Wratschko

TLDR - This is my 145th review and while I am not at all some professional food critic, this is THE BEST meal I have ever had in my entire life.

On our trip to Vienna, my fiance and I looked up some places that would be good to try traditional Viennese cuisine. Wratschko popped up on a list and it was even mentioned that Anthony Bourdain came by here so we figured it's worth the try.

So.... THE FOOD.

On our first night, we ordered the minced meatballs with mashed potatoes and the chicken in a chanterelle sauce with dumpling. The chicken was cooked completely through, yet still remained juicy and tender. The sauce was a tad saltier than i may have preferred, but the whole dish was still unbelievable. The meatballs were dense and savory, and the well flavored with this dish's own unique sauce. The starchy sides came exactly as they should in texture and flavor (okay, actually the mashed potatoes were nothing like I'd ever tasted anywhere else - creamy, fluffy, but also had chunks of diced potato. Both times we got them, they tasted like this and it was incredible), and even the steamed vegetables that seemingly garnished the plate only added to the dishes' flavor profiles. These veggies kept their natural colors as overcooked ones tend to, and each night was crisp and bright, contrasting the denser flavors of the meats and starches.

This meal was so good, we had to come back on our last night in Vienna.

On this second visit, which I am writing as I eat, we ordered the boiled beef with pumpkin oil as a starter (similar to a Tafelspitz) the minced meatballs again (fiance wanted to repeat that) and the roasted lamb. The boiled beef was very interesting. It tasted almost like a Vietnamese beef salad, except with more European flavors. The pumpkin oil was mixed with a hint of balsamic and the herbaceous aroma of parsley pierced through just enough with each bite of beef, spiraled radicchio, and diced peppers. The roasted lamb would be #3 if I had to rank all the main dishes we've tried, but nonetheless cooked perfectly, and it's only fault is that I feel like I could've had the same dish at a different restaurant.

Finally on this second visit, we ordered the pancakes with apricot jam as a dessert to share. It's more of a thick crepe than a pancake. Fluffy, with some sugary charred ends, balanced with the tartness of the jam, and dusted over with some powdered sugar. Delicious.

As for environment, the restaurant has a cozy, old-timey interior with candlelit tables and wooden walls. The downside of the inside is that it's not well-ventilated and the kitchen smoke billows a bit through. You'll leave smelling like a bit of grease. They do have outdoor seating though so if you can't stand it, wait for the outside? There is one server/bartender/busgirl and one chef working this whole restaurant. This place is just out of this world. I will miss this restaurant more than the whole rest of Vienna.

Bourdain has yet to steer me wrong, so I didn't think he was going to start on my first trip to Vienna. He didn't.

(Also, there's now an English version of the menu, which is likely due to the restaurant being featured on one of Tony's shows.)

We got both the beet soup (flavorful, lushly pink in color, and delightfully textural with crunchy croutons folded in) and the beef consommé with pancake strips (a Viennese specialty -- also delicious). Then, for entrees, tried the paprika chicken and the boiled beef with hash brown and apple horseradish and creamy chive sauces on the side. Don't be fooled by deceptively basic sounding descriptions -- there was not a streak of sauce or a single crumb left on all the plates ordered. Everything is hearty, the sauces are all incredibly flavorful, and, simply put, the food was delicious, delicious, delicious.

I still actively think about this meal. Well worth the trek.

Best meal in Vienna easily. The staff are very friendly and helpful, but if you can speak and read German it will go a long way in helping you find better menu items. It is not the fanciest of places and is great to escape the cold for a hearty meal.

We started with the Beet Puree and Frittatensuppe which were excellent. Frittatensuppe is such a difficult measurement depending on where you are from and how your used to it, but I like their hearty take on the addition of some meat and vegetables not common. I had the minced meat balls and my Wife had the pepper chicken. Both were AMAZING. Embarrassingly wanting to lick the plate is a thought that will cross your mind.

You would be silly to go anywhere else if you want some authenticate Wien cuisine.

Very dood food！！！taste is excellent ！！！！！I recommend this restaurant ！！You be should goin to here ！！！！

Very nice ambiance. Had the meatballs, pepper steak, warm beet soup, and a salad. The bread was home made and delicious. Beet soup superb, pepper steak excellent, meatballs fantastic, although the sauce was a bit salty. Salad was nice and light and great. We had crepes with apricot jam for dessert. They were fine, but could have skipped. Great place.

Almost a perfect dining experience.

After having trouble with two restaurants honoring our reservations on our Central Eastern excursion, I was pleasantly surprised when arriving at 7 PM on Thursday, Oct. 4th we were greeted by the owner and promptly seated in the non-smoking area.

The owner was very gracious and helpful and served us our drinks and a bread basket while we waited for our dinner in the very warm and homey wood-paneled dining area, listening to classical music through what appeared to be a very high fidelity 1960's era speaker, and watching the owner expertly manage about 15 tables pretty much all by himself.

We had a white wine, a 0.5L beer, the meatballs with mashed potatoes, and the boiled beef with hash browns served with horseradish and dill sauce. The presentation and the taste was excellent. Our best meal then by far on our excursion through Central Europe, especially for E 34.9.

Unfortunately, my wife's wording of a query in English regarding her interest in a particular desert upset the owner and he stated something curt, slamming the menus on the table. Obviously, we didn't stay and when I went to settle up, the owner apologized explaining that he was overworked and sleep deprived since August. That was pretty obvious, as well as unfortunate.

I hold no grudge, highly recommend this place, but suggest the owner look for some good waitstaff as I'd really like to return some day.

Very cozy place. Had chicken and spaetzle. The beet soup was delicious! Great service. In cool neighborhood, Spittelberg. Nice server. He gave us a shot of schnapps on the house.

Really excellent food. Very tasty. I had the cream of turnip soup as my first course and the pork medallions in mustard sauce as my second course. Both were great. My wife had the meatballs and loved it.

As per expected for a Anthony Bourdain featured restaurant this was An excellent choice. The ambiance is basic, but the food outstanding. And the portions ginormous. We started off with avocado in a dressing and some bread. Tasty and not too much. Don't fill up on bread! For mains i had the steamed Beef with a bread dumplimg and beets. Very tasty and a lot of it. The ms had cooked Beef, she liked it a lot, but it's not my taste. We finished off with pancakes and curd cream for me and chocolate mousse for her. Also big tastes but way too much. Overeating is a given here. The service finally was excellent, friendly and relaxed.

This place is absolutely amazing. I went on a weekend vacation with some friends of mine and found this place to have dinner. The food was absolutely amazing, I had the minced meatballs and the mashed potatoes which came to the table steaming. My friend had the pumpkin soup which was so delicious I had to order one. Everyone was super happy with their meal and loved their beers. The atmosphere was definitely cozy and the staff was very warm and friendly. I would highly recommend.