Zu den Drei Hacken The Joint Singerstr. 28 Wien Austria Phone: +43 1 512 5895 Cliff More goose! I got a drumstick with Rotkraut (sweet-and-sour purple cabbage) and it was excellent. Also, there was some paté which was quite nice — and apparently also made of goose parts (but that’s just a theory). Franz Schubert was a big fan of this place. Nice atmosphere, but loud if full (or there’s a big party behind you) and little chance to escape the smoke. Sarah I finally tried Tafelspitz! In spite of my previous forswearing of beef in German-speaking lands (they’re better at pork), I had to sample this famous Viennese dish. The verdict: meh. It’s not bad, it’s just not outstanding. I think I’m spoiled on American beef. That said, this place is very small and old-fashioned, but was bustling. The service was nice, but a little rushed. And by the end of the meal, we all needed to get out of the billows of second-hand smoke. Normally, I don’t mind a little bit of smoke, but I think the Viennese smoke more than most.
Apartment Ausstellungsstrasse The Joint Ausstellungsstraße 31 1020 Wien Austria Phone: +43-1-728 66 98 http://www.apartment.at/index_eng.php3/app/115/0/0/ Cliff This was a fantastic apartment in a great location. My only complaint: the listing says it has an oven; if it did, we couldn’t find it. Generous fridge, beautiful interiors, and most of all, a very helpful, friendly, and informative landlord. I’d love to come back to Vienna and stay there again. Sarah We are vocal advocates of vacation apartments over hotels when you’re staying for a few days in a certain area and when you’ve got 4 people (or more) all traveling together. It usually ends up being significantly cheaper (due to kitchen facilites and no housekeeping) than a hotel. Still, this place was a shock upon arrival. The apartment is HUGE! Not just in area, but volume, with gorgeous high ceilings. The landlord, from whom we picked up the keys, gave us a very thorough tour, several maps of the area and lots of great tips for the area (where’s the ATM, closest grocery store, etc.). Plus, it was on the European 3rd (American 4th) floor of a walkup building – great to work off those Viennese pastries!