Cafe International

I have been coming to Helen for 37 years. We always love coming to the International Cafe. Mainly, because we love the atmosphere. Sitting at a riverside table. This time, we had a grouchy greeting by a NOT friendly hostess. After a arm wrestle for a river view seat, we were lucky to get Lucas as our server. Lucas saved the day. I ordered my "usual". Bratwurst, red cabbage and pretzel with a Chardonnay. All was perfect except the pretzel was too hard. I didn't complain but took it back to the hotel and heated in microwave to soften. We got a good laugh when Lucas told us he is 29 after he carded me (a 70 year old) and then I let him know I have made a annual trip to Helen for the last 37 years. He was a cute kid who saved the day from that grouchy gal (rough around the edges) who greeted us. We loved watching the tubers going over the short fall in the river. Food is average, drinks good (brother had a German beer) but the location is five stars. Ask for Lucas! "Bring back those festive greeters who made coming to the International Cafe something to look forward to" .

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!

this experience at Cafe International was so disappointing that I feel the need to speak up. We brought a friend who’s visiting from another country, and we thought this would be a nice place to treat him. We each ordered a coffee for $7 which, even in the U.S., is expensive but especially for our friend, that’s a big amount of money where he’s from. We wanted him to have a good experience, and instead, we were just embarrassed. The coffee was honestly the most watered-down thing I’ve ever been served. Light in color, no richness, no flavor — it tasted like plain tap water. We weren’t rude when we brought it up, we simply asked if they could replace it or give us a refund. Instead, the staff walked up and literally grabbed the coffees off our table right in front of us, and said, “Since you’ve been sipping on it, we can only refund half.” No apology, no understanding, just attitude. I’ve worked in customer service — I get it, not every day is perfect. But this felt like they couldn’t care less. We left the place feeling embarrassed, especially for our guest. To pay that much for such poor quality and to be treated that way? It just didn’t sit right.

Didn’t like the food at all, ordered black bean burger. On the menu said , comes with tomato onion lettuce cheese , but nothing on the burgers, just a bread and burger. Nachos were salty. Margarita was not good at all. The service was horrible. The waitress didn’t come to ask if everything was okay. Only good thing about this place is that it’s by the river. So you can enjoy the view. We enjoy the view but not the food.

Had a wonderful dining experience at Café International in Marie, Georgia! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and our waiter Phil was absolutely amazing—attentive, friendly, and made our visit extra special. The red cabbage was incredibly flavorful, and the potato salad was delicious. We’ll definitely be back!

Excellent food, and we sat right by the river. We had the German Chattahoochee Board... it was so good we bought another one! Our waiter Phil was excellent. Enjoyed watching the tubers float by too! Great place for a laid back lunch or dinner.

We enjoyed a nice lunch with view to the river, They were pet friendly. The staff was very nice and helpful, the food wasn’t the best, quite salty but the sausages were probably the best part. I recommend the german potato salad.

The cafe has outdoor seating right by the river. We watched the tubers float by. The staff were friendly and gave information about the local area. I had the beyond sausage without the cheese and fries. I enjoyed it.

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!

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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

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!!

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.

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.

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!

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

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 ?

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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 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

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 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.

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.

Stopped in for lunch and I had the Camel rider sandwich and the Rueben for my Wife. Food was good and the atmosphere was ok. Overlooks the River and seating is outdoor/covered. Service was ok as well. I would go back again and will.

We didn't know much about this place but I'm sure glad we chose it! First off, it's in a very good location right on the river. It was cold on our lunch visit so they had heaters going and the plastic sides rolled down which made it very comfortable. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and friendly and quick with suggestions. My girlfriend had the camel rider which I highly recommend! I nearly took it off her plate after the bite she shared with me! I had the French dip au jus. My first time ever trying this sandwich and it was very well done! The ambience is a bit loud, but you're right in the heart of things. The beers are cold and the margaritas are much better than most and the prices here are very wallet friendly. I would definitely eat here again! Thanks!

I was seated at a table with my wife and sat there for 35 minutes waiting on a waiter to come to our table. I wasn't the only table waiting for service, there were at least 4 other tables all sitting waiting on service. The only person working was the host, who was steadily seating people at tables. The restaurant isn't even that big with all seating outside under a covered roof. Everyone who had already eaten were all searching for someone to bring them a check. I can't speak for the food, because I was never given a chance to order any. Just save yourself some time and frustration and find a place to eat outside of town.

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!

Great Wurst Plate of steamed German sausages. Great Weiss Hofbrau beer on tap. Okay Mac n cheese, German potato salad was good. Great patio on the river.

I've been twice now and both times were the same, just not good. They couldn't even make a decent peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The bread was stale, you could knock on it with your finger and it made a sound. There was the smallest amount of peanut butter in the middle of the bread with a large scoop of jelly. The jelly was oozing out. It was basically a stale jelly sandwich.......what 6 yr old wants that? The other food was just bad. My kids make better sandwiches than this place. The service wasn't great either. And being charged extra for mayonnaise when serving sandwiches, really?! The only good thing this place has going for them is the great view of the river. Cafe International is just not good.

Good seating by river. The server had the confidence of a man who didn't need a pen to take an order down, but he really should have, he forgot my drink and the side I ordered, I let it go though because I didn't care enough since I didn't need to pay. The trout was great. Salad as basic as you would expect. Good mac and cheese too!

Good food, good ambience, good service. It's a great dive. Priced correctly. Just passing thru town cannot come back anytime soon.

Wait time was reasonable for a Friday. We were sat quickly and our waitress was really friendly and welcoming. We ordered the soup of the day and grilled cheese. I don't remember the name of the soup but it had shredded pork, vegetables and a smoky bbq flavor and it was really good and hearty. We ordered a 32oz beer and it came in a souvenir mug. Overall, it was a great experience and the service was great.

dont go here the owner will steal your license plate he did it to me. i parked in a public spot in the restaurants parking lot and he took my plate. this man doesnt deserve your business plus the prices are outrageous

Cute little spot by the river. Too full for full meal so we only got the Bavarian pretzel. I'm not usually a big fan of pretzel but I figured I'm in "German town", so why not. This pretzel was good!! It came with beer cheese which was good as well. Service was quick. Friendly service. Overall pretty pleased with the experience. Highly recommend this place!!

We are visiting from Socal, and we wanted to try an authentic place with good vibes and good food. This place overlooks the river, and the vibes are amazing. Great beer choices with great food. The service is great. The server (forgot her name) helped us in explaining the food, and she recommended it for us. It was not a disappointment. Everything was delicious and hot. I definitely recommend trying this place out, and we will definitely be back on our next visit.

Great service, great view of the river. Delicious food - sauerkraut, red cabbage, potato salad, chicken wrap all are delicious.

My brother and sister brought our mother to Helen for her 80th birthday at her request. It was a quick one day trip but her heart was set on a good authentic German meal. We looked at some reviews and chose Cafe International based on reviews and their incredible patio views. The staff was very friendly and greeted us on the outdoor patio. So glad we chose to sit outside. They had heaters going since it was a little chilly that day but really that view of the stream was spectacular. I had the two knockwurst plate that came with warm German potato salad and sauerkraut. Maybe a few beers too! The knock was good but didn't blow my mind. Seemed to be missing something in flavor though. The potato salad was absolutely the best I've ever had. Perfect combination of flavors and warm just like it should be. The sauerkraut was good but it was cold and I mean really cold. The best I've ever had it has always been warm. So that was confusing. Overall good experience and I'd go back.

Kristin was our server, she was great. Thanks Kristin. The Reuben was amazing. Also try the Rachael, very yummy

Absolutely great selection of hot sandwiches with an excellent service staff. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I had the Reuben sandwich and my wife the French Dip. Both were great. The French Dip was twice what she could eat. They have a full bar with a fairly extensive beer list. The place has setup and outdoor, sheltered patio with large heaters. So be mindful of the weather. It overlooks the river so winds are ever present.

Definitely go to this place for the view and the beer variety. It overlooks the water and at night it's beautiful. They serve a few different dishes from different countries, but their menu has gotten a bit smaller. We split the bratwurst plate, but the sides were pretty small. The brats were okay, but were served a bit colder then I'd like. The German potato salad was the highlight. I've had much better in terms of German places, I'd recommend somewhere else first.