The Famous Munich Hofbrauhaus meets Midtown, New York

05:43 Steampunk 0 Comments

The other night in New York , a friend and I were wandering around looking for a place to get some dinner when we stumbled upon something neither of us had ever seen before. I had been to Hofbrauhaus in Munich , Germany , but had no idea that one existed in my own city (Apparently, it only opened in March of 2011). Feeling festive, we decided to try it out.

When you enter you will be gestured to go up a flight of wooden stairs to the beer hall. The first thing you will notice is the music is LOUD. They have a live band playing classical “live rock band” fare, like The Proclaimers “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” and “Shimmer” by Fuel, but the sound seemed a little bit of an upbeat German flair and kind of a quicker pace.

Tables are long and communal and an enormous skylight makes you feel like you’re outdoors. If you need some fresh air, there is a gigantic balcony that takes up the entire facade of the building. To add to the festive atmosphere, friendly waitresses don Gretal dresses and lederhosen.

The beer list is short but contains authentic German options, including:

• Hofbrau Premium Lager aka The Original (5.2%)- The beer that Hofbrauhaus has been famous for since 1589. A simple, full flavor lager with a crisp finish.
• Hofbrau Hefe Weizen (5.4%)- This is the only beer I would drink when I was in Munich. Semi-sweet wheat beer with flavors of banana and clove.
• Hofbrau Dunkel (5.5%)- A dark lager with a light body. Tastes of roasted malt with caramel undertones.
• Hofbrau Dunkel Weizen (5.1%)- Yeasty and malty.
• Hofbrau Bock (8.5%)- Powerful and aromatic, this beer dates back to 1614.

The food on the menu is classic German fare, with various sausages, pretzels, schnitzels, and cheese platters. There are also traditional items like Bavarian Beef Salad ($15), Pork Shank ($31), and Sauerbraten (slow braised beef marinated in wine and vinegar, $22). If you’re not that hungry, soups include Split Pea ($7), Potato Leek ($7), and Bavarian Beef Goulash ($8). They also have a dessert menu, with Black Forest Cake, Apple Strudel, Apricot or Chocolate Hazelnut Crepes, Bavarian Creme, and a Vanilla Sundae (all desserts are $8).

If you’re looking for something intimate and cozy where you can talk and relax, I wouldn’t recommend coming here. My companion and I sat right next to each other and still had some trouble talking. However, if you want to go somewhere fun, festive, social, and a bit different from the norm (with huge beers and greasy food), then this is the perfect place.

For more information, visit their website . Or, you can stop in yourself as it’s located at 712 Third Avenue in Midtown in between 44th and 45th.