German for Intermediate Learners: Give a Detailed Review of a Meal
Learn to give a balanced, detailed review of a meal in German, covering taste, presentation, service, and value, with polite and constructive language.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you eat out, you might need to send a dish back if something is wrong. But often, you want to give overall feedback about the whole experience—praising what was good and noting what could be better. This lesson teaches you how to express a detailed opinion about a meal in German, using appropriate vocabulary and structures. You'll learn to talk about taste, texture, presentation, portion size, service, and value for money. You'll also practice softening criticism to stay polite, which is important in German-speaking cultures. By the end, you'll be able to give a nuanced review, whether to friends, in a survey, or directly to the restaurant staff.
By the end, you can…
- describe the taste, texture, and presentation of a dish in German.
- give a balanced review of a meal, including both positive and negative aspects, using polite language.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Das Essen war insgesamt sehr lecker, aber die Portion war etwas klein.
The food was overall very tasty, but the portion was a bit small.
dahs ES-sen vahr in-sge-ZAHMT zear LEK-ker, AH-ber dee por-TSEE-ohn vahr ET-vahs klain
Use this to give a balanced review, starting with a positive and then a mild criticism.
Die Vorspeise hat mir gut gefallen, sie war schön angerichtet.
I liked the starter; it was nicely presented.
dee FOR-shpai-zeh haht meer goot ge-FAH-len, zee vahr shurn AHN-ge-rikh-tet
Compliment the presentation of a dish. 'Angerichtet' refers to how food is arranged on the plate.
Der Hauptgang war etwas enttäuschend, das Fleisch war zäh.
The main course was a bit disappointing; the meat was tough.
dair HOWPT-gahng vahr ET-vahs ent-TOY-shent, dahs FLAISH vahr tsay
Express disappointment politely. 'Zäh' means tough (for meat).
Der Service war aufmerksam und freundlich, wir haben uns gut aufgehoben gefühlt.
The service was attentive and friendly; we felt well looked after.
dair ZER-vis vahr OWF-mer-kzahm oont FROYNT-likh, veer HAH-ben oons goot OWF-ge-ho-ben ge-FOOLT
Praise the service. 'Sich gut aufgehoben fühlen' means to feel in good hands.
Für die Qualität war es etwas teuer, aber insgesamt okay.
For the quality, it was a bit expensive, but overall okay.
fewr dee kvah-lee-TAYT vahr es ET-vahs TOY-er, AH-ber in-sge-ZAHMT oh-KAY
Comment on value for money. 'Etwas teuer' softens the criticism.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To give a balanced review, use the structure: 'Das Essen war insgesamt [positive adjective], aber [negative aspect].' For example: 'Das Essen war insgesamt sehr gut, aber der Nachtisch war zu süß.' This pattern allows you to start with a general positive impression and then mention a specific issue. You can also use 'obwohl' (although) to contrast: 'Das Essen war lecker, obwohl es etwas kalt war.' Another useful pattern is 'Mir hat ... gefallen' (I liked ...) and 'Mir hat ... nicht gefallen' (I didn't like ...). For example: 'Mir hat die Vorspeise sehr gefallen, aber der Hauptgang hat mir nicht so gut gefallen.' These structures help you express personal opinions politely.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you want to give feedback about a meal, whether in a restaurant, to friends, or in an online review. In German-speaking cultures, it's common to be direct but polite. When criticizing, soften your statement with words like 'etwas' (a bit), 'ziemlich' (quite), or 'leider' (unfortunately). For example: 'Leider war das Fleisch etwas zäh.' If you're very satisfied, you can be more enthusiastic: 'Das war wirklich hervorragend!' If you're writing a review, you might combine several aspects: 'Das Restaurant hat eine gemütliche Atmosphäre, das Essen war lecker, aber der Service war etwas langsam.' Remember to use the polite 'Sie' form if you're giving feedback directly to the staff: 'Entschuldigung, könnten Sie dem Koch sagen, dass das Essen köstlich war?'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Wie hat dir das Essen gestern im neuen Restaurant gefallen?
How did you like the food yesterday at the new restaurant?vee haht deer dahs ES-sen GES-tern im NOY-en res-too-RAHNG ge-FAH-lenInsgesamt war es gut. Die Vorspeise war fantastisch, aber der Hauptgang war etwas enttäuschend. Das Fleisch war zäh.
Overall it was good. The starter was fantastic, but the main course was a bit disappointing. The meat was tough.in-sge-ZAHMT vahr es goot. dee FOR-shpai-zeh vahr fahn-TAHS-tish, AH-ber dair HOWPT-gahng vahr ET-vahs ent-TOY-shent. dahs FLAISH vahr tsayOh, das ist schade. Und wie war der Service?
Oh, that's a shame. And how was the service?oh, dahs ist SHAH-de. oont vee vahr dair ZER-visDer Service war aufmerksam und freundlich. Wir haben uns gut aufgehoben gefühlt. Aber für die Qualität war es etwas teuer.
The service was attentive and friendly. We felt well looked after. But for the quality, it was a bit expensive.dair ZER-vis vahr OWF-mer-kzahm oont FROYNT-likh. veer HAH-ben oons goot OWF-ge-ho-ben ge-FOOLT. AH-ber fewr dee kvah-lee-TAYT vahr es ET-vahs TOY-erA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, direct feedback is often appreciated, but it's important to remain polite and constructive. When giving negative feedback, soften it with words like 'etwas' or 'leider'. In a restaurant, if you have a complaint, it's common to address the waiter with 'Entschuldigung' and use the 'Sie' form. Tipping is usually done by rounding up or giving about 5-10% for good service. In Austria and Switzerland, some phrases may differ slightly, e.g., 'Das war sehr gut' is universal, but 'leiwand' (Viennese slang for great) is regional. Stick to standard German for clarity.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Ich habe gefallen' to mean 'I liked'.
Try this instead: 'Gefallen' works differently: the person who likes something is in the dative case, and the thing liked is the subject. So 'I liked the food' is 'Das Essen hat mir gefallen' (literally 'The food pleased me'). For example: 'Die Vorspeise hat mir sehr gefallen.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'The dessert was too sweet, but the coffee was good' in German?
Show a sample answer
Der Nachtisch war zu süß, aber der Kaffee war gut.
This uses the pattern 'X war zu [adjective], aber Y war [adjective]'. 'Zu süß' means too sweet. Alternatively, you could say 'Der Nachtisch war etwas zu süß' to soften it.
2Translate: 'We felt well looked after.'
Show a sample answer
Wir haben uns gut aufgehoben gefühlt.
This is a fixed expression. 'Sich aufgehoben fühlen' means to feel in good hands. You could also say 'Wir haben uns gut betreut gefühlt', which is similar.
3Give a polite criticism about slow service.
Show a sample answer
Der Service war leider etwas langsam.
Using 'leider' (unfortunately) and 'etwas' (a bit) softens the criticism. You could also say 'Der Service könnte schneller sein' (The service could be faster), which is more indirect.
To give a detailed review in German, start with a general positive statement, then mention specific aspects using softened criticism. Use 'insgesamt' for overall impressions, 'aber' to contrast, and 'leider' or 'etwas' to be polite. Practice the dative construction with 'gefallen' to express likes and dislikes accurately.
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