I was craving German food after a Sharks game and thought Ludwig's was perfect until I saw their San Jose location had closed! Oh well, this was only a 15 minute drive away to their Mountain View spot. The craving was too strong not to go and it did not disappoint! Plenty of outdoor seating, nice service and hardly a wait to receive the food. Of course had to start with some good bier, followed by spätzle cheese croquettes and sausage bites for an appetizer. My husband and I also shared the classic and delicious jägerschnitzel and nürnberger sausages. The nürnbergers are basically mini bratwursts. The pretzel on the side was warm and soft and the sauerkraut was great as well. I'll definitely be stopping by next time I have another craving! read more

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I really wanted to fall in love with this location of Ludwig's. I was a big fan of the San Jose biergarten and was so sad when it closed. This mountain view place has potential. It has a good outdoor space and some of it is covered, with heaters. It has a rather small indoor space with communal tables. All fine. I didn't like that you order at the counter and there is no server. It really changed the feel of the experience. The menu seemed limited as well. And the Jager schnitzel was different. Gravy seemed like it was from a packet, spetzle was very bland, and the schnitzel was a little tough and not as thin as I remembered it. Overall, I would like to try this place at a different time of day, and when there is a large crowd outdoors. I think it might help to have come in the summertime. read more

This was my second time visiting, and I was really hoping for another good experience--but unfortunately, it didn't go that way. When my food arrived, there was a hair on the plate. I politely asked our server, Katy, if it could be replaced. Instead of offering an apology, she kept staring at the plate, made faces, and walked away without a word. She even spoke about it to another staff member in front of us, which felt unprofessional. When she brought the new plate, she still didn't apologize or acknowledge the issue. Thankfully, the owner--a sweet German lady--was very kind and welcoming. She even had one of her staff go get hot sauce for me, which I appreciated. At the end of our visit, she thanked us for coming, and when I said "danke schön," she replied with a warm "bitte schön" and a smile. I really wanted to enjoy this visit as much as my first one, but the service this time made it difficult. I hope the staff can be more professional and courteous moving forward. read more

Takeout order: 8/10 Jalapeño Cheese Sausage with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut - portion size really small. Sausage was really good though. A lot of flavor, juicy, cheesy, and 3/10 spicy level. Mashed potatoes and sauerkraut were average. Nothing special there. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - Jalapeño cheese sausage - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

Just a few notes about this place: 1. Parking can be tough during busy hours, but there is a parking structure bit further down. 2. Bathroom is clean, but not managed often enough. (I think paper towels / toilet paper were out) 3. The beers are good, tasty, and has a decent selection 4. The food is pretty good taste-wise, and also good for sharing. 5. Service was really good and attentive, cheerful attitude. All in all, this is a casual and chill hangout spot with a good selection of drinks (including wine!, mixed beer drinks, beer), and a good selection of tasty food to share. I'd definitely come back to visit with friends read more

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Beer of the Dark Happy Oktoberfest! With Oktoberfest coming to an end (fun fact: despite the name, Oktoberfest usually runs from mid-September to the beginning of October), we really wanted to get out and enjoy some German food--and beer!--to celebrate. Remembering the great meal we had back in March at San José's Ludwigs Table, we decided to check out its sister restaurant in Downtown Mountain View, Ludwig's Biergarten. The menu features lots of German comfort food, as well as some vegetarian/vegan-friendly German options and a gigantic list of German and local beers. The Good: *Loved the ambiance and atmosphere here more than the SJ one. *Fantastic Dog-friendly outdoor space *Service was good and friendly *As mentioned above, the beer list is large and features a lot of classic German draughts. *Jägerschnitzel was unreal. So crispy and the mushroom gravy was full of flavor, and I couldn't stop eating it. The concomitant Spätzle (egg noodles) was also fantastic and has a nice toothsome bite. *Carissa opted for a slightly healthier dish and ordered the Quinoa Carrot, which was surprisingly excellent. It had a really good crunch on the patties, and the basil mashed potatoes were a nice touch. The Meh: *Bacon Spätzle Croquettes weren't as good as the ones we had in SJ. The exterior wasn't as crisp, and the aioli dipping sauce was a bit bland compared to the sweet and savory sauce we had back in March. *Parking in DT Mountain View can be hit-or-miss, so plan accordingly. The Ugly: *We both would've killed for some Rotkohl (sweet and sour cabbage) with both our meals. Def would've put both of them over the top. TLDR: Fantastic German food in a great location with nice ambiance and service. Highly recommended. read more

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You come to Ludwigs for the ambiance of a Biergarten in downtown Mountain View, not for super cheap prices and high quality food. Nothing beats a sunny South Bay afternoon with a German Oktoberfest. read more

I am here seated. I came in the bartender "super rude" I ask a guy with hat for a beer looks like a server then he just say that he can help you the rude guy I order a beer (which was warm the number 13) I pay give a tip the I seat. I stay while the hut guy and bartender talking he serve the beer and put it on some corner of the bar , me still waiting for a sign , nobody say anything after a while I approach and ask if that was my drink he didn't say a word just hand me the beer . Wow! Amazing service "never come back" read more

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Food was pretty average here and overall pretty expensive for what it was. I had the 6 Nürnberger sausages which were one of the cheaper meal options at $21. I thought they were a bit small and they kind of reminded me of breakfast sausage links. I think it would be better if it was a plate of different types of German sausages to try. I think they have that but it's more expensive. Pretty good beer selection though. I think there are better options in Mountain View like Stein's or Das Bierhauz. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - Nurnberger Sausages Specialty Imported German Pretzel - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

Outdoor seating preferred. If you're a beer drinker then it's a plus . Being a 'Biergarten' they tend to specialize in the field of yummy beers. Tons of options! We had a little wine, a wine-based cocktail and a beer. Enjoyed an awesome salad and a Mediterranean style flatbread . Friendly people and a helpful staff in an upbeat and trendy part of Mountain View. Will come back to experience their plethora of dishes from Deutschland.. Das ist Güd! read more

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We stopped by here on a drive home a couple months ago because my husband loves any chance we get for German food. We got a sausage platter that came with 6 pieces, sauerkraut, and a pretzel for twenty something $. It was all tasty and enough food to split as a snack for 2 people. We also tried a few beers, which were all good as well. I got a hazy IPA and my husband had 2 different German style beers. The service was below average on the day we went. I think we got stuck in the middle of a shift change and there was some confusion on who was helping us. They have a pretty big patio with lots of outdoor seating. Parking lot is small, but there's also street parking. read more

Love the food and the service was good also. We be back another time to enjoy the German beers.

I'm sorry to say I've had a poor experience all 4 times I've been to Ludwig's. The final experience was really what pushed me to share my thoughts. The pros: great outdoor space and great beer selection The cons: service is lackluster and slow, the food is overpriced and isn't very good, and the prices are high The last visit I made was for 40 minutes on a Thursday evening (August 3rd). Really, I had 30 minutes and figured we'd pop in for a beer before our reservation across the road. It took the server about 5 minutes to get to us (understandable), and then it took 20(!) minutes to deliver two (!) beers. Yes, they were busy but not THAT busy -- there were open tables. I was 60 seconds away from cancelling altogether when he walked out with the beers. Upon delivery, I immediately asked for the check, which he said he'd come right back and share. It took another 15(!) minutes to get. He then stood over my partner's shoulder as he paid and reviewed the tip options. The pressure to tip the lackluster service was a terrible book-end to the visit. While my recent experience was poor due to the service, my prior experiences were 3-stars at best due to similarly slow/inattentive staff and bland food. Personally, I feel there are better options for beer gardens on Castro. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

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My go-to place for authentic German food and beer in the South Bay. I've been here many times and get something different each time, but I know a friend who gets the same thing (the jagerschnitzel) over and over. Something for everyone, I guess! With a bigger group, I'd totally consider ordering the sausage sampler or the Ludwig's Butcher Plate; they look really interesting. I've seen this place's menu change over time, so it's nice to know that they're still trying to come up with new things despite being pretty firmly established and well-known. The venue is fun, too, with plenty of outdoor seating and sports on TVs. I'd have to concur with the other reviews here, though, that warn you to be prepared for a wait, especially during peak times like after work hours on Fridays, read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - Currywurst with fries - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Food and drink are pretty good. But service is horrible, took us 30min to get a glass of water.

LOVE their schnitzel, pretzel, beer selection, and outdoor seating! I had the best schnitzel ever in Prague and this is as close as I've been able to find in my area (still need to try a few more places but it's pretty damn good here). The crunch is there as well as the flavors. The gravy mushroom sauce is also lighter than it looks; lovely combo. The spaetzle is a little underwhelming but I actually don't know what good spaetzle is supposed to taste like. It has a mild flavor that I suppose a side should have when the main attraction is so flavorful. The lingonberry jam is also bombbb. Also tried their schnitzel sandwich, which is delicious but I prefer the plate. The pretzel we always order two; love the cheese and mustard dips! Lots of seating. Staff is friendly. Service is speedy. Dog-friendly patio. What's not to like?! read more

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Ludwig's has it's own small parking lot, which is a plus in downtown Mountain View. It is pretty much an outdoor dining facility; We were told the area inside is all bar-seating. Luckily, we found shady seats, and it was not a windy day. The only outdoor issue we had was a pesky wasp that appeared to harass me just as I was putting my leftovers in a container. I ordered the Jagerschnitzel and paid #1 extra to get chicken instead of pork. My husband had the dumplings in a mushroom soup, which came with a salad. I ordered a side of Brussels sprouts. Everything we ordered was excellent, and the service was great. We will definitely return and will probably take a dog or two with us. read more

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Came for happy hour. Overall good spot, staff were amicable and quick to serve. Ordered a salad with chicken and the sausage in bread - great texture on the bread and sausage was moist and good seasoning. Good rotation of beer on tap and cans/bottles. Ambiance was nice, setup with outdoor dining on both ends of the building. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

Went here for lunch and it had nice outdoor seating and great ambience I ordered the Jägerschnitzel with pork and it tasted delicious! It came with a side of cranberry sauce which I thought was a little unusual but it gave a good accent with the other side (I forgot the name of it but it's like a puffy soft pasta) The pretzel was nice and warm! It is normally served with mustard but I ordered their beer cheese to try it out- it's a bit tart but overall I liked it! The dessert was pretty good too! It's a dog friendly location and the service was great! The food was a little pricy but it was nice to try. When paying they just tell you the bill verbally and have you pay with the handheld machine. I recommend asking for a copy of your receipt just in case to make sure that they put in the correct items. The parking lot is a little small but there is available street parking close by read more

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Have eaten at this place probably a dozen times over the last three years. It gets one stars because it used to be five star, but is now closer to a half/one star. The beer selection is very decent as far as German beer selections in the area; no major complaints there. The food quality (and authenticity) has devolved to a comedic level. You're better off getting a hotdog at Sonic's. Never mind a scaled back menu from the before-pandemic-times, but some items just seem to be wild stabs at something relevant. The Schnitzel is made with panko, which is about as authentic as making fried chicken with cereal crumbs. The "Thüringerwurst" was hamburger meat shaped into the form of a sausage. When we asked the server why they had placed a joke on our plate, they replied, "yeah, we know it's not the real thing but that's what we do now." So I then asked for the same sausage as what they use for their Currywurst. They brought me a cheese and jalapeño sausage instead. Funny. What we do now is eat somewhere else. A German place that can't get sausage right is about as authentic as a taqueria that doesn't know how to make a taco. Sie bauen einfach Scheisse hier. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - Hamburger meat shaped into a sausage and marketed as "Thüringer." - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

I was so sad to find out the Ludwig's in downtown SJ closed but luckily the one in Mountain View is still going strong. Came on a Saturday around 5 and it was open seating. They have a good amount of outdoor seating, pretty limited indoors. The menu has so many tasty options it's hard to narrow it down, almost as hard as deciding what beer you want and what size. The pretzels are delicious as is the bier cheese. We got fries, cheese sausage bites, Nürnberger Sausages and Spätzle. All of it super delicious! The servers are super friendly and will allow you to try different beers before settling on one. Definitely will be back again! read more

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We did a double date at Ludwig's for dinner and had a wonderful experience. We came on Saturday evening (5:30pm) and the seats got filled up fairly quickly, so come a but early. The butcher plate was more than enough for 4 adults. The butcher plate consisted of giant pork knuckles, smoked pork chops, pretzel, schnitzels, sausages, mashed potatoes and gravy, sauerkraut, and more. I really appreciated Ludwig's for having 0.2L beer glasses; it gave me the option to try a large variety of beer. Lastly, the server was very welcoming and kind. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - 0.2L beer. - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Came here after doing some work in the area. The restaurant had lots of outdoor seating, including some on the street. The place seemed decently packed, but not super busy - didn't really explain why our server took so long to help us (both before ordering and when we were done to get the check / takeout box). This was the first time we tried German food at a restaurant, so we weren't sure what to expect. We thought about getting the beer flight or a dessert, but our bill was getting a little high. We ended up getting a German Pretzel with Bier Cheese, a Jagerschnitzel, and a Currywurst Mit Pommes. The German Pretzel was pretty good, nice and doughy. The cheese was interesting, not particularly strong in the cheese department and it was a little grainy. The Jagerschnitzel was delicious, super thin with crispy breading, savory sauce, and pairing nicely with the jam. The spatzle was alright, I would have wished it to have some kind of flavoring or sauce. The currywurst was interesting, with a sauce that tasted kind of like ketchup mixed with BBQ sauce. The fries were really nicely fried. Overall I enjoyed the food, I would come here again, but the service was really slow and I hope that's not the norm. read more

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The servers were super kind and accommodating. The outdoor seating was really nice and well lit at night as well. The food was very good! read more

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Came here for a casual team dinner. We didn't have a table reserved, but still managed to get one via walk-in on a normal Tuesday night. There was plenty of outdoor seating, making this a nice place to chat and eat German food. We ordered most of the appetizers and one of the samplers. I'm not a huge fan of German food, but I enjoyed trying it once. Appetizers - Crispy flatbread $17: Must get! This was more like a flaky savory bacon and cheese croissant than a typical pizza flatbread and it's really good! - Mushroom sauce fries $10: Mushroom, gravy, and cheese over fries is always a good guilty-pleasure combo. - Spätzle Cheese Croquettes $9: There wasn't that much cheese in these croquettes, and one order came with only 3 balls which was slightly disappointing. Entrees - Ludwig's Butcher Plate $145: This was a huge platter of potato salad, pretzels, dumplings, sausages, veal, and pork meant for 6 people. We had exactly 6 people yet could barely finish half of the platter since every thing was very filling. The giant pork knuckle was definitely the star of the platter - the pork skin was nice and crispy, while the leaner meat was tender and went well with the mustard. I also liked the sausage and sauerkraut, while my teammates enjoyed the pretzel and potato salad. - Homemade Cheese Spätzle $19: This looked like a typical bowl of Mac n cheese, and it came with a side of salad. Drinks - Ludwigs House Hugo $12: Apparently this was the only cocktail on the menu :( This was a light and refreshing drink, good for a warm summer night. - Louis. M. Martini, Cabernet Sauvignon $15: I usually wouldn't order wine at a restaurant, but since there were no other cocktails and I don't like beer, I gave the Cabernet a try and was not disappointed by its rich flavors. - Paulaner Spezi $6: This imported German orange cola tasted more like cola than orange. read more

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Went to Ludwig's 2 weeks ago. We have walked by it many times and always wanted to try it. So glad we did! We started with the potato pancakes with salmon and crème fraiche- delicious. Three perfect pieces and so yummy! For our entree, we split an order of the Jäegermeister schnitzel. It was huge and topped with the most amazing mushroom sauce! The schnitzel was on a bed of spaetzel (sp?). The whole meal was great. For drinks, I had a perfect Riesling and hubby had a beer. Pours are extremely generous. Service was excellent - very friendly and professional. We will definitely be back! read more

$5 for a can of coke. Not ok. You expect a markup, but I feel like they are just taking advantage of the fact that people order a soda without looking at the menu. When you feel like you got ripped off it ruins the experience. read more

I've visited a few times now, mainly for there beer, but the food is really good as well. Beer variety is decent, a lot of German, as well as some local brewies on tap. Gotta try there liter stien size of beer if you like beer! Limited seating inside, mostly outdoor seating. I usually order jagerschnitzel and spaetzle. Food is super tasty, perfect beer pairing. The pricing for everything is on the high end. This is the reason why I have not come back more often. 4 stars because pricing for what you get read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - Jager Schnitzel - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

Went there last night and the service was awful. We waited half an hour and no one came to take our order. I stopped 2 different workers to ask about placing an order and they said a server would come by. Tables around us who came in after us had their orders taken, but not us. We ended up walking out and finding somewhere else to eat. Don't waste your time! read more

This is a really great spot to hang out and grab beers and enjoy the outdoors on a beautiful Sunday. Service is great, we were seated right away and drinks ordered within the first 5 minutes. Our waitress was very sweet and knowledgeable. She cautioned us that the spicy jalapeño pineapple was more spicy then pineapple - which I really appreciated the heads up. It definitely had a kick but the combination was still nice, I'm glad though we ordered appetizers to help cool down the spice. The cucumber salad was so refreshing! The bacon spatzle was crispy on outside and nice and gooey on the inside. My favorite though was the pretzel - So warm and soft and chewy! I don't think it even needed a dip. We got the Brie one though - it wasn't really my thing the next time I want to try out the other cheese dip. The lemon Radler was light so worth another round if you can squeeze in between the delicious apps. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner. Food an drinks were on point. Looking forward to come back and try some of the other items on the menu.

Heard of this place a few months ago where people raves about its pork knuckle and apparently now it's on the regular menu. So we ordered 2 flavors of radler, lemonade and grapefruit. Grapefruit tasted sweeter than lemonade. We also ordered the pork knuckle (portion for 2, $45), which in reality can feed more than 2 and we packed almost half home. The 6 Nuremberg sausage was also ordered. I was a bit disappointed by the size of the sausages but they tasted fresh. The pork knuckle did not disappoint. It was super crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. It was a bit hard to cut it though as the outside was so hard, but we enjoyed every bite of it. We also ordered a spring salad and the strawberries seemed a bit off color on the inside. The waiter took care of it right away and gave us a new fresh plate. Service was good and they seemed to be sharing the duties as there are no designated servers. There are two sides of outdoor seating and nobody is seating indoor. Castro side has no heat lamp, the back patio closer to the parking lot is much better decorated and has many heat lamps. They also have their own small parking lot. read more

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Great ambience. Owners were very attentive. Service was excellent. Lot of beer variety.

i have always walked by here on castro but never visited until today! they have a cute atmosphere for big groups with lots of large outdoor benches and string lights. we were a party of 2 and shared a picnic table with another couple at the other end. we started off with a couple of sours and ciders which were all delicious. they have a pretty extensive list of beers on tap and more rotating bottles. for food we got schnitzel pork and the jalapeño sausage. i'm usually not a fan of sauerkraut but this one was delicious, served warm. the schnitzel was also excellent and super crispy with a creamy mushroom sauce on top. the total for 2 entrees and 4 drinks was ~$100, so it is a little on the pricier side. however, all of the food and drinks were excellent so i think it was worth read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - Classic Wiener Schnitzel Specialty - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Ended up ordering with our eyes and not our stomachs but everything was delicious and the staff are very friendly even if some are new. Place is clean and was nice to squeeze us in before they closed. Hard to find German places. Too bad I didn't try their beers. Everything was big portioned too! read more

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Came by for lunch the other day and it was a tasty experience! Street parking was plentiful! There is also a private lot for a handful of vehicles! Seating was 99% outdoors, spanning across their property and over-flowing to Castro street. There were a few tables indoors, but occupancy was kept at 1 table for the time being. There was a QR code at our table for the menu and the staff took our order via their all-in-one order taking and payment machine. Started off with the salmon pancake which came out super fresh! Fragrant smoked salmon with cream and capers over a fried potato pancake! For the entrée, we split the veal Jager schnitzel which was delicious! The veal was super juicy and tender! The mushroom sauce along with the spätzle pasta were excellent! We made sure to leave room for the apple strudel with vanilla ice cream for dessert! The apple strudel was overflowing with super flavorful apples! It would have been even tastier if the apple strudel was warmer and crispier! The bed of vanilla sauce and ice cream were both fantastic! Service throughout the meal was fantastic! ~$40/head after tax and gratuity for lunch. read more

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Got here at noon yesterday for lunch - outdoor seating was plentiful, but their online menu thing wasn't working and no paper menus were available. About 10 minutes later, the online version finally worked. Dined with friends, and my family got two pretzels to start (at $5 each), and then we shared the jager schnitzel and mushroom stew. Service was really slow and we were treated like a big inconvenience by the server. Ugh. Onto the food: "Imported German Pretzel $5 Sweet Mustard" OK, it's a good pretzel, and the sweet mustard was great. But $5 was a bit crazy given the portion size. "Lunch Jäger Schnitzel $24 Breaded Pork Cutlet | Homemade Spätzle | Lingonberry Jam | Creamy Mushroom Sauce" Solid schnitzel action here. Mushroom sauce was delicious, schnitzel cooked well. Spatzle was good too. "Bavarian Mushroom Stew with Dumplings $19 Potato Dumplings| Creamy Mushroom Sauce | Mixed Salad" This... well, this one makes me angry. Their online menu shows three dumplings, and I only got two. It's seriously just the same sauce that was on the schnitzel but served in a bowl with two lumps of potato. My friend ordered the schnitzel with the sauce on the side, and seriously got about the same portion of it as I did for my entire entree. There is absolutely no reason this costs $19. The sauce is indeed delicious, but for $5 more I could've had another dish of the jager schnitzel with that same amount of sauce but also pork, spatzle and lingonberry. read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - $19 Bavarian Mushroom Stew with Dumplings - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

Came here for a company holiday party and had a fantastic time. There are only a couple of tables indoors but funny enough, it ended up being way colder inside than it was outside as outside had the heat lamps. We ended up moving our party outside after eating our meal. There is a ton of seating outside and it's all covered up by a tent. They have a decent selection of beer to choose from but when the server told me they had mulled wine, I opted to try this drink instead as I had never had it. This was the perfect hot drink to have on a chilly night - sweet but chock full of spices, it paired well with the traditional Bavarian meal that the restaurant served up for our dinner. The food was delicious - we had pretzels, potato cheese balls, salad, and veal just to name a few. Everything came out fresh and the quality was spot on. I definitely went back for seconds after each course. read more

Came here for the first time during the German Holiday Market. Food was truly authentic, took me right back to Germany. We sat outside and had the chicken schnitzel, pretzel with beer cheese, and sausage dinner. To drink we got the beer flight and gluhwein. Due to the holiday market it was packed and there was only one server so the wait for anything and everything was long, understandably. Can't wait to try again, on a less busy day! read more

Ludwig's Biergarten - German Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Came here on a Saturday night and it was busy but we were seated immediately! The vibe here is super chill and modern, there were nice fairy lights and the place was very popping and busy. My one complaint here is that service is extremely slow- it took probably 20+ minutes to get our drinks and food. Otherwise, I enjoyed the strawberry radler drink that I got and the jager fries as well! I'd come back with friends. read more

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