How to Visit Hofbräuhaus München, a Historical Gem of Munich
Last Updated on 9th November 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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If you’re looking for a fun and convivial atmosphere in central Munich, look no further than its most famous beer hall, Hofbräuhaus München! Famed for its 16th-century decor, giant pretzels and warm friendly vibe. Here’s everything you need to know on how to visit Hofbräuhaus München, a historical gem of the city.
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What is Hofbräuhaus München?
Hofbräuhaus München translates as “the court’s brewhouse”, and it is a famous beer hall in the heart of Bavaria’s capital, Munich. It is famed for its upbeat vibe, delicious beers and local hearty dishes!
The tavern is the embodiment of Munich’s beer culture, the life and soul of the city where locals and tourists alike come to socialise and soak up the warm and friendly atmosphere of this historic boozer.
Situated over three floors, the beer hall is steeped in history, as one of Munich’s oldest beer halls, today it is one of the city’s major tourist attractions and is even worth paying a visit if you’re heading to the Munich Christmas markets.
A history of the Beer Bar
Beer consumption is deeply rooted in German culture, and Munich’s love affair with beer can be traced back as far as the 14th century, with the oldest recorded brewery in Munich (The Augustiner brewery) being founded by Augustinian Monks in 1328.
In 1516 the ‘Bavarian Beer Purity Law’ came about, which stated that only natural ingredients could be used in the brewing process, from the three basic ingredients of water, hops and barley. So it’s no wonder that German beer is of such high calibre!
The history of Hofbräuhaus München dates back to 1589 when the beer hall was founded by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V. It was founded as a brewery and initially was solely established to supply beer to the Bavarian Court.
After centuries of serving beer exclusively to the royals, in 1828 the Hofbräuhaus was declared open to the public by King Ludwig I, officially marking it as a tavern in Munich.
Hofbräuhaus quickly became a meeting place and central hub of the city, welcoming famous faces to the likes of Mozart and Lenin among its regular customers. The tavern was also used for some of the most significant historical and political events in Western Europe, in 1920 Hitler used the space to host the first National Socialist Party.
By 1945 much of Hofbräuhaus was destroyed by the World War II bombings, needing over a decade’s worth of restoration, the tavern’s doors did not reopen until 1958.
Today, Hofbräuhaus is easily one of the world’s most famous beer halls and is an iconic landmark in Munich, drawing in thousands upon thousands of people per day! A place where you can enjoy the delicious diverse range of beer, and indulge in traditional Bavarian cuisine. And, it’s not uncommon to start up a conversation with a stranger, in this warm and friendly historical tavern.
The tavern is a particular hotspot during Munich’s largest annual festival, Oktoberfest. Held over two weeks at the end of September, the festival originally celebrated a royal wedding, but today focuses more on beer, music and various other cultural wonders.
How to visit Hofbräuhaus München
Unless you are travelling in a big group, you can visit by simply just walking in and seeing if there’s a free spot to grab!
Hofbräuhaus München is set over three floors, there’s also the Wirtsgarten, which is a sheltered beer garden nestled under an oak tree, it can seat up to 450 people at one time. The inside can seat up to 1,300 guests at any time, so as you can imagine the atmosphere is buzzing.
The main part to visit is the Schwemme, which essentially extends over the entirety of the ground floor and has over 100 well-worn wooden plank tables that date back to 1897, this can be seen through the markings and etchings of various messages and initials engraved on the tables. And, if you look up you can see that the ceiling is beautifully painted and features elaborate frescoes in the Baroque style.
When visiting, it’s perfectly normal to share a table with other people, however, be sure to look out for signs on the table that say “Stammtisch”, as these are regulars’ tables and are often reserved for trade groups and clubs that frequent the beer hall regularly. Many regulars even store their own Maßkrug glass in one of the tavern’s 616 beer glass compartments!
One of the more unique aspects of the beer bar is that as well as being able to order from the menu, you’ll also get to buy snacks from staff who are wandering around in traditional Bavarian outfits selling things like pretzels. Please bear in mind that if you wish to buy a pretzel then you’ll have to pay in cash.
Everything, from beer to cuisine, is made fresh and sourced locally! As you may imagine with a beer hall this vast, the beer selection is pretty diverse and they essentially serve the majority of Hofbräu’s range seasonally, there’s also an alkoholfrei (alcohol-free) option. But the three staple beers that remain on draught are Hofbräu Original, Hofbräu Dunkel and Hofbräu Münchner Weisse.
In terms of food, they serve traditional Bavarian food, which of course, goes down deliciously with beer! Some of the menu options include pork classics like roast pork, sausages, liver dumplings and then sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), vegetarian cheese spaetzle (basically macaroni and cheese) and plenty more, as well as traditional desserts.
And, if you don’t fancy a full meal but just want a snack, as mentioned there are staff who walk around selling huge delicious salty pretzels which make for a tasty bite to eat.
Hofbräuhaus München is open daily welcoming visitors from 11 AM – 12 AM (kitchen closes at 10 PM).
Looking for more travel inspiration while visiting Munich? Read our How to Spend One Day in Munich itinerary here.
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