Beautiful spot, beautiful food, beautifully executed drinks. Enormous curated with care, selection of spirits sold by the bottle in the retail shop. Cant wait for Spring to enjoy their gorgeous outdoor setting with tons of seating. Severna Park is so fortunate to have such a creative force of talented people who facilitate such a beautiful dining experience. read more

Garten - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Severna Park, Maryland

The food was okay and edible, but definitely not quite worth the price. Not quite "fine dining" expensive but a little pricier than your average dinner. Also not authentic German food as the restaurant presents itself to be. I did like that they had local craft beer options though, that was a nice touch. The service was also okay, but not blow your socks off amazing. The ambiance and setting of the restaurant may have been better in the summer but by chance we ended up there on a night it was pouring down rain so we were inside. Not too loud but again nothing superb. Usually I would give a place a second chance, especially when it is locally owned, but the 4% "labor of love" added onto the check really discourages me from that. read more

An additional charge was added to our check. Some kind of "Love" charge. When we inquired about it we were told it was an additional add on charge to pay for employee's days off and entertainment so the owner didn't have to pay for it. Make sure to review your bill for additional charges - unexpected and unwarranted. read more

Our first visit yesterday, a party of three for lunch - we started with a round of drinks, beer and a poor pour of Pinot Grigio. Cheese platter to follow with burnt bread. Welcome to Garten! My husband and I shared a sausage platter, Jalapeno Sausage was the highlight. Hot German potato salad way to vinegary, didn't eat. Red cabbage just so so, didn't eat. Our friend had the same sausage platter with cabbage and cold potato salad. Let me clarify that I love anything potato and didn't care for it at all. Other reviewers have mentioned the intent in getting the tables cleared while customers are still finishing up~ makes one feel rushed! In reading other reviews -whether a table of 2 or 4 - 18% gratuity added on without being advised. Our bill seemed high and I am wondering if this wasn't the case. We didn't look close - so beware - might end up tipping 40% + *I just called before posting this review and was advised it applies to six people or more - my question, why exactly and additionally not the case based on reviews. On a positive note - place looks incredible. Our waitress was on point and attentive. Our wish is for your success. Unfortunately, we aren't in a rush to return anytime soon. read more

I really want to like this place. Pros: it's beautiful, well designed and an upscale experience. Cons: the small parking lot and the service tainted out experience. Our entree came out before our appetizers, which is pretty bad. The wait staff was very young, and showed their inexperience. These things need to align with the prices. read more

Neighborhood gem. Wonderful atmosphere, indoor & out. Friendly staff and dedicated owners.

Excellent ambiance and food. Lots of beautiful outdoor seating surrounded by gardens. Good place for an outdoor event. Cozy on the inside.

This is easily the most highly anticipated opening of any restaurant the Severna Park area has ever seen. Open a little over a month now, and I waited to review until I'd been there three times. The drinks are good. I'm just not in love with the food. The only item I thought was downright bad was the shrimp roll. Zero taste and tiny portion of shrimp salad, which was too wet. The pot pie is good, doner kebab ok, burger ok, burratta good. Nothing I've eaten here has been a standout. Pretzels the best thing on the menu but you need a better cheese dip option. I'm really hoping it loses a little of the upscale vibe so it feels more authentic, local, comfortable; maybe expand the bar area outside with some high tops. I have high hopes. read more

Garten - Outside patio - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Severna Park, Maryland

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Wonderful food, wonderful service and I love the outdoor ambiance. This place has it all and it's so a wonderful welcomed new business to Severna park. We have been a few times now and tried so many things on the menu all amazing! We will be repeat guests for sure!! read more

Ambiance, service, and pretzel bread appetizer were very nice. Now to the other food and mains. Shrimp sandwich very bread-heavy and just ok. Mac and cheese side was just ok. The pot pie was the best of our selections, and was good but not great. The baked Brie in fill dough was very small for he price. Cocktails and drinks were pretty good. I would come here for drinks and snacks. It might have a nice al fresco vibe when the weather improves. read more

I love this restaurant. I love the ambience, the people and the great menu. I feel like I am in a Real German Guesthouse. But the other day we walked up to the 4 seat outside bar and were completely ignored by the horrible bartender. Who hands you menus and walks away to chat with her friends about selfies? Never asked if we wanted water, empty water glasses in front of us should have been a reminder, and never said while you're looking at the menu, can I get you started on some drinks? Simple math for a real bartender. I don't want to go to a great restaurant and immediately become angry at the major incompetence. Every time we needed something we had to get her attention. We had to ask the busboy to get us a check. Unbelievable! No telling what would have happened if there had been 5 barstools. read more

Disappointing. alas. Understand, please, how much I wanted to like Garten as much or more than Preserve, the owner's nifty little joint on Main Street in downtown Annapolis, or indeed, as much as any other restaurant in the area. The restaurant itself is beautifully renovated and very pleasing; the staff is friendly and professional, and service crisp. But the food, while interesting to think about while perusing the menu, doesn't live up to expectations and the restaurant's approach to pricing is just stupid. Over two visits we tried the buratta, the Doner sandwich, pot pie, the sausage platter, and the bratwurst burger. The buratta was quite nice, but I can't describe the Doner as easily distinguishable from a middle-of-the-road gyro from a Greek take-out place, nor much better. I lived in Germany for years and will unverifiably claim to have eaten more German-born Doners than any living American. This isn't akin, not least because it isn't served on a Turkish Fladenbrot, stuffed with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, and smothered in the ubiquitous rote Dönersoße. Nor is the meat at all comparable in texture or flavor. The pot pie is about as satisfying as could be made at home by a reasonably competent cook with store-bought pastry. Nobody familiar with Bratwurst or Knockwurst would confuse them with the specimens I was served, and the warm "German potato salad" was runnier than it was coherent. I'll grit my teeth to admit it, but I've had better sausage platters at Bob Evans for half the cost, although at Bob Evans one can't bask in Garten's incomparable feeling of upper-middle class exclusivity. I counted four chunks of potatoes swimming around in the little side-dish in which it was presented. The "bratwurst burger," which is exactly as it's name suggests, was far and away the most interesting and tastiest item we sampled. The owners profess a laudable commitment to progressive business practices, which involves offering their employees a high level of compensation and benefits. Commendable, but they've chosen to achieve it by folding a mandatory 4% service fee ("Labor of Love") into the bill, imposing a mandatory gratuity regardless of the size of the party, and then including suggestions for generous additional tipping which no conscientious American diner - and certainly none of the Audi-driving people patronizing this place - would dare ignore. The service fee is touted as optional on the restaurant's website, but it sure wasn't optional when we received our two bills. When asked, the restaurant claims that the mandatory gratuity is imposed only on parties of six or more, but this was untrue in our case and is - again - baloney. Thus, a note to other diners.....the prices you see on the menu are not the prices you'll be charged. Add roughly an extra 24 percent and you'll find yourself in the ballpark, short of any actual tip. Whether you choose to gift another 20 or so percent to your server reflects, I suppose, how generous you wish to appear to some of the best compensated staff around. Your $20 dish could end up costing around $30 in the end. The owners should stick with the American convention of treating discretionary overhead as overhead and build it into their stated prices, leaving it to the consumer to determine their own gratuity. They can get away with this nonsense employing hipster millennials in bougie Severna Park, but that speaks more to their privilege than to the integrity of their business practice. I dare them to try it in a Waffle House. read more

Overall I'd say this place is good/average but I really loved the Tahini salad. We sat outside on a rainy day and they had nice cozy blankets and heaters, it wss actually really nice read more

We had a good experience. Atmosphere was pretty good. Quiet and off the beaten path. Music at our 1st table was pretty loud so they shifted us elsewhere. When the rain came in, we were comfortable under the pergola though puddles would occasionally rain down on us. Everything we ordered was great. I had the schnitzel and salad which was more than enough and the husband had the sausage duo, the Bratwurst and Franfurter and warm potato salad. He liked the Bratwurst the most. We both enjoyed the potato salad. Unfortunately no spaetzle on the menu. Service was very good. We look forward to coming back soon. read more

Some of this is on me. I had hoped for long wooden tables, pitchers of good beer and good food. What I got was dried out shnitchel. This place can't make up its mind between being a man upscale or a casual experience. Maybe this IS casual in this neighborhood. It's kinda like drinking wine with the pinky lifted off the glass and white tablecloths with plastic utensils and paper plates. The food ambience, and pricing isn't really enough of a draw to get me to come back for a fourth experience read more

Mom and I wanted a new place to try for lunch..We decided on the Garten! So glad we did! Their vibe was comfy cozy and the service the ladies were super sweet,our waitress was attentive and on top of our needs. I was nervous about trying something new but to start we had soft pretzels with beer cheese ..omgosh so good ..so good,we took an order to go.. Mom had a fresh salad with added chicken she said was "amazing" and I had a "Garten Brat" for not being vegetarian it was delicious and mouth watering ! 10/10 recommend read more

The place looks good. We ate outside in the cold but they provided blankets and a heater to help with the chilly weather. The food was great and the beer selection was decent. Service was great and accommodating. read more

Food little on the pricier side, but it is delicious! Their red cabbage is so good! Their beer list is wonderful with a lot of things to choose from. The ambiance is cozy with beautiful decorations that remind me of modern Germany. read more

My husband and I have been trying to get in for weeks. Finally we were able to score a reservation for our 26th wedding anniversary at 8:30 pm on a Wed. The first 15 min were great until we ordered food and were told hopefully the kitchen is still open.WTH!! Besides a fast food restaurant can you eat a full meal in 15 min. I then ordered a hot cider and was told the machine was off. Don't offer an 8:30 reservation and then don't service the customer. $Almost 200 later, we feel ripped off. A staff member even commented why do people come in so late? DONT OFFER 8;30 reservations then!! So disappointed!! read more

Best restaurant in Severna Park hands down. Tons of character. Great food. Good vibe.

Wanted to like Garten but really struggled with the experience. Was not able to park my car for 25 min due to the lack of parking, and extremely small spots. Parking lot only has 1 entrance/exit. Service was slow and our waiter disappeared for an hour and our order had to be taken my another member of waitstaff. 2 drinks were $28 and were not top shelf spirits. I had the chicken schnitzel which was very heavy dish and fried rock solid, and made me sick later in the night. The menu is very limited and not what I was expecting for a "high caliber" and expensive restaurant. Wanted to like Garten since I have enjoyed Preserve but I won't be back. read more

Good food, beautiful restaurant, great staff, beer and wine selection. Elevated German cuisine. Can't wait to try other items on the menu and come dine outside on a cooler day at this tucked away jewel of Severna park. read more

I want to warn people that Garten is including an additional charge that they are not openly notifying their customer's about. After we ate there about 2 weeks ago as we were paying the bill my husband noticed a charge called something like."extra love". it was under two dollars but it was unclear what it was and it was listed under charges so you could actually wind up tipping on it. We asked and it turned out they had added an additional charge so that all the employees could receive a tip. There were no signs posted, no notice on the menu and we weren't told about this. I find it very sneaky and unacceptable to not notify people, it would be very easy to not notice and if you don't like it they only way to adjust is in the tip area. I also really don't like that most people will tip on the tip. The atmosphere is lovely, the service is good. The food is good but not great. Some of the items area a little bland. I wrote the review because I don't like the way the added this new charge and don't want anyone else to get caught. read more

Finally had a chance to make it into Garten. It is so cute inside! Staff were friendly and attentive. We had the pretzel with beer cheese....so good. For entrees we got the kids burger and fries, and the falafel pita with slaw, and the falafel platter. All was so great, and I'm already trying to figure when we can go back. Also enjoyed the Marigold mock tail and the Kolsch that was on draft. Highly recommend you stop by for lunch or dinner sometime. For those who said the slaw was too vinegary...the menu is very clear that it is a vinegar slaw, and if you're German, you know this is the best way to have slaw. I loved all its vinegar goodness. Yum. read more

Garten - Yummy drinks! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Severna Park, Maryland

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Disappointed- Very expensive for low quality food plus a 4% "love tax" was added onto bill. We Do not agree with this practice. Chicken schnitzel quite dry and tasteless- did not know the sauce I was asked if I wanted was another 4.00 hubby 2 sausages ok , potato salad very average, glass of wine was very small pour and not worth the price. Slow service. Will not be retuning. read more

First time diners but Severna Park locals, we were looking forward to trying the German fusion dishes and some classic German beer. Pros: beautiful restaurant and atmosphere; friendly vibe; attentive staff; and great drinks. Cons: while the appetizer was good, the mains were pretty bad to be kind. The falafel was ok but Lebanese Taverna staff wouldn't eat it. The real disappointment was what they called sauerbraten and spaetzel. They basically cooked a cut of beef you would use for a stew and grilled and cut it like a steak. They put this on top of a mess of what tasted like bad spaghetti Alfredo though I'm sure it was someone's attempt at making spaetzel. Don't look for much sauce, the taste of vinegar, or cabbage. I don't want to throw too much shade because the vibe at the Garten is really enjoyable and if you come for drinks and snacks you'll have a nice evening. read more

Stopped in for lunch with some friends and while the beer and ambiance were both great, the food just did not hit. We had reservations for 2:30 and were seated in the wine shop. The restaurant closes from 3-5 so the entire staff was eating lunch next to us. We wanted the soft pretzels to start but unfortunately they were out so we got the Large French Fries with Raclette. The large portion was extremely small so they were nice enough to give us an additional small order. The smoked salmon dip was my favorite item we ordered. I ordered the chicken schnitzel and it was okay. The breading kept falling off the chicken. I was not a fan of my sides- Curtido and German potato salad. My wife ordered the sausage platter and was charged extra for sauces (even though the menu said it was included). The bill came with a "labor of love" charge that wasn't explained to us. If you're going to add an extra fee, make sure the customer is aware next time. Probably won't return but I will give them the benefit of the doubt since the place just opened and still working out the kinks. read more

My family and I were visiting friends in Severna Park and at my insistence we had an early dinner at Garten. As many others have stated the ambience of the restaurant is exceptional, the renovations to the old Cafe Breton beautiful. Other pluses are the extensive German beer and French wine list. But the restaurant just can't deliver for food. I've had plenty of outstanding German food and while the wurst sausage wasn't bad, the rest of our orders was just ok. If you're a couple out for a few drinks I recommend this place, but it's not a great place for kids. read more

I came here for lunch today with my family. We had reservations for 11:30 so technically it could have been brunch. I would say there are no typical brunch items on the menu right now, but maybe tat will change. The service was fast and friendly, our waiter was very attentive and offered lots of information in regards to the wines and beers offered. I ordered the Brie witch sandwich with a floral lemonade (made with rose water from petals from the garden) and both were delicious - I love Brie and the plum jam and apple slices accommodated it perfectly. The atmosphere is very cozy and comfortable. Would definitely go back and try some more if the other dishes there. read more

We tried Garten for the first time on a Saturday night. It is a very cute place- we sat inside but the outside seating looks like it would be amazing for summer! Service was somewhat slow but all the tables were full and we weren't in a hurry. Food was good, though not as many options as I expected. Overall I would recommend trying it and I will be back to sit outside in the sun! read more

Update: the restaurant just stopped the reservation deposit! Excellent news! Need a reservation for dinner. They charge you a $10 deposit per person plus a $1 fee. Did not like the fact I had to pay a fee. Not worth it. Very busy. The ambiance is nice inside although the music was loud. Outside seating has regular tables and picnic tables. Wouldn't want to sit at a picnic table for a nice meal. Menu is small. Had to google a lot of words on the menu - they need to include better English descriptions. We got the burrata app per the hostess recommendation and the pretzels because the burrata doesn't come with anything to eat it with so we spread it on the pretzels. Both were very tasty but I didn't like that I had to buy two apps in order to eat one of them. They should provide crackers or something with the burrata. 2 of us got chicken schnitzel. Chicken was moist and lots of it. Flavorful but didn't taste like traditional schnitzel. Mine only had 1 caper on my plate - missed having more capers. The sauce was good but not enough. They charge you for extra. The potatoes/hot potato salad were extremely spicy. Mac n cheese was fine, nothing special. Friends got the sausage platter which they enjoyed and the lamb platter which they also enjoyed. We shared two desserts which were good. The wine was unusual and good. The final bill was odd. It has a labor of love charge and the waitress was clearly uncomfortable talking about it - she referred us to the website for more info. We like to leave our technology off for dinner but had to use it to figure out menu items and this labor of love charge. Then the bill had a recommended tip chart on the whole bill which was good. But then after they took the credit card, the check to sign had recommended tip amounts on the total bill MINUS the $40 (4*$10) deposit. If customers aren't paying attention and use that recommended tip amount, the wait staff will miss out of tips on the deposit. So, overall, good food, great service, but not great business practices. Probably won't return but as busy as they are I don't think they'll miss us. read more

The portion size was below average. Had the grill carrot appetizer, there was 1 carrot sliced and cut into 4 pieces, not enough for one person. Had the charm city hamburger which was dry and bland tasting. The French fries were crispy and edible. read more

This is by far the most amazing place! Any meal you go to their attention to detail with each plate from Chef Gregg is outstanding. I would expect nothing less from the owners as they set an incredible standard for all of their restaurants! Also, holy wine choice for carry out. read more

I love the unique vibe at Garten! I feel like I'm in an oasis in the countryside of Europe. I frequently travel to Europe so I enjoy the variety of European-Mediterranean-American fusion of cuisine. I been here a few times now and have enjoyed how fresh the greens and seasonal drinks Garten offers us. There is something new every time! I will definitely continue to come back to see the friendly staff and relax with friends in a feel good place. Also... your fur babies are welcome in the outside patio area for dining too! Great job Garten! read more

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The atmosphere was beautiful, the food was better than average and the presentation was nice. I found the staff to be rude and pretentious

I wanted to love Garten. It's beautiful, I enjoyed the live jazz quartet. BUT- our server didn't mention brunch items (not on menu, only on website you find after scanning the link from the table). Inattentive and distracted server. The food was not good- I had the potato pancakes with crème freche and salmon. It was six cold mini potato cakes with a blob of cream and sliver of salmon with a sprinkle of dill. More like a canapé for a dinner party. My friends had sausages and doner kebabs. Not much was eaten.... read more

Bland bland bland. Curry in hot german potato salad is not good. There was curry in everything. Service was ok. Location is pretty. read more

I'll share the positive feedback first. Beautiful atmosphere outside and inside. Rib appetizer was phenomenal. Now negative feedback: We got the impression the couple next to us knew the owner because he shook hands their hands & started talking to them like they knew each other. Ok great, that's okay. I know sometimes the owner will come out to talk to their customers especially if they know the customer. We then noticed they got their food first (couple sat down 10 min after we did), waiter was more attentive to them, kept checking on them but not us even though we were literally sitting next to them. We couldn't help but feel we were getting sucky service as opposed to the entitled couple who knew the owner. Waiter even gave them an introduction to specials and recommended certain wines. We never got that amazing introduction when we sat down. Food was okay. There were quite a bit of gnats that kept flying around our food and drinks. Wasn't expecting the menu to have Falafel..because it's a German restaurant...skip this place and go to Park Tavern. read more

Was very happy to snag a reservation here. I was excited to try the gluten-free pretzel but they were sold out. We received great service, everything came out quickly. Was excited about the grilled cheese, I got gluten-free, but we were both a little disappointed in the flavor of the cheese. But will definitely come back again and hopefully get the gluten-free pretzel next time. read more

Great servers and owners are so gracious. Would highly recommend. Outside area is beautiful for the warmer weather.