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Reviews for Kraut’s Restaurant & Bar

by Antje M.
3rd May 2013

First disappointment was the feel of the Restaurant, I wasn’t sure if I was at the right place. I thought it being a German ethic winner it would have more of a german flair. It felt more like a sterile NZ bar. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was served on smallish plates and looked cramped. It tasted ok, Hunter schnitzel was smallish and too much red cabbage in relation. Sauce was not quite enough but were given some more when asked. The desert was not very German and reminded me of a self saucing NZ chocolate cake which came with canned (!!) cream and some red something to resemble black forest something. I don’t think I would be back in a hurry.

Comment from Jasmin W. of Kraut’s Restaurant & Bar 8/05/2013    Hide »

Hi Antje, Sorry that you have been disappointed about our new…    More »

Hi Antje,

Sorry that you have been disappointed about our new decor, but which of the 16 totally different provinces in Germany would you like to have represented as “authentic German”?
Our new restaurant was decorated modern-contemporary, fortunately we get an overwhelming positive feedback for our new place.
We are proud to have won the “Outstanding Ethnic CUISINE award 2012”, that didn’t include bavarian décor.

Our menu offers all kind of different authentic German flavours and sizes. All Schnitzels come in “normal” or “small” size to suit our guests appetite. You ordered a “small” Schnitzel not a “normal”.
Really sad that our Schwarzwaldkuchen wasn’t to your taste, because it is very authentic. As you will have read in our menu, it is not the Blackforest gateau, though. It’s our (German) Grandmothers original receipe. The filling is made from mixed berries and cherries and it is all made from scratch. We do not use any cake mixes, artificial flavours or colours, it’s all made the old traditional way. And of course the cream does NOT come out of a can! We serve fresh cream out of a commercial cream gun to provide the freshest cream possible with every serving.

Kind regards,
Raz Zulfiqar
Director

by ingrid
27th April 2013

The best traditional German food that we know of in New Zealand. All the meals we have eaten so far at Krauts were simply amazing and the flavors just perfect. Wonderful service and nice atmosphere! Oh, and we could even have a conversation without having to yell at each other – unlike most other restaurants in Nelson!

by Gus d.
22nd April 2013

Trying to find a suitable restaurant while on my own on a business trip is always challenging. Kraut’s ticked all the boxes for ambiance, size and what it has to offer on it’s menu at it’s bar. I was made very welcome and was offered a quiet corner table. The service was prompt, the menu explained the various dishes and when my selection arrived it was well presented, tasty and the portion was more than adequate. I would recommend this establishment to anyone visiting Nelson and will certainly pay them a visit every time that I am in town.

by Rhiannon H.
10th April 2013

I have heard and read so much about this restaurant so I couldn’t wait for my friends and I to have lunch there and see what was so amazing…sadly I walked out of there quite annoyed.

I have a one hour lunch period which is normally enough time to have lunch at a restaurant and we had a table booked for five people so they knew we were coming. We were seated promptly and I noted that two or three other small tables were occupied. We order, and wait over 45 minutes for our meal. The portions are tapas sized, the pork schnitzel that we ordered; whom the waiter said was tender was dry and tough. The currywurst was just one sausage and mash with sauce, something I would pay $6 for whereas they were charging over $10.

Admittedly the flavours were lovely, the decor muted and nice, and the selection of beer was great, but having read about large portions and having experienced the food in Germany, this was a huge disappointment.

Comment from Jasmin W. of Kraut’s Restaurant & Bar 30/04/2013    Hide »

Hi Rhiannon, We do regret that we could not meet your obvious…    More »

Hi Rhiannon,
We do regret that we could not meet your obvious expectations of a cheap, fast and big lunch We are thankful for all remarks which we can use to get better, especially if they come from young people working in hospitality businesses in Nelson
But please stay with the facts: You did not make a booking apart from coming in a few minutes before the rest of the group. A look into our POS system tells me that you ordered at 12:18 as the last of eight other tables. The kitchen clocked your food ready at 12:41, which is 23 mins of waiting time. We are a very unique restaurant in Nelson, actually the only one of its kind in the South Island. Everything is made fresh and from scratch. That takes time. We only use free-range meat and organic fresh produce, locally sourced. That comes with a price. And we can’t and won’t compete with countless cheap-fast take-aways for lunch. Our lunch portions are sized to the demand of our regular customers but why not come in for dinner and try to finish one of our famous pork shanks with a fresh weight of 1,5 kg? Again, we do apologize that your lunch experience couldn’t satisfy your expectations. Kind regards Jasmin Zulfiqar Restaurant Manager

by Vicky H.
20th May 2012

Was so glad we got into this amazing restaurant before they close for their move into town …where do I start the food was the best the pork was out of this world.the service was attentive friendly and welcoming the cute cosy dining room was really charming.We are local and had never been to a German restaurant but are now committed fans we left very full.All our dishes were top quality .I think its a must that every Nelson resident eat here for a first class dining experience.The chocolate cake for desert was out of this world.

by Ash P.
30th April 2012

This has to be my favourite restaurant in Nelson. We live 45 minutes away, so only eat there every couple of months, but I take every opportunity to call in. Good range of authentic German food, it all looks and tastes very home-made, great flavours, and large portions. It is a very small 2-3 person team there, and they always make you feel like special guests, and seem really delighted when you compliment them on the meal.

The Roulade is yummy, and I find it hard to try the other dishes, though I always feel that I should do!

The Black Forest Gateau is so unlike the usual mass-produced variety – it is the best item on the menu.

They are moving into central Nelson over the winter, so will beclosed for a couple of months. Worth waiting for though.

by Peter D.
14th February 2012

My wife and I were on holiday in Nelson, and on recommendation we ate out at Kraut’s Cafe. From the outside it seemed modest and even sparse, but once inside our original perception changed. The service, particularly when we were choosing our meal, was outstanding, and nothing was a bother. We chose a schnitzel. Best I have tasted, and I have had them in Austria and Germany. Vegetables were tasty and varied. What else to say? I look forward to my next trip to Nelson.

by Thomas S.
26th October 2011

We are Germans from Munich and can recommend the Krauts absolutely. There are original German dishes and Munich beer (try the “Weizen” beer!) in a nice ambience. The service is great, the servings are big and the food is so original as it can be.

by Sara M.
14th September 2011

We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Krauts! My mother is dairy free and the staff were able to cater for her. The food was not only delicious and generously sized but also very reasonably priced. I will definitely be returning and recommending to friends and family!

by Alana H.
3rd September 2011

Every time I go to Nelson I keep meaning to go to Kraut’s.Tonight I went there for dinner and I was not disappointed. Amazing service and great food (even gluten free and vegetarian options). Service was fantastic and fast. They were also very accommodating offering things not on the menu. Atmosphere was great. Drinks were great and awesome selection. Highly recommended.

by Dy S.
14th August 2011

We found a nice friendly small restaurant. Reservation was excepted and honoured with an excellent table.
The service was superb. The food served was very good quality. Honest and real food with great presentation.
We had many negative experiences in Nelson and this was a very positive experience.
We would recommend this restaurant to all our friends.

by Mike N.
11th August 2011

I found Kraut’s eatery quite by accident while in Nelson and being a German eatery i opted for the roasted pork hock as i have never seen this on any menu in New Zealand. What a treat it was and washed down with a German lager beer, what more could anyone ask for. The food was superb, the service excellent and the cost very reasonable. I have rated this eatery highly as it ticked all the boxes for this diner. Well done Krauts keep up the good work

by Shelley K.
2nd August 2011

We visited Krauts Cafe in Nelson by chance last month and were very glad we did! We had the authentic German pasta for mains and it was really delicious (quite different from the pasta we typically encounter in NZ, as was the mulled wine, that was made in-house – very, very good. The apfelstrudel was also very satisying and for anyone who wants to sample German beers there was plenty available. The service was friendly and prompt, and we really enjoyed our evening and recommend the cafe to others. S & N

by Roberta E.
9th July 2011

I was in Nelson on business and our group gave Kraut’s a try. What a fantastic place. Great Beer, Good Food, Fantastic service and all at a moderate price.

I enjoyed it so much that the next weekend I drove the 1 1/2 hours back to Nelson just so my family could enjoy the same experience. And they did. The second time was every bit as good as the first. Consistency is a big deal. I will definitely make this a stop when ever I am in the Nelson area for any region.

by Neil S.
5th July 2011

I’m a Kiwi living in Germany and while recently in NZ and visiting Nelson, I was invited out to “Krauts Eatery.”
I choose from the German specialties and relished every Morsel: Sauerbraten with Rotkohl for the Main, Apfelstrudel and Eis for desert and a Home made German brew made me feel ‘at home’ ah back at home!
A great Asset for Nelson and definitely worth a visit.
Dankeschön

by Ashleigh B.
20th May 2011

We booked in with a group of 14 friends one Saturday night. We were seated in the beer garden (still enclosed) and it wasn’t chilly at all – we were very well looked after with heaters at each end of the table.

The menu was huge – with a lot meat, but the vegetarian among us still managed to find something to suit her tastes. The Schnitzel was DIVINE – tender, crispy and delicious, the Schnitzel Fest was thoroughly enjoyed by a few of our group, the Lamb was perfect and the Pork Shank drew a “wow” from everyone as it arrived at the table. The Sauerkraut was YUM too!

Being such a large group I have to commend the staff on the prompt service – no one was left waiting for long for their meals.

We didn’t indulge in dessert (as good as they sounded) as we had indulged in the great HB beer (served in Steins, as well as smaller options).

Overall we all had a fantastic meal out at Krauts and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it… to anyone but a group of vegetarians…

by Mereana B.
1st April 2011

Excellent service, very friendly. Huge selection of meaty stuff. I had small snitzel and salad and was very filling. my husband had the crispy shank, big hearty meal with home made fries and gravy. Both meals delicious and filling, highly recommend. Very well priced too! Good beer selection. Only gripe was that it was a bit cold but was probably just a sudden cold snap.

by Karlos
29th December 2010

Awesome food. We had the $43 meat platter and it was too much for the two of us. The sausages were beautifully textured and flavoured—100% meat sausage is something you don’t see often in New Zealand! The pork shank was meltingly tender with crispy cracking. My only complaint was that the schnitzel was a tiny bit dry, but this was pretty minor and didn’t detract at all from our meal. The platter was served with a home-made gravy that had clearly been made the old-fashioned way with stock. We tried the spaztle too, and they were delicious (but very filling!).

I tried the house beer, brewed to their own specifications and it was impressive with the character of the Kiwi hops coming out in what was unmistakably a German style lager.

This restaurant is the real deal. We’re not too familiar with German food in New Zealand and it’s a shame that the pizza places and “generic” restaurants are so busy while gems like this are around. The service was excellent and the food was amazing. Try it!!

by Marion
30th April 2010

We were in Nelson last Thurs.22/04/2010 & decided to try something different so we dined at Krauts. The service was excellent, the staff very friendly & helpful & the food delicious because it was all cooked on the premises & no nasty powdered products. Every thing starting from scratch.My husband also enjoyed the German beer.Good luck for the future.Well done.

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