Came in for a group dinner and left with lots of full bellies and beer! I've been to Hofbraühaus around the world and this was maybe my least favorite in terms of space wise (it's somewhat small) but the food and beer was great! The menu is different than the U.S. but I enjoyed my schnitzel and beer and we had a great time! read more

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Great Bavarian food in Melbourne. Have tried all the Wurst and half the Schnitzels. Great service, large portions and very good for medium sized groups though is gets busy pretty early. A little hard to find but not so bad. You need to try this place. Oh, and lets not forget the beers!!! read more

Hofbrauhaus - Schnitzel - German Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

We stopped by here for lunch as part of a tour group when visiting Melbourne. This was a very nice German restaurant and we really enjoyed the meal. The light beer was delicious and refreshing. As a group we had ordered the platter which came with pork knuckle, sausages, fried chicken tenders, shoestring onions, mashed potatoes, sour cabbage, etc. Essentially a lot of stuff, all of which was very very good. It might be on the salty side, but the beer goes great to event that out. The pork knuckle was very tender, with a crispy skin. The sausages were good, though some more salty than others. All in all, lovely restaurant in Chinatown. Staff was super friendly and they look like they have plenty of seating even with big groups. Lots of beer options as well (though we didn't get a chance to try, next time!) read more

We spent the weekend in Melbourne for an unofficial Oktoberfest just for a bit of fun. Who doesn't like an excuse to eat and drink and be merry. We started of with a sample paddle of 5 of the Bavarian beers they stock just to pick a beer to drink in a big Bavarian stein of our chosen ale. We shared some pretzels and whipped butter to get the food rolling. They were nice, warm and crispy with a bread centre and a salty to boot. They were even better when dipped in the whipped butter a good snack and very moreish. We got our big steins of beer and ordered or meals. The staff were very friendly and helpful in explaining the menu and the different beers on tap. There was a constant stream of customer coming and going which is always a good sign. Our meals were quick to come out and were a very generous portions. The schnitzel was moist and tender and coupled with a cool mash and sauerkraut dish that was very nice it had a hint of mustard and was quite refreshing. A fresh garden salad and some Bavarian mayonnaise finished it off. A big meal to fill you up and at a reasonable price. Had a couple of beers and moved on to Our next destination but would happily return for both the food and the beer read more

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Getting some practice in before Oktoberfest kicks off. My son had the lemon Hanchenschniztel which is called a tasty schnitzel. A food critic in training. I had the jagerfleisch with the mushroom gravy. Hmmm wunderbar! In our practice (which we are obviously out of practice) our liters of Austria lager tasted like being back in Germany. We made our waitress practice as she needs to up her game if she plans to carry 5 steins in each hand ;-) read more

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We went here on Saturday evening. There was a live music and lots of people were dancing and singing! My kids enjoyed the atmosphere. The food was also yummy! If you want to try nice German food, I really recommend here. I will definitely go there again. read more

Hofbrauhaus - Sausage platter! - German Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Skip the pretzel, it was very average. We had the "Wiener Schnitzel." It was not true Wiener Schnitzel as it was pork instead of veal, but it was still good. The breading was as close to a German schnitzel breading as I've had since visiting Berlin. The pork was a little lacking in flavor, but the mushroom sauce was excellent. If you're choosing between this and Munich Brauhaus, go here. It's much more authentic. read more

Hofbrauhaus - Wiener Schnitzel - German Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

If you're after a massive pint or stein of tasty German beer and huge portions of food, then Hofbrauhaus is your place to be. We went for dinner there on a bucks night out. We sat upstairs in their dining area and ordered a 3 course dinner. I had the chicken breast strips as entree, pork belly as main and the apple strudel for dessert. Now, the dishes are massive and I'm talking humongous literally and it's not cheap as well. You'd be looking at north of $25 for say a main and, granted the pork knuckle is bigger than my arm but I still think it's a bit pricey. It's a great experience though, there's a live band and the bird running the show was picking people who were there celebrating a special occasion and got them to engage in fun games. If you won, everyone at your table got a free shot of schnapps. Our mate did not win, which was a bit of a bagger. Other than it being pricey, the only other downside is the noise. It is seriously loud in there and you have trouble maintaining a conversation with someone who's sitting across the table from you. The menu is quite broad with a $15 lunch menu for students. They also have the ever popular German Bratwurst and those serious eaters should have a crack at the 1.5Kg pork schnitzel challenge. It was a great experience and I shall definitely return. On my list for my next visit, I'm thinking the German Bratwurst and a pork and beef burger! read more

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Friendly staff and excellent food. I wish we had a German restaurant near as good as this place in Denver, Colorado. Everything is homemade and delicious. The restaurant was very clean and reminded me of Germany. Highly recommend! read more

This is a greatly entertaining night out. The food is solid without being spectacular. But it really is all about beer, schnitzel and entertainment. And is a good fun night out with friends. Don't go here if you want a quiet place to talk because it just won't happen-it us like a beer hall-noisy and fun. My husband did the schnitzel challenge and fell very short-but he said it was yum and dean the whole litre of beer. I am not so surf about their creamy herb mayo with the schnitzel-it could just be my own tastes but I thought it didn't go with the schnitzel (which was really well cooked by the way) I forgot to add, the pretzel bread in the entree is awesome!!! read more

Hofbrauhaus - The Schnitzel challenge! Plus it comes with a litre of beer! - German Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Established in 1968, Hofbrauhaus is the only German restaurant of its kind in Melbourne. Before I went there for the first time, I expected to see an old-style Bavarian diner with lots of darkwood and traditional German memorabilia. I was instead pleasantly surprised by the interior - it's fresh open style with long, lightwood tables and casual bench seating. Make no mistake however, with 11 different German beers on tap (available by glass, half litre or one litre), various imported bottled beer and a wide variety of Schnapps, this delightful eatery has all the right ingredients for a good night out. Couple that with the traditional German fare such as schnitzel, pork knuckle, bratwurst, goulasch, mushroom ragout and you're all set to party - German style. The dinner entertainment includes a hilarious floor show with slap dancing, yodeling, cow bells and singing. Note: the entire hall breaks into song and you won't be able to stop from swaying with the wave of enthusiasm in this place. It makes for the perfect, jolly night out. Go in a small group, armed with an empty stomach and share a HB feast platter which comes with a selection of pork knuckle, pork belly sausages, schnitzel, sauerkraut, red cabbage, mash potatoes and bread dumpling, pork gravy. I don't even like pork that much but the pork knuckle really blew me away! read more

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50th years anniversary of Hofbrauhaus in Chinatown. One of the most popular German restaurants in Melbourne. They start the brunch menu with various German breakfast choices. Definitely a good place to try the unique and authentic German breakfast. Highly recommended read more

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Went tonight for the $25 schnitzel and 300ml beer deal on Tuesdays... Bill comes and its 35 per person.... Just a scam and the waitress baited two people into ordering drinks she knew were not covered and didn't advise them this was the case. This kind of service is unacceptable. read more

After our most recent disappointing experience I felt that it was time to provide you with hones tupdated review. Each year a large group of friends come together to celebrate Oktoberfest. Having been to Munich and experienced this wonderful event we searched high and low to find a venue in Melbourne that would replicate this event. For over ten years we have been regular guests at Hofbrahaus for birthdays, Oktoberfest events and general fine dining. Each time taking considerable care of our appearance and ensuring that we are in correct attire for celebrations. Words can almost not describe the horrid experience that our group had on the evening of the 17 September. What was once a safe haven for dirndl wearing ladies has now become a dingy, disgusting den of a sausage fest. And not the German style sausage that ladies would happily order of a menu. An iconic Melbourne venue is now the ideal space for young women to be sexually assaulted and harassed by intoxicated male patrons. Even the simple task of attempting to get into the ladies bathroom required ladies to walk through beer drenched drunken men. Many who felt the need to take their beer into the bathroom and ensure that the men's bathroom door was open for all to see. Personally I don't feel the need to see dicks on display when trying to go into the ladies bathroom. Our disappointed and disgust was taken upstairs to the Beer Hall. An area which once held a beautiful event with German dancers, live music and some silly games to engage with customers. Not any more. This once magical area is now just another sticky floored space in Melbourne to try not to slip on. At some point the decision has been made to cut costs and just have a loud music blaring and hope that if patrons can't hear one another, they won't notice the lack of ambience and culture. The final levels of disappointment which sealed the deal that we'll not return whilst the current management is in place was the lack of menu and the severe lack of beer serving skills. Once we could actually get to the bar to order, again watching our bodies and roving hands, it was with horror that we watched beer being poured into hot glasses. Meaning that by the time you attempted to pay for your beer the head of the beer had deflated barely leaving a stein half full. Resulting in double handling as disappointed beer lovers demanded a top up. Which was an entirely fair request. Let's not even discuss how the venue "ran out" of most food items by 8.30pm when we were ready to order. How does a German venue run out of Bretzels? read more

Unlike other restaurants that pride them selfs with massive portions, the food here is great. We shared the platter consisting of a pork schnitzel, two differ types of dumplings, two different German sausage, fried onion, mashed potato and coleslaw. The highlight was the massive pork knuckle. This bad boy had everything going for it. Crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth on the inside. In fact everything was cooked to perfection and all worked well together. There was only two of us and we probably got through about 70%. We could barely walk afterwards. The wait staff (mostly German) we very friendly and knowledgeable. The not-in-your-face live German band was a nice touch. I'd defiantly recommend trying. However, if you're going to go the plater I'd recommend sharing with three people (or don't eat for a week before). read more

Well isn't this place just the tits! Weirdly located in an alleyway off Chinatown, our party of four made this our dinner choice for the evening through yelp recommendation. Welcomed in by a lovely girl at the door, we were seated in front of a live German music duo which were so fun!! We sang along and jigged a bit at our table and really enjoyed the German-ness that was on offer. Our server was delightful and helpful, we ordered our meals and drinks, both came promptly. The beer was great, we all picked a lighter one, I forget the name but it was very enjoyable. We'd ordered a German style garlic bread which I can only describe as a buttery-garlicky, frikken delicious donuty style awesomeness - YUM! All four of us chose the Wiener schnitzel and were absolutely not disappointed. The schnitzel was HUGE, and as good as it gets, coupled with whatever that creamy green sauce was on the side - ERHMAHGERD!!! The side salad was tasty and that is some big words coming from me (I hate salad). The potato salad that accompanied was really good, lemony, curiously delicious. All in all, we all left absolutely stuffed full and having absolutely loving Hofenbraus!! read more

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Often themed restaurants miss the mark and instead end up focusing on the novelty value rather than the quality of service and food. This is absolutely not the case at this place. The food was amazing - the pork knuckle was perfect and potato noodles delicious & the beef goulash was spot on. Having been to the original HB house in Munich, I can attest that this place is the real deal. However, this authenticity brings a level of rowdiness & very loud ambiance so would not be recommended for a quiet romantic dinner (or nanna's 80th birthday party). But, if you are after a fun outing with friends this place is perfect. Prost! read more

There are a number of words that I never thought I could possibly ever utter and among those is this phrase: That was too much crackling. Wow. Yet a trip to Hofbrauhaus did make me speak this.. this blasphemy. Hidden down Market Lane off Chinatown (isn't that where anyone would expect to find a German restaurant?) just opposite the Flower Drum (which requires several posts of its own) is this German institution of (so I've heard) polka music, slap dancing and (as experienced) vast quantities of pork, sauerkraut and schnitzel. When you order a meat platter for 2, you expect it to serve 2, but this monstrosity could have likely fed 4 if you didn't eat to stuffed and wanted to save room for dessert. Admittedly, we did almost finish it, but it was a stretch. From memory we were treated to: 2 Sausages (cheese kransky and weisswurst) mashed potato potato dumplings bread dumplings onion rings an entire roasted pork shank 2 schnitzels sauerkraut red cabbage pork belly I think that was 'all'... When the waitress came out with the big silver tray and propped it on the stand in front of us I think my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "Platter for 2″ ?!? It was all delicious. I couldn't stop. Fluffy melty bread dumplings with fresh apple sauce... crispy onion rings... pork, pork and more pork, and oh, so much crackling. The remarkable thing about a pork shank is the high crackling to meat ratio. Oh the gluttony! By the end of it I was sick and happy and disgusted and satiated all at the same time. And no, we didn't have dessert. (The waitresses in traditional dresses are also pretty cute, and the entire restaurant looks like a hunting lodge. Service was also friendly, helpful and efficient, and they quickly made space despite not having a booking.) Make sure you're super hungry. read more

Had the lunch special today $15 for schnitzel with mash potato and salad and a house beer. It was fine - we were a group of 15 and everyone got their meals efficiently. We arrived at 12.10 and were out by 1.00. The house beer is great. Our work groups have gone here three times in the past couple of months and it's become a reliable place for an honest simple lunch. They are advertising a lot so the place is reasonably full most lunchtimes. UPDATE - Just had lunch here again (Aug 17). Had the wurst (sausages) - Excellent food - five sorts of wurst on a stick. House beer is spectacular and now the wait staff are all delightful (gorgeous) German backpackers. The joint was jumping. All it needed was there to be snow in the streets of Melbourne and a sleigh cart to take me to see a Mozart opera. read more

A fantastic German restaurant. Friendly staff and good food. Great selection of beers. Got the Schnitzel Challenge - 1.5 KG Pork Schnitzel plus 1 Litre Stein of any HB tap bier plus 1 bowl of chips. I highly recommend this place. read more

I have been to this beauty multiple times for multiple reasons. It is great if you want to dine out in true german fashion with a group of friends or workplace colleagues. The $99 mixed platter is phenomenal and you can chase it down with a cheeky stein if you can handle it. I once visited here not knowing it was October fest and had one of the best nights i have ever had in Melbourne. The upstairs beer hall atmosphere is quite something. Highly recommend popping in if your around market lane. read more

Went to this place thinking it was a bit of fun/ gimmick kind of place, German bar restaurant. Well it surprised me, the food was amazing you can tell it a menu they have had for awhile but what they do they do well. We ordered the platter as I wanted to try it all. It was way too much for the two of us but they gave us a doggy bag so we were well feed for two days after. Such a fun place with great staff. Will be going back and taking visitors to Melbourne there too read more

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Look to your left. See what I'm drinking? Those are STEINS. Want to know where to get them? Hofbrauhaus of course! I'll admit, it may have been a silly idea to drink two of those... and then a pint after, but the atmosphere in this place is just so much fun that I didn't really mind having the hangover from hell the next day. The haus is one of the only German restaurants in Melbourne, and boy do they know how to put on a show. A live German band plays most nights (twice on the weekends!) while the gorgeous staff dance the traditional dances in their lederhosen and dirndl's. The food is quite expensive, so this is not a casual night out. But I can assure you that you are guaranteed a memorable evening. Who needs to go to Germany?! read more

Ah! Sweet sweet memories of Munich in here. Came here last weekend after learning that such an institution existed in Melbourne snd was thankfully not disappointed! In terms of drinks - I think it goes without saying that beer is the ony choice here, and while it's about $20 for a litre (Oh how I miss the prices in Germany) the quality is as always fantastic. Food servings were fantastically large. Schnitzel was great and the pretzels were served warm - YUM! Entertainment was a highlight too! Not sure if it was just because of Octoberfest but the band playing was working up the crowd and involved everyone in a couple of games. Not sure how safe it is running through the restaurant then drinking a shot of schnapps is, but then again I certainly am not complaining :D Staff were great here too, even hopping up on the chairs to dance along to the Chicken Dance. A fun Sunday night out indeed! read more

It's still Oktoberfest! GO GO GO GO to Hofbrauhaus! This place always feels like Oktoberfest, so it's not all that much extra, but holy cow, this place is so fun and you better wear your elastic waistband pants (or the jeans you have that are just a size too big, you'll need the room after this meal!)! They have a house brand of German bier, and my favorite is the Dunkel - dark, nutty, almost like a coffee beer. If you go with a group (best enjoyed in numbers) just order the banquet style food! You'll get a tray of potatoes, fried cheese, mushrooms, meatballs, gravy, schnitzel, sausages, cabbage and sauerkraut, and some crazy pork knuckles. I'm serious, you'll eat yourself senseless! Bring your empty stomach, ready for a party. You're going to want to dance with them, order schnapps shots, try the beers and eat eat eat. *Even though their place caught fire, they're relocated just next door and it's still a fun spot! read more

I was a little dissapointed after my visit. When I arrived I ordered two beers and the bar man really struggled to pour them. Not a great impression for a beer hall. Then before I could pay what seemed to be the manager came over and took the bar mans staff card to open a door somewhere leaving us standing at the bar waiting to complete our payment for the drinks. After that we sat down and enjoyed our beers. Having been to the original in Munich which is amazing, this seemed like a dull attempt at recreating it in melbourne. I hope no Germans visit here as they will be very dissapointed. Hopefully they can lift their standards as I do love a good beer and pork knuckle read more

Awesome, Awesome Awesome! I first went here only because of a split the bill deal. I have since been back a few times, hay to pay the full price, though it is reserved for special occasions because it ain't cheap! Having spent time in Germany, I love the atmosphere at the Hofbrauhaus, and it really is a true depiction of what you would get it you walked into a beer garden in Bavaria. Live music, lots of noise. Don't expect a quiet conversation to be had between your group. And the food. oh the food! Delicious. The egg noodle (not exactly sure what it is) served on the side of my veal schnitzel was beautiful. I could quite easily polish off a whole plate on it's own. They used to do the BEST chocolate mousse, though last time I went it wasn't on the menu. Too bad, I'd make the trip there just for the mousse! read more

I just wanted to add that though the schnitzel and sausages are pretty good, I find that the sides are a huge let down and totally ruin the whole dish. The potatoes have a metallic taste to them, which is usually from the pot they were cooked in. The pate tasted like it came straight out of a can, possibly a cat food can. The desserts definitely tasted like they were frozen and thawed out. And on top of all that, it's just way too expensive for what you get. Although, I must add, the real reason you come to Hofbrauhaus is for the entertainment and the kitschy décor, not the food. read more

Hofbrauhaus - German Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I'm another of those tightarses that visited this place when it was on Split-the-Bill. Really, the food was excellent. I had a dish that was served in this pan, it was chicken with capsicum, which was really good. Like, very good. The chicken was tender, there was a bit of a tang to it, and there was plenty of it for me. The downside was the service. They were rather rude and snobby when I mentioned that we were there on the Split-the-Bill promotion, to the point where I thought they might have spat in the food. It was all a bit dramatic. I'll go back, most likely, but I was really quite put off. I can tell you that the food was fantastic, though. read more

Delicious food, service different in AUS as they don't present a check/bill you pay at the counter. Despite that the restaurant was a wonderful experience. read more

I give this place props for having not One but Two vegetarian dishes! Didn't try them - was there just for a beer! The selection for German beers was fair I thought.. although they didn't carry my all time favorite :( It was clean, friendly staff, and located right in China town. Definitely I would go back and do recommend! read more

This is the oldest Hofbrauhaus outside of Europe. We arrived in town over a weekend and when first walked into the beer hall, the amazing smell of sauerkraut overwhelmed us. We had a few beers, which were very good, and knew we had to return for dinner. This place did not disappoint. They Serve great beer and authentic German food. I had the Kassel and it was simply awesome. The sauerkraut was awesome as was mashed potatoes and smoked pork. The atmosphere is great and the service is good. We will definitely return when we come back to Melbourne. read more

One of my favourite staples in Melbourne. Good food; great beer and very friendly staff. It's nice to just go there and chill out at lunch or have a quiet dinner of fine German food and I have done so on many occasions. The beer hall is great, especially for a lunch at small beer for only $15. A good selection - including schnitzel, wurst, those fantastic pan-fried potatoes, or a burger. I am yet to visit the recently opened Bavarian-style restaurant but loved the old one, regularly. read more

Excellent food and Beer. Authentic. Reminds me of the HB in Munich read more

Hofbrauhaus - Crispy pork belly - German Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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I thought it was intriguing to find a German bier hall on Market Lane, intermixed with the likes of Flower Drum and Hutong Dumpling Bar on the fringe of Chinatown. After enjoying many meals at Bavarian Bier Cafe, if you can classify a meal as multiple steins of beer and some sort of heavy meat, sauerkraut, potatoes and some very attractive seemingly Aryan staff and also the fun, lively and seemingly ethnic feeling that Löwenbräu Keller in Sydney has on tap, I thought that Hofbräuhaus would be a happy medium between the two. Walking into the restaurant, we were greeted by the kids taking part in Play School however Noni and Simon were not to be seen. Children were running around with reckless abandon. A lovely lady ultimately came down the stairs from the Bier Hall and greeted us. We said we were very hungry and thirsty and when pressed, expressed a desire to sit upstairs since Play School was in session on the ground floor. We were taken upstairs and seated with the other sane patrons who were enjoying business lunches and a sense of serenity, for a while that is. Hofbräuhaus has many menus. Many specials are advertised and are attributed to the various parts of the day and nights. Lunch specials, dinner specials, parma nights, student nights and various times that the oompah band (translate: a four piece Bavarian-style band that plays German tunes, that is deemed to be fun party entertainment) would be performing in the bier hall upstairs. The instruments were already set-up, ready and waiting to be played. Having seen the oompah band many times at Löwenbräu Keller, it is good fun provided you go with a large group and people are in the mood for such an experience. I simply had the German Bratwurst as I as more interested in refreshing myself with steins (litres) of Spatan (from Munich) and having a bit of a chat. The children from Play School found the staircase and started running up and down it after taking intermissions in the bier hall at this time. The service was fine and the food was what I was expected. I would later find the server quite embarrassed as multiple people had mentioned the wild children and I found out that the large group of them downstairs actually belong to the "boss" which I found fascinating. I never really considered a German restaurant with a bier hall an ideal place to host a party for children especially if you are the manager, but who am I to judge. With all of the commotion, when my stein was vacated, I happily paid the tab and left a tip for the lovely server and got the hell out of there. If you think the oompah band can be loud, the band had nothing on this group of children. Check this place out if you have a large group, want some decent heavy food and are prepared for a noisy time at communal tables. It is good fun for the random times in your life that you want a german-themed big night (or lunch without the band) but with the other choices in the area, you will not go through withdrawals if your visits to Hofbräuhaus are limited to those few big beery occasions in your life or the requisite visit during Oktoberfest. read more

It's pretty much as you'd expect. That may be good - especially if you're hungry. It may be bad - especially if you're after healthy contemporary food. We enjoyed our meal, but thought is was a bit expensive for stock-standard food. read more

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This place is an awesome place for a fun night out. It's loud and cheerful and has a live german band, so be prepared for a good time! A bit pricey but definitely worth it. If you like schnitzel, then this is the place to go. It's a fun, happy environment good for anyone looking for good food and awesome german music ! read more

It has been a while since I've had beir and German food this delicious. Actually, I think the last time was Germany. You can always rate a German restaurant by the quality of its beer and kraut. Oth are simply amazing. I haven't eaten this good in the whole of Australia, and I am currently traveling the whole of it. read more

Had the beef stew, which was amazing. Hot, spicy and very filling. The barmaid was very friendly and knowledgeable. The place was very empty though, could be because of the hour I went or the strange locale (right at the start of Chinatown) but either way I would return just for the stew. read more

Love it..great food great entertainment Highly recommend going to the second floor section where the band is. The Bratwurst sausages wouldn't get a blue ribbon form me but they nailed it with thier knuckle read more