the same situation. A family of 5. They were 7 minutes late and they would not seat them. Two body guards that I guess are supposed to be intimidating, turned a whole family away. Isn't that what Christmas is supposed to be about? Family. What happened to this being a family business? What happened to Christmas spirit. It's all about money and greed. I couldn't believe it. I was so excited to come here since SEPTEMBER and they wouldn't make any accommodations. A flat out no. Meanwhile every other restaurant is a 15 minute grace period and will give a courtesy call. Furthermore, they had people waiting in line for reservations they could have said move to the back of the reservation line. We ended up having a nice dinner at a dim sum restaurant and we weren't rushed and told we would have only an hour to eat. We got to enjoy each others company and celebrate what Christmas is actually about. Not just being a instagram scam. Support local NYC businesses that care about families and the actual spirit of Christmas. Not just a money making scheme. read more

First time trying German food and I enjoyed it. Decor is absolutely stunning. Christmas decorations from September to March. We got apple crepe as an appetizer which had good flavor ans the potato pancakes which were delicious. As an appetizer I had the chicken shnitzel and consider me a shnitzel girl now because it was great. Mashed potatoes were good but the string beans tasted like they were from a can #notafan. The bratwurst and knotwurst was great (apologize for my spelling). The best part was the dessert, all 11/10 rating from me. The bread in the beginning was dry and hard but overall a good time. I will come back read more

Went for the first time today. Was difficult to get through and make a reservation, but so worth it ! The decor is perfect and the staff is so nice ! We sat in the corner of the back room- was so cozy and comfortable. The mussels and potato pancakes were amazing! My fiancé had the meatloaf and loved it ! Apple streusel was also delicious ! Don't forget to order the bourbon egg nog and toasted almond drinks! 10/10 read more

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food was awful. The ambience is beautiful. but be aware of the menu. If you go there, you have to order at least one entrée or two appetizers do not order the onion soup it taste like water green salad was good. Way over price for anything read more

Rolfs - German Near Me - New York, New York

Such a gorgeous place this time of year. Good luck getting a rezi; been calling for a month and both phone lines off the hook. Went there and we were on line for 2 hours but couldn't wait any longer. Worth it if able to get in! read more

Total tourist trap & totally different owners! I took my friend there to have a drink the other night & they had no prices on the drink menu & ended up charging us $31 a drink!!! People were flipping out including my friend & I....that is outrageous & being sneaky by not putting the drink prices on the menu & then once the drink is in front of you telling you it $62 for two drinks!! I'll never step foot in that place again!! read more

Was 5 min late to the reservation and they wouldn't let us come in. The reservation "expired" according the host and they gave our table to a walk-in. We asked if we could come in and just be out by a certain time for the next guests, if time was an issue, and they said no. We asked if we could just wait for the next table, they said no. I made this reservation back in september for a december reservation - to say i'm pissed is an understatement. I was SO looking forward to it. Host was so rude and made me just never wanna come back to Rolf's period. I literally made a yelp account just to post this review because it left such a bad taste in my mouth. I will not be going back. read more

Yuck! The weiner schnitzel was dry and stringy, the green beans were lifeless and grey, and the mashed potatoes were too garlicky! Including one beer this mess cost me $60. On the bright side the staff is nice and efficient and the decor is cool if you're into Christmas all year round. read more

Ask for an itemized receipt. They only give you the one to sign which doesn't show they already include gratuity and they also won't mention it first. Sneaky! read more

I finally made it to Rolf's after being hesitant during the holiday season for the last couple years due to the constant talk of two+ hour waits to get in. My friend and I decided to go Thanksgiving weekend on Saturday night in hopes of avoiding these lines and it was a good idea because we went right in. This place is totally worth visiting for the decor alone obviously. My friend and I were instantly filled with such Christmas spirit as soon as we stepped inside. We were both smiling from ear to ear like little kids. I really have never seen anywhere else decorated so beautifully for the holidays. Aside from the decorations however, not much else here really stuck out to us. The man checking IDs at the front was very rude, definitely not the type of person I was expecting to greet us at this winter wonderland. The bartenders also were not the friendliest and the drinks were very expensive and not very strong. We decided to only have one drink each here due to the prices. Overall it was worth it to see the decorations and I think everyone should go at least once because it's gorgeous but don't expect much else from here. read more

Rolfs - German Near Me - New York, New York

My girlfriend saw this place on Tiktok and that should have been enough of a red flag but this place is tiny and the drinks are minimum $30 and completely awful. There are so many pretty places in NYC with nice decorations for the holidays. Go anywhere else please. read more

The restaurant is super small, wasn't enough room to walk or sit. The hostess and waiters were rude. When we arrived they were rushing us informing us we had to hurry up and order because we only had 1 hr and 15 minutes to use the table. When we sat with my toddler the guest behind us looked annoyed and complained to the waiter because I guess she thought the table would stay empty. We were being forced to all order an entree when everyone wasn't hungry and some just wanted beverages and appetizers. The restaurant rule is everyone needs to order an entree the waiter kept reiterating. There was no room to even breathe. I'm pregnant and the tables weren't meant for those past a certain weight. The booth's were so narrow and small. We were so uncomfortable with the poor service and space we didn't eat and just left. If you're visiting to view the display, going for the pictures is your best bet. Not worth the money or the headache. read more

**This review is just based on the holiday season and the bar since I've only been here for that** Ended up here because my friends wanted to do something festive for the holidays and wow they couldn't have picked a better place because Rolf's looks like you're inside a Christmas tree, up Santa's arse, in Santa's vomit, or you're at the North Pole - pick one.. actually maybe even combine all four. Came on a Saturday night this month and there was a wait but it wasn't too horrible. I expected a longer wait, but then when you go inside, you realize it's almost impossible to get a drink. You really have to fight your way through to get to the bar. They really shove as much people as they can in here - definitely a fire hazard with the amount of Christmas lights and people inside. If I had to rate this place based on the decorations I would give it 5+ stars, but my experience here wasn't the best because it was so cramped the entire time, it was super hot inside, and the drinks here are weak and expensive. Maybe their drinks are expensive because they probably have to pay a lot for the electric bill. I can't imagine how much it is especially during this time of the year. Anyways, I got the eggnog cocktail and did some shots with my friends. Shots definitely tasted a bit watered down. The eggnog was tasty but there wasn't much booze in it. The bartender had some difficultly doing math for each round that we got, but I don't really blame her - it was a really busy night and she's overworked. If I had the choice, I would probably come on a weekday. I'm pretty sure my experience would be much better on a weekday when its not as busy. I really love the beautiful decorations at Rolf's minus the creepy dolls. I love how they play Christmas music, it definitely gets you in a festive and merry mood even though there are so many people. Definitely go check it out! read more

Rolfs - German Near Me - New York, New York

$24 gluhwien which tastes good but holy crap! Not boozy enough for the price tag. Also, expect entrees that are mostly around $30. And many rules. Each person HAS to order an entree and there's a time limit on your seat (which I guess is standard now). But I used to come here before it was a tourist thing. I had friends in the neighborhood and worked around there as well so it was a fun place that always looked like Christmas threw up on it (in a good way!). But I guess it's developed into this insanity over the last several years? These prices and the line are not happening for me. I went early for lunch so there was no wait. But I'm done with Rolf's for now. read more

I feel like Rolf's gets a ton of hype around the holiday for its decoration but gets neglected for the rest of the year. It so tough to get seated around the holidays for this reason. The decorations are pretty and it feels very festive, but the food is mediocre and the drinks are fine. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. The cocktails are ASS and so expensive. The service is non existent. All five bartenders went on a lunch break at the same time?? The decorations were cute but not worth the TRASH that this place is. BTW: the drinks are $22 without tax or tip!! Listing your prices would be nice read more

The only reason to walk in to this place is to see the decorations. They are the epitome of Christmas decor. That's it. Have a drink at the bar, take a few pictures and leave. You will pay dearly for that privilege for sure but at least you'll spare yourself the exorbitant cost of some pretty terrible food. In addition, should an emergency arise you might be able to save yourself because you'll be close to the front door because in addition to the disappointing food, the restaurant is so, so crowded the servers can barely get around. It was actually very concerning - which leads me to wonder whether they actually know the meaning of "maximum occupancy". Oh, and don't plan spending more than an hour there for a 3 course meal. They clear the plates so quickly, you might lose yours if you put your fork down to wipe your mouth! read more

Ugh. It's exactly what people say. Cafeteria food served at the most insane prices. But the ambiance is so much fun that the novelty is worth it (if you hang by the bar) read more

3.5 stars. To give Rolf's any less is unfair. Clark Griswold's German cousin Uncle Edvard probably parks his RV around the corner, next to all the people waiting to gawk at the indoor display, which is a gift that keeps on giving the whole year (really). People might complain about the $31 cocktails...Rolf's does that because they can -- no doubt most tourists just want to see the space and don't plan/want to eat, so that's the price of admission. If you do choose to eat off the mostly average schnitzel-y menu, that's not bad. Just avoid the French onion soup (below its 1 inch thick molten lava cheese top, it's thin and onion-free). The apple crepe was conversation-worthy after the meal, but the apple strudel was a tad nutty and raisin-forward. Do note that the early 20th century booths can fit a doona stroller and three adults comfortably, and the patrons will comment on how cute your baby is in Christmas jammies. And want to take photos. Rolf's is a must visit once...just recommend arriving early and keeping the visit short (as the pace of the dining experience is palpably quick). read more

Qwerky & Disappointing for sure! TOURIST ALERT! Maybe the Deer Head is it's best feature. German Oriented Offers (that I either ate or appealed to me, were either the Duck or the Snitzel....they refused to do a combo). German sausages are basically a waste of money, since you can frequently & easily boil these at home (& buy them at the German Butcher near 86th, or mail order, if you live in the sticks, or get far better Polish handmade versions (Kielbasa (either Goralkasa (mountain) or Kabanosy type) on Nassau Ave. in "Polish-town" in Greenpoint Brooklyn). There are far better German places, like on Myrtle Ave in Glendale, NY, who's name starts with a Zum..... The generous, but likely reheated, Long Island Roast Duck dinner was a whole 1/2 duck with lots of real mashed potatoes (+), bland stuffing (-), & the usual canned Cranberry sauce (-). While it was filling & hit the spot, it was likely cooked earlier since it took only 20 minutes to prepare....& duck takes much longer. Since at first, I was the only & likely first dinner customer there at about 4:30 PM, it was likely that it was either a left over from either dinner yesterday, or lunchtime. Regardless of the preparation, it was not too fatty (not like the fatty ducks hanging in Chinatown), and had a good duck flavor. Unfortunately, the skin was NOT CRISPY (like me...ha...ha), & was rather soggy. The meat was tender, tasty, but had a flavor/texture one would expect from a leftover. While the cost was a relative bargain (especially since you almost can never find a whole 1/2 duck serving on the West Coast....only snotty gourmet portions... & almost never labeled as "Long Island Duck"....which would almost always be defrosted), it was a pricey left over. It would be far more HONEST if they asked you to give a few hours to a day notice to them, so that they could actually roast you a fresh one. Since this place is either geared to bar locals or to ignorant tourists, they seemed indifferent to the customer. For the local, it is good watering hole. For the tourist, it has X-mas Deco galore, but lackluster food & service. Don't not bother if you are expecting a real old world German Restaurant.... especially when your waitress, other "favored" customers, & a manager are fluent in Russian. My Russian accented & speaking waitress, the menu, the tourist oriented perpetual overwhelming plethora of X-mas deco, unfortunately demonstrated to me that the negative comments on Yelp or not off. Since I was vainly hoping for, A "real" German Restaurant.... I ignored the negative reviews...& paid for a overpriced, but decent meal. If the workers were German, or at least dressed in German style get-ups (rather than in ordinary casual clothes), or had a great attitude (rather than neglecting me for a Russian speaking regular customer), it would feel more ethnic, than contrived. Even though, it is apparently private owned, & not like the crappy chains, it is hard to support even a "Mom & Pop" place that is so lacking in substance. Sadly, it this place is so representative of multitudes of so called ethnic eats in NYC.... Since they are owned & staffed by people who real have little connection, nor desire to present excellent ethic food this is an excellent example of PSEUDO-ETHNIC eats... that naturally springs up as the gentrification of the area continues to go to only people who can afford million dollar apartments... and new immigrants are force to go to far flung not so desirable, nor accessible by transit, areas, like Greenpoint Brooklyn (which stills boasts a fairly large Polish Community). The former Czech German ghettos of the Upper East Side (around 86th), & the Polish areas of the East Village are virtually defunct, as their descendants became successful & moved to better environs....like I did (to Hawaii & California). Since I now currently live in a non-diverse boring but safe "White Bread" area near San Luis Obispo, CA...I am always eagerly seeking great ethnic food when I travel. Anyway, Rolf's is OK if you want some decent beer on tap & want to stare at the zillions of X-mas ornaments that infest this place. One would wish that the chef would display the same zeal as that of whomever maintains the Deco. In conclusion, ALL SHOW, WITH LITTLE SUBSTANCE! NOTHIN NEW in NYC!!! YET ANOTHER "Scammish" place! read more

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Make reservations!! Max of 1 hour to be there so it is very rushed but there's such a demand to get in this time of year that it's expected. The spiked eggnog was perfect (expensive!), the staff were friendly, the atmosphere cozy and leaves you in the holiday spirit, and the food was good! read more

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Place has great Christmas decor but you pay for it with $30 cocktails (no prices on the menu). Cocktails are average and they are overpriced. We got crammed in the bar area and only stayed for one extremely expensive beverage. Staff was not friendly and door folks were telling ppl they had to order a drink before taking pictures. Don't expect a jolly vibe here! read more

$60 for two drinks. Menu didn't show prices nor the fact that 18% gratuity would be included in your bill for drinks. These are not the level of cocktail for the price. Complete money grab and shady practices. read more

A gem of spot. Ignore the other reviews that don't understand what charm and unique mean.

We came on a Wednesday night after New Years and it was empty besides the bar and they weren't playing any music. The bar tenders seemed pretty uninterested and even sort of scoffed at us when my friend and I wanted to pay separately for our $15 cocktails. The decorations were indeed beautiful but quite underwhelming I think partially because there was no one there, it was smaller than expected, and no music. I am glad I went and saw the hype but wouldn't go back and would definitely not wait in the crazy line. At least my cocktail was strong so maybe worth the $15. The decor is up until May, but only makes sense to go when it's cold imo. read more

Rolfs - Vanilla Cream - German Near Me - New York, New York

Hello. The ambiance. I can't take a star off - even though I should - for the price of the drink. It's still worth it! Christmas Tradition

...Yet another holiday season review for the magnificently-decorated Rolf's. This place is jam-packed with Christmas decorations the same way Rainforest Cafe is with trees, vines, and leaves! I came with a friend for a quick lunch, only to discover they don't have a separate lunch menu. Option A was to split a wiener schnitzel entree, but we instead opted to split a bratwurst and some potato pancakes. The wurst was good, but not 23 dollars good. The potato pancakes were nicely fried with a tasty applesauce, but again, not worth the $14 price tag. Two delicious eggnogs to wash down the whole feast, and we were stuffed to the brim. Rolf's is beautifully decorated for the holidays, but to me, still remains a bucket-list sort of place. I'm glad I came, and I'd be curious to try the wiener schnitzel, but with my already excellent experiences at Zum Stammtisch (Queens) and Heidelberg (UES), it's unlikely I'll be coming back to Rolf's on my own volition. read more

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Love the atmosphere - how could you not?! The food fell short though. I've had better meals at McDonalds

Like the decor and this is the place if you like German food. Sausages are good. Great German beer too