Daniel Gabor's Alpine Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Ocoee

Tried Alpine Bar & Grill last night during their soft opening. The concept has potential, and some of the food was genuinely solid, but there’s room to improve, especially when it comes to service and value.

Food highlights and misses: The beef tartare was easily the standout.Bright, well-seasoned, and among the best I’ve had anywhere. The onion soup had good flavor but was light on onions and cheese, which left it feeling unfinished. The wild boar burger patty was excellent, but the bun was noticeably stale — likely a day old — which dragged down the overall experience. The veal schnitzel was cooked to a beautiful golden crisp and had great texture, though the meat could’ve been more tender and thinner to really hit the mark. The Jäger sauce leaned more toward a greasy mushroom cream than a true Jägersoße. For a $10 upcharge, that felt significantly overpriced.

Sides are a pain point: main dishes include one, but any additional side is $8. The burger was advertised as coming with one side, but then we were told fries were the only included option. If all sides are the same price, it’s unclear why substitutions aren’t allowed. These little disconnects matter. Especially at that price point.

Service: This was the biggest issue and the main reason I’d hesitate to return. We ordered cocktails when we sat down — that was the only time we were asked if we wanted drinks. Our glasses sat empty the rest of dinner. Waiter never checked in on the food, and we sat in front of empty plates for a solid 15 minutes before another staff member finally cleared them. Then another long stretch before our server came back and casually asked if we wanted dessert. We declined, and he just walked off, no check, no follow-up, nothing. Another 10 minutes passed before he finally reappeared and asked if we were ready for the bill. By then, the answer was obvious.

Final take: It’s a soft opening, so some hiccups are to be expected. The 15% discount was appreciated, and I do think the kitchen has talent. But service needs a major overhaul, and pricing consistency matters. This especially true if you’re positioning this as an elevated alpine experience. I’d consider coming back once they’ve had time to work out the kinks, but only if the front-of-house steps up...

Girlfriend called ahead to make reservations for my birthday. I’m not one to need the recognition but I thought it was weird that the hostess told me happy birthday but then that was the end of it. Server never mentioned anything about it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I know it’s a soft opening and hopefully they are planning changes but nothing about the decor says German restaurant. Wine box and cork design behind bar says Italian restaurant (pretty sure it’s left over from previous restaurant). The designs on other walls feel Asian or something else but definitely not “Alpine”. Same goes for the black painted walls. Tables seem left over as well.

The music…. Oh boy the music. Nothing German at all. In fact I felt like I was in a night club. Very odd choice for any restaurant let alone a German one.

Food portions were very small. Schnitzel was not pounded and it was about half the size of what one would normally get in a typical restaurant. Seasoning was very bland also. The spaetzle was overcooked and fell apart. As with the Schnitzle, the spaetzle and sauerkraut were both bland. The main courses and sides are overpriced for the portions you get. The cheese that came with the pretzels was odd and not great. Pretzel were small

I was so excited to see a German restaurant come to the area and I couldn’t wait to try it. I really wanted to like everything but I just couldn’t. Maybe if I hear things change in the next few months, I’ll give it another try but I won’t be surprised to see a different restaurant at this location within a year. I do wish them luck though and I hope...

You CANNOT go wrong with Chef Daniel. I was heartbroken when I learned that Schmankerl Stub'n in Downtown Orlando was closed, but my friend from Bavaria just recently informed me that Chef Daniel Gabor's Alpine Bar & Grill had opened in Ocoee! Much closer, and just as good, if not better. The portions are very generous, and the quality is second to none. This is NOT a touristy fly-by-night German spot. This is quality restaurant dining, in a comfortable, family-friendly, lounge like atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and try it out before the news breaks and you have to wait a week for available reservations. My fiancé and I walked in without reservations, but we're offered seats at the bar. They had a wonderful and enticing menu encouraging us both to order an appetizer, entree, and desert, EACH! We are incredibly full, and very pleased with our meals. I had the beef tartar, Steak and potatoes, and black forest cake (which was a massive piece). Thank you David and kitchen staff for incredible meals, and thank you to Barb and the front of house staff for a wonderful and friendly experience out front! Side notes, clean bathrooms, great spirit and beer selections, easy access, good...