Meister Gerhard in Köln

Great restaurant with small tapas and a solid wine selection. They have a daily changing menu. Prices are perfectly reasonable for the quality. Two to three tapas per person are plenty.

I went for the first time the Friday before last and fell in love instantly, but last Thursday I experienced such a bitter disappointment – ​​something I haven't experienced in the last 30 years in the restaurant business. When the owner personally tells me the table is free until 7:30 pm, and I tell him we're a group of seven planning to stay all evening, drink a lot, order bottles, and polish off five bottles of wine in the first round, and the owner tells me we'll manage, then I trust him as a guest. But when our group is split up and later reassigned to different spots, we don't get anything out of it as a group, especially since the waiters repeatedly tell us we're in the way. Ridiculous... So we pay and go somewhere else, but we won't be coming back here. It's a real shame. It had the potential for a long friendship, but if you enjoy driving your customers away, it's not going to work. But he's his own boss and can do whatever he wants. C'est la vie.

It was amazing. There were five of us, and we reserved a table in the vaulted cellar. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the food and drinks were even better.

We were invited and delighted by the charming restaurant and the delicious tapas. So many small dishes, all very tasty. The service was very friendly and attentive. It was a lovely evening there.

Fantastic food, lively atmosphere

A restaurant with a very nice atmosphere – we especially enjoyed the wine cellar. Unfortunately, the food was only average. We expected more.

A great tapas shop that not only impresses with its taste but also with its ambience

We spent a wonderful evening in the very cozy wine cellar. The service was very friendly, attentive, and engaging! The food was fantastic: the two of us had seven tapas (six would have easily been enough, but with such a great selection, we simply couldn't resist), all vegetarian or vegan... although I personally was also drawn to others... The dishes were all very sophisticated in their combination of components/ingredients, but above all, the interplay in the mouth and the ability to taste the individual components was very successful and exciting. Simply everything was perfect👍👍👍

A nice shop in itself but the service, especially outside, really needs improvement when you have to order several times and then, despite clear explicit instructions, the wrong things are brought

Great selection of tapas! There are always seasonal specials – highly recommended! The atmosphere and location are also really cozy!

Incredibly cool shop. Everything is just right here! We simply love it.

Mega tapas restaurant in the heart of Cologne, cozy, super tasty & great service.

A fantastic tapas bar in the south of Cologne with a selection of great food and drinks on the menu. There was also a daily specials menu with additional dishes. The food was of the highest quality, and the service was very attentive and friendly. The ambiance was cozy, almost rustic, and somewhat quirky. At times, it was quite busy, which naturally affected the noise level. All in all, a perfect evening!

Nice Service. We booked it for an event and you had all the time something new to taste. The space is a bit tiny to navigate through, but it has a nice friendly touch and the drinks are good.

A beautifully decorated restaurant. Disappointing experience. Upon entering, we asked if we could sit at a window table in a completely empty restaurant. No, that's not possible; it's reserved. OK, no problem. Then we ordered some promising-sounding dishes and a bottle of red wine. The tapas were mainly poorly reheated dishes. Often garnished with mediocre pre-made salads and long-prepared, far-from-fresh ingredients. The homemade cheese croquette was ice cold and, due to reheating, limp and chewy instead of crispy and deliciously moist on the inside. The tuna tataki was of mediocre quality or had been frozen—downright tough. In short, the prices were far too high for mediocre food that was poorly reheated. To make matters worse, as we were leaving, we were met with a passive-aggressive snap from the waitress asking why we hadn't given a tip. Unbelievably rude and impolite. By the way, the table by the window was still empty when we left, just as it was when we arrived...

Highly recommended! Delicious tapas, a wide selection, and great service with a remarkable memory; she was able to assign two to three orders for each of eight people. Unfortunately, seating was very tight.

The quality of the food has been top-notch for years. Unfortunately, the seating is cramped. The service is very person-dependent and at times lacks enthusiasm.

We spent a wonderful evening with friends at Master Gerhard's. The table downstairs in the wine cellar was atmospheric, the best we could have had. The tapas were fresh, sophisticated, and delicious. The service was very friendly and attentive. Thank you!

Is a good option for small dishes and snacks while sipping a fresh drink. The terrace to the street is very nice, and you can absorve the lively vibe of the Rathenau area. They have a good selection of summer drinks like Spritz, Gin Tonic, Lillet, or Prosecco. As a person that has eaten a lot by teh mediterranean area, the tapas are okeyish, but if you are not used to that type of kitchen, you'll be very glad with your drinks, the food and the vibe. The price range is standart for a pre-party night-out or a chip-chap evening with your best friends.

Unfortunately, the quality of the food isn't at all impressive. We had grilled eggplant, which was served cold. The four gnocchi were completely overpriced. The mushroom risotto lacked any mushrooms, and half a halloumi with nectarine (without pistachios, despite being advertised) was also disappointing. The flatbread is a mass-produced staple. Drink prices are okay. The ambiance and decor are rustic and pleasant, although the tables are very close together, and you have to move tables and chairs to get up. You used to get more value for money, which is a shame.

We had the best tapas we've had in ages here. Very friendly service and a truly fantastic location.

Lovely atmospheric tapas bar, very friendly staff, accommodating a single non German speaking customer. Food is innovative, reasonably priced and tasty. This is my third visit in six nights in Cologne . . says it all!

We had a wonderful celebration in our garden and, thanks to the catering by Master Gerhardt, a fabulous meal with beautifully presented appetizers, delicious main courses, and outstanding desserts. The service was very pleasant, professional, and uncomplicated.

The service staff were very attentive and friendly. I chose the restaurant because I've always enjoyed the ambiance on my previous visits over the years. Unfortunately, the Spanish tapas didn't impress me at all this time. For me, they had little to do with authentic tapas. They lacked taste and attention to detail. Especially considering the price, it was disappointing. It's a shame, because I'm sure there's much more potential here!

Very nice location. Great wines, several tapas were a bit on the small side, like the dates. The creams could be better, and the aioli in particular was also too small.

Very tasty and varied food, very friendly service. If I'm back in Cologne, I'd gladly visit again.

Nice place, chill atmosphere amazing food and friendly stuff. Amazing pmace we loved it

Very tasty and not too expensive (of course, it's not exactly cheap, but it's mid-range). During peak times, there can be longer wait times, but the service is very friendly, and it's worth the wait.

The basement area is particularly recommended.

Cool place to try lots of tapas flavours

Very tasty tapas, a great selection, and friendly and attentive service. We were able to sit outside in the beautiful weather. A definite recommendation!

What a disappointment. We didn't like any of the tapas. There were three of us. We ordered the Andalusian chicken. It came with three dips: bread, pimientos, albóndigas, and ceviche (the last disappointment; it was mostly wakame and lettuce). The shrimp were tasty. The aioli tasted like salad dressing. The prices are high. The drinks we ordered were full of ice cubes, and the glasses were only half full. I can't recommend it. Everything tasted bland, and I wouldn't go back for any of the dishes. It's a shame. The place is nice and rustic. But it was quite crowded at the table, and there was hardly any distance between the tables next to us.

The food was tasty, but not outstanding. It lacked that final touch. The service was friendly and attentive.

This has little to do with authentic tapas like in Spain. But that's a matter of taste, as we all know.

Nice location with good wine, but tapas are unfortunately just average that day.

It used to be one of my favorite places. The quality was always inconsistent. The food and bread were often not warm enough. It was the same on my last visit, but the portions had been halved. The albondigas were only two, and the fish duet consisted only of loup de mer. Unfortunately, we'll have to look for other restaurants now, because we won't be going to Meister Gerhard again for a while. What a shame!

Solid experience, but a bit overhyped... Overall, not ideal for the price :/ Many of the tapas dishes were delicious, but some were poorly prepared or extremely small (risotto, eggplant, bacon-wrapped dates). The atmosphere was very cozy, though :)

It's a shame that would-be restaurateurs ruin everything. 15 minutes after we got our food, we were told we couldn't get any more drinks because the table was needed in 15 minutes. It's kind of a disgrace. Absolutely not recommended.

Been to Meister Gerhard for the second time. The first time I thought it was due to the situation that on the weekend you have to wait 1.5 hours for a starter plate when ordering tapas. Today the 2nd time here and the same procedure. If you make a reservation here, you have to expect to get a table outside and only be served the first tapas after 1.5 hours.

Good tapas and good wine, a place to enjoy. Sometimes it gets a bit loud, but you can live with that 😉

Cute corner restaurant with delicious food to share.

It is a restaurant that is known by all generations in Cologne. The Meister Gerhard is a place where it's casual, the food isn't perfect and the service is good and simple. Many a student has financed their studies here over the years and this is sometimes noticeable in the casual manner and the wildly fluctuating quality of the service. Unfortunately, it is also uncomfortable in some areas of the restaurant. For me, a place that is good but not called to something higher, but that's how it should be.

I recently went to this wonderful tapas shop and absolutely loved it! The ambience is really something special: cozy, warm and stylish at the same time. You immediately feel comfortable and welcome. The service is attentive and friendly, but pleasantly unobtrusive. You can sit outside and that's unbeatable, especially on warm evenings. And most importantly: the food was an absolute pleasure! Every single tapa was freshly prepared, cleverly seasoned and lovingly served!

Very tasty and varied food (the tapas were great!), very nice service and a top price-performance ratio!! Clear recommendation 👍👍

The dishes from the daily menu were much tastier. The regular menu items were solid, but there is more. The food took a little too long to arrive. Very nice atmosphere!

Master Gerhard at Rathenauplatz in Cologne offers light and shadow. The friendly service, the clear menu and the good selection of wines all make the evening pleasant. Unfortunately, the quality of the food is disappointing: the bread is over-baked and the taste of the tapas has little to do with authentic Spanish cuisine. The price-performance ratio is also not right, as the dishes are too expensive for their quality. Another point of criticism is the limited reservation period of only two hours, which makes the evening unnecessarily stressful. Overall, a mixed experience – perhaps worth a visit for wine lovers, but not for tapas fans.

We had a lovely evening with good food. Overall, I think the portions of the tapas don't quite do justice to the prices, I think other tapas restaurants are better. Still a nice shop.

Great restaurant! Perfect for a lovely date, especially down in the wine cellar, if you can call it that. The food was delicious!

Nice atmosphere and service. Unfortunately, the food was really disappointing—we remembered it being much better.

The food was OK, but it used to be much better. Unfortunately, the service was overwhelmed - we had to wait a full 30 minutes for our drinks.

Really great and attentive service!

We like to come here again and again because the restaurant has a very special flair of its own. The selection is very diverse and it is always worth studying the daily menu in more detail 😋 The drinks are also excellent, both wine and the creative house aperitifs. The interior has a romantic touch and a wild mix of compositions: wooden tables with wine bottles and candle edges. However, the quality (and size) of the food has varied lately, so it's a bit frustrating. Some of the service staff seem to be at their limit and so last time we waited 20 minutes for the starter plate (summer 2024).

Get in the mood! Ambiance and service is great. Be sure to reserve a table in advance! The tappas are good, but really nothing special. Of course they taste great, but you don't get the “WOW” effect.

Top tapas restaurant!!! Very tasty food, great atmosphere, very friendly and helpful staff!!! You definitely have to try it! It's worth it!

Really great restaurant in a great location with the finest tapas. A very clear recommendation. The ambience is very good and the service is also competent and prompt. The beef tagine is an absolute highlight - but all the other dishes we ordered also tasted great

Best Tapas Bar in Köln. Been here already a couple of times and it is always great. The restaurant is super cozy, and they offer a wide tapas selection. Make sure to reserve.

Delicious food and nice service :)

Worth every penny. Independent of if you want some hearty, meat dishes or rather go for a vegetarian or vegan option, you'll discover new combination of tastes. You'll need about 3-4 "tapas" based on your appetite :) Don't forget to taste the lemonades!

We were there on New Year's Eve. Menu and service were top.

Best restaurant in Cologne! There is a cozy, chic atmosphere here, extremely friendly and attentive service, super fresh and always new, inspiring cuisine! I like to celebrate my birthdays, Christmas parties or anniversaries here! Keep it up! 🩷

Thank you very much for the delicious catering for our Christmas party this year! The collaboration with Momo & his team was professional, attentive and creative at all times and the coordination with our party location was also perfect and gave us a wonderful evening! Gladly again ;-)!

Absolutely delicious 😋.. great ambience, friendly service... always worth a visit!!!!

Yesterday we had our first visit with Master Gerhard in Cologne and we are absolutely thrilled! The food was fantastic - every dish was a taste experience. The service was attentive, friendly and completely perfect. We felt very comfortable and will definitely come back. Thank you for the great evening!

Great place, cool service, nice drinks. Food was amazing tasty. This was my first time there and for sure not the last. Highly recommend to visit if you want to have nice evening 😊😊😊✨✨✨

We had a nice spot in the wine cellar, a little away from the hustle and bustle. The service was A1 and the selection of tapas was also really good. The food was delicious. However, the meat content in the meat dishes was very small. 🙈

So, that’s Master Gerhard. We haven't been able to enjoy such delicious and, above all, creative tapas cuisine for a long time 😋👍. In particular, the wealth of ideas, taste and freshness are really top!!! The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Price-performance ratio is definitely okay. It was a great overall package. THANKS!!!! 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 So, that's Master Gerhard. We haven't been able to enjoy such delicious and, above all, creative tappas cuisine for a long time. In particular, the wealth of ideas, taste and freshness are really top!!! The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The price-performance ratio is definitely okay. It was a great overall package. THANKS!!!

Very tasty food, the deer was great. Nice service, cool atmosphere. Was here by chance and would come back at any time.

Great for a snack, a drink, a meeting with friends.

We really liked the ambience, the selection of tapas and drinks. The tapas aren't exactly cheap, the garnishes on the tapas were almost always the same, the pimientos were sometimes a bit dark, but overall we were satisfied with the food and wine. One thing that bothered me: we were basically already finished and full, almost everything was empty, and the bread basket was refilled without asking - the waitress put the basket with a lot of bread down without comment and immediately left. We hardly ate any of it because we were already full and couldn't find anything on the menu that was supposed to cost bread, but we were even more surprised when it was on the bill. I know that you obviously have to pay for additional bread, but that's because you order it or it's on the menu. I don't think it's so cool that it's put up without being asked and without saying a word - both because it's billed and in terms of food waste. Also good to know: You only have your table for 2 hours. That was enough for us, but it wasn't pointed out at the beginning, so it might come as a surprise if you want to take your time.

Very nice shop. Delicious food. Good wines. Fair price-performance ratio. Service staff is always friendly and on their toes!

Amazing little restaurant with cozy interior which serves great food & wine. The service was really friendly and the meals of the day were very tasty. Will definitely come back!

Tapas are quite good 6.5/10 the selection is not that big. Unfortunately, Aperol raspberry was just okay. The location is very nice.

Very tasty, cozy, a beautiful place, both in summer and in winter!

Tisch für 4 reserviert um 21:00. Tisch freigehalten, Stand aber leider im Regen. Echt coole Leistung! in Köln leider gewohnte professionelle Leistung!

The food here is always great. The service was a little slower than usual but everyone was friendly.

Gefreut haben wir uns über die nette Kellnerin hinter der Theke, die sehr aufmerksam und freundlich war. Auch sonst waren die Kellner freundlich, alle bis auf eine. Und diese eine hatte leider ein Benehmen, das an Unverschämtheit nicht zu übertreffen ist. Trotz Reservierung hat uns die blonde Kellnerin, die die Tische vergeben hat, einen Hochtisch direkt neben der Toilette zugewiesen. Schnell haben wir nachgefragt, ob wir vielleicht einen anderen freien Tisch kriegen könnten, da beim Toiletteneingang, der weniger als 1m(!) entfernt war, auch noch on top jedes mal die Tür laut zugeknallt ist, wenn ein Gast rein oder rausgekommen ist. Bis 5min später ein weiterer Tisch frei geworden ist, lautete die Antwort erst mal: „Leider sonst nichts frei“. Auf die Nachfrage, ob wir nun zum freien Tisch umziehen könnten, war die sinnfreie Antwort, der Tisch sei aber reserviert. Auf meine Erklärung, dass unser Tisch dann ja frei würde, kam die an Unverschämtheit nicht zu übertreffende Antwort: - Ja, aber die nächsten Gäste würden sich dann ja auch über die Toilettentür beschweren.- Wow. Was kann man da noch sagen. Uns hat sich die Frage gestellt - wenn es anscheinend bekannt ist, dass Beschwerden über diese Tür kommen - warum dann nicht einfach etwas Stoff in den Rahmen kleben und das Problem aus der Welt schaffen? Oder diesen Tisch einfach insgesamt nicht mehr vergeben? Mit dieser wirklich ärgerlichen Situation hat unser Besuch dort gestartet. Nach der ersten Bestellrunde haben wir ganze 45min(!) auf die zweite Bestellung warten dürfen. In der Zwischenzeit wurden die ungepolsterten Barhocker am Hochtisch leider sehr unangenehm. Wir werden dort nicht nochmal hingehen. Da gibt es weitaus angenehmere Tapasbars in Köln mit einem kundenorientierteren Service und angemessenen Wartezeiten. Zwei „Sterne“ vergeben wir dennoch für den Rest des Personals und für das Essen, das lecker war, auch wenn man lange darauf warten musste.

Food came quickly, our service was a 10/10

Fantastic tapas, great bar and a good wine selection.

There's still room for improvement: stale Kölsch, tapas are fine, service is good except for the table management. Maybe again if necessary...

My expectations were more but it was an average tapas place.

Nice place, nice atmosphere but actually a bit disappointed with the food. We were served bread from the day before. The remaining “tapas” didn’t really taste anything special either. Some of it didn't really taste that good and it didn't taste fresh either. Except the Andalusian chicken with couscous was okay. I'll be happy to come back for a drink but probably not for the food... in my opinion it's well covered with nice furnishings, a cozy atmosphere etc. - but in my opinion there's not that much to it. I understand the look of “used bowls” or whatever you can call them - but there is a limit somewhere. But nice and attentive service.

One of my absolute favorite places in Cologne. Food, staff, owner, location - mega!

Top! We recommend! The waiters are all super friendly!

Very tasty food. Also for vegetarians and vegans. Even though it was busy, the dishes came relatively quickly. Service very pleasant and friendly.

I really liked the tapas, but they are small, so I recommend ordering several per person. The place is very nice

Tages-Tapas kreativ, geschmacklich jedoch nur durchschnittlich - hat nicht überzeugt. Auch die „normalen“ waren nur okay. Ich hatte auf Grund von Google-Bewertungen deutlich mehr erwartet und würde das nächste Mal ein anderes Tapas-Lokal wählen. Positives Feedback geht aber ans Personal: wir wurden schnell, freundlich und aufmerksam bedient.

Okay, the location is really nice and fits perfectly into the Veedel. The team is on the ball and friendly. The tapas didn't convince us. We had 4 variations from the standard menu. Everything was a step too burnt and the alioli wasn't worth mentioning. We'd love to come back, more for a nice glass of wine.

Delicious food and incredibly friendly service staff

I went there 2 times . First time , very good food and service . Second time , waited 40min to get first food and not good quality and service wasn’t good at all.

The day before yesterday I celebrated my birthday with 9 people at Meister Gerhard. Everything was right: food, service, atmosphere. Just perfect! Thank you for the lovely evening and your commitment!

What a nice restaurant, the atmosphere, the staff, nice and relaxed, nice music, all the details are correct

It's a nice place but when it gets busy,it's loud. Also I booked a table for downstairs and then I arrived I was told that I can't sit there for another 1 hour,so had to take the table on ground floor. Food was delicious, portions are good, service is fast. I would come back.

Very enjoyable. Cosy atmosphere, dimmed lights. Cool variety in the menue.

Food used to be tastier! Ambience is perfect!

Nice restaurant and delicious tapas

Very tasty food. Mostly full and quite loud, but quaint :).

Master Gerhard is simply awesome! This iconic Cologne pearl is known for its crazy tapas, which not only pamper the palate but also offer a culinary trip around the world. Flavors from all over the world come together here and have a huge party in your mouth! The atmosphere is super relaxed, the team is super friendly and the owner? A real rock star in gastronomy! But be careful: This location is so popular that you'd better reserve a spot in advance, otherwise you might find yourself in front of a closed door - and that would be a real shame! So grab your friends, reserve a table and let Master Gerhard take you on a culinary journey in a class of its own!

Delicious tapas - nice service - recommended!

Food and service were great. Unfortunately it was far too narrow and too loud for my taste.

A tapas restaurant for students with very limited seating. The quality of the food is good, but expensive. Large selection of products.