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All Reader Reviews of...

Rolf's

281 Third Ave., New York, NY, 10010
at 22nd St.
212-477-4750

Avg. Rating

4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Décor: 8
"Not Recommended"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

27% would go back.

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Don't Go Here!

By ExKreuznacher on 10/7/2012

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 2
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 5
  • No, I would not go back!

This is an overpriced fraud of a German restaurant. Service is rude and many of the dishes were overcooked to ruin. Cheap inauthentic $10 german beer and fraudulently asked about salad options that turned out to be side dishes ordered by a criminal waiter. Son became sick after trying to eat his Hockey puck burger. Not a German in sight and cheap 50s and 60s music in the background. There are hints that this place had a proud owner that created an authentic German restaurant. No More. You Have Been Warned!

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9 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

Not Worth the trip

By daffodils422 on 11/20/2011

  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Food: 2
  • Service: 3
  • Décor: 9
  • No, I would not go back!

Went to Rolf's yesterday to sample good German food and to admire the beautiful Christmas decorations. Unfortunately, we were greatly disappointed not in the decorations but with the food. The food was not truly German cuisine - I have tasted better. The Jaeger Schnitzel was very disappointing. Another thing is that they raise the prices by about $8 to $10 dollars on the entrees for the holiday season!!! Unheard of!!!! The best thing to do if you want to see Christmas decorations - go see the tree at Rockerfeller Center and have dinner at one of the restaurants in the vicinity - trust me, you'll enjoy it better! We will never go to Rolfs again!

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21 out of 37 people found this review helpful.

Better than some reviews imply

By mc6206 on 4/26/2010

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 8
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

I have now been at ralf's for the second time and will not hesitate to go a third time. Beer is authentic german (Weißbeer) and the white wine is very drinkable. I had kartoffel puffer (Kartoffel pancake) which were ok and the sausage selection with mashed potatoes and sauercraut. The sausages were good and tasty, in particular the Knackwurst, and the best I had so far in NY (they have the same at heidelberg), but the mashed potatoesa and sauerkraut were authentic. Service was good and friendly, and the overall ambiance was what you would get in a Frankfurt restaurant, if it is not very crowded. Service was very prompt and very flexible. I liked it and they should be given a chance.

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72 out of 159 people found this review helpful.

YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE

By dudleylawrence on 3/23/2010

  • Overall Rating: 10
  • Food: 10
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 10
  • Yes, I would go back!

This place is a lot of fun, especiallly during the Christmas Season. Fesitive is not the word, service friendly and helpful. The food was authentic German and a lot of it. A short wait, but seated quickly. I'll definately go back.

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78 out of 154 people found this review helpful.

should be called Ralphs

By blackfin on 1/20/2010

  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Food: 2
  • Service: 3
  • Décor: 8
  • No, I would not go back!

We went there for the holidays, after not being there for over ten years. Yes they decorate it beautiful, but thats where it ends! This restaurant is no longer a German restaurant. The menu should have different curry dishes, because it feels like little India. There isn,t a German to be found there , including the chef. The food was horrendous. It brought back memories of a trip to seattle , where I found a pizza place called Real Italian Pizza, and the guys flipping and making the pies were Japanese, It was hilarious! anyway,After eating at Rolfs, my immediate reaction was to want to Ralph (as in toss my cookies) If you want holiday cheer and real German food, go visit the tree and eat at Zum stammtisch instead, and avoid this horror show

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99 out of 197 people found this review helpful.

Valentine's day HORROR!

By kirillis on 2/15/2009

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 8
  • No, I would not go back!

Rolf's restaurant used to be one of those gateway places in the city. We'd always come back during holiday time, as Rolf's would transform into a magical fantasy world; Tons of decorations, great food, fun personnel...... NOT THIS TIME! Well, the place look well prep'd with decorations-the remains of good ole' Rolf's...what a hoax. We placed a reservation a week an advance, usually it takes a month, and arrived to celebrate valentine's day to find out the place didn't seem a s busy and happy as it used to. It didn't even seem that the damn reservation was necessary to squeeze in the almost empty restaurant. We ordered the usual "good stuff"....But, we received BURNT potato pancakes, RAW rack of lamb, instead of medium rare, topped with long wait, non existent service (the host was reading a newspaper throughout the whole time we were there). We left Rolf's hungry. I guess Indians, the prime personnel of the place, is not well suited to cook and serve German food.

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110 out of 206 people found this review helpful.

Holiday Tradition Turned Horror

By davidwhatshisname on 1/1/2009

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 8
  • No, I would not go back!

The Bavarian Christmas glitter still beckons from the windows, but there isn't a single German cooking in the back or person named Rolf smiling in the front; the tables have sugar packs jammed under to keep them from falling over, and some table tops are not connected to the posts below at all. Elbows land in everyone' backside, as do the swishing hips of Indian waiters who speak little English, German or know what the food is that is being served; the food itself no longer tastes recognizably German, is badly burned at times and actually gave 2 in our party upset stomachs and rushes to bathrooms; the beer list shrank to 10 munich brews you can get anywhere for less, the glasses were dirty, we rushed to leave. 10 years ago I loved it; I'd like to burn it down today so the memory can be tainted no further. A complete waste and ridiculously overpriced.

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91 out of 177 people found this review helpful.

Get A Buzz On at Santa's German Workshop!

By thteen on 12/22/2008

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 8
  • Décor: 10
  • Yes, I would go back!

Went to Rolf's last night (12-21-08) w German friends & a date having been told to expect mediocrity from the food, but we were all pleased w/ the apple strudel, pot. pancakes, various wursts and chicken. I've been several times over years for beer, but this was the first meal. I'd go back to give it a second shot (to test for anomalies, given all the other reviews) but I'd definitely go back for the decor and beer anyway. Its like getting buzzed on good beer at Santa's German workshop. Good time and great for photos. We got a kick out of our Asian host and Russian waitress in the German restaurant ... each of whom was crushed with the crowd but still able to give good, even cheerful, service to us.

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95 out of 202 people found this review helpful.

grinch christmas

By oomer on 12/21/2008

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 10
  • No, I would not go back!

I HAD BEEN TOLD BY MANY WHAT A NOT TO MISS CHRISTMAS RESTAURANT THIS WAS. WELL WE MADE A RESERVATION WEEKS AHEAD AND STILL WAITED 1 1/2 HOURS FOR A TABLE. THE DECOR WAS GREAT BUT SERVICE NON EXSISTANT AND WHEN THEY DID COME COULDN'T CARE LESS. THERE WERE 4 OF US AND ALL ORDERS WERE WRONG AND THINGS LEFT OUT AND WHEN WE CALLED IT TO OUR SERVERS ATTENTION WE WERE TOLD "IF YOU ORDERED IT I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT DOWN. REAL ATTITUDE. THE FOOD WAS OVERCOOKED AND BLAND THE SAURBRATEN WAS POT ROAST NO SPICE IR TENDERNESS. TOUGH PIECES OF MEAT IN LUMPY GRAVY. IT'S A SHAME BEING RUSHED THROUGH A LOUSY MEAL AND HAD NOT EVEN ORDERED DESERT WHEN THE BULL WAS TOSSED ON THE TABLE.. HOW RUDE !!! I'M SURE THEY WILL BE GONE BY NEXT YEAR. IT SURE ISN'T WHAT THEY ARE CRACKED UP TO BE

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106 out of 193 people found this review helpful.

WHAT A HORRIBLE CHANGE

By BZACKLE on 12/7/2008

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 8
  • No, I would not go back!

HORRIBLE FOOD HORRIBLE SERVICE HORRIBLE RESTAURANT WHAT A DISASTER DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS DUMP.

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89 out of 177 people found this review helpful.

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