Cafe Del Sol Gelsenkirchen I / Mitte in Gelsenkirchen

The worst, driest, most disgusting, most disappointing paste I've ever been served. Never again! The iced tea was 90% ice cubes. I don't recommend it.

We had arranged to meet there for breakfast at 9:00 AM on Saturday. We opted for the buffet, and the selection was okay. Nothing special, nothing elaborate. There weren't many people there, but the service was... abysmal. Initially, the staff was very friendly. Then our coffees took ages to arrive. The second server looked like she'd already been on duty for 12 hours. Awful, and all of them quite young—they should show more motivation. While clearing our plates, they never even asked if anyone wanted to order more drinks. Unfriendly. That's when none of us left a tip. Then things got really nasty. The server turned away immediately after we paid—we had to go to the bar because they weren't responding to anything. No waving, no talking to us, no smoke signals... not even a goodbye. We won't be coming back.

There were six of us at Café de Sol, and we were really looking forward to a relaxing start to the day. Unfortunately, three cappuccinos and a latte macchiato arrived cold. When we politely pointed this out, they did perform a "quality check," but that didn't really solve the problem—the coffee remained cold. Despite this, we still had to pay for the drinks in full, without any attempt at compensation. It was also rather unpleasant that the staff treated us quite coldly, especially since some of us hadn't yet decided what we wanted to eat. Overall, we felt unwelcome. It's a shame, because the café itself is lovely, and we were really looking forward to our visit. Perhaps it was just an off day—but we certainly didn't feel welcome.

Beautifully and conveniently located with plenty of parking. Food as always at Cafe del Sol :)

On October 30, 2025, at approximately 4:10 p.m., we were a group of eight at Café de Sol. Unfortunately, despite calling out several times, we were ignored for about 15-20 minutes. When we spoke to the staff members, Melisa and Selina, we received the inappropriate response: "We're not your dog." We found this behavior disrespectful and unprofessional. We would have appreciated a more friendly and customer-oriented approach.

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to you because I unfortunately had a very unpleasant experience with the service staff (shift manager) during my last visit to your Café del Sol in Gelsenkirchen Mitte. On October 30, 2025, I was a guest at your café with companions. Upon arrival, I noticed that the staff were neither friendly nor attentive. My order was only taken after I asked several times, and overall, the staff gave the impression of being annoyed or disinterested. Even when I politely inquired when we could be served, the response was unfriendly ("I'm not your dog") and unhelpful. My companions and I then left without ordering. I actually appreciate your café very much – both for its pleasant atmosphere and its generally good selection. This visit was all the more disappointing, as friendly and respectful service should be a given. I would normally appreciate your café very much – both for its pleasant atmosphere and its otherwise excellent offerings. I would therefore like to ask you to review the situation internally and ensure that the service returns to the usual Café del Sol standard in the future. I would greatly appreciate a brief response to my request. Sincerely,

Very disappointing visit – unfriendly staff and no sense of service Yesterday I was at Café del Sol in Gelsenkirchen with friends, and the visit was truly disappointing. We wanted to sit on the terrace because some of us smoke. It was quite cold, however, and when we asked if they could turn on the patio heaters, they simply said they did that "only on weekends" – completely incomprehensible. The staff seemed very inexperienced and unfriendly. Simple questions or requests were met with rudeness, as if they didn't want to take care of their guests. Overall, it felt like they simply didn't care about their customers. It's a shame, because the café is actually beautifully located – but with that kind of attitude, you certainly wouldn't go there again.

Disappointing Visit to the Terrace – No Service Awareness Yesterday, we went to Café del Sol in Gelsenkirchen with four friends for a drink and a relaxing seat on the terrace. Unfortunately, the visit was very disappointing. Since my friends are smokers, we wanted to sit outside. However, it was quite chilly, so we asked for the heaters to be turned on. The answer was that they were used "only on weekends" – a completely incomprehensible explanation, since you don't pay any less during the week. We had come specifically for the terrace and would have liked to have known this beforehand. The service was unfortunately very unfriendly. My order (nachos with just cheese and jalapeños) came with the wrong salsa sauce. When I tried to complain, I was told I still had to pay – even though it was cold and the order arrived late. At the end, a supposed supervisor came over, but she obviously didn't want to find a solution. Overall, the team seemed overwhelmed and listless. I've lived in Gelsenkirchen for years and have been to many restaurants, but I've never had an experience like this. It's a shame – we definitely won't be coming back.

It's a clever business model when you offer all-you-can-eat schnitzel and then no one comes to reorder. It's only surpassed by the irritable waitress who explains the lack of service by saying that 40 of the estimated 250 seats are occupied and she's stressed. 😂

We were there today with 15 people, and with that many people, you'd actually get a good turnover... actually... we got the first round of drinks quickly, then we all ordered something to eat, and we didn't wait long... the place was still pretty empty... and then no one else came, because normally the waiter comes and asks if everything is okay or if anyone would like another drink, but nothing... I had to ask at some point if we could order something else or if there was only one drink... a real shame, because we were planning on staying longer, well, then we got our drinks and cake, except for three who had to wait over 10 minutes for a piece of cake... in between, some of the food was cleared away after I gave the waiter a few plates, the rest was left standing, no one was interested... unfortunately, no please/thank you from the waiter, nothing really unfriendly, so we all felt uncomfortable... a shame, but maybe it's always busy so they're not so dependent on customers/sales, or we're just used to something different...

Unfortunately, it wasn't a good experience. I mentioned my salad to the waiter twice, but it was still forgotten. While the rest of the table had already eaten, I had to wait another 20 minutes, which was very unpleasant and frustrating. This prevented me from truly enjoying my meal. It's a shame, because something like this shouldn't happen in a restaurant.

I can recommend this place because it wasn't that crowded even though it was a Saturday evening.

Delicious coffee specialties and cakes

The ambiance and food were great! The wait was a bit long.

The food was definitely not fresh. It's outrageous that they serve such food! Never again.

Unfortunately, the visit was a disappointment. The fries were lukewarm, the sauce cold, and the salad was missing (which wasn't mentioned either when ordering or when served). We waited a long time for drinks and food, and then waited over half an hour for our plates to be cleared. The women's restroom deserves special mention: The paper towels were knee-deep on the floor because the bin was overflowing, and the cleanliness of the restroom itself was disgusting. I had been there several years ago with a similar experience and hoped things had changed. Nothing. Other branches may be good, but this one is a total disaster.

The chain itself is well-known. The layout is as usual. The food, unfortunately, was only worth three stars at best. The salad didn't seem fresh and had some dark spots. The schnitzel was simply not well prepared. The drinks were standard. The service was nice. The overall price-performance ratio was unfortunately only mediocre, so I wouldn't be returning.

Very tasty food, very friendly staff. However, the acoustics are very loud.

The price-performance ratio is no longer right. Too expensive for the quality. Cucumbers are dried out and tomatoes are bitter. The rest is OK.

I went to Café del Sol in Gelsenkirchen with a friend on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, the visit was very unpleasant. After consuming a latte macchiato, I developed severe stomach discomfort after only about 20 minutes. The next morning, I experienced diarrhea, further digestive problems, and a persistently poor general condition. What was particularly irritating was the behavior of the staff, which was sometimes very reserved and uncharacteristic. When I asked a member of staff about the coffee, she said they used new coffee beans. However, in a subsequent phone call with management, this was completely denied, which is contradictory and does not inspire trust. In addition, after the conversation with management, I received several anonymous calls that followed on exactly the same day. I can't prove where these came from, but combined with the previous conversation, I find it very strange. Overall, I felt neither taken seriously as a guest nor transparently informed. Especially when health problems arise after a visit, objective and honest communication would have been necessary – unfortunately, this was not the case.

A nice ambience and friendly staff.

As usual, it was great, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was typical of the del sol. The only thing was that the wait to be served was a bit long.

The atmosphere and food at Café del Sol are great. The service is also good, but I find the wait staff a bit reserved at times. It could also be due to the weather. But that does detract from the feel-good factor.

Perfect start of the day! Tasty food, friendly service 🥰

We had a lovely evening. The food and drinks were good. The noise level was quite loud, but that's normal when the place is crowded. I felt so sorry for the waiters because parents let their children run around and didn't pay any attention. I was there from Oberhausen and would love to come back.

I always find it very pleasant here. A nice, relaxed atmosphere where you can sit comfortably. The prices, of course, reflect that.

Very tasty food and friendly service.

Like every Café del Sol, it's exactly my taste. Delicious drinks and good food, too.

Absolutely great/nice and personable employees. My wife's bar tipped over. Employees immediately came to the rescue with kitchen roll (for the dogs) and a mop. They immediately replaced the bar...

Was there a few days ago, I'm not sure what the waiter's name was but I think his name was Mert, but he was a very correct and friendly guy, I hope he'll be there on my next visit too

Highly recommended, the seating is very comfortable, you're somewhat secluded from the others, and the service was always good.

1 star because the drink was good. The drink contained canned peaches.

Unfortunately, the food doesn't taste good anymore! And here in Gelsenkirchen, there's a fat lady who's just rude and always in a bad mood!

Nice service, no waiting time, non-alcoholic wheat beer, non-alcoholic pilsner, mango passion fruit iced tea, latte

I already knew that there was good food at Café Del Sol. But I was surprised by the extraordinary breakfast buffet. That was really really good. Respect. Well done CDS.

We were there today for Sunday brunch. Short description: Overpriced (at this price I expect at least a coffee or an orange juice or a small champagne included), food cold, some of it was only refilled after asking, brunch runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the refilling of hot waffles stopped from 12 p.m., Conclusion: Never again

friendly and attentive staff, the price-performance ratio is good, we really enjoy coming to a Café Del Sol...

We were there for brunch today and were disappointed on a few points. The breakfast part was mostly good. Unfortunately there were almost no vegetarian/vegan options, anything like vegan sausage alternatives. When we looked at the selection of cheese, we were also a little disappointed because there were many types listed on the small card, but there was only one type on the plate. At lunch there was only the option of getting meat or alternatively some vegetables, which unfortunately were so hard that you couldn't eat them. Unfortunately a bit disappointing for the price…

2 stars – Unpleasant service experience (visited on April 20, 2025) I was at Café del Sol Gelsenkirchen with a colleague around 8 p.m. A casual comment about paying resulted in a very unprofessional reaction from one of the employees (Esra or Erda). The situation became unnecessarily tense and ended with statements that I found disrespectful and inappropriate - both towards me and in general. When I told her I would rate it, she said, “I don’t care, it’s not my store.” It's a shame, because the café itself is actually nice. However, dealing with guests should remain respectful – even in the case of small jokes or misunderstandings.

2 stars – Unfortunately, disrespectful behavior from the service Visit on April 20, 2025 around 8:00 p.m I was at Café del Sol Gelsenkirchen with a colleague, we had a relaxed cappuccino and then wanted to pay. As a joke, I said that I actually wanted to pay - a clear joke among colleagues. Unfortunately, the waitress (name sounded like Esra or Erda) intervened in the situation and reacted completely inappropriately with the words: “Yes, because you have such a big face, you’ll pay now too.” To be honest, I was quite surprised by this tone. When I calmly said that I found this inappropriate and would write her a review, she just said: “Without fun, I don’t give a shit, it’s not my store.” And finally there was a saying towards men in general: “Look how stupid men are these days.” Such statements are not acceptable at all – neither in jest nor seriously. The rest of the visit was okay, but such disrespectful behavior from the staff spoils the entire experience. It's a shame, because Café del Sol is actually a nice place.

Nice café with a good location and pleasant atmosphere. The service staff was friendly and very quick. Unfortunately, I noticed an unpleasant situation around 3:30 p.m.: A female employee from the kitchen area was making mocking comments about other people. This behavior does not fit with the otherwise positive overall impression.

We visited here and were a bit disappointed with Café Del Sol… - Waiting too long for the food - Service was not friendly, drinks were served without a tray. - Food was only lukewarm, we would have been very happy if the food had been warmer. - Other guests had been too loud, which was mentioned, another waiter informed the guests about this a little later. I wouldn't come here again.. :(

Unfortunately very loud when it's full.

Incredible! We would have to wait over half an hour for a waiter. When we finally placed our order we had to wait another ALMOST 30 minutes for our tea. “The waitress is taking a break..” 😁 When we had to get up we refused tea. The boss got up and came to us. She was arrogant, uncomprehending and rude. We were kicked out. Why? I hereby ask Google not to delete this review. Everyone has the right to share their opinions here.

I was there yesterday with my wife. Unfortunately our visit was not as pleasant as we had hoped. We arrived at 10:15 p.m. and ordered something, but the food didn't come at all. After 40 minutes of waiting, we were informed that the dish we ordered was not available. The employee offered us an alternative, but again this took a long time to arrive. In total we waited over an hour for our food, which unfortunately made the evening very uncomfortable. The food itself was fine, but the service and the long wait were disappointing.

The fries were very very very good! Apple tart with ice cream and cream really delicious!!! Keep it up

We often eat and drink here. Now I have to write something! That's how the service should be, always nice staff. The food is delicious and you can really relax here! Keep it up. We give 10 out of 10 points.

I went to Café del Sol in Gelsenkirchen for brunch today and to be honest I'm pretty disappointed. For the price I expected much more. Many dishes were either refilled very slowly or not at all. But what really shocked me was that the dishes had little or no labeling. As a result, vegetarians in our group accidentally ate meat - and even worse, Muslim guests unknowingly consumed pork. This is absolutely disrespectful and unacceptable. In this day and age, a restaurant should be able to accommodate such needs and properly label their food. Unfortunately, an experience that completely spoiled our Sunday. I definitely won't be coming back any time soon.

Disappointing value for money I was really disappointed with my visit to Café de Sol. For €9.70!!! I got a small portion of potatoes. There were also two halved tomatoes, a touch of rocket and a few spring onions with dip. That's it. For this price I would have expected much more. The quality was okay, but the quantity is disproportionate to the price. I understand that dining has costs, but this just feels like a rip-off. Unfortunately I don't recommend it.

We were there last week with a small group. We made a reservation in advance. The food was good; we opted for the all-you-can-eat schnitzel. The drinks were good and served promptly. The service itself was very friendly and attentive. The only thing was that the noise level in the back of the restaurant was quite loud due to the crowd. Otherwise, I highly recommend Café del Sol.

Great restaurant, nice service and great food

No problem then, see you tomorrow morning, I'll be happy to see you then, bye, bye and have a nice evening, see you then, bye, see you then, see you then, bye, bye, hello, bye, bye, bye, hello, yes, hello

A short break. The atmosphere transports you far away from Germany, straight to the Caribbean, very nice. The brunch is very varied and delicious.

We went to the schnitzel all-you-can-eat on Tuesday. We enjoyed the food and we also found the atmosphere appealing. What was unfortunately not right that day was the service. We were so conspicuously ignored between orders that we had to fight to place an order. So that means a lot of time passed between meals. Everyone knows what this does to the satiety effect, which is a shame with an All You Can Eat. It seemed to me to be intentional so that we wouldn't eat too much. There were clearly merchants at work.

Had a nice evening. We would like to repeat it there.

Yes, very relaxed place, friendly staff 👍

Were there as a bachelorette party and everything was great. 🥰

From early to late a large and delicious selection of food and drinks... always a pleasure.

The cake does not have a good price-performance ratio

The food was excellent and the staff was very friendly and quick 👍

I was there on Monday. A man came to our table who wanted to collect donations. He was very pushy despite rejection and then suddenly walked out. Until I realized he stole my phone. I notified the staff immediately. You said seriously that he had often come and stolen things from customers? I thought I wasn't hearing properly. They also don’t have cameras in the store. Are you letting someone in again who stole from your customers? This is unbelievable and irresponsible.

Sometimes a bit loud. But otherwise very comfortable. Fruit and muesli would be a nice addition to breakfast

Highly recommended! The food was very tasty, especially the schnitzel holiday was a highlight. The service was very nice only one fork was forgotten. The ambience is also very nice, I just think that the schnitzel holiday could have been decorated a little better with palm trees, beach chairs and a bit of sand As well as Hawaii can distribute chains. But that's complaining at a high level.

Absolutely average Order for a single drink was forgotten. Pasta was good, but everything else (in my case mushrooms and sauce) was pretty much missing

Had two coffees here. The taste goes like this. The coffee is too expensive for that. The positive thing is that you get a parking space.

We waited for food for 1 hour and the food that arrived was cold and tasteless. It took them 1 and a half hours to clear the table. I hope they cleared the table after us. Price performance is pretty bad

The service was very nice! Ambience as usual (Café del Sol). The food tasted good. BUT: I know that everything has become more expensive - but the portion sizes are now a joke. We each had a "Pinsa", a kind of pizza in size S, but for a price (just under €14) that you would pay for, for example. B. get a pizza twice the size at L'Osteria. I didn't really get full, and it confirmed the impression I'd had for a long time: Café del Sol is (unfortunately) no longer really worth it in terms of price and performance!

Three years ago I ate here at least six times a month. In 2025 I can afford this at most 3 times a month. It's unbelievable how much the prices have increased here. What cost 9.90 three years ago now costs 21 euros. Otherwise I can only say positive things about the store. Nice staff, clean tables and the food tastes great. It's a shame you don't have pizza on the menu anymore.

Cocktails were good and the winemaker was really great. But the food was too expensive for a very very small schnitzel, ok it was 2 schnitzels and a kilo of fries. Just too expensive so I definitely won't eat there again.

Very clean and the atmosphere is also contemporary. The drinks are all top. However, I found it a bit uncool that the waitress came to our table afterwards and asked if she could take our cups with her even though we hadn't finished drinking yet. If so It would have been shortly before closing time, ok. But the shop was still pretty busy at the time. I can't say anything about the food because I've never eaten there.

Came back from the Sauerland today and wanted to eat something after the trip. We ordered 2 of 4 drinks that were neither carbonated nor tasted like cola. I also did Ordered Pinsa Salami Spicy. I was able to watch as she was mounted and then left standing for 13 minutes. When the three other dishes were ready for my family. They took the pinsa and served it to me cold. The scissors that were lying there broke into two parts and ended up on the floor. I then reported to the service that they had made a new pinsa, but I could see that another guest's pinsa had been there for 20 minutes. I lost my appetite then. I then just ordered a french fry, which was kindly delivered on the house. Nevertheless, I thought that was a shame and would reconsider making the pinsas in the front.

The food is okay, but the service is great (very friendly and very quick). I have been there several times with groups of 4-7 people and we were served very nicely and attentively. Most recently I had for December 20th. Reserved for breakfast with 7 people and we got the most beautiful place and the best service. Paying separately per person, even with 7 people, is not a problem here (you just have to remember what was ordered). There are a large number of parking spaces directly at the house. Only the prices are a bit too high, which devalues ​​this rating slightly in terms of the total number of stars.

great selection at the breakfast buffet, nice staff.

Evaluation: Unfortunately my visit to this restaurant was a very disappointing experience. I ordered a burger that I didn't quite finish. When I asked to take the rest away, I was rudely informed that they cannot accommodate such requests and the burger was simply thrown in the trash instead. It's incomprehensible why a restaurant would refuse this service, especially when it comes to something as simple as a half-eaten burger. This not only shows a lack of customer friendliness, but also a rather wasteful attitude. I definitely won't visit this restaurant again and can't recommend it.

Buffet was a bit slimmed down. I've experienced better.

Prices are too expensive! I'd rather eat at the extra sheet. Here you pay almost €10 for coffee and cake, which is really cheeky. Let alone the courts...

Like ready-to-eat service, catastrophically totally overpriced for the portions you get, had triplets with ruccula for 6 pieces and 4 leaves of ruccula for almost €10

Despite the large number of employees, there is a severe lack of orders to be taken. and despite the fact that it is not that full or crowded.

Impossible service equals grade zero! We were completely ignored with 4 people with reservations for over 40 minutes even though we even drew attention to ourselves. There were enough employees in the restaurant, we saw them all. We're definitely not coming back, why?

There was a piece of glass in my food as shown in the picture. The leader reacted very accommodatingly. Unfortunately the service is far too slow even though it is empty. I can't recommend it at all.

Today I paid €24 for breakfast for the All Summer Long for two people. 2 slices of salami, 2 times turkey breast, 2 slices of cucumber, 1 slice of tomato, 1 small pot of yoghurt (for 2 people), 1 small pot of meat (2 people), 4 slices of cheese, 1 pot of store-bought meat salad (2 people), 2 slices Ham, 1 pot of jam (2 people), 4 rolls and 2 stone hard croissants, 2 boiled eggs. Really poor for the price. I asked the waiter if he could please turn on the patio heater for us, his answer was "Unfortunately no, the boss has forbidden it, we have to save money and if I do that now I'll lose my head". Otherwise, the waiter was very, very nice and often apologized about the heater. One more experience not to go there for breakfast anymore

Unfortunately, the staff would rather take care of the friends who come over to chat than the guests who are waiting to be served

Visually nice, food is average, nothing special. Had pinsa and burgers. Main courses came before starters. Supplements were forgotten. Staff had to be reminded twice. In the end the calculation wasn't correct either. The staff is nice, but you can't run a restaurant like that. Won't go here again.

Unfortunately, one star is even too much. First and last time!! We drove an hour for nothing. Paid over €200 and didn't even get enough. Salad was just green meat and cheese. No tomatoes etc. They made 2 salads incorrectly or made too much of them and we still had to pay for one in the end. Tarte flambée was said to be extra without ham and brought anyway. Service disaster. If you do something wrong you should make it right. Don't blame the customers. Because a customer can't make 10 mistakes at once 😊 never again

Very nice restaurant with good and relatively cheap food

All of the dishes on the “Schnitzel Holiday” were very tasty and came out of the kitchen very quickly, you never had to wait long between servings. The service was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is of course a typical Café Del Sol, but it is nicely laid out and doesn't feel as much like a warehouse as some of the others in this chain.

Like all other Cafes del Sol, you can do that.

So food like at MC Donald's, warm fries + schnitzel not exactly warm either. Salad is always the same. You should look at the menu because something new would make more sense. The extra leaf is better not cold food either.

I find the ambience to feel good. There is a good selection of food. I had pasta, which was very tasty. The service was okay, you have to speak to the right person and then it works great.

Delicious food, including vegan options, nice service and, as always, a sweet atmosphere. Depending on how crowded it is, it can be quite loud at times

Was there on Friday with friends. Once again excellent service always happy

We felt very comfortable. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

Until 12:00 on Saturday only Buffet option. I usually prefer to order from menu, but this was not possible unfortunately, only few dessert available. Overall this is my second visit of Cafe del Sol chain, ambience and atmosphere always meet expectations. I tried Fresh tea with Basil and lime, tasty combination.

This only applies to all people who want to use the e-charging column: The petrol vehicles block the e-charging columns here. Even if you see on the map that there are free spaces here, they are blocked by Verbrenner. Café del Sol doesn't do anything here, probably doesn't want to scare away the other guests. The police say they can't do anything here because it's private property. Simply as a warning.

This was our second time here and both times there were problems with the orders. We were a group of 9 people and were missing drinks and a burger. One burger came with the wrong burger sauce and another burger was cold and came new with the wrong fries dip. Food was good. But €5.6 for what feels like 10 sweet potato fries is already steep.

We were there for brunch with 15 people, the service was super friendly and quick so it was a nice and relaxing morning there.

We had a great evening, just had a drink Service was quick and very friendly

Simply great! Friendly service, delicious food and no long waiting times 👍

We had a very nice evening. I can only recommend it

A pleasant atmosphere and polite staff create the perfect conditions for an unforgettable night. A pleasant atmosphere and polite staff create the perfect conditions for an unforgettable evening.