*Updated October 2026*
The short version: Rolf’s takes reservations by phone only, so call in September or October for a December table. During the holidays, tables are limited to parties of four for 75 minutes.
It’s almost the holiday season, and this post reviews one of my favorite holiday spots in New York City! You’ve all seen it: Rolf’s German Restaurant in Gramercy (22nd and 3rd). This is the famously booked restaurant that is decked out to the max in Christmas lights, baubles, (kind of creepy) dolls, and Santas. Seemingly forgotten until the Christmas rush, Rolf’s offers authentic German/Bavarian food, with a touch of Alsatian food, that is good year-round. However, it is best at Christmas, despite how difficult it may be to score a reservation. I have been going to Rolf’s for over a decade (missing a year here and there) and I’m going to give you all the required information to secure that coveted reservation and enjoy a holiday meal (albeit next year)!
Rolf’s Quick Facts
- Address: 281 Third Avenue at East 22nd Street, Gramercy, Manhattan
- Reservations: By phone only, 212-477-4750 or 212-473-8718. Holiday bookings are taken 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- When to call: September or early October for December (we booked in mid-October 2026)
- Holiday rules (as of 2026): Parties of up to 4, 75-minute tables, an entree per person
- Bar: Walk-in only, first come, first served; drinks only during the holidays
- Decorations: Up year-round
- Price: Most mains around $40 to $45
The exterior.
Rolf’s at Christmas!!
How to Get a Reservation at Rolf’s
First off, if you are looking for a reservation during the holiday season, you cannot book too early. I always make reservations in September or early October via telephone (there is no internet booking capability) early in the day. Rolf’s takes down handwritten reservations and stops answering its phone once November hits (and often sooner if booked up). If you miss the reservation call period and you are in NYC, stop by and try to make a reservation in person. Weekday lunches are your best bet for last-minute reservations during the holiday season.
As a recent update, I made an 8:00 p.m. dinner reservation for December 2026 on Wednesday, October 14 by calling the number listed on the website around lunchtime. As such, if you are reading this in October 2026, it’s probably not too late for a December reservation!
Lunch at Rolf’s during the Christmas season!
Rolf’s Holiday Rules
You should also know that Rolf’s has some interesting rules regarding meals during the holiday season. Rolf’s only takes reservations of parties of up to 4 people and each reservation is limited to 75 minutes (they will ask you to leave)! Seating is tight and service is quick, but it’s worth the effort, even for a meager 75 minutes! Also, since the restaurant is so tiny, this is not the place to come with loads of Christmas shopping; there’s simply nowhere to store it!
Christmas craziness at Rolf’s.
The Bar Line
If you are unable to score a reservation during the holidays, you can wait in line for the bar area (for cocktails only, no food is served in the bar during the holiday season). To do this, arrive as early as possible and join the long queue on 22nd Street. You will probably wait hours for an overpriced cocktail, but this is an option to get that Instagram shot. Bucket list: check. That being said, if you’re local, decorations are now up year-round, so you can go and get that shot early or late. We actually took Dan’s cousins in October a few years ago just to see it! It was not crowded at all and we could stay as long as we wanted. In other words, early or late is the best time to get those social media posts for next year.
In any case, if you have a reservation, review the menu prior to arriving at Rolf’s. You do not want to waste your 75 minutes looking at the menu. Rolf’s makes choosing your food pretty easy: their menu is online and they don’t do specials during the holidays.
What to Order at Rolf’s
The below menu photo is from a few years ago. As of 2026, while the menu generally remains the same, the prices do not. Prices have increased across the board. You can find the current menu with prices on the Rolf’s website.
Rolf’s menu as of a few years ago. Current menu with updated prices can be found here.
The one wild card is the Christmas drink menu, which is usually pretty fantastic! Rolf’s always offers fun holiday cocktails, as well as a long schnapps list and beer by the stein. Be ready to make a quick decision. Due to the time crunch, we generally order drinks as soon as the waiter comes by. Usually a Glühwein, the same mulled wine served at the Strasbourg and Colmar Christmas markets, but sometimes we go rogue!
There is a drink menu online here, but it does not reflect the Christmas specials.
Christmas drink list.
Schnapps list.
Eggnog.
As you will see from reviewing the menu, the menu at Rolf’s consists of traditional German and Bavarian dishes, with a touch of Alsatian fare. Think pork and veal schnitzels, potato- and cabbage-based sides. For the most part, main dishes cost an average of around $40 to $45 USD and come with two sides. While a bit pricey, it is New York and Rolf’s dishes are large.
As of 2026, for a table reservation, everyone at the table must order their own entree.
Traditional veal schnitzel.
My go-to meal is generally the above-pictured veal schnitzel, which is served with spätzle (German pasta), a lemon, and green beans. The schnitzel is pounded very thin and is always tasty. For comparison, here is our review of Schnitzelbank in Heidelberg. The spätzle is my favorite side dish, and I barely touched the green beans (I had better things to eat). I usually also order a side of German potato salad to split among the table, which is absolutely large enough to split between 4 people.
The potato salad.
Other popular dishes are the meatloaf, which is even larger than the schnitzel and is served with purple cabbage and mashed potatoes, and the Jäger schnitzel, a non-breaded piece of meat served in a mushroom cream sauce, that is served with green beans and spätzle.
Meatloaf!
Desserts
Despite the dishes being huge, I always order dessert, and the desserts are really good! Recently, I’ve split the Black Forest Cake and the Apple Strudel, which is served warm(!), with my fellow diners. Both are terribly delicious and huge.
Note, even if you order dessert, you do not get extra time. Plan accordingly!
Black Forest Cake.
Warm Apple Strudel.
All in all, I think Rolf’s is a super fun NYC Christmas experience. It’s worth the annoyances, but only if you book early or go at an off time. I don’t think waiting in line for just drinks is worth it, but that’s up to you. If you go that route, arrive early and be prepared to wait a long time and be super crowded inside the standing-room only bar. If you’d rather have the real thing, here is our European Christmas market itinerary.
Standing room only at the bar around Christmas.
STEAL OUR TRIP
Rolf’s German Restaurant: 281 Third Ave, New York, NY 10010. T: 212-477-4750 and 212-473-8718. The phone line for reservations is only open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Open daily, 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m, closing at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday.
More of our favorites are in our New York City guide.
ON A BUDGET
Rolf’s at Christmas is definitely a worthy splurge! If you are on a super tight budget, you can wait in line for access to the bar – but drinks are still $25 plus (2026 prices TBD, someone recently reported $31!!) – or find another fun bar decorated to the nines for Christmas! There are a lot in NYC. Pair a weekday lunch at Rolf’s with a matinee you won in the Broadway lottery. And if you can’t make it to Europe for the Christmas markets, try Quebec City instead.
I also really love Lillie’s Victorian, which has wonderful Christmas decorations, two locations and accepts online bookings.
