Place reviews

I guess my concept of "just", might be a little off I was in Bamberg back in April. Missed the Fastenbier, but was able to get it on-draft when I got back home.

 

My first experience was average, but my second one was really good. Having a friend who was connected didn't hurt, though. I think some of it comes down to luck just because of the tourist groups they get coming through there. For people taking guided tours, Shlenkerla seems to be the one beer stop they run everyone through. It's also the one place you see on every travel show, too.
I still always think of it like the Falling Rock here in Denver. They get tons and tons of traffic from people who end up there just because someone randomly told them to go.
I think other places like Keesmann and Greifenklau don't get the same amount of passive traffic and aren't quite as surly as a result.

 

Maybe it's a case of these places being hyped up so much that the reality does not live up to the hype and expectation.
I imagine being really excited about visiting this "awesome" pub during your trip only to be met by, to some people's standards, poor customer service would be really disappointing, the ratings then take a hit because of this and will influence the overall impression.

 

Is there a lot of chatter about Bamberg in Europe? Over here in the US the mention of Bamberg (even among geeks) garners only 3 reactions:
1. A blank stare.
2. "Oh, that's where that rowch smoked beer comes from."
3. "My (insert random relative) was stationed there once."

 

Fun conversation that I had last year with an Austrian friend, which I think is typical:

Me: "I'm going to Bamberg this weekend. It's the home of Rauchbier. Do you know what that is?"
Him: "Yes, it's disgusting."

YMMV!

Cheers.....

 

About the Schlenkerla service thing,

Can I ask are you guys ordering in German or English?

At my last visit, my friend & I (both Scottish), we can muster up enough broken German to order and the service was prompt but without much warmth. However the American tour group at another table took ages to get served, i assume (perhaps wrongly), because they were only speaking English.

Sometimes i wonder, obviously this is an American-central forum and you guys come from the land of super friendly/go that extra mile service, you expecting similar in Germany? However i will admit I've had spectacularly bad service in Germany too, Bar Fuesser in Nuremburg and Hofbrauhaus come to mind.

 

Again, Germans don't call their own country a Service Wüste (service desert) for nothing.

 

We do, yet at the same time we feel that what's considered good service in the US is overbearing and pretentions. There's just no pleasing us it seems

Seriously though, most Germans don't care if a waiter smiles or not as long as whatever we ordered is here fast and hot (or cold, depending on what one ordered). We all know from our own lives that nobody waiting on or serving you really cares how you are doing as long as you open your wallet so you may as well keep the studied phrases to yourself and spare us, the customer the annoyance of having to pretend we care. Do what you are paid for to do and shut up.

 

Did you want a hug with your meal ? There's places for that too...

 

No. It's far more popular around here.

 

Nah, a high five would have sufficed

 

He's right, for I get students coming back from the US freaked out being asked 200 times a day "if they're having a good day," or simply "how are you," when you enter a store are are served. The trouble is, when you ask a German those questions, you hear about every moronic or minor ache and pain s/he has, all about the pipes dripping in the house, how terrible his/her boss treats him/her, how s/he hates the weather today (too cold, too rainy, etc.). They never realize those questions are just a friendly American's way of saying hello. In other words, Germans take all this shit way too seriously. On the other hand, in America we're used to people being friendly AND polite, whereas Germans think being polite is enough, and friendly is only for friends. In America, everyone is your "friend" and we make and forget friends easily. In Germany, we take longer to make friends, and take it more seriously, to boot, but then those friendships are not as superficial as Americans; rather, they're deep and long lasting.

Nonetheless, Service is often horrible in Germany, but it's A LOT better than I remember 30 or 25 years ago. Having traveled abroad and seeing much better examples of service, Germans have been demanding a higher quality, though never the "friendly" variety of the perky wait-staff who giggles and writes her name on the table in crayon. Just imaging that scene in Germany would send Germans into fits of laughter or screaming, running in horror of a) the implied intimacy, b) that they are now required to be equally "friendly," neither of which the average German would feel comfortable with. Yet Americans like or crave that intimacy or perkiness, no matter how superficial or acted. Yet most Americans tend to lead very superficial friendships that Germans would define as "acquaintances."

So, terrible service is frowned upon in Germany too (Germans are now more willing to complain directly, or simply get up and walk out), now, yet in tourist traps, it's the norm b/c 1) they'll never see you again probably, 2) there's always another tourie to replace you, & 3) they get paid wether you're happy or not in the non-tip system Germany employs. Personally, in Germany, I always try to tip at least 10% for good service as a suggestion to keep up the good work, and don't tip bad service, and say to them (in German), "thanks for the great service."

So, in Schenkerla you see a parable of German culture played out before your eyes. Oops, was this at all about beer?

 

I'll admit that it took me a little while to adjust to "German Service" but that said, the first time I went was with some friends, one of whom is a native German and one a Dutch friend who speaks German fluently. My German is not great, but I've always spoken and ordered in German and try not to come across as a Tourie. I'm sure my accent gives me away, but still.

 

Even the very thought of this ever happening at Schlenkerla gives me a good chuckle.

 

That's a good question and difficult to recall, but thinking back on my visits they were after I learned German and I'd gamble that I was probably using it as much as possible.

I was always taught that you'd get respect for the attempt at using the language -- Stahl can tell us if that's a certain level of rubbish.

 

I have found this to be true. At most places. *ahem*

One time my wife and I went we ended up joining a table of older locals. The waitress was fairly brusque with me and my wife at first, but the longer we sat and (presuming here) the more German she heard us speak the more she warmed up to us. It could also be that she knew the locals we were with and just figured if we were OK by them then we were OK by her. Although at first the very same waitress did try to shoo us out of the joint for not having a reservation. She also brought us the wrong beer (I had asked for zwei Fastenbiere and she said, "zwei Biere?", scurried off and came back with two Märzens...). But I digress.

For the record, I actually like the place and have been three times. I would go back. But I could also easily see where some people might prefer a different spot.

 

I work in the service industry myself: the attempt of at least trying is always good. Speaking English though is not a problem at all. A German and a Spaniard or a Russian and a Japanese will usually try to communicate in English. I worked for an American company, so there were a lot of American guests. What really pisses one off though is when an American lets you understand that he/she is expecting everybody to speak English when he/she is a few thousand miles away from home.
On another note though, try speaking English in France (outside of the big Touri-locations)! They will most probably give you a look like this:

 

My one trip to France was Strasbourg -- my German came in very handy!

I don't get that myself. My one mistake before my first trip to Germany was listening to everyone who told me, "Don't worry, everyone there speaks English, You won't have a problem."

A.) There may be a lot of people who speak English, but they don't always let it be known.
B.) There aren't a lot of people in the smaller towns who speak English.

Learning more than enough to get by was the best thing I did for return trips. If only I could remember half as much as I forgot!

 

I've been trying to learn some German in preparation for my upcoming trip (leaving Sunday). I didn't get as far as I hoped. But what I have is better than nothing.