We haven’t been to Biergarten in a while here on DFB, so I think it’s time to pay this fun spot a visit!
You’ll find it in Epcot’s Germany Pavilion, and this is THE place to find sausage and beer. They have other stuff, too…but if you don’t like sausage and beer, you may not get the most out of this restaurant.
Let’s take a look!
Atmosphere
Nestled in the back of the Germany Pavilion, Biergarten can be hard to find. It’s to the back, left of the pavilion, so look for a check-in desk in that general area.
Outside View
As you head past and actually through Sommerfest, the German counter service offering, you enter an area that looks a little like a courtyard, but with a ceiling.
First View Inside
But once you’re fully into the restaurant, the view opens up, and you are transported to evening in a Bavarian Village town square that has been set up in preparation for a party. And you’re invited!
Stage Area and Seating
Here, you get the full scope of the themeing, and it’s very quaint. The lamp posts, the waterwheel — even a full moon rising over the building in back! The atmosphere is really lovely.
Seating Area and Old World Charm
This is a good time to point out an interesting feature of Biergarten. Because it’s supposed to mimic the feel of a Bavarian street fair, you are seated at tables of eight. And if your party is smaller than this magic number, you will probably be sitting with strangers. Communal tables are pretty much the rule here — be warned.
Get to Know Your Neighbors at this Streetfest!
If you’re dining at lunchtime, you might be picked to tap the keg. One lucky guest is chosen to do the honors in this daily ceremony. The big perk for the tapper? A free beer to celebrate!
Tapping the Keg
Entertainment is key here at Biergarten. You’ll be serenaded by all manner of instruments throughout your meal, from hand bells and cow bells to those giant alpenhorns!
The guys that make up this oompah band have been here forever, and they do a great job getting you into the spirit of the celebration. While you can’t see it very well, there’s a dance floor in front of the stage, and guests are welcome to kick up their heels! (Kids especially seem to love this feature.)
Playing a Polka
The bell ringers are enormously talented, and it’s really fascinating to watch them perform!
Performers
My family and I enjoy them so much that we actually shot some video during a recent visit. Here’s one of our favorite shows.
Next, we were treated to some alpenhorn music. When was the last time you could say that?
Playing the Alpenhorn
Of course, during the show you should be eating and drinking! Let’s hit the buffet!
Eats
Biergarten is offers an all-you-care-to enjoy selection of German-style favorites. If you leave hungry, then it’s your own fault. 😉
The perfect way to kick off this celebration is with a beer. You’re in Germany after all, right? And how perfect is a drink menu shaped like a beer stein?
Biergarten Drink Menu
There are some really terrific selections here. If you need guidance, be sure to ask your server, who will be knowledgeable about the varieties.
Biergarten Beer Menu -- click for larger image
Something wonderful to note: in true Oktoberfest tradition, you can get a LITER of Beer! The mind boggles at the sight of this! To my knowledge, this is the only place in Epcot that you can order this quantity in a single serving. It’s huge!
A Full Liter of Beer!
Once you contemplate (and begin to quench) your thirst, it’s time to move on to the food. The buffet is two-sided, and the left and right lines are almost identical (we’ll highlight the one difference we noticed when we talk desserts a little later on). So don’t be worried that you’re missing something on the other side.
Pick the shortest line and go with it.
Buffet Area
You’ll start with a Selection of Salads. I didn’t want to take up valuable tummy real estate here, but if you’re so inclined, go for it.
Cabbage Salad, Bean Salad, Mixed Greens, Beet Salad, Tomato Salad, Cucumber Salad, Creamy Herb Dressing, Tarragon Dressing
Next, you come to a group of slightly more interesting Cold Fare, including a cold sausage selection that somewhat resembles charcuterie, plus meatballs, a sausage salad, and macaroni and potato salads. Did you know you could put sausage in a dish and still call it salad? Me neither!
Cold Sausage Selection, German Sliced Pickles, Meatballs, Butter, Sausage Salad, Macaroni Salad, and German Potato Salad
Cold Sausage Selection - Up Close
I didn’t expect much from the Cauliflower Soup, but it was quite good. Thick, creamy, and savory, it still had a delicate flavor.
Don’t fool yourself though. Delicate flavor does not equal light. I’m reasonably sure you aren’t saving any calories here!
Cauliflower Soup
The Breads are more than just a place-taker on your plate…these Pretzel Rolls are famously divine! Everyone loves them at Le Cellier, and here, you can have as many as you want, too!
Assorted Breads and Rolls
If I had to pick a favorite place to camp out on this buffet, it would be right here. Both the Roasted Potatoes and German Sausages with Sauerkraut are fantastic.
Roasted Potatoes and German Sausages with Sauerkraut
This Spaetzle was tasty as well. I did not, however, try the Veal Sausage. It was altogether a little too white and scary for me. Weigh in below, Readers: did I miss out?
Spatzel and Bavarian Veal Sausage
More Pretzel Rolls! And a Warm German Potato Salad for those of you who don’t enjoy the cold version.
Pretzel Rolls and Warm German Potato Salad
The Carving Station may change up a bit, but during our visit, we sampled German Meat Loaf and Pork Roast, with a rich Red Wine Sauce on the side.
Carving Station with German Meat Loaf, Pork Roast, and Red Wine Sauce
There are also lots of different Sauces to accompany your carved meats. Choose from Apricot Chutney, Applesauce, Sweet and Regular Mustard, Curry Ketchup (fancy!), and Regular Ketchup. My favorite is the Applesauce.
Apricot Chutney, Applesauce, Sweet and Regular Mustard, Curry Ketchup and Regular Ketchup
There is a selection of Fish and Chicken for those who prefer a lighter meat option. Options include Salmon in Dill Sauce, and Roast Chicken.
Salmon in Dill Sauce, Roast Chicken, and Sauteed Green Beans
There are also warm Meatballs to contrast with the cold ones you saw earlier. And here, you finally run into Schnitzel — a chicken version. The traditional savory brown sauce known as Hunter’s Sauce is the perfect topping.
Meatballs, Hunter's Sauce, and Chicken Schnitzel
You’ll find all of your traditional favorites here, like Braised Cabbage and another Spaetzle — this one with cheese. A couple of American favorites round out the offering.
Red Cabbage
Cheese Spaetzle
Sauteed Green Beans and Macaroni and Cheese
If you think you have room (and I hope you saved some), you should definitely check out desserts. There’s an assortment of fresh fruit available.
Fresh Apples and Oranges
The dessert buffet is the only place we found a minor difference in the two lines. One side featured grapes as the fresh fruit, while the other had watermelon.
My favorite here? I combined the Red Berry Compote with the Vanilla Sauce to make one of the most delicious sweets I’ve ever tasted! Really! I had three.
You can also choose from Bavarian Cheesecake, Vanilla Pudding, and Chocolate Mousse Cake.
Vanilla Sauce, Red Berry Compote, Watermelon, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Bavarian Cheesecake, and Vanilla Pudding
There is yummy delicious Apple Strudel as well, and while I didn’t taste the Florentine Cookies, they were quite popular.
Apple Strudel
Florentine Cookies
What a completely delicious and fun lunch time experience within Epcot!
Overall
Biergarten is a very, very fun place to eat. While the food probably won’t bowl you over, it’s quite good and plentiful and perfectly suited for the atmosphere. And the entertainment and surroundings really do deliver that magical Disney experience of transporting you to another place and time.
If you happen to be a fan o’ meat, you will be delighted as you try all the different sausages and other offerings. And the beer! Yes. The beer.
If there is one word of caution, it’s for the shy folks out there. This is meant to be a communal dining experience, so unless you book with a party of eight, your chances of sitting with strangers are pretty high. If you’re completely mortified by this possibility, try speaking to your server. They may be able to move you to another table if it’s a slow day. Or you could just try seating your least shy person next to your dining companions, and let him bridge the gap! (That’s what we did!)
The restaurant is underrated in my opinion, and you can usually score an Advanced Dining Reservation fairly easily here. Take advantage of that.
In Epcot, there’s just no better party for a beer and meat lover than Biergarten.
Are you a Biergarten fan? Leave us a comment and tell us your favorites!
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Our family loves The Biergarten!!
We actually went there twice during our last 12 day visit in August.
We also noticed the more crowded it is, the more fun it is!
The band is awesome too!
I really like Biergarten, it is old school EPCOT in a good way. My mind may be foggy from the liter of Weizen but it feels like the same restaurant that was there 20-30 years ago. It has probably changed the least of all of the EPCOT restaurants. The menu rarely changes, if ever, and it amazes me that the band has probably played tens of thousands of sets yet they always seem to be having a great time.
Oh no! You missed the “white hots”! In Rochester NY, Zweigles makes a bratwurst that is made of veal and pork, and are a hometown favorite! The brats get it’s color, or lack thereof, from the lack of nitrates which give sausages their white color. So don’t be alarmed by the color, these brats are light on the garlic which allows the flavor of the veal to really come through. Next time you’re there, give them a try.
Yum… Will be there on 10/13…. Prefer dinner over lunch as they have a couple of different items on the menu…. This is a family fav… We are going to have Xmas eve dinner there.. Where better than the place where the Xmas tree originated…. Tickie tockie, tickie tockie, oi, oi, oi…… Big beers calling my name!
“. . . if you don’t like sausage and beer” . . . Now there’s a depressing thought.
Love the white Oktoberfest sausages! They have a subtle flavor, but they pair REALLY well with good German mustard and sauerkraut. The cold sausages, cucumber salad, and German meatloaf are the other real standouts for me.
This place has become a MUST-DO for every trip. We’re only a party of two, and each time the table sharing has gone really well for us. It was a real alcohol culture shock when I couldn’t finish my entire liter of beer, and the server offered to put it in a to-go cup for me so I could enjoy it during Illuminations!
This place looks like a lot of fun. I had to tell my DH the size of beer they served there, he was suprised. He didn’t think he could finnish that much without being a bit tippsy afterward.
I hate go say that really nothing about this particular restaurant appeals to me. My husband would love it though, so I’m sure we will eventually cross it off the list. Can you tell me (and this seems like a stupid question even to me. LOL) how strong was the sauerkraut smell? That is what really does me in when it comes to German food. The smell is so overpowering to me!
I love Biergarten! I haven’t been there in a few years due to logistics, but it’s definitely on our must-do list for our next family vacation.
This place is a lot of fun to eat at. It is an atmosphere that is different than most of us see in everyday life. While it has sort of slipped out of the rotation of dining at WDW for us, this review and Pudge’s point about old school Epcot, makes me sure to put it on the agenda for our next trip.
I agree with Jeff’s comment about Rochester’s love of the white bratwurst. I had family there and made many visits. We always went to a drive in food stand to eat them on every trip and then even shopped at Wegmans to bring home a few packs of them. We used to call them white hots but I’m not sure if that was the correct name if you were a local.
This is one of my favorite places to eat in The World. I am NOT shy and I love meeting new people at this spot. I actually always eat here if I am on a solo trip and I have never had bad companions. As for the food, the Spaetzle if divine and I could eat my weight in the warm potato salad.
Biergarten has become a real favorite of ours. We were just there with a party of 19 during my sister’s wedding! There is something for everyone–all of the food isn’t covered in saurkraut.
My question–who is the young(er) guy on the right? Never seen him!
Aubrey, unless you are hanging over the kraut, you won’t be bothered by the smell. This is the good stuff! And yes, AJ, if you didn’t try the “white” sausages, you missed out!
My husband lived in Germany as a child and wanted to eat here for years, but was put off by the group seating. However, when we finally went for lunch, it was a very nice experience. The folks seated with us turned out to live only 40 miles away from us in VA! We talked just enough to be friendly, but otherwise everyone settled in and enjoyed the folks they came with.
I normally eat vegetarian, so there was some concern that I would be stuck with lettuce and beer (oh, the horror!) but not so. The fantastic spaetzle, the good salads, roasted potatoes, pretzel rolls and a bit of salmon filled my plate. I even tried the “wurst” salad, just to say I had.; the only veggie matter I found in it was onions. My husband highly recommends those funny white sausages, with or without mustard. They made him feel homesick. All these foods go better with beer, of course, but if you don’t imbibe, your non-alcoholic beverages are included in the meal. Even our picky son enjoyed roast chicken, mac and cheese and pretzel rolls, along with the vanilla pudding for dessert. But the outstanding dessert item for us was the struedel, not too sweet, and perfect with the complimentary coffee offered by our server.
Maybe I’d better make an ADR for Biergarten on our next trip; the pictures have made me long for the food even though I just finished lunch!
Must be good because we keep going back every visit !!! Beer is great and the kids love the entertainment – they love it even more when Mum & Dad try to dance together !
It’s the first table service restaurant our family ate in Walt Disney World and it has a permanent spot in our ADRs. I didn’t find the seating problematic but to me it’s no different than eating at the state fair. You either stand to eat or sit next to strangers in whatever spot you can find.
Curry ketchup poured on a sausage = currywurst from Berlin! Currywurst is SO GOOD. I had it at least 4 times when I was in Berlin. And I made my own when I was at Biergarten a year ago. On said white sausage as that’s how it’s usually served in Berlin. As was stated, do not be scared. It is a really good wurst!!
I also love the vanilla sauce pored on the cheesecake. So yummy!
Biergarten is really one of my favorite places to nosh at the entire WDW resort.
Love love love Biergarten! My family is of Czech and German descent, so it feels a little like home in the food and music department. 🙂
We ate here on our honeymoon and I’m pretty sure we took video of the bell ringers too. Amazing!!
I am so glad to hear a great review of the Biergarten. My family goes there every time we Vacation at Disney. We always have a wonderful time and meeting new people is one of the reasons why. The food is always great and I will always leave room for Dessert. The cast members that work there are wonderful. And we’ve never had to wait for a seat nor have we ever had an ADR for lunch. I keep telling my husband that we must go try the other countries food but he only wants Biergarten!
We LOVE Biergarten! In fact, we have an ADR for the day after our wedding for a big family dinner. I don’t care for sausage or beer, but I love Biergarten. I fill up on the delicious soups, spaetzle, cabbage, and pretzel bread. Of course, no meal is complete without Bavarian cheesecake smothered in vanilla sauce… Mmmmm…
Biergarten is one of our family favorites. They cater very well to our gluten and dairy allergies. I LOVE the cold tomato onion salad, the warm red cabbage salad, and the kraut. The kids love the meats and the apple strudel dessert…I wish I could eat that! I love the berry dessert, too, because it’s so light!
So, even if you are not a big meat fan, if you love pickled veggies and fermented foods, you will find plenty to choose from here. This is my favorite for those unique flavors that I don’t get very often (though I do have the red cabbage salad recipe and it’s great!)
I have my first ever ADR set for there at the end of January. Thanks for the review!
I’ve never been to this place, but if the veal sausage that you missed is what our German butcher calls ‘Bochwurst’, you missed out on a real treat. We love it with eggs in the morning as breakfast. It does look like fun and I’ll have to see if my friends would like to eat here sometime. Thanks for the review; it’s given me a second thought about it.
I’m back. I just made ressies for us at the Biergarten for our upcoming Nov. trip! So if anyone wants to try this place out, there are still spots available for ADRs to be made for trips that are getting very close.
My family dined here on every single family trip growing up and now DH and DS love it just as much (if not more!) than I do so I’m sure it will remain a family favorite. DH is also a huge fan of that white sausage.
I LOVE Biergarten! I took my boyfriend a few weeks ago and he was in heaven. It’s definitely my favorite spot Epcot, and all of the cast members are so nice!
This is one we always skip over but it looks good!! I remember going once as a child and it being really good fun, maybe it’s one to finally revisit 😉
Love the litre of beer….. good memories. I love the food and the communal dinning. We are Canadian and sat with some Texans, not a good mix, we drank, drank and had a fantastic time. Love Oktoberfest any time. We cannot wait to go back. Two thumbs way up!
Biergarten is my favorite restauaunt in EPCOT! AJ, I agree with you with the berries and the vanilla sauce, however I usually mix the pudding and the compote AND the vanilla sauce. Also, I love to take the pretzel roll and cut it in half and put some sausage and souerkraut on top, Delicious!!!!!!!
I just ate at Biergarten for the first time ever on Wednesday, (a few hours before your Snack Attack party, which was an incredibly stupid idea, but I had DDP credits to use.) As someone who doesn’t eat red meat, including pork, or any poultry, I really didn’t think I’d be eating a lot, but I was wrong.
I really enjoyed a lot of the salad options, as well as the fish, though it wasn’t salmon with dill sauce, I had I believe trout in mustard sauce, which was very good. I also loved the desserts, especially a strawberry-rhubarb cake.
I used to work here in the kitchen.. I absolutly miss the food! I am actually trying to get the recipe we used for the warm potato salad.. which btw is my favorite out of everything on the buffet. I would deffinitly recomend!
Just wanted to say that the “white” wurst is really good. Most white wurst is garlicky and down right good. Don’t be scared. Try it with some ketchup (I don’t use a bun just eat with ketchup) and it’ll all be good. I am not a veal fan but in a wurst it is worth it.
Hi AJ! What if we just want to grab a couple of beers and enjoy the atmosphere? Can you do that here? Thanks!
Shove over AJ because I am camping out with you at the sausage and roasted potatoes…lol! We absolutely love Biergarten and it is a must do on every trip. I would encourage everyone to try it at least once and not to be worried about the communal seating. It is really a fun way to meet new people and share the delightful experience of great food, excellent beer and joyous music and dance.
Is there a kids menu here, I am sure the adults will love it, but there was nothing that I could see from the post that my 8 year old boy would eat. Thanks
I think the white sausage is Weisswurst.
Can anyone tell me or ask for me the name of the wurst that’s in the cold section? I really want to know if it’s Regensburger wurst, or something else. I miss this place so, so, sooooo very much! TIA.
We were very excited to go to the Biergarten on our family’s 1st trip to Epcot. This was a special occasion with grandparents and all the kids along. With German heritage, we couldn’t wait to enjoy this treat! We were incredibly disappointed when we learned that children are charged $37.99/plate to eat & there are no options other than the buffet for light eaters (like our 3 young tweens). We could not justify $120 for what would have turned out to be a few bites for the three of them and ended up giving up our reservation. The Disney Experience ap listed the menu as table service anddid not indicate this was buffet only. Very disappointing!! I would have been happy to pay the price for the adults in the group, but it would have been nice to know in advance that menu items would not be an option. This was our only reservation meal a during our 5 days at Disney World & we had to give it up.
I’m taking my 5th visit with my partner to WDW and each year we have been out off by the communal seating thing (us Brits are slightly more reserved!) but we cannot get over how lovely this restaurant looks, plus the food, plus my partner is of German descent so this year we have a lunch reservation!! I really can’t wait!! I love meat and carbs and this looks just the place to get it! Though I may skip dessert and hit Karamelle Kuche after!!
Anybody know the name of the sharp cheese in the buffet?
The best musician for German entertainment isn’t even German but he plays several instruments and yodels better than the best yodelers in the Alps. He has a splendid voice and has a music degree. He sings flawlessly in five languages including German dialects and if you have ever heard him you will agree. His name is Bob Hamilton and he plays regularly at the Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh, PA. Epcot should hire him because he is a one man band who sounds better than many full sizes bands. He can play two alphorns at once and plays the accordian along with other musical instruments including Austrian Cow Bells. His show called “Bavarian Madness” is the most fun you can have with your lederhosen still on. We have been following him for over thirty years and he is better now than ever. Prosit!
I am of full german decent and have made a reservation here in a week when I visit WDW! I am so excited especially after reading these review’s! The one thing that made me make the reservation was the beef rouladen, it is my favourite meal ever hands down so I hope they don’t disappoint 🙂 I am curious though how much it is for the adult buffet, they only have a range so it made me wonder if it will cost me the top price?
The white veal sausage are called weiswurst. They are extremely mild flavored wurst made with lemon and parsley as the major seasonings. Also the German meat loaf is called leabecase. It is also a mild flavored sausage made in a loaf pan instead of stuffed inn a casinh
Biergarten Restaurant Dinner / Germany Pavilion – EPCOT – May 27, 2019
Had dinner reservations for 6:00pm, arrived a little early and were seated shortly after. The staff was very friendly and interactive with everyone at the table. The room is configured theater style in a half moon shape with a dance floor and stage. Sidebar: Seating is Oktoberfest Style, so you will be sitting with other guests. This is not the place to go if you are looking for a table for 2. The entertainment during the meal a nice added touch…a German band that played multiple instruments throughout the show and interacted with the crowd.
This is a buffet with a good variety of selections..see the Disney website for the menu. I tried as much of it as I could possibly eat, but the food was just average.
Will take a pass on this restaurant the next time and try some place different.
When visiting Germany years ago I was initially put off by the communal seating too; it appears to be an outdoor thing and not in indoor restaurants there. However, it seemed common to completely ignore your tablemates and wasn’t considered rude. So don’t be intimidated by it. You could say hello when you are seated but don’t feel you need to converse with anyone other than your own group.
I love the Biergarten and always eat there when visiting Epcot. My first time was in the 1980s and it was a table service restaurant then. I was surprised when going back in the 1990s that they changed it to buffet.