Kurt’s Bistro

I would have never guessed in my wildest dreams that this awesome and almost authentic German style restaurant would exist in this part of Georgia. It’s like the serious suburb of north Atlanta and far removed from the hip area of this town. It stands all my itself on this empty mall and it gets packed.
It’s easy going, laid back, wooden stools, tables and high chairs to the back by the bar area and small dining area to the right. I was lucky to have been there when it was enough seats at the bar while waiting and moved to a high rise table.
We ate way too much. Bacon wedge salad with chunky cuts of bacon on the top, sausage platter, meat and cheese platter, curry wurtz and even gigantic shrimp cocktail for appetizer.
You cannot go wrong with this place. So grab a beer or grab a liter and enjoy the good old times reminiscing about Munich beer garden.

This place is amazing! If you are looking to try something outside of the box, this place is where you need to go!

Solid menu with something for almost everyone. Very good wine list. Can get crowded, so make a reservation. Sure doesn’t feel like Duluth.

My wife and I wanted to try something different other than those same old chain places to eat on a Friday night, we had been told of Kurt’s Bistro and decided to give it a try. Of course as a spur of a moment decision we did not have a reservation and were sent to grab a high top table in the bar area, which actually was not that bad since I got to glance at ESPN now and then on their big screen, shhh, don’t let my wife know I was doing that. (this is not a sports bar place).
For a starter, we shared the potato pancakes — three come with an order, to be honest they were a little tasteless, they need some seasoning, that’s when I noticed none of the bar tables, had salt and pepper shakers on them. For my main I had the Smoked Pork Chop, it was as good as everyone talks about and my wife had the Wienerschnitzel. She was disappointed in it, she kept saying it was to dry.
I did like the atmosphere, it was very authentic and cozy.

I finally found a German restaurant! The Schweinhaxe, Reisling Kraut, Spaetzle, and Schnitzel are all excellent. I love the décor as it reminded me of Germany.

Went here last night. It was my second time there. They never disappoint. The ambiance is fun, the service was great and the food was exceptional. First off, we showed up with more people that I had made a reservation for. The owner was super nice and accommodated all of us in our party without hesitation. I ordered the pork shank for an entrée and it was definitely a huge portion. The flavor was nothing like I ever had before. The skin was super crispy, almost like pork rinds. I would definitely order it again. My wife had the lobster tail entre and my sister had the shrimp and scallop pasta dish. Both were very flavorful and a great size portion.

We really love this place. The ambiance is just so-​so but the service is always great and the food is quite good. We always leave very satisfied with the overall experience.

I found this place accidentally while procrastinating Thanksgiving planning. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, presentation and the ambiance, this place made me look good in the eyes of my super picky family. Everyone raved about the food. The service is friendly and professional. There is fine dining in Gwinnett County. I can’t wait to come back!

Never a let down! Always perfection! Thank you Kurt and Chef Alexander for exceptional food and service!

My husband and I decided to try this spot for a date night, and it did not disappoint! We didn’t have a reservation, and it was a Saturday. We decided to try it anyway. We lucked out and got a table in the bar area. I would definitely recommend a reservation. The place was cozy and full of eager diners.
The ambiance was cozy and dark. You could smell the deliciousness the moment you walked through the door. Our waiter was excellent (attentive, offered suggestions, very friendly), and other members of the wait staff checked on us from time to time as well.
We started with the spaetzle black forest, which we read (here on Unilocal) was the best item on the menu (pro tip: When Daniel B. says something is good — order it). It was incredible. Cheesy, warm comfort food at its absolute finest. Perfect for a chilly night. We also started with the potato pancakes, which were also wonderful and made me eager to make my own soon. There were a dozen small plates on the menu that looked great — it was hard to decide which to order. I would guess it is hard to go wrong. (And I still want to go back for the fondue!)
For dinner, I ordered Kurt’s favorite, which was a beef goulash with spaetzle, and my husband ordered the Schwabian Platter — pork tenderloin, sausage, German potato salad and more. Both were incredible. We did not come close to finishing the large portions, but we really look forward to enjoying the leftovers for lunch today!
We had no room for dessert, but we didn’t let that stop us. We had the bananas foster, which is prepared table side. Incredible.
We left completely stuffed, but happy to have found a great spot close to home. Next time, we will probably order and eat less, which of course means we will just have to come more often to try ALL THE THINGS!
Thanks, Kurt and staff, for a wonderful evening. You will definitely see us again!

Growing up as Army brats, our family spent three years in Germany. Kurt’s Bistro provided my siblings and I a wonderfully authentic German meal and a great backdrop for the start of our siblings weekend. My two brothers enjoyed their liter steins of German beer and we almost broke out into Ein Prosit. I had the Schnitzel with a side of red cabbage, my older brother had the Jagerschnitzel, my sister had some appetizers and a side spätzle, and my younger brother enjoyed as much of the pork shank as he could eat — it was huge and delicious. We finished leaving sharing that German chocolate cake and the Apple Strudel. The portion sizes are on the larger side, but the menu diversity makes it possible to customize your meal. If we ever get back together in North Atlanta, we will definitely revisit Kurt’s Bistro.

Love the European family restaurant ambience and the hearty food. I love all their meat dish especially the BBQ bacon and shrimp, it is a must order.
The Goulash soup was a little too much for us but the sausages and the pork chops are definitely the best!

I hadn’t been to Kurt’s since they were located in their old «château» building years ago. Upon my return, I found their food better than I even remembered. Everything was exquisite, not to mention quintessentially German.
I had jaegerschnitzel with spaetzle. The portion was enough for two people, but it’s German food so that’s somewhat expected. The schnitzel was very tender and moist. The spaetzle did not disappoint either. The jaegerschnitzel actually comes with potatoes, but I wasn’t missing a chance to have spaetzle.
The egg bread was fantastic too. I only wish I had enough room for it all. We also had the potato pancakes as a starter which came with the traditional applesauce and sour cream.
We finished the experience with apple strudel. It was the perfect end to such decadence.
The service was on key as well. We wanted for nothing and the pacing was great.
I always like to provide a critical downside so a review doesn’t gush, but all I can say is that I’m very eager to return. I was thrilled to see that Kurt’s has aged so gracefully. This year marks their 30^th anniversary. It’s obvious why. Here’s to 30 more.

Went there for dinner during the July 4^th weekend. Great food and it is a lot of food for the price!!! Dining environment and service are nice. We three people ordered pork shank, sausage and pork players, black forest and pretzels for appetizers, all taste great but we end up with almost half food left over. And we got a free beer by checking in via Unilocal.The reason for 4 stars not full 5 stars is that it is not baby/​kids friendly. No diaper change stations, only ONE high chair the entire store (we have two infants with us) which causes a problem.

Kurt’s was fantastic. My wife and I recently visited this place for the first time. European food was new to both of us. Our waitress explained the different dishes, made recommendations, and was overall very helpful.
I ordered the Hungarian goulash and potato pancakes. She ordered Kurt’s Favorite. The food came quickly and was exactly as described. Everything was delicious and well prepared. There wasn’t any part of the meal that I didn’t enjoy.
Kurt’s has atmosphere, good service, reasonable prices, and good food. I will certainly be back.

I’m very aware that thousands read these reviews which is why we post. Please be aware that the people who eat at your restaurant will believe it’s German food when it’s a poor depiction of it. I spent 20+ years there and what you sell as Goulasch is an embarrassment.
Now it’s been requested that my review is removed, because he doesn’t like my feedback. Service is more important than food and the service was a one star experience. The chef was rude and continues to rebut my reviews instead of taking it with a grain of salt and moving on.
I think maybe he want the review removed because I’ve highlighted the health score of 84?
Again, I stand by review even though the chef constantly wants me to remove my review.

I would definitely recommend trying many small plates and perhaps an entrée to share. That being said here is what the wife and I tried.
We started with the Black Forest spaetzle which is really reminiscent of a good Italian carbonara. Very good, it’s obvious why this is posted on Unilocal a bunch. We also had the Bavarian pretzel that came with 3 sauces.
One was classic mustard, one a honey mustard, and the third, not quite sure but was ok. The classic mustard was definitely our favorite. Better than Auntie Anne’s.
For our entrée, I got the Schwabian platter. The main thing that stood out for me was the potato salad, I loved it. Everything else was good, but that was a new taste for me.
Wife had the Jaeger Schnitzel. Basically a pork cutlet fried with some brown sauce, good, but didn’t feel super different.
We were super full at this point, but that didn’t stop us from dessert. Apple Strudel with vanilla ice cream. Divine!
I might suggest the Banana Fosters too as that looked entertaining and delicious.
Bottom line: Good representation of classic German food I think.

Located among a quiet strip of stores, Kurt’s Bistro was a cozy little restaurant. The service and food was super good. The atmosphere was a little too dark imo, but it provides an intimate feel.
This noodle dish as the recommended appetizer was gooey, cheesy, and delish. It was a tad too salted. The bacon pieces prob didn’t help either. It’s a nice little appetizer, but it will fill you up as it is a noodle dish.
The classic wienerschnitzel (breaded veal) I chose as the entrée was a tad too salty. The noodles on the other hand were under salted. :/​And the veal to noodle proportions were way off. This time around, there were more meat than noodles. Not a bad thing per se. lol. The veal itself was chewy, but it could have used a little more seasoning. The breading gave it texture and flavor, but without it, the veal was a little flavorless.
Service was cordial and friendly here. Parking was pretty available in this small strip.

I’ve anticipated dining at Kurt’s Bistro for nearly a year. This, in conjunction with high Unilocal reviews, led me to expect quite a lot. However, I was supremely disappointed all around. The first thing I took note of was the lousy service. What appeared to be the owner and wife offered no salutations upon arrival nor departure. The server was consistent with this poor attitude until a part of the way through service. Although somewhat intimate in atmosphere, the décor looks as though a great amount of German posters were strewn about an old Japanese restaurant.
We started with the potato pancakes, Bavarian pretzel, and, at the recommendation of the server, the chilled seafood platter. The pretzel was the best I’ve had while the potato pancakes had a warm, homemade taste and texture. The apple sauce it comes with was tasty but doesn’t flow with the pancakes. The seafood platter consisted of an assortment of smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, and crab claws. Sadly, all of the items lacked the crisp freshness that one would hope for at such a restaurant.
For the mains, I had the Schwabian platter while she had the veal special. The Schwabian platter was good all except for the potato side. There was a particularly strong soy sauce-​like taste that ruined it. The brats were great and the heaping amount of sauerkraut was perfect for it. The porkchop was slightly overdone and dried out very quickly. Also ordered a side of asparagus to break up the saltiness accumulating from the meat. The greens and the plate itself were very hot which, to me, screams only one thing; microwave. Tsk. Her veal, though cooked well, had a finish that was more like a country-​fried steak. The accompanying pasta side was unexciting as well.
As much as I wanted to like this place, I know a 2-​star rating is fair for the food and service received. Kurt’s lacks a wow factor of any sort. I find this to be understandable as they aim for an authentic, homemade flavor, however, the asking price and attitude are anything but.
Will not be recommending to anyone.

Thanks to fellow Atlanta Unilocaler Michelle K. for introducing me to Kurt’s Bistro. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have known about this fine German restaurant. Also, thanks to Tom E. for filling me in on the restaurant’s history. Kurt’s Bistro is named after its owner-​chef, Kurt Eisele, who has more than 60 years of culinary experience. Kurt’s restaurant has been in business since 1985.
If you’re looking for good authentic German food in metro Atlanta, you’re not going to find it at very many places. Der Biergarten downtown, Gasthaus in Cumming, and Kurt’s in Duluth are the few who do it right.
Kurt’s is located in a small shopping plaza at the corner of Peachtree Industrial Blvd. and River Green Pkwy, north of Pleasant Hill Rd. and south of Duluth Hwy/​Abbotts Bridge Rd. The restaurant space feels relatively new. It’s nicely decorated with a Bavarian theme. There’s a bar and a few separate, sectioned-​off dining areas. A cool, tiny showcase wine cellar can be found near the entrance. Overall, Kurt’s feels cozy and intimate. It works for both a casual or fine dining experience, though it probably leans towards the latter.
The menu has got a little bit of everything from Germany including jumbo pretzels, snails, spaetzle (German pasta), potato pancakes, frog legs, goulash (stew), and schnitzel (breaded meat cutlet). A variety of salads and steaks are available as are traditional German sides such as sauerkraut, red cabbage, and potato salad. Finally, the desserts are decadent. Expect to spend up to about $ 12 per small plate/​appetizer and between $ 15 – 25 for most entrees.
I’ve tried several items off the menu. They include:
Frog Legs Provencal — garlic, fresh herbs, tomatoes
Bavarian Jumbo Pretzel with three dipping sauces
Schwabian Platter — bratwurst, bauernwurst, and smoked pork chop with braised sauerkraut and German potato salad
One Escalope De Porc Forestiere — Jaeger-​schnitzel, pork tenderloin, egg battered, woodland mushrooms, pinot noir sauce
Spaetzle Black Forest — double smoked bacon, woodland mushrooms, sweet cream and melted emmenthaler
Bananas Foster
Butter Pecan ice cream
«Damn Good Cup of Coffee»
Generally, I think everything is good, but if I had to pick a singular favorite, it would definitely be the spaetzle. Spaetzle is made from egg noodles. It seems like a simple pasta dish, but the combination of flavors make it magical. I think the addition of cream and melted emmenthaler cheese put it over the top for me. It’s delicious until the last bite.
If you’ve never had frog legs before, don’t be afraid to try them. As you may have heard, it does taste like chicken. Kurt’s serves the frog legs in a light sauce with plenty of tomatoes. While the frog is good, I don’t like how «wet» and soggy this dish is. Dried fried frog legs taste better, but Kurt’s approach is different and interesting.
The jumbo pretzels come with three dipping sauces, all mustard variants I believe. I never got around to identifying them. Some are spicier and/​or sweeter than others. Speaking of dipping sauces, the filet mignon is served with *six* dipping sauces. The presentation is eye-​catching because the filet and the accompanying sauces are served on a special plate with separate compartments for each ingredient.
The Schwabian platter is eye-​catching as well. Swabia is a region in Germany. Meat lovers will love the Schwabian platter because of its pork chop, bratwurst, and bauernwurst. Both the bratwurst and bauernwurst are plump, hearty, and savory. The bauernwurst looks more like a traditional American frank and has a smooth texture inside. Both are spiced and seasoned well, so they are flavorful. The pork chop is grilled and has a smoky flavor. The slightly tangy and sour sauerkraut and potato salad are perfect accompaniments for the meats.
The Jaeger-​schnitzel, made of pork, is nicely presented with plenty of sauce and served with a generous portion of mushrooms. I enjoy the mushrooms they use here and there are enough to go with every bite of schnitzel. Jaeger-​schnitzel reminds me of Japanese tonkatsu in that they’re both breaded pork cutlets. The taste and texture of the breading is completely different, however, with tonkatsu being more deeply fried and crispier.
The bananas foster is prepared tableside by Kurt himself. He’ll wheel over a cart and flambé the bananas in a pan together with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur. It’s a fun little show. The bananas are served atop vanilla ice cream. The dessert is delicious. Butter pecan ice cream is available separately and is very good as well. Smooth and rich.
The «Damn Good Cup of Coffee» has no description on the menu, but at $ 8.50 per cup, it has to be something good. It turns out the three key ingredients are Kahlua, Bailey’s, and amaretto. It’s actually quite tasty and you can barely notice the alcohol.
Service is good. Kurt’s wife may even come around and check on you.