Café & Restaurant Motto am Fluss — Restaurant in Vienna

I work at an International Organization and have lived in Vienna for 15 years. On Thursday, 16-July I visited Motto am Fluss at ~19:00 as part of a group of 15 friends and colleagues, all also long-time residents of Vienna.

It was raining but not too cold, so we opted to sit outside on the west end of the patio. This area is partly covered, but we needed to slide some tables together to keep everyone out of the rain. This could be easily done because the patio was mostly empty. As we were getting seated, it became apparent that wind was still blowing rain onto the table at the end.

As some of us sat and others stood trying to figure out how to keep everyone dry, our waiter arrived and proceeded to—very impolitely—chastise us for moving the tables, saying it was his responsibility to make us comfortable. We asked if he wanted us to move them back. He said, “No”. We asked if he wanted to adjust them. He said, “No.” We asked if he could help us rotate them to keep all tables out of the wind and rain. He said, “No”, adding only that his boss is very strict about the table positions. We would have certainly understood if, for example, there were some COVID-19 distancing criteria to satisfy, etc. But the patio area was, at most, half full. At this point we wondered how he planned to do his job to make us comfortable...??

It is difficult to portray how rude and impolite this waiter was. Never, in 15 years in Vienna—or anywhere for that matter—have I been made to feel less welcome in a restaurant, or hospitality based business.

Several at the table were so offended, they stood immediately and moved to the ramp leading down to the street. After a few minutes of discussion, we all left and enjoyed a long night out elsewhere.

I hope the ‘boss’ is pleased with this display of loyalty. If the business objective is to make people feel uncomfortable, chase them away, and/or preserve table geometry at all cost; you might consider giving him a promotion to a more responsible position. I can confirm his capabilities in these areas are world-class and provide 14 other references who could confirm the same. It was obvious to me, Motto am Fluss is not suffering economically as a result of the ongoing, global pandemic.

I...

We had a reservation at Motto am Fluss and were looking forward to a great evening. The venue is truly impressive with its interior and location. The steak and schnitzel with wine were excellent — the kitchen is clearly talented and deserves credit.

The service was generally friendly but somewhat disorganized: despite our reservation, the staff seemed confused and didn’t immediately find us a table. A minor issue, but at this level of dining, you expect more confidence and attention to detail.

The main disappointment was the vegan tiramisu. It was marked as “vegan” on the menu, but there were no details about the substitution of key ingredients — specifically mascarpone. Instead, some plant-based alternative was used (it seemed like water and protein), which completely changed the taste and texture. The menu simply said “homemade biscuit and cocoa” — with no indication that this was not a classic dessert but a loose reinterpretation.

When we politely asked the waitress why this important substitution wasn’t indicated, she just said: “Because it’s vegan?” — without any further explanation or apology. We asked to speak with the manager. He said that “vegan mascarpone doesn’t exist,” and that they don’t have to list the whole recipe on the menu, which they definitely don’t, and have never been asked to. He then added that “guests shouldn’t tell us how to write menus.” This felt disrespectful and defensive, especially since we never demanded anything — we just asked a question.

To be fair, the manager offered to remove the dessert from the bill, which we appreciated. But the overall feeling was unpleasant — not because of the dessert, but because of the tone of the interaction. Instead of a professional explanation, we got a defensive attitude.

We left without leaving a tip — not because the food was bad (it was excellent), but because basic respect for guests and openness to dialogue were sadly missing.

It’s a real shame, because the restaurant has the potential to be one of the best in Vienna: strong kitchen, stunning location, pleasant atmosphere. But without a willingness to listen to guests and admit obvious shortcomings, all of this...

I want to preface this review by stating that we were just here 2 days ago and based on THAT visit, I would have given all 5 stars!! It was a great experience with our server being so friendly and attentive. When we went to pay our bill of 65 euros (3 drinks each and an order of parmesan fries), we tipped 10 euros and she was so excited. So, note that we reward great, friendly service. I went back today after an appointment in the city and thought it's a nice day outside so I will go back and have a wine while enjoying the nice weather. I had to wait for a table which is totally okay with me. I was waiting patiently and was next in line for a table, when 2 ladies walked up and the server immediately offered them the next open table (the gentlemen workinghost stand had atepped away). I said, very calmly and nicely, "Excuse me, but I was waiting for the next table." He threw his arms up and gave me the nastiest look ever like...TOO BAD FOR YOU!!!! I immediately decided that I wasn't going to deal with such a terrible attitude because I was having a great day and just wanted to relax. I noticed he was serving that area and I definitely didn't want him to be my server so I just walked away. It's really sad because my husband and I were so happy to find a nice spot on the canal to enjoy a coffee or drink after work and were also excited about trying their breakfast menu. I also have the inside restaurant on my radar for a nice dinner date night. As of now, it would take a lot of convincing to return to a place that employs such a person who have a job dealing with people. I now understand some of the reviews about terrible service, whereas after our first visit I was a little confused. So, go here at your own risk and cross your fingers to not get a bad server and instead get the very nice lady we had on our first visit!!

In summary... 1st visit...fries were good for a little afternoon snack, drinks were good, service was awesome!! 2nd visit...rude, rude, rude gentlemen that has NO business working there!!!

I really hate that the 2nd visit totally over shadowed our first...