Bar
Hofbräuhaus
Munich's most famous beer hall, on the Platzl in the old town, serving Hofbräu beer and Bavarian food to live brass music every day from 11:00…
Goldene Bar
A cocktail bar inside the Haus der Kunst, with restored gold-leaf wall paintings from the 1930s and classic drinks given a modern twist.
At a glance
- Type
- Cocktail bar
- Area
- Lehel, Munich, Germany
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesday)
- Official site
- goldenebar.de
Good to know
- Restored 1930s wall paintings
- Day and evening opening
- Award-winning cocktails
- Inside Haus der Kunst
Why we recommend it
The Goldene Bar occupies a room inside the Haus der Kunst, the large exhibition building on Prinzregentenstraße at the southern edge of the Englischer Garten. Its history is unusual and worth knowing before you go. The room was designed by the architect Paul Ludwig Troost as a party room for artists in the Haus der Deutschen Kunst, the Nazi-era art temple that opened in 1937. Its walls were painted by hand onto gold leaf by Karl Heinz Dallinger, with maps and scenes related to the production of drinks.
After the war the paintings were covered over with plywood panels. Decades later, under the museum's then director Chris Dercon, the building went through what was described as a critical dismantling of the post-war alterations, which brought the original paintings back to light, and they were restored. The bar today presents the room openly as a piece of history, and the shimmering gold walls are the first thing you notice when you walk in.
The drinks are classics with a modern twist. The Blood and Sand, for example, arrives with an orange foam crown in place of orange juice. The bar has collected several awards, including Bar of the Year in the Falstaff guide in 2015. During the day it works as a café-bar, which makes it a good place for coffee or a drink before or after an exhibition, and in the evening it becomes a cocktail bar.
The Goldene Bar opens from 11:00. From Wednesday to Saturday it stays open until 1:00, on Sunday and Monday it closes at 20:00, and it is closed on Tuesdays. There is no phone line; reservations, group requests and event enquiries are handled by email. Prices are in line with Munich's better cocktail bars.
The bar suits couples, cocktail lovers, architecture and history enthusiasts, and visitors to the Haus der Kunst. It is also a convenient stop after watching the surfers on the Eisbach, which is just around the corner, or after an afternoon in the Englischer Garten. Tram 16 and bus 100 stop at Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst, and Lehel and Odeonsplatz U-Bahn stations are about ten minutes away on foot.
Goldene Bar FAQs
What are the Goldene Bar's opening hours?
Wednesday to Saturday 11:00 to 1:00, Sunday and Monday 11:00 to 20:00, and closed on Tuesdays.
Where is the Goldene Bar?
Inside the Haus der Kunst at Prinzregentenstraße 1, at the southern edge of the Englischer Garten.
Can I reserve a table?
Yes, by email. The bar does not list a phone number.
What is the history of the room?
It was designed by Paul Ludwig Troost as an artists' party room for the building that opened in 1937, with gold-leaf wall paintings by Karl Heinz Dallinger.
Were the wall paintings always visible?
No. They were covered with plywood after the war and later uncovered and restored.
What kind of drinks are served?
Classic cocktails with a modern twist, such as a Blood and Sand with an orange foam crown.
Is it open during the day?
Yes, from 11:00, so it works as a café-bar before or after an exhibition.
How do I get there?
Take tram 16 or bus 100 to Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst.