janisj

Whoa - I was just explaining how some jumped to the conclusion you were looking for inexpensive options. I didn't say they were right. If you noticed I did give you (useful) info - that the waiters in regular restaurants will be eble to help you pick foods you will like. I did NOT say you were cheap nor that I spend more than you do -- you have no idea what my travel style is like.

I do try to help a LOT and offer useful info every day - and don't see a single un-kind word in my post.

EmilyC

In 1976, I did not want to go to Germany because I was afraid that I would have to eat sausages for 3 weeks. Since it was my husbands' turn to pick the destination - I went to Germany. Within 3 days, I was in love with the German culture and food. There is a very wide variety with influence from France, Italy, Austria and other countries. In Munich, a specialty is schweinhaxen which is a grilled pork or veal hock. On of the best places to get this is the restaurant Haxenbauern which is not too far from the Hofbrauhaus.You can see the "haxen" roasting in the window and decide if it looks good to you.Other specialties include sausage and schnitzle but also a good deal of chicken and fish (usually trout). Potatoes come as mashed(puree) or french fries or dumplings. There is some spaetzle but that is a more northern specialty.Sauerkraut is very tasty and nothing like what we have here in the states. Many of the touristy restaurants in Munich will have an English menu so you can have a good idea what you are ordering.Take a walk over to the specialty shop "Alois Dallmyer". Here you will see all of the prepared German and other foods. There are lots of food stuffs here from all over Germany and Europe and it's a great place to buy gifts to bring home. You can eat upstairs or take prepared food to go.The restaurant "DonInsl" near the Marienplatz is a great place to sample home made sausage. Their Nuremberger rostbratwurst is excellent and usually sells out way before noon time. I would not eat anything in the Hofbrauhaus ...there are too many good restaurants to waste your time eating here. This is a place to sanctify beer and that is what it does very well! All of the cafes feature fabulous pastries which everyone enjoys mid to late afternoon - "kaffee and kuchen". All you need is a finger to point to any great pastry that you fancy and it will be delivered to your table with your coffee or beer or schnapps!
Breakfast may be different for you - many hotels feature only rolls, jam, slices of meat and cheese and fruit with coffee/tea. It depends on your hotel...some have bigger, more inclusive breakfasts. That being said - you will not go hungry - not in Munich! Have a ball!!

Mr_Dreamer

I don't agree with your statement "So - now that we have agreed that mixed messages were sent - - -" I never set a price for dinner in Munich I simply asked if there are German food buffets there so we might be able to try a bunch of different dishes at once instead of ordering single ones from a menu. I throught I was pretty clear about that?

Mr_Dreamer

Thank you EmilyC for the advice. We look forward to going to the Marienplatz. I hear there is an open air market with a lot of delis and fruit stands for lunch and I will look for DonInsl restaurant.

Geordie

Mr_Dreamer

They have Sunday Brunch / Buffet at the Ratskeller in Marienplatz.

I haven't been to it but the type of food changes each week, here's a list of upcoming events but unfortunately I could only find it in German.

http://www.ratskeller.com/de/brunch/

The Bavarian Brunch has things like roast duck, roast pork, beef roulade, fish, venison goulash etc

I find the setting very good and the normal a la carte food is pretty good too.

Geordie

richardsonsnm

Mr_Dreamer, across the street from the Hofbrauhaus, right across the street from the Mandarin Oriental, can't remember the name, but the hotel recommended it when I asked for local casual food was excellent and the prices very reasonable, we have gone back three times.

ira

Hi MD,

You might want to invest a few dollars in a pocket-size German menu translator from www.travelersmenureader.com.

nytraveler

Doubtful if Walmart will have anything like this. Just go to amazon.com or barnesand noble.com and you should have no trouble finding something.

Woody

Hofbrauhaus has opened a restaurant in Las Vegas (4510 Paradise Rd., L.V., tel. 702-853-2337).

It is advertised as an "Authentic Bavarian Restaurant" with "Authentic dishes prepared by Bavarian chefs." "Live music nightly - direct from Germany." "Entrees start at $8.95."

It's worth a look if you happen to visit Las Vegas.

Woody

walkinaround

>>>>>>
Hofbrauhaus has opened a restaurant in Las Vegas
>>>>>

the munich hofbrauhaus makes you feel like you're in las vegas, so maybe the las vegas hofbrauhaus makes you feel like you're in bavaria?

quokka

LOL walkinaround - but you're right about the Hofbräuhaus.

Mr_Dreamer, here's my favourite place for a Bavarian style dinner in Munich: Spöckmeyer. The restaurant is situated in Sendlinger Straße, just round the corner from Marienplatz in the street next to the Kaufhof. Much better quality and much more authentic, less noisy and less crowded with American and Japanese tourists than Hofbräuhaus. If I remember correctly they have the menu in English, too.

Mr_Dreamer

Thank you all for your suggestions on where to eat in Munich I am keeping track of them in a note book.

W9London

Hello Mr_Dreamer,

I don't know of any buffet restaurants that offer Bavarian cuisine, but I found waiters in Munich restaurants were very helpful in explaining the dishes in English. (I don't eat meat, but they were very accomodating and careful in checking ingredients). I also think the overall quality at regular restaurants would be superior to what would be sitting out in chaffing dish at a buffet.

It may help if you read up typical foods. Bretzel is a large, dough-ey pretzel, not like pennsylvanian pretzels. They will come in a basket, and you'll be asked you how many pieces you had at the end. Starters include and beef consomme soup either with thin pancake strips served like pasta, or with liver meatball-ish dumpling. Then of course you have weisswurst, schnitzel, and sauerbraten. For side dish, in addition to spatzel, you can sometimes find potato pancakes. We weren't keen on steamed dumpling dessert, but my favourite is rote grütze, which is a compote of cherry and red fruits that comes with vanilla custard.

Aside from bratwurst, you'll see hot roasted pork sandwich in a roll in many markets.