Keli and I went to San Francisco last night to see Phantom of the Opera (more on this in a follow-up post). On the way down to the city, we were trying to figure out a place to eat, hopefully before the show. I started playing around with an application on my iPhone called “Urban Spoon“. That’s how we found out about a retaurant called “Walzwerk” which serves East German food. I’m not usually one for taking a gamble when it comes to food because we don’t get very many opportunities to go out for dinner without the kids and when we do, the thought of spending the time and money on a new place, with different food that we may end up disappointed with, doesn’t appeal to me.

After talking about it, we realized that Walzwerk is about 10 minutes away from the Orpheum theater, where the play was at. So we took a gamble. And good lord, how it payed off!

The place was easy to find, right on South Van Ness, between 14th and 15th streets, with ample free parking on the street in front of the place. The first sign that we made a good choice was by walking in and finding the last table open for us… the place was packed! And more importantly, their plates of food were heaping. The atmosphere was a combination of cozy yellow lighting and stark, very industrial furniture and artwork. The service was casual and very laid back, yet still professional.

I love food so believe me when I say all I really can about the food served up by Walzwerk: It was, without a shred of doubt, one of the best, most flavorful meals I have ever had in my entire life!

To start with, Keli and I ordered their Small Potato Pancakes with Chive Sour Cream and Applesauce. Delicious! The potato pancakes were more like potato biscuits, they were so thick. I mean really, you can’t go wrong with fried hunks of potato.

For dinner I ordered their Breast of Chicken stuffed with Apples & Bacon (with Sundried Cherry Sauce), Mashed Potatoes, and Seasonal Vegetables, with a half liter of Spaten Amber, pulled from a tap, in a very cool stein. I was barely able to finish the food I ordered and I’m not one to be easily scared away by a large meal.

Keli ordered the Cheese Spätzle (Homemade Egg Noodle) with a Mixed Salad and, while it was essentially German Mac ‘n Cheese, she said it was very good and very cheesey.

We found the physical and mental resolve to get dessert, too, and ordered their Apple Strudel with Ciao Bella Vanilla Ice Cream, which was awesome! Even with the raisins (I really don’t like rasins) it was very good.

Instead of raving on and on about this place, just take a look at a few of the reviews of Walzwerk:

“Walzwerk has everything we recreational eaters are looking for. It’s a laid back down to earth establishment with its own unique style serving up good food, and plenty of it, at reasonable prices.”

- V. Miller
New Mission News

“But the restaurant isn’t some glitzy place adding to the neighborhood’s gentrification. It’s stark in decor and turns out rib-sticking German fare at reasonable prices.”

- Robin Davis
SF Gate

“Walzwerk exalts the gritty and the industrial. Exuberantly blue collar, it pays homage to the appetite and pocketbook of the hard-working man and woman. ”

- Patricia Unterman
SF Gate

We walked out, extremely full and satisfied for $60, which included a very generous tip.