Cafe Landtmann Aoyama — Restaurant in Tokyo

I’m German, so I’m very familiar with this cuisine. While German/Austrian food may not be the most complex, it’s surprisingly easy to get wrong—and unfortunately, that’s what happened here.

Service: The service felt robotic—efficient but devoid of warmth. Not a single smile from the staff. Hospitality is part of the dining experience, and I expected more engagement and friendliness.

Food: We ordered sausages and salad as starters, followed by onion soup and schnitzel. For dessert, we had marple cake and pancakes with apricot.

Sausages & Salad: The sausages were passable but lacked authentic flavor. The salad was fine but forgettable. Schnitzel: This was the biggest disappointment. It was far too thin and dry, with barely any meat. The breading dominated the dish, and after a few bites, the flavor became monotonous. A good schnitzel should be juicy and balanced—this was neither. Onion Soup: One of the worst I’ve had. It tasted like cheap stock, overpowered by a single herb, which threw the entire balance off. It lacked the richness and depth that defines a good onion soup. No breadcrumbs or cheese topping, which is a staple. Pancakes: Lukewarm and seemingly reheated in the microwave. The filling was almost non-existent. Even as an amateur cook, I feel my worst attempt at pancakes would surpass this. Marple Cake: Dense, flavorless, and uninspired. It felt like an afterthought rather than a proper dessert.

Overall: This was a below-average dining experience. As someone who grew up with this cuisine, I can confidently say the food wasn’t authentic. The dishes tasted bland and lacked the love, care, and attention to detail that make German/Austrian food comforting and enjoyable. At best, this meal could be served in a cafeteria—not at a restaurant claiming to serve traditional fare.

I hope this feedback is helpful for improving...

☕ My order: Einspänner mit Schokosoße, Sachertorte and Frittatensuppe 980¥ each

Food 5/5 Frankly, coming from Austria myself I was a little worried about the food. Would it taste authentic or be an utter disappointment? But I was lucky! It really tasted almost like back in Austria and was delicious! 🤤 The waiting times were short and the presentation made the food very appetizing, just look at these pictures! The only criticism I have is the rule that you have to eat a meal as well instead of only a dessert.

Drinks 5/5 Also the coffee was very good. Probably not a combination you would find in Austria traditionally but definitely to taste as though it actually came from Vienna. The glasses of both the coffee and the offered iced water were super clean and functional with a nice overall presentation.

Atmosphere 5/5 I am very picky about the atmosphere, but I loved it. It is elegant, relaxing and of good Austrian taste. The classical music underlines the setting beautifully and the furniture though modern was clearly inspired by a viennese cafe.

Cleanliness 5/5 No own toilet, it is shared with other shops. The table and floor were very clean and I found nothing to complain about.

Service 4/5 The staff was working fast and was very polite, but a little too perfect and making sure to turn tables to feel...

Nice cafe with pretty good Austrian-style dishes. Enjoyed Kürbiscremesuppe Rindsgulasch there. The atmosphere was pleasant. However, there were serious negative things which were adding up and to minus 1-2 stars in my opinion: first of all, pure coffee was extremely disappointing for a place named after famous and legendary Cafe in Vienna : I ordered a pot to check out their base coffee blend w/o any additions: no milk, no creme or alcohol — and the taste was lacking any floral tones, felt quite bitter and over-roasted; secondly, glasses for water was too small (100-150 ml maybe?), so we often were finding ourselves waiting for serving person to bring and pour more water. It’d be far more convenient if they brought just a bottle of water; and finally, despite of plenty of seats available, we had to wait ~10 minutes before we were seated, in the meantime no one left cafe, so it’s not clear what was reason...