Atmosphere and Food were both wonderful. We went For lunch. Took a little longer than a lunch meal but it's unique and worth it. read more

On our way to our granddaughters basketball game, an hour and a half drive from home, we came to this restaurant on Yelp's "suggested for you(me)! So glad we stopped! This is a hidden gem in Sun City Center, an authentic German Restaurant, complete with live music! I ordered the Sampler Plate, at $28 , which I couldn't finish. Sauerbraten, bratwurst, pork schnitzel, red cabbage, potatoes, sauerkraut, a stuffing, covered in gravy! My wife Sean, our waiter, was excellent, suggesting a pretzel with beer cheese alongside, with our meal, also delicious. The food was flavorful, and plenty of it! read more

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Never a bad meal at old castle restaurant ,beer is cold,food is hot.service is always good

Very, very heavy food. Best to go if you want to carb load. Our service was slow but I think that was an anomaly.

We went for lunch on a Sunday. Not all tables were occupied but we were told there would be a wait(?). We decided to sit at the bar. Waited about 15 minutes to order drinks and another 10 to receive them. There was a bit of a wait for our food also. The food was good, both my husband and I ordered the schnitzel (pork) with different sides. The portions were generous. They had an accordion player there which added to the ambiance. Staffing issues were clearly the problem. We'll give it another try perhaps during the week to see if the service is better. read more

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A true gem. Food is delicious! And portion sizes are large, easy to split. Has a nice selection of German beers. The atmosphere is wonderful. Great to have a unique restaurant like Old Castle in the area. read more

This is our second visit here in as many weeks-- this time we brought a friend. My friend had the roasted lamb with fresh green beans and fried potatoes. She said "Best lamb I've ever had!! Hubby tried the fish & chips (haddock) and said fish was crispy--not over battered. Fries were delish!! I tried the Schnitzel "Chef" with pork and German potato salad. AMAZING!! While we ate, we were entertained by a talented accordion player/singer--just the right ambiance. Our server, Yessy, was friendly, welcoming, and knew the menu well. Again--I give this place the highest recommendation! read more

Old Castle Restaurant - Pork schnitzel "chef" with German potato salad. - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

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The food is authentic, fresh, delicious and made with love just like you're at your moms or grandmas! The atmosphere is cozy, charming, fun, warm and inviting! We make new friends every time we go. The place is decorated and makes you feel as if you're in Germany. We always feel like we are at home here. The owners are terrific and get to know customers by their first names. The beer is great and authentic just like the food. We love coming here and look forward to the events they have as well as live music. Can't wait to go back on 6-8th of October for there Oktoberfest event!! Prost! read more

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Old Castle is our favorite German restaurant but this past Friday night we were very disappointed . My wife had schnitzel strips that came out close to being burnt. I had the Jaeger schnitzel which was good but the mushroom gravy came out cold as did the spatzel. I am hoping they read this and strive to make adjustments in the kitchen. read more

This German restaurant rivals Mr. Dunderbaks. Same atmospheric vibe with lots of wooden accents, a nice bar area and classic German tunes playing. Their appetizer menu will cause salivation upon reading it and the prices on their lunch menu can't be beat. They have lunch pricing on the weekend as well which is awesome. I enjoyed a Jager Schnitzel lunch meal and it was absolutely phenomenal. Not to mention HUGE. The spaetzle and sauce that came with it were amazing! They have great German beer selections as well as a full bar. I'll definitely be back here to try more menu items. read more

Old Castle Restaurant - Jager schnitzel lunch special with spaetzle - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

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Worst service I have ever had. Food was okay (I've had worse but can't remember when.)

Great food and pleasant atmosphere, they have a good selection of beer. The giant pretzels are great read more

Tried German food for the first time. I ordered the chicken schnitzel with the brown gravy and mushrooms, and home style potatoes. It was cooked perfectly, but completely flavorless! Not a sprinkle of salt, nor any herbs on any part of the dish. I wanted to like this place because of the reviews, but the food was too bland. Had to ask for salt and still didn't help everything The waitress was prompt with service and was nice. The place has a bar feel to it, and seemed pretty relaxed. Maybe people come for the drinks and staff, but I wouldn't recommend coming for food. read more

Old Castle Restaurant - 2 Potato Pancakes and Medium Pretzel - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

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I wanted to give this restaurant the benefit of the doubt, however they are making it very difficult for me to do so. So here's my story.... Last weekend we decided to try Old Castle Restaurant for the first time. From the moment we sat down, it all went downhill fast. Our server was new, and she did not know the menu, or how to use her Toast POS, so she couldn't figure out how to properly put our order in, and she sat next to me and asked me to help her with it. I assumed the order went in, and when the food came, only half the food arrived and one of the orders was incorrect. We let them know, and there was confusion again, so I asked the server if there is a supervisor, since she is new and maybe could use some assistance. There was no manager in the restaurant and no one would help her. Definite tension between the staff there. Finally (some) of the missing food came out, and I just gave up on the rest, but they never took the wrong food away. I told her to please make sure we don't get charged for it, and she said she can't guarantee we won't, but she would give us a gift card or something...The food was mediocre at best. We have had German food before and this was maybe a 2/10 if I'm being generous. Lacking flavor and just not appealing. When the bill came, luckily they didn't charge us for the food we didn't order, but there was no "gift card". By the way this entire lunch experience took 2 hours with all of the errors and misunderstandings. We gave a cash tip and paid our bill. I was going to just let it slide and just never return, but we looked at our credit card bill yesterday, and they charged us an extra $20 that we did not authorize! I tried to reach the restaurant since last night and keep getting the run around to call back, and when I call when I am told to call back, the manager/owner is "busy". Today, I was told to call back on Tuesday! I'm not going to keep chasing them. Stay away from this restaurant. They are fraudulent, obviously have major issues in the back of the house, and the food is terrible! read more

What a trip back to old Germany! the food is delicious and authentic. Very nice staff and great music by Polka Palooza!

Years ago I went to Prague and had a Pork shank with dumplings, and brown gravy. It was one of the best meals I've had. Coming back home I searched for a restaurant that served it. Now that I'm in Florida searching for good Italian, I was shocked to see a German restaurant just minutes from my house. I took my father here and we both dug into the giant pretzel (try it with the beer cheese and jalapeño sauces) and the pork shank. Everything was simply perfect. I can't knock a darn thing. Our server was very friendly and funny. The food was served quick. She also gave us beer samplers to help make up our mind. The place is appropriately decorated and the clientele were all casual. I would have preferred a more authentic German Beer Hall design but no points are lost here for that. Go before 7 or call ahead. The place gets crowded because the food is that good. I will be back again and again. read more

Old Castle Restaurant - Pork Shank, Bread Dumpling, brown gravy, side of red cabbage. - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

Hidden away in the strip mall a short trip back to German food and drink. Service was good our waitress very helpful and attentive. Lots of true German/Bavarian classics and beer choices. Food was done very well and portions were enough to please. read more

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Top notch service and of course the homemade authentic German food and beer. Started with the deep fried sauerkraut ball and beer cheese, then the 3 brat and sauerkraut dish. It was so good but no way could I finish it though. Washed it down with an ice cold Oktoberfest. Everything was perfect! read more

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I think this is one of the better restaurants in the area. Always seems like fresh ingredients and good food. Yesterday was the worst experience there unfortunately. We were met by the hostess and seated right away. The ambiance is cool and reminds you of Germany. Waitress was nice but duuude our food took forever! Several people who came in after us got their food before us and the waitress was kinda huffy at me when I asked her about it. The lady next to us got her food before us even though she came in after us and ordered her food after us. My soup was delicious as ever. The pretzel charcuterie board was eh. The bf complained about his cordon bleu sammy. All the breading fell off/ just not tasty. My salad was good! read more

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Good authentic German food bier and atmosphere . Been coming for years and will again.

This was my fifth time visiting Old Castle Restaurant, and up until now, it's been one of my favorite spots. The food has always been excellent, and the service consistently great. My very first experience was memorable because I had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Stewart, who left such a positive impression that it kept us coming back. Unfortunately, this past weekend's visit didn't quite live up to the usual standard. It seems like there are a lot of new and younger staff members, and, to be honest, they appeared confused and unprepared, which affected the overall experience. For example, we noticed another customer waiting over an hour for her to-go order because it had been forgotten. She struck up a conversation with my husband and me while waiting and asked about our past experiences. We reassured her that this was out of the ordinary and that the food is usually worth it--but I couldn't help feeling embarrassed on behalf of the restaurant. As for our own experience, it started off rocky. It took over 20 minutes for our server to ask if we wanted drinks. When she finally brought them, she poured the wrong beer and had to ask a colleague to confirm which was which--even though the taps were labeled. On top of that, we didn't get menus with our drinks and had to wait another 30 minutes before encountering Meaghan, who truly saved the night. Meaghan was a breath of fresh air--attentive, efficient, and clearly experienced. She noticed we didn't have menus, brought them immediately, and checked in on us within minutes to take our order. Despite the restaurant being only half full and having 5-6 people working, it felt like Meaghan was the only one keeping things running smoothly. If it weren't for her, my husband and I might be questioning whether we'd return. Thankfully, the food was as incredible as always. But while the quality of the food remains a strength, service like this can overshadow it. I hope the owners take a closer look at training and staffing because the service we experienced this time just didn't align with the high standards we've come to expect. We'll give Old Castle another shot because of our past experiences and Meaghan's efforts. However, I'd encourage the management to address these service issues soon--great food can only carry you so far if the service doesn't match. read more

Food is great, seasonal strawberry mixed drink is questionable and usually the service is as well. Both times I've went we've been ignored or 'missed' after being seated by the hostess for a good 20 or so minutes. However, on our last visit once our waitress acknowledged we were missed she did an excellent job. read more

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Service was prompt and friendly. While the food wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything to write home about.

We are staying in Ruskin for a short trip and we found this great place! I just want to share that this was really an great restaurant. The service was super nice and food were amazing delicious! I also love the cozy Germanisch decor! I will love to come back again if I am around! read more

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Authentic as it gets. My husband was stationed in Germany for three years and can attest to that! He got the jàger schnitzel with spàtzle and gave me a bite-WOW. We also had the house made sausage, potato and cabbage ( soup of the day) Very hearty and delicious I had a salad with German style chicken fingers-not what you should typically order at this kind of place but was very good. Definitely splurge and get the more traditional plates because that's what they do best. Would love to come back if we're ever in the area. Service was good, they were packed for lunch rush. read more

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Food and ambience is great , I had the sampler and everything was excellent . my server Yessi was on top of every detail with our meal . My dad is a hard person to please with food and he was very happy with his meal and said he will make the trip from Pinellas county with some friends next time . My dad loved the Pork and of course the Kolach beer ! Definitely keep up the good food guys as I am going to be back and I am gonna recommend your place to some friends and co workers . Thanks again be back soon ! read more

Old Castle Restaurant - Restaurant - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

It was a favorite place but service, price and food have changed and most reviews will indicate this. Meat is often soaked in juice of other items on plate rendering it void of meat taste. Sad because it's in a good location but the food has lost its authentic German taste and seems Americanized. read more

"We serve fresh food - not fast food" ... this sign in the window comes into play in a moment ... We've eaten here several times and it's always very tasty. They have an extensive German beer menu and several creative cocktails. There is also live music on weekends to add to the atmosphere! Every meal we have had here has been delicious. The space is modeled after a restaurant in Germany - maybe Berlin? Anyway - very fun place. The food is fresh and authentic ... but it takes a minute ... several actually. I'm giving 5 stars but it was a full 2 hours before we got our food. A table that was seated shortly after us got tired of waiting and left. We wanted dessert but also wanted to go home. My son & son-in-law FINISHED their 30 oz beers while waiting and were slightly drunk long before the food arrived. The servers were hustling but nothing was coming out of the kitchen but pretzels - which are amazing - for easily a hour. Go for the food - go for the atmosphere - don't go if you are in a hurry. read more

My wife and I enjoyed this quaint German restaurant in Ruskin offering our favorite cuisine and refreshing beer. We arrived a little after 7pm. The Old Castle Restaurant is located in a plaza with a bunch of other businesses. The line was at the door. The place isn't very big. We were told it was a 30 minute wait for a table. We walked next door to Bealls Outlet to kill time. 15 minutes later, we got the call that our table was ready. Our server was around quick. This place is small but busy. There are decorations and flags all-around giving it a very German feel. There is a big, wrap-around wooden bar. We started with a large pretzel and beers. My wife had a Hofbrau and I had a Bitburger. For our meals, I splurged for the Roulade and my wife got her favorite meal, Sauerbraten. She changed up her sides and got the warm potato salad and spätzle. My meal came with spätzle and red cabbage. The pretzel and beers were out quick. I was very glad to see this pretzel was huge! It was hot. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Lightly salted. It came with dipping sauces. Most didn't sound very German. We went with the sweet German mustard and the dragon's breath that was like a jalapeno, cheese dip. Neither one was impressive. The German sweet mustard was way too sweet. We would have rather had a yellow or plain Dijon mustard. Otherwise, we loved the pretzel and compared to the other German restaurants we've been to, it stood out. Our meals arrived shortly after. They looked so good! The Roulade beef was a little dry in some areas but had an excellent flavor. The rich brown gravy added depth and the pickles, onions, bacon and mustard wrapped inside the beef complimented well. The red cabbage was good but reminded me what I get in the jar from Aldi. The spätzle was decent too. It had a more doughy, egg flavor that we are used to. We also like it a little pan fried. This version wasn't. I used the gravy from the roulade to flavor the noodles. My wife said her Sauerbraten was excellent. It had a good sour taste to it. This is also a beef dish with a rich, dark gravy over the top. You get 3 slices with the two sides. My wife enjoyed the sides as well. We had the same thoughts on the spätzle. The potato salad was excellent. Zingy with bold flavors. We would definitely go here again. We have been to a handful of German restaurants in the Tampa Bay area and we're always comparing it to the homemade meals we've had in Germany with family. We're glad we found Old Castle since it's close! We noticed the menu has a ton of options and it would take several visits to try a variety of items. I definitely want to try their sausages and the schnitzel. read more

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This restaurant is amazing--definitely my favorite! I adore every dish they serve, and the beers are fantastic. The customer service is top-notch, and the live piano music adds to the cozy atmosphere. I highly recommend this place! read more

Old Castle Restaurant - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

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We came here on a whim and couldn't be more pleased with the choice. Their lunch menu is in the back of their main menu and most choices are under $10. The portions are perfect for lunch, you will be full but not stuffed. The schweinebraten was phenomenal - sauerkraut was a perfect compliment and the pork was tender and juicy. My hubby got the goulash and said it was tender and juicy and he absolutely loved the addition of the red cabbage and mashed potatoes. Service: 5/5 Taste: 5/5 Price: 5/5 Overall: 5/5 read more

Old Castle Restaurant - Goulash lunch - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

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I love this place! The owner is so nice! She waited on us.She gave my daughter these little candies because she loves them!The food took a bit to come but It was delicious and definitely worth the wait!! The atmosphere is authentic German and I would certainly come back! Thank you for a wonderful meal. read more

I try to come here when im in this side of the Shenanigans planned destinations. I decided to treat my mother to this amazing food after the Sarasota Medieval Fair. All i took off me was my short sword and kept my Ranger getup. Lol people were obviously staring and i just don't care. I am having a blast now im going to eat one of the best German foods i ever had in years. Im not even exaggerating. There's a freaking german place 10mins away from i live in Valrico and i would rather drive my butt to Ruskin for this fine meal and ale. The best part? The price vs the portions? The portions here are freaking huge! I never been able to eat more than half ever! It is alot of food! For my drink i went with a stout type. It was very close to what im currently brewing at home, not to bitter but well tasting oats and malts. The first zip got me lit but after eating? It only mellowed me out. Came it this huge pint. The madam offered me the 17oz version and im happy I didn't ask for it lol i had to wolf it down at the end cuz i got full quick. I had ordered the medium pretzel with the beer cheese. It was legit soft n freaking delicious. Went with the lamb braten. Love me the lamb n potatoes. I had extra cheese sauce n smeared it over the potatoes, it was heaven! Came with green beans. I traded them for my mothers sourcrout which to me was freaking delicious but a bit to sour for her. That over the potatoes? N the cheese?! So good!! She went with chicken snitzles i always say ima get it next time and i uh...... never do lol im so glad we got here when the music live entertainment decided to jump in and play his awesome music. It really immerses you into the themes. Place has bar, inner tables and outside sitting. Musician is always towards the front. Food and drinks came in quick, it usually does. Food quality is always superb. Keep in mind this is authentic German food. So don't expect pounds of salt in the food. I actually love the low sodium and heavy herb situation. I been cooking this style for years. Mom used to live in Germany and in a way i grew a love and passion for the country and customs. Would love to do my Engineering internship over there in the future. I will always highly recommend this restaurant. Come on down for a pint or two! I noticed they also sell Kegs at reasonable price of $33 thats perfect! And u can get them filled in 3 types of beer! Remember to keep the empty kegs! U can reuse them for home brew or refills here! Have a good night and thank u for reading. read more

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Food was great. Service sucked. In the hour and a half it took to get our food, the waitress basically ignored us. When we flagged her down for a refill on our drinks, it took 20 minutes. read more

AWESOME food and services as usual!!! Thanks Stuart and team for another great meal with a great atmosphere!!

Fantastic German food and beer! I never thought I'd find great schnitzel in Sun City Center.

Awesome food and great drinks! Mercedes made me an amazing chocolate martini! Definitely recommend this German restaurant. read more

Old Castle Restaurant - Chocolate martini - German Near Me - Ruskin, Florida

Food was wonderful. Everything was made from scratch. Service good and ambiance was lovely. I can't wait to go back. Homemade potato pancakes, spaetzle noodles. Apple strudel to die for as well. Prices fair for the quality of food Try it you will love it read more

I was stationed in Germany back in 1989. This place REALLY took me back. I started out with a shot of Apfelkorn. Tasted just like I remembered. There were several people waiting for this place to open, if that tells you anything. My husband and I both had the chicken cordon bleu and it was AMAZING!!! Wholly crap it was good. We were too busy shoveling food to speak. All we could do was nod and smile at each other. We made a deal to try something different on each visit. I don't think we will ever experience a bad meal here. We also had the Black Forest cake which didn't stand a chance with our dueling forks. The owner/barkeep was amazing as well. He educated us on the beers and allowed my husband to sample a couple before making a selection. How awesome is that???? Oh! And to beat ERRYTHING, I created a new drank with Apfelkorn!!! I asked him to call it "Ansbach" after Ansbach, Germany. This is our new go-to spot. We absolutely love it!!!! We stayed longer just to shoot the shit with Stuart and other patrons. An awesome place to go if you are in the area. read more

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Food was great! Schnitzel with warm German potato salad was excellent! Service was great & quick! Very friendly server! Good price too!