New to the South Wharf scene is the very LARGE, very AMAZING, Munich Brauhaus, and just in time for Oktoberfest! Seating a whopping 1,500 people, every seat and inch of the space was overflowing on a Sunday afternoon. We managed to grab a table outside along the water and set ourselves up for an afternoon of meat & beer in the sunshine.
FOOD
With German restaurants on the rise in Melbourne, it was no surprise that yet another massive beer hall had opened up along the growing South Wharf area. I find the Munich Brauhaus to be a more authentic restaurant than the others in Melbourne, with everything from the music to the staff and everything in between really make this place what it is…German!
Reading through the menu, I scrolled through every type of sausage and schnitzel possible before coming across the ‘Munich Schmankerlplatte … Munich Tasting Platter’. At $39, it was definitely the way to go to share a plate full of meat over a 1L stein of beer! An assortment of Crackling Pork Belly, Artisanal Haus-made and Smoked Sausages, Crisp Roasted Pork Knuckle, Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, Red Cabbage, Apple Compote, Mashed Potatoes and Bier Jus was brought to the table on a beautiful floral blue plate.
If that wasn’t enough, an order of ‘Debreziner’, Spicy Smoked Pork & Beef Sausage was also ordered, which was probably the best sausage with the slightest smoke and spice flavouring.
ATMOSPHERE
When the Germans create something, its a go big or go home attitude. This is one of the biggest beer halls I’ve seen in Australia and they definitely keep things as authentic as possible. Everything from the music to the 1L steins to the terrible outfits the staff wear, it’s all here for you to enjoy.
You are welcomed by a massive bar, which features a ceiling of glass steins hanging above the bartenders. To either side of the bar are different halls with rows and rows of tables. Make your way outside and there are tables that seem to go on forever along the river.
SERVICE
With a large beer hall hosting 1,500 at once, it’s only natural to have an abundance of staff. The service is quite efficient here, with one waiter taking your order and putting it into a small hand held computer which sends the order straight to the bar and kitchen. Within minutes a different waiter brings out the drinks from the bar and a short while later your mountain of meat arrives.
They have figured out the perfect way to cater for the large volume of people coming through the venue, which is a bonus from most other places where you wait ages for a drink to arrive.
I would definitely recommend Munich Brauhaus as it’s both a great experience and also fantastic food.
