Rolf's Bar & Restaurant Reviews

Has this booked for months, turned up only to wait outside in the cold for 45 mins, restaurant overcrowded to the point of being very uncomfortable, food awful and very overpriced, drinks disappointing, staff rude and disinterested, place not particularly clean or hygienic, don't go you are only being ripped off

Two drinks at bar $60 plus tip, 0Glühwein wine and toasted almond. We did not have a reservation for lunch; but we were on line when door opened and got right in. Asked if we could be seated for lunch and we were seated before we finished our drink at bar. Never told had to order entree until we started to order. It was lunch all we wanted was soup and potato pancakes. Everything is so overpriced. Service was not good. For a authentic German restaurant No German staff! Got me once!

I was advised to NOT miss this place while I was in NYC by a Large FB travel group. The photos of the Christmas Decorations was what drew me to the place and to be honest was my blind spot about going there. Should have looked at the reviews first. Live and learn. The food was below average. $32 for dry pork loin with powdered potatoes and over steamed red cabbage that was left with no taste. Our waiter was less than thrilled were there and had ZERO input about the restaurant and its history. It was a get em in get em out mentality. I would NOT recommend this place at all to dine. But, stop in and take a peak at the decorations. They were magical.

It’s beautifully decorated for Christmas. The vibe is very merry. The German food was good but not the best I have ever had. Big portions. The staff are friendly enough. I don’t think the reservation system is very good. You have to call to reserve. I was calling over and over for about a week but constantly busy. When I eventually got through I made the reservation for 9.30pm in December (I called in September!). I had the phone on loud speaker and 4 other people heard me make the reservation for 9.30pm. When we arrived for our reservation 3 months later, we stood outside in the cold in the reservation line. The guy who checks you in showed me the hand written list of reservations. My name was spelt wrong and written in for 9pm so we had missed it! No! I said there is no way we were in the wrong and they did seat us so for that I was grateful. If they had a better system, online or at the very least email confirmation, then there would be less room for human error and a smoother process all round! It is 2023 guys!

Went to have a xmas drink in here- had to queue to get it, although was let in very quickly, however, the place is very small and we were crushed in a small corner of the bar area which is very narrow. so small couldn't appreciate the xmas decorations - although saying that nothing special just some baubles hanging. ordered two gin and tonics, which shockingly came to $52 (so £26 each more or less) and they then had the cheek to add $9 tip on, so bill came to $60 - was astounded - i complained and bar staff shrugged his shoulders. Service was also very poor - waiting bar ten mins to pay for the drinks. we couldnt wait to get out of he and the cost of the drinks ruined our day- it was the only place in our visit to ny, we were totally ripped off. We tried to go to toilet but as bar/restaurant so small - no chance. we did look at restaurant area and was thankful we didnt eat there, small and crammed and very expensive - honestly DO NOT go to this place - another place Lillies had much better xmas theme and reasonable prices and nice, not squashed seating areas.

I had a reservation for two at 7:30 on a Saturday evening. I showed up at 7:20 and there was a line down the block. I was told by a ver impatient and rude host that my wait time would be “at least 45 minute.” After talking to the other people in line it seems this is the norm. What kind of restaurant does that? Intentionally over scheduling their evening and making eager patrons with reservations wait? Totally bush league. Honestly would have been able to sit through the ordeal if they host had been the slightest bit apologetic, but he scoffed at us for evening asking what the expected wait time was. Dont be fooled by the jolly interior decorations that are shared on social media. This restaurant is a joke. Save your time and money and take your business elsewhere.

Firstly even after booking a table 5 months in advance, we had to stand outside in the rain for 30 minutes. Eventually came in 15 minutes AFTER reservation time to be SQUEEZED into a bar, to wait for another 40 minutes to be called to our 'table'. No communication while waiting. Secondly the 'table' was an uneven affair where one is constantly knocked and jostled on the small and so, so over crowded dining room. Thirdly the toilets are reminiscent of a 19th century gulag. Disgusting. Fourthly the food is bland, cooked in what tasted like dirty butter/fat/oil. Just not pleasant in anyway. Fifthly it is so overpriced it actually hurts. Even if the prices are taken at face value it is extortionate, but then a note of warning: the tax is added on at the end. Including the $30 eggnog. Finally: had the food been nice would have paid through the nose but been happy, but it is was New York and it is December. But the food was just terrible, it is a filthy little place and one to avoid. For balance: our server was okay, pleasant enough.

I tried to make a reservation by phone for 3 weeks, the phones were never answered or had a busy signal. I finally took a cab over to make a reservation in person , only to be told by door man thot they were booked. I asked him why they don’t put that on a phone message, to which he told me he neither works in IT or reservation so he can not answer me. I then asked for a manager to which I was told they do not have any. I used to love this place, but there are plenty of restaurants in NYC that don’t have rude staff

It’s unfortunately when the hospitality industry lacks hospitality. I was very excited to experience this place even though we were well aware that the food doesn’t get the best reviews. First time in the city so obviously Christmas crowds create unanticipated traffic. We had a 7:00 reservation, rushed as much as we could and made it by 7:17. They had an imaginary grace period of 10 minutes, so we missed it by 7 minutes. I say imaginary because it says it nowhere on their site, they don’t answer their phones, and when we made the reservation 3 months ago - Ofcourse it wasn’t mentioned. The big bad bouncer outside was very unforgiving, didn’t really give a crap about accommodating us. Instead of letting us, the reservation, get the next available table, they were prioritizing their line of walk ins that stretched around the corner. People spend a lot of money to come experience Ny during the holidays. Why wouldn’t a reservation, that’s been set for 3 months, get priority over some walk in that just had the idea to come in an hour ago? Must be a NY thing to be crappy towards customers that traveled a very long way for the experience. Don’t care how pretty it looked inside, I will never bother to come back to this place.

The prices were way too high for the menu items. Very expensive for German food.It was our experience to not pay as much for German food.

Incredible prices…. Chocker. Nice decorations nothing more. Check reviews before you go here….. please do that………..

My wife raved about this place and been asking to go here. I called almost everyday for 2 weeks from their 2 phone numbers they have on their website. Get there and I get the run around and wanting “$60 but $40 is fine” On top of that, you can only stay there for 1 hour and everyone must order an entree. I can see why they don’t pick up the phone. Happy Holidays Rolf’s

TERRIBLE. AVOID!!! Firstly, $24 for a vodka, outrageous! - queue outside for 30 mins past the reservation time - told we could not order 1 course had to be 2 - three in the party had the set turkey thanksgiving meal - meat was all brown, with raisins and mash? & 1 slice of white meat on top - staff were SO SO SO RUDE. Couldn’t believe it. Automatically add 20% service, when they deserved nothing. Avoid if you do not want to waste $300+ on a terrible meal & service.

Probably the worst German food I ever had. I recently dined at this restaurant, and unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. The food quality was subpar, leading to a night of indigestion and vomiting. Additionally, the service was disappointingly rude, further diminishing the overall experience. I strongly advise others to steer clear of this establishment. If you want to see it inside - go to the bar, or just stick with internet photos.

Rolf's was beyond my expectations..... excellent staff, decorations, food, drinks..... UNBELIEVABLE. I'm glad I did my homework and made reservations 3 months ahead of time !

Good luck getting a reservation. They are not on any reservation app and they do not answer the phone. Disgraceful......

DO NOT GO THEY ARE FRAUDSTERS if I could select no stars I would Hidden tips, so you tip again, rude, asked 4 times if we had finished whilst still eating. Food disgusting , tasteless and very overpriced. Told them we would only pay for food due to everything wrong . They then proceeded to shout at me in the restaurant, and once I put my pin in machine, in spite of me saying what I was wanting to pay, whucg was judt the cost of food , they then added 20% tip themselves without my permission. They stole money from us in doing this.

My boyfriend and I were in NYC for my 30th birthday and wanted to have lunch at Rolf's after seeing how great it looked on instagram. We queued up outside for an hour before opening (lots of people were there already) in the freezing cold - it was late November. When they finally opened, a doorman shouted out that they refuse entry to everyone who doesn't have photo ID on them because they serve alcohol on the premises. Being from England, we didn't have our usual driving license etc with us and had left our passports in the hotel seen as we weren't going to drink alcohol anywhere. I explained it was my birthday and point out the fact we were both clearly around 30 years old and not below 21... They didn't apologise once for the inconvenience and told us to go for lunch elsewhere. I later sent a polite and private message to their instagram DMs simply outlining what had happened (without calling them rude etc) and asked if they would consider stating their photo ID rule on their website and instagram page to save future customers this disappointment.... Well, they blocked me!! What fantastic customer service.

This decor is beautiful and Christmassy. However, it is tiny inside and very very busy. The drinks menu had no prices. Should have asked at that point but didn't and regretted it. Horrified to pay £60 for mulled wine and large beer!!! Toilet queue in the same place as waiting staff coming to and from kitchen. They were getting frustrated with us being in the way but there was nowhere else for us to go! Not a particularly clean toilet. Worth seeing but then the drinks were so expensive maybe not!!

Lovely decor .. that was the only plus. Bland food. Terrible service. Tried to take a second tip when we paid by card. Said they couldn’t accept Apple or google pay even though it worked. Wait staff were so rude to our whole table. My advice is look at the decorations through the window but don’t go in!!!

I made a reservation for Rolf's Bar and Restaurant in New York City to celebrate the holidays with my family. The reservation was made in September for Saturday December 10 at 6:00 pm for a party of four. We arrived at the restaurant on time to discover a long line. We reported to the hostess that we were here for the 6:00pm reservation and were instructed to wait on line. We waited in line for 1 hour and 15 minutes in 38 degree weather and were still unable to get our table. Frustrated, we ended up leaving and eating at another restaurant around the corner. We understand that there may be some delays but to overbook and not honor the reservation made 3 MONTHS IN ADVANCE is not acceptable.

Arrived and waited 45 mins outside in the cold, even though we had a reservation, tables too small for our party of 6, one chair was in the middle of the walkway into the kitchen and was hit every time staff past. The cutlery was dirty had to send it back, and the food was awful. Tasted like packet mashed potato and powder gravy, absolutely awful. The place is packed to the point of being uncomfortable, it must be a fire hazard, watched a kitchen porter taking the rubbish through the main walkway of the restaurant then walking back through with the bin again. Staff are rude and not interested, the host is aggressive and arrogant, the food is expensive and the to top it off they charge to a 20% service charge! Please don't go it is truly awful, spend your money on some good food with a pleasant atmosphere elsewhere.

Wow, $38 for 2x drinks , YES $38!!! 1x glass of Prosecco & 1x pint of lager. Yes it looks good & the decorations are nice for ‘Instagram’ but what a total rip off If the service was ok you could sort of understand but that was terrible as well. It was also way too overcrowded, you couldn’t even move in there. My advice AVOID

Do not give this place your hard earned money. I would give it zero stars if I could. They have gotten too big for their britches and think now that they’re IG famous, they don’t have to take care of their customers. I made a reservation back in September to come here for Christmas dinner. I came from out of town and unfortunately my transportation was late. I showed up for my reservation 9 minutes late due to unforeseen circumstances and was told our table was given away to walk-ins. I understand I was late. I take full accountability but I called and called and called to say please don’t give the table away, I’m coming, and not one person answered the phone. Another family had the same situation. A family of 5. They were 7 minutes late and they would not seat them. Two body guards that I guess are supposed to be intimidating, turned a whole family away. Isn’t that what Christmas is supposed to be about? Family. What happened to this being a family business? What happened to Christmas spirit. It’s all about money and greed. I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited to come here since SEPTEMBER and they wouldn’t make any accommodations. A flat out no. Meanwhile every other restaurant is a 15 minute grace period and will give a courtesy call. Furthermore, they had people waiting in line for reservations they could have said move to the back of the reservation line. We ended up having a nice dinner at a dim sum restaurant and we weren’t rushed and told we would have only an hour to eat. We got to enjoy each others company and celebrate what Christmas is actually about. Not just being a instagram scam. Support local NYC businesses that care about families and the actual spirit of Christmas. Not just a money making scheme.

Absoultly awful, disgusting, avoid!!!!!!! bad food overrpiced rude service - my oh my was gary eats right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do not go to this place. Although it may seem pretty, the staff is extremely cocky, scummy, and try to scam you. The bar staff can’t properly run a bar and over charge everyone’s card, including a gratuity they don’t deserve or tell you about so you are double tipping them. They play dumb when you ask for a refund after double charging your card, and as a bartender myself, you simply hit refund on the POS system. I was told they had to call a company for 30 minutes which is an absolute lie and when called out on it, the problem was “magically fixed.” But looking at my bank account the next morning, they charged my card again while doing the refund. They try to play it off that you are getting a free round, when in reality you clearly paid 3 times for 1 drink. The city is a beautiful place, and as a local I know this may seem great for the holidays, but please do yourself a favor and go anywhere else. After this horrible experience, we went next door to Molly’s Irish Pub who was very sweet, accommodating, and empathetic about my nasty experience at Rolf’s. Merry Christmas, but nothing is merry about Rolf’s.

The food is below average, schnitzel was not properly cooked as a schnitzel but rather like a steak, different kinds of meat in the portion of Rahm schnitzel, which all of us ordered. The waiters were unfriendly and not eager to serve. The whole experience is only a waste of money.

If I could give 0 stars I would. Rang around 3 months ago to make the reservation it had been on my list of things to do for a while and we had really been looking forward to it. Our first day in NYC today we made our way over and queued for a short while in the rain, on entering we were very rudely told we did not have a reservation and were immediately made to leave, they would not even look to see if had been mistakenly put on another date or time tbh if they did I wouldn’t have gone back. Absolutely shocking customer service!!

Beautiful decorations. Menu was exciting- below average quality food (canned applesauce !!) terrible serrvice

I make this short ! Decor ...: definitely unique Food: a poor excuse for “German” food! Service: uninspired! Wine list: very poor.. only offer one German wine! Totally overrated and overpriced this is a never return for me!

Very disappointed with the food and the service I should have listened to the negative reviews If necessary, go there for a drink and see the decor... why not Otherwise unpleasant waiters and very expensive and really not good dishes.... to avoid

It’s a trap! Please do yourself a favor and don’t go here. We ordered two mulled wine and we had to pay 62 dollars! Absolutely insane and it makes me so mad. They don’t show any prices untill you get your bill

This place is unbelievable. Do your homework and book early for December reservations. Keep calling - someone will answer. After all of the negative reviews, I wasn't really sure what to expect and warned my husband, but it was an amazing experience. We had great service from the doorman to the host and a great server, Matthew! The food was just ok, but the drinks were great. You just can't beat the atmosphere. It's worth every penny. We have places in the city we live in that decorate for Christmas and it costs $75 PER PERSON to get in, there's a dress code AND you pay just as much for dinner and drinks on top of that $75 pp and it's definitely not NYC. I've read where they add gratuity, but that didn't happen with us. We also received an itemized bill, all billed correctly. I loved it. It's a must-do for NYC at Christmas time!

Very nice place but it’s a clip joint.$99 for 3 drinks 1 beer a Martini and a holiday drink. Wouldn’t play that at the Plaza.

This place is a scam. The menu has no prices. We ordered a beer and a cocktail and got a check for $66. We expected prices to be higher than average but this is ridiculous. They also don’t give you an itemised check so you have no idea what they’ve included.

The only reason to go here is for the decorations, and maybe a drink (though they’re crazy expensive, even by NYC standards). The food was terrible and the service was worse. Our waiter came to our table ONCE to ask “everything good?” and then literally turned on his heels and walked away before we could answer. They definitely don’t care. The poor service really wasn’t even the problem for us…the food truly is not good. Each person in your party is required to order an entree, which are very expensive, and they’re low quality and bad tasting. I wish we would have heeded others’ warnings and gone somewhere else. Oscar Wilde’s decorations were just as good (arguably better, even), and they have decent food.

I have never been unlucky enough to have to wait outside for over an hour despite a reservation…and only to be served complete MUCK when eventually we were seated. Despite the Christmas decorations which were lovely , it was overpriced & horrendous food. Rude staff as well. The eggnog drink was nice but after on hour in the cold waiting, I would have drank anything.

I was late for my 330 reservations by 15 minutes they gave my table away and gave me the bar option. Ordered a crown and a Casamigos, which they didn’t have. I left for Molly‘s down the street and they were much more accommodating. Oscar Wilde has the same concept with better drinks. Don’t waste your time here.

Avoid this place, the staff are miserable. It’s over rated. Looks better on photos than in real life. Drinks are $30 each! Lots of better Christmas bars to visit.

This restaurant is incredible, famous for the Christmas decorations installed all year round. To tell the truth, they are so crowded that they gave me a bit of anxiety, including the very narrow space between one table and another, but it should be tried at least once in your life! The food is anonymous, vaguely reminiscent (in name only) of Tyrolean dishes, but it fits. New York prices, obviously.

The prices are outrageous service is terrible and food horrible. I don’t care that the place is decorated for Christmas with half the lights out. The food was so overpriced and the drink prices even worse. Do not get ripped off here!

My husband and i were humiliated in this place! We waited outside in the line over 30 min in a -1 degree, we got 3 drinks that was over $120( also they hide the gratuity and don't give u a receipt even if u ask for it, i'm pretty sure i leave much extra tip the server refuse to gave me a receipt of my bill) after we finished our drinks( not even 30min total) we desire to take some pictures of the decoration after 3 pictures my husband and i was stoped by the doorman(host) and was asked to leave the restaurant in a very rude way without reason he started treat us like we was criminals we got shocked and asked him multiple times why he was treating us like that (for what reason?) and he just keep yelling us "u got leave now" "u got leave now" and escorted us to the exit. We should have called the police but we decided to just leave without ruining our vacation. This is the worst place to visit in NY! We are in shock we used to visit fine places in the world and was never treated at least close to it. We give respect to get it back especially after spending this much money in less than 30 min for only 3 drinks. Most expensive drinks in the world to be treat like a criminal for NOT REASON!

Very nice and creative decor but definitely not worth the visit because of that. The bar was overly crowded and the door man just kept letting people in (probably orders from management). The drinks were super overpriced!! I would never imagine that an apple cider would cost $31 plus tip at an uncomfortable and warm bar. But it did. It was my big mistake not asking for the price and just leaving the place. The drink menu didn’t have the prices on it.

Great ambiente / very well decorated but the food is extremely overpriced and very poor quality, and they are rushing you and you feel that you have to leave the moment you sit down - we gave back more than half of the food because of the quality

Absolutely the worst service I have experienced in my life. We were seated an hour later than our reservation time. Ok, it happens. When seated, we were told that each person has to order a main dish. Ok, fine. An hour into our meal we were told by multiple waiters that we had 8 minutes to empty the table. When we complained that we hadn’t even finished our main course, never mind order desserts, they said “it’s not our problem you eat slow.” The manager even precharged us a 20% tip knowing we would leave a small tip. Absolute disgrace to the city of New York that this restaurant is allowed to remain in business. I encourage all prospective diners to read customer reviews before visiting.

The decorations in this tiny place are AMAZING...really puts you in the Holiday spirit. A drink at the bar would have been sufficient. The food was terrible. The duck was old and reheated. The chicken spitzel was so bland...the spatzel noodles were shells, still hard and also reheated. It's a place for atmosphere...not dining.

Very disappointed with this restaurant. Spent over £10 ringing the restaurant prior to my trip to make a reservation, to be told they do not accept reservations and to walk in on the day. On the day we arrived at the restaurant and the queue went back miles, we were happy to wait until we were told you were only able to go in for 1 drink, and you were not able to have dinner unless you made a reservation!!! Be warned!!

This was one of the worst experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. Our reservation was for 5:30 and we got on the line at 5. That’s right, a line for reservations. We were told to come back in 20 minutes because they were still seating 5 pm reservations. So we do that. The same guy comes out at 5:40 and says we will be seated shortly. We are seated at 5:45 in a very crowded booth. A server drops bread at our table and we ask him what type of bread in particular on of them is and he rudely replies that he doesn’t know, it’s just bread. They never ask if our glasses need refills. After our food comes they are constantly passing by our table to remove plates. Before we are finished eating! Meanwhile, the outside line checker guy walks past our table twice, judging our progress so he can add another. We are offered desert, which we ordered. At 7 pm we are stroll working on the cake and another very rude man tells us he needs the table. We literally have forks in the Apple strudel still eating. We were there barely an hour. As we are leaving, there are no room to put our coats on so we move toward the front of the restaurant and outside. We move to the side because it is pouring rain in December. The very rude security at the door told us to move. We were blocking his bar line, which was empty at the time. Overall a horrible experience. I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone.

Terrible experience. Impossible to verify reservation via phone ahead of time. Food mediocre at best. Service rushed and brusque. Asked to leave for next reservation after 80 minutes. Mandatory 20% tip totally undeserved.

Charged us more then 70 dollar for 2 beers and a warm wine. Nice decoration, but definitely not worth it!! It’s a scam, don’t go…

Worst customer service that I have seen in my life- extremely rude, unprofessional I never had such bad experience in my life

This was a must stop once bar for us on our Christmastime trip to the city. The decor did not disappoint and it was beautiful. We did have a wait to get in, but it moved fairly quickly. If only getting drinks, it was packed like sardines, seriously couldn't move, bumped into, no bar seating. Also be aware drinks are $$. But it was a fun experience and I would recommend to go at least once for one drink.

Standing room only. Literally they tell you where you can stand. You can’t move it’s so crowded. Drinks WAY overpriced!!!! Double $$$$ what you pay anywhere else! Not enjoyable. Decorations beautiful and creepy with dolls!

We went here as it was in the run up to Christmas and had heard about the decorations so thought it would be good for a drink. The decorations are great and it is like an over the top Grotto - they are definitely worth seeing. The drink options are limited but are MASSIVELY overpriced. One cocktail and stein was over $50. There was a large queue to get in - it is only a small bar area and was very crowded - but we were in within 20 minutes although the security grunted it would be 90 minute minimum wait. The cost of the drinks certainly takes this score down, but if you want some nice pics and are happy to pay for expensive drinks then it is worth a visit.

Doorman (security guard) intimidating customers,extremely rude service, terrible terrible food (what tasted like instant mash potato), even with all the christmas decorations there was no happy holiday vibe. Customers look miserable (i could even here the table next to me complaining).....ohh and the tables are pretty much on top of each other.

I know people come here for the Christmas decorations which seem like they are up all year and it is definitely cute inside but the food and the price for that food is certainly not worth that atmosphere. The menu was extremely overpriced and the food was sort of tasteless. I had read other reviews that the staff was not very attentive I did not find that to be the case. I thought the staff was very nice it is just wildly overpriced and I could get a better meal at a diner.

We waited in a line for about 50 mins meanwhile we had a reservation? Very crowded but cool inside. Food was ok not the best and not the worst. DEFINITELY was NOT worth the money we paid for it. Service was normal and did well considering every table was filled to the max. Soda was flat and costed $6 per and NO REFILLS. What the heck? Also the bathroom was disgusting and dirty!!!!

Service was horrible. Staff were bickering constantly. Meals were ok but not worth $45 a plate. Fire hazard for sure. I’m surprised this is still around.

Avoid !!! Food is awful undercooked and overpriced , staff are extremely rude and creepy ! Even when you have booked a certain time months in advance it’s is not guaranteed you will be seated at this time ,you will perhaps be allowed in to the bar area at the time you booked ,squashed like sardines and forced into buying drinks which is not enjoyable as you can’t move or sit down , definitely not suitable with young kids ! They do not take Apple Pay so please carry cash like it’s 1999 ESPECIALLY IF TOURIST… When I suggested they should maybe explain this when customers enter to avoid this drama when paying to the waiter he was extremely rude and raised his voice to me ( quoting) …this is not the law I do not need to explain anything to you mam ! My husband had to get a taxi, Up town to our hotel as myself and son were held captive until he returned with a card . As a tourist in NYC our Apple Pay has worked perfectly fine in every shop and restaurant so I’m finding it difficult to see how we are the problem ! ( perhaps update your medieval WiF for starters ) I haven’t seen one sign saying theres a chance if you’re a tourist and not from the USA your Apple Pay won’t work . These things can happen , but what I will not tolerate is rude creepy staff who’s stare and giggle ,especially at these scandalous prices for terrible food and service! AVOID AVOID AVOID!!

Bouncer is a power hungry, tough guy. Don’t go. Waited on line in cold and then denied entry. Terrible

My husband and I went for lunch. We shared the potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce. This was the best part of our meal. The pancakes were huge, filling and a little plain. We then split a ❖ Jaeger Schnitzel, in Paprika Mushroom Sauce, Vegetable & Spätzle which is a boneless pork chop sliced thin, fried and then added to a sauce that tasted like Heinz 57 sauce mixed with ketchup served green beans and spatzle which tasted like plain dumplings. The apple crepe was a flat crepe with pieces of diced apple. Overall, everything was really plain and boring. Nothing that I would ever want to eat again :( The cost for this and one beer was $90.00. I wish we had just had a drink at the bar....

Tourist trap, horrible, bland food. Boiled vegetables, not seasoned and super expensive, super crowded. Beware!

Rolf’s throws up Christmas ornaments to create a spectacle and then is in no way shape or form prepared to manage the circus they create. The “bouncer” has obvious emotional issues and has no business interacting with people, especially a Christmas themed restaurant. Weird food, disgusting employees and not worth a second of your time.

I was really looking forward to this restaurant. How I wish we didn’t bother going. The food was great, wasn’t hot. The drinks were an absolute rip off. 2 glasses of Gluhwein (Mulled Wine) they were half full and they cost $52 for 2 drinks. The restaurant is small and tables are squeezed in. No good if you are a wheelchair user.

After we saw beautiful design we decided to see it at january 1th. Hostes guy at the entrance said that we can seat if each of us consume full meal or two appetizer per person. Since we walk a long way we agreed. We ordered twlo main courses and 2 glass of wine/ per person. While we were about to finish the first glass and just about to finish our (not the best meal )they dropped a check ,( without asking for it ) after 10 min paying waiter asked for leaving because they had kind a reservation.We said ok. After 15 min the hostes came and rush us out,we said we need 5 more min because we had still half of drinks for what his reaction was so aggressive and impolite ! By the way they charged 72$ for 4 glass of cabernet sauvignon ( never saw a bottle)! Never the less,the restrume is disaster full of garbage ,tualet paper everywhere,broken locker on the doors ,broken soap and dirt! Do not recommending this place !

I went there one evening in early December, around 7 p.m. If I put 2, it’s for the quality of my eggnog. Very good, it's true. For the rest, ZERO POINT. Already, the bouncer at the entrance doesn't bother to respond to greetings. Besides, knowing that there is a bouncer puts you in an oppressive atmosphere. I would add that it is clearly displayed at the entrance “1 drink per person minimum”. You come in, you drink, or you stay out. Don’t expect to get in just for a photo… The decor… let’s talk about the decor! Too much, too much, too much…. The ceiling is low, the opulent plastic Christmas decoration almost touches our heads. There are such a world out there that no security check worth its salt would accept this. Too dangerous ! I don't understand why this is tolerated! In the event of a false alarm, and a crowd movement, given the mass of plastic hanging from the ceiling, we are in the middle of a remake of the “charity bazaar” in Paris. There would be people crushed to death. So many people that we couldn't even get to the bar... Absolutely no price is displayed on the mini cards which we can barely collect. When I finally managed to slip past the bar, an unfriendly bartender took my order. He comes back to me, hands me my glasses and just says “60”. There was so much hubbub that I had a hard time understanding that the price was indeed $60 for 2 eggnogs!!!! No indication of tips, the server has probably already chosen them himself. Since the cocktail is normally around $20, I'll let you calculate the tips: 50%!! Yes !!! 50% for the right to quickly drink our cocktails squeezed in a corner, standing, not even near the bar, along a wall, with people constantly jostling us. This establishment owes its success only to its extravagant decoration, Honestly, don't go there, at the risk of being robbed/scammed.

The waiters were very rude and kept pressuring us to order more items we didn’t want. There were no prices listed on the drink menu, which felt dishonest and misleading. It seemed like they were trying to overcharge us. I also didn’t see the owner and manager was very rude too ,so there was no one to complain to. Overall, a very uncomfortable experience

Below average food. The sides had no flavor. The sauce saved the meat. Below average service. Rude and rushed service. Extremely overpriced.

Beware - if you do not have a reservation kids are not allowed because the walk in line is only for the bar so no one under 21. Thankfully someone told us after 30 minutes of waiting so we didn’t stay until we got to the front!

This German bar and restaurant in Gramercy is decked out in colorful lights, wreaths, ornaments, and dolls year-round. Combines traditional German food and beer with a healthy serving of kitsch. The decorations, especially during Christmas season, are what draws the crowds to the small eatery. With a wide range of German dishes, especially meats and sausages, while an array of faux medieval paintings peaks out behind obsessively entwined oak branches. The food itself is plain, the sauce gelatinous and tasteless, the cabbage very sweet. It’s edible but that is about it. After wolfing half the meal, I put my fork down to take a sip of my drink and the busboy is trying to clear my plate! We have been seated for a whole 15 minutes. Oh, you can skip the Eggnog drinks and save yourself a $20+ for some plain eggnog with a splash of fireball The mulled wine was a joke at $13 a glass, the $4 soda for each glass (no refills) was mostly ice and was flat. This place is proof that tourist traps are alive and well in Gramercy!

This restaurant is crazy about Christmas decorations all year round. The cuisine would like to be South Tyrolean, I would say anonymous. It's worth going there once for the atmosphere.

Had to go here to check out the Christmas decorations. As promised, they were pretty fantastic. Went for lunch - it was not busy, so we had the full attention of the waiter. My meal (pork and a “ potato cake”) looked like a TV dinner, and tasted average. There was a lot of food however. Others tried the potato pancakes, and found them inedible. The side dish of beets seemed to be out of a can, also not very satisfying. This would be a lot of fun during the Christmas season, I’m sure. As others have said, you can save some money and get a drink at the bar. If you are not looking for gourmet food, and don’t mind the high prices, by all means stay to eat.

If I could give this so-called restaurant zero stars I would. I try to be extremely courteous to all those in the service and hospitality industry however, this place makes you second guess the golden rule. Of course, the ambiance of Christmas decor is absolutely stunning and instagram worthy BUT from the moment my mother and I walked through the door we were not wanted there. As soon as we walked in the door it was as if we were in an episode of the Twilight Zone, we were immediately asked if we had reservations when all but 2 tables/booths were available. When I said 'no we don't have a reservation' they looked at as us as if we were beneath them and then sat us at a table right next to the entrance and hostess podium. I will admit I don't eat German food and I saw they had a Cheeseburger so I had my eye on that and maybe a fun holiday cocktail. My mother and I both order alcoholic beverages and then my mother ordered spatzle as a side since we had a big breakfast and I attempted to order the cheeseburger in which I was immediately told they were out of burgers... what?! I was then told about their "policy" that is not stated anywhere on their menu or website that you are required to order a main course/entree. I've been to places like that before but it is all told to you ahead of time. The server was extremely rude to us when explaining the said "policy" - at that moment we should have paid for a drinks and walked out but we decided to stay and try the food. BIG MISTAKE! Although the portions are huge the food has zero taste and EXTREMELY overpriced. Both my mother and I only took a handful of bites and when the bus boy came to take our plates you could he was shocked we barely ate anything. Then our bill came.... $110.94. 1 beer, 1 holiday cocktail, 1 diet coke and 2 entrees. What I have taken away from this is that I pretty much paid $110.00 to take a photo with some Christmas decorations. If you go, just go sit at the bar and pay for some overpriced drinks and take some pictures besides that this place is not worth ANYONES time.

Looked like a neat “to-do” activity while in the city for a couple days. Glad we did it- met some interesting and nice folks. Nursed a couple ridiculously priced drinks and soaked up the atmosphere which was genuinely enjoyable even though the joint was packed. Service sucked- seriously you couldn’t put 4-5 bartenders in there? They automatically add a very generous tip to the already over-priced drink- but we knew that going in and now- SO DO YOU. Do it once- take lots of pictures. Make a good memory and don’t look back!

We had a really enjoyable evening here. As long as you understand you are going for the Christmas vibes and not the food you’ll be alright. Slightly rushed but with the sheer number of people trying to get in you can understand why. The decorations are amazing and the vibe in the place is really buzzing. Food is standard German Cuisine and was nice enough. Drinks are outrageously expensive and take the Micky a bit as prices aren’t advertised. As a Christmas experience it was definitely worth it.

This was horrible. People there was so rude , We had a reservation for 7 and 2 could eat the food so just wanted drinks but they wouldn’t let them in. The salmon was dry and the rice was yuck. We had a coke and sprite they were very flat. Sorry to say this dont normally say this but we spent $370 on four meals and drink and wasn’t even good.

We had a great time at Rolf’s. Yes, it crammed and expensive BUT the food, drink, and service, and Christmas decorations were specular. There were 6 of us and we each loved our apps and meals. Steve our server was informative, attentive and friendly. We were a little rushed with the time limit on the table but given the season we understand. Overall, we enjoyed our time and would visit again.

I came here last year and it did not disappoint. This year will be the final time I ever spend a penny on this place. The only pro I have for this place is you can take some amazing photos in here. The lights really are quite gorgeous. Cons: yes, I was fully aware it’s a tourist attraction but you don’t have to be down right rude. With your reservation you are allotted 90 minutes per table. They sat us over 30 minutes late and did not adjust our time limit. They were taking away plates of food we were still working on without even asking. They have every square inch of this place taken up with tables that we had to get up from our seats so other people could get by. He put our check down and tried to pick up 3 times in under 2 minutes. We hadn’t even been able to get to our purse yet. After we paid we were finishing up our drinks but he stood directly over our shoulder waiting to see what we put down for a tip. He would not leave and just stared us down. He finally got sat at another table and stepped away for a minute and we were able to fill the receipt out. As we were walking across the street leaving I looked back and saw him at the door with the receipt in his hand because I guess he didn’t like what he got. For 3 entrees and 5 alcohol drinks, our bill was $330 ($20 glass of wine, $30 cocktails). I have no problem with expensive meals, but if you are going to charge that much the service should be matching. You are better waiting in the line for a bar spot, snap a picture and go. But even then, I wouldn’t recommend stepping foot in here.

The decor here is nice, don’t get me wrong. But, the food here is extremely overpriced. The food is subpar for NYC and the line is crazy. They should do drinks only with that decor - those were good. The booths are much too tight, and tall people will struggle to enjoy the experience.

We ordered 2 Merry Christmas Martini’s, the barman disappeared with our credit card for 5 mins, when the bill arrived we were charged $62 plus tip. The most expensive drinks I have ever bought. In my opinion it’s not worth the hype. The bar men should tell you how much you are being charged before they take your credit card.

I can't speak to the quality of the food, as we only had drinks. Arrived at about 12:45 on the Friday before Christmas and there was already a sizable line. We waited about 45 minutes, which wasn't horrendous, all things considered. The bar was packed full but fortunately another couple was leaving and we bellied up to their spot at the bar, which made it much easier to get drinks than having to burrow through the crowds. We found the bartenders to be friendly when they had a second of downtime to chat. They told us it was "quiet" when we were there, but I can't fathom how they could fit any more people in that space. The drinks were pricy, yes, but aren't all drinks in NYC? Comparable to Bar Sixty-Five prices, or anywhere where you're paying for the atmosphere as much as the food/drink itself. They were strong and tasty, if not overly creative. The decor is something to behold. I felt like I was in a snowglobe. But, if you're not coming here for the atmosphere like I was then I would say it's not worth it.

Horrible food , rude manager and staff , overpriced and too crowded , everyone was jammed in and you could not move , made it very unpleasant .

Rolf’s is a great local New York City bar and restaurant. Especially during this time of year. My friends and I had a great time drinking the Pumpkin Martinis and Dunkel beer on draft. We had the sausage platter, Paprika Schnitzel, and Chicken Schnitzel and the apple crepe. The server was friendly and helped us with the menu. Definitely a fun atmosphere and a fun place to visit.

After reading reviews, We were expecting the worst. We did have to wait on a line before we were allowed in for our reservation. Once inside we were pleasantly surprised. We found our server to be delightful and our food was very good. I had the chicken schnitzel and it was juicy and delicious. It was a pricey meal, with pricey drinks. Go in knowing what to expect. It started off our holiday day in NYC nicely. Would I do it again? Probably not, but only because of the cost. Each person must have an entree. Plan on 100 per head.

I won't rehash all of the true stories about the lines, rude service and holiday decor. Let's get to the food. I ordered smoked sausage with spaetzle. First the food was essentially just dumped onto our table. The 2 words that best describe the food are bland and microwaved. Sausage I can get better flavor from a street vendor. Spaetzle completely tasteless. Gravy tasted like it came out of a can. My daughter ordered a Wiener Schnitzel--it was essentially shoe leather-90% breading and again tasteless.My wife ordered beef stew--looked like they opened a can and just dumped it int a bowl and stuck it in the microwave. We were picturing a kitchen with huge piles of pre-made food and just heat and serve---just awful. If you want to wait outside in the cold for an hour go on the bar line--have a few drinks-and eat elsewhere. If you want great German food head to Heidelberg on the upper east side. We are locals--can't believe we fell for this scam.

Worst Bar Ever.. Outdated everything. OWNER Clueless. Mike is the only good thing about the place. TV's small and not clear. Other bartenders should be fired for over serving. Shocked no one got killed with how many drunk people leave there. Best thing would be for the place to be leveled and have a real owner build a real bar.

Be aware. Scam. No prices on bar menu for most expensive items. 1 warm wine = $25. Staff is beyond rude focusing on cashing in on the Christmas decoration rather than providing a professional customer experience. It’s not an original German restaurant either. Not run by Germans or someone who understands the local cuisine; turning German food classics into stale fakes. If you look for a real experience go to Mollys next door who’s staff have a warm heart and original cuisine. They keep what this place promises. Never again.

Coming to Rolfs is a great experience around Christmas time, the decorations are truly amazing. However, if you plan on coming to Rolfs for food I’d have to say, skip. It is over priced for the subpar food you receive. The drinks are worth though, I suggest sitting at the bar.

Hello, I wanted to reach out to share how disappointed I was with my recent visit to Rolf’s. This restaurant has been on my bucket list for years, so I was really looking forward to the experience. I visited with my husband on Wednesday night—our first date night in six months—and unfortunately, it fell short. We were standing in the bar area, where the bartenders created an awkward and unwelcoming environment. They appeared to be whispering and talking amongst themselves about customers throughout the evening. At one point, I even noticed them talking about a young woman who was there with her mother, which was very uncomfortable to witness. Additionally, one of the bartenders approached my husband in a rude and aggressive manner, asking that we make room for others to order. We absolutely did not mind people reaching over us or stepping in front of us to get drinks, so the interaction felt unnecessary and disrespectful. I wanted to bring this to your attention because your restaurant is on many visitors’ Christmas bucket lists. We traveled two hours to visit, and it was disappointing for our experience—and potentially others’—to be negatively impacted by poor customer service. The drinks were delicious, and I do want to acknowledge that. However, the overall service overshadowed what should have been a special evening. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Save yourself the disappointment and skip the line at Rolfs. This place is an absolute joke—overpriced and underwhelming. Two eggnogs and a Diet Coke cost a staggering $70! The lack of prices on the drinks menu is perplexing; it feels like they make up the prices on the spot. Drinks are served in simple glasses, a missed opportunity for a German restaurant not using beer steins. The cramped space is ridiculous—you can't even swing a cat. The German vibe is mostly absent, aside from a few dishes with German names. Don't waste your time and money here.

Reservation time is meaningless. You'll still be forced to cram into the bar area for an undetermined length of time (probably so you'll buy their $30 drinks). Finally left after about half an hour with no end to the wait in sight. There are a lot of places to see obnoxious Christmas decorations in NYC...pick one of those.

We went to Rolfs for a drink 4 days before Thanksgiving. The drinks menu didn’t have any prices on it. We ordered one large beer although it wasn’t explained it was a litre and a hot cider. The cost was $65. We quizzed the barman why it was so expensive and he told us the prices had gone up for the holiday period. Seriously? Shame on you Rolfs

When I go out I want something more than I can make at home. Got the paprika schnitzel, looked just like my friend’s jagërschnitzel except theirs had mushrooms, mine seemed like they left the paprika out. Breading was nice, pork was ok, tbh I can pound a chop flat, bread it, and fry it for way less than $35. At least the spatzel was good with a nice, firm texture. Service was abysmal, only 2 other groups in restaurant but every phase of service took forever. Had to ask for check after waiting 20m. Bill seemed really expensive for what I got, $75 total for an entrée, 2 beers, tax and 15% tip (generous considering the service)

Called in late for a Christmas final celebration drink before heading home. The restaurant was packed, unbelievable Christmas decorations dazzled the ceiling. Something to see! Yes, the drinks are expensive but guess what, it's Christmas in NYC....

Worst first impression and unfortunately last. First of all, do not bother calling anytime in November (forget December) both numbers are off the hook. Secondly, I visited NYC from CT with intentions to make reservations at Rolf’s in person. With only 5 people waiting on line at 3:45 pm on Thursday 12/28/23, I was trying to to enter the restaurant. A husky guy with a black hat and jacket who worked at Rolf’s approached me at the door and told me he would not let me into the restaurant and told me to come back AFTER January 1, 2024 (3 days!!). I told him I just wanted to make a future reservation. He said no. Then I told him it was for my husband’s birthday and I just wanted to go inside and make a reservation. He said no. Without being defeated (I thought) again, I insisted and told him I came all the way from Connecticut just to make a reservation even if it would be in February, that I wanted to make a reservation in person. He said sorry and shrugged his shoulders, oh well. Oh well? Really? I was so surprised by his responses and could not believe that I could not make a future reservation in person? How can this be? How could he turn away a potential future patron so easily and without recourse? Unbelievable!

I expected better. The food was good, but not very good or outstanding, just average. The exception being the potato pancakes ($24) which were excellent. I had Jaeger Schnitzel in paprika mushroom sauce ($39) and it was dull. The service was weak, not bad, but not up to what you'd expect from a restaurant of this fame. I'm glad we went, but once was enough.

Waited 45 minutes for our 6:30 reservation. It was freezing outside and they do not have overhead heaters. The restaurant is so crowded you can hardly move.The decorations are extraordinary which will amuse your kids but don't do much for me. The food is actually tasty and very much like Swabbian cuisine we've had in Germany.

Had a reservation but still waited outside for over an hour, Horrible service with rude waiters and telling my children to not lean against the building as they were tired and freezing, As soon as we got in two drinks cost 60$ Food was a massive disappointment and overly priced. Waiter Got very angry with me for refusing to tip.

Even when booking a reservation 6 months in advance, you still have to wait in a line outside in the cold for about 30 minutes after that time. There’s a bouncer ant the door and someone checking you in, who has no idea when you’ll be seated. It’s crowded, loud, and the service and food are bad. The drinks are expensive and small. The servers are unknowledgeable and don’t care about the customer. The decorations are cool, that’s it. Don’t waste your time, and definitely don’t go more than once.

Terrible restaurant where all they want is your money. None of the drink menus have prices. We ordered 2 egg nogs, once the barman placed them in front of us, he smirked and said ‘That will be $60!!’ , $30 a drink! Completely unacceptable and daylight robbery.

The guy at the door was EXTREMELY rude!!! I came there with my husband and a 4 year old daughter. I just wanted her to see the decorations. He was very rude from the beginning saying-move away etc. I asked him if I could just get inside for a minute to show her the inside and he said no (not in a nice way). Then I asked him to call a manager to which he said NO! I asked again and he said no. I said I would like to go inside yo the bar by myself and he blocked the door and said NO!! I said I would call the police to which he said that actually he would call the police because I was harassing him???? The worst experience ever!!! I would never go or recommend that ugly unfriendly place!!!! The guy must be fired!!

Do yourself a favor... Go for an (overpriced) glass of house wine at the bar, take your photos and leave :) There is nothing really to write about here- the waiters were incredibly rude (even though the place was empty on a Tuesday night...) the drinks were so sad and the food was horrific. We ordered the potato pancakes and they had ZERO flavor, and worse yet, were served with jarred apple sauce- the kind you got with lunch in 1st grade. NOTE- if you want to go while the decorations are up, make a reservation NOW as if you don't you'll wait in line for hours and be SO disappointed when you do....

We have seen this advertised and it looked like a cool place, the decorations are beautiful but if you buy a vodka at the bar it’s $30 at the table $26 the food was blanned and expensive the server was extremely rude been to nicer Xmas decorated places give it a miss

Son i would love to make reservations on 1 of the two phone numbers they have listed but its days of busy signals... They state you must make a reservation to eat there....well we are at a crossroads arent we?? Please if you are reading this... open your phone lines! If not, take down the number for foodness sakes! Thanks!

Criminals, this place stole addtional money they decided to add to the already high bill. The food was average at best. They leave the price off the cocktail menu so the $27 mulled wine is a surprise for you at the end. You are cramed in like sadines with nowhere to put your bags or a coat. I would honestly go anywhere else.

Standard German food, beers and desserts. Three couples went to celebrate a birthday event. Decor is pleasant but very overdone. Food is very good but not memorable. Hold on to your wallet because everything from appetizers to desserts are OVERPRICED. If you go, don’t plan on having a leisurely meal. They only give you 90 minutes for a seating.

The food is just barely edible. Don’t go for the food. The prices are way too high. Like double. After paying, you’ll feel foolish. The decorations are not as nice as in the pics, and anything unique is obscured by the monotony. The server will give you your check after an hour. Even if you’re still eating. You’ll be told that “you have to leave.” Feels abusive. Don’t support these guys with your time, money and goodwill. It will not be reciprocated. Thousands of better restaurants and holiday experiences in NYC.

Expensive, disappointing, not German tasting at all, rude staff, overrated, ok decoration but not even worth going for that!

The design of the place is original, but the food and especially service is beyond awful. They don’t provide a menu of prices so at the end charge whatever they want. (160$ for 6 shots!) and tell you that you should have asked for the price before ordering and they don’t have a menu and can charge whatever they want. Super rude service. Disgusting sausages, bad food. Everyone is Bangladeshi and there’s nothing German about the place. Be very careful. The place is a total scam.

Went to Rolfs around Christmas time (November) so as expected it was quite crowded ..so crowded we couldn’t get a drink. So while I can’t comment on the food or drink, the atmosphere was amazing! So tacky yet elegant -the decor was amazing to look at, unlike anywhere else I’ve been. Definitely an interesting stop to make on any trip!

The food was meh? Packed us in like sardines. Waiters couldn’t hardly get to tables. I would definitely skip. Ambiance is not worth it.

We went here after family recommendations but soon felt very uncomfortable by the bar staff. We entered the bar with excitement but left feeling really down. It's clear they dont want you just going in for drinks, so they make you feel unwelcome. At one point I asked where the rest room was and was ignored at first, on entering the ladies restroom I found it, dark, dingy and dirty, makes you wonder what the kitchen is like! Another couple of ladies at the bar asked for the wi fi code but the bar man would not let them have it, they wanted to find their way back to their hotel, I found this unacceptable and down right nasty. The place is grubby from the outside. The drinks were extortionate, a b?Beer and a glass of Prosecco came to over £32 we paid a lot less for much better bars in NYC, we would not go here ever again or recommend it. There is a lovely Irish Bar literally 4 minutes walk away with hundreds of christmas lights inside, this is the better place to visit. My motto is "if you don't like your job then change it" why make happy holiday makers visit unpleasant with their umhospitable manner!!

We visited this just after Christmas as we hear the decorations were great. They were indeed quite something. Unfortunately it was booked up since September so we queued for 15 minutes for a drink in the bar. There were no prices displayed and we ordered two mulled wines and one egg nog. The queried the bill when it arrived because I saw they had charged$ 92.40 and then expected a tip. No price breakdown on the bill, just a total. Total waste of money. Don't go near the place.

I honestly was so excited to visit Rolf’s German Restaurant from London. My husband and I were visiting NYC for two weeks for our belated honeymoon (delayed due to covid) and this was one definite restaurant we had pinned on our itinerary to add not just for festive cheer but to celebrate our honeymoon. Our air B&B host kindly did a reservation for us and we were so excited. And what a letdown it was. My first gripe comes from being seated in a squished up table against the railing next to a busy and noisy bar and just directly in front of the bus boy’s desk. The staff kept barging me as they walked by, even though it’s cramped there was still ample space to get by without barging me or at least have the decency to apologise; not once did they say sorry, however. Secondly, the bratwurst was abysmal. I’ve had better bratwurst at a fraction of the cost at winter markets in London compared. It was so bland and not worth the price. The cocktails were ok but they sneakily hide the cost on the menu so I took it on myself to ask how much they were before ordering so we didn’t have a nasty surprise. They were $26 per drink. Some have mentioned on here they charged $40 per drink, not sure if it’s because I safely asked beforehand or they charge more for people at the bar. Thirdly, we waited about 20-30 mins to get served while others who arrived after us got served before us. Not to mention having to ask three different people to bag up our food to leave and chasing again for the bill. It was ridiculous. At one point I complained to the manager whose picture is attached. His excuse for me being barged and the slow service before others was due to how busy it was which makes no sense especially when it took four of the servers to set one small table up. They spent most of their time dawdling up and down the aisle aimlessly rather than helping people….busy sure, more like shocking and lazy service. One of the servers was quick to come to our table when we looked like we’d finished as it seems the culture here is more the focus of packing as many people in like sardines for money, instead of level of service and quality of food. We were in fact just waiting for our food to be packed at that point, which we asked him to do, to which he just stood there and starred at us then walked away. At this point I felt frustrated and close to tears. The manager gruffly said “well, what do you want me to do?” Awful man. Even without being a manager before, I would have apologised and offered a free drink or dessert to help try and save our evening and our memory of the night, but no. I had to make a suggestion that I refuse to pay for the tip, we paid for the food and drink but I refused to pay for such a lack of and shocking service to which he at least agreed. Even without the tip, two drinks, and two bland bratwurst with dire mashed potato and sauerkraut which looked like it came from a can came to just over £100 (conversion). FYI I’m always happy to tip if the service is good or at least standard, but the staff here just do not care about their patrons at all. Probably our worst memory of our trip and honeymoon. Only saved by visiting the Xmas lights around the quiet Manhattan streets afterwards. My advice is to always check reviews, wish I did beforehand. Avoid this place like the plague and see the beautiful lights and decor around the city instead and save yourself the money and grief.

The reviews that have been posted before mine, should say it all - but in case anyone isn't clear - THIS IS THE WORST EXPERIENCE ever...... Highly expensive, rude staff and an overall incredibly dreadful experience. Gratuity was expected at 20% and then they proceeded to ask me which country I was from (I'm sorry what difference does that make). I am left so disappointed in this awful experience - a total waste of money and right on Christmas. We were left waiting for over 45 minutes from after our check in time and then we were rushed through in literally 60 mins for a meal costing over USD180 for just 3 people. The bald waiter - you were absolutely terrible and to then wish us a merry christmas sarcastically - shame on you. There is nothing german or authentic about this restaurant. Please everyone take note and don't go near this restaurant. It's a total scam.

We booked our reservation three months in advance. We arrived 9 minutes late because we were walking with an elderly person from the subway and they had already given our reservations away. They told us we could wait in the long line (over a block long) if we wanted to see the bar. The men at the door were extremely rude. After seeing the reviews, I'm actually glad we missed our reservation.

Ceiling so crammed with Christmas tree decor that each object becomes indiscernible. I had expected this to be a beautiful gracious restaurant. Instead, claustrophobic: low dense ceiling and rickety wooden booths and tables jammed together in small space to seat as many as possible. And just too damn expensive for generic German items. Filled with underdressed suburban young people. Not a place NYers go to or that anyone need experience twice.

We were so looking forward to this Christmas Eve dinner, walking in and seeing the atmosphere did not dampen those. However, waiting at the bar for the table was our first clue. A half pint sized beer, a shot of Jägermeister, and a spiced hot cider was $70. Them the meal was nothing to write home about. My son’s potato pancakes were rubbery and bland, my pork roast was not very good, and sauerkraut subpar. Did not feel close to authentic Germany at all. Really a huge disappointment

Ok…it’s the most festive place for the holidays in NYC, I get it. But I called well over 200 times in the course of 3 weeks leading up to Christmas with phone being busy or no one answering. Finally found out through another review they simply turn their phones off when reservations are filled. How about putting this on your web page or have an answering machine that says “I’m sorry, we’re no longer taking reservations for the holidays” instead of making people waste their time calling. But here’s the kicker! Decided to go for a drink just to show my wife the festive decorations while visiting NYC. Took a $40 taxi to arrive there at 9:30pm since they closed at 10pm. The bouncer said they were closed even though it was 30 minutes before closing. I asked could my wife just peak inside to see the decorations, and the rude bouncer wouldn’t even open the door for her to look inside. I get it! Popular resturant decorated for the holidays and you need some restrictions. But come on…not allowing someone to even peek inside at the festive decorations because you’re “closed” 30 minutes before closing time?!? Bah humbug Rolf’s! 😡

In February, 2023, I finally had the opportunity to dine at Rolf's, a German restaurant, after many years seeing an article in a major food magazine that I had cut out the and put in a file. The restaurant it's self is stunning with hundreds of Christmas and Holiday bulbs hanging from the ceiling and decorating the walls. I called to make a reservation and was told I needed to be there by 8:00 pm because they close at 9:00 pm, which I was. There were only a few tables when I arrived. I was awestruck by the beauty and excited to be surrounded by it for a great dinner. I am very familiar with authentic German food. What arrived in front of me, was maybe the worst looking and tasting plate of pure falsely German food I have ever had! In addition it was extremely overpriced for the quality with a terrible presentation. I left shortly after very disappointed with a hole in the wallet to boot.

Just three words - do not go a lot of other places in the city w the same atmosphere and much better food,. the gentleman working the door is atrocious at best. over rated for crappy food and the rudest staff left in the city.

I went knowing it was a tourist trap expecting to pay exorbitant prices. I figured it would be $20 per drink….I unpleasantly surprised to get the bill for $59 for two drinks. Complete rip-off. My bad for not asking for prices. Another negative, not one person there was of German descent. Not even European descent. No authenticity. Save your $$$$$-avoid this place. Put tons of lights in your living room and you’ll replicate the experience.

Best WORST experience you'll get in NY. Expect to queue for an hour even if you have a reservation. $30 for a drink. Food was the worst meal I've had in NY. Decorations are beautiful , such a shame about food and service . Waiter took offence when I told him my food was terrible.

It took a couple years of trying to finally get a dinner rez, but it was worth the wait. I wrote a review in 2019 that I had been calling every day for weeks and no one ever answered the phone and it just kept on ringing. This year I got a rez for a Monday evening 8pm dinner for 2ppl. Sam was great with getting me a table. Upon arrival there were 2 sets of lines (w/ rez and w/o). We all had to show proof of vax upon entering. There was a packed bar crowd and the dining area was full, as well, for a Monday evening. We had a lovely waitress from the Ukraine who was sweet, professional, & attentive. We ordered 2 specialty cocktails, a couple apps, 2 different types of schnitzel, 2 pints of beer during the meal, and a shared dessert. Everything came out great and was delicious. Keep in mind, German food is not known for its cuisine, so I'm not comparing it to French or Italian. Also, the prices were pretty high with $25 specialty drinks, but that's what you've got to do to keep the already packed crowds down. Everyone wants the IG post, but it is also lovely to enjoy the holiday season bc this place is truly a Christmas EXPLOSION and worth the wait and the $$$.

dont bother food and attitude of the staff was garbage...the only thing that was nice was the decor...but sadly you cant eat that

Waited outside in the cold despite having a reservation? Rude staff, overpriced drinks and average food. Please don’t make the same mistake we did!

Terrible, my family and I had a reservation and were a little late, yes, it was on us but we got treated horribly. The workers were rude and kicked us out of the place, denying our reservation and told us to go eat somewhere else. In 2024, almost 2025, at least have some manners and show that you grew up properly instead of treating people with straight up rudeness.

DON'T GO!!!!! - À FUIRE!!!! Tourist Trap!! Famous for being a "Instagramable Spot" with all the Christmas lights... Once you're inside at the bar you can't even move with all the people around you - And 55$ for 1 beer and 1 Mulled Wine !!!!!!!!! I saw a table of three people paying 350$ for very simple plates, 350$!!!! Run away from there!!!

The doorman was really unfriendly, had to wait in line despite my companions were already inside. I had to pay $30 for a glass of of glühwein which didn’t taste like it. Never go there unless you want to be treated rude and have your money spent on terrible service and drinks.

Place sucked, so tight in there you can’t even move, NOT authentic German food taste like frozen bland tv dinner, not a single German person in the restaurant (all Indians) stupid prices for what you get, rude service, 10/10 DO NOT RECOMMEND.

I tried daily for 5 weeks to get a reservation at this restaurant but was never able to reach anyone. I tried calling the two numbers listed at least three times per day but was never able to reach anyone. When I got to the message I was never able to leave a message as it was always full. Upon arriving in NYC we went directly to the restaurant in an attempt to schedule a reservation for later that week. I was treated with a rude host who said he was to busy to. Other with me. When I asked if I could schedule a reservation he just said there are no more reservation today. He then turned around and left. At that point another person came out. He ignored me initially but then came up to me and said that I would have to leave. I told him I was trying to schedule a reservation at whit h point he said I don’t care you need to leave we are booked up for the rest of the season. He then turned around and said “go away”. They had a long line of people all waiting in the cold for their reservations who all waited at minimum 30 minutes as I asked how long one couple had been waiting. Please try Carmine’s on time square if your looking for a wonderful environment with friendly staff and great food.

We attempted to have lunch at Rolf’s today, arriving at 12:15 with a group of 4 adults and 3 children. Unfortunately, we were met with a very unwelcoming bouncer who insisted that reservations were necessary. Despite numerous attempts to call since early November, we never managed to speak with anyone. Online advice suggested trying for a walk-in at opening time, but this strategy was unsuccessful. Surprisingly for such a festively-decorated establishment, the staff's demeanor was not welcoming. The bouncer informed us that they were fully booked for the season. It would be helpful if the restaurant updated their website or provided a functioning contact number, as the two listed numbers are consistently unreachable.

A good place but nothing exceptional in the kitchen, but the decoration is wonderful, if you go with children and teenagers there are a thousand spots inside the restaurant to take photos

Very disappointing! Schlop! No flavor over sized vulgar portions, of green beans, mash, overcooked almost burnt schnitzel. The Applestudel allegedly homemade, super soggy phyllo pastry, filling had more bread crumbs than apples, not cheap either! Make a change or you will not survive! Website goes on about reservations needed, place was dead not a soul at the bar maybe 4 tables!

We had 2 glasses of mulled wine and 1 egg nog. $93 plus they were expecting a tip. My tip - STOP RIP-OFF PRICING! Mulled wine is cheap wine. Egg nogg is egg, milk, cream sugar nutmeg and a shot of bandy. There are no prices written anywhere in the bar, so they clearly know no one in their right mind would pay their rates.

Extortion! A fake gluehwein for 31$ each! Essentially a boiled very cheap read wine with a cinnamon stick!

Ashamed! December 24 at 9 p.m. after an hour of waiting even though we had reserved for 8 p.m. the servers were not at all friendly and demanded that we order quickly: beer and infamous sausage and mash for $73 per person!! During the meal the waiters constantly harass us asking if we are finished. At 9:55 p.m. they throw everyone out like trash! Bravo Christmas spirit!

We had reservation at 7pm Arrived at 6:45 and put us in a line long 60 feet waiting at the cold. After 1 hour we were still waiting in the cold The have a bouncer, not a hostess, at the door who is the example of lack of Education, rudeness and aggressiveness despite of his unacceptable appearance This place does not appreciate your visit at all because they know they have always someone coming The food is quite bad and the service is deplorable I don’t care about prices when you eat well, but considering the quality of what they serve you is a rip off Nothing at all, except the decoration was worth the visit. Safe your money, waiting outside in the cold for over an hour, feel unappreciated and insulted by their attitude and lack of education, eating terrible with a deplorable service just to see some nice Christmas decoration

The Christmas decor is cute but the food and drinks were below average. And the price for every item was expensive for zero flavor.

I was so excited to try this place for Christmas. Sadly I was a bit underwhelmed. First, it’s near impossible to get a reservation. Then when you get there you still have to wait. The inside is cool and gives a great Christmas vibe. But that’s kind of where it ends. The food is average. Way overpriced. I guess it would be ok to just stop in for a drink and some pictures but I wouldn’t ever spend money to eat here again. Just average.

it was certainly the worst experience I have had of the 7 times I have been to New York. rude, rude attendants who treat customers like garbage. I'm surprised this didn't fail in the pandemic.

This place is extortionate! $20 for a beer, $30 for a cocktail and the overpriced food is mediocre at best! The service does not come anywhere near to matching the cost. If you’re coming for the decor, try for a bar seat, take your photos and leave. Don’t bother with a drink or worry about reserving a seat as it’s not worth the hassle!

Average food, but awful for the price. Waited outside for 25 minutes in the cold when we were on time for a reservation we booked months ago! Rude staff and drinks in excess of $30+ tip. Decor is amazing, but it is a tourist trap. Avoid!

Disgusting food terrible service very expensive. This restaurant is modelled on the standards of communist east Germany before the Berlin wall came down.

Waiting a long time in line. bar area was packed. The only reason I don't give it a 1 was the decorations were beautiful. Order a special drink off the holiday drink menu and made the mistake of not asking the price. $20 for a warm spiced hot cider.

don’t even bother the most rudest people Probably only the snobbish people just go there for pictures or TikTok was awful

On a rainy day before new years eve we arrived to the restaurant with 20 min delay to the restaurant. Manager was not happy but told us if we all (9 people) order one dish we can stay. Since we had a 3 year old with us and 4 other kids it was already a strange request, since with kids we usually spare dishes, since US dishes are much bigger than in EU. Since the rain was heavy we choose to stay. It is a quite overpriced place, food was ok, but nothing special. We ordered drinks, food, once we were close to end they quite aggressively made it clear, that we should leave, the table has to spin, new guests are waiting. I was still eating my salad, while the waiter picked it up. When i asked what he was doing he made a funny face. Top of the experience was when they charged 20% large party fee for this “amazing” experience. When we asked the manager why, he told us that above 5 every restaurant charges this. This was our second trip to New York, 9 of us ate out like 20 times and this large party fee never came up. After a long debate we rushed out and left the worst restaurant experience in the US behind. Never go there!

This place is very full, making a reservation must be 3 weeks before and being in the bar is impossible. The drinks are not good, lots of ice and watery taste, the decoration is not appreciated because they let more people in than they could be in the bar, there is not good communication with employees. Empty and used glasses and glasses of other people are everywhere and there is no one to maintain order, organization and cleanliness.

No wait for us in November. Awesome atmosphere and service. Had a drink and the potato pancakes. Stop here on your New York journey.

As most anyone who has done even a bit of research of this spot, you know it is the place to take pictures around the holidays. Not really for anything else. When my mother-in-law was coming to visit us in NYC, we decided to take her there, as we thought she would love the ambiance and the atmosphere. She is a not a big foodie, so it didn't matter if the food was great or not. We went there 2 days before Thanksgiving, on a cold rainy day, right after lunch (around 1:40pm). We did NOT have a reservation, but it was almost empty so we had no issue getting a table. Before they seated us, the staff told us that there is a "one entrée per person minimum" required. I bet there are so many people going there just for the photo, and get a drink... The inside was decorated to the max, put you right into Christmas spirit. So beautiful and everywhere you look, there was something to see. It was a bit annoying to see some customers coming around with their devise and recording video all the time everywhere, but other than that, it was peaceful. We got one of the booth, and the seats were kind of small. We are not large in size, but it was still a bit tight for 2 people to sit at one end. And the table-to-chair-distance was tight too. Typical NYC restaurant that tries to place as many tables and chairs as possible in a small space. As for food, it was not bad, but it was a-ok. We all had different kind of schnitzel. The price was not worth it, but you know how it is at a tourist-spot. Service was not really existent. I wonder if they think that they will never see these "tourists" again, then they don't need to work hard for them to come back again? My in-law surely enjoyed the experience with the decoration, and no issue with the food. We had a fun time looking around. If you want to check it out, the best bets to go off peak, during the weekday. They only take reservation over the phone. We heard from a family of tourists who had to call around 120 times before someone answered the phone, before getting the 9pm dinner reservation, the only spot the restaurant had open...

We were required to buy so much food even the kids had to buy a full adult entree , the vegetables were horrible (canned or frozen) don’t waste you money the decorations are not that special ! The place is so small!

The worst people that i know.We came from florida because my daughter want to see the Christmas lights inside for 5 minutes and we di not have reserva because we can afford the price with my entire family.The guy on the door never let us come in FOR MINUTES.He didn’t let me speak and explained…anyway long story short we came back without seeing anything with my daughter sad and disappointed.ONLY 5 MINUTES BUT THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM…will never comeback

Sadly we booked well in advance, had to queue outside in the rain for 25 minutes and then inside had to wait another 30 mins to be seated. We couldn’t move and were asked to wait in the corner where we were completely squashed. We decided to leave as not impressed at all.

you think, why can't Rolf's be bigger ? one of the major questions of New York City. But maybe it's best this way. Probably is.

Very rude/ non friendly staff. Overpriced. Watch for the auto gratuity. Go in, snap a pic of the decor and then leave cause you are not missing anything special from this place.

After driving 3 hours ...checking into hotel ...heading for our 1 p.m. reservation in taxi by 12:40...Xmas in NY....arrived at restaurant at 1:05..to be rudely told by the brute at the door our table was given away. ...5 minutes people! Then asked as there were about 10 people waiting outside door as walk ins if we could do the same and if someone didn't turn up for their table could we get in, to which the boorish rude thug at the door said No, that wont happen. TRUST ME FOLKS, we ended up at the DEAD RABBIT...which although not as lavishly decorated was amazing food was incredible ..priced properly and they have also been voted as 1 of the top cocktail bars in Manhattan! I HIGHLY recommend the Dead Rabbit. And as far as people I know who had went they have since told me overpriced and not worth it....just ask to go walk in and get a picture...it all you really need.

!! BIG SCAM !! They will charge you 65 dollars for 2 cocktails and later end up with saying that there is a small sign saying tips are needed to pay. DONT GO IN HERE!!!

Waiting for 2 years (literary) to have a nice Christmas experience… atmosphere, drinks, German food. The bar experience was worth the wait as the place had the best energy I have felt anywhere since before COVID. We Should have remained at the bar. My mistake: the dinning room looked so cozy and Christmas-like that I approached SAM, the gentlemen at the door and asked him if a table was possible. “Are you kidding? We are completely booked until 10:30 pm” (it was only 6 pm). “But I might be able to do something”. “How many of you?” he asked. 3 I replied…. “I don’t know… it will be tough but for $80.00 I will sit you guys right now”but “you have 1 hour and 10 minutes only” I managed to negotiate it down to $60.00 because the place is truly magic and we just wanted to have a good time. This note is not about that payment for as wrong as it was, I agreed to pay… no one forced me. Our waiter, Steve, was such a great guy… professional and genuine. But the food was horribly tasteless… the fact that was overpriced is not the issue here either as we saw the prices in the menu, agreed to them and ordered. But the poor quality of the items we order is worth being mentioned here. We paid a lot for dishes and drinks that were too expense not because they were just expensive, but because their quality was extremely poor. The worst part: SAM the “manager”’or “host” who charged me $60.00 for the sit us passed by the table and I mentioned to him that paying that amount was not worth it and that I would be writing this TripAdvisor review you are reading now. We paid the over priced check and the three of us started living the restaurant. My companions walked ahead of me and when I was ready to leave both SAM and the security guard, who were evidently waiting for me at the door grabbed me by my right arm and jacket and asked me “to better consider” writing this review. I freed myself from them and rushed outside. SAM came after me screaming: “don’t you ever come back”… spoiler alert SAM: I am not coming back even if you return my $60.00 and pay for my drinks and that horrible food of yours. And I just hope that other people read this and other negative reviews I just read after my experience, before they consider this magic, Christmas-like corner of 3rd Ave with over priced and poor drinks and food.

We’ve just had the worst restaurant experience at Rolf’s. Our booking was for 7pm. We were kept outside queuing for 30 minutes in the cold by the rudest bouncer and nastiest manager. Then we had to wait another 20 minutes inside for the table. We were then made to sit 6 people in a 4 person booth with in a restaurant that was over booked and beyond what seemed to be the legal capacity for the restaurant. A complete health hazard. The food was awful and the staff as miserable as sin. They automatically added the maximum tip to our bill. When we complained they just went ahead and added the tip to the bill and said there was nothing we could do about it. The manager then started to shout at us saying he would take the money and that there was nothing we could do about it. I’ve never given a review for any restaurant before but this was so dreadful with such nasty abusive staff that I felt forced to let people know to stay away from the awful place.

***TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE*** As a UK I was expecting a lot from this place. It was the worst thing I’ve ever been to. Absolute load of bullocks. Tried to make a reservation everyday for about 2 weeks. No one picks up the phone. Decided to try our luck on a random Tuesday afternoon/evening. We got there and there was about an hours queue with a very rude bouncer/doorman - once we finally got in we were shoved into one area like cattle to get a drink. There were about 50 people in this tiny space which was absolutely ridiculous. Such a tourist trap. Rubbish overpriced drinks. Menu had no prices. For a tiny mulled wine I paid $31. The decorations were nice but not as if we could even see them with the number of people in there. They don’t tell you that if you just want a drink it’s to stand at the overpriced bar. One toilet for that many people. TikTok, instagram and the internet in general has oversold this rubbish overhyped place. DO NOT GO. IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

If I could give zero stars I would but not for the ambiance or the food. The zero star would be for the poor treatment I saw of a group of women and how the “manager” named “Sam” spoke to them. I was disbelief to see a man speak to 3 patrons that way as I waited in line to go in. “ Sam” if that his real name was hostile and even cursed at these women who from what I understood in the midst of their discourse was they were 5 minutes late to their reservation. No one should treat any one that way, especially ppl who were there to dine. He was so rude and quite frankly I was wondering if I should even have dinner there anymore. It was unacceptable. It’s a very busy place but you don’t treat customers that way. Someone should look into this employee

The Christmas decorations and general ambience of the place were actually very good. HOWEVER (IN BIG CAPITAL LETTERS), the prices are near vertical! $130 for 4 x drinks (two of which were small ciders) is bordering on criminal- They should be wearing masks and stripy jumpers behind the bar! This is a real shame, as it should be an incredible place to visit, esspecially at Christmas. Dont expect anyone to pick up the phone either, and read the othr TA reviews!

From all of the reviews, we decided to just go for drinks. We arrived 40 minutes prior to opening, we did not have a reservation. We lined up on the bar only side & made it into the restaurant with the first group. They crowd you into a narrow bar area (no bar stools, standing room only). The large draft beer was $30 plus tip. The inside looks exactly like the photos. I don’t feel it was worth the round trip Uber fare & expensive drinks, especially with other restaurants starting to decorate similar to this theme.

What a wonderful old world German Christmas themed place! One of those old school bar/restaurants that has a classic feel to it - and it's completely Christmas themed throughout the entire year! We didn't have food - just drinks, and it was a lovely visit. Handicapped accessible, but know that the bathrooms are TINY! Go and enjoy!

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. Extremely rude personnel. phone lines not working so it is impossible to obtain any information until you show up and get turned away because you have a teen in the family. Stay away from this place