To Biergarten or not to Biergarten?

[Redcon1]

We're trying it for the first time ourselves in a couple of weeks. I had to be sure there were enough choices for our picky-eaters known as our kids. Really looking forward to the new dining experience.

Can anyone tell me what the lunch cost is, with the seasonal pricing? Thanks.

 

[sexyravenfan]

We loved Biergarten. Although our entire family is German so we are used to the type of food and atmosphere and of course..POLKA dancing!

 

[gillep]

Loved Biergarten and I found a ton to eat eventhough I do not like sausage or sauerkraut. I especially loved the soup with the pretzel bread, a few of the salads and all of the desserts!!!!!

 

[Marcela]

Firstly, I'd like to thank EVERYONE for the wonderful input!!!! I did check out the menu on allears.net, and it sounded good to me, but for some strange reason, I have it in my head, that a restaurant that isn't booked, isn't that great! I know, it's CRAZY! I have been on a mission to make this the BEST QUALITY VACATION possible, so I've put all of my efforts into nabbing ressies at 'Ohana, LeCellier, etc. It's a shame that wonderful restaurants, like the Biergarten, get overlooked. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite meals that I had during our last WDW vacation was at AK's Tusker House, which like the Biergarten, is a buffet!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!! We have an ADR there for sure, and I am salivating at the thought of the wonderful cinammon pecan bread pudding with vanilla sauce! (Where is an icon for salivating when you need one???)

I did get the desired ressie for LeCellier on the day we are at Epcot, but I still have 2 1/2 months before our trip, and making changes every day! There still may be a ressie at the Biergarten in my future!!!!!

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

...I have it in my head, that a restaurant that isn't booked, isn't that great! I know, it's CRAZY!...It's a shame that wonderful restaurants, like the Biergarten, get overlooked.

I completely understand what you mean, but I also think that a big part of it is that the Biergarten is HUGE. It probably will be fully booked by the time you get there, but I'd bet it has 4-5 times as many seats as Le Cellier, if not more, so the rush to grab an ADR at 180 days is not as great.

We've been probably 8 times, and it has always been packed and hopping.

Lastly, and personally, I really don't get the hype surrounding Le Cellier. I think that the buzz perpetuates the hype and makes it difficult to book, but while there is nothing actually "wrong" with it, in my opinion it's one of the least impressive restaurants in the WS.

 

[sharadoc]

We love it!!

Go every WDW trip.

OT - I have to agree - John Barrowman is SO HOT!

 

[budbeerlady]

We put this one off for a while. Reading the menu didnt spark my interest. I didnt want to sit with other people really, just didnt sound fun.

Boy, were we WRONG!!!!!! We had to knock if off the list so we went last trip because we had it (we are trying to hit everyplace once).

It was very good. Dd made it her must do dinner. The food was so good, so many different choices. Sitting with others at the table was fine, they were very nice. The music was varied and fun. Dd went to go dance and play around. Dh enjoyed a big beer and I ate all the pretzel rolls I could stomach. Even as a vegetarian I had lots of choices. Dh was in herring and sausage heaven!

We are going back again this year and I cannot wait! I even have some new food I love!

 

[7thton]

I didn't realize there was a "show" here. Can anyone describe it?

 

[MMrules]

We ate there on my last trip and my boys 2.9 and 4 were mesmerized by the show. They played polka music on their instruments, played these amazing horns, tapped tunes on glassware, sang and danced. During the whole show my boys didn't make a peep .

I loved the variety of food that was offered. We all found something there to eat and enjoyed it all. The waitstaff was fantastic and we even had a girl who was training! I can't say enough about how great it was.

Also about sitting with another family....we were getting dirty looks from elderly folks when they saw our children and were praying that we didn't have to sit with them (My kids were behaving while waiting by the way)....well to coin the phrase "It's a small world after all", the family that was seated with us was also from Massachusetts and lived about 45 minutes from us. The husband was in the same field as my husband and knew mutual co-workers, which was really funny to find out. We had a great time talking about home with our newly made friends.

As a previous poster mentioned, check out the menu to see all the food options. I know that we will be eating here on our next trip (and we did eat at LeCellier too, but Biergarten was more of a hit with our kiddos)

 

[skoi]

Do they do the show at lunch as well, or just dinner?

Thanks.

 

[williamson_ja]

They also do lunch. We've done both and love both! It's one of my kids favorite meals. It's the only restaurant besides HDDR that they MUST do every trip. The pretzel bread is just awesome!!

 

[JennyDrake]

If you like German food, go for it. However if you are simply MARRIED to someone who likes German food and you are hoping to get your fill of something other than sausage and sauerkraut, give it a WIDE pass.

Amen to that. Hubby AKA Mr. Meat and Potatos LOVED it!! I mean LOVED it!! I kept meandering trying to find the least repulsive foodstuffs, but then I'm a Boma and Jiko kind of girl.

 

[larryz]

One of the best kept secrets in WS! Absolutely a must-do.

 

[troynkasey]

We've been quite a few times. We've gone at noon and we've gone later. I think the first show usually starts around 1 and it's entertaining. It adds to the feel of the restraunt. The food is really good. I think it's scaled down authentic if that makes sense. But there is plenty to choose from and even options for the less courageous to try. We have shared a table with others and had enough to have our own table. Either way, it truely is an enjoyable time. We like to enjoy the music and really get into it. As PP said...the beer is good too. You can't go to Germany without an Oktoberfest!

The only drawback I've read on the boards is people don't want to sit with others. It is what it is. If you think it will bother you, then it will, but we've had two instances where we sat with someone else. We have two little girls and the one time the ladies laughed and played with them - I think they were grandmas because it came naturally. The other time we didn't speak much to the others. We said hello and that was about it... But neither way effected our experience.

 

[skoi]

They also do lunch. We've done both and love both! It's one of my kids favorite meals. It's the only restaurant besides HDDR that they MUST do every trip. The pretzel bread is just awesome!!

Thanks. We're in for lunch on our next very short trip.

Our big kids have been wanting to go forever, but we never make it.

 

[MHSweb79]

We went there for the first time last Sept. with my parents (who live in FL) and we all liked it very much. They liked it so much that when they went back with my nephew in the spring, they took him there for lunch. THEN, when we booked a trip in December 2010 we all agreed that we'd go to the Biergarten for the day that they join us.

It's a nice buffet in a fun atmosphere- don't expect 5 star dining. We all enjoy talking to other folks so sharing tables is fun for us, as long as the other party isn't giving us the stinkeye (happened once at Teppanyaki- you'd think we crashed their party. And we were seated long before they arrived!)

 

[akozlosk]

We went two years ago in early August and didn't have reservations. My DD25 did a study abroad in Bonn and Cologne in college and when she saw the restaurant listed in our guide, she just HAD to go! We waited about an hour to get in (shopped during that time) and it was awesome and well worth the wait! I'm not big on German food, but found lots to love, especially the pretzel bread. We are leaving for WDW in two weeks and the first thing she texted me was "have you made our reservations at the Biergarten yet?" Yes, Mom had already figured it out!

 

[myramsy]

We all love it...great atmosphere and great food! It is a must do for us!

 

[lovegrumpy]

My dh and oldest are eating here for the first time in Aug. My oldest is learning German so i thought he could try it out here.

 

[esrags01]

I have ADRs for lunch. The food pictures look great. For those of you who visited during lunch and dinner: will we be missing some awesome dish that is only served for dinner if we go during lunch? Thanks.