Bodensee

We loved this place. We'd never had german food before, so we ordered several kids' meals so we could try a little bit of everything. The owner and his daughter came out and explained stuff to us. They were super friendly and really nice. I would definitely go back. We asked for the sauces on the side, so don't judge the pictures. The food was amazing. We will definitely go back

Wow!! I loved the pretzel. It was awesome, highly recommend. The sampler diner was also amazing, it was all great. This place will not let you down. We did wait a minute to sit but the waitress definitely worth it. It was highly recommended from lots of the locals here as one of the best places to eat. Now I know why, if you’re ever here you have to stop and if anything try the pretzel with beer cheese dip, you won’t regret it.

Nice way to end our last dinner before heading back to reality. This German place has great food and our server was awesome! Parking here is very hard to find and hidden but well worth coming to.

We were greeted & seated immediately. The interior is very nice and they offer patio seating as well. All staff were very nice and attentive. We had a baby and appreciated the bathrooms having a nice changing area. We had a toy drop and a server offered to take it and clean it, very appreciative of that as well. The food came quickly and we really enjoyed everything.

This place is our absolute favorite place to eat while visiting Helen so much in fact that's the reason why we came to visit Helen again and to ride the mountain coaster. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu here. German food is my top three of my favorite foods.

We started with a pretzel appetizer that was served piping hot with 2 servings of cheese sauce. Next, we shared a sample platter for 2. This could easily serve 4! We took half home. My favorite items were the wurst and the schnitzel, but all meat dishes were fantastic. A large plate of various side dishes accompanied the meats. For dessert, there is a chef made pastry layered with Bavarian cream. We had this and fresh hot coffee. The service was fast and friendly. The owner came out and spoke with several guests, including us. We had a wonderful time. This is the most authentic food we've had. Please see for yourself.

I would say this dining experience was by-far the best we've had in Helen!
The smoked porkchop with gypsy gravy is absolutely delicious, and the flavors were spot on for the whole dish! What a wonderful little place! 😍

Forget any other restaurant in town. This is it !
If you check my two other experiences you will understand why.
We came for lunch and had a blast. German music, small and cozy place, the waitress took great care of us and spoiled our kids, so much so they want to come back at dinner time.
My son and I shared the steak and added some shrimp on garlic butter. The juice from the steak mixed with the butter made a perfect seasoning for the fries.
My daughter had the kids chicken wings. Beautifully cooked, personally even for kids I think we should have ordered the regular sized.
My wife had the real deal in schnitzel material. Finally a real one made by a Romanian chef that has high standards. And talking about that, although I like the strudel very much, the puff pastry filled with homemade Bavarian cream is the star. Absolutely delicious. Pick at least two, even if you are by yourself. We are coming back for a light dinner and having it again as well as the pretzel. I'm certain that I'll have a great time again.
The third time was indeed the charm. Tomorrow we will leave with this as the best memory from the town.

The reality is that this restaurant has my highest praise because its atmosphere, service and food was excellent. The dish I ate was a sampler for two, but I'm speechless, each sample is better than the other. If you come to Helen and want to try German dishes, come to this restaurant.

Good food and great German beer. Service was a little sketchy. Off the beaten path but worth the walk.

Authentic German restaurant with wonderful, delicious food. You won’t get anywhere else. Also, drinking a cola Wizen which, if you are not familiar with, is going to be a treat for you. I won’t spoil the surprise surprise. We actually talk to the owner. I had a great time and I had the Hungarian goulash.

Best German food in Helen! Very tasty, great atmosphere with live music & the Apfelstrudel … OMG so good!
Thanks to the whole Team for a great experience!

I have nothing bad to say about Bodensee! The owner and chef are from Germany, so it is true authentic German food! If you don’t know what to get, you can’t go wrong with the goulash soup! We got the sampler for two, however it was enough food for four! Everything in the sampler was amazing! However, I cannot quite remember all of the names of the foods. If you are going to Helen, Georgia for authentic German food, stop at Bodensee! The servers were very friendly and welcoming, and when they forgot to bring a dish they instantly took it off the bill and offered to bring us the dish. I would eat here again if I was in the mood for German food!

We had a great dinner during our trip to Helen, GA. The staff are very welcoming and kind. Our server, Sully, was top-notch! The music perfumers were fun, talented, and really engaging with the customers. The potato pancakes were layered with potatoes and crispy! The spaetzel was the best I’ve had, and the chicken schnitzel with mushrooms, onions, & mozzarella… that was incredible! We took the lemon raspberry cake to-go and that was delicious too. This was the best part of Helen, I’d go back just to eat here again :)

If you're looking for a taste of Germany, Bodensee is the place for you. The food is delicious, and the staff are friendly and attentive. The pretzel is a must-try - it's nice and fluffy with hot cheese. The sampler for two is huge, so be warned that it's enough for three people, not two. But it's a great way to try a bit of everything. And the live music is a nice touch. All in all, it's a great experience.

When in Alpine Helen, authentic food to warm the heart and body on a chilly December day. Great recommendation from the Arts and Cultural Center where we learned the history of the area. Delicious food, knowledgeable service, and nice atmosphere.

Hands down one of the best meals I have ever ate. All of our food was outstanding. Heather C. was also one of if not the best server we have ever experienced. She was funny, knowledgeable and made sure we had the best experience possible. Highly recommend this place as it is now our favorite spot in Helen.

What a fantastically wonderful experience this was! Live music, fast service, and terrific owners. As someone who’s been blessed to travel abroad, I can honestly report that the Bavarian food, beer, and atmosphere is spot on. We tried the German sampler for two, and just say that this dish could feed 4! Everything was delicious and we will make this a frequent stop each time we visit Helen, Ga!

We were happy to get some German food! As you can see in the pictures below... it did have music which was very awesome. Just a little setback as we did have a person that has sensory overload. Probably should have not brought her in, but didn't know that they had that going on. But overall I would go back for sure and they had my favorite German beer - schofferhofer I was happy!!!

This is the restaurant with the most delicious food in Helen. Heidelberg is a complete joke. Such a joke that they are doing a disservice to German cuisine. Bodensee does it right. Truly delicious food, with a wide variety. Plenty of seating with an indoor and outdoor area. Highly recommend the $46 sampler for two. It's very filling and you get to try it all.