Hofbräukeller — Restaurant in Munich

I ate at this restaurant as a guest at a baptism. Before describing the incident, I would like to make three important points:

1. I am celiac and have followed a strict gluten-free diet for 16 years. Though rare, I have unfortunately accidentally eaten gluten during this time. I have learned to distinguish between a reaction due to contamination, which is mild and manifests as stomach upset and indigestion the following day, and a reaction resulting from ingesting foods that naturally contain gluten, which occurs within an hour and manifests as strong vomiting that lasts for hours.
2. The waitress described in this story was the only one we interacted with during lunch. She always seemed kind and attentive.
3. I am not a native German speaker, and I spoke to the waitress in English. She speaks English fluently, and there was no doubt about our mutual understanding.

Both my father-in-law, who made the reservation, and I, who placed the order, made sure that gluten-free dishes were available. I asked the waitress three times if the tomato soup and vegetable meatballs I ordered were gluten-free. Each time, I was assured that both dishes were safe and that I could proceed with the order. Once the food arrived, I asked again if the dishes were gluten-free, and I was told yes. Lunch continued smoothly, and towards the end, we were asked if anyone wanted ice cream. I ordered ice cream too, and it was brought to me in a bowl with a cookie on top. Since I am sensitive to cross-contamination, I explained to the waitress that I could not eat the ice cream because of the gluten in the cookie. She apologized, and shortly after, she brought me a new bowl. However, about 45 min after the meal ended, I started to feel sick. I had such a strong stomach reaction that I vomited for about three hours until my stomach was completely empty. While I was feeling ill, my boyfriend spoke to the waitress several times. He told her that I was having a reaction to gluten and asked how this could have happened. He also asked if the dishes I had ordered contained gluten or if there had been a mistake in the kitchen. The waitress went to the kitchen to ask and assured him that no, the dishes I had been served were gluten-free. She even came to the bathroom to see how I was doing and asked if she could bring me anything to make me feel better. We told her that all we could do was wait for the reaction to pass. Needless to say, the incident ruined the event, first and foremost for me. It caused not only pain but also considerable embarrassment, as I had to lock myself in the restaurant bathroom. It also ruined the event for my boyfriend, who tried to be there for me in every way, and for my father-in-law and his family, who organized it, and could do nothing to help. Sometime after the incident, my father-in-law emailed the restaurant to report what had happened. He wanted to understand what had happened and, more importantly, to highlight the problem so that it would not happen again. The owner replied that, yes, the vegetable meatballs I had ordered contain gluten and that I had been informed of this, but had decided to order them anyway.

I am writing this review in light of this response. Claiming that a dish does not contain an allergen when it actually does is a serious mistake. It is unacceptable in a professional context, and it causes great harm to customers, affecting them beyond a physical level. Attempting to reverse the situation by attributing such an error to the negligence of the victimized customer is an insult not only to the individual but also to an entire category of people with autoimmune diseases, allergies, and intolerances, who must follow a diet of sacrifices and limitations out of necessity, constantly fearing that such incidents may occur due to an unprepared restaurant system (see this story). This attitude is deplorable not only from a professional point of view but also on a moral level. And I am writing this as someone who, since childhood, always dreamt of being able to order and eat food with such a...

A nice traditional beer garden outside. You can bring your own food as in any traditional Bavarian beer garden and buy drinks (and more food) at their outdoor counter. Inside it used to be a traditional Bavarian brewery hall but it got "upgraded" over the last decades to really serve the typical high-powered and financially well established local population. Good prices however still, they just exegerate Bavarian traditional beer hall dishes into some kind of Disney overstyled "Bavarian kitsh" you'll already come across in their menu. Staff inside sometimes seems rather disoriented, not many traditionally trained staff as they are hard to get. So you'll come across your typical seasonal waiter how is professional, yes, but really not nearly efficient as the Traditional Bavarian old school waiting used to be. The place is HUGE inside and to master that in an economic way, food is actually prepared pretty industrialized. Fair enough taken the size of the place including ballrooms upstairs. However to the price that the food misses the traditional handmade quality that's so important to our traditional cuisine. Non the less: this is lamenting on a very high scale of course and to get the REAL real Bavarian food and experience, you might need to even drive out country side! For Munich City though this is a place you should come and enjoy, both...

Two visits in one week, two different experiences of service. Two French guests happened to be visiting and I live nearby, so I decided to try this Hofbräuhaus in Au-Haidhausen at Wienerplatz.

First of all, don't expect ultra-friendly, overly smiley service here - that's part of the Bavarian bräuhaus charm. My first visit was more pleasant (Service 5*), perhaps because we had booked a table in advance, or it's just the waiter 😉.

I've been to the famous Hofbräuhaus in the old town, but I prefer this one (Hofbräukeller) for its less touristy, cozier vibe and menu. Yes, their menus are different. The interior and atmosphere are equally impressive, and the food is fantastic. On both occasions we ordered the mixed platter, which has a 'bit' of everything (HOFBRÄUKELLER BRATENPFANDL/ HOFBRÄUKELLER ROASTING PAN). Be warned: the portions are huge! The first night, two of us (ladies) made the "mistake" of ordering a platter each and struggled to finish. The second time, on a cold day, I shared a plate with my lunch companion (a guy), along with two pretzels - and it was perfect.

The Hofbräukeller has a charming beer garden (right on the banks of the Isar.) The atmosphere, with lanterns and greenery, is almost magical, like being in the countryside, definitely worth a visit in summer!

All in all, it's a great place for an authentic...