6 Best Beer Halls in Munich

Hofbräuhaus

People from all around the globe visit the Hofbräuhaus, which prides itself in being the world's most famous beer hall.

Established in 1589 as the Royal Brewery of the Kingdom of Bavaria, it is an essential part of Munich's history, culture and cuisine and a popular hang out for tourists and locals alike. You’ll see many reserved tables for regulars, called Stammtisch. These special customers get permanent personalized beer steins locked in their own case. 

Expect oompah bands, waitresses in traditional Dirndls, home-brewed beer in one-liter steins, and hearty Bavarian food such as veal sausage with sweet mustard and pork roast. On the weekend, it gets loud and jolly.

Address: Am Platzl 9, 80331 Munich

Weißes Bräuhaus

An institution in Munich’s culinary scene since the 19th century, Weisses Bräuhaus specializes in Weissbier, wheat beer. Every beer is poetically described on the menu. For instance, Meine blonde Weisse is “refreshing like a dance in a summer breeze”. And ​Unser Aventinus is perfor “relaxing moments by the fire”?

The menu offers good old-fashioned German food, salads, as well as vegetarian options. If you dare, try the traditional Munich dishes: sweet-sour lung of veal, pork liver with roasted onions, or pork kidneys with fried potatoes. Kids under 8 eat for free.

Weisses Bräuhaus has been carefully renovated, and the no-frills, down-to-earth atmosphere is just like it might have been 100 years ago.

Address: Tal 7, 80331 Munich

Der Pschorr

Located at Viktualienmarkt, Der Pschorr pours its Hacker-Pschorr-Edelhell beer straight from wooden barrels into your stein.

Besides its many different kinds of beers, Der Pschorr is famous for its fantastic quality of food. All ingredients are local, with produce from Bavarian orchards, cheeses from local dairy coops, and meats from Munich sausage makers. Highlights on the menu are the Murnau Werdenfelser beef, a rare breed of local cattle; Pressack, a sausage made from pork, studded with glistening shards of fat and seasoned with marjoram; and homemade Obatzda, a Bavarian cheese spread served with onions and chive bread.

Sounds too heavy? Look for the “healthy kitchen” section on the menu.

Address: Viktualienmarkt 15, 80331 Munich

Augustinerkeller

Munich’s Augustinerkeller has been serving its mild Edelstoff beer freshly tapped from the wooden barrel since 1812. Today, the restaurant is many things at once: You can dine in the cozy and lively Bierstuebel with its old paintings and chandeliers; the beer cellar with its vaulted ceilings, brick walls and wooden benches; the chestnut-shaded beer garden; or in the main beer hall, the bustling heart of the Augustinerkeller and a fun place for people watching.

The restaurant serves up traditional Bavarian cuisine, but you'll also find a couple of International and vegetarian dishes on the extensive menu.

Address: Arnulfstr. 52, 80335 Munich

Paulaner Bräuhaus

The Paulaner Bräuhaus has a beer brewing tradition that goes back to 1889 when the brothers Eugen and Ludwig Thomas brewed their first full-bodied lager beer here. Today, the beer is brewed in traditional shiny copper tanks and even flavors some of the seasonal dishes on the menu like the goulash in beer sauce. For the adventurous foodie, there is wheat beer sorbet. If you can’t get enough, come here on a Monday for an all you can eat Bavarian buffet.

Address: Kapuzinerplatz 5, 80337 Munich

Löwenbräukeller

When the Löwenbräukeller opened in 1883 it was a sensation. Not only does it serve fresh Löwenbräubeer, but it was it the first beer hall in the city with tablecloth and napkins. The restaurant still features wooden floors, high vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, and oil paintings similar to its early days.

The menu celebrates classic Bavarian dishes such as roast pork in caraway gravy with bread dumpling and cabbage salad; and roasted pork knuckle with dumplings and sauerkraut.

For the 1867 Oktoberfest, the Löwenbräukeller set up the festival's first beer tent, the Schottenhamel. It became one of Oktoberfest's most famous beer tents and the place where Munich's mayor kicks off the festival every year.

Address: Nymphenburgerstrasse 2, 80335 Munich

Beer Gardens in Munich

Is the weather too nice to sit inside a beer hall? Most beer halls have outdoor seating, terraces or even Biergartens.

Check out this list to find out more about the best of Munich’s 200beer gardens. From bustling beer gardens in the heart of the city to the world’s biggest beer garden for 8,000 people to idyllic open-air restaurants in the outskirts of the city.