Koenig’s Restaurant

Poor management.
It’s sad to see what happened to this once great restaurant/​catering facility. Our families and friends had been patrons for over 50 years and we (and our children) will particularly miss the famous roast beef sandwiches.
The decline began years back, when an older German gentleman (Rudy?), sold to one of the employee/​managers. He was not great, but certainly not as indifferent as the last team of 2 ‘managers’, who never listened to regular customers who cared about the fact that the restaurant was clearly losing patrons.
One of them was practically a fixture at the TV end of the bar — barely moved to even notice customers. Recently we visited and asked what Pilsners they serve, and he rolled his eyes and sarcastically asked ‘Pilsner?’ Excuse me, but it is popular in Germany. We’ve also overheard him talking negatively about staff & even customers.
We’ll certainly miss our favorite waiter — one of the last remaining — thank you, Mia, for your years of professionalism and great service.
We will always have wonderful memories of enjoyable holiday and special occasion dinners there in times past.

Requiem Der Konig ist tot!
Went to have dinner. Looking forward to delicious sauerbraten, but there on a sign in the window was the bad news.
«Thanks to all for the many years of patronage. Koenig’s Staff»
We were shocked and saddened! An institution has fallen.
Looks like Mickey and Minnie will have find another place to enjoy their Martinis!

Another one bites the dust — from the website:
Since 1944, Koenigs Restaurant has been serving Floral Park and surrounding communities
with the finest German and Continental cuisine, accompanied by superb and caring service.
On Saturday night, Septemver 19, 2015, Koenigs Restaurant closed its doors for the last time.
We regret that we cannot continue to serve you, our faithful customers. The past 71 years have been
full of good times, good food, and the appreciation of our loyal clients.
We love you all, and thank you for many years of great memories.
– The Staff of Koenigs Restaurant, 1944 – 2015

Since 1944, Koenigs Restaurant has been serving Floral Park and surrounding communities
with the finest German and Continental cuisine, accompanied by superb and caring service.
On Saturday night, September 19, 2015, Koenigs Restaurant closed its doors for the last time.
We regret that we cannot continue to serve you, our faithful customers. The past 71 years have been
full of good times, good food, and the appreciation of our loyal clients.
We love you all, and thank you for many years of great memories.
– The Staff of Koenigs Restaurant, 1944 – 2015

Very old German restaurant, tucked away beneath the train tracks. There’s plenty of parking after peak hours, so no worries about that. The restaurant décor is very old, but somehow made me feel at home. There was practically no one else in the restaurant, which made me sad because I feel like no one appreciates a non-​trendy, non-​tapas place nowadays. The waiters were very friendly and made you feel welcome. The menu is extensive, and a little on the pricey side. Every dish we had on the table was smothered in gravy, so we had zero complaints! My chicken and gravy dish was delicious, and the portions were so large my bf’s stepfather was happy to take home my leftovers. I urge you to give these guys a visit, they deserve it!

I love going to this rather old fashioned — in a good way — German restaurant. I should say I grew up in Floral Park where this restaurant really is a local landmark. On the bar side of the restaurant I like to grab a delicious roast beef sandwich — although the I prefer it on white bread & not the famous Koenig’s rye bread. On the restaurant side, especially when they’re all decorated around Christmas time, I love the sauerbraten! For desert I love the rice pudding — delicious! They are famous for their apple strudel — but I don’t like apple — so I just eat all the pastry around it! Yummy!
The service is refined and attentive and very «Old World European ».

The only thing I would like to tell you that this restaurant is worse then Horse shit The food is so gross and disgusting don’t ever go there. The service is horrible. I’m not sure HOW this restaurant is still in business my God isn’t a anyone up there with a balls to close this stinking place down.

Usually when I’m back in NY and I’m craving German, my father and I take the trip out to Glendale for the Zagat-​quality Zum Stammtisch. However, late on a Sunday night it doesn’t matter how many miles above the speed limit you are on the Jackie Robinson, they will close the doors on your face.
Enter Koenig’s, where the food has always been a little hit or miss. Last night, it was mostly hit. The potato pancakes were good, and the sauerbraten and bratwurst in the mix plate were also quite yummy. I ran into issues with the «meat dumpling.» It was just strange tasting, probably because it was all peppers and bread crumbs. Rice pudding for dessert was alright, and the up-​charges for dessert on a Sunday are just a little bit ridiculous.
I have come here over the years for family events and I can say with confidence that absolutely nothing has changed on the interior. I don’t understand why that is such a sore point for people. Granted, I don’t like restaurants that have carpeted dining rooms, but this place has a right to exist as is after so many years.

I enjoy this place after coming here for many years. They always satisfy my needs and makes the experience memorable. The décor is a bit old, but it is really nice in there. I have to agree with others by saying that there aren’t a lot of diners here; a Saturday night at about 6:00 had 3 other tables and a guy at the bar. The service was excellent and loved to chat with us. Prices are reasonable for the portion size. I got the wienerschnitzel, which came with soup or salad, a potato, and a side. The vegetable soup was delicious, fragrant, and full of vegetables. The cutlet was tender and not heavily breaded, very moist. The sauce was delicious, unique in taste. I also got the potato pancakes as my potato which were golden brown and crispy. The creamed spinach was pretty good, not my favorite and the red sauerkraut was very good. The combination platter was good, consisting of: Sauerbraten, Bratwurst Link, Bavarian Meat Dumpling, and Roulade of Pork with Potato Pancake, Homemade Spaetzel and Red Cabbage. Each component was delicious, and made with a passion. Overall, this place needs more business, but the food is very good.

the waitresses are not friendly. we go there once per year and the attitude of them is amazing. a lot of the the napkins have holes and the metal milk containers are nasty.

The food was delicious. The service was great. If you want to feel like you’re in a time warp this is the place to go. You know the old saying, the tastes buds have a memory. It’s so true. My brain was transported through the senses to a simpler time and place. Yes the place looks like a flashback to the 1970s but I believe that is the allure of the place.

I really like this place. I used to enjoy it more years ago before I stopped eating red meat, but I still like to go there.
My family and I usually go there for thanksgiving every year. The turkey is really delicious and they also have some great sides and appetizers.

Made a 3:30pm reservation for Easter dinner. They did not check you in, just took patrons in line order. Tensions were high as people with later reservations pushed their way to the front. 30 minutes later we were seated. Another 45 minutes went buy. No water, bread, waitress, or drinks. We walked out. Went to triple crown diner, where food and service were outstanding. My advice do not go to Koneigs.

Stopped in for our (wife, family friend and me) annual holiday week visit to Koenig’s. My wife grew up within about 2 miles of Koenig’s but we live over 70 miles away now and only go when visiting in the area. It was totally empty at about 1pm on the weekday we visited. By the time we left 90 minutes later only one additional table in the bar are was occupied. There were about 3 patrons snuggled up at the bar itself. We ordered from the luncheon menu which has fewer options than the dinner menu but same quality and preparation. I have been going to this restaurant for over 13 years but my wife and her family have been going for much, much longer. It was an outlier event to see it so sparsely occupied on this day but it was a Monday and it was a couple of days prior to New Year’s day… not sure if that means it should be crowded or not, but it wasn’t. Not once in my 13 years of visits has the décor changed here until sometime since my prior visit last year. They finally changed the 1972 vintage red and black velvet wall paper and took down some of the dated nick-​nacks. All a welcome improvement. The dining room is much brighter and warmer now.
The service is usually attentive but not overly so. We didn’t see some of the usual waitstaff we normally do… given the lack of traffic there seemed to be just the one server working. The manager/​owner fellow with the mustache greeted us and seated us as he carried a couple of fluorescent bulbs in his hands. Multi tasking! The food is usually good as it was this visit. The menu hasn’t changed a bit since I’ve been dining here which is probably good because what they do they typically do well enough. The bratwurst I had (menu says «homemade») was really good. They also have a great stuffed pork chop on the dinner menu which I often order and it’s good too. Sauerbraten and roast beef were also ordered on this visit and it was all good. French onion soup was tops, too. Koenig’s is not a fancy place nor does it try to be. It is what it is… a longstanding neighborhood place with solid food, good service and reasonable prices.
I’ve read some of the negative reviews here and I don’t think the place should be criticized because their clientele is largely from the ‘greatest generation’. That’s just irrelevant and small minded. By the way I’m not of that generation… quite a few years and generations younger.
As far as the sightings of rodents in the dining room, neither I nor my wife or her family has ever encountered that here in 30+ years of dining here and even having one wedding reception upstairs. Not that it’s not possible. I’ve been to fine dining establishments with high ratings from Zagat for example where I’ve seen a mouse cross the dining room. Anyone that’s been in the restaurant or food biz knows you deal with the issue… you can’t necessarily eliminate it.
Will be back next Christmas.

Yuk!!! Horrible, horrible food. The last time I went there the «German Melt» was gray mystery meat on a stale roll and inedible. The beer glass brought to me had lipstick on it. The appetizers came out at the same time as the entrees. They ran out of German Rye bread!!! At a German restaurant, that their whole sandwich menu sandwiches are served on. The waitress acted as if we were doing her a favor by eating there. The excuses we received was that there was a private party upstairs.
This was a great place when I was growing up in the neighborhood but clearly the 30+ years it has been open have not been kind.

Grew up in this town and moved out 35 years ago… stop by once a year or so for a Roast Beef sandwich when visiting my parents. This years visit was a little disappointing. The «bowl» of Spaten was about ½ the size of years back… and the Roast Beef was very light on the Roast Beef… usually I had trouble finishing a sandwich… while this visit I reached for the bread and butter after the sandwich… still being hungry.
I will miss this place when its gone.

Yes, it’s a fossil. Yes, it’s a dinosoar. It’s a place Anthony Bourdain would have profiled on the «Disappearing Manhattan» episode of No Reservations if he had gone to Nassau County. It’s a wonder it’s still here. But it is and I found the food and the service to be excellent.
I showed up on a Sunday and after looking at their «Sunday» menu, I didn’t see the dish that I had already picked out from the menu on their website.
No problem, they cheerfully made it for me; a mixed grill. Usually something on a mixed grill gets overcooked or undercooked; not this time. Everything came out perfect.
A return visit convinced me that this restaurant is worth 5 stars. The second meal was as good as the first and the old world charm is not a mere novelty; it makes the experience. The menu offers many choices not normally found in a German restaurant.
This place isn’t trendy. It isn’t cool. It isn’t new American food. It is old fashioned German and am I glad it’s still around.

Have to disagree with a lot of people so far. Came in not to long ago for some coleslaw and roast beef sandwiches. The roast beef was rare and delicious and the coleslaw was surprisingly good. Just don’t expect anything in the way of ambiance or décor with this place. Koenig’s seems like it hasn’t been renovated in a couple of decades and like someone mentioned, the crowd is mostly seniors. I thought the place was pretty clean and tidy, I wouldn’t say eat off the floors, but I was ok with everything. Maybe the best choice for this place is sandwiches to go?

Very good food, been there many times as well through the years… only problem is that the place NEVER CHANGES. I understand that they have a crowd to cater too, but they really need to update something… ANYTHING!!!
Ok, now forget my rant. Place has very good food, no argument with that. Not the best though, and have had some «Eh» meals at times but i’d give it a shot for sure as there are not that many traditional German places anymore within arms length.

Came here for a romantic date with my husband. It was located right next to the train so when I was sitting at the table it shook a bit. This was actually more funny than anything. The atmosphere is very family friendly. It was like being in a German grandmas house with lots of people. The place is large and has a separate party room.
They accept tons of coupons and have great deals during the week as well as an all you can eat deal. The food is truly authentic German fare. I enjoyed myself and loved the homemade potato pancakes with applesauces. I of course had to try the wiener schnitzel and my husband had the braised short ribs with spaetzel. He didn’t like the spaetzel much cause it had too much horseradish sauce but over all t was delicious!!!
I can’t wait to go back here.