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Home > Restaurants > Rolf's

All Reader Reviews of...

Rolf's

281 Third Ave., New York, NY, 10010
at 21st St.
212-473-8718

2.5 "Not Recommended"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10		 Write Your Own Review
16% Would you go back?
16% Would you take a date?
0% Would you take kids?
0% Would you go on business?
16% Would you go on a special occasion?
Food: 2.0
Service: 3.2
Décor: 8.2
Value: 2.0
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  • Showing reviews 1 through 6 of 6

Valentine's day HORROR!

kirillis from 07104 | Posted on 2/15/09

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 1
Service: 1
Décor: 8
Value: 1

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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10 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

Holiday Tradition Turned Horror

davidwhatshisname from 10010 | Posted on 1/1/09

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 1
Service: 1
Décor: 8
Value: 1

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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10 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

Get A Buzz On at Santa's German Workshop!

thteen from 10128 | Posted on 12/22/08

Overall Rating: 8 (Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 7
Service: 8
Décor: 10
Value: 7

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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10 out of 19 people found this review helpful.

grinch christmas

oomer from 11577 | Posted on 12/21/08

Overall Rating: 3 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? (NA)
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 1
Service: 1
Décor: 10
Value: 1

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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7 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

WHAT A HORRIBLE CHANGE

BZACKLE from 10028 | Posted on 12/7/08

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 1
Service: 1
Décor: 8
Value: 1

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

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9 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

They Must Have Changed Ownership

TammRich from 07666 | Posted on 5/27/08

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 1
Service: 7
Décor: 5
Value: 1

I was really looking forward to revisitng Rolf's for some good German food since I haven't been there in a few years. What a disappointment!! The sauerbraten is unrecognizable. The meat was tough - hard to do if you make sauerbraten the way it should be made, the gravy was gray. I sent it back - something I have never done before in any restaurant. My husband's choucroute was bland. Choucroute should be cooked all together, giving the sauerkraut a real taste. The ham, the sausages and the sauerkraut had never met each other until put on the plate.

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28 out of 34 people found this review helpful.

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