Freischwimmer

Freischwimmer in Berlin is an absolute gem! The location is simply incredible—right on the river Spree, offering stunning views and a relaxing atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy a meal with friends or family. What really impressed me was the wide variety of vegan options on the menu. Each dish was thoughtfully prepared and bursting with flavor, catering to all tastes. The service was also top-notch; the staff was friendly and attentive, making sure we had a fantastic dining experience. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great food in a beautiful setting!

We‘ve been here with the family for dinner which was really nice because in summer sitting outside at the waterfront is priceless. the service was a little bit chaotic the dishes didt come at the same time, but the staff was friendly and polite. the food is tasty but not outstanding and for my kind of taste to overpriced. but all in all we had a nice evening

So this place is a very posh "in place". The vibe is that the staff is better than you. It is so sad with the amazing view and location of this place. Did not feel welcome, and on arrival, it was more that we were disturbing the staff. After ordering, the food came rather quickly, so that was good. And all hats off for the kitchen staff and chef. The food WOW, everything was amazing. This place with location, view, and food is 5 star no question. The only thing sad is the staff serving you.

A very atmospheric place with vintage furniture and incredibly delicious fusion cuisine, offering a peaceful view of the water. The staff is very welcoming; we felt like we were visiting old friends. Highly recommend!

Good atmosphere but the food took an hour to be served. The BBQ wasn't working for a while which also means no side dishes available (no potato salad, no green salad...). Our waitress didn't tell us anything when we were asking about our food and was hiding in a corner avoiding eye contact. Good scenery!

Chill, relaxed. This is a great place to wind down, get a tasty bite to eat, or just share quality time with family/ friends. Super friendly staff, fresh and tasty dishes, cook drinks. And a lovely atmosphere.

Serves good food, but too salty for five stars. Selection was limited to my taste. Premises are fine, but you have to love this style. This place wasn't my choice, so I'm trying to be objective as far as I can. Visit if you'd like to pee into the keg 😉

Food Quality: the food was amazing. Shared the lamb rack and every bite was exquisite. Portions: very nice portions. Plates very well built Drinks: quite a few options to have. Aperol Spritz are well made. Price: $$-$$$ of course depending what you choose, there are some pricier plates, but also some very decent priced ones. The food will prove its worth. Service: very friendly staff and always making sure that everyone is happy and is well served. Atmosphere: from outside it doesnt look like much, even a bit hard to even think there is a restaurant down the sketchy alley, but once you get in, it is an amazing location. Just by the riverside, and even has seating outside for the better weather. Highlights: food and the terrace are a big plus here. Things to improve: maybe a little make over to the entrance and the sign outside.

As far as I can see, one of the best burger places in Berlin. The only thing keeping me from giving it the 5 stars is the big number of not so small spiders you can find above your head. Anyway, the location is perfect. Go there with your date and enjoy the sunset (tip: don't get a table under the porsche).

As my friend Leonie and I was served by the waiter, we looked at him intensely. Leonie had just pointed out the duck that shook its head to the music and we were laughing about the floating animal that had a head-shaking party on the lake. We had started laughing and both noticed that the waiter had also eyed the duck. He had been at our table twice before. Both times he had an air of someone desperate to quit his job and join the circus of sullen poets. Would the duck make him smile. It seemed as if it would. A small draw by the corner of his mouth suggested a smile, while Leonie and I held our breath. Would this be it? Would he pour his joy out into the world? Would we be lucky enough to see it? Alas, no. We should not be so lucky. The waiter lowered his gaze as the duck headbanged away from us. And that was the saddest thing about Freischwimmer. Not that the food was suspiciously quick or that that Leonie saw a spider, which caused her to scream and feel embarrassed for the rest of the evening. No. The saddest thing about Freischwimmer was that the employees all looked like the joy was suckered out of them the moment they entered the place. But we got drunk, the food was just above mediocre and the water was beautiful.

Location and venue are fantastic but the menu leaves a lot to be desired. Best for summer as lots of the seating is outdoors

I had the pork roast it was amazing. Nice locale. Read other people's comments, my food was stellar. Also had the guacamole cream cheese dip. To die for so good. Get these two things I promise they won't disappoint!

Went here for brunch today with family. We got a seat in the shade along the canal (perfect spot). We placed drink orders and went to the buffet (14€). The server said maybe 2 words the time and brought us the 2nd water we asked for as we were already trying to pay and leave. The food was great though, tons to choose from like pastries, salads, meats and mushroom ravioli. The iced espresso macchiato was great. The toilet didn't have any toilet paper, tons of random writing on the wall and was very crammed. Also the lighting above our table was covered in spider webs which really grossed me out!

It would be a great plan, to come here to chill out with some friends, then hit "Club der Visionäre" across the corner, for some dancing and fun. I have not tried the food yet, but i doubt i am going to. The plates on our neighboring tables did not look like cooking pieces of art. For a couple of beers and an amazingly nice carribean view, it is the perfect place.

I am reviewing this place based on an early spring evening indoors. During March they are open only inside and the inside is just the most comfortable place one can imagine. The prices are a bit higher but one can still find a good deal. I had a red wine (the cheapest on the menu), which was pretty tasty and just fit the mood. And towards the end of the night, I ordered a standard coffee serviced with a pot of milk. It was nice and creamy. It is rustic, wooden and very intimate. The windows are large and one can look out at the water. Even on a rainy day this place becomes just so charming because of the rain hitting the water and the window and the fireplace is lit. During the summer this area that we have been to, is closed and only the open area is open. According to the waitress, the outdoor area provides about 500 spaces to sit. This place also has brunch during the weekend and summer months. I will be coming back in the summer to see the other side of this place.

I don't think I've ever had a more disappointing dining experience. We went to Freischwimmer for an event they were having with Barb's Soul Food. It started at 3. - We arrived around 3:15, and they were still setting up: no music, no food. They said it would be another 15 minutes or so, so we waited. - Around 4, we were able to order food. - Around 4:15, the music started. - Around 4:30, others, including others who arrived around 4, started receiving food. We did not get any of the food we ordered. - Around 4:45, we were ready to go, having waited an hour and a half without any food. However, a manager came up to us and apologized. He offered to comp our food and drinks and gave us some bread and tapenade. Still frustrated, we accepted this and decided to stay, figuring it couldn't be much longer. - Over the next hour, people arrived and were served food. We did not get anything. - At 5:45, we left, having waited two and a half hours without receiving any of the food we ordered. Don't make our mistake. Don't go and wait hours, never to get food. Just don't go.

What an incredibly bizarre experience. Booked a table for 7 based on reviews we read. Walked through the sketchy gates into an almost abandoned wood structure. Man told us to go back the way we came and up the stairs, which we did only to be admonished that he had no idea why we were going that way. Then when we were seated in a freezing restaurant, we were told that they were only serving the first 3 pages of the menu and maybe later would serve more (it was 6:15). The first three pages were light appetizers. We walked out. Don't bother.

I am a great fan of brunch as it's a good excuse to pig out on the theory that one is actually eating two meals at once. Freischwimmer is a cool rickety and haphazard sort of place, and rather long as it stretches some 70-80 metres along the side of a canal. I finally got a table next to the canal and settled down for some serious chatting and eating. Regarding the food, well, let's just say that Michelin stars are never going to get awarded here. But there is plenty of food on the buffet though replenishments are somewhat on the slow side. The best part is watching the world mosey by at the edge of the canal and it's a great relaxing place on a spring or summer Sunday. It is also ridiculously cheap and eventually we moved on to beers after the coffee and I still could not spend more than 25 Euro for a nice Sunday outing.

Is being a waiter a horrible job in Berlin? I'm getting used to the service staff in Berlin not exactly being the sharpest tools in the shed and/or they just really don't like working/thinking. I thank the dull eyed hipster staff at Freischwimmer for setting a new bar which is now exceptionally low. I can rest assured that it would be difficult to get worse service than here, and will likely enjoy future experiences in Berlin more knowing the service couldn't be as bad as at Freischwimmer. The actual space is amazing. Really beautiful spot to be at dusk in the summer. Just, wow, oh wow, has management checked on who is running the place in years?

A friend took me here and we were able to find a spot in the lounge chairs on the dock area... but this is a super fashionable scene. I watched the swans building their nest and incubating an egg for hours whilst drinking a nice fresh peppermint tea. I need to go back again... This review was written in 2009.

First of all we didn't get the table we ordered. Didn't get a nice seat, only in smelly corner. Service was ok, not too bad! Food...mhhhh.... Steak wasn't good at all. 1 out of 5 Grilled veggies nothing special too. 2 out of 5 Flammkuchen a bit dry. 2,5 out of 5 Flat bread with turkey was good, some oriental taste in there. 3,5 out of 5 I won't come back again. Location is actually nice!

It is a good place for a drink and they have good stuff. I had an home made ice tea with was really good but it was a littel expensive. I wouldn't recommend because of the long wait for service ,only one waiter seemed all the work out of 3 and they were rude to us. One waiter Rolled her eyes when i politely asked for the bill. There are an lot better opsions in the area.

I went there for bith dinner and brunch. While the dinner was very good i was really disapointed by the brunch. Not the best quality and not that many choices

We popped in here for a few drinks after eating at White Trash Fast Food across the canal and enjoyed the laid-back vibe. Dimly lit by candles, it's relaxed and cosy. I'm sure its setting overlooking the canal is excellent in the summer as there's an outdoor terrace next to the water.

The location is nice and the food is ok, but the service is a complete disaster and arrogant on top of it. One of us got her first and second courses simultaneously and the rest nothing until 30 minutes later. We obviously told the waiter we didn't find that ok and she replied that's the way they do it there with very bad manners. We told her that we wanted to talk to the manager, but never happened to come. Never again.

I love the atmosphere there. It's different from any other restaurant. The service is slow but the food is amazing. If you have time and just want to relax, this is the best place.

My friend who lives in berlin showed me around to a few awesome spots and Freischwimmer WAS BY FAR my favorite restaurant in Berlin. It stood right up there with White Trash Fast Food Restaurant. The vibe here is much more relaxed and one that I never wanted to leave. If it was not for the rain we would have still been munching on olives and bread and feeding the ducks that swim in the canal. Freischwimmer is an old house boat and there are many along this canal that are converted into restaurants, lounges and clubs. It is situated outside with a portion that you can sit under the roof but still outside so if you get chilly BRING a sweater. The food is outstanding. I would say that the menu is a little bit of European and Asian dishes. Now, the full bar here is awesome and though they Whisky selection is sadly limited they can still make a good Whisky Sour. Priced very reasonably so perfect for those traveling on a budget. The view is great and it is a short walk to the River Spree and on those warm days it is also close to Badeschiff (outdoor public pool on the River Spree)...

Great menu, full wine list, limited beer selection, cocktails, no happy hour. Mix of local color, start-up hipsters and tourists. Nice view of canal, terrace full when weather's nice, inside full when not nice. Lunch service was not great, not terribly friendly either. Wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again. Rather go to White Trash across the canal.

Great atmosphere and good food. It's outdoors so subject to the elements, but most of it is covered. But it's right on the water and has a great rustic feel.

I always come here in summer for Sunday brunch, whitch is tasty and big. Be sure to come on a sunny sunny day so you can enjoy your breakfast on the riverside. Ah, unfortunately there is no jogurth...that should be improved.

Great area! Beautiful view and spot! We had dinner. The food was pretty decent and fast. There was a lineup (6 parties ahead) when we got here at 8:30pm on a Friday night but it moved fast (20 minutes). Staff were friendly!

I came here with friends with a baby stroller on Sunday afternoon. While it's ok for a place not to be baby-friendly, there's also a way of saying it. Having the waitress laugh, look at the manager who just turned his nose is not a way.

never been there personally, but a beautiful waterside location. Nice for eating. Little bit far out (depends on where you start)

Worst Sunday brunch ever. Discount products presented horribly bad. Unfriendly staff and value for money non existent. Get a coffee only and sit by the water, that's it.

Sounds like a good place for lunch, but the place is worn down and rickety and does not have much personality and charm. Brunch was so so, the food was okay, staff a bit unfriendly. Maybe it was just a bad day. It's a ways from the center of the city. For the price one can find a better brunch location. Not as trendy and hip as advertised.

The setting and location along the canal is of course excellent, but otherwise this is a pretty average place. Service is scarce and not very friendlywe waited at least 15 minutes before we even got a menu, and getting the waitstaff's attention was pretty difficult for the rest of our time there. We weren't the only ones, pretty much every table could be seen unsuccessfully trying to get their attention and being rushed by without so much as a glance of acknowledgement. Drinks are reasonable enough, food is alright if a little overpriced. We had some of the teriyaki chicken skewers (and by teriyaki chicken they apparently mean chicken that had a quick run through some plain Chinese soy sauce before being grilledI wouldn't call it teriyaki at all, either the name or the recipe needs a revision). The 2 skewers were medium sized and along with the small handful of rucola leaves (the menu said romaine salad) was not the greatest deal at 8.90. I'd probably go here again just because I like the location, but would probably prefer to stick to just drinks, and definitely wouldn't go if I had any sort of time constraints.