Review Cafe Mozart & Bar - Washington DC

Very nice restaurant at the back of a German-Austrian grocery store. It’s expensive for lunch but this is DC. Everything seemed fresh but the fry on the Schnitzel and potato pancakes was not the right temperature. The pancakes were slightly undercooked, the Schnitzel absorbed too much oil so the chicken was rubbery. Perhaps I’ll be back to try other dishes but more likely I’ll come for dessert. Sadly they were out of Black Forest cake! I do appreciate the small market at the front of the store!

Great German quality food! The brat was tender and had delicious flavor. Sauerkraut was spot on! The potato salad was not too onion-y. The only thing I didn’t care for were the beers on tap they had. But I don’t like IPAs so I know many of the beer aficionados... so take that with a grain of salt :) it is a very small place for eating (it’s all the way in the back) so MAKE A RESERVATION! Photos as of April 2019

Wonderful restaurant for lovers of traditional German food. Walk through a German deli and you'll find a full restaurant tucked into the back with wonderful, rich authentic German cuisine. The food is the star of the show here - the menu has everything you would expect, a big selection of German and Eastern European sausages, schnitzel, goulash, dumplings, potato pancakes, etc. etc. And all of it is good! We shared the family style dinner for two, which lets you split three entrees and three sides from a list. We had the chicken schnitzel, the beef goulash, and two sausages for our entrees, plus red cabbage, spaetzle, and the German potato salad with bacon as our sides. Everything was terrific! The goulash was rich and hearty, with tender chunks of beef, perfect for eating alongside the spaetzle; the potato salad was fantastic, incredibly well-balanced sweetness and acidity complemented perfectly by bits of bacon. The only things we weren't enamored of were the two desserts we got - hazelnut cake and apple strudel - both of which were fine but didn't blow us away. Between the two, pick the strudel (or try one of the many other desserts on offer, maybe you will find a gem that we haven't yet!) Service was extraordinarily friendly, helpful, and quick. We had a lovely experience with our server. The vibe of this place is old school - fairly brightly lit, white tablecloths, traditional decor. This is the opposite of a trendy establishment, it feels like a throwback from 20 or 30 years ago. But none of that is to say it was a negative vibe at all - honestly some might even see it as a nice change of pace from the dozens of loud, tightly-packed industrial barns lit by Edison bulbs that you're sure to come across as you explore DC's contemporary dining scene. When we were there, there was a live accordion player during dinner, adding to the traditional feel of the place - she was great, and to add to the authentic feel, I even overheard her chatting in German with another table between songs. Pricing is moderate, but not inexpensive. Entrees are mostly in the $16-22 range. The family style shared meal was $35/person, for which you really get an enormous amount of food. As nondescript and non-hip as this place is, in the Metro Center area behind a deli, I was worried it would be dead. Happily, there were a number of other tables there enjoying what Cafe Mozart has to offer. We will be back to join them, hopefully we'll see you there!

Loved the location. It's in the back of a bakery. It seems very few people know about it, so it's very quiet. The food was just so so. They got our order wrong to begin with. They did however correct it by comping our check; however, they didn't bring us the correct dish. My hubby wasn't too pleased about that. We definitely have better German food in Texas. The wiener schnitzel crust was great but the meat itself was not pounded thin enough like a true schnitzel. The red cabbage was good but I've definitely had much better. The German potatoes were tasty and the spaetzle was good. The service was decent.

Visiting DC my first time, and I felt very displaced. Psychologically I wasn't making the transition and I found myself anxious and uncomfortable. Once I went into this restaurant (passing the entrance which is the cafe)....I felt like myself again. I was comfortable and happy. The food was also reasonably priced and stellar quality. All this food, around $50! My "cultured" (lol) friend says the mustard was the best he's ever tasted. I enjoyed the pumpernickel and seeded rye bread as well. If this place was around my home town, it would be our new date night place.

Very nice place with great ambiance and great food. Prices are fair, portions are huge, and quality is top. We went on a Wednesday, there was a very sweet old lady playing the accordion and singing German folk songs. Highly recommended.

I just really like the vibe this place has. In a way it feels a little out of place for the area - blocks from the White House and around some high-profile restaurants, but very much the feel of a suburban neighborhood go-to tavern. With an hour or so to kill before heading to the airport to fly home I wanted something good but easy and not too fancy - and this was perfect. On the food alone I'd probably say 4/5 - good, with a little room for improvement. But the atmosphere with the deli in front and a "mom & pop" feel hearing someone pounding schnitzel in the kitchen in the back - it's just a good time. If this was a place in my neighborhood at home, I'd be here often.

Cafe Mozart is the oldest woman-owned restaurant in Washington, D.C. Since 1964, they have been serving the community German and Austrian food. Today, it's expanded into many things. When you walk into the space it's obvious it's a no-frills space. To your right is a coffee area and ice cream stand with a few tables to enjoy our snacks/food at. To your left and in front of you is a German store with all the Milka chocolate bars you can imagine and a bakery selling cakes, pastries, etc. There's also a deli that makes the best-fried chicken schnitzel sandwich for $8. In the way back is the bar and the actual restaurant.

Has a German market up front where you can stock up on chocolates, spices, wursts, cheeses, cakes and other German specialties. In the back is a small restaurant with a small menu of German foods. The owners are very friendly. I always stop when I'm in DC to get a few pieces of Shane torte, (German style cheesecake). It's the only place outside of Germany that makes this delicious dessert that my Tante use to make.

Absolutely delicious. The restaurant is at the back of the bakery/grocery and is cozy without being crowded. We had potato pancakes (an absolute must) along with wiener schnitzel and a sausage sampler. The schnitzel was light and crispy, and the sausages in the sampler were sliced and grilled. Cucumber salad, potato salad, red cabbage, and so forth were tasty accompaniments. Well worth a visit.

This little place has the most amazing food ever! It was evident the ingredients were fresh and the dishes prepared from scratch! Absolutely the best bratwurst I have ever eaten. It is a cozy little restaurant hidden away behind a wonderful deli. The owner and all the staff were so friendly ! We stopped in the deli on the way out and took a slice of some of the best chocolate cake I have tasted back to the hotel. We wanted to eat here again but they closed early on Memorial Day and so we didn't get to.

The food was inauthentic (though fraudulent would be a better word.) The Spaetzle had a uncanny resemblance to scrambled eggs and tasted just as bad, the gravy that came with it was what you would serve on Suarbraten or Rouladen but never served with spaetzle; the cold, bland, poor attempt at potato salad (mush) that was served with my entrée was likely scooped with an ice cream scooper and plopped on my plate, the cooked red cabbage was in itself a travesty lacking the traditional ingredients of cloves and apples. The only thing that could be considered edible on my plate was the Cordon Bleu. My partner's food faired slightly better (he ordered the Sausage Sampler) however, the only condiment offered for this platter was the Spicy Mustard but no Curry Ketchup which is often served with Currywurst and other types of "Wursts". And, to top of this incredibly horrible meal the waitress served us a Dark Chocolate cake when I ordered Black Forrest, when I brought this to her attention, her excuse was that they didn't want to serve us the Black Forrest because it was "old" (and indeed it was) yet, a table across from us was served two slices which looked delectable. I feel bad that I made in error in judgement by bringing my boyfriend here so that he could experience the food of my childhood. I am pissed that this Scam of place aka #CafeMozart cost me over 100 dollars including the 20 percent tip ( our waitress was sweet, attentive and had a great personality) Next time my partner and I have a taste for authentic German cuisine, I'll just stay home and make it myself!

The only thing tasty was the beer, honestly. My chicken schnitzel was not chewable, did send back, waiter agreed. Second one chewable, but had to add salt for taste?! Worse German potato salad ever, extremely dry, and very small portion! $ 58.00 for lunch little expensive. But hey, def go for a beer�

Have went to the store in front of the restaurant several times for desserts and candies but this was the first time we went to Cafe Mozart for dinner. We went there on a whim and so glad that we did! I had the Viennese Goulash and my husband had the Sauerbraten. Both dishes were very good and full of flavor the sides spaetzlia, saurkraut, and red cabbage were all really good. The service was good and attentive. Prices are good, you get plenty of food for the price. Also comes with a basket of breads. Beer is also good. They serve a 2 liter beer that comes in a large glass boot. The atmosphere is that of a local bar, this night they had a person walking through the restaurant playing a accordion taking requests which made it fun. This will definitely become a regular stop for us.

Spectacular meal with a fantastic piano background music serande during dinner. Tatania was our server and was perfect

Love this authentic German heaven! The Sausage plate special is a family favorite. The staff welcomes everyone in like family. Great for small and large groups.

I agree with John below. This restaurant is a gem 💎of a find. We had dinner last night before going to the Kennedy Center. The food was absolutely devine and the service was great. The dessert, apple strudel and the cheese torte was out of this world! We will be recommending this restaurant to our friends and visitors. The only item that would top this restaurant off if the staff wore authentic clothing. Or close to it.

I have been to DC numerous times but just now found this little gem. The staff was great and the atmosphere was wonderful.

Wonderful authentic German food! My cousin and I stumbled upon this place 30+ years ago and I still love it. My wife is of German descent and loves it too. She says the food is just like her parents and ancestors cooked it. The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is cozy so all this makes it a winner all the way around.

Great spot for lunch. Great service, great ambience.. and the shop has so many naughty treats, which you have to walk past to get to the restaurant... I will definitely come back 👍🏻

I was here in early of June 2016 and been wishing I could visit this place with my mom since I've been back. It has a German restaurant and it's great breakfast and dinner . Wish I could had bought that boot beer mug from them. The German deli was totally awesome. So much I wanted to take home with me such as the cakes and chocolate. Wish I had you in my state.

Great bier and food. We came here looking for something different than everyday food and we got it! We will be back.

I love the ambiance, the authentic German food, the shelves stocked with delicious German sweets and treats and of course the friendly staff!

Sylvia and our waitress were amazing; we had such a great dinner experience❤️ Prost!

One of the better places for German food. Recommend the sausage sampler and the German Potato Pancakes. My favorite is the Schlachtplatte, comes with 1 sausage, 1 slice kassler with German potato salad, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Apple strudel is included.

A fairly authentic German/Austrian food experience, located behind the deli shop-front, including a live pianist. AA+

This place is consistently amazing and always welcoming. Thanks for helping us celebrate my parents' anniversary (this is one of their favorite places) and treating my boys with respect (the boys also now love Café Mozart!).

This place was soooooo delicious. The staff was very friendly as well. Decent prices

Best German fare in DC; great beer, although they need to put the American chill on the brew, don't need the authentic lukewarm European beer thing!