Do you need reservations? We recommend reservations due to the large amount of seating we have. Unlike a small restaurant that seats 40-50 people, we seat 250 plus. Reservations allow us to staff properly for the amount of customers. “we have a staff of over 30 ” A must for Friday and Saturday evenings and large groups on Sundays. Walk In’s are always welcome, but you could experience a wait sometimes. Holidays or 3 day weekends, a must. We do not reserve tables in the Biergarten unless it’s a party of (150+) We do not reserve tables during festivals. We have held too many tables that sit empty for “no shows”.
Can I bring my pet? Only certified service dogs are allowed. We do not allow pets in our Restaurant or Biergarten. Bringing your pet is a Tradition in Germany and we allowed it for 15+ years, but we have experienced too many dog bites. Our Biergarten is family friendly with lots of kids. If your dog bites, you are liable for damages plus your pet is impounded for 2 weeks as per Williamson County. It’s just not worth it.
Why Can’t I make a online reservation? As we receive online reservations and our seating capacity reaches 90% we block times that are sold out. There is nothing wrong with our site. The earlier you make your reservation the better. Our online system will not accept any last minute reservations. We require at least a 4 hour notice.
Do you allow open Carry? Texas Penal Code 30.07 “Bars or restaurants that serve alcohol” are exempt from open carry. This includes our entire premise, Biergarten & Arcade.
Do You Cater? No, sadly due to extra insurance cost, health department requirements, permits and unpredictable weather, we have discontinued catering. We do cater in our Biergarten for special events.
Why Don’t you answer the phone on Monday’s & Tuesday’s? We are closed these two days. “This is our weekend off” We are open Wednesday through Sunday. If you make a online reservation during our closed times, we will reply on our next business day.
I sent you an online reservation or question and didn’t receive a reply back. More than likely your reply went to Spam or was blocked. We do reply to all reservations & questions. Always include your phone number in e-mails. We are closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so reservation replies are on Wednesdays.
Why Does Your Restaurant On The Front Have “HY Doering” Groceries, Dry Goods, Hardware, Produce & Cotton? Well back in the 1800’s & 1900’s, This was the local Grocery & Hardware Store. “The Walburg Mercantile” You could buy just about anything you needed. Even though it’s confusing today, We want to keep the structure Original as Possible.
What is Your Cover Charge for Entertainment? There is never a cover charge in our Biergarten or Restaurant. All Entertainment is always free of charge.
Is your restaurant smoke free? Yes, the Restaurant, Banquet hall and Arcade are smoke free. “This includes Tobacco & Vapor ” You can smoke in our Biergarten or anywhere outside our building. Just make sure it’s out when your done. If you’re a cigar smoker we would appreciate “not smoking in our tent as a courtesy to others”.
Does your Restaurant or Biergarten serve liquor? Our precinct is Dry except for beer & wine. So we can’t offer a full bar.
Can I order from the Menu If I don’t want the Buffet? Yes! Most of the time, but with a few exceptions. On Easter, Thanksgiving, New Years, & Sold out holidays, we offer buffet only. During Festivals we condense our menu to keep our kitchen from backing up with orders. Kid menu are always available. Our Biergarten kitchen also includes a Kid friendly menu.
Can I bring a cake? Yes if you’re having a special event “like a wedding” However we have a culinary schooled baker in house that’s amazing. If you make arrangements to bring your own cake, you do need to bring plates, forks & serving utensils or plating fee will apply. This Plate fee includes the Restaurant and Biergarten. Fees $1.50 per person.
Can we bring our own fireworks during holiday events? As of August 2015, We don’t allow fireworks any longer. With Texas droughts and a chance of fire we decided not to let customers bring fireworks anymore. This has been a fun tradition for many years and we are sorry to bring it to a close.
Do you have Accommodations for RV parking or can I set up a tent? Right now no, but We have 5 acres behind the Biergarten for future RV parking and camping. This area is only available for overflow parking.
What is on your Buffet? Most of the menu items are on the Buffet. We start with a large Salad Bar consisting of; our Homemade Potato Salad, Broccoli Salad, Cucumber Salad, Tomato Salad, Green Bean Salad, Mushroom Salad and Tossed Salad, with sides of Cheese, Black Forest Ham, Croutons, Salad Peppers, cut Pineapple, Applesauce, and our Homemade Potato Soup. Entrees start with our; Famous Bratwurst, Schweinebraten, Sauerbraten, and Wienerschnitzel. Followed by Red Cabbage, Sauerkraut, Cod, Shrimp, Grilled Salmon on a bed of Herb Rice, Home Fries, Spaetzle, Texas Style Brisket or Ribs, Meatballs, Seasonal Casserole, Jaeger Gravy and Baked Bread. Saturday Lunch Buffet is a smaller version of our favorites.
How Long will you hold my reservation if I’m running late? On weekends, when we are extremely busy, we will hold your table 15 minutes from your reservation time. After 15 minutes expire, we consider your reservation as a “no show”and give your table to someone waiting in line. If you’re running late “caught up in traffic” just give us a call and we will hold your spot.
How much does it cost for your Banquet hall? Our Banquet hall seats around 60 people. We do not charge for the hall when you “wine and dine” with us. It is upstairs & we do require a minimum of 40 in your group. Please Visit our Banquet Hall Page. Restrictions apply.
Do You accept Credit Cards? Yes we accept all major Credit Cards. But, we prefer cash or check just to keep Credit Card processing fees low and pass the savings on to our customers.
What happened to the original front doors? Sadly, We had to remove them to keep our old building up to today’s safety codes. We do try our best to preserve everything original as possible and still satisfy the Insurance/ County Fire requirements. “We still have the original mercantile front doors and the large fan that operated for 80+ years to use somewhere else on the property”. The same thing with the the old mercantile stove. It was not safe to light anymore. So we replaced it with a fireplace using old brick and lumber to fit the building decor.
Does your Buffet only have German Food? Our Restaurant has both German and American Cuisine. We have mainly German, however if someone in your group prefers American, we have it. In fact our Chicken Fried Steaks, Ribeye & Prime Rib are some of the best in the area.
How often does the band play inside the restaurant? During the warm seasons, we have our Biergarten open and the bands perform outside under the tent. Our entertainment moves inside the restaurant when the Biergarten is closed. If we have cold or rainy evenings the band plays inside the restaurant. During festivals we also have live entertainment playing inside as well as the Biergarten. We always have live entertainment on Friday and Saturday starting around 7:30 all year around. We are open Rain or shine. There is never a cover charge.
Why is the event calendar blank for next month. We always have live entertainment every Friday and Saturday with no cover charge. Bands travel to different gigs, so we can’t post where they will be until that month. We try and keep at least two weeks in advance notice.
Do I have to share a table with someone else? More than likely yes, It’s no different than our Biergarten seating, we call it “family style” we do space folks out when we are not crowded. But you would be surprised at the amount of friends you’ll make here in Walburg. In fact, many friendships were made here! Some Guests met over 25+ years ago and still join us as a dining destination to gather.
How does your online reservation system work? When you make an online reservation you will receive an automated reply from our web server. (Your reservation is not confirmed.) When we receive your E-reservation , we check availability for your party and reply back with a confirmation. All reservations are on a first come first serve basis. We can’t guarantee all requests like “we want a round table, close to the band, sit by the fireplace” etc. The earlier your reservations are, the better your chances for a special request. On overflow nights, we seat reservations upstairs in the banquet hall. If you don’t type your email address correctly, you won’t hear back from us. If you have spam blocker, our conformation might not get through either. If your party is larger than 15 please make a comment on your reservation. For large groups 35+ please call 512-863-8440.
New Year’s Eve Reservation Questions.
Is there a discount for Children? Due to limited seating, Only at New Year’s Celebration, we charge the same price for all seats/tables.
What If I only want the Buffet, Eat & Leave? On New Year’s eve, we are closed to our regular Walkin dining. Our Restaurant is Decorated for the event, Reservations are needed/Required. Walkin’s are welcome if we have extra seats or cancellations. There is no discount for “I only want some of the buffet, or I am leaving in 1 hour, or I don’t drink Champagne” Etc. If you come inside, sit & eat, It’s full price for the entire evening. A deposit might be required to hold your table.