Gourmet Haus Staudt, Redwood City, CA - good Saurbraten, beer list is 1/2 german, 1/2 solid American Microbrews (i.e Port Mongo IPA)

You forgot sent's discussion of Schnitzel Haus in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

It was a long trip, but yes, it was worth it. If we just wanted beer, we'd go to Cafe Berlin. But for food, it was the Bavarian Chef. :D Makes me want go visit the area again...

Anyone been to the new Haufbrauhaus in NYC on 3rd Ave?

Let's wait until someone actually reports that they have been there. I believe the discussion was only that menus had been dropped off ... so really uncertain whether it should be listed yet!

Got it. :)

I've been to Lederhosen in the West Village a number of times -- service can be a bit indifferent, and I'm pretty sure not everyone will like the hand-painted mural of the Bavarian countryside as much as me, but I thought the food was significantly better than Hallo Berlin. The party platter is great for groups.

http://www.lederhosennyc.com/

On a semi-related note, I was watching a re-run of friends and noticed the exterior of Monica/Rachel/Joey/Chandler's apartment building is at the corner of Bedford and Grove -- Lederhosen, which is on Grove between Bleecker and Bedford, could be a good stand-in for Central Perk for any TV-minded tourists ;)

Lederhosen was good for the beer. :D But the food was so-so.

I don't usually search out German restaurants on my travels as the food is usually heavy but I have been to Cafe Berlin in Huntsville, AL. It's a large cut above the typical German restaurant. Highly recommended.

We went there over the weekend. Very slow service but that seems to be because they attract groups. The same waiter servicing our table was also servicing 2 large groups. Not a fan of that; bad service ruins the best of cuisine.

The food? So-so. I would not add it to the list of "Best German Restaurants in the USA". No way.

Austin
 

Fabi + Rosi is getting good press here in Austin, I have not been there yet. Looking forward to it though, lots of locally sourced ingredients.

A new addition for the list: Restaurant Linderhof, Farragut, TN (just west of Knoxville)

Everything was made fresh to order - so allow extra time. A wonderful assortment of salads, and some of the best Beef Rouladen I can remember.

Ditto for the Hofbrauhaus in Cincinnati. I usually make a visit a couple weeks before heading to MUC for Oktoberfest...just to get in the spirit.

Though HB is not my favorite beer, the stuff served in Cincy was a spot on match for HB that you get in Munich. The food was pretty bad though.

If only we could get some wood-barrel Augustiner over here....and a good pretzel to go with it.

thanks a lot traveltravel ^

There is a US-based site http://www.bestgermanrestaurant.com/ sponsored by some German food importers and cultural organizations which is somewhat comprehensive and lists my favorite places. They also have annual voting. The polls open this year on September 1st.

In 2010 they named the Old German Schnitzel Haus in Hickory, NC as #1. (I don't know if it's best in the country, but I'll vouch for the fact that it's very good.)

Two Austrian places which so far have not been mentioned in this forum, but definitely should be:
Cafe Old Vienna in Myrtle Beach, SC --- a small place in a strip mall with a fantastic cook. Delicious food!
Gaestehaus Salzburg in Lake Lure, NC --- the real thing, from Salzburg

And a good German place south of Charlotte:
The Waldhorn in Pineville, NC

Guten Appetit!