Biergarten fans... tell me about it

[Lisa F]

I have been going to WDW for nearly 20 years now and have never been there. figure that out!

I brought it up to kiddo for our upcoming trip months ago and he nixed it but he brought it back up a few days ago and I've booked it. Found a few reviews, some kind of mediocre... but for people who like it, what do you like best?

Mama wants a german wine flight!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It was my husband's one request for our next trip.

Combo of sausages + beer + pretzel rolls + oompah band does it for him. The theming is top-notch.

The overall Germaness of the food is up and down compared to a srs bznz German place, but it's a lot of fun anyway.

 

[Disneylover99]

Love the band, atmosphere and dining with others.

 

[TheJuiciestOfJs]

Here's my take. I've been twice with my wife.

Atmosphere: It's incredibly good. You sit smack dab in the middle of a quaint German town square. It really envelops you in the theming. The perpetual Oktoberfest and the band that plays is wonderful. They even have kid involvement during some of the songs. They have a pretty long playlist that is maybe just a bit longer than a normal mealtime, so you shouldn't have many repeat songs if any.

The large communal tables are a positive or a negative depending on how your family interacts with others and vice versa. Both times we have sat with some pretty great people and had a wonderful time and great conversation. If you have a larger party, this won't really be an issue.

Food: It's perfectly fine. Typical German food if you were to think about it (sausages, schnitzel, many cold salad items). Some items are very good while others are forgettable or just worth passing. The kids menu is pretty darn good. I remember going there more than once for some items! The desserts are also pretty good. I remember our server saying that the food was a very accurate representation of food you'd get in Germany.

There is also the beer. If you drink beer, you have some great options and really have to get the Liter of beer. It's more than enough for the meal and is a great conversation piece!


Go in positive and don't let the negative reviews bother you. I had that worry the first time we went, but my wife and I will be back for sure.

Hope this helps!

 

[Lisa F]

It was my husband's one request for our next trip.

Combo of sausages + beer + pretzel rolls + oompah band does it for him. The theming is top-notch.

The overall Germaness of the food is up and down compared to a srs bznz German place, but it's a lot of fun anyway.

The last german place I went to I had a steak so that wasn't very german, lol. for me it will be reisling + reisling + bavarian cheesecake and I'm good

to me the theming is just completely classic what disney does best and I can't believe I've made it this long without trying it. Who doesn't like an oompah band?

 

[Lisa F]

Love the band, atmosphere and dining with others.

interesting that you listed dining with others. this was one of my reservations but I would love to take the kiddo on a cruise and realized we'd be dining with others so why not. He is on the spectrum and has some social issues and is right now very focused on how to make friends, so he is really hoping that he can "make new friends" at this experience. I hope we don't get duds for table mates or at least people who are willing to talk to a sweet, inquisitive 8 year old. I did tell him maybe they will not be very friendly and he said that's ok, they might just get distracted by the food and the show. At least we have each other. awww. Since we are only 2 there is a chance there will be more than one other party at our table, hopefully some friendly!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

On an air conditioned indoor night street!

 

[Lisa F]

Here's my take. I've been twice with my wife.

Atmosphere: It's incredibly good. You sit smack dab in the middle of a quaint German town square. It really envelops you in the theming. The perpetual Oktoberfest and the band that plays is wonderful. They even have kid involvement during some of the songs. They have a pretty long playlist that is maybe just a bit longer than a normal mealtime, so you shouldn't have many repeat songs if any.

The large communal tables are a positive or a negative depending on how your family interacts with others and vice versa. Both times we have sat with some pretty great people and had a wonderful time and great conversation. If you have a larger party, this won't really be an issue.

Food: It's perfectly fine. Typical German food if you were to think about it (sausages, schnitzel, many cold salad items). Some items are very good while others are forgettable or just worth passing. The kids menu is pretty darn good. I remember going there more than once for some items! The desserts are also pretty good. I remember our server saying that the food was a very accurate representation of food you'd get in Germany.

There is also the beer. If you drink beer, you have some great options and really have to get the Liter of beer. It's more than enough for the meal and is a great conversation piece!


Go in positive and don't let the negative reviews bother you. I had that worry the first time we went, but my wife and I will be back for sure.

Hope this helps!

what do you consider very good vs. just worth passing? my kiddo is a picky eater but not along the lines of typical "kid food" necessarily. I know for sure he will eat the rolls and the carved pork and prob the mac and cheese too (he loves mac and cheese but is not tied to any one presentation of it - pasta + some kind of creamy cheese = win for him) and will try the rest. We love buffets because it is zero pressure for him to try things.

I don't drink beer but reisling is my go-to. I'm tempted by the sampler but it is 2 reislings and a pinot gris but I am not in general a fan of pinot gris - except that I read that german varieties tend to be a bit sweeter than others. So might be worth a try! Or I can just get 3 full glasses of reislings!

 

[Lisa F]

On an air conditioned indoor night street!

we are going in December but hoping for nicer/warmer weather!

 

[Jennasis]

It's our favorite Epcot restaurant which is weird since I kinda hate German food. There's an authentic place near us that was just awful for me. Anyway, we tried it and WOW...I could live on the cheese soup, pretzel bread, the regular and cheese spaetzle, and the meatballs. Plus the great entertainment and the awesome "neighbor roulette" LOL (you never know what you're gonna get). Can't wait for our September visit!

 

[TheJuiciestOfJs]

what do you consider very good vs. just worth passing? my kiddo is a picky eater but not along the lines of typical "kid food" necessarily. I know for sure he will eat the rolls and the carved pork and prob the mac and cheese too (he loves mac and cheese but is not tied to any one presentation of it - pasta + some kind of creamy cheese = win for him) and will try the rest. We love buffets because it is zero pressure for him to try things.

some of the cold salad items like cured meats, mayo based salads, or pickled products might be too odd for him. The schnitzel is pretty on par with a fried chicken cutlet and the spatzel is basically pasta. Some of the hot sausages were really good and could maybe be described as more flavorful hot dogs. One thing I really enjoyed was the warm potato salad (more mustard and vinegar based. Im not a mayo fan). I honestly don't think the food will be a problem for him in that case. Who knows what he may like that he never knew about?

 

[Lisa F]

some of the cold salad items like cured meats, mayo based salads, or pickled products might be too odd for him. The schnitzel is pretty on par with a fried chicken cutlet and the spatzel is basically pasta. Some of the hot sausages were really good and could maybe be described as more flavorful hot dogs. One thing I really enjoyed was the warm potato salad (more mustard and vinegar based. Im not a mayo fan). I honestly don't think the food will be a problem for him in that case. Who knows what he may like that he never knew about?

I am surprised he has been mulling it over for like 3 months and announced to me today that he decided he wanted to go, lol. We pored over some of the very detailed photo reviews and I told him the schnitzel was like a chicken cutlet. I know for sure he will eat carved pork loin (i make it for him here). I told him the spatzle is like pasta (which is on his favorites list though he may not like the texture, we'll see). Tonight he actually just had pork tenderloin and tortellini for dinner, lol. I am not a fan of saurkraut or those cold menu items either. he thought the mac and cheese looked, in his words, "amazingly delicious!" so I hope it does not disappoint (again he is a huge fan of cheesy pasta and is not one of those kids who only likes it bright yellow... I will often order him a gourmet mac and cheese at a restaurant if they have an appetizer portion of it and he loves them all). one thing he is VERY picky about is hot dogs (we eat kosher beef and he doesnt' really like any other style) but he said he'd try the sausage. He has eaten italian sausage before so who knows. I like that he is willing to try though. I doubt either of us will go away hungry and I have always wanted to try that place so I am super jazzed he came around on it!

 

[Lisa F]

It's our favorite Epcot restaurant which is weird since I kinda hate German food. There's an authentic place near us that was just awful for me. Anyway, we tried it and WOW...I could live on the cheese soup, pretzel bread, the regular and cheese spaetzle, and the meatballs. Plus the great entertainment and the awesome "neighbor roulette" LOL (you never know what you're gonna get). Can't wait for our September visit!

haha I am not sure i've ever had truly authentic german food. But what is not to like about breaded and fried pork cutlets? I have read they can be dried out sometimes but we are going at pretty prime dinner time (I was able to snag a 6:20 ADR which from what i understand is a good time to get in and settled and food in time for the 7pm show) so hopefully there will be quantity turning over. If we get seated right away we might even have our second round by then.

 

[Jennasis]

haha I am not sure i've ever had truly authentic german food. But what is not to like about breaded and fried pork cutlets? I have read they can be dried out sometimes but we are going at pretty prime dinner time (I was able to snag a 6:20 ADR which from what i understand is a good time to get in and settled and food in time for the 7pm show). If we get seated right away we might even have our second round by then.

It was sauerbraten. The worst thing I've ever put in my mouth...and i used to eat raw hot dogs and mayo sandwiches as a kid. LOL

 

[Lisa F]

It was sauerbraten. The worst thing I've ever put in my mouth...and i used to eat raw hot dogs and mayo sandwiches as a kid. LOL

lol I've seen it made on tv and yes it does not sound like something I would like. I like some vinegary flavors (pickles) but I am not a fan of sour, acidic, sharp, vinegary things. I also don't like dill. I don't mind some mayo based salads but they are never my first choice. I have read the homemade pickles there are very good though and I like fish, chicken, pork - most of the hot menu sounds good to me. I will be sparing with the sauces til I know what they are like though.

 

[disneymom0104]

We love it- one of our must do's every trip! Just the ambience is so unique and fun, and we think the food offerings are fun, too. Sharing a table has been hit and miss- not our favorite but not enough to make us not go!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Our Ratings of Biergarten: (*rev 03/14/16*)
. . . food price value: C
. . . food quality: B
. . . food quantity per serving: A
. . . food prep speed: B
. . . food selection: C
. . . seating quantity: B
. . . seating comfort: C
. . . eatery atmosphere: B
. . . eatery convenience: B
. . . staff friendliness: C
. . . staff attentiveness: B
. . . characters: B (entertainment, not characters)
.
Our Recommendations:
. . . appys:... Tomato Salad, Wurst Salad
. . . entree:.. Sauerbraten, Beef Rouladen
. . . dessert:. Bavarian Cheesecake
.
NOTE: Seating is on long beer-hall tables, so other families will be seated with you. Though WDW likes to Americanize its food, Biergarten remains quite authentic. Above average German comfort food. This helps when trying to accommodate those picky eaters in your family. The "beer hall style" tables mostly have 8-seats, but, there are 3-seat and 4-seat tables along the upper mezzanine wall. However, one cannot ask for nor reserve these tables, as they are used as "overflow" as the floor-level seats are taken. In all cases, tables are pretty close to each other, thus access is tight when standing up. There are minor differences in food from lunch to dinner. Even "picky people" and kids seem to find items to eat.
.
NOTE2: There is entertainment at both lunch an dinner. However, the dinner "shows" seem longer with more audience participation. Great for adults AND KIDDIES. Show Times are daily at 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:45, 5:55, 7:00, 8:05p
.
NOTE3: German Beer Flight (Four Pours - 5 oz each) . . . Altenmünster Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Dunkel, Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen, and Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen $13.00

 

[Lisa F]

Our Ratings of Biergarten: (*rev 03/14/16*)
. . . food price value: C
. . . food quality: B
. . . food quantity per serving: A
. . . food prep speed: B
. . . food selection: C
. . . seating quantity: B
. . . seating comfort: C
. . . eatery atmosphere: B
. . . eatery convenience: B
. . . staff friendliness: C
. . . staff attentiveness: B
. . . characters: B (entertainment, not characters)
.
Our Recommendations:
. . . appys:... Tomato Salad, Wurst Salad
. . . entree:.. Sauerbraten, Beef Rouladen
. . . dessert:. Bavarian Cheesecake
.
NOTE: Seating is on long beer-hall tables, so other families will be seated with you. Though WDW likes to Americanize its food, Biergarten remains quite authentic. Above average German comfort food. This helps when trying to accommodate those picky eaters in your family. The "beer hall style" tables mostly have 8-seats, but, there are 3-seat and 4-seat tables along the upper mezzanine wall. However, one cannot ask for nor reserve these tables, as they are used as "overflow" as the floor-level seats are taken. In all cases, tables are pretty close to each other, thus access is tight when standing up. There are minor differences in food from lunch to dinner. Even "picky people" and kids seem to find items to eat.
.
NOTE2: There is entertainment at both lunch an dinner. However, the dinner "shows" seem longer with more audience participation. Great for adults AND KIDDIES. Show Times are daily at 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:45, 5:55, 7:00, 8:05p
.
NOTE3: German Beer Flight (Four Pours - 5 oz each) . . . Altenmünster Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Dunkel, Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen, and Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen $13.00

ooh a B from the Rusty Scupper on a buffet is high praise indeed! I am more of a wine girl myself. I wish the wine flight was all reislings. what's a girl to do? order 3 full size glasses of reisling?

 

[Lisa F]

We love it- one of our must do's every trip! Just the ambience is so unique and fun, and we think the food offerings are fun, too. Sharing a table has been hit and miss- not our favorite but not enough to make us not go!

that is the one thing I am most worried about but I think after a couple glasses of wine it won't matter. Maybe I will pre-medicate a bit. Do they sell anything boozy outside? maybe in italy on the way from american adventure? we are at the 5pm CP show.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

that is the one thing I am most worried about but I think after a couple glasses of wine it won't matter. Maybe I will pre-medicate a bit. Do they sell anything boozy outside? maybe in italy on the way from american adventure? we are at the 5pm CP show.

Every country has multiple cocktails to choose from. Right outside the entrance you will have may German choices, beer, wine and shots... You can definitely get medicated. Grapefruit Beer would be my choice. At the restaurant pretzel bread, beer and sausage, you can't go wrong.