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The Hofbräuhaus

The great hall of the Hofbrauhaus
Photograph by Tony Castle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The most famous beer hall in the world, free to walk into, and priced exactly like every other beer hall in Munich — which is the thing people get wrong.

What it costs

No entrance fee. You walk in, find a seat, and pay for what you drink.

Beer is sold by the Maß — a full litre — and prices are set by the brewery, not by how touristy the room is. The food is standard Bavarian and priced normally. What you are choosing is the atmosphere, not a premium.

Inside the Hofbrauhaus
Photograph by Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

When to go

Loud and full from late afternoon. The Schwemme, the ground-floor hall with the band, is the room people picture; the courtyard and the upstairs rooms are quieter. Tables marked Stammtisch are reserved for regulars and are not for visitors.

Getting there

Two minutes from Marienplatz, on the Platzl.

The vaulted hall of the Hofbrauhaus
Photograph by Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

If you only have an hour

Go in, sit in the Schwemme where the band is, order a Halbe rather than a Maß if you have a day ahead, and look at the ceiling. Then leave — an hour is the right length for this, and the courtyard is quieter if you want a second.

What people get wrong

Locals do drink here, mostly upstairs and mostly not at the weekend. And the Maß is a litre — visitors order a second before finishing the first and regret it. If you want a half, ask for a Halbe.

The Hofbrauhaus from the street
Photograph by User:Mattes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 de

Nearby

Ticketing arrangements and opening patterns as published for 2026 and checked on 4 September 2026. These change without much warning — confirm with the site itself before you travel. More sights, and how they fit together, in Landmarks & Sights.