Best Places to Grab a Beer in Munich
Bavaria’s capital city of Munich is full of history, museums, palaces, and picturesque squares. However, one of the city’s best assets may be its love affair for beer. Munich is an energetic city, and it can drastically be felt by sampling local cuisine, while gleefully howling along to the brass heavy oompah bands. With so many options it’s hard to decide where’s the best places to grab a beer in Munich.
I wandered and drank my way around the city to discover for myself. I choose the following places not only for their great beer, but for the ambiance that feels nothing less than Munich’s most famous festival of “Oktoberfest.” From lively beer halls and biergartens that complement the energetic music, these places made everyday feel like Oktoberfest. The beautiful outdoor spaces pair perfectly with the traditional food, and of course, the Bavarian beer. I was looking for a mix of authentic establishments and places not to miss when visiting the capital city.
Here are 6 recommendations on the best places to grab a beer in Munich.
Table of Contents
- Augustiner-Keller (Near Central Train Station)
- Hofbräuhaus
- Biergarten at Viktualienmarkt
- Der Pschorr
- Schneider Bräuhaus
- Chinese Tower Biergarten
- Best Places to Grab a Beer in Munich
Augustiner-Keller (Near Central Train Station)
Augustiner-Keller was by far my favorite place to grab a beer in Munich. I skipped the large indoor beer hall and went straight for the beautiful beer garden lined with sprawling chestnut trees. We were fortunate enough to hear the traditional oompah music echoing throughout the large beer garden. Locals and tourists alike were raising their glasses and shouting “PROST!” People were dancing and clapping along to the impressive band, and even building pyramids with their empty half liter glasses. There really is a large, diverse crowd here. There were families utilizing the beautiful park that is connected to the biergarten. Children play on the jungle-gym, while their parents chat on the nearby benches. I loved the local feel of this place.
The beer garden has a self service section where you can choose from multiple beers and a large selection of traditional German food. There is also a section with table service. Watch in awe as servers carry more beers than physically possible to eager customers.
Food Tip
Be like a local and bring in your own picnic. Many locals only pay for a beer and enjoy the space with friends and family and their own food.
There are more than one of these landmark beer halls, but make sure to visit the one near the main train station. I loved this place so much, I returned more than once.
Hofbräuhaus
Almost everyone has heard of the famous Hofbräuhaus, and although quite touristy, it’s hard to skip over Munich’s most famous landmark. This beer hall was founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria and is still run by the state today.
The Hofbräuhaus welcomes millions of tourists a year. In some aspects, it can seem a little “Disneyland” staged. The servers can appear tired, the music short and sterilized, and a little overpriced, but it’s hard not to enjoy at least one beer from the Hofbräuhaus. The dunkle, or dark beer, is delicious, and don’t forget to wave down one of the traditionally dressed women selling pretzels.
Tip: When to Visit
Avoid the inside of the Hofbräuhaus’ beer hall during the day. Tour groups are constantly walking through as part of their guided tours. This makes for a famous “bathroom” stop for almost all the tour groups. The result is a constant flow of tourists snapping photos, buying souvenirs, and annoyed servers trying to move around the hoards of people.
Come back to the beer hall after dinner. There are more people relaxing after a long day of exploring the city. The guided tours have ended, so it’s possible to enjoy the Hofbräuhaus in its more natural state. You may even be so lucky as to see a few locals popping in for a drink.
The outdoor biergarten is a good alternative for the afternoon. The music being played indoors can be heard outside, and there are less curious tourists moving around. The biergarten is being enjoyed by people who are sitting down to eat and washing their meals down with over-priced beer. With the expensive prices, I like to stick with a pretzel and one costly beer.
Biergarten at Viktualienmarkt
This was another one of my favorite places to grab a beer in Munich. The Viktualienmarkt is great in its own respect. The 200 year old farmer’s market has over 140 vendors, selling everything from local meats and cheeses, baked goods, olives and exotic pickled tidbits, coffee, honey, flowers, delicatessens, spices, and specialty items. Put a beer garden smack dab in the middle of all this, and it is the perfect recipe for an epic picnic.
There is a stand in the middle of multiple family style picnic tables. This stand is selling everyone’s favorite Bavarian beers.
Want to take a break from the German beers? There is an assortment of shops surrounding the biergarten that sell German wine. I swapped out my beer for a local Riesling that paired perfectly with some pickled peppers and specialty dips from a nearby stand. The tables can be seen piled with local goodies from the surrounding vendors.
Useful Tips
This beer garden is always bustling. It’s best to make friends with people already sitting to see if you can squeeze in. Send someone out for picnic goodies after you have secured a place to sit.
The surrounding local restaurants have impressive wine lists. Just make sure to tell them you will be drinking in the beer garden. You pay a refundable deposit for the glass.
Der Pschorr
Not far from the Viktualienmarkt, sits this newer beer hall that serves Hacker-Pschorr on draft. Der Pschorr is a little pricey, but focuses on sustainable local producers. This place is great when you want that modern twist on traditional favorites.
The Wirtsgarten offers a spacious terrace that sits right on the edge of the Viktualienmarkt. This is a great alternative if the biergarten is full. It’s close enough, yet just far enough away, to avoid the hustle and the bustle of the central market.
There is also a raised deck that offers views onto the city street. People watching was spectacular here and the afternoon sun douses the roomy terrace. Visiting on a cold or rainy day? The indoor space is very airy and modern.
Schneider Bräuhaus
Every local I talked to said the best wheat beer or “Weisse” beer could be found at Schneider Brähaus. Their advice was correct and it did not disappoint. Schneider Bräuhaus has some amazing varietals of the famous Bavarian style weisse beer. The beer hall is large, but the only downfall is there is no formal biergarten. There are tables with umbrellas scattered in front of the restaurant. Be prepared to exchange leafy views for city people watching. If you’re lucky, it’s possible to catch traditional German music in the beer hall.
The brewpub offers a “no-frills” approach, which is probably why the locals fill the tables. The beer hall is always full because of the delicious beers, rather than the atmosphere. This was probably one of the best beers I drank in Munich.
Chinese Tower Biergarten
The Chinese Tower Biergarten sits in the middle of Europe’s largest city park: the English Gardens. This biergarten boasts one of the loveliest green backdrops in the city. From the top level of the towering Pagoda, traditional music greets the thirsty crowds. With multiple kiosks, the ordering system is equipped to handle the 7,000 guests who can fill into this space. This is Munich’s second largest biergarten, but it is easy to navigate with the organized self-service kiosks. The beer garden tables are scattered all around the focal point of the Pagoda. There really is no bad seat in the house. The set-up makes it a very enjoyable venue.
The biergarten is located near the University, so there is a youthful student vibe here. Not only will you find the University students, but many tourists love to enjoy a sunny stroll through the park and stop for a refreshing drink. There are plenty of bike stands to lock up a bike, if exploring the entirety of the gardens.
The English Gardens not only offer this great biergarten, but also: streams to swim in, local surfers, coffee shops, restaurants, and even more mini beer gardens! On sunny days, don’t be shocked to find nude sun bathers. If you want to explore it all, a bike is the best option.
How to Get There by Bus
Don’t have time to stroll or bike through the Gardens? Bus number 54 and 58 stop right in front of the entrance to the Chinese Tower Biergarten.
Best Places to Grab a Beer in Munich
These are my 6 favorite places to grab a beer when I visit Munich. I have been twice now, and some of these are fun repeats, while others are new favorites I found exploring the city with my mom. The beer halls and biergartens are such a great way to bond with tourists and locals alike. With the bench seating, it’s easy to make new friends while listening to traditional music, sampling the cuisine, and of course grabbing Munich’s beverage of choice.
Hey! Love Beer?
Head to Bamberg to sample the distinct smoked “rauchbier” and taste Franconian cuisine.
When visiting Munich, have you been to any of these beer halls and biergartens? Have you enjoyed these Munich landmarks? Would you add any more to my list? Let me know in the comments below.
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