Fromme Helene — Restaurant in Vienna

Shameful ending.

Context:We took our parents to Fromme Helene (recommended by a local friend) on Friday 28th March for lunch. They had flown from England to see us. We are all native English speakers and both my husband and I are learning German, so it was clear we were potentially tourists. Everyone else seemed to be native to Vienna and everyone would get a very nice welcome and also a big ‘ Auf Wiedersehen’

The service started really well, one very nice waiter and some very efficient waitresses. Food was so tasty and well presented. So 5 stars for the actual food.

What happened next is why we left with a sour taste in our mouths… when the waiter who hadn’t been serving us(we think was the manager!) came over with the card machine, with a c. €117 bill, my dad kindly asked for it to be boosted to €130 which is around 11% tip. The waiter said confidently “130” and asked ‘like this’ and flashed the number at my dad so quickly in a very clear attempt for him not to see it. But both my dad and I saw it, and it said €140 (a 19% tip!) My dad and I gave each other knowing glances, but being non confrontational people, we said nothing and paid anyway.

We know, being residents here, that the likelihood of the waiter not understanding the difference between ‘30’ and ‘40’ in English was very slim but alongside flashing the screen so quick to my dad so he didn’t notice is incredibly unlikely that this move was made innocently. As well as not receiving our ‘ Auf Wiedersehen’ and he couldn’t make eye contact as we looked across the bar when we were leaving… Disgusting behaviour to take advantage of tourists like this. We are locals and will never go there again or take our...

Normally I don't make reviews that are not based on my experience after eating in a restaurant/food hall, however in this case I'll make an exception because of their staff. While a busy day of visiting Wien, my friend and I decided to choose a restaurant that was closer to the Hotel which is located in Josefstadt so that we were able to walk back to our room quickly after our meal. We didn't have the chance to make a reservation so we looked up online a few of them while walking and we stopped to this restaurant. We entered at 8.57pm and even though it wasn't super full, we waited for the waiter in order to ask if there were any available seats to eat and to our surprise (considering that there were other people who were removing their jackets to take a seat + meaning they just got there) he said to us in a very cold way that the kitchen was closed and to go somewhere else. If the restaurant had been reserved or wouldn't have been able to accommodate us due to our lack of a reservation I'd have understood it but I don't understand how it is possible that a kitchen could be close at 8.57pm in a city such Wien. I don't...

A lunch or dinner at Fromme Helene in the heart of Josefstadt should be TOP of the list for excellent Austrian cuisine, lovely attentive service, and a cozy authentic atmosphere both inside and in the courtyard. My first night I enjoyed a perfectly cooked schnitzel that arrived steaming hot with a cold juicy lemon within 5 minutes of ordering with a cheerful elegant "Mahlzeit" upon delivery. The potato salad was a creamy tangy perfection. The waiters were generous with their time to answer questions about the menu and give personal recommendations on local Austrian wine and beer pairings. My second visit featured tender and highly flavorful goulash and my third night ended with a dream worthy, decadent, and highly recommended chocolate cloud cake served with silky ganache and fluffy whipped cream. Markus and Moritz are both exceptionally good servers who made me feel right at home. If you're anywhere near the Rathaus or Parliament - venture up the hill to Josefstadt and treat yourself to...