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Wirtshaus zur Brez'n is a Bavarian restaurant on Leopoldstrasse in Munich – easily accessible via the Münchner Freiheit U-Bahn station or directly by car – though parking can be a bit of a challenge, especially in the evenings and on weekends. I went there for dinner spontaneously with a companion a while ago – twice, in fact – and we had the same experience both times.
We initially had a pretty good feeling upon entering the Bavarian restaurant. You almost forget you're on Leopoldstrasse in the heart of Schwabing, once you take in the heavy, sturdy wooden tables, the Bavarian motifs on the walls depicting cows, pretzels, flowers, and men in lederhosen, and the dark staircase leading to the upper level. The staff all wear traditional Bavarian clothing, further enhancing the ambiance. However, this Bavarian coziness quickly dissipates, as the waitresses whiz past you with their trays piled high with plates, glasses, and soup bowls, running up and down the stairs countless times without even noticing you. They only acknowledge you as a new guest after a loud "Excuse me, we have a reservation!" After about ten minutes of waiting, a stressed-out waitress finally escorted us upstairs to a small, nicely set, and quite comfortable table, and disappeared just as quickly.
Once we were finally seated and the menus were placed in front of us without a single word, we already felt quite comfortable in the Wirtshaus zur Brez'n – sitting at the wooden tables under the dormer windows was truly cozy. It doesn't get much more Bavarian than this. The menus offer a good mix of various traditional dishes (e.g., Wiener Schnitzel, venison goulash, spare ribs, sauerbraten, pork knuckle, roast pork with crackling, but also Käsespätzle, salmon trout fillet, soups, salads, and various snacks). After some waiting – again – our order was taken by a rather stressed server, who gave us the feeling that she didn't really register us as guests and just wanted to move on quickly.
I ordered pumpkin soup (€5.90), and my companion ordered venison schnitzel with spaetzle and Brussels sprouts (€20). On a previous visit, we had ordered dumpling hash and roast pork with potato dumplings and vegetables. The food was definitely better on our first visit. The portions were ample and tasty. My dumpling hash was prepared without bacon and served relatively quickly – at the same time as my companion's roast pork. Unfortunately, things didn't go so well on our second visit. The young waitress painstakingly jotted down our order on her pad, the food didn't arrive for 25 minutes, and the venison schnitzel came without any sauce and was rather dry – not exactly a stellar performance for €20 and definitely overpriced. The pumpkin soup, however, was delicious and intensely flavorful. Although the waitress forgot the bread I had ordered and, after asking twice, brought me half a slice of stale, day-old bread, there was nothing to criticize about the pumpkin soup itself. The menu also features various typical Bavarian desserts (dessert pan, Kaiserschmarrn, plum strudel, poppy seed and quark cream, or mousse), but after the somewhat disappointing main course, we didn't want to try them. At the next table, an older gentleman ordered Kaiserschmarrn – it looked quite alright and the portion was also sufficient (for €9). So you could try it if you're craving something sweet. 😉
When we went to pay, it took a while for the waitress to come with the card reader, even though the restaurant wasn't even half full. We paid €5 for a bottle of water, which we had to order because they were out of the Diet Coke I wanted – hardly a good advertisement for a well-known restaurant in the heart of Schwabing on a Sunday morning. In total, we paid €36, but only left a small tip because the service wasn't good, the food was okay but not worth repeating, and overall, the atmosphere just wasn't pleasant when you're surrounded by stress and hectic activity.
If you're looking for Bavarian food, I wouldn't recommend the Wirtshaus zur Brez'n. Of course, the menu is incredibly traditional and very Bavarian. It's certainly quaint and cozy, especially for Munich tourists, and definitely has a Bavarian feel. But it could be much better! Perhaps we just caught them on a bad day. The Knödelgröstl (a potato and meat hash) and the roast pork on our first visit were fine, and the service was generally friendlier. I've noticed a growing trend in traditional Bavarian restaurants that rely heavily on tourists, or at least are frequented by them, where service is often neglected (…most people only come once anyway…), which I find disappointing. Like I said, maybe we were just unlucky. For me, this Wirtshaus is no longer a place to go for Bavarian food. What do you think?
I'll be back: No, at most for dessert.
Place visited: Wirtshaus zur Brez'n
Address: Leopoldstraße 72, 80802 Munich
Website
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