Luftburg Kolarik in Prater — Restaurant in Vienna

My large group of international friends (including many young children) used to come here several times. The main draw was always that the kids would be entertained while the adults had a chance to catch up, and that you could usually find a table for a large group even on short notice. As far as the culinary offerings went, there was a consensus that you received poor value for money, with even simple dishes being pricey yet carelessly prepared and presented. We usually left disappointed in that regard, vowing to find another suitable place for our get-togethers next time.

After the recent refurbishment, we decided to give Luftburg another chance, hoping that things may have improved on the food front. They havent. You order a simple dish like "Gebratene Knödel mit Ei" and get some sliced dumplings with scrambled egg on top. Not crispy, not nicely presented, and not tasty. Several other dishes were similar. The apple strudel looked and tasted like something you buy at Metro, yet the small slice you get is almost 10€. Its almost as if the kitchen churns out orders with the least possible effort for the highest possible prices. Why there is no honest attempt to improve this, I can only guess. I suppose people visit anyway...

Lastly, when you make a reservation online, the terms&conditions you are forced to accept are an insult. They state that there is 35€ no show fee per person (irrelevant of age) and also a minimum consumption fee of 35€ per person. I understand that this is probably very rarely enforced, but I felt really uncomfortable with accepting this for getting a reservation in place. After I asked, the restaurant waived this, yet it left a bad taste in my mouth that this would be requested from a customer in the first place.

Bottomline: If it wasnt for the small kids, we would have long given up on this place. After the recent visit, we probably need to forget much about the experience before considering it...

The atmosphere at this restaurant is very warm, and the service is incredibly efficient. The waiters are super nice—special thanks to Marc, who is amazing. As soon as you place your order, the meal is already on the table. The setting feels especially cozy in the evening, with all the lights creating a ceiling-like effect outside—it’s almost surreal.

The vegetables are particularly good—I highly recommend the tomato salad, potato salad, and baked vegetables. Even if you’re not planning on having lunch or dinner, it’s definitely worth stopping by just for a beer.

Despite the service being included in Austria, the machine will make it mandatory to leave a tip. The guideline is 8% if you’re not happy, 10% if it was good, and 15% if it was excellent. So, keep in mind that everything will cost a bit more depending on your experience.

On a different note, there is a shop affiliated with the restaurant right next to the exit. I stopped by to buy a bottle of water to go, but unfortunately, I had a very unpleasant experience with the woman at the counter on Thursday, August 15th. I said hello, but she just looked at me without responding. I repeated my greeting, but still received no reply—she simply stared at me. When I asked for a bottle of water, she silently opened the fridge and placed it on the counter. I informed her I would pay by credit card, and she handed me the terminal without a word. After completing the transaction, I asked if the payment went through, but she didn’t respond. I said goodbye and wished her a nice day, but she didn’t even look at me—she just turned her back and walked away. This was the first time something like this has ever happened to me.

Overall, the restaurant experience was excellent, but the interaction at the shop left a negative impression. I would still recommend the restaurant to anyone visiting the area, but be aware of the...

We were there on an occasion with school friends and teachers. We had 4-5 tables reserved. There was one waiter, who took the orders, but around 3 different ones which served the foods and drinks. Nobody of these did know, who ordered what so there was a constant confusion. After we eat, I tried to order a drink for my wife. The waiter which took the orders was nowhere to be seen, and when he was there, he did not made eye contact. After I finally ordered, after 10 minutes another waiter brought the drink, but it was wrong flavour. I told him, what I ordered, but nothing came afterwards. After another 20 minutes, I confronted the waiter that after 45 minutes I still do not have my drink and I am not happy by the prices with the service and I wont be coming back. He just made a smirk and did not care. I asked him if he cares and he just smiled. I told him loud, that probably they got enough customers.. Second try the drink came again with the same wrong flavour. He noticed it and realized, how bad the service is. the third time it finally came. I went home after the evening with an intention not coming back again ever. Nobody cared..

UPDATE: We all agreed, that we share the bill for the Teachers and some forgotten drinks. I was not there till the end, so whoever was in charge payed everything. To my surprise, on the bill were also the 2 drinks, which they took out and then back again, because the were not the flavour I ordered. More over, they automatically charge you an 8% Tip, no questions asked, if you were satisfied with the...