Schnitzel Ranch, Huntsville, Al.

[Davwud]

Hey Hounds

Has anyone been to this place??

How is it??

DT

[rockycat]

I don't live anywhere near there, but I'm intrigued. Is it German/Austrian? Israeli?

I gotta round me up some o' them schintzes, pardner.

[Davwud]

Looks to be German. I'm not 100% sure though. No website.

DT

[Greta]

It is German. There are three German restaurants in Huntsville:
CAFE BERLIN
German cuisine.

4800 Whitesburg Drive
Huntsville, Alabama
OL HEIDELBERG CAFÉ
Popular German restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama located next to Rosie's on University Avenue. Restaurant convenient to Huntsville and Madison, Alabama. [phone].

6125 University Drive NW E14
Huntsville, Alabama
SCHNITZEL RANCH
256 535-0840

1851 University Dr
Huntsville, Alabama

[Davwud]

What are they like?? Or do you know??

DT

[Greta]

Been to Heidelberg and it's pretty good. Great beer. I mean, really great beer.

[Bayreuther]

No one mentioned Hildegard's German restaurant...

Hildegards
2357 Whitesburg Dr S # C
Huntsville, AL 35801
256-512-9776

Authentic, with great desserts. Atmosphere, not so much.

[violinclass]

I've visited Schnitzel Ranch several times. My mother is native German, and I have visited Germany. In my opinion, this is the best authentic German food in Huntsville, but the menu is not without its disappointments. The biggest is NO BEER! The bread is a joke, the butter is a blend with margarine, the mashed potatoes are instant and the desserts have little to do with Germany. But the entrees FAR outweigh those negatives. I love the beef rouladen with spaetzes and red cabbage. Yesterday, my fussy sister ordered a bratwurst, and she seemed very impressed. I certainly hope they get a liquor license soon—I have observed people leaving once they realize they can't get a brew with their brats.

[Ima Wurdibitsch]

I agree with violinclass, there are disappointments. The atmosphere is somewhere between fast food and a mid-priced chain restaurant. The service was good but the food was inconsistent. Some items were fabulous but most were not. The lack of wine or beer to accompany the meal added to a less than wonderful experience. I don't want cola or tea out of a big plastic cup with my German meal.

Heidelberg may not be completely authentic but I like them better than Schnitzel Ranch. The best option is to find a friend with a hidden talent for preparing German dishes. I was lucky.

[doublevision]

We ate at the Schnitzel Ranch this weekend and it was great. The service was good and very friendly. They now have BEER. The owner was very eager for me to spread the word. We were actually visiting Huntsville. She came out and talked to us and showed us where she had lived in Germany on the map. I agree atmosphere wasn't great but my kids were happy eating their spaghetti ice cream while we were finishing our draft Paulaner Octoberfest liters. We will go back on our next visit to Huntsville.

[Ima Wurdibitsch]

Okay. I'll have to give them another chance. The time I went, I was with a rather large group and I failed to take that into consideration with my first impression. Thanks for taking the time to post your take on it.

[keensheen]

Out of the three "German" restaurants in Huntsville, this one is the most genuine. I lived in Germany for 2/3rds of my life, 11 of which in Heidelberg and the other two taste like nothing I ever had in Germany. Still, I think one things the reviews aren't saying is that I wouldn't call the food they serve here as good as a German Restaurant in Germany, but this is the kind of food you would get if you ate at a typical German household in Germany which is more than you can say about the other two when it comes to be actual German food. But I like the food and think it's good in a German home cooked kind of way. And that is enough for me to say if I want to go out for German food in Huntsville, this is the only place I consider and won't go to the other two.

However the atmosphere and decor is definitely lacking, definitely a negative. Every time I eat here, the lack of atmosphere bothers me. It makes me feel like the place is about to go out of business which makes one think, the food might not taste good or be top quality. I hope/they need to fix that. Ole Heidelberg has a wonderful atmosphere, I feel at home when I sit there.

The service here is also the "MOST GERMAN" out of the three German restaurants. That's either a good or bad thing though. In Germany, they never rush you or bother you unless you ask. When you go out and eat in Germany, they expect you to stay a long time, have a good time, drink, gossip, then drink more and have some fun. You will never feel rush here but you might have to ask for a refill. Versus the typical American restaurant where they wait on every need of yours and are very polite and refill your cup without asking but then expect you to be in and out in 30 minutes or quicker.

I also say the deserts they sale are very popular in Germany, although Spaghetti ice isn't German exclusively, it is very popular in Germany. VERY and taste just like what you would get in Germany as well.

[flgirl62]

I read your reply but you have not mentioned which one you prefer. My husband & I are wanting to go to a German restaurant for our 10th anniversary which is this weekend. Can you please tell us which one you would prefer.

[Sid Post]

Heidlberg is well regarded and a little more up scale. The Schnitzel Ranch is very good as well but, the atmospher is not as nice though it is pretty authentic if you want a real German experience. The owner of the Schnitzel Ranch immigrated to the USA to open their resturant so, it's not your oridinary mass market German affair.

[Sid Post]

Hildegards is really, really good. The decor is sort of strip mall but, the food is excellent.