Heising — Restaurant in Berlin

TL;DR: Food is great, but service was lacking, awkward, and in some cases rude, and it feels antequated.

The night started off with my friends saying we should check it out, so i call to ask if its possible for me and 3 others to go today (in German). They tell me they're fully booked until tomorrow. About 2 minutes later my other friend calls, in German, and asks for 5 seats, and they say they have place. The whole time, there were no more than three tables occupied, so this was disrespectful and embarrassing.

We arrive and we are spoken to like we have to be really quiet. The music is also very low with a handful of songs on repeat. Our stuff is put away, and we ask for an extra seat. When asked the owner walks away and prepared a sixth chair at our table. Very kind of them, but their attitude made it feel like we were troubling them.

There's a plate that's always on the table. My friends and I used it for our bread and the lovely snacks they also offer, but we are told by staff that it is purely decorative and that the courses will be placed on top of them.

We order still and sparkling water, I point out the two that wanted sparkling. They pour me sparkling, which I immediately switch with my friend who wanted sparkling but got normal, but then they pour me sparkling again. I ask for normal water and they say that I told them for me. I did not. The server stood behind us, looking keenly to refill our glasses Everytime.

The food was amazing. The rabbit kidneys were really lovely, and the duck breast was great too. The steak was a let down according to my friends but I could not judge. the desserts were hit and miss. In my case, some elements felt overly sweet whilst others were well balanced. My friends had the assortment of desserts, which they felt was annoying since some were great and others not so much. My biggest complaint though is excessive use of sauce, which I had nothing but my fork to scoop it up with. I was told that proper etiquette was not to eat the sauce as it made it seem like only the sauce was good. I see it more as a waste, and I personally love cleaning my plate.

We were coached on etiquette multiple times. Drinks were hard to navigate since beers and cocktails and sodas were all grouped under aperitifs, which made it hard for us to choose what we wanted.

When we went to pay, I was in need of cash. I gave my friends the 40 I had, and asked where the nearest cash machine was. The owner told me next door, however, next door only worked for specific bank holders, same for the one across. After hunting for 20 minutes for a cash machine, I returned to a waitress waiting for me, telling me not to flex tip money to the owner like that. I tried telling her it was not tip money, but she maintained her argument and honestly at this point I just wanted to pay and leave, so I said whatever. We paid and left.

All in all, the food was great, although the sauce was excessive (or nothing to clean a plate with). The place feels very outdated, service was rude, and I still feel disrespected from me trying to inquire about reserving. There were plenty of seats available.

Give it a try for a fancy experience and yummy french food, but personally i felt very unwelcome and out of place. Personally i also found it...

The experience at Frau Heising’s restaurant was nothing short of appalling. From the outset, the owner, Frau Heising, was unwelcoming and downright rude. When we politely requested to order fewer dishes—given that we weren’t hungry enough for a full three- or four-course meal—our request was flatly denied. Deciding to leave rather than endure this arrogance, we were met with an unprovoked outburst. Frau Heising angrily told us never to return, treating us as if we were beneath her—poor or lower-class individuals unworthy of her establishment. Little did she know that my friend and I are both doctors. For someone running a so-called high-class restaurant, her behavior was nothing short of disgraceful.

A high-class restaurant should pride itself on exceptional service, but this establishment fell far short. The restaurant smelled musty and dusty. The atmosphere was cold and uninviting, with the restaurant completely empty, lacking music or any ambiance. it felt like we’d intruded into Frau Heising’s outdated living room, where even whispering seemed inappropriate. A high-end dining experience requires more than overpriced meals—it demands respect and hospitality. Unfortunately, Frau Heising’s establishment had neither.

The waiter, however, was very sweet, and it was clear he felt embarrassed by the...

Most people in the reviews complaining about the staff or the owner clearly have no concept of adequate restaurant etiquette (it's normal to be told off if you turn up late to a reservation...). That said, the experience we had at Heising tonight was beyond excellent. The staff was highly attentive and Frau Heising was incredibly welcoming and friendly. The food was excellent - the chefs are clearly well-versed in their craft, not to mention the menu... The selection of food was honestly perfect. It's not the biggest selection imaginable but that's a sign that both the owners and the chefs care about perfecting the dishes they have on offer. Apparently the menu hasn't changed in a good long while, but then again - why ruin perfection? The food and drink were both reasonably priced. For a 4-course and a decent amount of drink (a wine bottle, two aperitifs and a digestif) it was a little over 200 euros (for context, in most other places like this that I know of it's usually double the price...). We were expecting Heising to be excellent but it honestly surpassed our expectations by a lot. It was the perfect restaurant experience, and from now on it will be my personal standard for fine dining. Thank you to the staff and Frau Heising for a...