Aal- & Forellenräucherei Hoffmann GmbH in Damme

I went to Hoffmann's over the weekend. I ordered a favorites plate because I thought I'd treat myself 😀. The plate was three-quarters covered with fried potatoes and iceberg lettuce. The rest was covered with three measly pieces of fish. I'll just say I actually wanted to go for fish. But of course, I understand that these days, people have to cut costs everywhere. Otherwise, it was the same as always.

Edit based on the owner's response: The response to my review unfortunately confirms exactly the impression I already described. Instead of taking responsibility, they are trying to blame the situation on the guest – even though a suitable seat was promised over the phone. On the day of our visit, the manager on site informed us that it might have been possible to swap something if we had arrived just 10 minutes earlier. This argument refutes the claim that a later reservation was the cause of the problem. If the restaurant is fully booked, this should be communicated openly to avoid such misunderstandings. Furthermore, a simple "We're sorry" in response to my criticism would have been much more professional, rather than blaming the guest in their response. Original response: We had made a reservation in advance by phone and specifically requested a seat with a stroller near the play area – this was kindly confirmed. However, no one on site knew anything about this. Instead, we were offered a table in the passageway, which was neither practical nor pleasant, or alternatively, a seat upstairs away from the restaurant. This seemed poorly thought out and gave the impression that families with children weren't really catered for. The staff's response was unprofessional and lacking in solution-oriented behavior – one looked in vain for any sympathy or genuine effort. It's a shame, because the first impression could have easily been salvaged with a bit of organization and friendliness. Unfortunately, the only thing that remained was disappointment.

We took a break here and enjoyed a nice cappuccino. There was plenty of space inside and outside. I found it cozy.

Mostly self-service. Good food and cakes.

We went here for dinner again. It was delicious, as always. Our server recognized us immediately. He was very nice and accommodating. We had a reservation. You should always make a reservation here. After a lovely walk, we fortified ourselves with coffee and cake. It was another very beautiful day at Dümmer. Afterwards, we drove to Rila in Stemwede.

We visited the Hoffmann eel smokehouse a week ago. The food was fantastic. I had fried fish with potato salad, and my husband had one of the specials. The restaurant looks like a boat. There's fishing decor everywhere, and the stairs feature an underwater world. The staff was fun and friendly. We felt very comfortable here. At the end, we took a piece of cake and a trout for our neighbor. Conclusion: We'll be back :)

Very nice ambience, friendly staff and very good fish, highly recommended

Very fresh and delicious fish to take away. You can also eat well on site; haven't tried it yet, but will try it soon.

The food was delicious and the staff was super friendly. The ice cream for dessert was the highlight.

My wife and I went there for the first time, and unfortunately, also for the last time. The food tasted really great initially, but the food that followed was not. When we got home, my wife complained of stomach pain and then suffered from diarrhea. About an hour later, it was mine. We both had different dishes: hers was cooked, mine was raw (pickled). So there seems to be a problem with either the processing or storage. Staff: We were served by a blonde, somewhat older lady who was obviously having a bad day. Unfortunately, she was very rude; we tried to cover it up with friendliness, but that didn't help either. Overall, it was a shame; we would have liked more.

Great fish. I highly recommend it.

We were invited to the breakfast buffet and sat downstairs. The restaurant was completely booked and therefore a bit noisy at times. The food was delicious, especially the fish buffet, and was regularly refilled. Personally, I missed natural yogurt and a slightly broader selection of muesli and cereals. The newly opened children's playground directly across from the entrance and the outdoor terrace is great – if the weather's nice, be sure to bring a change of clothes, preferably swimwear for the little ones, as there's a lot of water 😉. It's worth a visit!

I've never eaten better fried fish or smoked eel than here. Simply fantastic! I've never experienced a worse-organized sales counter or food service area than here! There are so many employees, no one has a clear role or even a serving group. The ice cream vendor takes orders for the restaurant, but you have to line up elsewhere to pay, and food is served by someone else in the third line. And they're constantly changing their positions and tasks! Simply awful. You have to have a lot of patience.

Yes, beautiful there and very tasty

Delicious food at fair prices. The ice cream was especially delicious. The eel festival is also worth a visit.

Delicious ice cream, simple fish dishes, freshly smoked eel, friendly staff. Only the fish sandwich is a bit lackluster. Really just a sandwich and a piece of fish, a lettuce leaf, and some remoulade would have been nice...

Great fish. Delicious and affordable. I'll be back.

Delicious cakes in a great setting!

Delicious herring rolls, smoked fish, and homemade ice cream are worth a visit!

We were there on a Saturday. It's not recommended on weekends because it's too crowded. Despite the crowds, ordering was quick. The fish was delicious, and I particularly enjoyed the smoked eel. A visit and tasting is definitely worth it ❣️

Highly recommended. A playground for children (currently under renovation), plenty of outdoor seating, including shade. The food was excellent, and the prices were reasonable. Everything is within walking distance of the lakeshore.

Top-notch fish restaurant + top-notch ice cream selection (homemade Italian ice cream) – very, very tasty, especially the homemade potato salad. The top-notch breakfast buffet is very extensive.

The Hoffmann Eel & Fish Smokehouse is a gastronomic establishment with many specialties. It is the only typical fish restaurant on the Dümmer. You can visit the restaurant or enjoy a snack-style service. There is also a shop selling all kinds of fish products. In addition to various events and theme days, you can also book a guided tour of the smokehouse. Such a variety of culinary experiences is unparalleled. The opening hours and free parking are also truly unique selling points. All in all, a well-thought-out and implemented concept. A big thank you to the team!

Delicious fish platter with fried potatoes - yummie 😋

We ate a fish sandwich and drank draft beer. Everything was a bit hectic. The value for money wasn't quite right.

There were three of us there: two adults and a child. We had a bratwurst from the deep fryer, but we don't think it was greasy or disgusting—it was really delicious. We also had a giant currywurst, which was a Krakauer (a sausage) and very tasty. Finally, we ordered fries, a decent portion and delicious. We spent just under €13 for the three dishes, which were perfectly fine and surprisingly good.

An attractive café-restaurant right on the Olgahafen harbor on Lake Dümmer, specializing in smoked fish specialties. We were there on a hot summer day and bought some delicious smoked eel. The terrace is very nice and shady. We'd gladly return.

We were there for the breakfast buffet on the weekend. Highly recommended. They even included a pot of coffee.

Everything worked out perfectly for us

Price-performance ratio is right.

Clear recommendation, warm food, cake 🍨 ice cream everything there

Great menu From smoked eel to lemon ice cream! We visited the terrace and were directed to the self-service area. We ordered a variety of dishes from the menu for six people and were able to pick up our food at the counter after a good 15 minutes, despite the tables being full. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality. When we were there, around 5:30 p.m. on a Monday, the restaurant was busy!

Very good fish dishes, good service

Great place to visit in the sunshine:on holiday

Very tasty food, friendly staff despite a lot of customers.

A very good fish restaurant with a diverse selection of dishes, excellently served by creative chefs! The ice cream is also homemade, with numerous flavors! The cakes are also homemade, as are the salads! The service is very friendly and helpful! The location right on the Dümmer is perfect! Free parking!

I bought delicious smoked eel here, the price is steep just like in the Netherlands but very tasty

A good fish restaurant right on the Dümmer. It gets very crowded on weekends, though. Reservations are essential for larger groups.

Yes, highly recommended. Good fish sandwiches and delicious food.

Today we were here for the breakfast buffet- SIMPLY GREAT🤤🤤🤤👍🤗🫶

The food was great, ours wasn't very warm, but it was okay. There's usually a nice playground across the street. It's currently being renovated, but it looks promising. They close at 8 p.m. The kitchen closes a little earlier. At 7:45 p.m., all the staff starts busily cleaning up, while many guests are still eating. You feel quite rushed at that point. A few guests were chased away with drinks and ice cream to another spot because a staff member was cleaning the table and putting down the umbrella. That's a bit of a shame. The ice creams were delicious!

We were here 2 years ago and were just as impressed by the delicious food today🤤👍-Highly recommended!!!

Very tasty food, friendly and helpful staff

A very large selection of dishes. Whether snacks or a sumptuous fish platter... The service at the counter is fast and very friendly. You'll receive a pager or whatever it's called, as the food is freshly prepared. Card payments are accepted 👍 Parking is limited. But it shouldn't be a problem if you're traveling by motorcycle or bicycle.

We've been to this restaurant twice already. It was delicious 😋. This time for breakfast. It tasted amazing. The service was excellent. Highly recommended. We've even ordered fish 🐟 online to take home. I highly recommend it. It arrives deliciously fresh. No hassle.

Today we enjoyed a super breakfast buffet with the family with lots of delicious fresh food and great taste, always something new to discover

Great food and great ice cream anytime...

best soft ice ever! my favourite: -big -mixed (vanille + chocolate) -either sprinkles or covered in chocolate its so good everyone agrees with me

I recommend the smoked fish platter. Great flavor, plenty of fish, including eel, trout, butterfish, smoked salmon, smoked salmon, and halibut. Or the roasted trout fillet with blueberry cream. Delicious! So go for it. And the ice cream sundaes we enjoyed today are also highly recommended. Top! The "Bella Italia" sundae (see photo)

Highly recommended! We'll be happy to return again and again!

The smoked fish plate was, as always, a poem!!

We ordered fish from the online shop and were thrilled. The prices are very good. The goods were delivered quickly and chilled. The Bismarck herring were huge and very well pickled. The gravlax was a dream, and the herb-flavored salmon was sashimi-quality. We would gladly order again.

Very friendly and helpful service. Excellent food, super fresh, and a large selection. Excellent value for money.

I bought two fish sandwiches to take away late Friday afternoon. Very disappointing! The sandwiches were soft and undercooked, and the herring had fishy spots. I've never experienced anything like this with herring before. We've been going to Dümmer for 45 years and often go to Hoffmann's, but now we have to be careful that the quality doesn't deteriorate. We'll try Hüde next time.

The food was delicious!! Fresh eel!! It wasn't super busy, but the staff at the counter could barely handle it.

Good food and friendly service.

Good food, waiter was not very welcoming though.

The food is okay, but there are a lot of flies and mosquitoes flying around. And the waiter isn't friendly and complains to me.

Very nice shop with a good selection. Delicious ice cream Delicious fish Delicious rolls

Very delicate fish dishes, always fresh and delicious. Self-service, and usually only outdoor seating.

The delivery arrived chilled despite the 450 km distance, and the taste was 5☆. Thank you very much.

Great food, delicious ice cream, and friendly staff. The price/performance ratio is also good. Highly recommended.

We were there for lunch. The food was unfortunately only average. The fried potatoes weren't homemade and tasted rather..., and the eel was fried dry. For the money, I expect better quality. We won't be back.

Food very tasty, the soft ice cream is awesome

The food was very good and the price-performance ratio was good.

Good food at a good price. The ice cream is really good.

We were here for breakfast! It was very nice and delicious! The drinks were constantly being refilled! Highly recommended! We'll definitely be back!

Everything worked out perfectly here. Thank you again.

Anyone looking for a delicious fish sandwich should definitely head to Hoffmann: this time we had a sandwich with smoked salmon. Absolutely delicious 👍😋

A nice stopover on a motorcycle tour. Grab a quick bite to eat and a drink. Fresh fish, eels. Afterwards, take a walk along the Dümmer. It's a great place to relax.

Top. The food is very good and high quality. Very attentive staff.

Good afternoon everyone, I was expecting more from this place. It's a typical tourist restaurant, and I don't mean that negatively, but I prefer local food. I ordered fried fish with fried potatoes. The fried potatoes were delicious. The fish looked and tasted like it came from a store, hence this review.

Very tasty fish platter, the dark beer is also very good. Plenty of space on the terrace, self-service. Absolutely crazy, free parking!

One Tuesday afternoon, outside of school holidays, I spontaneously took a trip to Dümmer with my parents and headed to their restaurant first. It was already very busy just before 12 noon. We got a table without prior reservation, and our orders were taken quite quickly. However, questions about various dishes (fish selection at Hoffmann's Räuchermeister and mixed fish platter) are not allowed. My mother was then pointed to the picture on the menu. I found that very rude to an older woman. Overall, our meal tasted good, it was served quickly, and the portions were sufficient. We also bought a smoked eel (€14) to take home. Naturally, we transported it in a cooler on our approximately 20-km journey home. This one turned out to be inedible at dinner. It was obviously already old, the skin and bones couldn't be removed, and it had a nasty taste. (My mother had a piece of eel on her Räuchermeister plate, which was delicious and incomparable to the one she bought at home. That's why she decided to bring an eel with her.) On another occasion, we were invited to the breakfast buffet. I would never do that again; the selection of side dishes was good and plentiful. But we don't even eat frozen rolls at home. No thanks, never again. For €22.90, I expect high-quality baked goods from a bakery. Besides, it was packed, and the buffet was near the entrance, practically in the sun. ...and dogs, some of them off-leash, are unacceptable in a restaurant anyway...

It's self-service, so the service is obviously lacking. But otherwise, everything's very good. We like to stop by there on our way around the Dümmer to get some refreshments.

It was a good stay. The food was great.

Great food, unfortunately only self-service. But the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Very tasty, highly recommended. Always worth a visit

A superbly equipped eel smokehouse. The fish was very tasty. The cake slices were also amazing. Very friendly staff, and the prices were very reasonable.

There were fish bones in the potato salad. But we didn't have any fish!? We only ordered potato salad separately. I don't want to know which previous guest made it....

I've never eaten so badly for this price. What a shame.

Very good fish restaurant. Everything is delicious. You should also get the smoked fish. Highly recommended.

A visit to the Hoffmann eel and trout smokehouse is a delight. The smoked fish platter with fries was outstanding – the fish was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, whether inside or on the sunny terrace. The service is also friendly and attentive. Anyone who loves fish shouldn't miss this culinary experience on Lake Dümmer. I highly recommend it – I'd love to come back!

Highly recommended: fresh smoked eel and trout! Located directly on Lake Dümmer, it also houses a restaurant, serving homemade ice cream, cakes, and delicious dishes. A great place for a day trip. We were on a bike ride around the lake and discovered the smokehouse.

I came from Osnabruck especially to eat fish. My friends recommended the place. They were right, excellent fish, fresh, served with salad. You can also eat dessert, ice cream there. I recommend it

Delicious fish sandwiches, homemade cakes, ice cream, fresh fish, smoked fish, fries, currywurst, etc. Something for everyone. Very friendly service. Right on the lake.

Very good pike fillet served with an excellent side dish, restaurant in a strategic position if you want to take a walk after the meal, along the lake

We stopped here on our bike tour and ate ice cream. The ice cream was delicious! 😋😋😋 The selection was huge and the service was friendly despite the busy times! A scoop of ice cream costs €1.60 and is a nice size! Great value for money in 2025! Highly recommended!

I waited in line for ice cream for 15 minutes, and even though there's a card reader and no sign or anything like that, I wasn't allowed to pay with it for less than €15(!). Just write it down somewhere or calculate the few percent you have to pay into your price, like you do with staff prices, etc. My friends got fish sandwiches (under €15), and miraculously, you could pay with a card...

So far, we've had delicious breakfasts, fine fish dishes, ice cream... The service is excellent, and the lake is within sight. We felt like we were on the famous German island. 😉 We'd love to come back.

The breakfast was simply brilliant, everything was fresh and delicious

Very tasty fish, highly recommended. Very friendly service and a very nice atmosphere.

We ate there twice last week. The food was always delicious, and the ice cream was perfect, too. We've already eaten some of the fish we brought home this week. It's delicious. We'll definitely order again.

The food was delicious, but the service was a bit curt. Afterwards, we visited the eel smokehouse—very interesting.

Very nice. Everything your heart desires. Holiday feeling guaranteed.

Nice restaurant, reasonable prices, friendly staff

Great atmosphere. Delicious food. Like being on vacation.

Absolutely, if you want to eat delicious fish, this is the place for you

It's a good place to stop for a break on a bike tour around the Dümmer or something similar.

I only had a fish sandwich. The trout sandwich was freshly prepared and delicious. The outdoor dining area looks inviting, including hanging/swinging chairs. A scoop of ice cream costs €1.60.