Hofbräuhaus, Munich

The Munich Hofbraeuhaus has more non-Bavarian visitors than Bavarians. Of course also some local people come here, but students and younger Munich inhabitants as well as many older folks avoid the Hofbraeuhaus. There are many nice beer halls and beer gardens, such as the Augustiner beer halls and beer gardens, the beer garden at the Chinese tower in the English Garden etc etc

Unique Suggestions: Try to go out off season, when not so many tourists frequent town (when? - I don't know ;-))

Go around 10 o'clock in the morning or later in the evening

Best: don't go at all - chose another place: see below...

Fun Alternatives: Summer:

I like the beer garden at the Chinese tower in the English Garden. Lots of Munich-ians, good food, good atmosphere, sometimes some Bavarian music and after the drinking you can sleep on a meadow in the sun ....

Another good place is the beer garden at the "Wiener Platz" on the other (outside the city) side of the Isar, about 10 minutes walk from the German museum. Cross the museum's isle, walk up der Rosenheimer str. and then at the "Y" intersection keep left into the "Innere Wiener Street". At the Wiener Platz (also a small market during week days) you can already see the beer garden

Winter:

all throughout Munich there are several "Augustiner" beer halls. Food there is good and not too expensive and the beer tastes good as well. For locations see: http://www.augustiner-braeu.de

When trying to take the huge beer glasses from the Hofbräuhaus make sure you don't get caught, the bouncers like to check bags on the way out ...

.... hmmm I wonder how we came home with ten of them, anyway ;-) Them rowers...

Unique Suggestions: Hope that they won't check your bag ;-)

Fun Alternatives: You can get glasses much more easily in most beergardens. Some of them give you a "Pfand" coin like the one on the picture. You pay a Euro when purchasing a drink and get your money back when you return your glass. If you don't give it back you have a glass ;-) Most beergardens don't even use this system, so just be quick and bring a bag ;-)

No offense to my Japanese freinds but my bavarian freins call the house the "Japanese fly trap" becuase it is such a rediculous tourist trap... I can recomend at least five much better beer gardens whre you can drink liters of beer in a much more natural setting.. Beer and spare ribs.. Man is that good stuff.. I could be german I think...

The Hofbrauhaus has it's own gift shop just outside the door. We found it to be a bit pricey and found many of the same gifts just down the road for much less money. Still it is a good place to sometimes fins a bargin on a HBH tee-shirt.

Unique Suggestions: Look but do not buy.

Fun Alternatives: TeeShirts, Beer steins, Shot glasses and the beer dechel (beer mat) can be purchased someplace else much cheaper.

I would say don't go to the 'Hofbräuhaus', it is a real tourist trap. The staff is unfriendly and there are only foreigners. Also there are many typically Bavarian bars all over the city. Well but.... I was there once with a huge group of people at a conference. The conference dinner was held in the Hofbraeuhaus and it was not too bad. The americans liked it ;-)

The famous Hofbräuhaus! Always a blast, and a great place to meet people from back home, and from all over the globe too! Oktoberfest is another tourist trap, but I have yet to go. But I´ll be there in about a month for Oktoberfest 2002!

Unique Suggestions: Meet everyone there! Try to find friends backpacking. Drink one or more of those Maßes!

Hofbraehaus!! RUN RUN RUN away from this place. The service is terrible and the staff ignorant. The beer and food is expensive. Its completely full of tourists, locals wouldn't go there if you paid them! It's not a real Munich beirgarten or beirkellar experience. All the staff are foreign. There are so many other nice beirgartens in Munich its a shame that everyone resorts to this place.

The Hofbrau Haus. Sorry, it's a tourist place or you go there to get drunk with the military people. You can find better food, beer and ambiance for a cheaper price some place else.