Old German Bakery & Restaurant — Restaurant in Fredericksburg

As someone with deep German roots and a lifelong appreciation for the culinary traditions of the homeland, I approached this establishment in Fredericksburg with genuine anticipation. Nestled in a town renowned for its proud German heritage and charming atmosphere, this restaurant came highly recommended, with glowing reviews and enticing photographs suggesting a menu rich in authenticity and craftsmanship. Unfortunately, what began as a hopeful culinary journey quickly turned into a lesson in unmet expectations.

Upon arrival, the ambiance seemed promising—rustic décor, a cozy dining room, and the kind of old-world charm that sets the stage for a proper German meal. However, we were left sitting for over fifteen minutes before any member of the staff acknowledged us. No greeting, no water, no menu—just the lingering sense that we were invisible. When drinks were finally ordered, a simple error in our drink request, though minor, foreshadowed a lack of attention to detail that would echo throughout the meal.

As a child raised on Kartoffelpuffer and Apfelmus, I was delighted to see potato pancakes on the menu. They were, in fairness, the high point of our lunch: crisp, golden, and delicately seasoned with a side of sweet applesauce that offered a welcome contrast. Simple, yes—but well executed.

From there, the meal began its slow descent.

I ordered the Wiener Schnitzel—arguably the heart and soul of traditional German cuisine. What arrived, however, bore little resemblance to the tender, breaded cutlet I know so well. It was overcooked, dry, and oddly barren, lacking the golden crust that gives schnitzel its signature character. The pan-seared potatoes served alongside were inconsistent in texture—some bites pleasantly browned and seasoned, while others were unfortunately raw in the center.

My companion’s Reuben sandwich came with a potato salad that echoed the same problem: uneven execution. The salad included chunks of various sizes, resulting in an awkward mix of mushy, crunchy, and undercooked potatoes. The cucumber salad, typically a refreshing palate cleanser with its vinegary tang and dill notes, was instead limp and uninspired.

What should have been a celebratory homage to German cuisine became a disappointing experience. Half our plates were left unfinished—not out of preference, but out of sheer disinterest. And for a restaurant that touts a connection to German heritage in a town steeped in it, this felt like a missed opportunity.

The pastries in the display case, while visually appealing, could not redeem the meal. By the time dessert came into question, our enthusiasm had already waned.

There is undeniable potential here. The setting is charming, and the menu—on paper—pays tribute to beloved staples of German cooking. But potential alone does not satisfy a diner’s appetite, nor does it honor the culinary traditions of my heritage. German cuisine, when done properly, is rich with nuance, soul, and history. It is about more than simply filling seats—it is about creating an experience that lingers long after the last bite.

Regrettably, this visit will be our last. With so many wonderful eateries in Fredericksburg that celebrate German culture with heart and authenticity, this one left us with little more than disappointment—and a craving for...

It’s a cute little spot on Main Street that we were so excited to try having come to Fredrickberg on a day trip. We left sorely disappointed. We walked in and were able to be promptly sat but it took a while to get menus or even be greeted by our server which was a little weird considering how many of them were wandering around and collecting back at the service corner. But our server was nice once we did meet her. We ordered schnitzel, rouladen, and a flatbread appetizer. Don’t be fooled by the pictures. The appetizer was about the only thing that was pleasant. The schnitzel was just..okay? We’ve had much better on the river walk in SA! My rouladen however, I only took one bite of. Having had rouladen in the past, I discovered this one was much too sweet tasting and oddly tangy in a very unpleasant way. Served with the blandest potatoes, bland gravy, and ungodly sweet cabbage, it was grossing me out. The soup I had ordered with it also had an aftertaste like something out of a can. I proceeded to pick off my husband’s plate and when the server came back and inquired as to why I hadn’t eaten I told her it tasted off. She scribbled something on her notepad and apologized and that was that. Halfway through our meal a large family sat right next to us, which was fine, but we noticed they were there for a hot minute without menus or drinks. At some point they got up and decided to leave, still not having been served. They walked out and at that point their server walked out of the back room and came to the table and continued to huff and puff and loudly complain how rude they were to other staff and she was just about to come get them drinks etc. etc. it seemed like weird service in my opinion. We were kind of over the experience at this point and just wanted to pay and leave. The bakery had been wiped out so we couldn’t even get the taste of the food out of our mouths with a pastry. Our bill was absurdly high, with nothing taken off from the weird rouladin. They also didn’t take our American Express card. Neither of us ate much of our food. We ended up back on main street feeling icky to our stomachs, out $64, and utterly disappointed....

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE! When we arrived we were a party of nine. My wife and I with our four kids (9-19) and our friends with their daughter, 8. We were told that they could not push tables together and said it would be about 20-25 minutes to wait. After 20 minutes they said they could seat five of us. Our friends took their daughter and our younger two. Then 15 minutes later they were ready to seat the rest of us. Instead of using one server for both tables (which were on opposite ends of the restaurant) they assigned two servers. This made the bill confusing for them when we tried to pay separately. MAIN ISSUE: THE FOOD IS NOT WORTH THE HASSEL! I grew up in a German family eating German food. This is some "German by heritage only" persons idea of what they can imagine Americanised German food to be. I put descriptions in the pictures. Using what I know about business the food cost at this establishment has to be through the roof and from what ve read about the ownership they are never there to know why. When you see entire servings or entire orders getting put in the trash you should be asking why. Truthfully speaking I've never seen a "German" restaurant with crepes and French toast on the menu. The place didn't smell like a bakery so they could just remove that from the name because apparently they sell out of their baked goods by 10am. No real bakery makes such a limited run on baked goods. Especially interesting since they want you to believe it's a "bakery & restaurant". They even put it first in the name just to confuse you. I was expecting to smell fresh pumpernickle or apparently "French bread" but got none of that. It's mostly likely just delivered baked goods from frito-lay anyways. 👎👎two stars because no one got food poisoning. That's the bar. They didn't make us...