Café waterkant in Esens

We arrived and everything outside was reserved at 6 p.m. I thought to myself, oh, this restaurant must be very popular. At first there was no space, but then someone stood up and graciously allowed us to dismount. People kept coming and asking if there was room. It was always "again after 8 p.m." We sat there for probably two hours, but the reserved seats simply weren't filled. And yet the people who asked were put off until 8 p.m. My experience on the North Sea is that at 8 p.m. the kitchens close and the sidewalks are raised. So I'll put it this way: you either want to appear artificially desirable or you have a lot of no-shows. For the first variant, well, make yourself rare then you'll be in demand, which isn't really the case in the catering industry. There are different concepts for no-shows. Now to the food - Short and sweet - Tasty, but in a homeopathic dose. My wife said "Oh, the plate is pretty clear". Definitely not enough for the money. However, the service was very polite and friendly. They put a lot of effort into taking care of their guests. There was a waiter who was a jack of all trades. Had the shop under very good control. All in all, a mixed experience. Food good, but little and the reservation problem a bit in-house production in my opinion. But I'd love to come back.

Cozy atmosphere, mixed cuisine in the Waterkant restaurant The Waterkant restaurant in Bensersiel attracts with a cozy atmosphere that invites you to linger. The service is commendable: The staff is nice, friendly and attentive, so that you as a guest feel in good hands. However, there is room for improvement when it comes to the quality of the food. Unfortunately, some dishes were not fully cooked, which spoiled the enjoyment. The taste also left a lot to be desired and seemed a bit bland overall. There is definitely a need for improvement here in order to meet the culinary demands of the guests. Conclusion: The Waterkant scores with its friendly service and appealing ambience. However, anyone who values ​​impeccable and tasteful cuisine could be disappointed. Hopefully the restaurant will work on the quality of its food to improve the overall experience.

There was only that, all others were closed, unfortunately no longer in winter!

A very nice restaurant. Very friendly staff and very tasty gin from Knut Hansen! The baked fish roll was very juicy and the roll was crispy and crispy! Highly recommended!

We liked that. You can also get a fish sandwich inside, the salad was delicious, the game fish was fried very well. Nice service and then there are the funny robots that bring the food to the front. So... everything's fine.

Nice little restaurant, had a very tasty café there

Delicious food, fast friendly service

Eating only moderately. Convenience products and cold too. Potatoes are nice and hard... There was also a draft in the room and the door kept opening. You wouldn't like to go there again...

There was delicious fried fish in batter... one of the best I've ever eaten... Top👍

We have repeatedly spent a great evening here, with delicious food and very nice service

We've been there several times. This time we only ate a little something, but again it was very tasty. The service is also very good, like old school!

Robi also brought delicious fresh fish rolls to take away, super cool 👍👍👍

I've been coming to Bensersiel for 10 years and am a regular at Waterkant. The food and team are great.

We have been visiting the Waterkant on New Year's Eve for 10 years and enjoy the food, the service, as well as the boss and the kitchen staff with their warm manner. No matter what you eat from the menu, everything is top. Especially when there is a rush of guests, you stay calm and find a happy solution to everything. We always enjoy coming to the Waterkant

We were there 3 evenings in a row and the food was very good

Very busy restaurant. The ambience is nice. Despite the hustle and bustle, the staff is friendly and helpful. To feel good.

Food was completely cold and drinks were brought incorrectly

We ate very well here and felt very well taken care of and looked after by the nice, attentive service.

As a chef, I'm sorry to say that the food really wasn't good. Little love and spices. I wouldn't eat there again.

Everything was great...Highly recommended. Keep it up 😉

For us it was one of the best restaurants in town

Only had cocktails (Caribbean) but were very tasty and the other guests' food looked tasty and seemed happy. Cozy atmosphere

The service was super nice and very attentive! The food is delicious

Very nice atmosphere, 1 point deducted because the very tasty apple strudel was still cold... The parking lot is 100 m away

Best mussels ever: mussels in curry sauce, never eaten like this before...you definitely have to try it. Service was super nice and attentive.

Very friendly service. Delicious fish sandwiches that you can also eat in the restaurant. A good place for a snack when the weather is bad.

A very nice and cozy atmosphere, had eaten kale, as a lover the dish ended up in the top three, so recommended.

Very nice restaurant! It's just that it wasn't clear to me which dishes were vegan. Only after several questions did I know. It would be nice if it were right there and you didn't have to ask so embarrassingly more often. :-) And I would like oat milk so that I can drink coffee with you. :-)

Very nice, courteous employees. Food was great. You feel very comfortable in this great atmosphere! Absolute recommendation.

A wonderful restaurant. Great food (especially Grandma Meier) Great service Simply great. We were guests at this restaurant every evening during our holiday week.

Despite the drizzly weather, it was great to sit outside under the roof. Fish sandwiches were very tasty and moderately priced. Fast and very friendly service.

We saw the advert for fish sandwiches outside. This ad lured us in. We received a very friendly welcome from the staff and the two robots. We had 3 fried fish rolls and one with flamed salmon. Priced completely right and super tasty. We decided to go out for a real meal again at Café Waterkant.

We passed by while we were walking and picked up a fish sandwich. Even out of season. We had a nice conversation while we waited for the preparation time. The more compact dishes at the table also look good and are OK in terms of price. We will get a more detailed picture of this later. This store is full of the future. See for yourself.

Nice restaurant and really nice hosts 👍We were there several times in the evenings during our stay in Bensersiel and we loved the atmosphere at Köpi and Eiergrog

Authentic ambience and good service

We ate here twice on our last short vacation. The first time with 4 people, when you come in on the left side. Super friendly service both at the reception and at the table! Food very tasty, well balanced. Fish quality top! We had the space at the end of the room, which was particularly pleasant for my parents (both in their 70s/80s). The acoustics are equally positive, because even though it was full, we were able to converse at a normal volume. On our second visit we were able to get to know the right side of the Waterkant. The two tables in the area behind the counter were separated by a window from the raised table for four, which is very positive in terms of entertainment as well as other things. Also that evening we had a super nice, motivated and friendly service. The food was again very good and if it hadn't been closed the next day, we would have eaten here a third time.

Nice service but didn't have much idea of ​​what she was doing. The food was well, there is better in Bensersiel. The soup was bland and the tortelloni had more vegetables with tomato sauce than anything else. Even if you have something to drink, you have to wait forever. The empty beer glasses are seen immediately but no one asks about the rest.

Well, the food was actually delicious, but it was only lukewarm! A nogo! When we point this out, we learn: yes, several people have complained about this recently! Why hasn't this improved since then??? The taste of the game goulash was ok, but isn't goulash actually meat in a lot of sauce? The sauce was extremely sparse with the dry meat.

We were there for lunch and drank coffee and ate a very tasty piece of cake. Particularly noteworthy is the fast and friendly service. The location is ideal as it is right at the port of Bensersiel. A clear recommendation.

We had a latte macchiato which was OK. Stop standard from a finished machine. And a “Frisian tea”…. If I ordered a Frisian tea from East Frisia then I would expect a loose tea in a pot, with large white rock candy, cream and a small cup. Here you get a pot with bagged tea (Frisian-style tea mixture), brown crumbs of rock candy, cream and a small cup. The rock candy was almost empty and unfortunately the taste didn't match the tea. Unfortunately, the tea here has little to do with the “Frisian tea” that guests would expect. It's actually a shame, especially when you order tea in East Frisia. But the location itself is quite nice.

Sericekaft Michelle is a great team member! Friendly, nice and very accommodating!

Super tasty dishes, beautifully seasoned and fresh. Cozy atmosphere, service on point and very friendly.

4 of us were there in 3 days. Everything was very tasty and the service was great. Always a kind word!

Very nice, cozy café, restaurant and bar, very friendly staff and great ambience

It was more due to convenience that we didn't make it further from the hotel than Café Waterkant. But we didn't regret it and made two visits to the very pleasant shop in one day. Impressive, both inside and outside, was the friendly and quick service that approached us in the form of a cheerful employee with Croatian roots. Friendly, unobtrusive and with a pleasant personality, we immediately knew we were in the best hands, an employee who alone could give Cafe Waterkant five stars. But the food is also great and the beer is cold and freshly tapped. Köpi, from my old home, what could flow better. Cafe Waterkant is great, we can recommend it without reservation, and if it takes us to Bensersiel again, we will definitely go there again.

We were just there for a few drinks.

Bad organization! A table outside was reserved especially in the afternoon for the evening. Since there was a risk that it could rain in the evening, we were specifically told that we would not have any space inside. When we arrived in the evening there was no room reserved for us, only inside. We left. I received a response from the owner after two months. Based on his answer, I can only assume that he didn't read or understand my review correctly. If you answer then you should refer to the process. To paraphrase it as simply as possible: Our reservation back then was not taken into account, we were not welcome as guests and the evening was ruined for us because on weekends and in the season you can no longer find a seat in another restaurant.

Great atmosphere, nice staff. Food extremely good! A little more expensive, but where is that not the case these days. Absolutely recommended!

Ate mussels today. The nuggets were great too! Good service! Recommended!

Very nice people and delicious food here. You should go and take a picture of it yourself.

The food is good, but too expensive in terms of price-performance...but it's been rated that way several times here, so I don't need to write more about it 😉 Unfortunately, the negative issue of service was also confirmed for us, we waited a good 45 minutes for the food and another almost half an hour for the bill and only received it when we asked. Anyone who delivers a decent service is also happy to receive a tip. Since that wasn't the case here, we rounded up the invoice amount from a good €228 to €230... that's quite a bit of sales! Two of our group went to the toilet afterwards and when they went out they could hear our waiter getting upset about our stinginess... something like that doesn't work!!!! If you don't get any or hardly any tips, you should first question yourself and not complain loudly about us! Addendum October 19, 2024: Apparently it wasn't the manager of the Waterkant who served us. I have therefore corrected my review... But if the answer is simply that I was wrong about the location of the basement...hats off to you! And yes, he smiled at us when we collected the money and we were friendly too... But when he thought we had left, he complained about us! So apparently it can't be enough of a reward for him if the tip isn't right!!!

Good food, service that seemed a bit bored. Happy to see you again.

Everything was just good, I will visit again!!

I had the fish plate with crabs, which had 4 different fish fillets, with a delicious sauce. I swapped my salad for fried potatoes. My wife had the salad with goat cheese. Both meals were very tasty. The portions were very large. The service was very friendly. The price/performance ratio was also OK. We'd love to come back, like we do on every holiday.

We ate in the restaurant several times. The meals were good and the price was reasonable.

Nice restaurant with delicious food. We were there in the evening with two adults and had a great evening with nice service and delicious food. A few days later we went again with the family - again the food was great and we sat very nicely. The kids' food was also great. The lady in service was really nice at first - we ordered a Sprite for each child. However, only one was brought to the table and when the food came we didn't ask anymore. The second Sprite was on the bill and we noted that we didn't get it. From that moment on, the lady was extremely unfriendly, asked loudly at the counter in front of us who had brought drinks to the table and pointed out to us in an extremely unfriendly manner that we should have been informed immediately. The kids shared the Sprite and that wasn't a bad thing for us. We then left without saying a proper goodbye to the staff, the kids asked several times for the lolly at the exit and were ignored. We thought it was very unprofessional to react like that over a drink. We are annoyed that we gave a tip afterwards. Food and ambience top.

We ate at Waterkant for the fourth time today, it's always delicious, the service is very friendly, we'll be happy to come back

Food is delicious. But portions too small for the price. The waitress inside (I think she was Thai) had an overview and the next drink came quickly. The waitress outside couldn't do anything. An older lady who I think was just standing there.

You should come by when you are there. Highly recommended and everything is right.

The two of us spent the evening in this beautifully located restaurant 'WATERKANT' in Bensersiel. When the weather was great, we got a nice spot on the terrace. From the special table at the entrance we both ordered fish fillet with fried potatoes and a salad as well as pilsner from a tap. The waitresses were extremely friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the food very much, the beer was at the right temperature and we really liked the atmosphere on the terrace. All in all - GREAT!!!

Every now and then reservations get lost in the shuffle, which was a bit annoying. But the ambience and service are also worth booking there. Food tastes delicious, sufficient portion. In my opinion, fried potatoes were particularly good. Gladly again 👍

the fried fish... is probably the best in the world... order a Frisian spirit in the evening when it gets dark... then there's a poem on top! 😃

The first time the food was cold. But the service reacted immediately and changed it.

I can highly recommend this restaurant.

We ate there almost every evening on previous holidays, but last time we were a little disappointed and decided not to eat there again. Fried potatoes were burnt and not peeled and the other dish was missing sauce. Even other guests insisted on new fried potatoes. The service was super friendly and couldn't help it.

Great food, great service, simply delicious

We have been coming to Esens and of course Bensersil for 3 years, but yesterday we were at Café Waterkant for the first time and enjoyed our wedding day dinner there. We had the Waterkant fish plate and the black tortellini filled with salmon. It was a dream. It tasted amazing and I would have liked to cover the plate (excuse the statement). What a gourmet meal for us. I've never eaten the crab like this anywhere before and it was a taste experience. Even my wife, who doesn't really like green pesto, would have preferred a second helping. That says it all, right? The ambience and service were top. Always friendly and accommodating. I probably don't need to talk about prices because everyone sees it differently, but we found it completely justified for what we were offered. We'll definitely be happy to come back. Kind regards to the whole team and thanks again to the kitchen for the little attention on our special day.

Service quick and quick. A little more feeling and peace would be beneficial to the ambience. Fine fish platter with fish/shellfish stock and potatoes and salad was as follows: There was a lack of spice in the fish, a few bones in the Giöez but not too greasy; Potatoes as dry as you know them and fine for me; Salad plate was forgotten to bring but came quickly when asked - it was nothing moving and very cold; Stock/sauce didn't taste like anything. You can do it better yourself with relatively little skill. Portion size is fine for me but many would say too small. Mojito tasted more like thin lemon water and there was just a piece of mint on top to garnish. I knew the one with a lot of mint for the taste in the cocktail itself. Overall, rather mass processing and closely spaced. Below doesn't allow a view of the water, which was the idea. Not worth a visit. I prefer the plaice of the Müllerin type compared to on the other side of the street with just as fast service, about the same prices and better taste (tried two different fish and pasta for child). To answer: The correct term in your menu is: “Fischplatte Waterkant” They're not friends and a lot of the fish in the metro is frozen. Obviously, this variant of preparation is simply better. As many recessions show. Service was really quick and helpful, but that alone isn't enough.

Very nice service, quick service, food was delicious. Everything was perfect, we'll be back!

Service was a bit messy, atmosphere was pleasant, food was okay 😉 Price/performance ratio is debatable 😊

Tasty food, but it took quite a while before we got our food. Our 2 children had their dishes much earlier than us and had almost finished their plates when our dishes arrived. That was quite unpleasant. The female service was a bit curt at first, but fortunately she became a bit friendlier as time went on.

Super nice and attentive service. The food was very tasty and plentiful. A small salad is part of the menu. A small robot supports the staff. Reservation recommended. Gladly again. 👍

Fried fish and the tartar sauce were very tasty. Unfortunately, the experience is marred by the fried potatoes, some of which were burnt coal black, and a side salad with no discernible dressing. Service seemed overwhelmed, even though there wasn't a lot going on. When you then notice that one waitress is asking the other what the plum cake is, you just grab your head.

Bensersiel and the Café Waterkant. A hot drink in autumn and if the weather is good, sit outside and enjoy a view of the “harbour”.

The cooking here is delicious. Despite being busy, the service is always on point. The Lugano was also delicious.

It's a shame, the atmosphere is very good. Unfortunately the service was a bit overwhelmed. Since we ate there on a Monday, the accompanying side salad was unfortunately out - that can happen - but a hint wouldn't be bad. The quality of the food was OK, but not a revelation. Previous visits were clearly of a better standard.

Delicious food and good service. The service robot is a hit.

Really great cafe - we ate schnitzel with fried potatoes (no fish today). The food was very tasty! Will definitely come back on our next vacation.

Very nice there with very friendly service 😊

Were there 45 minutes ago just to have a drink... But then we ordered food there :) Great atmosphere, very nice and polite staff. The boss also seems to be a great guy 👌. I can only really recommend it! The Berry Buck is awesome🍹

Super nice people and great food. Top

The veggie burger is really recommended!

Fast, friendly, tasty, value for money is right

We went to Waterkant for lunch three times in a row in one week. The food, whether fish or meat, was fresh and very tasty. The service was also friendly and attentive. We'll definitely be back!

Very friendly staff. Price and performance is right. Food was really tasty. Nice ambience. Centrally located . I can only recommend.

You can have a drink here right at the harbor gate. The gun with ice was good, but didn't seem homemade. There is also a larger selection of cakes.

Went to the restaurant yesterday for the first and probably last time. We both had a fish dish, my husband had the redfish according to grandma...unfortunately the fish was still almost raw, we sent it back immediately, the same fish was then fried again, then it was a little better but that's what it looked like Plate then also out, no comparison to the beginning. In the evening my husband was completely sick so he probably doesn't want to eat fish at first. There wasn't even an apology said or perhaps a schnapps offered, obviously in a place like this it doesn't matter whether the guest comes again or not

We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary (2 people) there, the table was very lovingly set with flowers, the food was very good, the staff was very friendly. We say thank you again.

Delicious food, friendly service. Unfortunately one star deducted for the musty smell in the restaurant.

You can watch the hustle and bustle of the weekly market or the traffic in the harbor, the service is friendly, the prices are moderate. Recommendation from us!

The best fish I've ever eaten... People very friendly.

We wanted to have a nice and cozy evening in the Waterkant and finally left after 30 minutes. It started with there being a QR code on the table to order online, we then ordered drinks there and then heard the waiter say to someone else: “Someone ordered online” in a way that you shouldn't show as a service person. We ordered a coachman's plate and chicken breast with broccoli... We received two small plates with a portion for children but not for adults. On the chicken breast plate for over €20, a small chicken breast arrived with 6 hard and inedible potatoes, next to the whole thing you could see 5 heads of broccoli with a teaspoon of sauce. On the coachman's plate were two small schnitzels with a little sauce and dry fried potatoes. When the waiter came to us after the meal and we said that it was very tasty but there was far too little, he just laughed loudly and left. I'm sorry, but it's not possible to laugh about the guests not being full. The food tasted great except for the potato dishes… After a meal like this, I actually expect to be full or at least satisfied and not have to try to find anything else to eat.

Delicious food, friendly staff. Fits👍

The "Freshly baked waffles", as advertised on the board, are unfortunately only SMALL warmed Belgian waffles. Which are not at all convincing in terms of consistency and taste. There were also very few cherries. After my open criticism, the waiter was honest and confirmed my suspicion that the waffles were not freshly baked. The bruschetta, on the other hand, was pretty good and fresh. It's a nice shop in a good location. The service is good and friendly. The food is beautifully prepared. Addendum: For so much openness and good communication, I have revised your review again. Good luck with the new waffle recipe.

Unfortunately not fresh homemade waffles as advertised, but warmed Belgian ready-made products. And unfortunately they tasted like that too! It's a shame ☹️

Pleasant atmosphere and great service.

Very tasty food and nice atmosphere, friendly staff always very nice here 😊👍

Tourist sheds of the worst kind. Food underground. I've never had such bad fried potatoes, mixed old, dry and fresh. The breading on the schnitzel tasted like nothing, the schnitzel was fried to death. The side salad was swimming in an indefinable soup. The tomato pieces were ancient and tingled on the tongue. When we asked the service, the chef wanted to make the plate again. I rejected it, why not do it right? Boss sits at the entrance like a watchdog. It was much better years ago.

We were there as a family and had an evening that probably didn't go well. That's his own statement, with a big smile. There is something for everyone when it comes to choosing. You sat comfortably. Everything nicely prepared. The ladies and gentlemen were all very friendly. We were taken to a table that was sticky and wasn't wiped down until about 8 minutes later. We didn't like 2 of the 3 cocktails. We've had better ones. With the Ipanema I couldn't have said what it was supposed to be. Unfortunately the shrimp were cold and we couldn't find any aioli. A side salad was missing and one steak on the grill plate was completely dry. It was just an unusual evening. No standard. My goat cheese salad was excellent and highly recommended. The fish variations and my redfish fillet were also excellently cooked and seasoned. At the end, our youngest received an ice cream, which was lovingly brought.

Solid food, very nice staff and high prices. It was absolutely OK.