The first thing that you should know about this place is that if you decide to come here, you should be prepared to eat...because only if you purchase food, will they serve you alcohol! WHAT??? Yes, they only have a restaurant license and so you have to buy food and cannot only come here to drink a beer! Unfortunately, the food ain't cheap and it ain't of great quality either - the mashed potatoes looked like they were made from instant powder and the while the meats were plenty, they didn't really tast that great. Let me tell you what a real German Biergarten is like: you bring a picknick-basket with all kinds of delicacies; you also bring a red-checkered table cloth and make yourself comfortable at one of the many tables underneath the protective treetops....and then you go to the counter and order your stein of beer...Prost! Well, that is definitely not possible here...nevertheless, I think you can have a great time here - after all, the company that you're with is most important. Also, the beergarden is right next to the Thames and so the views are really quite enjoyable... read more

Stein's - Schlachtplatte for 3!!! - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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Great view and good beer but the service is ridiculous. We had to que first 30 minutes for food and then again for drinks - you eben can not split sind you need the recent from the food for ordering drinks. Just having a beer is also not possible. Furthermore you need to know your table to order food but which table to choose when you have to que. The que was extremely long even late. They seem not to understand how to draft a beer. Then suddenly it was not possible to get a beer since the bar was closed 20 minutes earlier that the pedantic sign said. Nice place but his its run makes it an annoying visit. You spend half the evening separated since one always has to que or hold the table. read more

What a fun and delicious place to eat, especially on a gorgeous sunny day. My team and I went for lunch and the long tables ensured we could all sit together. Two of us took everyone's order and placed it at the counter, and this turned out to be less fraught than I expected. The service was fast and the waiter did his best to fit all of our various plates on the table - I think we ordered a bit too much! The plates are very generous and most of the shared Mountain Platter we bought went untouched. My friend was disappointed that her Nuremberger plate didn't come with potato sald; she had been looking forward to that. Most of my colleagues had nice beers to go with their food, although sparkling water was my drink of choice. My only complaint (and it's small) is that German food is all about mustard. Although they offer a good variety of it, it's placed on a back table to the right of the kitchen. It was simply untenable for each of us to go and get mustard, so 2 of us volunteered. The mustard had to be dispensed from giant pumps onto small paper plates, which we then had nowhere to place on the crowded table. I felt I was let down on the mustard side - I wanted more, more variety, and a less messy way of getting it. However, I'm happy to return as it was great food in a lovely atmosphere. read more

This is a lovely place to visit on a sunny day. You get to have a relaxing meal/drink by the river in a pleasant atmosphere, and it does have a pretty authentic Bavarian feel to it. I've been here a few times and it doesn't fail to disappoint. It's one of the few places where you can get Erdinger Alkoholfrei on draft, which is in itself a reason to go there for me, as I like the alcohol free version better than the regular version! Aside from that, it's got the usual selection of typical German dishes and a decent ghoulash soup as well :) It's quite far out of the way but you do get a nicer experience here than in say, Katzenjammer's or Bavarian Beerhouse where it feels more like every night is Oktoberfest! read more

While I wouldn't quite describe it as a beer garden, Stein's is a small spot on the bank of the Thames just outside the centre of Richmond. They've got a covered area with plenty of bench seating, but it does get busy so turn up early. Their licence deems that they can only serve alcohol with food, so be prepared to fork out for a bratwurst or two if you're here for drinks only. The food was good, solid, German staple with plenty of sausages and sauerkraut. There isn't a drastic choice of beer, but it does come in one litre glass steins so you quickly forgive them. At around £8 a stein, it's not cheap, but it's bearable. A nice place to have a few afternoon beers and a cheeky currywurst when the sun's out. read more

Regardless of what the other reviews say, I would go back to Stein's again and again. It transports you to the Bavarian mountains and I see it as an escape from the hussle and bussle of London. The food is well-priced for the amount you get, I was stuffed, but managed to cram a piece of Black Forest Gateau down me aswell. The view by the river is lovely and it is right next to the park. Your beer is served in typical german tall glasses and you order at the bar. Service is friendly and it was a pleasure to visit. read more

Stein's - This is a platter I shared giving you a variety of sausages, bacon, mash and sauerkraut. - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Not been here since last year, but always made a point of coming when we could ... Or were not smart enough to go to the bar at the Bingham next door. Introduced wife to sauerkraut which she now adores. Their licence means you have to buy food, they are not a bar, but that is no hardship - just don't go for the cheapest item on the menu - come here for the food, not just to have a drink. The big sausage platters are great (once saw a table order the £70 mega platter - it looked awesome, piled high with all sorts of sossies, meat, salad etc mmmm). Will be going back soon as have moved back to Richmond. read more

A wonderful Bavarian beer garden / restaurant on the towpath, I have to appluad the idea. The views, the beer and the food are great, but don't expect to get an inside table.....there are none! This is a must on a beautiful summers evening. Note: They only have a restaurant alcohol license so you can't just drink. read more

If you are craving for some nice bavarian dishes like bratwurst, leberkas, brezn and sauerkraut come here and enjoy it all with a mass beer by the thames. read more

Stein's - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Steins is a great German sausage place, with German sausages, and beer. It's fantastic to hang out in summer, sitting under the trees by the river side for lunch or dinner. Large groups should order the massive sausage platter (best for at least 10 people), a veritable meat fest (and mash). We had 12 people and still couldn't finish it. The Germans in our group lamented the details e.g. the Paulener beer wasn't served in the correct beer glass, however they were impressed by the sausages and saurkraut. It would be rather difficult to go in the rain as there is no shelter. read more

This place is eye-wateringly awful. Yes, it has good German beers and yes, the riverfront location is very nice, but I honestly would rather watch 100 replays of Sunday's England-Germany match than ever set foot there again. First of all, the food, which you're forced to order if you want any alcohol. I don't have a huge problem with that concept per se, but the poor quality of what's served makes it rather galling. The meat was unpleasant, both in texture and taste, and they hadn't even bothered to drain the gherkins before shoving them on top of the plate, turning what was supposed to be a salad into a vinegary soup. It wasn't just my opinion, either, as an inspection of the other diners' tables revealed that everyone had left most of their food untouched. Even the bread wasn't safe, as we observed the staff pawing it over much more than was necessary. The staff, in fact, were the other big problem. Obviously having graduated from the 'six second rule' school of hospitality, they were disorganised, inept and, amusingly enough, annoyed that customers tried to order whilst they were all sitting in the sun and enjoying a lunch break. Despite the enviable location and decent beer I really would urge people to try somewhere else if they want good Bavarian food and drink. If all else fails, just raid the German deli and have a picnic on the riverbank! read more

Great food, good beer, wonderful atmosphere. Just wish the waiting in line to order food, the.mn waiting in another line to order drinks was more efficient. Great time for all family members as they even have a play set for kids! read more

A very nice beer garden that overlooks the river. The food is quite good too. It's mostly sausages, but they are of good quality. The beer list features some good German beers and they have Almdudler (an Austrian herb lemonade that is second to nothing). Get there early if you plan to have lunch on a weekend. read more

Annoying ordering system, having to queue up twice for a silly ticket. They won't let you just sit and order a beer, even when it's empty, instead making you choose something from their menu (sausages basically). Shame, as it'd otherwise make a great place to sit by the river and have a drink. read more

You can tell a beer garden is authentic if the staff is German and they've got Munich beers on tap! After a lovely afternoon in Richmond Park, Stein's is an excellent choice for a meal and beer wind down by the river. The only caveat is that you have to order food in order to get the beer. Gets pretty busy on warm days, so you have to be ok with smushing to a table with strangers. read more

Obviously this is a paradise for meat and sausage lovers. If you're not - like me - then Stein's is still worth a visit if you're looking for a relaxed meal with a view on the river. You sit at the typical German long "beer benches and tables" and order your food from the bar to your table number. For vegetarians there's traditional German letil soup, salads, and cheese dishes available. The quality of the food didn't convince me (a German) but the atmosphere is quite unique on the thames bank so I'll gift this beer garden a third star. read more

Steins is the closest place I've been to a genuine Bavarian beer garden in the UK. Situated on the towpath away from the road, it's a great spot. Seating is only outdoors, so ideal if it's nice, and not so good if it's horrible! Also - the British winter is not braved, so it's summertime eating only. These guys don't have a license for drinking only, so you have to order food if you want a Hefe Weisen. The sausages are quite good, but I always feel slightly ripped off by the size of the portions. It's not cheap at all, and at 7-8 quid you'd expect more. Still, given the right climatic conditions, Steins can overcome its flaws and be a winner. read more

Tough to fault this place. Steins of beer (had a Radler) and good food. Ordering is awkward, but a non-issue.

Just cannot seem to stay away from this restaurant . The food ,beer and views are awesome . And with such a relaxed surrounding keeps me coming back for more read more

Disappointing. I thought this was going to be a genuine Bavarian beer place but there was no lederhosen and the staff were pretty strict on our rather large party. The Steins and food were a selling point, although I'm not sure I'll be rushing back to this place. It pitches itself as a restaurant so you have to eat to drink. read more

Great location, and makes a good first impression, but doesn't quite manage to pull it off. Firstly, they won't let you have a beer without ordering food. Not even a pint. This is made worse by the fact their food is all sausages and cabbage - Bavarian style (which is fine, but nothing for vegetarians, and not always what you fancy). They're slightly too Germanic as well - lots of rules about large groups, and a weird system of paying, which means you have to queue up twice at two separate tills. Shame - a bit of a wasted opportunity. read more

i went here with some friends as they loved the beer but i just love the view. The food is ok but not really into bratwurst and saukraut.

Steins does exactly what it says on the tin. If you want a German beer garden with a great setting, great beer and food great if you like hearty, largely pork based meals, then you can't go wrong. Don't come here expecting nouvelle cuisine and connaisseur wines as some of the other reviewers seem to be looking for. A straight man wouldn't expect to pull in Heaven. Service can be a bit slow and it isn't cheap but if you want have a relaxing evening in a German beer garden you won't do better this side of Munich read more

You know how when you go home to visit your parents on a whim, wake up the next morning, don't want to dress in the same clothes as the day before, search in your empty old wardrobe for an abandoned yet vaguely clean top and find instead a dress you forgot you owned which you usually wear to weddings? Made of knee-length cream linen with embroidered fans and a blue silk ribbon empire line? And then decide that this is an appropriate choice of attire to join your friends for a teeth-chatteringly cold outdoor meal of hearty Bavarian fare later that same day? Yeah, that happened. So the sort of frock more usually suited to country house weddings and university graduations is not necessarily appropriate for Stein's. Luckily it was pretty chilly when we were there, so nobody saw my fashion faux pas, covered as I was in multiple layers. This is because all of the seating is outside; it's basically a vaguely upmarket canteen, or more permanent street-food kitchen, with wooden benches, outdoor heaters and huge sturdy umbrellas immediately in front, right on the riverbank. It's a lovely location actually. Even on the day we were there - overcast and unseasonably brisk - it was a pleasant experience, and we hung around far longer than intended, not least considering how fast the food arrives. And fast it was; almost immediate, in fact, hence the canteen reference since I can only imagine that it sits stewing in its own juices in large vats until somebody orders it. Not that this is necessarily bad; German food seems suited to this approach, and my meal was delicious. All dishes are basically variations on a theme: sausages. Potato. Saerkraut. Beer. You get the picture. Although bearing that in mind, it still took us a good 20 minutes to choose our orders, and I amended my potato choice at the counter. Why? Because I bloody could, that's why. Don't judge me and my silky dress. This place is not glamorous. It's comfort food, without the roaring fire and trash TV. It's a paradox, really - winter grub in a summer setting - but it works. Bear in mind that you can't order alcohol without food, but who's complaining? There's a suprisingly limited choice of beer, but it's all German, and available in half-pint, pint and Real Man (or litre). I get the impression that come the heady months of July (if we ever see the sun again), it'll be teeming with south London life, and deservedly so. read more

I was pleasantly surprised. It has good German food and was responsible enough to make you eat before you drink. They have wonderful German Bretzels and good German beer with a beautiful view over the river! read more

Great location, great service. Food is very overpriced and when you serve beers in Stein glasses, you really need more than 2 toilet cubicles.... read more

Let's face it German fare is not the most subtle, but there is always room in life for sausages, potatoes and beer. The setting is excellent and having lived in Dusseldorf it reminds me of sitting on the banks of the Rhine over indulging in grilled pork on a sunny day. You can't have drinks without food (probably wise given the size of the steins and strength of the weissen beer) and you have to order at the counter. Food is limited to German beer keller classics: bratwurst, schnitzel etc with bratkartofflen. Don't come here if you're on a diet. read more