Shocking Discrimination and Unprofessional Behavior - Avoid at All Costs
I rarely write negative reviews, but my experience at Elefant was so appalling that I feel compelled to warn other tourists.
My party and I visited this German restaurant for what should have been a pleasant evening meal. We were having a quiet conversation with our German friend (a Munich native) about politics and history - nothing unusual or disruptive. The restaurant was swelteringly hot even though the waiter assured us it was the same temperature as outside when we requested an outdoor table when we arrived.
The service was poor from the start. When we asked our waiter for a beer recommendation, he curtly replied that he doesn't drink beer and offered no suggestion. Throughout the meal, his attitude was unwelcoming and dismissive.
However, the evening took a truly disturbing turn near the end of our meal. We heard someone shouting profanities ("f*** you, f*** you") and initially ignored it, assuming it wasn't directed at us. We were wrong. A uniformed employee was indeed yelling at our table. He then approached us but spoke only to our German friend, asking where he was from. When told "Munich," the employee walked away without acknowledging the rest of our party.
Our waiter returned with a half-hearted apology but maintained his hostile demeanor. When we requested to split the bill between two cards, he sighed loudly and acted annoyed. He also asked only our German friend for a tip - completely ignoring the rest of us.
The discriminatory and hostile treatment was obvious and deeply uncomfortable. As tourists, we felt unwelcome and frankly unsafe. The staff's behavior was unprofessional and completely unacceptable.
Berlin has countless excellent restaurants with welcoming staff. Save your money and go literally anywhere else. read more