Cafe International

Quite honestly I was a bit disappointed. Nothing bad, like I would still eat there probably if I was invited, but I would pick another place if I had my saying. The place is ok, kind-of “German” if you would. More designed for people to come drink and eat something quick, then go. I didn’t get a table, just a high top and an almost high chair, so if I sat the table was at chest height making not very comfortable to eat. I had to stand up to do it. The food was a 6/10 and too expensive for what I got. I ordered the wienerschnitzel that came with 2 sides, I ordered both the German potato salad which was ok but didn’t blow my mind, and the mash potatoes which was bland. The wienerschnitzel was ok, savory and the one thing that made the whole platter make sense was the added gravy, in which I dunked both the dinner roll I got (extra points for being a pretzel roll, though it was too soft in my opinion) and some of the mashed potatoes. 4 things stood out: in winter, that place is damn cold. I was sitting under one of those standing heaters that are so popular, but the front door was wide open and it was around 36-38 last night, so my back was freezing. The second one is how slow they can get when crowded. It took around 20 minutes to get my order. It’s not awful honestly but if you’re used to fast service, this might bug you. 3rd thing is they charged me extra for the gravy, but I wasn’t told that would be the case. Last one: a 1 person dinner ended up costing 32 usd. If food had been better I’d be ok with that, but it wasn’t, so I’m not.

Food was decent. The weisswurst was good and so was the knockwurst. Very festive and Santa is walking around with lots of decorations. Live music. Great patio. Hot chocolate and apple cider. Friendly service.

We had a very good time here. Had two bratwurst (one veggie one regular) they were great. The pretzel bun was amazing Nice view and location

Nostalgic Spot With Great Potential, But Needs Some Kitchen Attention I’ve been coming to Café International since I was a kid, and it’s always held a special place in my heart. My dad has loved their Reuben sandwich for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, on this visit the Reuben was about half the size it used to be, which was disappointing for something that’s always been a go-to favorite. I ordered the BLT, and while the flavor was good, the portion didn’t quite match the price. Two slices of bacon and a tomato sliced in half just isn’t worth over $10. We also ordered a Hefeweizen, but it came out pretty flat and didn’t taste like a true Hefeweizen at all. The location is still great, and the atmosphere hasn’t lost its charm, but it feels like the kitchen could use a little extra attention and care. With a bit more consistency and love, this place could shine the way it used to.

It is a good location but service was a bit slow. There were several pieces of hair in my salad so that was a bummer. The salad bowl also looked really dirty. Not sure if it was dirty or just stained. The rest of my party had sandwiches which all were good. Overall would probably not go again.

Food was fine. Not authentic German, but neither is the town. :) The German potato salad was really good, and the pretzel with butter and salt was delicious. The view over the river was really lovely. We enjoyed watching the water on the rocks while we waited for our food.

An excellent Reuben, fantastic beer, and a cozy atmosphere that instantly took me back to everything I loved about living in Bavaria. Prost! 🇩🇪🍻

Second time here! Great view of the river and tubers. Our family enjoyed our lunch: Bavarian pretzel was large and tasty. We also had the Reuben, German Wurst Platter, and Buffalo Chicken Wrap. All very good. Server Lucas took great care of us!

Great service! Flavorful wurst( Knox wurst, weisswurst, and bratwurHot apple cider hit the spot on a cool night! Hot German potato salad unlike any tried before.

Unexpectedly good! More of a dive feel but, we had everything we needed. They had a main stage just outside with live music, we sat by the river and had good service and food! The patio we sat on was wrapped with plastic like a tent cover for the cold weather and the beers were good. The Sandwhich I had was excellent! Real thick cuts of meat and my husband got the platter. Cost was right on. :)

When I was in Helen for Oktoberfest we stopped off at Cafe International for a some food and drink. I would say overall, it was a pleasant experience. But not much really made it stand out. With many of the spots on the main drag, the food is going to be pricey for the quality/quantity you get. So, keep expectations in line. My guess is that most of there customer base are tourists. The menu was pretty standard for the area along with the tap list. I will say, the service was better than the average joint on the strip. Our servers were friendly and attentive. It also has a nice little patio section that is fully covered. It allows you to sit outside near the water. When I go to Helen again I might end up here. I'm not opposed. But also not going to seek it out.

Just came for a hot chocolate with rum chata and peppermint bark. It was delicious. They had great Christmas music and loved the decoration and fire going. Staff was very nice.

What a hidden gem! We sat outside overlooking the water and watched people tubing by, it was so relaxing. Even in 90-degree heat, there was a cool breeze that made it surprisingly comfortable. I ordered the vegan Beyond Bratwurst on a pretzel bun (no butter), with sauerkraut and fries. It was my first time trying a vegan bratwurst, and I loved it, it tasted just like I remember a real brat should taste! The service was quick, and everyone was incredibly friendly. Parking is limited, but we were lucky to find a spot. Also, it's dog friendly! So glad we found this jewel of a place, highly recommend!

The service was awesome. The people were really friendly and the wait time was not very long. It's just a relaxing place to sit and enjoy. Looking at the river and just watching people walk by

After getting and consuming my meal, I found it to be way over priced ($30) for what I got. But that was not was I was charged. I was charged $31.62 (I believe) for the Chattahoochee board. The two decent sized sausages were ok. The beer cheese for the pretzel was like warm. All of the "mains" had an added charge on the bill. Our waiter explained why, but it made no sense to me.

Service was good but the food was just ok! I will say the German potato salad was excellent but the rest was just ok...not bad...but not 5 stars

We got reuben. The sandwich came with chips and not fries. The sandwich was very greasy and didn't have a lot of meat on it. We also got a pretzel with beer cheese. The beer cheese was good and tasty for dipping. They had an open spot in a parking lot where the kids were able to run a little and do some plastic axe throwing.

Not too bad for the first meal. I wouldn't really say it's typical German more so bar food. Brauts are offered and pretzel. My beef on the French dip was dry I drenched it heavily in the jus. My kiddos overall loved the fries. There wasn't any wait nor did it take long for food to come out. So I'd recommend for a quick lunch but nothing overly fancy. With the view of the river and live music it was cool!

I've been here so many times over the last 12 years, and thi is one of my favorite places in Helen! It's a really neat atmosphere, being on the river. They have lots of German food and some regular options, such as burgers and turkey sandwiches. I LOVE the bratwurst here. They have good wine and mimosas. They also have gluten free bread!

This is a sweet little spot on the river in the middle of Helen, Ga! I had one of the top 2 best Ruben sandwiches I've ever had. So delicious! The food was fantastic! The weather was a little chilly on the porch, there was a heater out there but it wasn't putting off much heat with the wide opening at the entrance. But the staff was very friendly, helpful and genuine. We loved it!

Fantastic service and the food is solid! Great environment next to the river, and it was so relaxing. Fantastic beer choices and the brat in the pretzel bun is amazing.

Cold and rainy day in Helen, GA yesterday. We stopped by at this Cafe International. The cafe ambiance looks warm because they covered it with transparent plastic trap. Inside the restaurant they have fire gas in an interesting tubes. The service is nice. She explained the food and the size well enough. The food is okay, I got Ruben and my father got trout. The grill chicken which was pretty good. I love the hot cocoa with wiped cream. Warmer up my body.

The spot on the river is nice but hostess was kind of a dick about letting us move from a table where the sun was beating on us after waiting an hour to be sat. Bbq sandwich was solid, a lot of meat. Hubby said the turkey Reuben was ok.

Outstanding service and great food. Lots of beer choices. Located on a river, take a seat watch people tubing (and getting stuck!) while all the wait staff are frieAsk for Brian - he is the best!

3/5. food was decent, but the waitress was extremely sweet and caring. The environment was also beautiful as you are sitting right on top of the Hooch. My one complaint is that the shirts are $50 a piece!!! that is too extreme and it makes me upset.

It was warmmm on the deck and you can see the RIVER!!! Good snack and cheese but lots of dollars. i like pickled bits yuM. WHO DOESN'T LOVE TO DUNKEL :D

There was plenty of seating available with a good view of the River. This is a very dog friendly restaurant. Our waitress was friendly, professional and efficient. The service was on time. We had the pretzel with cheese sauce which was good. The brat platter was satisfying and the red cabbage and German potato salad were appropriately seasoned and cooked. I would not call the meal exceptional, but it was satisfying and fairly priced. Good family choice

Our server Phil was on point and the Cheese Burgers that we ordered were delicious and hit the spot. I was confused about the extra $3 charge for French fries. I inquired about it with the server and he stated that the burgers come with Chips instead of fries. Who does that ‍ . I get it that it's a tourist spot and businesses are trying to get their money but doing slick things like that is bad business. Fries come with burgers regardless of where you are. Do better Cafe international.

We had such a great experience here! The atmosphere was perfect and the open-air seating right on the river made it such a relaxing spot to enjoy a meal. Our waiter, Phil (pictured with our group), truly made our experience 10/10. He was not only fun and full of great life advice, but also spot-on with his drink suggestions. The Reuben sandwich was every bit as good as he said it would be! You should definitely go and ask for Phil!

Best food in Helen even during October Fest. Said there was a 90 minute wait. It was 30. German food was amazing. Best in the entire town. Service was great too.

Wonderful evening surprise! Our waiter, Lucas, Greeted us was such friendliness as we were considering several restaurants to dine in. We so enjoyed the riverside atmosphere but the food was amazing! Reuben and brat on pretzel bun with red cabbage --Amazing. We'd make a drive up just to come here again!

Nice selection of beers I got the beyond brought, which had almost no flavor to it. The restrooms were not ADA accessible so if that's an issue avoid the place I was a bit disappointed with my meal.

Amazing patio spot right on the river. Being vegetarian, we were glad to be able to enjoy a vegan bratwurst, so good with the sauerkraut! Also excellent pretzel. Wish they'd add some more non-alcoholic beer options, but the Heineken 00 was good. Our server was excellent and provided great service. Definitely coming back here when we're in the area. Our dog also approves

Love the outdoors seating with a great view of the river. Food was decent. Service was fast and server was nice.

We are here for Octoberfest and the atmosphere has all the fall vibes! Everyone is dressed up and playing the part! We sat outside from 11am-5:00pm the food is delish and the drinks hit the spot! Would highly recommend!!

An okay spot for something in the Helen area. Location is gorgeous overlooking the river but food can be sub par. A little expensive too. Servers are always okay and usually end up getting a sandwhich for lunch. Love the view though.

I ordered a Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese. I loved it! I ordered the pretzel to go, sat by the fire pit while waiting for my food, the views were beautiful. I thought about that pretzel for the remaining time of my trip, I will most definitely get another pretzel from here the next time I visit Helen.

Food was very tasty...great German potatoe salad. The service is excellent..from the greeters who seated us to the waitress.. friendly and patient even though extremely busy. This place overlooks the river where you cN enjoy watching the tubing patrons...also live music in front. So between music and river it was soooo relaxing. Hope to return

In a wonderfully quaint town like Helen, the Cafe International fits in beautifully. Located on the main drag with wonderful views of the river, it's an open air cafe. It can make things more interesting on a windy day, but mostly allows a real dining treat. The fare is pretty good. They have the obligatory Germanic meal choices seen in other local restaurants. I got the sausage platter with red cabbage and sauerkraut. It was delicious. The service is great. A gaggle of smiling servers happily tending to diners. Cost was quite reasonable. Though, we don't drink alcohol- not sure what the bar charges. For ambience and a quick bite, the Cafe International is a great choice.

Good food. Great service. Excellent location. Cafe international? No. Cafe Trump. All American Flags.

This is a nice spot on the Chattahoochee river with a great view where you can relax and enjoy some drinks. Most of their space is outdoors but they do have a smaller indoor space as well. They don't have the option of a glass liter stein here unless you buy a glass boot which they really need to offer the glass steins that you don't have to buy. They do offer a plastic mug that is several ounces under a full liter that you can get discounted beers at several other spots in Helen with. They also offer food here but I never ate here although their menu did have a few items I found interesting. I think there are quite a few spots in town that offer better menus at least to my taste. Overall this seems like one of the few spots in Helen that are right on the river where you can enjoy that view along with some adult beverages. You can watch my video with footage from Cafe International here: https://youtu.be/xmggv7sPtaE

Service was mediocre, at best. Food was disgusting. Cold salty and just terrible . Great view the chattahoochee river as you eat salty cold food . Server acting like she is doing us a favor. Never again, don't recommend.

I would rate a zero if I had a choice. My wife and I have been coming to this restaurant for the past 40 or so years and had made it our favorite. Yesterday we experienced a server's rudeness like we have never experienced before. Lucas got upset with my wife because after sitting for 20 or so minutes without service she stuck her head through the kitchen door to ask for some help. The cook said he would send a server out shortly. She later stuck her head through a mostly open door to retrieve some napkins that had not been provided. Lucas had already been out to chastise her for asking for help and for getting napkins. After our meal finally arrived( we had already been waiting almost two hours!), Lucas stepped out again to chastise her for getting the napkins. I had to have some words with him and told him we would never be back again. He kept up the prattle with his pipsqueak voice and I told him to step away from the table so we could try to have our meal. By this time we had already lost our appetites and asked Ray a nice server for a take home box. Both of us only had consumed a couple of bites of the sandwiches. We brought the remainder home only to toss in the garbage this morning. I figured Lucas had spit in our food. A lady was sitting behind us and said "What and A--hole!" She knows the owner by the way. Oh yeah, the kitchen was chaotic with a plethora of "F" BOMBS through out our two hours. They were yelling and fussing with each other. After spending two hours and having to deal with the rudeness, attitude and cussing, the table was sticky and the food was subpar. Have you ever been served a DRY Pastroami sandwich?

What could be better than watching folks tumble out of their tubes on the best rapids on the 'Hooch tubing section? Doing it while enjoying a great meal! Their French dip was really good and my partner enjoyed his sandwich "the stack". We've gone here every year!

I stopped here during my last trip to Helen to grab some lunch. I found them online when planning the trip because I saw they had a good amount of vegetarian dishes that weren't just a black bean burger and fries. If you are vegetarian, you know the struggle... I ordered the Vegan Bratwurst and it came with side of a pickle and chips. I also ordered an Imported Beer from Germany there, however I am unable to find the name of it. The bratwurst tasted just like real meat to me. I have not had any bratwurst since becoming vegetarian so this was very fun and nostalgic to me because I used to really enjoy eating bratwurst. The beer was also pretty good for a beer (I'm not a beer person). I loved being able to sit out on the river and watch the water as you have your meal. It was perfect because the weather was nice. Our waitress was also super nice and attentive. I would definitely go back there next time I visit.

This place has a really great view of the Chattahooche River. We sat on the deck overlooking the river and it was a lovely spot on a beautiful sunny day. The service we received was great, from the moment we arrived to the very end of our meal. The food here is absolutely delicious! We both were advised to try their Reuben, being that it's the best in town, so we did! It was VERY, VERY TASTY! My husband and I both loved it, but the pretzel and beer cheese were the BEST pretzel and beer cheese combo I've ever had in my entire life. If I could give an award to them for it, I would. We loved it here!

Very welcoming service, even though not quite open, let us sit in the tables and supplied drinks! 3 sandwiches later, our tummies are full.

Went with my actual service dog, was told I had to sit in a certain area that had a lot of dogs in close proximity. I was concerned because they might be distracting to my dog as they had to sit almost touching. I asked the host " you see I am disabled right? I'd like to sit somewhere else." He said he could see I was disabled and that it was company policy that all dogs including service dogs had to sit in a certain area. I thanked him. shook his hand and left completely embarrassed because my disability is very obvious.. I understand there are fake service dogs out there but I don't think disabled persons should be forced to sit in a certain area away from everyone else

This spot is all about location, location, location! Right on the river, open patio (heaters kept us cozy) and was a relaxing spot to have some lunch. Our server was great! She was very sweet and attentive and took great care of us! We started with the pretzel w/ beer cheese we loved it so much we had to order a second!! I would share a picture but we inhaled the pretzels. My 2 year old nephew went crazy over it! I ordered the Bratwurst Im Brot with the German potato salad and it was good...not inhale-worthy like the pretzel but it was good. There was a $2.00 up charge for the potato salad which was in a larger condiment cup. While tasty, that was a little much. Would I go back? Probably, because I love that patio but I would be more interested in trying other German fare in the area.

The food is good service is impeccable. We sit on the side of the river and watch the tubers go down the river and enjoy the laughs. Great family atmosphere.

Bavarian Pretzels w/Beer cheese sauce excellent and ordered the Camel Rider also phenomenal... atmosphere and service was above average

I would give this place 0 stars if possible. The food is not nearly good enough for the horrible service we received. The "manager" was our server and was so rude that we actually got up and left. Save your time and go to Trolls across the street.

North Georgia has a few tourist trap towns sprinkled thought out the rolling hills & forestlands & the village of Helen, with its alpine theme is surely one of the most popular examples. With this alpine theme comes a plethora of german beer gardens & eateries - Cafe International being just one of them & it has a big plus going for it.... its off street parking lot. Service was pretty decent & plenty cheerful too. Still, if I could have given it 2.5 stars I would have. Table shared the tortilla chips with queso & salsa & while there were an abundance of chips they were all borderline stale. & super salty. My friend ordered the ( Not Katz Deli ) Reuben Sandwich & it automatically came with both thousand island & mustard so be sure you want those condiments together before ordering. Menu hadn't mentioned mustard so my mustard hating friend sent it back without kitchen complaint & replaced it with the French Dip. Besides the mustard faux pas, the feedback on both sandwiches was that both had very little meat. I ordered the grilled cheese & while the rye was nicely grilled there was only 1 slice of cheese between the 2 slices of bread. Hello ?

Cafe International is definitely good and the Brats are a must when you visit Helen. It's not anything too special but they do have a few Vegan options which is nice including a Vegan Brat. The views are also nice if you get a spot next to the Chattahoochee. If you want Brats then stop by!

Reuben sandwich was not edible, meat was crumbles not slices and super salty. Beer was warm. Server was not versed on the menu. Not worth the money. Patio is great, if you want to stop for a beer and pretzel, this is probably the place, otherwise it's a big NO!

Was not given an opportunity to change tables when sitting in the sun. We waited ninety minutes to receive our food and then was still lied to about it being on the grill. We offered to pay for what we received. Which was three sodas and chips and was not given the bill. The waitress was adamant about us waiting for our food, which was another twenty five minutes.

Definitely would recommended!! Food was good, service was great, and the best part is the location. Great seats on the water.