The Garden Restaurant & Café in Köln

Best service best chef Baris Abi

The service is bad, everything is very expensive and although there is only a 2-hour concept, you are removed from your table before the 2 hours are up.

A very cozy location and very friendly waiters (which makes a big difference). Henrik served us, and he does a great job; he's a very nice and courteous waiter. The food is delicious, always a decent portion and piping hot. Unfortunately, the only problem is that you can't sit for longer than 1.5 to 2 hours when it's very busy, and this is unfortunately never communicated before you sit down. The bill is usually frantically demanded at the table. Overall, a heartfelt recommendation.

First of all, I'd like to say that we arrived and sat down, and immediately upon placing our order, the waiter stopped with the words: "What would you like to start with?" and then with the words: "You have to get up after 2 hours." Even then, I wanted to get up immediately. Because this was the first time I'd ever experienced or seen anything like this. I haven't even seen or experienced anything like this in tourist spots. Ultimately, I left the same amount of money as the others... and no coupons! The prices are ridiculously expensive, as if I were sitting at a nice cafe with a sea view somewhere in Greece. By the way, the place was very loud! You could hardly hear your friend next to you. But you're sitting under a large tent or something similar with bedroom lighting. And then you're supposed to pay 3.50 for a pretzel? A "coffee" that was ready after two swallows. Felt like an espresso. After an hour and a half, the waiter came over and said he had to charge us because our two-hour reservation was full. Huh?? I asked him: "That's not true." Then he said, looking away from my face, "I'm sorry, it's not my fault!" "Once and never again!" "A little more respect for the guests!" And I doubt all the reviews are real! I can very well imagine that many are fake reviews from friends and acquaintances. But here's a real review!

It is said that we can only sit for 2 hours and then have to get up, which is ridiculous While I was there for 1 hour, they told me that me and my colleagues had been there for 2 hours and we had to get up. What a disgrace!!! The prices will never be this expensive again

After 2 hours they remove it forcibly. They expect you to spend up to a certain limit. It's disgusting.

I'm really disappointed with my experience here, twice. Even the first time it was borderline: We ordered soup and waited and waited. The waitress only came running when we had already had enough and wanted to get up. The store is really inviting. It's all the more sad that the service is so bad. I didn't really want to come back, but my friend persuaded me. A mistake, as it turned out. We were seen coming in and then simply ignored. The staff got up and left and we waited forever - over 15 minutes - without any attention. Then we had enough of it and got up. You don't feel welcome at all. For me, this store is a no-go and definitely not a recommendation.

For me, The Garden is something of an "insider tip" - although that's actually not true, because you almost always have to make a reservation here, which speaks for the quality! The shisha, especially the Adana skewer, is the best I've ever had - and that's really unusual for a "shisha restaurant". The fruit was also incredibly fresh and delicious even at night, just like everything else I bought there, and also the meze plate, the Ayran everything amazed me. Absolutely recommended!

I was recently at Garden Cologne and was served by the lovely Alev. She was consistently friendly, attentive and warm - exactly how you would expect good service! Despite the full house, she always had a smile on her face and was incredibly professional. Her recommendations were top and you could just tell that she was passionate about her job. Thank you very much, Alev – I’ll be happy to come back because of you!

Everything was really nice, the food is good, the attention is also very good, Mr. Emrah took good care of us, thank you for everything.

I am satisfied with the restaurant and the waiter Henrik serves me very quickly and always in a friendly manner

I really like being here and enjoy the shisha and the good food. I particularly recommend the Pineapple Lemon Line. Top waiter Henrik, always great service and accommodating.

Great service, delicious food, very friendly service

Thank you very much to Mr. Burak, he took very good care, the food and service were very nice.

Everything was great, Burak took great care of me, thank you very much.

The food was very tasty and the service was great. Thank you Burak

Everything was very good, Burak took very good care, thank you.

Thank you very much for everything, it was very nice, great environment, thank you to Burak, he took very good care of me.

Very nice place, the food was really tasty and thanks to Alev she took great care of us.

It's a nice place, they make good love, they have to give credit to their waiter named Ahmet.

Everything is great! Especially the service from Emrah, he was extremely courteous and we were warmly served. Thank you for the great service!

I tried the snack plate today and it was really fresh and delicious. The shisha was also great, the taste could be a little stronger for me. The waiter Yusuf was really nice and took good care of us. I'm always happy to be there

Service actually very bad. But the waiter Yusuf is really great and very attentive 👍 understaffed and you easily wait 45-60 minutes for the food

The food was delicious, but the service was sometimes unfriendly and annoyed, which unfortunately left a bad aftertaste in the evening. Unfortunately, we were not informed that only certain payment methods were permitted, which resulted in additional costs for us in the form of bank fees. The shop used to be a great place for a great evening, but now I would no longer recommend it.

Very disappointing – not recommended! We were treated unfriendly and disrespectfully by the staff. The tables were dirty and were not cleared, but our food was simply left on them - including dirty tray residue from the previous guest. What was also noticeable: The waiters only seemed interested in female guests and completely ignored others. This is not how you treat paying customers. Then half of the food we were still eating was cleared away. There are many better restaurants in Cologne - save yourself the trouble and don't be blinded. This was definitely the last time for us!

Price performance doesn't fit. There are much better quality locations in the area. Food was OK. Shisha without taste. But no one wanted to worry. I can't define clients. Seating very uncomfortable. Very aloof staff. Strangely enough, the location was very busy.

Very bad service from the staff. The tables remained dirty even though we pointed this out several times. The waiters seemed inattentive as they were more preoccupied with their own interests - especially women.

I can only recommend nice service

The ambience and atmosphere are super inviting. The food tastes very good and if you like, you can also enjoy your pipe in the beautiful location. The Garden team is very accommodating. Our regular waiter Mikail is very patient and takes great care of our table. As regular customers, we enjoy coming there and can only recommend it.

I don't have anything else to say about it

Hello, it was my first time in this lovely restaurant with my girlfriend. The food was good, especially the selection of desserts and the pistachio cake were highly recommended. The ambience was very inviting. What particularly struck me was that the service was attentive. The waiter Yusuf who served us was very polite and attentive and served us nicely so that we felt comfortable. All the best for The Garden. We'd love to come back :)

Bombastic atmosphere, totally nice service, best waiter Mikail Hammer performance

The food was delicious, the atmosphere was relaxed and the waiter Burak was super friendly and attentive. Happy to come back!

Burak served us at Café The Garden and left a consistently positive impression. Friendly to deal with, quick service and always present without being intrusive. Very pleasant. Thank you again, greetings to Burak

My favorite cafe! I like to eat there but also relax and smoke a shisha and drink something. I prefer to be served by the waiter Mikail because his service is very friendly and satisfying.

Great service, very good service from the waiter Yusuf

I can only wholeheartedly recommend the location. The Garden is always our first stop when we want to spend a nice evening with the girls. No matter what you order, it simply tastes great. The waiters are very friendly and the service is very welcoming. In particular I would like to highlight the waiter Mikail for his efforts.

This is my first time here and I was thrilled. The service is top. Mahmut thank you for the great service.

Very relaxed place, good vibes and delicious food. Waiter Mikail super accommodating, very helpful, effective and warm, best man, 💪🏼

Our regular restaurant and for me and my girls the place where good quality food is combined with a good pipe and delicious desserts. The ambience is inviting and cozy and has a touch of holiday feeling. A big thank you goes to the entire service staff for their always friendly and attentive service. I would particularly like to highlight waiter Mikail, who impressed us every time with his patience and courteous service and kept us calm 😂 Overall, this restaurant is highly recommended in every respect. 👍😍

As always, a very nice visit. The food and service are very good. A huge thank you goes out to Mahmut. He served us very well and gave us very good recommendations. So you feel very comfortable here. Besiktasli Kardesler herzaman beraberdir🦅

Very nice waiters, especially Mahmut, gave us a warm welcome and served us quickly.

Emir, Mahmut and Ahmet really made the evening special with their friendliness, attentiveness and professionalism. You were welcomed with a smile, the recommendations were great and they were always open to special requests. Big praise to the whole team!

The food was very tasty and the price was good. The employee Eiter who served us was very correct and friendly, I think his name was Mikail, he was the best waiter I have seen so far 🙂

I went to The Garden today and was served by three absolutely amazing waiters: Emir, Mahmut and Ahmed. All three were incredibly friendly, helpful and simply kind! You immediately felt welcome and comfortable. The service was attentive and with a smile - you can tell they do their job with heart. Thank you so much to you three, you really made my visit special!

Very pleasant shisha café with good food and a well-kept atmosphere. Burak is without a doubt the best waiter I have ever experienced! He is attentive, warm and knows exactly how to make guests happy. You want someone like that in every café!

I've been there several times with friends and the shop has a good atmosphere and the service, especially Burak, is very friendly every time. In general, me and my friends were always satisfied

Nice atmosphere, the service at Mikail is always problem-free and friendly!

Top service, enjoy spending time with friends there. And we're happy to leave it alone Waiter Mikail serves, does a great job and his service is an 11/10.👍 Best waiter!!!

I'm there every other week. Very nice atmosphere and we are served very warmly. Mikail in particular is a very good waiter. When he serves us the order goes very quickly and he is very friendly.

I went there for dinner with my friend this evening. I would like to thank Mr. BURAK for his special attention. Thank you, best waiter Burak

How much I love coming here! I prefer being served by Burak, he's really the most personable. Never had a bad experience with him. Service was always great considering it was so busy. ✨

Great cafe with a pleasant atmosphere! The shisha tasted great and the coal was changed regularly. I would particularly like to highlight Burak's service, which is very courteous, friendly and fast. You simply feel comfortable here. Absolute recommendation!!!!:)

I can say that Mikail is one of the best waiters there.

I find The Garden to be a very relaxing place. It is very nicely decorated and the food tastes very good too. The service from the waiters is also sensational. I was served by Burak and he was also very friendly.

In one word I can say that Mikail and Burak are the only waiters there, you guys are great…

The atmosphere is very pleasant. The waiters are very polite, especially the hospitality of the waiter Emir.

Everything was great. Above all, the service from the waiter Emir was great👍🏼

Load that is full of victims. 80 percent of the guests come from half of North Rhine-Westphalia. Because of these people from the Ruhr area, firstly you can't find a parking space in the surrounding area and secondly you can't find a seat either. Then these victims are still standing in line as if it were a trendy bar. Additionally, there is only one toilet for an extremely crowded store. Waiters also overwhelmed and unsatisfactory. I'll never come here again.

Very satisfied with the service, especially from the waiter Mikail 🙌🏽🙌🏽

Great service and very nice waiters especially Yusuf!

We spontaneously came to the garden after an engagement party. We were helped straight away and made room for us. Yusuf bey served us. Everything was great :)

I was there with my friends and the atmosphere and ambience were very nice, the cakes there were also very tasty. The waiter Burak did his job very well, was attentive and helped us a lot. Thank you for the great experience

I was in the restaurant yesterday, I would very much like your service Mr. mikeal reception was very friendly and nice, the food was delicious, I would like to come back, and I recommend it to others.

The food, the drinks, everything came very quickly. The service was very good, greetings Yusuf

Great service, nice and friendly :)

Great location and the waiter Mahmut served us well

The waiter Mikail at The Garden, simply great! Super friendly, super attentive and always in a good mood. 10/10 service!

Food great, shisha also very good. Waiters are very nice. Baris and Mahmut are the best waiters! 😊 I always enjoy coming there…

Everything was great, service was also great :) Many thanks to the waiters Mahmut and Burak

The Garden is without a doubt one of the best shisha bars I've been to. The atmosphere is really chilled, stylishly furnished and you feel comfortable as soon as you come in. The shishas are great - large selection of varieties, thick smoke and just really good taste. Special praise goes to the waiter Burak – super friendly, attentive and always in a good mood. Whether it's recommendations or just quick service - you'll feel like you're in good hands at Burak. He definitely plays a big part in ensuring that a visit to The Garden is always relaxed and pleasant. In short: If you want to enjoy a high-quality shisha in a cool atmosphere, The Garden is the right place for you. I'll definitely come back regularly!

Super friendly service. Further recommended Mahmut is the best waiter

Mr. Mahmut took very good care of us, we were very pleased in general.

We were very pleased with the service! We would especially like to thank the waiter Yusuf Bey.

We often go to their Restaurant & Cafe We are thrilled with your service, Mikael is very friendly and nice, we will always be happy to come back and I would be happy to help everyone . recommend

We went to The Garden today and were served by waiters Yusuf and Emir. Very nice and fun experience. Despite the fact that it was very busy, all of our wishes were taken into account. Gladly again

We were there today but weren't really happy. The employees were very dissatisfied and inattentive. And the shisha wasn't good at all, it was old tobacco and the coal wasn't changed regularly until we pointed it out. But the food tasted really good.

One star only because of the waiter

Good food, good staff, good ambience.

Simply a disaster!!! Everything too expensive... Poor service... Kitchen next to the toilet! Good seats reserved only for friends... Never again!!!!

More of a dump with such a nice name. Went without food. Not recommended.

We made reservations for a birthday and the food was really delicious. The prices are absolutely reasonable and the service was friendly. Unfortunately, there was one negative point: after only 2 hours we were asked to leave, as there is a maximum stay of 2 hours on weekends. We were not informed of this when making the reservation or on site. As a gesture of goodwill, we were granted an extension of 30 minutes, but it was still disappointing - especially since we drove an extra 89 km. It's a shame, because otherwise it would have been a completely successful experience!

the opening times are 👎🏽 and every time you think ah, that was tasty! bang, really shit next time! meze are disastrous and soups are cold! The store is simply outrageous! The main thing is that it looks good, it's not worth it for food! just drinking tea by the pot is enough!

Absolutely disappointing! We waited in the cold for almost an hour today, even though initially when I asked alone, as a female, I was told that it would be my turn in 15 minutes at the latest. But as soon as the staff saw that males had joined my group, the statement suddenly changed drastically. Suddenly there was no longer any mention of the 15 minutes and we were pushed further and further back. It seemed as if my request as an individual had not been taken seriously and as if we had only been properly “evaluated” when the entire group was visible. This obvious unequal treatment is more than disappointing! The entire system is disorganized and unfair. There is no possibility of reservation, but it was noticeable that women's groups were given priority, while mixed groups had a much more difficult time. Additionally, queuing is not done in order: a table of four became free, but the group in front of us (five) was ignored instead of simply adding an extra chair. Instead, someone else was moved forward from the line, while everyone who had been waiting for a long time was passed over. What's particularly annoying is that we drove a long way just to end up standing in the cold for absolutely nothing. After so much chaos and injustice, we finally felt it was too stupid to wait any longer. Everyone makes different promises here, and in the end you wait completely unnecessarily. A fair and transparent organization looks different! We're definitely not coming back.

At the beginning it was a charming shop that Ostheim needed. The Garden is no longer a place where I feel comfortable. The waiters were always a problem, disinterested, unqualified and prone to errors. The food is also overpriced and the concept of setting up a tent outside and putting customers who want food in a tent with customers who smoke shisha doesn't make sense to me. You can literally see how the Google rating has plummeted over the years. Too bad

Alev served us very well and is always friendly.

Henrik top waiter, super personable 👍🏼

March 14, 2025 around 9 p.m Unfortunately, our visit to this café was anything but pleasant. As soon as we entered, we were greeted extremely unfriendly by a gentleman in a smart suit with gelled hair. My friend politely asked if we could look at the back area since we had traveled from further away. His dismissive answer that “there is nothing curious inside” immediately made us feel that we were not welcome. Instead of a friendly greeting or a short explanation, we were made to feel like we were being a nuisance. A café not only thrives on what it offers, but also on hospitality - and that's exactly what we missed here. It's a shame, because the atmosphere certainly had potential. But we definitely won't be back with such a reception.

Unfortunately, our visit to this cafe was a disappointment. As soon as we entered we were greeted unfriendly by a gentleman in a smart suit with gelled hair. When my friend politely asked if we could take a look at the back area - since we had come from further afield - we only got the curt answer: "There's nothing interesting inside." This condescending attitude immediately made us feel unwanted. Hospitality definitely looks different! A café should be a place where guests feel welcome - unfortunately that wasn't the case here. It's a shame, because with a nicer reception the visit could have been completely different. But we definitely won't be coming back.

Great food 👍 Great nargile, great service, every now and then you should ask customers if they need anything else or if they need to get money..

Once we got to where we start, we first had to move around 3 times. The food was ordered, but out of 3 orders only 2 were taken, meaning one of us left empty-handed. Hoping that dessert would ease our grief, we suffered yet another disappointment. Unfortunately, a return visit is no longer an option.

Long waiting time of up to 15 minutes until a service came. And then it still didn't come. Service is friendly when it comes. Upside potential but talk less and do more..

Worst service There were 6 girls in the store today. 5 of them are waitresses themselves and that's not how you serve customers! First came 2 shishen instead of 3 and no waiter in sight. Coal was never changed on its own. My latte macchiato came without a saucer, without sugar, without a spoon, and was simply slapped down. It was super cold. Apparently the heaters weren't working and no other place was offered despite there being enough places. We were charged without any explanation. Apparently the waiter was off work. An explanation that we can sit would be welcome. We also wanted to order something. Normally you ask before paying. Waiters are extremely unfriendly and don't look when you call them. It could be that they are busy but we were noticed, so you can say that you will come back straight away. Of course we don't ask if we want anything else. The workers themselves don’t feel like working. After we asked for an ashtray we were told I have to go eat now??? Never experienced such bad service! Coffee was cold. Dessert at least tasted good. But you can get it somewhere else with better service

Ladies and Gentlemen Unfortunately, my visit to your restaurant was extremely disappointing. The food did not meet expectations in terms of quality or taste, and the service was inattentive and unprofessional. In addition, the waiting time was unreasonably long, even though the restaurant was not very busy. The cleanliness also left something to be desired. I would prefer not to give a star Due to these deficiencies, I cannot recommend your restaurant.

I hope the owner takes my review to heart and rethinks the processes. We got there at 8:30 p.m. and had to wait in line until 9:45 p.m., only to be told we could only stay for 2 hours. If such rules exist, it would be helpful if you could reserve a place in advance - either online or by phone. This would save you the long wait and make better use of your time on site. A star may be generous, but it's better than nothing. I hope something will change this situation!!!!

Apparently women are given priority when ordering here and had to wait 20 minutes for our order to be taken. The shisha was rubbish, the food was fine. When we wanted to leave we had to ask for the bill 100 times and continue to wait 20 minutes. The waiter was rude and whispered Turkish insults under his breath as if you didn't notice :)

Top recommendation from me, very nice restaurant/cafe waiter Baris is very attentive and friendly.

Unfortunately very disappointing On the recommendation of our friends, we visited the café on a Thursday evening. The ambience was very inviting and a little different than typical. Unfortunately the store was very busy and the service left something to be desired. We were shown to a seat in a short time, but we waited more than 20 minutes for our order to even be taken. There was no response to multiple approaches from the cellars. The pipe and the drinks were what we expected, but the prices were completely exorbitant. Conclusion: Unfortunately it is not worth another visit :(

Ouch! If I had read the reviews before I set foot in this store. If you want to be treated badly, argue with waiters and argue, this is the right place. I've never come across anything like that. After a wait of about 15-30 minutes, which was fine since there were no seats available, we were let in. After about 10 minutes the waitress came and took our order. The lady who took the order looked like it was raining for ten days. Zero motivation and just no desire to work. Our order was on the table about 15 minutes later, two drinks, dessert and a shisha. Spontaneously, 10 people came to have a drink and a dessert. While one waiter says, “No problem, I’ll make room for the group,” the other waiter doesn’t want to let the paying customers in, saying, “We’ll close soon, I want to call it a day.” There is no communication between the employees, everyone feels like they don't want to work and they treat customers like the last thing. Well, after a long discussion I had to take over the job of the waiter and tell him how to get 10 people seated at the tables. I then heard very cheeky comments like “Should I give you the whole shop” and “I want to call it a day”. While this waiter is talking about closing time, the Rappel shop is full and the other waiter is letting even more guests in. When it was time to pay, I was immediately told that card payments were not possible after midnight, only cash. The group of 10 then told the waiter that they would pay separately, which is actually normal?? And the waiter says “Yes, good for you, then I’ll have it until tomorrow and I want to get off work”. To make it easier with the change, the guys also made smooth sums out of it. For example, €14.30 is the amount the customer says “make it €15” and the waiter’s answer is “no, I don’t need the 70 cents”. He's really lucky that we're all so well behaved, I think other guests wouldn't have stayed as calm as we did. I also don't understand, if you don't feel like it, why do you work in the catering industry? According to the reviews, this doesn't seem to be an isolated case. We don't go there anymore and we won't make the money you earned through us Halal!

Shisha disaster Service, yeah Waiters only male and can't speak German Sometimes unfriendly and not trying hard More for Turkish people Parking very difficult More of a restaurant than a shisha bar Too overpriced there Sometimes there is a very long waiting time until you are assigned a place Overall the visit was disappointing.