Brigit & Bernard's Garden Cafe — Restaurant in Maui

What a disappointing experience. When you walk inside, they had jimmy-rigged a TV on top of two tables against the right wall. I guess it was set up for the World Cup, but Germany was knocked out early, and the finals were a week ago. I guess they were too lazy to take it down. The TV wasn't on for the 90 minutes I was there.

The outside area was a dump. If you look to the right, it looks as if the covered area is part of the "bier garden" but actually it was where the kitchen staff sits when no one is there. They actually took the back seat of a car and placed it there, along with assorted chairs. It looks terrible and what a waste of space. The rest of the outside area doesn't look anything like the pictures posted online. It looks run down. There's no separation from the tables and the sidewalk next to the restaurant except for a low concrete wall with pillars every four feet. It looked like something was there between the pillars but was taken down. It too looks terrible.

Since this place advertises itself as the only German restaurant in Hawaii, it would be difficult to tell unless you really looked. They have these beautiful German steins suspended from one of the roof's rafters. You have to look up to see them. There's no bar area so everyone sits at a table (a German restaurant without a bar area seems odd). The music they played was neither German nor Hawaiian. Apparently it's too difficult to locate German/Polka music, or change the radio station to one playing Hawaiian music. Nothing screams German atmosphere than Top 40 music! The rest of the outside area was OK, as long as you ignored the garden hose and the concrete block next to it. I worked in a restaurant for 13 years so I notice stuff like that.

The food was fair...nothing spectacular. The salad was underwhelming, the schnitzel portion was good, and the au-gratin potatoes were passable. The food came out fast (I was the only one there) but I still felt a little rushed. When they picked up my dinner plate, the bill was quickly laid upon the table, even though I wanted another beer (which I got).

The only reason this place got two stars was because of the service and because the food was fair. But overall, the restaurant appears to me to be in decline. The owners need to make some effort to make this place look more fresh and vibrant because its current dull and somewhat dilapidated appearance...

I've passed this place numerous times and finally went in.

ATMOSPHERE: They're located in the Kahului Industrial Park, which means zero views. The inside is small and quaint and charmingly decorated, even on the ceiling. Table only seating is for about 20 max. The outdoor deck seats about the same amount of people and is shaded by trees and umbrellas.

MENU: It's a mashup of Italian, German, Swiss, and American apps and entrees.

FOOD: Chicken Cordon Bleu I really liked it! The breaded chicken breast was tender and stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese and then I believe deep fried. It came with au gratin potatoes, not my favorite style of starch but it was good and lightly creamy, and the sauteed veggie medley of onions, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow peppers, and carrots were cooked perfect and had a great savory flavor which enhanced the potatoes and chicken. Great job! Generous portion for $18.

Carbonara My friend's dish. She and I absolutely love pastas so I trust her judgment. Unfortunately the dish lacked salt. The toppings of bacon and mushrooms were a bit skimpy and didn't include any peas. She took her leftovers home and doctored it up with more cheese which made it better. Again, another generous portion for $16.

RESERVATIONS: Not needed. We walked in on a Monday around noon and the place was dead. Within a half hour or so a few more peeps came in. I thought they'd have more takeout orders being in an industrial area but not so. I guess the food doesn't appeal to the takeout crowd.

SERVICE: The lone female server was friendly and professional.

OVERALL: Mainstream pricing, good portion sizes, very good chicken...

We went here based on the reviews. We must have come on the wrong night because I did what I have NEVER done, and that was leave without touching my food. When we got inside, we were told to grab a seat anywhere and they would be with us. We chose a two top table since it was just my husband and myself. It took almost 10 minutes to get drinks and then another 5 to place our order. This was after listening to who did/didn't want our table. I ordered the chicken parmigiana linguine special and my husband ordered the seafood special pasta. We get bread, and wait. And wait. Watch a male customer go to the bathroom only to come out and have to use the women's bathroom because there was nothing for them to dry their hands off when done washing. Fast forward to when our food finally comes out, an hour later, and I was delivered the chicken marsala. I told the waitress that it wasn't what I ordered and she tried to tell me that I did order it...no one wrote down my order and she wasn't even the one that took our order. We said we were just going to leave because I couldn't wait another hour for another plate. She said "well we told you it was busy." No ma'am, you did not. You told us to have a seat and someone would be with us. The other lady offered to make the pasta and give it to us, but by then, I was done. I'm sure the food is delicious, and we were looking forward to...