Café und Restaurant Dobbendeel in Geestland

Update 2025: A beautifully situated restaurant with a view of the lake and the canal. The dining room is divided into several sections, with a lovely fireplace in the center. Unfortunately, the air became stale and stuffy quite quickly. The food (venison ragout) was very tasty, but the "three-tiered" burger is a DIY affair. The three tiers consist of tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, lettuce... by the time you're finished, the meat is cold. The meat patty also arrived half-raw. This is absolutely unacceptable for ground meat in a restaurant. The service was very friendly and attentive, fulfilling our every wish. Review from 2020: Unfortunately, the restaurant is showing its age: The dining room is dreary (no tablecloths, no table decorations, dusty window decorations, a single plant on the bench... zero coziness or comfort). The service was "always trying its best," but not what you'd expect from an upscale restaurant. The service was "always trying," but not up to par. As a complimentary starter, we were served baguette with butter. A nice gesture – but dry bread with 'regular' butter as a "greeting"??? The meat (fillet tips) was unfortunately overcooked, but the pasta and sauce were delicious!

We spontaneously decided to visit Bad Bederkesa in our campervan. We highly recommend the restaurant. The service (Chareen) was very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. The service was absolutely top-notch and the staff were also very friendly. We were given a lovely table with a view of the lake. Thank you! We would definitely come back on our next trip.

Amazing cake with a lake view, worth every penny.

Wonderful restaurant overlooking Lake Beerster. Delicious cakes, good schnitzel.

We had a Christmas party today with our self-help group. The friendly, dark-haired, coolly tattooed waitress with a fantastic memory provided excellent service. The à la carte lunch was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.

We had venison ragout with celery root mash, kale chips, mushrooms, cranberries, and spaetzle. The meat was incredibly tender and delicious, the sauce was excellent and flavorful. Celery root mash was also a nice change and highly recommended. The spaetzle could have used a touch more salt, although I rarely eat spaetzle anyway. I was intrigued by the homemade ones, though. For dessert, we had espresso and chocolate mousse. With our window seat overlooking the lake, it was a truly perfect visit.

The cakes and pastries were very delicious, the dinner was very tasty and everything was fresh.

We celebrated our wedding at Dobbendeel. We had a champagne reception, dinner, and a party. We were able to bring our decorations and set everything up the evening before the celebration. We didn't have to take anything down during the night and could easily pick everything up the following day. The food was delicious, the cake was fantastic, and the service staff was attentive and quick to respond. We are very happy and would definitely celebrate there again.

Our celebration at Dobbendeel was a complete success. The preparations were straightforward, the team was helpful, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food. A beautiful venue where we would gladly celebrate again.

Great food. Very attentive service.

A short break for coffee ☕️ and delicious cake 🎂

We had a delicious eggnog and tiramisu cake. The best place in Bad Bederkesa for a sunny day.

Good coffee, chic restaurant. Great food, horrible prices.

The staff are great, the view is wonderful. The food is delicious, although I had a dead fly in my meal. It wasn't necessary. Hence, one star deducted.

The schnitzel is a boneless cutlet, so-called salmon pieces. Probably put through a steak grinder to make it more tender. When I asked, the waitress tried to explain it was a schnitzel and didn't even blush. The fried potatoes I ordered instead of pasta were very good. The sauce and the mushrooms were so-so.

Everything was delicious and the view was great.

We had a wonderful evening. Delicious food and very professional and attentive service. A beautiful view of the lake. We deducted one star for the meal because the salad had been dressed for a while and was beginning to shrink a bit. Otherwise, the quality was top-notch. The desserts rounded it all off.

Delicious food, great service, and a wonderful atmosphere. The kids have their own menu. A very nice menu featuring regional products. Excellent value for money. We will visit the restaurant again.

Enjoy a break by the lake at the Dobbendeel Restaurant & Café. Unwind. Spend a few relaxing hours here and feast to your heart's content. A large sun terrace with a beach bar and a stunning view of the water. Simply feel good and enjoy. We received good advice. Our order was: "One plaice, please." Friendly service, and we were completely satisfied. Thank you very much. We would be happy to come back.

Highly recommended, beautiful location on the lake and very good food!

Nice ambience and delicious cakes, great view, you can sit outside even when it's windy and raining.

Great ambiance with a lake view. The water buffalo menu is highly recommended. The service was also excellent. Thank you very much! We'd love to come back 😊

Very nice restaurant – beautifully decorated, very clean, great view directly onto the lake, and extremely friendly staff. They made a great effort to ensure a pleasant and relaxing stay, even for children. The food was excellent all around. Be prepared for slightly higher prices.

Yes! See for yourself. A wonderful place!

Highly recommended. The food was very good, the service was attentive and friendly without being intrusive. The location on the lake and the corresponding view were stunning.

A very good Sunday lunch spot. It's a shame they only had a very small menu. There weren't more than five dishes. Well, my freshly fried plaice was excellent. The schnitzel was excellent, and the salmon dumplings on spaghetti were also okay. Prices are quite reasonable. Desserts: Our ice cream sundaes were excellent. The staff is friendly, and the food arrived quickly.

We stopped in for coffee and cake. Excellent homemade cakes. Very friendly service!! We'd be happy to come back 👍👍

Good food at fair prices. Friendly service and a great view.

Very delicious food! Highly recommended! The service from the female staff was good, but the male colleague should definitely reconsider his tone with guests.

It's very cozy, and you have a beautiful view of the lake. The food and service are also excellent. We go there often and highly recommend it.

What a great location, very friendly service, and delicious food. Excellent value for money. I deducted one star because I didn't find the restroom particularly clean. Otherwise, everything was very good.

We were here on Wednesday and wanted ice cream. The order was completely wrong, and unfortunately, it wasn't tasty either. The still water came in an already opened sparkling water bottle, which wasn't opened at the table. Obviously tap water. And for almost €4… what a pity.

Four of us dined at the Dobbendeel on Wednesday and were delighted with the food and the extremely friendly service. It was a celebration in the best sense of the word. We'd love to come back!

Upscale ambiance, upscale prices! Very nice location, fast and friendly service.

Highly recommended! Delicious food, great staff.

Giant cake 🎂 selection and delicious 😋 with lake view

I wanted a menu, but unfortunately, it never arrived. I waited 25 minutes to pay and was called. Otherwise, it's great 👍

Great view, right on the lake 😁 One of the cleanest restrooms I've visited in the last few weeks. Prices are reasonable, and the service is quick and very friendly.

We were here on a Saturday at 2:30 p.m. It was moderately busy, with a few free tables outside. Unfortunately, many of the unoccupied tables hadn't been cleared, and there were still used glasses and ice cream cups from previous guests. After a wait of about 12 minutes, our order was taken in a not-so-friendly manner by a clearly overwhelmed server. Otherwise, everything was fine, nothing special, and especially not hospitable. We won't be back.

Good food, including a Baden influence!

Today was Natalie and Timo Schumacher's wedding. It was fantastic: the food was excellent, the staff was first-class, and the ambiance was superb. We'll be back very soon. Best, Holger and Ute.

The two of us arrived and sat in the beach chair without thinking anything of it, as the other beach chair was also occupied. After a short while, a waitress (black hair and piercings) came out. She was extremely rude and asked us in a tone of voice, asking us what we were thinking sitting there, since they had already cleared up together. Couldn't we see that? It was around 6:45/7 p.m. to us. The tone was truly abysmal, so I'm sorry, that's not how you treat people. We assumed that the cushions in the beach chair were part of the package and expressed it as such. We were then criticized for not noticing that there were several cards in there, as that should have been obvious enough. I then ordered an apple spritzer, but wasn't asked what size; they brought me the large one (not a problem in itself). 10 minutes later, a group of men arrived and also sat outside. The lady served them very friendly and even asked them what size drinks they wanted. We received incredibly poor service.

Well-kept restaurant, impeccable service

Good cappuccino and a delicious cake. Fantastic view of the lake. The narrow-minded birthday party at the next table (who had their cell phones constantly ringing, but complained about our dog lying under the table) was a bit annoying. But that's not the owners' fault. All in all, highly recommended! Also, the fact that you can even pay by card here in the provinces.

We weren't inside, but it looked very promising from the outside. If we're ever in the area again, we'll take a look.

When I read the good reviews I realize that we must have just had a bad day. We arrived there shortly before 12 noon with two small children and a dog, and child 1 needed to go to the toilet. When we asked inside if they had Chicken McNuggets, the first venomous reply was that the kitchen doesn't open until 12 noon. Not nice or purely informative, just venomous. We then sat outside and ordered drinks. The waiter was annoyed but tried to be friendly. That was until another customer at the next table asked if the beach chair could be turned a little out of the sun. The poor lady was then insulted and left sitting with a no, the management forbade that. Child 2 wanted cake after all, and to make the choice easier we wanted to go inside and see what was available, whereupon we were insulted again and told that the waiter could tell us at the table. That was a bit too toxic for a day on vacation. It wasn't busy, so we chalked it up to "they're just stressed," so we paid and went to the Kiosk Bikertreff. There was a world of difference between them in terms of friendliness, especially towards children. It's a shame, because the ambiance is truly beautiful. We'll try again on another vacation and this time write it off as "had a bad day."

Delicious food, including dishes more commonly found in the Black Forest. The staff is extremely courteous and attentive. Beautiful views of the lake are not directly accessible by car; it's about a 200-meter walk. Reservations recommended.

sehr schönes lokal am See essen gut viel Veganes man achtet auf Qualität viel Bio aus der Umgebung Fleisch und Gemüse gute Getränke Auswahl speisen etwas teurer ist aber in Ordnung reservieren

Wir müssen uns leider in die vielen Rezensionen mit unseren wiederholten Erfahrungen in diesem eigentlich schön gelegenen Lokal einreihen. Wir waren zu Kaffee und Kuchen im Juni 2025 dort. Wieder einmal war beim Personal immenser Stress zu verzeichnen, der sich immens auf die Gäste übertrug - und das, obwohl nur wenige Familienfeiern dort wohl reserviert hatten. Das meiste Personal stand nur gelangweilt im Eingang, vom anderen wurden wir mal wieder unfreundlich und ungehalten bedient. Besondere Wünsche wurden mit verzerrtem Gesicht genervt entgegen genommen, der Kuchen war natürlich wie jedes Mal "noch nicht" in den Tresen gestellt. Uns wundert bei so vielen Rezensionen der ähnlichen Art, dass sich der Inhaber nicht mal anpasst und etwas verändert - sehr schade für das so schön gelegene Lokal. Wenn es gelingend geführt werden würde und das Personal mal einige Schulungen zum Umgang mit Gästen wahrnehmen würde, könnte sich hier ein nettes Plätzchen etablieren mit top Bewertungen - schade!

Cakes are great, with a great view of the lake

I can recommend this restaurant without hesitation. The service is very good, as is the food. It was delicious and not too expensive.

The best days seem to be over for the Dobbendeel, too: The service was friendly, that's worth mentioning. It took a full hour from ordering to serving. The asparagus was quite al dente, with hollandaise sauce; nothing else, like melted butter, was available. The hollandaise sauce, which we ordered later, was charged at just under €4 per portion and arrived shortly after the asparagus was finished. To top it all off, however, the mineral water we ordered turned out to be sparkling tap water, which cost almost €8 per bottle. It's a shame, because that's not how we get out of the crisis, but in the other direction...

Very good food, friendly, attentive staff. I'd be happy to return on my next vacation.

Delicious food right on the lake with good service

The restaurant is highly recommended. Delicious food, very friendly service. There's also something on the menu for vegans.

We were there for coffee and received prompt and friendly service. The cake selection was extensive, and I highly recommend the cheesecake.

Excellent food, great views of the lake! 👍

3 out of 5 stars We've been regular guests with family and friends for years – the food was always excellent, no complaints. Our last attempt to reserve a table for five was all the more disappointing: Although we called in advance, as always – the day before, or in the morning – we were only offered a table for two until 2 p.m., and nothing for the evening. No suggestions, no flexibility – and this despite long-standing loyalty. The staff was polite, but not solution-oriented. We felt more blocked than welcomed. It's a shame – the Dobbendeel remains a culinary recommendation, but there's still room for improvement in the way it treats regulars.

Great atmosphere. Friendly staff. We'd love to come back soon.

A great restaurant with a good atmosphere. The food, well, we expected something better for the prices. It was arranged in a very minimalist way, which wouldn't have bothered us at all if it had tasted good. The burger: The meat, dry, the bun old and crumbly. The salad with two leaves, a few tomato slices and cucumbers, all served without dressing.

Well, almost empty at 6:45 p.m. - inside and out. Despite opening hours until 10 p.m., everything is reserved and nothing is available. Food would only be available with a reservation. We could still get drinks and ice cream in the sandy beach area. But there was no service there either. After a long wait we left again.

Friendly and attentive service, super creative cuisine! The cook is really good. We give it 6 out of 5 stars. You sit in the winter garden right by the water, what more could anyone want!!

"A magical place to unwind. There is delicious food, friendly staff and a wonderful atmosphere."

The most beautiful lake view, great regional food, the best products, excellently prepared, homemade pasta, Rothaus Pils on tap - there's absolutely nothing to complain about!

Very tasty schnitzel, the citizens of Hammer also tried the tarte flambée. And homemade fries. Yesterday we went on a trip to Bad Bederkesa and were looking for something to eat by the water. It's a bit expensive but it tastes great.

Very good location by the lake. Friendly staff. Good prices. A great covered terrace. We'd love to come back.

We had a delicious meal here and were served very friendly!!

Price performance is not right. The standards are very high, the prices are also average, but the food is average. Cod was tasty but burnt... You couldn't taste the wild garlic. Salmon dumplings one Catastrophe is stagnant, fibrous. Noodles also very dry. Dessert was supposed to be biset, but chickpeas were something. Here a little foam there a little foam. Sorry but given the prices it can be perfect.

Beautifully located on the lake for excursions and more.

Starter variations were super tasty! Very good quality and nicely presented. The crab soup was also very tasty. Very friendly service. Nice restaurant - it's a shame that the weather didn't allow sitting outside. One star deduction, which the restaurant may have no influence on, as the path from the parking lot is partly not lit. You step into a park and in the dark you can't see which direction you have to go. I first took a wrong turn and ended up at the brightly lit spa center. The path was very lonely and a bit “scary” for someone unfamiliar with the area.

One of the first sunny days of the year was the starting point for the trip to Bad Bederkesa in Dobbendeel! Ice cream, cake, sitting outside under the parasol with a view of the lake and very friendly service... a highlight!!

Wir haben es letztes Wochenende gleich zweimal vesucht, bei Dobbendeel etwas zu trinken zu bekommen und sind beide Male kläglich gescheitert. Der erste Versuch fand am Samstag statt, da der Außenbereich voll belegt war, hatten wir uns auf die Holzbank direkt davor gesetzt. Da uns klar war, daß die Bedienung nicht dorthin kommen würde, bin ich auf die Veranda gegangen und habe der Kellnerin gesagt, wir würden gerne 2 Alster trinken und da wir vorne auf der Bank sitzen, ob es möglich wäre, die Getränke gleich zu bezahlen und mitzunehmen. Wir hatten also nicht erwartet, daß hier ein Extragang für uns gemacht wird. Die Antwort von der Kellnerin:"Ich sage einer Kollegin bescheid." Tja, das war's dann auch. 20 Minuten Warten auf der Veranda, keine Kollegin, die unsere Bestellung aufnehmen wollte, absolut keine Regung. Am Sonntag dann der zweite Versuch, bei dem wir "ordnungsgemäß" auf der offiziellen Bestuhlung bei Dobbendeel Platz genommen hatten. Sage und schreibe 35 Minuten ließ sich absolut niemand vom Personal blicken. Als wir dann beschlossen hatten zu gehen, kam ein Kellner, der den anderen Gästen zunächst einmal lang und breit erklären wollte, warum niemand die Gäste bedienen wollte oder konnte. Anstatt diesen Ausschweifungen bis zum Ende zu folgen, haben wir eine andere Location aufgesucht und werden es bei Dobbendeel auch kein drittes Mal versuchen.

The food was great! Rarely in my life have I eaten such excellently seasoned soups (crabs - wow!, carrot-ginger with kimchi dumplings - amazing) and sauces... Meat and fish were both on point, and even my husband's schnitzel with mushroom cream was a whole dimension better than all the schnitzels before! We also had wonderful service, who came from Turkey and catered to our every wish - as well as tasty wine, delicious espressos and all in all an evening that was memorable in every respect! And the price was totally okay! Thank you very much!

I can't understand the good reviews on TripAdvisor. The location on the lake and the view are great, especially during sunset. BUT the food wasn't good. The fried potatoes had obviously been kept warm for hours and were soggy and burnt. Simply pour plenty of oil over the salad. The salmon dumplings had a rubbery consistency and the noodles with crab sauce had no sauce and crab, really annoying. Conclusion: not recommended.

We actually like the place. But today we desperately tried to order for over 15 minutes. After the waiter told us for the third time in a half-stroppy manner that he would be coming over soon and walked past us, we left. Yes, it was very crowded, but that was just bad service.

No we’re not serviced so we walked out again

Very good cakes and very good coffee 😍

Pleasant atmosphere and delicious cake

Great restaurant, fantastic view, super nice and courteous service and delicious food - it couldn't be better! It's also really dog-friendly, which actually deserves the sixth star! 😊

Nice view, good cake and great coffee. They're all very friendly.

I was there as part of a family celebration, the location is excellent and the service was first class. The cakes are homemade and are massive pieces, but there is still room for improvement when it comes to eating them. It was good, but the special kick was missing.

Location right on the lake, you can sit inside and outside, the menu changes seasonally, tasty, imaginative. Nice service, prices in the higher segment.

There again and again. It's nice to sit there with a great view of the lake. Service is friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, the cheesecake has deteriorated significantly. Too bad.

Beautiful wedding cake that tasted very good.

We really liked it, the food was very tasty, the service was good, but slightly understaffed that day, I have no idea why, the ambience was almost unbeatable. Dogs and small children welcome. So we were very satisfied.

Rarely have we been served so rudely and condescendingly. Of course, it can happen that hair ends up in the food, but that's exactly when the staff shouldn't react rudely. The food also still has a lot of room for improvement when you consider the price-performance ratio. All in all, the store seems rather run down in some places! In the future, we will prefer other locations where guests feel welcome.

A lovely restaurant in a beautiful location. Between lake and river.

Very nice restaurant with a view of Lake Bederkesaer. We always enjoy coming here. The ice cream tastes very good, as does the coffee and cake. You will be served quickly and friendly. Highly recommended.

Coffee in the pot was served within 2 minutes, so it was already pre-made. Too bad You can eat cake

Beautiful ambience and 1A cuisine. Unique selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes - haven't eaten this good in a long time!

Nice view and good hospitality. Good service, nice staff. I would like to visit the place again and recommend it to others

Higher price segment, very good fresh cuisine, friendly service, suitable for vegetarians and allergy sufferers. Disadvantage: open from 11:30 a.m., food orders only from 12 p.m. Cake not to take away!

Wir waren dort zum wiederholten Mal und hatten uns sehr auf ein Mittagessen am See gefreut. Meine Freundin und ich bestellten Sauerbraten vom Rehbock zum stolzen Preis von knapp 30€ pro Portion. Nach über einer Stunde Wartezeit kam das Essen. Meins war oder sollte sehr hochwertig sein. Es war sehr nett angerichtet, aber satt wurde man nicht davon. Das Fleisch war nur sehnig und ich reklamierte es , denn essen konnte ich es nicht. Danach bekam ich anstandslos eine neue Portion. Jedoch waren die 3 anderen am Tisch schon fertig mit dem Essen. Da die Portion klein war, dauerte es bei mir nicht lange und ich hatte alles verspeist. Als Wiedergutmachung bekam ich nicht einmal eine Entschuldigung, von einem kostenlosen Schnaps oder Dessert ganz zu schweigen. Schade, aber zum Essen werden wir dort nicht mehr hinfahren.

Nice restaurant, great location on the lake and canal. Service very good, food very good. We felt very comfortable

The food was very tasty. Friendly service. Dogs are welcome. Prices in the higher segment. Great view.

Nice quiet place, right on the water.

Drank coffee and looked at the beautiful lake...everything was perfect

Very nice place right on the lake.

Good food, around €20, delicious cakes and very friendly service.

Wir waren zu zweit zum Essen im Restaurant Dobbendeel. Grundsätzlich hat es uns gut gefallen, das Personal ist auch sehr freundlich. Die Speisen waren ok, doch es hat uns bei beiden Gerichten (Wasserbüffel-Burger & Schnitzel mit Pfeffersauce, Beilagensalat) das gewisse Etwas gefehlt (mehr Würze und mehr Pfiff). Das Dessert hat uns leider nicht gefallen. Das Anrichten der Gerichte könnte gerne noch optimiert werden, denn das Auge isst ja schließlich mit. Alles in Allem ok. Man könnte auf jeden Fall mehr draus machen.