Christmas decorations at Rolf's are feast for your eyes

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - There aren't many things New Yorkers wait in line for. But during the holidays, getting into Rolf's German Restaurant in Manhattan is one of them.

From the moment you walk through the door, you know this is no ordinary restaurant. There's lots of looking up and pretty quickly, the cameras come out. It is spectacular. It has more than 5,000 ornaments and 150,000 lights.

Robert Maizano has owned the place since the early 1980s. He says the ornaments are antiques from Germany. Many are made from hand-blown crystal that changes color with the light. He says he wants you to feel like you're sitting under or inside a Christmas tree.

Extravagant, over the top, decorations are the reason Rolf's tops almost every list of "What to do in New York City during the holidays."

Around since 1968, the southern Bavarian eatery does Christmas six months out of the year.

Always busy, the bar area stays packed. The beer selection is great and the food is amazing.

So, if you're looking for a place guaranteed to get you in the holiday mood, check out Rolf's in Murray Hill.

Rolf's German Restaurant, 281 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10010, 212-477-4750