I took my parents (in their 70s), my daughter & her BF (in their 20s) & my husband (we're in our 50s) for lunch to celebrate 2 birthdays. Â The parking lot was small, but almost empty at 1 pm on a Sunday. Â We made a reservation so got a large table next to the beer garden. Â We actually had 2 waitresses & one is German. Â We were impressed with how much they knew about the menu. Â Our food was delicious. Â As noted, lots of German beers on tap to choose from. Â My mom raved about the pastrami sandwich. Â The wurst & my paprika pork schnitzel was all very good. Â As a bonus, the "kids" are eating only grass fed meat, all natural foods & Kaiserhof had items on their menu they could enjoy (including the homemade bratwurst). Â Very pleased both the birthday boys got a free piece of cake. Â Their desserts are yummy & obviously made by someone who cares. Â The Kaiserhof is definitely worth the trip.
Review Source:My husband and I went here today around 11:45 AM with a couple of friends and it was awesome. The ambiance in the biergarten was phenomenal...right down to the blue and white checkered table cloth on the big party table and the beer flags overhead. The outdoor bar area was quaint and beautifully kept with fresh plants and a lovely wall fountain....(My friend said there was a french fry floating in it, but I didn't care). They even had a couple of cockatoos hanging out. Beer.The beer selection was amazing and the food..I ordered the sauerbraten and I must say that I did not like it. I don't know if I don't like sauerbraten or theirs was just not good. It was done nicely and presented beautifully, but I just don't think I like it. Weird taste. For a starter, I had the soup of the day, cream of asparagus. It was piping hot (one of things soup should be) and in a big bowl. Our waitress offered fresh ground pepper. Fabulous! For my side, I ordered a dumpling. It wasn't the regular plain knodel I grew up on, but pretty good (and huge) nonetheless. It was smothered in a delicious brown gravy. Oh the gravy! My friends ordered the goulash and the pork schnitzel (Breaded Pork cutlet). I don't like goulash, but my friend said it was tasty. My other friend let me try her pork schnitzel and it was pretty damned good.. especially with a squeeze of lemon. My husband had the jager schnitzel (Sautéed Veal Cutlet In Mushroom Cream Sauce) which was out of this world. I should have ordered that. Since I really didn't eat my food, I also ordered a giant soft pretzel. It comes with nuclear hot mustard and real dairy butter. It was phenomenal. Don't imagine Super Pretzel from the freezer section of the grocery store or like at Wetzel's in the mall. Think soft bready pretzel with just the right amount of salt served on a giant platter.....A platter! AMAZING. We all ate some and we still had some leftover. I thought the service was average, nothing stellar, but just fine. I don't understand all the bad reviews for this place. We hit this place up midday on a Sunday and they weren't busy, so that may have accounted for our good experience. I can see myself stopping in here for a beer and a pretzel, even though OB is totally out of the way for me. I knocked off a star because I really didn't like what I picked for an entree. I am, however, looking forward to trying the Schweinshaxe (Roast Pork Shank With Demi-Glace ). There is a picture posted of it here. Check it out. Looks amazing.
Review Source:I recently held a birthday party here for my girlfriend, on May 24th, Â (she recommended it).
We had approximately 13 people in our party.
First off, the hostess was very unfriendly and reluctantly seated us in the beer garden since she did not have our tables ready in the restaurant. Â Altho I did make reservations.
We arrived around 5pm. I was not drinking and so water was at a premium i guess that night. I finally received my glass of water around 7pm.
We ordered our food around 7pm or so and the last plate was served at 8:15.
The service was slow and the waiters were reluctant to give out the water...because they said they were running out of glasses...the place was not crowded...
I ordered the goulash served over spatzel...horrible...
salty goulash and the spatzel looked like it came right out of the box...the presentation was a disaster.
We finally left around 9ish or so, I was hungry...and still quite thirsty...
I would avoid this wreck at all costs, since there are so many more really nice restaurants in the near vicinity.
Right at the intersection where Point Loma boulevard hits Sunset Cliffs boulevard there is a nice German restaurant that's worth a splurge. The night we went there seemed to be a number of business folks draining their expense accounts. Service was very good. Our waiter was this old school chap who was rather serious and stiff but very professional. Heck I prefer that to some bubbly annoying airhead type that messes up our orders - which I've seen too much of lately. Since there were a number of us, I got to try a variety of dishes. Bratwurst was standard. Venison was delicious. Sea Schnitzel was pretty awesome - I'm not sure if it's a regular menu item or seasonal but I would get that the next time if it's available. Sides were good. Potato pancakes, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes. They also bring a lot of bread - it's best to minimize consumption of this in order to have room for the main course - especially if you get the soup since that is rather filling too. For drinks we got the raspberry infused beer which is awesome. If you like Wild Blue - it's like a raspberry version of that. It's a rather pricey place ist es nicht? So... more of a place to splurge unless you're one of the one percenters. Whatever the case, I like it and think it's sehr gut!
Review Source:We had been roaming around Ocean Beach trying to find a parking place so as to eat at one of our lunch spots. Â It was impossible so we started to work our way out to the freeway when my wife was Yelping and said, "What about German?" and we agreed so set the GPS and BINGO! Â "In one tenth of a mile, arrive at destination."
The Kaiserhoff was right in front of us and they had their own parking lot! Â Yeah!!
What a treat this lunch turned out to be.
This is an authentic German restaurant/Gasthaus. Â They had all the traditional German dishes, such as rolladen, schnitzels, sauerbratten, bratwurst and many more. Â And there are over a dozen draft German beers. Â That was a nice surprise.
Prices are a bit high with the lunch meals ranging from $14 - 21. Â But what you got was a lot and it was all good.
My 94 year old dad had potato pancakes and potato pancake soup. Â Both good. Â Wife had the paprika schnitzel which was a pork cutlet in a beautiful red cream sauce. Â We both had the house salad with their vinaigrette dressing, done with a lightness that only the Germans can do. Â I did the jager schnitzel, which is a veal cutlet smothered with a rich brown gravy and whole fresh mushrooms.
Both of the schnitzels were excellent and it was a lot of rich deliciousness to handle, but we were up to it.
I would have been happy to simply eat the side dishes, one of which came with each meal. Â They included spatzel, those hand made German noodles, potato pancake, red cabbage, red potatoes, apple sauce and come others that I cannot remember. Â All I sampled were great.
There is an outdoor eating area aptly named the Bier Garten. Â Decor is pure German with city coats of arms and photos of the family Gasthaus in the Black Forest area of Germany and of their previous locations in San Diego.
We were pleasantly stuffed and look forward to another visit.
As a German national, I know authentic German dishes. Â I was excited to take a friend there to experience German cuisine. Â They try, "A" for effort, but it's for the Americans who have never been to Germany. Â The prices are way too high - like they price the menu in Euros and not USD! Â The German beers are good for imports, but German beer in Germany has a higher alcohol content.
I would recommend them to Americans - reservedly so. Â The place can be very crowded at dinner time. The parking is non existent.
This is the first German restaurant I like in the United States. Being a native of Germany, I can tell you the food is pretty authentic, and I could die for their Gurkensalat (cucumber salad). I also had the Wildschweinbraten (wild boar) which was delicious. The decor is a little bit kitschig (tacky) , but anyway, I will come back for sure.
Review Source:Hmm, well, being the German-American I am who recently moved back from Austria, I had to check this place out and get my bratwurst fix.
The beer was decent. Â Came in an exceptionally large glass, just as they ought to. Â I'm still not sure if the waiters are bilingual or are merely dressed German. Â It was cute.
The restaurant has a few indoors seating areas, and a beer garden which is smoker-friendly. Â That's a plus-one, even though I don't smoke. Â The decor was darling and the natural lighting created a wonderful ambience. Â I'm a fan.
The menu lacked the classic Knoblauchcremesuppe :( Â Nearly every German restaurant has garlic soup! Â It's practically a staple! Â They had a chicken noodle... which is a strange choice of soup. Â I would have killed to get the schnitzel, but it was a bit out of my price range at $23. Â Yikes! Â I've never seen schnitzel so expensive. Â I settled with the $12 veal bratwurst instead. Â It came with a side of spicy mustard and a heaping pile of sauerkraut. Â The kraut was very good! Â Great texture and turgidity, super vinegary flavor without being overwhelming, make-your-eyes-water. Â I devoured it. Â As for the bratwurst, it was very undercooked and way too soft. Â A proper wurst should pop when you bite into it, the juices squeezing out of the meat when you sink your teeth into it and burst past the outer sack, but this was as soft as a Wienerschnitzel hot dog (yes, I'm talking about the fast food chain). Â I tried my date's homemade bratwurst for comparison and it was the exact same. Â Not very flavorful, not very fresh, not cooked properly, and overpriced. Â
Unfortunate. Â I will have to seek out the Austrian restaurant in Cuyamacca to get my proper fix, I suppose. Â I don't expect to be returning for $23 schnitzel after the poor quality of the bratwurst. Â Sorry, Kaiserhof! Â A German girl knows her German food and this did not cut it.
I'd been wanting to try this place since we moved to OB and was excited for some German food...not good, not bad. Meh. I really wanted to like this place and have a different kind of restaurant to go to close by that wasn't greasy bar food. I won't give up my age but we were at least 30 years younger than the entire restaurant, staff included. There were a few younger pups in the bar so we tried to sit in there but it seemed everyone was a regular and not moving any time soon. The bar is also super tiny. I really wanted to see fondue on the menu but no...so that was a disappointment. Our food was mediocre at best but the portions were ok. I'd probably not return. Maybe we missed something...?
Review Source:Well, I really wanted to like this place. I like German food; I like Point Loma; I liked the friends who I joined for dinner, so I was pretty pumped about trying this place. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment for all of us.
First, parking was horrendous. I expected that, so I'm not considering this in my review because it's probably out of Kaiserhof's control as there's no free room to expand the small lot. This is just a warning to those who haven't been there.
The service here, however, is schrecklich (Google told me that means "terrible" in German). I have never experienced such poor service in a restaurant. At the DMV, yes. At an overpriced, hole-in-the-wall restaurant? Not so much. The waitresses there were, at best, disinterested in our table. It took a good 15 minutes to get drinks (35 or so minutes for food). I ordered water, which apparently means I'm cheap since they didn't bring it to me until I finished my meal. Oddly enough, we kept getting different, although similiarly rude, waitresses who messed up our orders. We felt like we were burdening them by patronizing their establishment.
Here's what really fired me up, though. I'm with a group of 9 other people (so 10 people total), and their menu says a group of 6 or more means they will automatically add 18% gratuity, which is expected. Our collective bill is clearly going to be over $250 since most entrees are $25+, but the meal I wanted was around $22. The waitress told me I had to order more food, otherwise they would KICK ME OUT of the restaurant's "indoor dining area" and make me eat alone, in the cold, dark biergarten since there was a minimum amount to eat inside. What? I'm with a large group, you're charging us ONE bill (they don't split checks), the restaurant is empty, you're guaranteed an 18% tip for terrible service, and you're going to make me purchase food I don't want so I can eat with my party? No, thanks.
Also, my meal was average, but not great: a small, fried pork chop, some diced up potatoes, potato pancakes, and a cup of applesauce. Oh, and eventually a glass of water. Â Total cost = $35 total with tax and tip. Not worth it. Eat here at your own risk. You have been warned! I definitely won't be returning.
I love this restaurant. My family and I went for my birthday lunch.
I wanted to try the escargot, but no one else did so I skipped it. I instead opted for the paprika schnitzel, freaking excellent with spaetzle, again really good.  My comrades ordered the Reuben sandwich with fries, 8 oz NY steak with German fried  potatoes, and the sauerbraten. All of which was raved about throughout the meal.  My husband had a German beer with his steak and I had the German champagne with mine. Very good choices overall.
Why not 5 stars you may be asking? Â The time it took to get our food after ordering was at least 25 minutes and they weren't that busy. But that doesn't mean i won't be back again for more of this really great German fare.
I don't know why there are so many wishy-washy reviews. Yes, this place is kitcschy, but the Kaiserhof serves some of the best Western food available in San Diego.
This place has become my boyfriend's favorite, and despite the price (about $22/entree), we come out from Chula Vista at least once a month. There's an eclectic crowd here: lots of older folks, as you'd expect in a German restaurant, but this place also attracts a younger, hipper crowd as well some nights. The bartender keeps a cockatiel on his shoulder, the waiters wear the kitchsy German clothes, there's lots of beer, and the food is TO. DIE. FOR. What more could you want?
Now, onto the food, the most important part of any dining experience. This is a meat-lover's paradise. I have only a middling interest in meat ;-) but this place whets my appetite like almost no other. You can tell when they set your soup down that the beef broth (used in their french onion-esque soup and oxtail) is homemade. The potato pancakes crispy and not overpowering with seasoning. They make fried pork (paprika schnitzel) taste like an exotic dish. The Rouladen is what you dream of when you are in the mood for beef. And the stroganoff--creamy, delicious, and chock full of soft, buttery mushrooms--will knock your socks off.
Other reviewers have mentioned the slow service. Yep, it's slow. They take their sweet-ass time. So should you. You'll drop about $75 on a meal for two, including drinks. Enjoy every bite and every sip.
First off, the smell inside this restaurant is so homey. Â It reminds me of my family in Berlin. Â The cucumber salad here is just like my grandma made from old Germany. Â The spatzle is totally authentic. Â The beer is spot on. Â If you want a genuine German experience, this is the closest you are going to get this side of the Atlantic.
Review Source:I am a fan. I lived in Germany for a year and surely missed some of the food (and drink) that I had consumed during that time.This place has it. The Rouladen and Weinerschnitzel were both spot on. The potato pancakes were great. It was rather busy, so the food took some time. We weren't in a hurry, so it didn't matter. The only thing missing is a good Kristalweizen on tap.
Added bonus: Bundesliga games. Go Bayern.
We ended up here after finding out Bo Beaux had a 2 hr wait. Â
The hostess was super sweet and made us feel welcomed. Â
This place is surreal. They women wear some sort of German garb. I've never been to Germany, but I have been to the Germany at Epcot Center - and this reminded me of it.
The onion soup was very good, salty, sorta cheesy, and a good portion. I was scared to ask if it was French Onion, I didn't want to offend. Â
The entrees are mostly some combination of fried meat or fish that is served alone on a plate. They have a generous selection of sausages. I learned that  Wiener Schnitzel is veal. Â
There are a bunch of sides. We tried the potato pancake which was okay, and the bread stuffing which is an enormous scoop of gooey bread bathed in a deep brown gravy. Â I didn't care for it.
I had paprika chicken. Â Meh.
The food reminded me of high end hospital food, which may not sound good, but some nights you just don't want to be kicked in the ass with spices.
My friends enjoyed the apple strudel.
Kaiserhof, good, safe German food.
I spent the summer in German and realized I loved German food and when I heard of this place in OB, I had to check it out.
I underestimated how crowded it would be at dinner time, however the staff was extremely courteous and informative of the wait and delays in the kitchen.
The ambience is very reminiscent of a German restaurant. I love how they have pictures of castles in Germany.
I ordered the exact same thing I had in Germany. Jager snitzel with saurkraut and spatzle with mushrooms. I was shocked at how authentic it was and the taste. It was delicious. I also had their black forest cake which was divine.
Our server was named Darin I believe, and he was extremely nice and gave great service.
This place is excellent! Very true to authenticity in my opinion.
I've been going to Kaiserhoff for over 15 years... Each time I get the same thing because I like it so much... Zigeunerwurst (spicy veal bratwurst)!
They also have my favorite beer on tap - Paulaner Hefe Weizen. Â It's hard enough to find it in bottles in SD. Â So much better on draft.
The quality is consistent and every time I go, I always know it's going to be good.
Last time I was there, a birthday group of at least 15 was having a great time across the room from us. Â It's just good food in a casual atmosphere with an endearing old-school German vibe.
The biergarten is nice too, but it was too cold to sit outside this time.
The food was great. Â Had their meatloaf and German wine.
The waiter was great. Â Very knowledgeable.
The ambiance was very German like.
The handling of the customers coming in the front door. Â Bad.
  One person handling all the customers.  Allowed long lines.  The telephone trump
  people in line.  In addition to lots of people waiting, she cleared tables too.
Parking: Â virtually none. Â We parked at the smog check lot across the street.
My advice, come at 4 or after 7 if you don't have a reservation.
Worth coming back though.
I love this place. Â Granted it's not a place I go all that often, but when I do, damn it's good! Â Start your night off right in the Biergarten. Â Move on in to the dining room where you are pretty sure to be one of the youngest patrons there. Â Schnitzel, red cabbage, potato pancakes, and the paprika sauce are all excellent. Â Add a little authentic German beer and liquour to the mix, and you are sure to have a good night. Â Pricey, yes, but well worth the cost.
Review Source:Mediocre food and terrible service. I have been to Kaiserhof in the past and had an okay meal, not stellar, and kind of pricey (nearly all entrees over $20) for so-so quality. Service had been brusque at best, but my last trip to Kaiserhof was the worst.
I was with a party where someone had purchased the UT special coupon (Groupon type) and needed to use it before expiration. Another friend had done the same and so we assembled a party to go use our coupons. Naturally that was an issue, but they offered to let us use two tables and get by the one table per coupon rule. It took a half hour but we were seated in the outdoor bar area, even though there were two pairs of adjacent tables that would have worked in the main restaurant. Then our "punishment" began. Slow service, down right cranky and rude wait staff; splashing water into glasses and throwing rolls onto the table. Waitress took orders on the tables 15 minutes apart, on purpose, and told us she was doing so because we were at two tables and she was going to space them out.
After hostile behavior and inordinate wait, we asked to have a word with the manager-- 3 times. My thought is if you have a complaint, take it to someone who is able to react and don't take it out on waitstaff. After 45 min., Peter, the manager came by and proceeded to berate us. We were not asking for anything, no rounds of drinks, no free desserts, nothing. We just wanted to make it clear that we had not had a good experience at Kaiserhof. Each person that tried to speak was interrupted by the manager who stalked off after yelling at us for several minutes.
So basically we made the mistake of asking a restauranteur to work with us by being decent and splitting a check so we could redeem our paid for coupons. In no way was our behavior inappropriate, rude or overly demanding. But this meal felt like we were being given the big "screw you" because we had the audacity to ask for a little accommodation. Ironically the Groupon idea is to try to drive business to your establishment. This did the opposite and we will not return.
First thing come to my mind with hearing Kaiserhof is BEST MEATLOAF!!!!!!!
It's been a while since my last post but here it is FASP!!
Food: extremely HEARTY! All about meat, potato I mean it's a German place to begin with. My initial goal was to go there for their sausage, it all start with my one time perfect experience with a nice juicy Bratz and I am still in search. Â Sadly, the sausage is not up to par. However, I am very please, in love, with their Meat loaf and I normally dislike it, so something is very right here. The meat loaf is PERFECT, so juicy and text is just right, it doesn't have that fatty soggy feeling. The flavor is right one. I REALLy like it!. The favorite is the potato pancake :D it taste like something I would eat as a kid. It's fun to eat, and kinda addicting. The other upside is that they have good beer selection for all your beer lover :D
Ambiance: It's your ultimate all German family restaurant! very casual. Very homey decoration and all the waitress are on the older end like your aunt wearing Saint Pauline Girl outfit, kinda neat! Their patio area is like a side yard. I'm convinced that the cook house right next to the restaurant.
Service: Average not much to said :D
Price: We had a early dinner so there's special price for it. In general average, but not one of the bargain place to go to.
Final thoughts: GREAT MEAT LOAF, Casual place, crow are older like your grandparent n family but hearty n comfort food :D
I was slightly disappointed with my meal here. We purchased a Union Tribune special coupon, and came here on a Friday night to eat. It all depends on what you're looking for in a restaurant. Â
If you're looking for atmosphere, this restaurant is not the best. It is very German styled, but also needs some updating. It feels vas though they have the same decor as they did in the 80's.
The service is pretty good. Since the restaurant seems to be split up like a house, the servers must have a hard time with the constant back and forth running between the kitchen, two dining rooms, bar and patio outside. The service was a little slow, but they were polite and helpful.
The beer selection was nice and probably my favorite part of the meal! You can't go wrong with some tasty German beer in a tall cold glass!
The food was alright. I ordered Wiener Schnitzel with 2 potato side dishes, and my boyfriend had the Wurst Plate. His 3 kinds of sausage were delicious!! My Schnitzel was kind of bland and not fried crispy enough for me. I was overall slightly disappointed by the food.
Overall, I would probably go back there again, but I wouldn't get the Schnitzle. Also, the prices are a bit high for my taste. If I am spending 17-25$ an entree, I want perfection.
Our softball team had its first game at Robb Field and three of us stopped by for a post-game drink. We were looking for a place we could come the next 10 weeks after every single game.
The bartender asked to see our IDs. No problem there. However, he proceeded to take them behind the bar, out of our site, and spend about 5 minutes inspecting them and doing heaven knows what.
We didn't appreciate that and won't be returning.
I am sad to say that I didn't have a chance to sample the food. The service and the wait was too long. We had dinner reservations at 7:30 we left after waiting in the small lobby for 40 minutes.The restaurant staff was very disorganized. They were visibly slow turning tables, seating patrons, and the bussing. Â The hostess barely acknowledged our existence. I believe that this restaurant can not handle the pressure of busy times.
It was funny to see that it was voted "Best German Restaurant" in San Diego. It is the only German restaurant in San Diego.
It's disappointing that I am writing a bad review for this place, because honestly, it is a great place to dine and drink. Their food is delicious and they have a great selection of German beers. They have a cute patio outside to hang out with friends, but you also have the option to dine inside.
My major complaints come from service. I've been here at least 3 times, and every single time the service has been incredibly slow. I completely understand that Kaiserhof is popular and they have many customers to serve/ I don't mind waiting 15-20 min for my drinks & ordering (but that is kind of a long time...), but my last visit was HORRENDOUS. I arrived to meet up with some co-workers, and the waitress didn't acknowledge us for 20 min. I tried to get the attention of another waiter, but he told me to wait for our waitress (serious? I know you guys want to respect each other's serving space, but you are losing money by not taking my order...). Our drinks took a stupid amount of time to get to the table (~20 min), but whatever. What pissed me off the most is when we ordered a 2nd round of drinks (a pitcher of beer), it took 40 minutes to come to our table. FORTY. F-O-R-T-Y. Yes, you are reading that correctly. 20 minutes in, I asked the waitress about our pitcher, and she said "i'm sorry, our bar is slammed right now". When I asked her 20 minutes later, she said the same thing. Let me break this down for you:
1. other people at our table ordered single pints and they got their beers in 15 minutes. Is getting a pitcher really that much more difficult that it takes 25 more minutes??
2. I understand your bar was busy, but it DOES NOT take 40 minutes to fill a pitcher, I'm not STUPID.
In addition to the extreme slowness, our waitress was not very nice. She was incredibly rude when we wanted to order things (uhh, that's your job) and she was not apologetic at ALL for giving us our pitcher FORTY minutes after we ordered it.
After this past visit, I will NOT be coming back. I'm so sick of the slow/mean service. Even though their food and drink are good, the service is so horrible that I just can't subject myself to it anymore. Seriously, just stay away.
Huge portions and very authentic. We had dinner in the Biergarten and tried the pretzel which was soft, warm and delicious. Tried the chicken wings from happy hour and hubby had the Poor shank which was just gigantic and he had the rest for lunch the next day but what made it the best was their amazing gravy. Their mash with herbs is spot on and my toddler loved the potato pancake and the red cabbage is exactly like we had when we were over there. I had the crusted chicken with a yummo red sauce. Seriously best beers and atmosphere. It is not fast food as it is prepared presh so take your time and enjoy
Review Source:My parents and I have enjoyed going to the Kaiserhof ever since they were on Adobe Falls Road. We've been to the location in Point Loma many times.
My Mother is German and my Dad enjoys German food. The dishes are close enough to make my Mom nostalgic, even if some of them are not quite how her Mom made them.
My only complaint is that my favorite dish, käsespätzle, cannot be ordered. Not even a special order in advance. I'm trying to learn how to make it using a spätzlebrett because the only other way I can get it is to go to Germany. That's a bit pricey. I haven't found another authentic German restaurant in San Diego so if the Kaiserhof won't provide it, I'm stuck doing home-made.
There is limited parking but the ambience is wonderful. While it might be a bit pricey, you get what you pay for. If you want a cheap steak, go to Black Angus. If you want a wonderful sit down dinner experience providing German cuisine, then the Kaiserhof is pretty much the only deal in town. Even though they are the only German restaurant, they still provide the best dishes they can. They do not rest on their laurels or cut corners.
I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and consider Mader's restaurant on Old World Third St., next to Usinger's (how much better can that get?) the gold standard when it comes to German cuisine this side of the Atlantic. I have to say that Kaiserhof's food is consistently as good as Mader's, and I don't have to fly 2,200 miles to get a decent German meal. In fact, the last time we were at Milwaukee and made our Mader's pilgrimage, my husband (a San Diegan from birth) commented that he actually thought Kaiserhof was BETTER. Now, that's saying something, folks.
I would love to bitch-slap all of the J.F.-in-Otay-types here who gripe about the price of everything -- for god sakes, what are you doing going to a sit-down restaurant that serves large portions of high-quality meat dishes? How can you expect it to be inexpensive? You must not get out much.
And as for the "young" crowd who finds Kaiserhof stuffy, please don't come here and ruin my experience. How would you even notice the atmosphere since your face is glued to your iphone anyway?
I am going here tonight and hope that it's as good as it has been the other 15 times I've eaten here over the years, and I certainly expect it to be. Yes, the decor is a little dated (it's kitschy German) and parking is a major problem if the lot is full, but  it's Ocean Beach so you have to expect that. If you really do love good Kraut food, you gotta come here. I would recommend the sauerbraten with the spaetzle (little dumplings), red cabbage and cucumber salad as your sides. YUM!
I have wanted to eat here for years and I finally convinced my girlfriend to come sample German food with me. Â I personally love sauerkraut, bratwurst, and wiener schnitzel, Â but she dislikes trying new cuisines unless there is something remarkably similar to something else she already likes.
Fortunately, there was a steak on the menu which she ordered but we both were shocked to see that a $28 NY strip was less than half inch thick and was tiny considering the price paid. Outback or hell even Black Angus would have a better deal for cut of meat. Anyways, if I would have known that Kaiserhof was that expensive beforehand, I would have never wanted to come here. Â
Almost every single item on the menu was over $20 a plate, so I played it conservative and went with the cheapest item on the menu that wasn't an appetizer or salad. I ordered the pork schnitzel since it was only a mere $22. Even though the pork was cooked nicely, and the mashed potatoes and egg noodles tasted good, I walked away feeling as though I had just ate at Ikea's cafeteria.
Now as far as the hostess telling us about happy hour specials she failed to mention that we had to drink the beer in the biergarten outside. We wanted to actually eat and drink beers outside in the garden area but once we found out it was really a big patio for smokers to eat, drink and smoke their cigs we wisely decided to eat inside and enjoy our food free of second hand smoke. It wasn't until I got the bill and noticed we weren't charged the happy hour prices that I was informed since we opted to sit inside we no longer qualified for the happy hour prices for our pitcher of Spaten Optimator Dark. I felt so deceived.
On another note about the beer here is that the waitress spilled an estimated 1-2 ounces of beer from our pitcher when she was pouring our pint glasses. It was all over the table and she actually had to go get a towel because it looked like a flood on the bright white table cloth covering the table. I was so upset that she did not go add the 1-2 ounces back to the pitcher to compensate for her mistake that I left a poor tip as a indicator of her service.
I doubt I will ever come eat here again unless I'm making serious money and don't care about blowing over $60 just to eat at an authentic German restaurant for the two of us.
Make sure you come hungry! The portions are HUGE.
I'm a bit torn on the rating here. There's some really good elements to this restaurant but those are offset by the really bad elements.
Let's start with the bad:
The service here is pathetic to be frank. I walked in here and had to wait 10 minutes in front to be seated. Not because it was busy but because there were no clean tables. And there was no dedicated host. 3 waitresses walked past me before I had to say something to finally get seated. How they don't keep their tables ready for guest to come in is beyond me. But the poor service didn't stop there, the waitresses wear this nice traditional german looking dresses but they walk stomp around in them that it just looks awkward and clumsy. It's really just hard to watch and completely ruins the ambiance of the entire traditional german decor. I'm not sure how they train their staff or how experienced they are but they really could use some grace and professionalism. The reason I'm so hard on the service leads me into my next point.
Price, most dishes here are $20+ which is OK considering what you get but with prices like that the service MUST match. Otherwise you're overcharging for the food in my opinion. When I'm dropping $35+ on a meal I want a complete experience not just good food but great service.
The decor is also a bit depressing, it looks like this place was decorated in 1975 and hasn't changed a bit. It definitely needs a update BADLY!
The pretzels are also not authentic, they look delicious but they are microwaved which makes me believe that they are pre-made probably days in advanced. If you don't finish them within a minute they become rock hard. There are a few things a german restaurant need to get right and this is one of them. Sadly this place fails in that aspect.
Now the good,
The food is great! I loved it with the exception of the pretzels. I had the sausage sampler and it was really good, the sides and dipping sauces were a perfect match. 5 out of 5 sporks!
I also had the gigantic pork mutton leg, it has this weird german name which I can't remember but it's that giant turkey leg thing you can see in the pictures. Deep fried and very good. Each piece of meat was so savory and a perfect hearty german meal. My only complaint is that there was way too much fat on the leg. It got to a point that it was almost disgusting how big the chucks of fat I was pulling off where. But the crispy skin and tasty meat more then made up for it. And it was huge! big enough for 2 people to share. So big they had to give me 2 knives to cut it haha. 4 out of 5 sporks.
All in all, if you're craving german food then this place is worth going to if you don't mind the high price, clumsy service, and old decor. I wouldn't eat here all the time but when I need me some german food this would be my first choice.
This place is indescribably amazing. Â The prices are comparable to the prices of a standard sit down restaraunt, like Chili's, or Applebee's. Â The wait staff is incredible kind and courteous, taking care of every need you have. Â The decore and atmosphere is extremely German, and very quaint and welcoming. Â
The food... Â I can't event describe the levels of bliss the food put me in. Â I lived in Germany several years ago, and have always missed true German food. Â This place hits the nail on the head. Â I personally had the Veal Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and it was like a foodgasm in my mouth. Â It was astonishingly amazing. Â My friends got the Small Bratwurst in a roll, and the 1/2 lbs angus burger with Grueyer cheese and German Potatoes. Â All of us were absolutely in food heaven. Â It was amazing. Â I cannot emphasize how blown away by the food I was. Â If you're a fan of German food, you MUST find this place and eat here. Â It's worth the time.
We went to Kaiserhof with friends on a busy Saturday night. Â The parking lot was full and street parking was non-existent, as usual in O.B. Â Luckily my husband has good parking karma and is good at parallel parking so we finally found a spot a few blocks away.
There was a line out the door, so it took a good 10 minutes to make it to the front desk. Â We had reservations, but they couldn't seat us right away. Â We decided to wait at the bar where there was plenty of seating. Â There were many different types of German beers on tap and a good wine list. Â We tasted a few different beers before we decided. Â The service at the bar was very friendly. It took quite a while for our table, but we chatted and drank beers so we hardly noticed.
Once seated we had questions about the food, our server was very knowledgeable and made suggestions.  I decided on the sauerbraten because my German grandmother used to make it when I was a kid.  My dinner came with two sides and a salad, I chose the cucumber salad and it was really good with  a dill-vinegar dressing.  It took quite a while for our food to arrive, but we were drinking beer and chatting with friends, so it wasn't an issue.
It took a while , but all of the dishes came out piping hot. The sauerbraten was pretty good, but a tiny bit on the dry side. Â Luckily it had a nice, brown gravy and tasted very much like grandma used to make. Â My husband got the wurst plate, and it was just that, three kinds of wursts on a plate, with some, Dijon mustard. Â I tried all three, and they were decent, but no better or "wurst" than you could make at home. Â One of my friends ordered the ox tail, and we were all jealous. Â It was in a nice thick stew with gravy and vegetables. Â It was heavenly. Â The portion was huge, definitely enough for another meal. Â
Even though we were stuffed to the gills, I wanted to write a complete Yelp! review. I took one for the team and ordered the apple strudel with whipped cream. It was a big portion with lots of cream on top. Â The apples and raisins were hot and tender. Â
Some recommendations:
Make reservations! Don't even try going there on a Saturday night without reservations unless you arrive really early or very late.
The restaurant was crowded and noisy, and service was on the slow side. Â Don't go if you are in a rush, or impatient. Â Get a beer and enjoy the company of your friends for crying out loud.
Prices were decent when you consider how much food you get. Â Our tab came to about $100 with dinner, beers, desert and tip.
Parking can be an issue, but you will appreciate a little walk to your car when you are stuffed with beer and brats.
Try the ox tail!
If Ulla is your waitress here, you'll probably start calling this place Scheisserdoof, no doubt to her outrageously rude behavior. Stick to the Biergarten, but don't seat yourself there. You see, even when half the seats out back are empty, Ulla says you have to be seated and put your name down, but the front manager says to seat yourself. Then when you seat yourself, you get the wrath of Ulla the whole time.
Fick dich, Ulla.
Jawohl!
If you want to enjoy some really, really, REALLY hearty food, and some strong well-spiced German beer, at some pretty reasonable prices, then hit this place up.
It has literally been nearly 20 years since my last visit. Â I think it took that long for my stomach to de-bloat from the first time I was there. Â Thankfully, I only ate half my dinner this time around so the effect wasn't quite so bloat-worthy.
Yes, the Happy Hour is a good deal. Â It's from 4 to 7, not sure about which days, and the freebie food is a definite plus. Â The meatballs and short ribs have a great flavor and the potaters are super crispy and crunchy. Â Be careful, though: Â If you plan to eat dinner, these munchies (plus beer) will definitely start the bloating process prematurely.
Moving on to dinner, the schweinshaxe (pork shank) is freaking great and as big as a g'damn Nerf football. Â I'm not kidding. Â It comes with a brown gravy boat and a side of German mustard and a dab of each with each bite was awesome.
I won't order veal as a personal choice but I did steal a few bites of the veal cutlet/schnitzel thing whose name I cannot recall (or pronounce). Â It was super tender and the brown sauce was great.
Noteworthy side dish: Â potato pancake. Â It's freshly made and more seasoned than the ones you have probably had before. Â The red cabbage is also very good, but perhaps a tad too sweet. Â I was a bit disappointed in the spaetzle. Â It needed a few healthy shakes of salt and a stir of the butter at the bottom. Â Then, it became something worth digging into.
If you want the goulash soup, you have to spring for another $2.50, but I think it's worth it. Â It's absolutely loaded with paprika and chunks of tender beef. Â The smell of the soup alone is divine. Â Again, watch out. Â It's hearty (read: heavy).
Four beers, 2 main entrees, and no dessert (no room in our guts whatsoever), with tax and tip, was about $80. Â And, we took home half our food, so that is a full dinner for the next night. Â You do the math. Â I think it's a good deal.
Service was slooow but I think they were seriously understaffed. Â Our particular server was outstanding but he can't make the food cook any faster.
I would say this place is great if you haven't eaten in a few days or on a cold night. Â This is stick to your ribs and bust your gut grub. Â And it's good.
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