323809 Wed Sep 06 21:22:10 -0700 2006 47 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 1858373 Looking for a good (settle for decent) German restaurant anywhere in Baltimore, DC or between. Wed Sep 06 21:22:10 -0700 2006 11719 jes 1 1858738 Baltimore used to have a host of good German restaurants, but is now reduced to one mediocre one, Eichankranz (sp?) at Fagley and Fleet in Highlandtown. I still enjoy going their for schnitzel every year or so. Bienert's off of Philadelphia Road is an amazingly good sausage maker with limited retail hours for their raw product. Mueller's is a good German Deli about 1/2 mile north of Northern Parkway on Harford Rd.There are several places in town to get good sour beef and dumplings. My favorite is Dellarosa's on The Avenue at White Marsh. Despite the unpromising location, they also have great burgers. Thu Sep 07 00:00:41 -0700 2006 1858373 12059 ko1 1 1859266 Old Europe in DC Euro Bistro in Herndon, VA and way out there but worth the drive on a weekend is the Bavarian Chef on Route 29 outside of Charlottesville, VA Thu Sep 07 04:12:58 -0700 2006 1858373 12667 Meg 2 4486642 Second Euro Bistro in Herndon - I probably found it from this comment. Mon Mar 09 06:37:54 -0700 2009 1859266 11368 Dennis S 1 1859565 Old Stein Inn in AA County in Mayo http://www.oldstein-inn.com Thu Sep 07 12:28:42 -0700 2006 1858373 13124 cbauer 2 1862103 I second the Old Stein Inn recommendation. Worth the trip for the beer alone. Fri Sep 08 06:08:29 -0700 2006 1859565 12317 Lowbar 1 1859613 there's a place called the German Gourmet (I think) on rt. 29 in Fairfax. It's a german food store that, according to this Board, has terrific brats to go. Thu Sep 07 13:07:05 -0700 2006 1858373 12667 Meg 2 1860249 And all the accroutements, including beer and wine. Direct imports for the most part in terms of non perishables. Thu Sep 07 17:12:52 -0700 2006 1859613 11368 Dennis S 2 1860742 For wurst, better than German Gourmet is Heidelberg Pastry Shop (Arlington), because they put the wurst on their sensational lagenschaft pretzel-style roll. Get the bauernwurst. On Saturdays they set uo a lunch cart outside, but you can go in for lunch any day of the week. Thu Sep 07 19:43:13 -0700 2006 1859613 10156 Steve 3 4501028 Their German potato salad is to die for! Fri Mar 13 07:48:11 -0700 2009 1860742 156657 sarahkt99 2 1862171 More specifically, it's in Falls Church, just a couple of blocks west of the intersection of Lee Highway (Washington Street in downtown Falls Church) and Hillwood Avenue. Near Elevation Burger. Look for the banner "HOT BRATS TO GO" hanging from the awning. Fri Sep 08 09:32:57 -0700 2006 1859613 10624 MikeR 3 4485901 love this place, great for german beer, brats, and cheese! Sun Mar 08 20:10:56 -0700 2009 1862171 264146 kubasd 1 1860235 cafe tirolo in ballston has a few german specialties. the schnitzel is great (i consider myself to be a pretty good judge of german food since i grew up there). Thu Sep 07 17:09:13 -0700 2006 1858373 24160 kneelconqueso 1 1862303 In Hagerstown near the library- I know I'm going to spell this wrong- Schmankeralstube- great beers, authentic food and dirndle dressed waitresses- the owner's wife makes all the desserts and they are great. Fri Sep 08 12:41:30 -0700 2006 1858373 38813 ppennee 2 4485659 I second that. I stopped there for lunch on the way to Cumberland last year. Great food and service. Sun Mar 08 18:46:52 -0700 2009 1862303 135344 DCDeb 3 4512974 Two thumbs up. This restaurant is great. Make a reservation, though. It can get pretty crowded. Also, if you are a fan of Schweinhaxe, they require 24 hour advance notice. Tue Mar 17 09:45:24 -0700 2009 4485659 275148 radioman18 1 1863700 I would avoid Old Europe. Every time I go there the meat is dry and the sides are sub-par. I have always enjoyed Cafe Berlin. The meat is tasty and the sides, esp. asparagus (Spargel) are great. They also have some good imported beers on tap. The wine list is decent. Service very good and the owner is Austrian and pleasant. Fri Sep 08 20:42:56 -0700 2006 1858373 38976 RMHRosa18 2 4512980 I agree with you about Cafe Berlin. Good food, good service. If you sign up for their email updates, you will be notified of specials in advance. Tue Mar 17 09:46:19 -0700 2009 1863700 275148 radioman18 1 1864271 Although not really good and barely decent, don't overlook Blob's Park in Jessup (open weekends) for the closest thing we have to Oktoberfest atmosphere. Sat Sep 09 00:38:44 -0700 2006 1858373 18891 Lewes 1 1989606 By far the best I've been to in this country is Schmankerl Stube in Hagerstown, MD (www.schmankerlstube.com). It's a long drive, but so very worth it. It's like you walk through the door and are back in your favorite neighborhood place in Munchen. Make sure you have a designated driver! Wed Nov 01 22:04:58 -0800 2006 1858373 50447 Ell Gee 2 4484447 I've been to the Schmankerl Stube. It was okay, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the best in the country, at least from my experience. The appetizers were decent, and the potato salad was probably the best thing we had all night. However, the meat entrees were overcooked and subsequently tough. Perhaps they had an off night? Sadly, it's the best German food I've had in Maryland, and worth it for the beer and atmosphere alone. This won't help the original poster, but if you want REALLY good German food, the absolute best place I've ever been in the U.S. is the Kleiner Deutschmann: http://thekleinerdeutschmann.com/ It's in Pittsburgh, which believe it or not has a rich German culinary tradition and has quite a few great restaurants. I also recommend Max's Allegheny Tavern. I would add a link but I don't think they have a current website. Sun Mar 08 10:24:25 -0700 2009 1989606 272701 Tonsil 2 4487477 Ill second that about the designated driver. Or a nearby hotel... Its the only place I know of that happily offers 5 liter size portions for any of their fine beers. :O Mon Mar 09 10:47:48 -0700 2009 1989606 238787 Insidious Rex 1 4486437 I've heard Cafe Mozart in DC has good German fare from friends. Have not gone myself however. Mon Mar 09 04:42:40 -0700 2009 1858373 193006 chaofun 2 4486683 Cafe Mozart in DC is pretty good. Very authentic. They even have vegetarian portobello schnitzel. In addition, to the restaurant they have a little deli and store. I would reccomend. Mon Mar 09 06:56:42 -0700 2009 4486437 160154 Smiles2008 1 4486691 Heidelberg bakery/pastry shop is very good. They have quite a few german specialties. http://www.heidelbergbakery.com/ Mon Mar 09 06:59:21 -0700 2009 1858373 160154 Smiles2008 1 4487364 Not to be negative but Old Europe has been horrible both times i have been there and the service was rude. The second time I actually sent my food back and it was not removed from the tab. Mon Mar 09 10:15:25 -0700 2009 1858373 169999 richmondfoodie 1 4489157 If you are out that way, the Bavarian inn in Shephardstown WV is excellent. Good food and good wine.. Mon Mar 09 18:21:50 -0700 2009 1858373 166851 Suemelk 1 4489168 Another thought, the Cafe Leopold in Georgetown is also very good. Mon Mar 09 18:24:00 -0700 2009 1858373 166851 Suemelk 1 4491301 I heard recently on WAMU that Blob's Park in Jessup has reopened. The owner said they added pork shanks to the menu, and it is, in his opinion, the best thing they offer. Tue Mar 10 11:16:04 -0700 2009 1858373 55915 MartinDC 2 4491428 I've been dying for some Schweinehaxen! Blobs is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I'll definitely be checking it out. And it's only a short distance from Grace Garden and their AMAZING Szechuan tongue/tendon/tripe. Cafe Berlin near Union Station is pretty decent, but certainly not worth going out of your way. Tue Mar 10 11:43:38 -0700 2009 4491301 12359 monkeyrotica 1 4495991 Cafe Berlin on the Hill Wed Mar 11 17:21:27 -0700 2009 1858373 129959 DCDOLL 1 4497254 Personally, I think good German food is kind of oxymoronic but we (including German fiance) prefer Old Europe to Cafe Berlin for the food. CB has better ambiance. Thu Mar 12 07:05:01 -0700 2009 1858373 148300 filth 2 4497416 There's PLENTY of good German food! Schweinehaxen, schnitzels, wursts mit krauts. It's just that there are very few good German restaurants serving that in DC. What you get here is mediocre, at best. You pretty much have to go out to Annapolis to get anthing resembling the real deal. http://www.oldstein-inn.com/ Thu Mar 12 07:54:00 -0700 2009 4497254 12359 monkeyrotica 3 4499545 Agreed. Germans love their food, and when in Germany - the food of others. They LOVE food. Good stuff. Hochzeitsmal. Thu Mar 12 17:06:52 -0700 2009 4497416 11368 Dennis S 3 4508652 I find German food to be very one-note...heavy, sour, salty, greasy. It's OK once in a great while but I do not seek it out. Mon Mar 16 06:00:52 -0700 2009 4497416 148300 filth 4 4509782 Have you eaten German food in Germany? It is often quite good. I think everyone would agree that it is not a cusine on the level of Italian (but then what is). Mon Mar 16 11:57:33 -0700 2009 4508652 12627 ChewFun 5 4510215 German food here is good. The statement by filth is akin to slamming Chinese b/c of the abominations most people think of when the name is mentioned. German is FAR more than sour cabbage and greasy pork. To think otherwise is to miss out on great food and cut ones self short. Mon Mar 16 13:43:59 -0700 2009 4509782 11368 Dennis S 5 4513499 Yes, I have eaten German food in Germany. We spent 10 days there two Christmases ago. We ate at both currywurst and doner kebab joints, Weihnachmarkt stands (good brats and reibekuchen there), and fine dining. While I liked some dishes, IMO German food is not generally good. Tue Mar 17 11:52:54 -0700 2009 4509782 148300 filth 3 4512995 I can not figure out what the appeal is about Old Stein Inn. If you are familiar at all with German food, this place isn't worth it. I have been there on three different occasion and have been disappointed each time. I will give them kudos for their beer selection, but the food, not so much. Tue Mar 17 09:48:59 -0700 2009 4497416 275148 radioman18 1 4498601 What about Henning's in Frederick? I've eaten there a number of times and enjoyed the goulash soup and combination wurst platter. The dumplings are a bit "tough" though. They usually have four or five excellent German beers on draft. I believe the owner at Henning's is the same as the original owner/chef of the old "Wurzburg Haus" at Redland. Wurzburg Haus has been gone for several years now. Thu Mar 12 12:54:41 -0700 2009 1858373 131933 MDBBQFiend 1 4499261 I wouldn't recommend making the trip for the Old Stein Inn for the food (South of Annapolis in Mayo). The beer is great, the beer garden fun, if that is what you are after, but the food is so below par. Now this is based upon one visit and maybe their wursts or other items are better, but they gave me no reason to return. I lived in Germany and have gone back to visit several times, so I am very familiar with German food. My gauge for a good German eatery is how well they can prepare wiener schitzel and spaetzle, practically the national dish. Boy was I disappointed. Although expertly fried and crisp, the meat was woefully underseasoned and tasteless. I chose the pork version vs. the veal, since I had no idea about the quality of meat served there, and veal can be tricky so I opted for the pork, which by nature has a much stronger flavor. I could have been eating a bowl of cereal without the milk. My dining companion had a similar preparation but stuffed with ham and cheese. How can you mess that up???? Neither one of us could taste a difference between our two dishes. C'mon. Spaetzle are just tiny dumplings that I make at home all the time. You have to season them, just like pasta, and an added bonus is to saute them in a bit of bacon grease or brown butter to add some flavor. Adding some herbs, or garlic doesn't hurt either, but it's not a necessity. Again, the dish was tasteless. It was if I was eating this meal during a full blown head cold. We recently moved just miles from this place, and I really wanted it to become my go to spot for a nice homey dinner. Guess if I want good schnitzel and spaetzle , I'm pulling out my own pans. Thu Mar 12 15:38:53 -0700 2009 1858373 118730 BontheC 2 4500561 I wonder how much of this is due to the preparation of the pork/veal and how much is the fact that most pork/veal is bred to be ridiculously lean. There's barely any fat content in pork loin at all, and that's where most of the flavor is. It takes a pretty adept hand to make it flavorful, let alone keep it from turning into a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Also, so many restaurants dumb down their cuisine to suit the locals. They start serving something with bold flavors, and the customers complain that it's too spicy, or too strong, and I'll just have the burger, or maybe the grilled chicken caesar salad! Fri Mar 13 04:10:38 -0700 2009 4499261 12359 monkeyrotica 3 4507223 I don't feel German cuisine really qualifies to fall into the dumbing down for US tastes category. It's very straightforward food except maybe for some of the head cheeses or blood sausages but even those have become main stream in many areas. Yes, most pork is lean, but a schnitzel never comes with any fat or bone anyway. When I make schnitzel at home, I use the tenderloin and make sure the meat is not pounded too thin, since the the bread crumb to meat ratio is essential. Tenderloin has plenty of pork flavor and is still very lean. Anytime you deal with bland coatings like flour or bread crumbs (panko) it is essential that you season, or else you will end up with a completely flavorless dish. Salting after the fact, just doesn't do the dish justice. No different that adding salt to the pasta water so it absorbs into the strands rather than just adding it on top once it's done cooking. Big difference. The schnitzel preparation is no stranger to many mid-America folks. Many diners in the Mid-West serve pork tenderloin sandwiches and they are basically a replica of the schnitzel. The only difference is it comes on a bun. I have had the opportunity to sample quite a few, and they know how to do it right. When I mentioned that the dish was underseasoned, I was referring to salt and pepper. Surely, the American palate can handle these spices. They are essential in any food preparation to wake up and enhance flavors. By neglecting this integral part, it tells me that the food preparer is not eating his or her own preparations. Sun Mar 15 13:53:11 -0700 2009 4500561 118730 BontheC 2 4513004 I'm with you. Nothing to rave about when it comes to the Old Stein Inn. Tue Mar 17 09:50:46 -0700 2009 4499261 275148 radioman18 1 4500386 Jes, Sadly, my opinion is no...at least in terms of the non-fufu, everyday places were you can buy good, affordable, hearty German classics. There are some upscale places downtown (Cafe Mozart for example) which are quite good. But, the laidback family places like Hausner's (which closed in Baltimore), or even the higher priced Wurzburg Haus (which closed in Gaithersburg) are prettymuch gone. If anyone knows of a nice, family-style German eatery where I can buy a good Raumschnitzel and a kristalweissen, please...let me know!!! Thu Mar 12 23:05:30 -0700 2009 1858373 270174 Sean D 2 4500525 I think Euro Bistro has Raumschnitzel. I tried their site, but it hasn't been updated this decade. There are a couple dishes they serve (that I've ordered) that aren't listed on the site, but are on the paper menu. http://www.euro-bistro.com/Menus/EuroBistroMenu-DinnerSpecials.htm Fri Mar 13 03:19:17 -0700 2009 4500386 11368 Dennis S 3 4505191 Thanks Dennis. I'll give it a try. Sat Mar 14 16:04:15 -0700 2009 4500525 270174 Sean D 1 4755814 Check out Cafe Mozart in DC. Monthly live Opera Night and great German Austria cuisine! Tue Jun 09 06:44:42 -0700 2009 1858373 157264 Michael Blaney