**EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is from 2015. The restaurant quality and its dishes may have changed.**
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| The Sauerbraten is one of my favorite dishes at Cafe Old Vienna. |
With red hair and a name like Heather Gale, most people would think I am Irish. It makes sense. I have the pasty white skin, my first name is an Irish flower and my last name is an Irish wind.
However, my family is German and so I grew up eating a lot of German and Austrian food.
My great grandmother, Laura Berreth, made some of the best German food around and my grandma Carol Martel taught me how to make her family’s version of kuchen, a German dessert.
Being that I no longer live in North Dakota, where German food is cooked in almost every household and some restaurants, I find myself pining for a taste of home here in Myrtle Beach.
When that need gets too strong, I find myself at my FAVORITE restaurant on the Grand Strand: Cafe Old Vienna.
Cafe Old Vienna, located at 1604 N.Kings Hwy in Myrtle Beach, is in an unassuming strip mall behind a closed pizza shop with the words “Cafe” above the door.
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| The German Sampler plate has a schnitzel, two sausages, cabbage, potatoes and spatzel. |
If you didn’t know where to look, you would never find it.
In fact, my husband and I ate there this past week and noticed a group waiting for two more couples. When both couples arrived, they couldn’t stop talking about how they got lost trying to find the place.
Personally, I would like to keep the place a secret, but then I understand that for me to keep enjoying its goodness, more people need to find out about it.
The owners, Werner and Martina Horvath, have been going strong since they started working at the restaurant in 1997 and took it over in 2002. Read more about them HERE.
It started as a breakfast joint, but grew into a lunch and dinner restaurant.
On the menu are quintessential German and Austrian delicacies including schnitzels, goulashes and, my favorite, Sauerbraten.
Sauerbraten is fork tender beef that I read takes three days to prepare. It comes with gravy and two sides. I always pick the red cabbage and spatzel with gravy.
Each dish, side and a wonderful seasonal soup is made with care by Chef Werner.
In addition to the dinners, the meals come with a simple salad. But let me tell you. The dressing on the salad is AMAZING! I don’t know exactly how they make it, but, oh man, is it good.
What also makes this restaurant so alluring is the atmosphere. There are only about eight tables in the whole place, which means you NEED reservations or else you will go hungry (or have to go somewhere else.) Call 843-946-6252 to reserve a spot.
Read more about Cafe Old Vienna in the September (I know, it’s a long ways away) edition of Visit!
Until then, I will be reminiscing about my childhood with the German/Austrian delights of Cafe Old Vienna.
A Local's Look 
My husband and I were there two weeks ago at their new location. We have eaten there in the past when we visit Myrtle Beach and love it.. We had the Pork Schnitzel with red cabbage and Spatzle. The food is so good. Wish I could try every item.
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We just tried dinner at cafe vienna! We love German food and know what it should taste like. It was awful!!! The saurbrautin was gross, some vinegar brown sauce on 2 half inch pieces of meat! The sides were equally bad! With the food made as cheap as they could you would think the prices would be reasonable but no way!!! We were in at “happy hour” and where were the cheaper prices we paid $4 for a 12oz beer same as the regular price! We would have left but felt we couldn’t, and thought even though the prices were waaaay to much for what was served we stayed against our better judgement. We were so very disappointed with cafe vienna and what an expensive experience. Don’t go there!!
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Oh my! Thank you for letting me know! This story is from quite a long time ago and, when they moved to their new location, we only went once. I will put a note on the story.
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