The best beer gardens in Munich are not just places to drink outside. They are part of the city’s culture, and each one has its own atmosphere, setting, and brewery connection. You will find everything from huge historic beer gardens with thousands of seats to quieter neighborhood spots along the Isar and inside the English Garden. They are also very family-friendly, with many having playgrounds, parks, and plenty of space for kids.
In German, a beer garden is a Biergarten, with the plural Biergärten, so you will see both terms used around Munich.
One thing that may surprise American visitors is that most Munich beer gardens are closely tied to a single brewery. Instead of offering a long list of beers from different producers, a beer garden will usually serve the beer of one Munich brewery, such as Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner, or Löwenbräu. That makes choosing a beer garden partly about the location and atmosphere, but also about which beer you want to drink.
I have visited beer gardens all over Munich, from the famous Chinese Tower and Augustiner-Keller to more local spots like Zum Flaucher and Taxisgarten. Some are ideal for sightseeing, while others are better if you want a quieter, more local experience.
If you are visiting Munich during Oktoberfest, beer gardens are also a great way to see another side of the city’s beer culture. I have separate guides to Oktoberfest in Munich and the Oktoberfest beer tents, which cover the festival experience in much more detail.
Below, I have listed the Munich beer gardens I think are most worth visiting, including the brewery they serve, where they are located, and what each one is best for.
My Top Beer Gardens in Munich
If you want to skip straight to my favorites, these are the Munich beer gardens I would prioritize for different experiences.
Here Are My Favorite Beer Gardens in Munich
The Best Beer Gardens in Munich
Munich’s beer gardens range from huge, historic destinations with thousands of seats to quieter neighborhood spots tucked into parks and along the Isar. Some are worth visiting for the atmosphere alone, while others stand out for their setting, brewery, or more local feel.
Below are the beer gardens I think are most worth visiting, starting with the classics and then moving into some less touristy options.
Augustiner-Keller
Augustiner-Keller sits just north of Munich’s main train station and is one of the city’s classic beer gardens. Dating back to at least 1812, it is considered Munich’s oldest traditional beer garden and has around 5,000 seats beneath large chestnut trees.
The big draw is the beer. Augustiner serves its Edelstoff lager from traditional wooden barrels, which gives it a softer, smoother feel with less carbonation than beer poured from modern steel kegs. It is one of the best places in Munich to experience Augustiner beer the traditional way.
There is also a full restaurant if you want a sit-down meal, but if you can, try to visit the historic cellar below the restaurant. The vaulted Lagerkeller has a completely different atmosphere from the outdoor beer garden and is especially worth seeing if you can get a table there.
Best For: A classic Munich beer garden experience
AUGUSTINER | HISTORIC | 5,000 SEATS | CLASSIC MUNICH
Viktualienmarkt Beer Garden
The Viktualienmarkt Beer Garden sits right in the middle of Munich’s famous food market, making it one of the easiest beer gardens to visit while sightseeing in the city center. It has around 1,100 seats beneath chestnut trees and attracts a mix of locals, office workers, and tourists.
What makes it unusual is that it is not tied to a single brewery. Instead, beer from Munich’s six major breweries rotates roughly every five to six weeks, so you might find Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, or Löwenbräu on tap depending on when you visit. The current brewery is posted at the serving counter.
You can bring your own Brotzeit, as at a traditional Munich beer garden, or pick up food from the surrounding Viktualienmarkt stalls. Because of the location, I think this is best treated as an easy lunch or afternoon beer stop rather than a destination you need to build your whole day around.
Best For: A central beer garden stop while exploring the Old Town
CITY CENTER | ROTATING BREWERIES | CONVENIENT | LIVELY
Hirschgarten Beer Garden
Hirschgarten is Munich’s largest beer garden, with roughly 8,000 seats spread between a huge self-service area and a smaller serviced section. It sits beside the large Hirschgarten park in Nymphenburg, making it feel more like a destination than a quick city-center stop.
The beer garden serves Augustiner, and despite its size, it can feel surprisingly relaxed beneath the chestnut trees. What really makes Hirschgarten stand out is the deer enclosure, which runs directly alongside part of the beer garden. If you get one of the tables next to the fence, the deer may come right up beside you while you are sitting there, which makes this an especially fun stop with kids.
There are also large grassy areas nearby where children can run around and you can easily turn a beer-garden visit into a longer afternoon in the park. There is a playground as well, although it sits a little outside the beer garden, so it is not as convenient for parents who want to stay at the table while keeping an eye on their kids.
Even though Hirschgarten is well known, it is not just a tourist attraction. It is also popular with locals, especially on warm days, and its enormous size means it rarely feels like a place you are visiting only because it is famous.
Best For: Families, deer, and a full afternoon in the park
AUGUSTINER | 8,000 SEATS | DEER PARK | HUGE
Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm
Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm, or also called the Chinese Tower beer garden, is one of the most iconic beer gardens in Munich and one of the easiest to combine with sightseeing. It has roughly 7,000 seats, making it one of Munich’s largest Biergärten.
On busy days, a brass band often plays from the tower while people fill the long communal tables below, giving it the kind of atmosphere many visitors picture when they think of a traditional Munich Biergarten. It serves Hofbräu beer, along with classic Bavarian food from the self-service stands.
If you are planning to explore the English Garden, this is probably the beer garden most visitors will end up at. It is the southernmost of the major beer gardens in the park and is much easier to reach from the Old Town than Seehaus, Hirschau, or Aumeister. It also works well as a turnaround point if you have been walking north through the park.
If you do not feel like walking back, you will often see pedicabs or bicycle rickshaws waiting near the paths around the Chinese Tower that can take you back toward the city center. Because of that, Chinese Tower is especially easy to work into a sightseeing day even if you do not want to spend hours walking through the English Garden.
Best For: Exploring the English Garden with a classic Munich beer garden stop
HOFBRÄU | ENGLISH GARDEN | LIVE MUSIC
Seehaus im Englischen Garten
Seehaus is one of the prettiest beer gardens in Munich, sitting directly on the shore of Kleinhesseloher See in the English Garden. It has around 2,500 seats and feels a little more polished than some of the city’s huge traditional beer gardens, but it still has the relaxed communal atmosphere you expect in Munich.
The lakeside setting is the main reason to come. Tables sit just steps from the water, and on a nice day you can watch people rowing boats across the lake while drinking a Maß of Paulaner. It is especially good in the afternoon or early evening, when the light over the water makes the whole area feel more relaxed than the busier Chinese Tower beer garden farther south in the park.
I liked Seehaus more than some of the quieter neighborhood beer gardens because the setting gives it a clear reason to make the trip here. It is easy to combine with a walk through the English Garden, and it feels scenic without losing the casual beer-garden atmosphere.
Best For: A scenic lakeside beer garden in the English Garden
PAULANER | LAKESIDE | ENGLISH GARDEN | BEST SCENERY
Zum Flaucher Biergarten
Zum Flaucher is one of the best beer gardens in Munich if you want something that feels more local and less tied to sightseeing. It sits beside the Flaucher section of the Isar, where people come to walk, bike, swim, grill, and spend warm afternoons along the river.
The beer garden has a large, shady setting beneath mature trees and serves Löwenbräu. It is much more relaxed than places like the Chinese Tower or Augustiner-Keller, and the crowd tends to feel more neighborhood-oriented, especially when the weather is good.
What makes Zum Flaucher worth seeking out is the location. I would combine it with time along the Isar rather than visit just for a quick beer. It is the kind of place where you can spend a few hours and get a better feel for how locals use Munich’s parks and riverfront.
Best For: A relaxed local beer garden experience by the Isar
LÖWENBRÄU | ISAR | LOCAL FAVORITE | RELAXED
Taxisgarten
Taxisgarten is a classic neighborhood beer garden in Neuhausen and one of the better choices if you want to get away from Munich’s busiest tourist areas. It has roughly 1,500 seats beneath large chestnut trees and feels much more like a place locals stop for an afternoon or evening beer than a major sightseeing attraction.
The beer garden serves Hofbräu, along with traditional Bavarian food, and the atmosphere is generally quieter and more laid-back than places like the Chinese Tower or Augustiner-Keller. When I visited, it felt noticeably slower and more neighborhood-oriented, which can be a plus if you want somewhere relaxed rather than lively.
I would not make Taxisgarten a must-see on a short Munich trip, but it is a good option if you are staying nearby or specifically want to experience a less touristy beer garden.
Best For: A quiet neighborhood beer garden away from the tourist crowds
HOFBRÄU | NEIGHBORHOOD SPOT | LOCAL FAVORITE | LESS TOURISTY
Hofbräukeller
Hofbräukeller is one of Munich’s best traditional beer gardens if you want the Hofbräu experience without the crowds of the Hofbräuhaus. It sits in Haidhausen, across the Isar from the Old Town, and has a large shaded beer garden beneath old chestnut trees.
The atmosphere feels more local and neighborhood-oriented than the famous beer hall at Platzl. You still get Hofbräu beer, traditional Bavarian food, and communal tables, but the setting is much more relaxed. It is a good place to come for a full meal and a few beers rather than just stopping in for the novelty.
I also like Hofbräukeller because it gives you a different side of Hofbräu. If you have already visited Hofbräuhaus, this feels much less tourist-driven and much closer to a traditional Munich beer garden experience.
Best For: A traditional Hofbräu beer garden with a more local feel
HOFBRÄU | HAIDHAUSEN | TRADITIONAL | LOCAL + VISITORS
Hirschau im Englischen Garten
Hirschau is a quieter beer garden between the busier southern section of the English Garden and its more residential northern stretches. It is surrounded by walking and biking paths, feels more local than the better-known beer gardens farther south, and many tourists probably never make it this far into the park.
It is also family-friendly, with a fenced playground that includes swings, a pirate ship, and a jungle gym. Hirschau runs children’s programs on some holidays, and the property is also home to 1804, a separate fine-dining restaurant with one Michelin Star and a Michelin Green Star.
I would not go out of my way to visit Hirschau on a short Munich trip, but it works well as the starting point for a longer walk through the English Garden. I took an Uber here and then walked south, with Seehaus only a short walk away and the Chinese Tower farther along the route toward the Old Town.
Best For: A quiet starting point for a beer-garden walk through the English Garden
ENGLISH GARDEN | QUIETER | LOCAL FEEL | RELAXED
Munich Beer Garden FAQs
What are the best beer gardens in Munich?
Some of the best beer gardens in Munich are Augustiner-Keller, Hirschgarten, the Chinese Tower, Seehaus, Zum Flaucher, Hofbräukeller, and Viktualienmarkt. The best choice depends on whether you want a huge traditional beer garden, a scenic setting, or something more local.
What is the largest beer garden in Munich?
Hirschgarten is generally considered the largest beer garden in Munich, with around 8,000 seats. It sits next to a large park and deer enclosure in Nymphenburg.
What is the oldest beer garden in Munich?
Augustiner-Keller is considered Munich’s oldest traditional beer garden, dating back to at least 1812. It also serves Augustiner beer from traditional wooden barrels.
What are the best beer gardens in Munich’s English Garden?
The English Garden has several beer gardens, including Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm, Seehaus, Hirschau, and Aumeister. Chinese Tower is the most iconic and easiest to combine with sightseeing, while Seehaus has the best lakeside setting.
Can you bring your own food to a Munich beer garden?
At traditional Munich beer gardens, you can usually bring your own food into the self-service area as long as you buy your drinks there. This tradition is known as bringing your own Brotzeit. Rules can differ in fully serviced restaurant sections.
Do Munich beer gardens take reservations?
Many large beer gardens do not require reservations for their self-service areas, and plenty of seating is first come, first served. Some restaurants and serviced sections connected to beer gardens do accept reservations.
Are Munich beer gardens family-friendly?
Yes. Most Munich beer gardens are very family-friendly, and several have playgrounds or large parks nearby. Hirschgarten is especially fun with kids because the deer enclosure runs alongside the beer garden, while places like Hirschau, Hofbräukeller, and Zum Flaucher also have play areas.
What beer is served at Munich beer gardens?
Most beer gardens are associated with one of Munich’s major breweries, such as Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner, Löwenbräu, Hacker-Pschorr, or Spaten. Viktualienmarkt is unusual because it rotates beer from Munich’s six major breweries.
What time do Munich beer gardens open?
Opening times vary by beer garden and season. Many open by late morning or lunchtime during warmer months, while some neighborhood beer gardens open later on weekdays. Weather can also affect opening hours.
Are Munich beer gardens open in winter?
Most outdoor beer gardens operate mainly during the warmer months, but many have an indoor restaurant or beer hall that stays open year-round. Augustiner-Keller is a good example because you can still visit the restaurant and cellar outside beer-garden season.
What is the best beer garden near Marienplatz?
Viktualienmarkt Beer Garden is the easiest major beer garden to reach from Marienplatz. It is only a short walk away and works well for a quick lunch or afternoon beer while sightseeing.
What is the best beer garden for a first-time visitor to Munich?
The Chinese Tower is a great first beer garden because it combines a classic Munich atmosphere with a visit to the English Garden. Augustiner-Keller is another excellent choice if you want a more traditional beer-garden experience close to the city center.
What is the best local beer garden in Munich?
Zum Flaucher is my favorite option for a more local atmosphere, especially when combined with time along the Isar. Taxisgarten and Hirschau are also quieter and less tourist-focused than Munich’s best-known beer gardens.
Is Hofbräuhaus a beer garden?
Hofbräuhaus is primarily a historic beer hall, although it does have a smaller courtyard beer garden. For a true large Hofbräu beer garden, Hofbräukeller in Haidhausen is a better choice.
Do you need cash at Munich beer gardens?
It is a good idea to carry some cash. Card payment is becoming more common, but smaller stands, self-service counters, or individual transactions may still be easier with cash.
Munich Beer Gardens: Final Thoughts
Munich has no shortage of great beer gardens, and part of the fun is that they all feel a little different. If it is your first visit, I would start with Augustiner-Keller, Chinese Tower, Hirschgarten, Zum Flaucher, and Seehaus, then branch out into some of the quieter neighborhood spots if you have more time.
You really do not need to visit them all. Pick a few based on the setting and atmosphere you want, and leave some room to stumble into one along the way.
