Café waterkant in Esens

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.

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!!!

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

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.

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

Everything was just good, I will visit again!!

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

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.

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 👍

For us it was one of the best restaurants in town

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. 👍

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”.

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.

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🍹

The veggie burger is really recommended!

Super nice people and great food. Top

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.

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.

Delicious food, friendly staff. Fits👍

Pleasant atmosphere and great service.

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

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.

Delicious food. Smooth, friendly service. Only cash payment possible.

We were guests there. The personnel is very friendly and courteous. The consumption was very good and tasty 😋. We felt very comfortable.

Very very tasty food! The service is also very friendly. I've been coming back for years and have always been very satisfied. I recommend reserving a table in advance as it can be very busy, especially during the holiday season.

There is a pleasant ambience in the outdoor area. The menu is normal in the dining area.

Super nice atmosphere, good service, food was also very good. Were there with 6 people and 2 dogs. Card payment is possible.

Delicious daily specials for good money

We once again had the pleasure of dining at this wonderful restaurant and it was once again an unforgettable experience. The food was simply first class – every bite was a delight! The service was excellent, it really couldn't be better. The staff are attentive, friendly and always strive to provide guests with a perfect experience. The ambience also contributes to making you feel completely comfortable here: cozy, stylish and inviting. This restaurant is highly recommended and we are already looking forward to our next visit!

Unfortunately the service was stuffy and the fish was fried too greasy. For my taste, the ambience was randomly thrown together and completely overcrowded. Also not really child friendly. We felt unwelcome with our 10 month old peaceful child.

The restaurant is located near the Spielwerk and can be reached quickly from the harbor car park. We ended up here by chance because the other guests' plates caught our attention as we walked past. In the wonderful sunshine, we sat on the terrace, which is equipped with various seating options (benches, beach chairs, lounge sofas). The food (baked fish with fried potatoes, children's kibbeling and homemade gnocchi with Mediterranean vegetables and wolffish) was excellent and plentiful. The prices are completely reasonable and fair.

We were there for the first time today. The food was terrific! The service was excellent. Very friendly staff, a great atmosphere. It is not only perfect for a delicious dinner, but certainly also for an afternoon coffee. We will be back definitely!

We wanted to eat ice cream and are absolutely disappointed. Strawberry cup and an Ossi cup. For both of them it was NOT milk ice cream but sorbet. There were a total of 2 strawberries. There were far too many raisins in the Ossi cup. The ice cream had NO taste. almost €18 thrown down the drain. The waitress also asked if everything was OK, to which I told her .... that it was NOT milk ice cream.... She... So it doesn't taste good? Yes it is! ... It would be just normal ice cream 😏 and it went!!! We can't recommend it more, for this price.

We went to this cozy restaurant for the first time last night as part of our family vacation. The staff was extremely friendly and very attentive. Unfortunately, one of us had to drive back to the holiday home before dinner due to feeling unwell. The carefully wrapped dish was given to us with best wishes for a quick recovery. An exceptionally warm-hearted service for which we would like to thank you very much!! We would definitely like to come back! :-)

The waffle is an insult! I've rarely been presented with something so disgusting. Hands off!

Really delicious food that lives up to its price. And there are even moving robots.

I ate carriage plates. Sauce tasted like old oil

Service very friendly; Apple strudel a poem

Very nice reception. Cozy atmosphere and the food is fanatical

I had dinner at Waterkant with my wife this evening because we had read the good reviews and were in good spirits. On the whole, these were understandable, but unfortunately my wife and I's food was cold by the time it was at the table (coconut curry soup and schnitzel). Unfortunately, this spoiled the good overall impression. And you have to expect longer waiting times (for us it was almost 45 minutes)!

Went here for the first time today and we'll definitely be back!! Eater was very tasty and prices were also completely okay (fresh ingredients and well seasoned).

Stopped here for the first time. Food, service and ambience were top. Food was very good. Service very attentive and friendly. It was a great evening. Thank you for that. We recommend. The price-performance ratio is definitely right here.

Very nice service, latte macchiato and cappuccino were good but the waffle, oh well. To me it tasted like weapons from the pack, briefly warmed up and not like freshly prepared ones

Very cozy, beautiful restaurant! Super friendly service and the food was excellent! 😋 Gladly again! Update 5/22/24 Super disappointed today...🥺 Schnitzel, asparagus, potatoes and hollandaise for €26.90 Schnitzel frozen product, asparagus inedible woody, potatoes partly brown and yellowish inside because not fresh...a mini portion. I left hungry because I spit out the asparagus and my husband ate the schnitzel. However, he was happy with his fish. Hopefully an isolated case...I would have ordered something else🤷‍♀️

The long waiting time was made up for by the very friendly waitress (seems to be new to the job). Very nice!

The Café Waterkant is easily accessible directly at the harbor in Bensersiel. The restaurant was well attended and all age groups were represented at the surrounding tables. The restaurant is very tastefully decorated. The dishes were served quickly and were impressive both visually and in terms of taste.

We only drank a latte macchiatto on the roof terrace but the atmosphere was so great that we will definitely come back :)

A pleasure. Very friendly staff, great selection of food and you can sit on the terrace and enjoy.

The ambience and the area is beautiful, I ate there yesterday mini schnitzel with fried potatoes with the peel still on, 5 stalks of asparagus a touch of hollandaise from a tetra pack and 0.33 cola for 30 euros. And the small Asian waitress was very unfriendly when I wanted to order and had a question about the dish. Conclusion: It tasted good but it wasn't enough for the price.

After more than 20 years, Bensersiel is the best restaurant for us! We were sometimes there twice a day, only drinks in the afternoon and dinner in the evening. Everything was fantastic and very tasty. A very special compliment and thank you to the service. We can't imagine the place without Clarice and Sammy, their professional and funny ways. We like to come back again and again. Wolfgang and Claudia

Very long waiting time for food and service. We were here on Ascension Day, the restaurant was only busy outside, but it still took far too long. After only 15 minutes we had a ticket. Then wait another 30 minutes for kibbeling, noodles and mussels. That wasn't good, even asking multiple times didn't help, the service didn't really care. A pity. We won't come again. The mussels and noodles were ok, the kibbles for the child were good. Toilets in the basement.

We were very disappointed, the food was cold and didn't taste good either. Service was a long time coming. Table joints were stuck with leftover food. Salt and pepper mills very dirty. We cannot recommend this restaurant more highly. Once and not again.

Very friendly, regular customer for years

A cozy restaurant with attentive and friendly service and great fish.

Unfortunately I can't say anything about the food, as we only had something to drink there several times. The service was great and very friendly, the atmosphere was very pleasant. Will definitely eat there next time we're here. I can only say from the look of what other guests were served, it was very good.

Delicious food, friendly service and a good Aperol Spritz. What more do you want.

We were there for dinner. There was almost nothing going on and yet it took forever until we got the dinner menu. It was easily an hour before we got the food. Maybe these days we have to overlook something like that. (Keyword shortage of staff.) What bothered me more was that there was a plaice on the menu, but a plaice fillet, which is equivalent to half a plaice, was served. To make matters worse, the first page of the map reflects on corona arbitrariness and harassment over sales tax. In addition, they advertised extensively that the portions would not be smaller, but that the price would have to be increased. Unfortunately, as described above, this was not the case. About the location: Great ambience and great outdoor terrace!

Sensational restaurant. The little Asian girl in service rocks the thing. If Monday and Tuesday weren't closed, I would have made a reservation again today. So I only have my last day left, Wednesday. Food is unreservedly good. If you like noble fish soups, a poem and the black beer punch is also delicious. But everything else tastes good too. Thank you for everything.

A great team, great food. Something for every taste. very friendly staff

Super friendly service and a brilliant ambience.

No barrier-free toilets! Referral to a public toilet by staff. Food rather average. Served nicely, but dishes are completely impractical. Basically mass processing... it serves the purpose, but there's a lot of room for improvement...