We recently ate there as a family, and I have to say it's pretty darned authentic: the food, the drink, the staff, and the service. Very German. Keep that in mind when deciding where to spend a night out.
A quick background on my family: My husband was born and raised in Germany until age 15. My in-laws still live in Germany, and we've vacationed there 3 times in the last 5 years. I'll be honest, I'm not a native German, but I think I have at least a *pretty* good grasp on the food and culture. I know a friggin German restaurant when I see one anyway.
An American who has never been to Germany most likely does not. This review is for you especially.
This restaurant is expensive and authentic. Set your expectations accordingly. You will not be waited on hand and foot like a traditional American resturant. They are very pragmatic. Your drink will not be refilled immediately, but if you keep that in mind going in, and know to ask your waitress for a refill when you see her if you want one, you'll be fine. It's like this in Germany as well. The staff are very friendly however, and as long as you more or less know what to expect going in, you won't be disappointed.
The food is very good for German food. I realize wurst and sauerkraut not on the *top* of the list of the typical American palate, but it is tasty. Just about everything is made fresh. So if you want German food in North Carolina, this is as good as it gets. I know we occasionally get a craving for it since we don't eat German very often. The average American probably does not. This place is pretty expensive to just experiment with a new type of food.
I ordered a Currywurst and got a bratwurst. She couldn't understand me, but that's ok. It was still excellent and generously sized. It came with homemade mashed potatoes (not very German, but not unheard of there, either...I guess I was expecting kartoffelsalat) and I had a Spaten Oktoberfest. I was completely full about half-way through.
My husband had a jagerschnitzel and Spaten and said it was fantastic. The schnitzel was very generously portioned and came with sauerkraut and also came with a salad brought beforehand. I am not huge on sauerkraut, but he made me try it, and it *actually* tasted like cabbage and vinegar rather than the crap you find in the cans over here. I was impressed!
My daughter had a grilled chicken breast off of the children's menu. It was $8. That was the most "kid-friendly" menu item. She ate maybe one bite of it. I'm not sure I recommend bringing very young children here. I wish I knew that going in, and part of me thinks I should have guessed, but honestly I just had no idea. I had a bite of the chicken though and it was delicious. I don't usually peg my daugher as a picky eater, but it could have been a combination of the unusal atmosphere and 'adult' place setting. Also, her drink was in a full-size glass. She is two. They did provide crayons and a paper placemat though. No, I don't expect fancy restaurants to cater to our every need, and have small plastic cups at the ready, but this may be useful to other young families who happen to be reading.
Our total bill was about $70. That does include 3 entrees and and 2 litres of beer. I recommend this place for a fancy night out (only with your most well-mannered youngsters, if you must bring them) if you're just craving authentic German food, but not for casual dining or just to try something new. The price tag was hard to swallow even if I was seeing double by the end of the night!
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