Alt Melaten in Köln

Very tasty and not expensive, always recommended

Very tasty food at very fair prices. Drinks are also reasonably priced. Very friendly and witty service.

We were here more by chance, but the warmth and hospitality were overwhelming. The food, drinks, and attentiveness were far above average, and if we come back to Cologne, we'll definitely stop here. Thank you for everything! 💖😘

Very good food, great service, super nice chef, highly recommended

Highly recommended! Just like that on Aachener Straße. It's like coming home. A very warm atmosphere. Thank you, Toni. The food is excellent.

I was expecting warm, home-style Balkan food a la carte for 8 people when I made a reservation at "Alt Melaten" a good two weeks ago after speaking to a restaurant manager in person. What happened to our small group at the ordered memorial meal on the day of my father's funeral was simply beyond belief. An elderly lady greeted us in broken German with the words: "I'm alone, the warm meal will take a while, drinks, salad I can do." It turned out that this waitress was the only member of the restaurant staff present! What film was I in? Everyone in our group was given a labeled, laminated A4 sheet of paper that was supposed to be a menu and had absolutely nothing to do with the multi-page menu that had been given to me when I made my reservation. Drinks were completely missing from this makeshift sheet. My mood had already hit rock bottom when Original Coca-Cola arrived instead of the Coke Zero I had ordered. The waitress had no idea what "Alster" was. She questioned this with: “Sprite, lemonade?” Someone in our group called out to her gruffly: “with Sprite.” She then asked what she should mix with the Sprite! Basic knowledge of the catering industry, none whatsoever, and the service too, as it turned out. Around 20 minutes after our arrival, the waitress had at least managed to serve 2 of the 5 ordered drinks at the table (one of which was incorrect). The remaining 3 drinks were on the counter a little later, ready for collection! Self-service instead of service! The catering staff pointed to the 3 drinks, said: “It’s ready,” and signaled to our group to pick them up at the counter. Simply unbelievable. Especially since there was not a single customer in the restaurant other than our group. Someone in our group finally took pity on us and fetched the 3 drinks and put them on our table. I brusquely explained to the catering staff in a few words what an imposition this was and just wanted to pay. How much would she get in total? She frantically started pointing at the individual glasses on the table with her fingers, uncertainly counting them in a foreign language, and after a while said: "5 x 4,...5 x 4 €." Solving this simple elementary school multiplication problem was obviously beyond her capabilities. In any case, we learned the answer not from her, but a little later from an exasperated guest in our group: "20 €." I then put 10 € on the table, which was actually too much after this half-service, half-self-service, and a temporary worker with a language barrier who couldn't solve a simple math problem. Our group fled the restaurant as the waitress followed us out. My son then told her to call her boss, which she apparently did. A few minutes later, a man in a waiter's outfit appeared from a side street and immediately apologized to us. The situation was more than embarrassing for him. In the meantime, we had, of course, decided to go somewhere else. The "Alt Melaten" is truly the very last option for drinking a Coke (any kind) at the bar when you're about to die of thirst. Tellingly, the restaurant is directly across from a cemetery. For anything else, it's simply a disgrace.

Very friendly and attentive staff. We ordered a platter for two people. It was so large that it could easily have served three.

The restaurant is located across from the Melaten Cemetery on Aachener Straße. The food was OK, but nothing special. The fries were nothing special either. Coffee...well, the coffee...I wouldn't order it again...as I said, overall, OK, judging by the coffee 😁

Delicious food, top service and the ambiance is authentic... Many greetings from the Giesseners

....highly recommended...super delicious and great service!!

The food was nothing special, but quite okay. The service was very sloppy and unambitious. The ambiance was dated and dusty. The restroom was a disgrace.

There's nothing bad to say about the food, but not accepting card payments in 2025 is about as old as the decor. That doesn't make the friendly service any better.

We wanted something different, like pizza and pasta. The food was okay. The waiter was friendly and attentive, but seemed more like he was serving his friends. Then we had a business trip and couldn't even pay with a card. What a shame! They really need to get up to speed on this issue.

We spontaneously ended up at the Adria Alt Melaten restaurant. Very friendly service, delicious food, and excellent value for money.

Great host. Warm welcome. We'd love to come back.

Very tasty and plentiful food. Short wait times and reasonable prices. I'd be happy to go again.

Highly recommended. The service is friendly. The food is very good.

Long opening hours and friendly service. Hardly any vegetarian or vegan dishes.

Delicious food, good and friendly service, and good value for money. Always happy to come back.

We spontaneously stopped by for dinner during the week. It wasn't busy. Rustic, classic decor. The food came quickly. The portions were generous, and the cevapi were excellent. Drinks were served promptly. A very friendly host. At the end, we were given a "Julischka" on the house, as is fitting for a Croatian restaurant. The prices were fair, too. We highly recommend it.

We've been to Alt Melaten twice already and were absolutely thrilled! Delicious food, a cozy atmosphere, and very friendly service. We'll be back again. Top!

Super, very friendly and for Cologne, very reasonable prices and great food

Nach eine super schöne Tour auf Melaten, sind wir auf gut Glück rein zum Essen. Essen war super und reichlich, Personal zuvorkommend und herzlich, ich redete auf Heimat Sprache mit allen und zum Schluss gab es noch Schnaps extra aufs Haus. Wir kommen, bestimmt wieder

Here the guest is still king. Rarely have I experienced such courteous service. The stay was like a vacation in Croatia. The food is authentic, rustic and good. Greetings to the team and the boss - you're doing great.

sehr schlecht man bestellt einen Tisch und einen Tag vorher bekommt man eine Absage das hat andere gründe die ich hier nicht weiter beschreiben möchte jedenfalls sehr schlecht und werdce dieses Restaurand nicht mehr betreten oder weiteremphehlen.

Hello, We have been to this local a lot over the last few years. We reserved a table at Toni's and everything was OK. Then we got a cancellation the day before that everything would be full and that it would be lunchtime. We know that there were other reasons for this that I don't want to describe in detail here. In any case, that is completely wrong and I will no longer visit this place or recommend it to anyone else.

We love going to Toni and his team. Not only we adults are warmly welcomed there, but especially the little ones. As soon as we enter the restaurant we feel like we are at home. The children don't have to wait 10 minutes and get a portion of warm food or, if they want, a delicious cucumber salad before we even order. We love the food there and always enjoy coming back. The price-performance ratio here is completely reasonable.

The furnishings are no longer the latest, but they fit the concept. The food was very good and plentiful. The price was reasonable. Friendly reception and friendly service. The ordered food was brought to the table and served relatively quickly. I recommend the “Alt Melaten”.

Cute, rustic restaurant! You are greeted with a friendly smile. Service was very pleasant, food was delicious and prices were completely ok. I'd love to come back!

Ended up there by chance. Warm welcome with a handshake (where does that still exist today?). Food super tasty. Service very attentive. Price/performance is right. We felt completely comfortable. Thank you ☺️

We were at ALT MELATEN for the first time today. Rump steak with asparagus and potatoes. It was perfect for both of us! The service was attentive and quick. We'll definitely be back! Clear recommendation!

Yes, I can recommend him. The food was completely okay, as were the portions and the price. Service was very nice, atmosphere a bit rustic. All in all, we were satisfied and the portion (there were two dishes for two people, on one platter) was generous.

Good food, the waiter on the other hand was the most inattentive and unprofessional I've had in a long time...

We ate at Alt Melaten 1.5 weeks ago, Saturday at 1 p.m., it wasn't that busy, the food we ordered was so good that if we go to Cologne again we'll definitely go there again, big portion and super tasty.

Quaint restaurant with home cooking

Totally cozy restaurant, delicious food and friendly service. Great for children. I would come back here at any time.

If you want to eat steak, you're well served here.

Food very plentiful and tasty. You'll definitely be full and the service is courteous

Very tasty, sumptuous food, great service. Always my pleasure

We ate at Alt Melaten for the first time on Sunday evening. We stumbled into the already busy restaurant with our dog and immediately felt at home. The service was quick and friendly, the food was just as tasty and plentiful as Grandma's, even the dog got a thick slice of ham from the boss. We were definitely not here for the last time, 5 stars plus from us

As with Mom, we were given a very friendly welcome, as family makes us happy

A culinary delight with a family atmosphere that is recommended for everyone. The food is freshly prepared, plentiful and tastefully presented. The owners are warm and generous. The service leaves nothing to be desired. As soon as something runs out, supplies arrive. Only the parking situation on site is a bit difficult. But no problem at all with the ÖVB. But that shouldn't detract from the enjoyment there. Five out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We went out to eat in a larger group. The service was polite, but he could have saved himself from throwing down the menu and the lid. This makes you feel unwelcome. The food was, well… so good that I enjoyed it at the next train stop and again for the rest of the night. Definitely not a second visit. I could live well with the rustic atmosphere.

The decor is very rustic (dark oak and plastic plants), but fits the ambience. The welcome and hospitality were warm and we quickly felt welcome on our first visit. You shouldn't expect too much sophistication when it comes to food and presentation, but our grill plate tasted very good and the portion was generous, so you were full without any problems. The beer selection (Sion, Radeberger and Schöfferhofer) didn't suit our taste, but that wasn't a bad thing since the service staff weren't exactly the fastest that evening. All in all, we had a lovely evening with delicious food and will definitely pay the restaurant a second visit.

We had dinner there today with the whole family. Service, service and food were very good and plentiful. It was a great stay and will definitely be repeated.

Food was not good, all came from the freezer

Decent large portions, good Croatian home cooking, very warm boss and attentive staff.

Really tasty and a lot to eat, staff always friendly and relaxed. Typically Croatian

Delicious food and large portions.

There is an atmosphere here that is supposed to be with Croatians. A bit noisy, the whole staff seemed very cheerful and good at the glass. The food is good and the prices even better. Here you get a good portion and friendly service for your money. One less schnapps would have been good for the waiter so that he didn't decorate the table with a bowl of onions when clearing the table. Gladly again!

Oh well Who likes it old-fashioned!? I had to wait 30 minutes for the second drink and ask 3 times

A bit quaint restaurant, but service with heart. Portions very large, we will be back

Delicious food, large portions.

We passed by there by chance and were able to stay there without a reservation. The food was very good and plentiful and the owners were very nice and attentive. At the end there was a nightcap. We liked it very much.

It was our first time to eat at 'Alt Melaten' and we really enjoyed it. Food was delicious and lots, lots, at a good price. Kölsch costs 2.00 euros, so really cheap. The landlord is super nice, you come as a stranger and leave as a friend. We'll be back, but not until next year.

Good food, friendly staff, fast service, good price

Service and food are great and the entire staff and kitchen are simply great Toni

I don't even know where to start: - Table for 7 was reserved, we were tried to squeeze into a table for 4. An additional table for 3 was placed at the table. Conversations with friends on the other end were hardly possible. Extremely loud in the restaurant in general. - Ordering drinks took forever, orders continued to be taken, were later on the bill, but never at the table. - Appetizers were forgotten - Main courses came with huge time differences. A “shared” meal was not possible. - Some of the meat on the dishes was not cooked through - RAW. It was put back in the kitchen, but the exact same meat was cooked through and given back to the wrong guests. An absolute NO GO, in this case a new piece should be brought!!! - The “salad” that came with the dish only came upon request. (aside: wilted and unsightly) - Invoice was ordered, took more than 20 minutes. Items on the invoice that never arrived at the table. We told the waiter that we would pay separately, his reply was “I'll come back straight away” - he wasn't seen again and sat for another 15 minutes. Conclusion: Never again!

It was a complete disaster! Two weeks ago I made a reservation by phone for 7:30 p.m. for 20 people including 5 children. “No problem,” was the answer. When we arrived at 7:20 p.m. we were shown to the back of the restaurant. It was set for 20 people at a total of 3 tables. So far so good. Three chairs were missing, which were brought after we asked and waited. Our drink order was taken. As the drinks were delivered, the menus also followed and we made our selection. The gentleman on the service staff wrote down our selection on pieces of paper. A separate one for each table, which didn't raise any questions for us. At around 8:40 p.m. we received the salads that went with the meal. Then the first table has food. Everyone was happy that it was starting now. After table 1 of our group was served food, nothing more happened. The rest had to wait. At 8:55 p.m. the second table finally got their food. Two of the four dishes were wrong. Instead of mushrooms, we had chanterelles with the steak. But the entire group was hungry and simply ate the dishes. By now we were really annoyed and I asked the service how long it would take to get the food for table 3, since table 1 had already eaten its food and the table with 3 of the 5 children was still without food. The gentleman from the service explained to me that the restaurant was full and the kitchen was small. I asked that at least the children's meals be sent out as soon as possible because the children were starting to get restless. Finally at 9:05 p.m. the children's meals. The rest of Table 3 had to continue to be patient. At 9:12 p.m. another part of the dishes from table 3. Two steaks. One was medium rare and the other was medium rare. The "well-done" steak had to go back to the kitchen; when it was cut, the blood just ran out. At least this one came back cooked through 2 minutes later. You also had to force yourself to request drinks, otherwise you would be left high and dry as no one from the service felt responsible for them. From here the dishes arrived one at a time. Here a schnitzel, there a Balkan plate etc. Finally at 9.25 p.m. the last dish. The last person in our group had his meal a good three quarters of an hour later than the first! That's just a disgrace. In the meantime, I went to the waiter two more times and asked how it could be that some people still didn't have any food and other guests, who had arrived a long time after us, were already full. It was then explained to me that I would see that the store was full and if you came with 20 people, then you would just have to wait! No, you don't have to! The food overall was just so-so. At the end I went back to the waiter and explained to him again that I found it absurd and that we were not willing to pay the full price for this service. He explained to me that we would pay for food and drinks and not for the service. A strange calculation! I explained that we would expect a reasonable discount. He insisted that we had eaten and that we had to pay and said to me: "Who are you to decide what good service is?" The waiter referred someone else, who then referred him back, who in turn referred him to an old lady from the kitchen. Nobody wanted to feel responsible. At some point there was an offer of one ice cream per person on the house. We declined because we didn't want to wait there any longer, nor was this "offer" reasonable. The waiter became rude and threateningly replied that we should just pay and leave. What else did we have left? We paid and left. What is certain is that this restaurant will never see us again. P.S. Strangely enough, card payment only seems to be possible for certain regular guests. The normal guest only has to pay in cash. You can probably think of a reason for this.

Were there because our hotel was nearby. We were very excited. Food tastes good and is really plentiful.

Very tasty food. Even after 10 p.m. on a weekday we got something from the grill. Family run! It tastes really great! 100% recommended.

Relaxed, very friendly and attentive service. The kitchen delivers quickly and deliciously. Very large portions, also suitable for those who are very hungry 😉 Absolutely recommended.

I have been visiting the restaurant with my family for decades; not regularly, but every now and then. The food is tasty and plentiful, beer is usually on the table quickly, empty plates are cleared away quickly and the needs of small children have also been taken into account. One star deducted because 1. it hasn't been renovated much since the nineties and 2. unfortunately they don't just employ real waiters, but also assistants. Of course, I understand the second point due to the difficult situation when searching for skilled workers, but if a meal is forgotten or the beer has to be ordered twice, the guest unfortunately feels the consequences. To be fair, it was busy on a Saturday evening. But we will happily come back because of the food and the warmth.

Actually, I don't know where to start. The waiter was already breaking the habit when I made the reservation over the phone. I don't understand the reviews about nice staff at all. In the restaurant the tables are stuck, the waiter only brings the menu when asked, the food is slammed on the table and prepared without any love. There is no ambience and you should avoid the toilets.

We were back at Alt Melaten with our regulars' table, which we have been holding here for 14 years now, after a somewhat longer absence and were very pleasantly surprised. If you are a fan of home-style and, in the truest sense of the word, inexpensive cuisine, you have come to the right place (again). You can eat simply good and tasty here and in a cozy atmosphere. Here you just concentrate on the essentials, without any frills and in good portions. Absolute recommendation: Cordon Bleu “Zagreb”. Delicious! The highlight of the last visit: the waiter Boris, who is very popular with many regular guests, is serving here again. He was and has always been a real feel-good factor with his friendly and nonchalant manner and sets a good example for his young, friendly and very attentive service team. Of course, I/we would also like to take this opportunity to thank the head chef, the good soul of the restaurant. We affectionately call her “Mama Melaten” and (not only) her potato salad is a real delight. Last but not least, the head waiter and restaurant manager Toni cannot be left out of this list. Without him and his Julischka (Croatian liqueur specialty) something would definitely be missing. Schlabberdabbagut and “addictive”! ;-) In any case, our regulars' table had a lovely evening in unison. Those who were missing missed something ;-) We left this location full and satisfied and will be coming back to Alt Melaten regularly from now on. Please keep it up! :-)

Excellent and inexpensive German-Balkan cuisine. Please note that there is no card payment.

Everything is just right at Toni's - from the delicious Sion to the Balkan plates - thank you for your service! 🫶👍👍

Every year on All Saints Day, a group of young students gather here to eat and drink together. So far we have never been disappointed!

Good food with nice service! 👍🏼

Although we had to wait a bit. But everything was very tasty

From what I hear, this restaurant has been around for a long time. You can also see this in the ambience, there are many decades behind it, but the hospitality is so humane and warm. The older audience is mostly represented and many family meetings take place there. But the food and the hospitality are so warm that you'll be happy to come back again.

Classic, rustic restaurant with Croatian cuisine and a bowling alley. Great team!

The food was really good. The lunch menu has an unbeatable price-performance ratio. There was also soup and a salad. The service was very friendly. We'll definitely be back.

Kudos to the owner who treated us to homemade brandy and cheese. The food is great! All recommendations.

Good shop. The food was mostly good (but not outstanding), the turkey meat was unfortunately a bit dry, but otherwise good. The Croatian dishes were especially good. However, what needs to be emphasized STRONGLY POSITIVELY is the portioning. Very good price-portion ratio in my opinion. The service is also nice and helpful

The restaurant obviously deserves 5 stars. Super nice employees. Above all, the food tastes delicious. For my little daughter we got boiled potatoes, carrots and green peas to mash :-))

You will always be full here 😋 Hearty Balkan cuisine 🇭🇷 Family-run restaurant 👍🏻 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

The food was ok. Cream sauce was a packet of sauce (at least it tasted like that) Don't expect any culinary highlights but rather "good middle-class 90s" cuisine. Cash only !!! The cook (owner?) was very friendly and communicative.

Would recommend it to everyone, it's really nice to eat there and the service is just super friendly.

Old cemetery in Cologne, beautiful images

Delicious! NICE SERVICE FAST AND GOOD

We are always happy to be there again. The food is always very tasty, everyone is very friendly, just great, always a real family.

On our spontaneous trip to Cologne, we ended up in Alt Melaten. We were there around lunchtime and got a table in the well-filled restaurant without a reservation. We seem to have had a somewhat chaotic day in the kitchen. 😅 We waited about 1.5 hours for our food. The waiting time was sweetened with plenty of drinks. Since we weren't in a hurry, the waiting time wasn't a problem for us. But I think it was really an exception. The service makes a very competent and friendly impression. The food was also very tasty. The portions were enough to fill you up, but not in the sense Omg I can't move a meter anymore.

Service was good. Very attentive. Food came fast and on time. I ordered cevapcici but wore the frozen ones from Lidl with fries also from supermarket. Bean soup also from can. But ok prepared. So i would not recommended it for the food. Paid 26€ for bean soup, cevapcici and water. Also no card payment.

Delicious food, large portions and a bowling alley. What more do you want :)

Essen war super, alles frisch zubereitet. Der Service wirklich sehr zuvorkommend. Wir kommen sicher wieder, wenn wir in der Gegend sind.

Unfortunately only cash payment

Super tasty food, so kind and cheerful people work here Love you, thanks for your business 💜

Quaint and cozy. Food plentiful and tasty

Very nice restaurant. The service is extremely friendly and accommodating. The food is very rich and delicious. Garnished with the good prices, I can only recommend this restaurant.

I can recommend this restaurant to all Balkan lovers.

Wir hatten da einen richtig netten schönen Abend. Das Essen (wir hatten Kalbsschnitzel mit Beilagen und Salat) war sehr gut und reichlich. Selten so ein gutes Kalbsschnitzel gegessen. Auch Toni war sehr herzlich. Da gehen wir wieder hin, wenn wir in Köln sind.

Wir waren Abends essen und wo unsere Nachbarn das Essen bereits erhielten, obwohl sie nach uns kamen, warteten wir immer noch. Über 60minuten auf das Essen warten ist ne Ansage. Das Essen war okay und der Preis auch. Leider waren zwei Gerichte nicht ganz durch, als hätten Sie es schnell durchgejagt, nachdem sie merkten, dass Sie uns vergessen haben. Am Ende wirkten erfuhren, wir mit dem Spruch „seit 3 Jahren schon nicht mehr“, dass keine Kartenzahlung möglich ist. Ich hatte gehofft es nicht mehr beim betreten eines Geschäftes fragen müsste. Das ist vorsintflutlich. Verschiffen Sie das Geld am Fiskus vorbei oder warum nur Barzahlung? Wir gehen da nicht mehr hin. Schade.

It's been a long time since I've had such good service. The service was great and the food was really good. It's worth a visit here.

Tasty, freshly prepared food. Toni and his family team are great. We ate very well again today.

Food tasty, good quality meat, but could be more spicy. Preparing the food takes a long time. No card payment! It's at the front of the door and people tend to ignore it there. No information on the menu. ATM within walking distance, but was a stupid end to the meal. It's okay, but repetition is unlikely.

Vertrocknete Speisen, schlechte und unfreundliche Bedienung, lange Wartezeiten und nirgendwo steht, dass man nicht mit Karte zahlen kann... Noch nie so einen genervten und schlecht gelaunten Kellner gehabt! Auch die Toiletten waren in einem sehr schlechten Zustand. Nicht zu empfehlen!!!

Sehr höfliches und freundliches Personal. Waren gestern, am 21.04.24, nach einer Führung auf dem Melaten Friedhof, spontan in diese Gaststätte gegangen. Essen war gut, bis sehr gut. Preisleistung war sehr gut. Jederzeit wieder. Danke an den Chef.

Beautiful old restaurant right next to the famous Melaten cemetery. Greek cuisine, Cologne beer and bowling alley.

Delicious food, very friendly service!