TheMouseForLess Restaurant Reviews

Biergarten - Germany

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Who: mom (35) son (11), son (1), grandma, grandpa, brother (33) SIL (28

Where: Biergarten - Epcot

When: Saturday, September 20, 2008

What: Dinner

Approximate Price of Entrees: 2 adult buffets (mom and son (11) 1 yo was free) which includes drinks - tax & tip - $63.00

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 5
Service: 3-waiter was slightly rude (Mark but he spelled it differently and I can't remember)

Atmosphere: very dark in there for dinner and was hard to see/hear

Okay for Children: Definitely
Okay for Couples: Yes

Be Sure to Try: I loved the schnitzel and spaetzel. My kids adored the macaroni and cheese and my family loved the potato soup.

TheMouseForLess tips: I love the tip someone else gave about having a late lunch here....especially if you have a "young adult." My son is 11 and eats like a child but was charged a full adult price to eat a frankfurter and mac n cheese.

Extra Comments:my 15mo old was very tired and cranky...luckily the loud music drowned out his rants :)

Who: Shaw Family - 3 adults, 2 kids

Where: Biergarten - Germany Pavillion in Epcot

When: Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008

What: Dinner Buffet. There isn't a separate kid's buffet, and we actually had trouble finding enough stuff for them to eat. The main line features sausages, schnitzel, salads, breads, including a tasty pretzel bread, and desserts like black forest cake and apple strudel.

Approximate Price of Entrees: Total was approx. $120...we were on DDP, so we only paid the tip.

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 5
Service: 4

Atmosphere: 5

Okay for Children: Yes
Okay for Couples: Depends...if you are a party that is less than 8 you will be seated with other people, so it's not possible to sit alone as a couple.

Be Sure to Try: The different german sausages, the apple strudel. They had some interesting wines and beers, but I didn't try any.

General tips: There is a live band that is very enjoyable. There is also a large dance floor and they encourage the kids to come down and dance during the show.

TheMouseForLess tips: Reasonable as part of the DDP, not as much variety as other buffets, but the food is good and the atmosphere is fun.

Who: Jen and Lisa

Where: Biergarten, Germany, Epcot

When: 4/29/2006

What: Linner (late lunch/early dinner)

Approximate Price of Entrees: Buffet $19.99 each, 1/2 ltr Lowenbrau $7.00, 1/2 ltr Optimator $7.00

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 3.5
Service: 5

Atmosphere: 5

Okay for Children: Absolutely
Okay for Couples: Absolutely

Be Sure to Try: Everything was very tasty...the only reason we give the Food a 3.5 is because they didn't have Spaetzle!! only Potatoes! So we were disappointed in that

General tips: We were there early afternoon (2:40) so the place was empty. So if you want a more raucous crowd, I'd suggest eating at a more commonplace time. If you're looking for a more quiet cool break, then the off times are great. And it was timed (again, thanks to Deb at TMFL!) perfectly. We were able to get seated, get our food and sit back down, just in time for the next show.

TheMouseForLess tips: DDE and the 20% discount!

Extra Comments: Even though there were quite a few empty tables we were seated with a family of 5. And it was quite entertaining...you can't help but listen to the conversations of your table mates, and though we tried, it was difficult to ignore their discussions on their family dynamics and their chores at home etc. The older boy, maybe 10, was wanting to make more money at home by doing additional chores but apparently he isn't doing the chores he's supposed to. So the parents, with lots of help from the little brother, were telling him all about it!! We tried hard not to laugh at the looks of frustration flying across the older brother's face every time the little brother piped in how he does all HIS chores!! Too cute...

Who: Colleen and dd Lindsee (did not eat) and dh Dave

Where: Biergarten in Germany

When: 2/17/06 for DH's birthday

What: Buffet for dinnper (6:30 pm seating)

Approximate Price of Entrees: $65 with tax and tip

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 5
Service: 5

Atmosphere: 5

Okay for Children: Yes
Okay for Couples: Yes

Be Sure to Try: All of the food, Lol!! Esp liked the potato dumpling, pork, bratwurst and black forest cake for dessert.

General tips: The atmosphere is very upbeat and is Octoberfest..The band plays and it is festive.

Extra Comments: We enjoyed everything and had a wonderful waitress who gave DH a birthday card and a gingerbread cookie.

Who: Anna (60 something); Anna (41); Brighid (14); Eilis (4); Granuaile (7 months)

Where: The Biergarten

When: Friday, December 2nd, 2005, with a 4 PM ADR

What: Dinner at this all you can eat buffet

Approximate Price of Entrees: $21 Adults, $9 for children

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 3
Service: 3

Atmosphere: 5

Okay for Children: Definitely - great fun
Okay for Couples: Definitely

Be Sure to Try: The soup was very good and the schnitzel was a kid favorite

General tips: The seating here is banquet style, and our party of 5 was seated with a couple. I felt really bad for the couple. I had three kids, and while they were not loud or annoying to the tables around us, at one point, the baby sneezed out a bunch of applesauce in the direction of the man seated to her left and she was happily singing in her high chair, much to their dismay. Had I really been paying attention to the fact that someone else might be sitting there, I would have moved the baby to the inside of the table, but that would have prevented one of the other kids from seeing well.

TheMouseForLess tips: This is an all you can eat buffet with a dinner show. Go hungry, or make it a late lunch/early dinner like we did on a day when we only did two meals, then a bedtime snack. It was plenty of food, and no one was hungry for anything later.

Extra Comments: Okay, here's where it gets sketchy. The food that we were able to eat was DELICIOUS!!! The problem was, most of it was really cold. We got into the buffet line fairly early, but we had CMs cleaning up the line in front of us, preventing us from moving through the line very well. When we went back, the line was so long that if you put one hot thing on your plate, you really had to go right back to the table to eat or else it got cold as you waited. The cold foods were no problem, obviously, but it was disappointing to have so many of the hot foods get cold so quickly. They also don't use the deep chafing dishes that you see on a lot of buffets, so the trays need to be replenished frequently, which makes the buffet line longer. Our waiter brought our drinks, and then we didn't see him again. We actually waited about 20 minutes for our check.

The show was great - Christmas themed for the season, and my 4 year old LOVED being part of the show!

Who: Joe, Scott, Dan, Leon (what can we say say?... this is a place for guys with all the beer)

Where: Biergarten in Germany

When: October 28, 2005, 7:45pm ADR

What: Dinner Buffet

Approximate Price of Entrees: $21.00/ adult not including tax and tip

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 5+
Service: 5+

Atmosphere: 5+

Okay for Children: Yes, this buffet is good for children as there is a different variety of foods being offered plus the typical kid standards such as mac and cheese, hotdogs, chicken fingers.
Okay for Couples: Yes (if you are looking for a fun place to eat, however if you are looking for something romantic this may not be the place as you sit at big tables that sit 6-8 like at the real biergartens in Germany

Be Sure to Try: being of Austrian/German descent I can say that the food here is very authentic and really good. Don't miss the schnitzel, spaetzle, various sausages, pretzel bread, and the potato salad. Don't miss the apple strudel.

General tips: before making an ADR find out what time the band will be playing and make the reservation near or around the time they come on stage. The band plays authentic German songs (tuba and accordion included) and there is a dance floor for the young and old alike to dance the polkas... don't miss the Chicken Dance which is the most popular polka in the place. There is often contests for the best yodeler (I won once!), best horn blower, etc. with contestants picked out of the diners.
This restaurant sits diners at big tables like the ones used in the biergartens in Germany. Often you sit with strangers... the server will have youintroduce yourself to your fellow diners at your table which can be fun meeting where other people are fun. There is also a song where everyone at the table toasts each other called Ein Brosit (I know I spelled that wrong) which can be fun.
Children especially like this restaurant as it is very casual, fun, a bit load (especially when the band is playing and instigating the kids to sing and cheer), and the kids are encouraged to dance down on the dance floor especially during the Chicken Dance.
Drinks such as Iced tea and Soda come in big german glasses with free refills.

TheMouseForLess tips: Due to the popularity of this buffet, it often gets crowded during the dinner hour. Making a reservation later in the evening not only avoids the bigger lines at the buffet but also allows the chance of getting a table closer to the dance floor and stage where the fun is.

Extra Comments: The food is always fresh and hot here as it moves so fast due to the number of people that go through here. The servers are extremely friendly. I told our server Mitzie that my aunt shared the same first name as herself and that I enjoyed a raspberry cookie dessert. Before I knew it she had brought back these cookies wrapped up for me to take home. I thought that was really special considering that I am sure they discourage diners from taking things home.
If you want to try German beers this is the place to do it. Beer is served in big glasses in two sizes... small or HUGE. the HUGE size is HUGE!!... so be forewarned.

Who: The Waite Family Ð Mary and Bob

Where: Biergarten at Epcot (Germany Pavilion)

When: May 22, 2005

What: Two Adult Lunch Buffets -- the buffet has several cold salads Ð such as a really great potato salad Ð some assorted coldcuts and cheeses, a really good chicken soup, several bread choices which includes a pretzel bread (similar to LeCellier Ð but on a smaller scale). On the hot side of the buffet, thereÕs rotisserie chicken, roasted pork, schnitzel (breaded chicken breast strips), potatoes and spaetzel, sauerkraut and several other bratwurst items. Apple strudel as well as pudding and some other dessert items were available as well as regular apples.

Approximate Price of Entrees: Two Adult Lunches with a Glass of Optimater Beer and a Glass of Valckenberg Sparking Wine was $40.45 Ð would have been $47.48 without the Disney Dining Experience card.

Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)

Food: 4
Service: 4

Atmosphere: 5

Okay for Children: Yes
Okay for Couples: Yes

Be Sure to Try: Everything.

General tips: It helps to have a Advance Dining Reservation here. Otherwise, with all the Guests using the Dining Your Way Plan, you may have to wait a while to be seated.

TheMouseForLess tips: If you have a DDE card Ð use it. If youÕre using the Magic Your Way Dining Plan, this would be a good choice. It is less expensive at lunch than dinner and there are only a few items available at dinner that are not available at lunch.

Extra Comments: The band doesnÕt start until 1:30 in the afternoon, so if youÕd like to be entertained during your meal, schedule your ADR after 1:15. Also, it is very cool inside the Biergarten so this is a really great place to get away from the Florida heat in the summer months.