WATERLOO, California — Just steps off the busy Highway 88 in Waterloo, German music plays from speakers, more than two dozen signature German dishes such as schnitzel are served up and nearly 22 German-imported beers are on tap.
According to their loyal customers, walking through the doors of San Joaquin County's German Guys restaurant brings guests to the other side of the globe.
"German Guys is the house of schnitzel so we sell 80% schnitzel," said co-owner Adrian Cogiel. "Schnitzel is a flat, breaded meat. We have 14 different toppings, six different side dishes, six salads. People can create their own plate every day in-house."
The nearly 4-year-old restaurant was the American dream of Adrian and his wife Kristen, known around the restaurant as Ady and Kate.
“After we spent a few vacations in Lodi and this area, we found out that people are familiar with German and the background," said Ady. "And then we found out there isn’t really a German restaurant available.”
In 2017, Ady won a green card lottery giving him and his wife the inspiration and some of the support needed to make the nearly 5,600-mile journey to Waterloo.
"It's kind of like a passion to bring it back to here," said Ady. "Also, a lot of people — customers, guests — have a German background or were stationed in the army in Germany... we can bring the memories back. It's super cool."
Ever since the couple filled that void of local German food, drinks and music, loyal customers have been happy.
"The first time we came here, it was a totally new thing and it's really good, so I planned on coming back," said frequent customer Kyle Ballard, before eating his schnitzel. "The food is amazing and the people who work here are very nice."
For Waterloo resident John Gates, visiting the small business has become an almost weekly tradition.
"I'm German by nationality. My grandmother and my mother used to cook German and this is good," said Gates. "You gotta try it, it's good."
The reviewing website Yelp is also grateful for the sample of Berlin right in San Joaquin County — ranking German Guys on their list of top 30 German restaurants in the U.S. this winter.
"It is insane. It is a wonderful feeling, it makes you really proud to do what you do," said Ady. "We got a lot of messages, DMs and stuff. Also Yelp sent us a message with a QR code that we could scan, 'German Guys' and find out about that. It was really, really, really exciting that we found out that they ranked us so high."
Even with the award, the focus for Ady and Kate remains where it always has been, in their one-of-a-kind German kitchen and beer garden right off Waterloo Road.
"It makes a lot of fun to cook the way how we cook and see, always, the reaction of the guests, how surprised they are and start loving it," said Ady. "Some people, you make them into regulars. At one moment you see them once a week, so that is kind of like a good feeling."
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