Zehnder's of Frankenmuth Reviews

We have been going to Zenders for the last 10 years , it is one of our favorite restaurants. However , We had a bad experience New Year s Eve dinner. It was advertised like a special dinner , it wasn t nothing like that . I had the lamb , it was awful, overpriced and it wasn t all you can eat either , they never told us that and the waitress didn t even know she had to ask her supervisor.Awful service and embarrassing since we had guests from abroad coming to Frankenmuth for a special New Year s Eve . A disaster ! Never again!

Zenders is an amazing destination restaurant where you can step back in time to enjoy a traditional family style dinner with all of the fixings - all expertly prepared in time honoured methods. That is what makes this beautiful restaurant the home you will always want to come back to. For the past 90 years, they have been serving their uncompromisingly perfect chicken dinner with multiple sides and have grown to become the largest restaurant in the USA (one of the top 10 largest in the world). This is a place you will want to visit again and again - just as I have done since my childhood. And yes, you will roll away from that dinner table far more than satisfied, knowing you have eaten quality foods made with quality ingredients! Just stop reading here and go plan your trip there right now.

This place was great. Family style dinning it was so nice to show my kids what it was like. My server was great. The chicken was delicious. The appetizers of the bread and cheese were good. The noodle soup was great. The cabbage salad was delicious. My kids had the chicken fingers and they liked them alot and wanted more than the 3 that came with it. The ice cream for dessert was hit with the kids and me as well. Cant wait to go back. So if your in Frankenmuth i recommend strongly going but bring your appetite. I definitely will be back.

Every time I dine here, it's a new experience. My palate absolutely adores the food and my spirit enjoys the beautiful and friendly atmosphere. Anyone who lives in Michigan and hasn't dined here, are truly missing out

It's just a fun relaxing place, good food, great service and friendly service. The buffet downstairs is perfect bargain for a lighter appetite. Dad had to get a German Chocolate Cake to go!

$24 for chicken and then they wanted to charge $6 to take home some cranberries. Been there many times and it is fun walking around there, but the food is not as good as it use to be and now they even charge extra for coffee or tea. At the pops they charge drinks around be included. Last time eating there, much better places to spend my money.

Had a bad experience but James called and was wonderful to work with

Put it on your list of things to do if you are visiting Frankenmuth. Great food, service, and atmosphere.

It has been 4 yrs since our last visit. Guest services were very attentive and courteous. We've enjoyed every visit to Zehnder's always makes for great memories.

The chicken dinner is very overrated. It has almost no flavor and almost every piece is square. You can't tell what you are eating. The other foods are very good and the sides and appetizers are equally good, but the chicken leaves a lot to be desired. I would rather have KFC.

The buffet has good selection but food is not that great. Chicken was quite dry and beef was tough. Sides are okay but for the $25.95 price definitively not worth it. Servers were good. Took dirty dishes quickly and came back for refills on the drinks. Don't think we will be returning.

Good fried chicken here at Zenders! Too much food, but the "family style" is the way to go. (They have doggie bags!) Join the birthday club and get a free meal, in your birthday month. And last but not least....a free ornament at Bronners!

The buffet in the basement is a great deal. You get the benefit of the family style chicken and an additional meat plus a dessert bar.

Food never changes and it could have a little more flavor

Love the food here. It's like eating during the holidays. Comfort food and lots of it.

We were staying in Birch Run and came to Frankenmuth with friends. We left our cell phone in their car when we split up, so we weren t able to get a ride back, and we found out there are no cabs in Frankenmuth, and no Uber, and no Lyft! Thankfully the nice people at Zehnder s, where we had shopped earlier in the day, arranged to have their shuttle service take us back to our hotel in Birch Run. It was so nice and so helpful for us, we were really stressed at being stuck and they really went above and beyond to help us. Their customer service is amazing. Can t wait to try the bread and jam we got there! Also the shuttle driver was so nice and friendly. Thanks Zehnder s!

Zhenders is one of the most popular family-owned restaurants in the nation! Amazing staff and crazy delicious food. It's all tastefully decorated and definitely an experience for sure. It is on the pricier side but it's one of those 'treat yoself' moments that you really shouldn't pass up.

Great food and service. Lots more food than we could eat.

Ordered my fav. Chicken pot pie, it arrived looking like a premade Crust full of gravy. No vegetables some shreds of carrots and exactly 3 small squares of chicken. Salty heavy very inpleasant in appearance. The staff told me it was all depending on which cook is in the kitchen. We came from Alpena, a 3 hr. Dr the waitstaff did not charge me, but it was a long way to come for such a disappointing meal.

We always have a great experience but this time was exceptional thank you to our wonderful server. The only thing missing was splash village , next time for sure...

Live the ambiance and plenty of food great service, toi.

I love Zenders especially since I started using there rewards program that gives you a full free family style chicken dinner for your birthday every year! It is the best! You also have the whole month of your birthday to use it. If for some reason you don't. You can still get $3 off in another month. You can also add the birthdays of everyone in your family to your rewards card if you register online. The chicken is delicious and I love the butter noodles and home made Cranberry sauce.

Great vibes from the place. Beautiful decor and cute little gift shops. However the food did not live up to the hype. The chicken was bland and the batter was dry and cold by the time it got to me. Some good side dishes but overall not worth the price and lines on the weekends.

Food was great, but having some boneless and/or grilled chicken options would be great. Portions are hardy. Service was great.

Love this place. MUST STOP
Worth the wait an a lovely atmosphere with good comfort food. It s a family tradition!!

I was hoping for more authentic German food but the buffet was fabulous. Beautiful establishment. Waitress said there was no sherbet but 5 minutes later another waitress served three tables with sherbet.

The staff here we're absolutely amazing and went out of their way to entertain my toddler. I had to knock 2 stars off for the food. The sides were decent, but the signature chicken dark meat was overcooked and the white meat was so dry it was inedible. Do yourself a favor and pick something else as the main course.

Always a treat. Exceptional service although food seems to be slipping in quality. Baked potato rock hard and sides not as flavorful as in the past. Family has been gathering here for 50 years.

The food was amazing, the service was great. Only down side is I ruined my diet.

Takes too long to get your bill and dessert and if you order from the bar you might get your drink bafore the main course,dont count on drink refills, do not let them seat you in the bar area that room has the worst service and the new or slowest wate staff, food is fantastic as always wont get 5 stars until they hire friendly waitstaff make reservation at least one week on advance

Whynot !!! It's a great place ,I recommend it to chicken eating folks and those who like cherry strudel .

Flavorful food, and plenty of it. Service is great too.

First time going here and I was amazed how good the food was. We got the all you can eat family style chicken dinner. Some of the sides are seasonal, but they always have the staple sides like buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, etc. My favorite was the buttered noodles by far.

I was really concerned about all the food going to waste. They bring you a lot! But by the end of the meal I felt better because they bring you carry out boxes for everything left! We had leftovers for days!

There is a gift shop and bakery on the bottom level.

Very enjoyable experience!

Great place for a family dinner! We usually go to the Bavarian inn when we come to Frankenmuth. Decided to try Zehnders and it was great! Very comparable to Bavarian Inn but has an additional buffet as an option. They were out of non dairy cheese that was listed on the menu or would have given 5 stars. Great service and a great meal.

Wow, the chicken and fixin's was so good and service was great!

The staff is friendly and the place is clean but I cannot understand what people like about this place.
The food is way overpriced and the selection is very small.
If you like weird hard small bread and shake n bake chicken you've come to the right place.

The food, service, atmosphere! This place has it all. Take a stroll back in time when elegance had character. The attention to detail this place has is just unreal. The food is great and you will never leave there hungery, if you do it's your fault. When done gorging yourself make sure you go downstairs to the bakery to take a look around.

This is such a treat when we go here. Nice place to shop and eat. Can get crowded during events, but well worth it. Ice fest is awesome! Don't forget the Popcorn Wagon and Cupcakes at Sugar High! And don't pass up the family style dinner at Zehnders! Worth the price and you can relax and enjoy your family!

You physically cannot go to frankenmuth without going to Zehnders! I have so many memories of going there as a young boy and stuffing my face with the fried chicken dinner and going into a food coma immediately after. This place will always have a place in my heart!

Really enjoy the downstairs reataurant and all the shops! And the bakery! OMG, the bakery!

Even with covid they did a great job and made us feel welcome. Overwhelming amount of food, did not leave with an empty stomach.

Everyone should eat in Frankenmuth. Chicken dinners are delicious and the bakery is awesome.

Very pricey for the quality of food, great service though.

Did not live up to the hype. Chicken in all three pans I tried was dry, arid dry.

We were disappointed that some shortcuts have been made with the family style dinners. Instant potatoes are not what we paid 25 bucks for. The chicken was a bit dry too. Lovely rooms and the service was good and attentive.

Waitress was fantastic!! We wanted the Sunday Buffet but they sat us in the wrong area the first time. We had to wait 20 more minutes to get reseated. The food on the buffet was good but not great. Considering the wait and price I was expecting more...

The chicken wasn't as spectacular as I had expected...it was just ok...

Great food, great service.

Make a reservation

Came to the Z Cafe yesterday because we are uncomfortable with dining in. I ordered 2 pc dark and the portions (especially one of the pcs) was miniscule! I have come here since I was a child and always enjoyed it. I could not believe the size of the dinner with the price I paid. Also. I was quoted a price (w/o tax) and it seemed too much even with tax. Are they tacking on tip without my consent?????

Great food. Great service. Really neat restaurant. Looking forward to going back.

Great place to visit. Eat downstairs, same chicken. Costs a lot less & there's no waiting!!

Great food, slightly over-hyped however. Their chicken was definently good, juicy and all, but it's seasonings we're a little lack-luster in my opinion. The seasonings provided on the tables helped make it better though. All in all, a good meal if you do eat here. Just be ready to pull out a good chunk of money.

The food is good, the staff is great, the venue is beautiful...the wait..well....bring a book especially around the holidays. We waited over an hour for a table. So I'd recommend making reservations if possible. You'll still wait, just not as long. And to be honest this is worth a wait, and I normally will not wait for food. The buffet has many good choices, and is well stocked. The staff is attentive polite and courteous.

Much overrated and costly. Amish chicken and buffet at Der Dutchman in mid Ohio and Sarasota, Florida is sooo much better! Service was though quite acceptable at Zehndrr's but food quality not so much.

Kinda bland but I'm a Louisiana girl that loves flavor and service took a good while for my taste

Husband had the chicken dinner, and I had the chicken phyllo. Definitely a place to try! Just be careful and come hungry cus it s soooooo much food! A must try if coming to Frankenmuth for the first time! Also, our server Patti was amazingly sweet! ^_^

Nice place to have dinner in this Germany Town, authentic environment and food, and the smash potato and orange ice cream is big surprises!

I don't go here because the food is good. It's not. It's bland and it caters to an all you care to eat crowd. This is a Michigan must do with the extended family, a tradition to sit down together like Thanksgiving but at any time. After spending the day shopping and walking around it's nice to stop and partake in this dining experience. Be prepared the atmosphere is crowded and feels somewhat rushed. The table could use a lazy suzan in the middle to help pass dishes especially when you have little ones.

My (now) wife and I eloped to Frankenmuth and went the Zehnders for lunch after our ceremony. The staff was great, food was delicious and we had an amazing time. Looking forward to returning to Frankenmuth for our anniversaries in the future.

Decent food at best. Not seasoned well at all food was very bland. Pricey