Three weeks ago, I visited this restaurant with two friends while traveling in Helen, Georgia. During service, a server accidentally spilled oily soup onto my jacket, leaving it heavily stained. Accidents can happen in any restaurant, so I tried to handle the situation calmly and asked to speak with the manager. A woman who identified herself as the owner came to our table, acknowledged the situation, and gave me her business card and a handwritten note (attached). She offered two options: the restaurant could arrange cleaning or reimburse me if I purchased a replacement jacket. Because I was traveling, we agreed that I would buy a replacement and send her the receipt. The original jacket I purchased was no longer available, so I actually chose a less expensive replacement. I then sent the receipt by text message as requested. After receiving no response for about two weeks, I followed up again. She replied once saying the receipt image was unclear, so I immediately sent it again. Since then, I have received no response for more than two weeks. At this point, it has been over three weeks since the incident. What is most disappointing is not the accident itself--mistakes can happen anywhere--but the way this situation has been handled afterward. The owner personally assured me that the restaurant would take responsibility, yet after that initial promise there has been no follow-up, explanation, or response despite multiple attempts to communicate. I will pursue the appropriate channels to resolve it. read more

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The food was ok and service was good. There was no wait for a table for 5. Being raised around authentic German food - this was ok. Portions are large so if you are ordering for kids be mindful of that. We knew this was a tourist town so the prices match that situation. read more

My husband and I went to Oktoberfest and wanted some German food. We decided here since most of the places were out of food and he really wanted Jägerschnitzel (schnitzel with mushroom gravy). When we first came in, we were greeted and seated immediately. We sat outside as it was pretty packed indoors. It looks pretty clean indoors when I went to use the bathroom. Bathrooms were decently clean. Afterwards, the service went downhill and I was more amused with the attention from the cats. There's three cats roaming around outside and they were super cute! The waitress was sweet, but not as attentive as we would have liked. It wasn't as packed outdoors but it's okay, we understand and are patient with our food. Our water refills and final check took a while though. Knocking off a few stars due to the food: Giant pretzel with beer cheese: 8.5/10 - it came out nice and toasty! It was delicious, perfectly toasted, and with the warm beer cheese was perfection. We loved the pretzel and were excited to see what's to come! Jägerschnitzel: 6/5 - my husband has lived in Germany for a while before and has eaten plenty of Jägerschnitzel and this missed the mark. The schnitzel patty wasn't as flavorful and barely breaded. It looked pan fried and tossed in gravy. The mushroom gravy looked a bit odd and funky. While it was decent, it wasn't worth the $27+ price tag. My husband said it was flavorless. The Spätzle (German egg noodles) were okay, not the best. He wasn't impressed with the dish and was pretty disappointed. House platter: 6.5/10 - This came with three different types of wurst (Bratwurst, Garlic wurst, and Smoked Pork wurst) with potato salad and sauerkraut. The smoked pork wurst and potato salad were the star of the plate and it was pretty darn good! I loved the potato salad and it was a little tart, creamy, and the potatoes were a good consistency. The smoked pork wurst was juicy. You know it's a good sausage when you bite into it and it has that signature snap! I didn't taste much flavor from the garlic wurst nor bratwurst the garlic wurst lacked color. The platter came with two packets of mustard and I used a lot of it to add flavor to the bratwurst and garlic wurst. The sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) was tart and tasted fine but I've had better. Overall, I don't know if I would get this again. After we were served our food, we were pretty much ignored and checked up on like once. I had to flag the server down for our checks and a to go box. As I mentioned, the server was nice and sweet and we totally understand how busy things get. However, we felt like we were sitting at the dinner table for a while, even though we were ready to leave. My husband ended up drinking my water since no one came to refill his glass. The staff are friendly though and if we're in the area, we will give this place another chance. The platters were a good size. Maybe it was just an off night. read more

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Horrible food and service. We had the Sampler for 2 with sides. It all was inedible and the staff did not care that all the meats were over cooked and dry lacking any flavor. There are better restaurants in Helen like Hofer's, Heidelberg and hofbrauhaus. read more

A friend and had lunch there today. I ordered the Goulash meal with Spatzle. Totally disappointed. First, I've never been served goulash on a plate with rotkohl and something I'm not sure what was. The Goulash was not hot. I added the spatzle to the Goulash to try to improve it but there wasn't enough sauce and it didn't help. The biggest disappointment was I could NOT get any taste of paprika, that's a seriously important ingredient that apparently was left out. My friend only ate about half of her meal, not impressed. She was born in Germany and I lived there and continue to spend a lot of time there. We know what we ordered should taste like. First time there, won't be going back. read more

What a treat this restaurant was! Picked this restaurant because it was right down the street from our hotel in Helen, GA. It was starting to drizzle so waiting outside for a table was not ideal but at least they had a covering and table umbrellas opened. The service was really slow but that is what I expected from a novelty restaurant in a bustling tourist attraction town like Helen, GA. There were two men dressed in Alpine costumes playing the accordion and the tuba? A fun addition to our meal. Skip the sparkling apple juice, it's just apple juice and sprite. Opt for the strawberry limoncello sangria or spritzer and a german beer! We ordered the giant pretzel which came out hot and fluffy, with beer cheese for dipping. It was excellent! I got the pork schnitzel with potatoes, it was good but I feel like the gravy lacked. My husband ordered the Tafelspit, sauce was great! The waitress accidentally spilled half the gravy on the floor during transport but that's okay! Hoping to go back to try other dishes! read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Giant pretzel with beer cheese - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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Service at Bodensee was very good! I had the Beef Goulash appetizer since I wasn't very hungry, they do have two other beef goulash dishes that come along with other fixings but mine was absolutely delicious! read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Beef Goulash (Appetizer) - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

The wait staff and food were excellent. We were also able to have our mini-Aussie join us (well behaved and quiet). Only note: it took them about 10 -15 minutes to address/seat us. read more

Fun atmosphere. Great service. Savory menu options. The Bavarian gravy was a tasty addition to the schnitzel. read more

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We walked up and the owner and her family were giving a Barbie to a little girl and restocking the counter with them-I guess they give them out randomly. We just missed the live music. The pretzel was the freshest I've ever had--super soft. Staff were super friendly. There was a bunch of toys and crayons for kids who were waiting. Loved the family friendly vibe and welcoming nature of the owner. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Pretzel - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

The place is nice enough, but the prices are CRAZY expensive. Almost $11 for one normal beer. I bought the same beer a couple blocks away for $7. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - The cost of one normal beer. - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

Fast good service and my pork schnitzel was tender and was able to cut with fork unlike another reviewer who said theirs was tough. read more

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Poor service. Have been here previously and had a good experience so we decided to return. Ordered same platter and it was an extreme disappointment. When brought up to waitress she addressed with a snide attitude. Atmosphere was excessively noisy. When leaving owner asked if we enjoyed and when we said we were disappointed his response was "well if you don't like it just go home". Eating of a 1 is extremely generous. read more

I really wanted to leave a better review, but the food just wasn't good. The baby back ribs were honestly some of the worst I've ever had, I took one bite and couldn't finish the rest. Everything from the color to the taste seemed off. They looked like they had been boiled and weren't even properly coated in BBQ sauce, like the kitchen ran out. On a positive note, the service was good, which is the only reason this isn't a 1-star review. Unfortunately, the food quality just didn't match. read more

1) Parking situation is horrible. I had to park a block and a half away. If you are lucky, you may find one of the 10-12 spots in their lot available. 2) The bread set out while we waited was tasteless and stale. 3) Dinners A) My Goulash was wonderful. B) FIL's pork schnitzel was very thick and tough. C) Wife's chicken schnitzel was also very tough. Neither of them liked their meals AT ALL. 4) Service and ambiance were fine. We will not be returning. read more

We ate at the Bondensee on Monday .sat in the Beer Garden . I ordered the Chicken Schnitzel Platter, husband had the Brat Platter. Portions were huge and authentic delicious with plenty left over for the next day to eat in the cabin. The service was outstanding ! Jeremy was very attentive, friendly, and a very good server. Highly recommend! We went back on Tuesday later to just have a glass of wine and beer as we walked in Jeremy was standing at the entrance and remembered us and welcomed us back. Best food, service etc. Kudos to Chef and staff. Thank you and hope you are recognized. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in during our first ever day trip to Helen, GA. Initially, I had tried calling another restaurant that is either temporarily or permanently closed but was transferred to another business' line. I asked the lady for recommendations for good German restaurants nearby and this was her first recommendation. We were sold and immediately walked over to the location! As we headed into the restaurant we spotted an adorable cat I couldn't help but snap a photo of. We were seated quickly and met by our waitress who took our drink orders. We started off with waters with lemons while we perused the menu. We knew that we wanted a Bavarian Pretzel with Beer Cheese dipping sauce, so we ordered that as our appetizer. It was addictive! For our entrees, my boyfriend got the salmon with a side of sauerkraut, and I got the chef's schnitzel with a side of spaetzel. My portion was large and filling. I also got a Paulaner Lager because how can you have German food without a beer? It ended up being huge as well, at least by my standards! I shared it with my boyfriend which was perfect. Over all, we had a great time! There aren't many options for vegetarians or pescatarians, which was to be expected but still a bit challenging (I eat everything, but my boyfriend is a pescatarian). Regardless, everything tasted yummy. The restaurant is super casual and simple and the staff were all attentive. Our cravings were satisfied! Thank you for the experience. read more

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Very authentic and delicious German food. Service was fantastic also and we enjoyed sitting outside.

My wife and I got the sampler platter for 2. It's more like a platter for 4. So much food and so good. We really enjoyed this place. I just wish they would have had cheese fondue. But other than that the food was great. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

This place is amazing!!! First off it's very clean and well taken care of. The staff is wonderful and really took cared of us from the time we walked up to the door. Mike was a fantastic server. He knew the answers to all the questions we asked. Now, the food. First of all it was absolutely delicious. We had a pretzel to start off and it was perfect. We ordered pork schnitzel with cheese spatzel. The meal was cooked to perfection and the portions were huge. We took home 2 to go boxes. This is by far the best meal we have had on our vacation! Thank you Mike and everyone here! I would have given this more stars if they were available!!!! read more

So delicious and so much fun. We came in on a rainy weekend evening hoping for some hearty food and weren't disappointed. I don't have that much experience with German food but ordered onion soup (I know this isn't German), we got a pretzel, and I ordered the pork schnitzel with the cream gravy. The pretzel and cheese sauce were fantastic! The onion soup was also solid but with a lottttt of herbs/seasoning. Maybe a little too much but it was still tasty on a cold day! My schnitzel was HUGE - my husband and I agreed that if we had known it was so big, we would've just split it. It's too heavy to eat the entire thing but I did really enjoy eating it. The atmosphere of the restaurant is cozy and we enjoyed our time waiting for our meal. There was live musicians who came through playing Christmas music, which was SO much fun and they did a fantastic job getting everyone involved in singing. Definitely a meal I won't forget. read more

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Not bad food. Server wasn't the best, she plopped down our sampler platter and didn't let us know what was what. We thought the food was good until we went to another place and THAT food put this food to shame. So, I wouldn't recommend this place to a friend honestly due to the service and the taste. read more

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Amy did a great job today This place is the best on town Soup gulasch is amazing And the sauce platter are very good Temperature and environment are. Excellent Highly recommend read more

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Service is nice, but slow. Ambiance is free flowing/open. Accommodation upon arrival is nice but follow through is to be determined. It took us 14 minutes to be served even after a promise of "be right with you"... It's a kind and lively environment, German music and fun entertainment (from time to time I suppose - just no guarantee?). French onion soup - CLASSIC kids menu very affordable ~$6 and upon first glance seems to be over fried, but actually very tasty. As in, they had fresh fry oil! Not too shabby! Not a fan of crinkle fries, but when well seasoned and fried, hey.... Okay, escargot, which I DID NOT expect to find at soooo many places around the square, was a bonus menu find. BUT, it was so laden in garlic, which is one of my favorite foods and flavors in life, was so heavy, it took away from the escargot itself. Great beer menu, although you have to pick and choose in order to save some Money. Beer and food wise all and all. It's a touristy spot. It wasn't the ultimate experience, but I wouldn't say not to try them out. Just giving my honest opinion. read more

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We visited this past Thursday night. We were seated in the Biergarten. My daughter and I ordered a sampler platter for 2 and the pretzel with beer cheese and honey mustard. The food was delicious! There was a two piece German band with two gentleman dressed in full German ensemble and they added to the fun of our dinner. We had a lot of fun interacting with them and listening to them play. Would definitely go back when in town. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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I wish I could give this place a 5 star simply because the people were super friendly. Service was 5 stars. But the schnitzel. You cannot run a German restaurant and serve schnitzels that are not at least close to authentic. We had the pork version, no veal available, and it was not tenderized with a meat mallet. It came out pretty thick, not crunchy, soggy and full of oil. Also no basic seasoning detectable. Making a schnitzel is so easy and fast. No excuse for this. They were able to make excellent chicken tenders for the kids menu. Those were crunchy, not soggy, etc. Anyways. Too bad. Can't recommend the place for schnitzel that is for sure. Also not a single German appetizer on the menu. And the sides were ok. The red cabbage was ok. Not great. They need to get a local grandma to fix these things. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Dining area - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

Food was delicious and close enough to remind me of my years in Germany. Staff was attentive, and there was a small troupe walking around playing music and interacting with patrons - great vibe. Atmosphere was a German-American mix and worth a revisit in the future. read more

Had there schnitzel with red gravy Damn it was so good very busy and service was slow . We were clear in back with very little heat After 45 min some of the party were told they were out of their items The gypsy gravy is worth any inconvenience ! read more

Best German restaurant in the area. I always take my friends there when in town. Always have great service.

We loved Bodensee so much that we went twice for dinner during our long weekend trip to Helen. The service was great, the outdoor atmosphere was a lot of fun. All the food was fantastic and reminiscent of our time we spent in Germany. I recommend getting the sampler because it is shareable and you can get a little taste of everything! read more

Bodensee Restaurant - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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Went to this place on recommendation, & I'll be the first to say I might be the problem (not super keen on German food). I got the blandest thing on the menu (because I'm not always an adventurous eater). The chicken was tough & not flavorful. Potatoes were somehow the most boring & mid potatoes I've ever had (and it's hard to make a unloveable potato in my book). Pretzel was the best pretzel I've ever had though, & the beer cheese was excellent! Maybe this is a good place for a drink & a pretzel? read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Chicken Schnitzel - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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While in Helen Ga. Visiting, I managed to try some authentic German food at Bondensee restaurant . Had the Bouernpfaennle The taste was amazing !! Por chops cooked well , not breaded , with rich cheese and tomato sauce . Portion size was generous. Had a family & friends oriented ambiance. Picnic tables both indoors and outdoor eating . Service was great . I recommend this place so ...If in Helen Ga. stop by and have a beer in the Biergarten of Bondensee. read more

We come here in town because of the good authentic food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. It didn't disappoint again. They have indoor, outdoor, and enclosed Biergarten. The owner came to visit and check on us. Great person. The staff was efficient and friendly. The food was better than the other restaurants we tried. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Part of the menu. - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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We tried a large sampler. It was all delisious with new flavor profiles we weren't familar with. We love a culinary adventure, and this was a delight. All the food arrived quickly. The textures and flavors were a delight. If I were to return, I would order the pork chop as it was our collective favorite of the items we sampled. I am always disappointed to not be able to have a fountain Diet Coke... read more

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This is one of 3 restaurants in Helen that are on our must visit list every time we come. The others are Spice 55 and Mully's Nacoochee Grill. We always share the House Platter and salad. Their coffee is the best in town. It's Bold and rich, and is brewed one cup at a time. read more

I was with my girlfriend and the best part was when she looked at me and my son and said... "this French onion soup is like it was served by someone's grandma." What a great meal. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - French onion soup - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

The staff was great, but the food was cold and the meat wasn't tender. Also, while I love cats, allowing them inside the restaurant isn't okay, especially for people who are allergic to them. read more

I've been to this place a few times over the last couple years. It is a pretty good place to go to. Though it is overpriced I think. As an appetizer we got the pretzel and it was a little too dry. I got French onion soup and it is one of the best I've ever had and very filling. My boyfriend got a pork schnitzel and it was pretty basic, some flavor, very thin like it's supposed to be but somehow was hard to cut into. The restaurant is cute but the tables are pretty close together. The servers are nice. read more

Bodensee Restaurant - Hauspfannle - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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Food and service were great. We had the schnitzel, goulash, potato salad, and trout. All were very good.

German style restaurant with outstanding service. A lot of choices in the menu. Food was delicious . read more

Bodensee Restaurant - German Near Me - Helen, Georgia

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