The Hofbrauhaus, founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V, is one of Munich's most famous and oldest beer halls. The beer became world famous with the "Bavarian Beer Purity Law" of 1516 which stated only natural ingredients could be used in the brewing process. Many notable people frequented the Hofbrau, with Mozart and Hitler being among the most famous. Mozart lived nearby and claimed to have written the opera Idomeneo after several visits to the Hofbrauhaus, which prepared him for the task.
The Munich Communist government set up headquarters in the beer hall in 1919 and by 1920, Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists held their first meeting in the Festival Room, Festsaal, on the third floor. The Nazi Party used the halls to declare policies and hold functions. Ironically, Hitler did not drink beer, eat red meat, or smoke, so other than using the hall for Nazi Party functions, he did not partake of the activities on the first floor. (If you look closely, you can see where the swastikas have been painted over on the ceiling.)
As you can guess, this famous beer hall is a favorite among tourists and our first night in Munich, we were three of many tourists enjoying the revelry, cold beer and tasty food of the Hofbrauhaus. If you've never been to Munich, you must make this place your first stop for German food and beer. It will not disappoint!
The atmosphere when you walk in is awesome! The large hall is filled with "oompah" music from the house polka band and people are singing along while toasting each other. For those of you who have been to Wurstfest, the feeling is similar. Many people sitting together, enjoying good beer and great company. Now let me explain the seating at the beer halls...it's communal. There are no 4-tops or 6-tops or even a hostess, but just long tables with wooden benches. Find a place to sit and make new friends!
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| Hofbrauhaus Menu |
Another thing to note is the beer. When you go to a brewery, like Hofbrauhaus or Augustiner, you will drink the beer they brew. There is no selection of brands, but the types of beer they offer. Now don't worry. If you're a beer drinker, I guarantee you will like what they serve. Oh and they serve it in big glasses! The large glasses, known as a Maß (mas), are 1 liter or 33 fluid ounces. The beer is strong, the servings are large and you will have a great time! Fair warning: The first Maß goes down easy. If you're not careful, you'll be ordering your third and be drunk! (Not that it's a bad thing...)
As for the food, it's delicious. Ask for an English menu if you can't read German to avoid ordering something you might not enjoy. The sausages were tasty, the big pretzels perfectly crunchy and soft, and the other meats mouthwatering good. Oh and if you see Pork Knuckle on the menu, it sounds gross but is actually pretty good.
We visited the Hofbrauhaus two different times...
The first night in Munich, A, B and I went there for dinner and our first German beers. We found an empty table, ordered up our food and beers and toasted our first night in Germany! During the course of several hours, we toasted multiple times (Prost!) and later in the evening (and many Maß into it) we were joined by some German grenades. (See Jersey Shore for grenade reference.) Now, I appreciate meeting new people and we did learn some tips about attending Oktoberfest, but after a while these dudes were a bit much. However B did get a marriage proposal from one of them! So after the one sitting next to me told me to speak German to him, it was time for the check.
A few nights later, after our trip to Neuschwanstein Schloss, A, B, my cousin, her hubby & I headed to the Hofbrauhaus for dinner. Neither of them had been yet, so we definitely had to make the trip! We arrived a few hours later than our first visit and the place was packed. After a lap around the inside, we headed outside and found a table occupied with a nice American couple from Arizona. Now my cousin's hubby doesn't know a stranger, so within minutes we were friends with the Arizona folks. After many beers and plenty of food later, we wrapped up our evening. Another great night in an old German beer hall. It really doesn't get much better than nights like this.
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