Ochsenbraterei
Thanks to the famous oxen and traditional music, in the afternoon, the tent of the Spaten brewery is one of the most popular. The disco evenings are still rather slow.
The Ochsenbraterei has been run by one of Munich’s most prominent restaurant empires since 1980. The Haberl family owns a total of six large beer gardens. At the Oktoberfest, the current landlord, Antje Haberl—who took over the tent in 2011 following the death of her father, Hermann—carries on the tradition of Johann Rössler, who set up the first steam-powered ox grill in 1881. It was such a sensation back then that he was even able to charge an admission fee just to see it.
Atmosphere and Music
The Ochsenbraterei is not only prized for its eponymous dishes but has long been known for the traditional brass band music that fills the tent in the afternoons—except on Saturdays. This tradition has remained unchanged, at least initially, under the direction of renowned soloist Matthias Achatz, who took over the festival band in 2016. It’s no coincidence that the tent is one of the few that’s very well filled at noon even on weekdays—and there’s even a historical reason for this: In 1980, Hermann Haberl was the first innkeeper to have music played at lunchtime, which was a thorn in the side of his colleagues at the time; after all, they didn’t want to pay musicians to play in an empty tent.
The Ochsenbraterei would actually be ideally suited for a more traditional atmosphere. Unfortunately, especially in 2023, they decided to do exactly the opposite. The lighting system was updated once again, and bandleader Matthias Achatz—who enjoys an excellent reputation in the brass band scene—has further reduced the time allotted to brass band music. Now, the tent is only filled with music like a traditional beer tent in the early afternoon. In the evening, the Ochsenbraterei—accompanied by a small party band—aims to join the ranks of the new generation of disco tents. Yet an unusually large number of sounds atypical for a beer tent can be heard, some of which even veer heavily into lounge music.
Food and Menu
The 100 or so oxen that fill the hungry stomachs of tent visitors every year are genuine Munich natives and are sourced exclusively from the municipal Karlshof estate. The show oxen, which are placed on the grill visible to guests and whose names are written on the board, are specially selected for this purpose. Normally, an ox is about one and a half years old when it is slaughtered. However, the show oxen must be less than one year old so that their spinal cord does not have to be removed as a precaution against BSE, which would impair their appearance. And they do have to look good.
By the way, only one ox is cooked on the large grill each day. Most of the portions served come from smaller cuts that are cooked individually in the kitchen.
Since 1983, the ox sandwich sold to go on the side of the kitchen has earned a legendary reputation. The ox sandwich entrance is located opposite Fischer-Vroni. Curiously, just in time for its 40th anniversary, a hamburger has been added to the menu.
In recent years, the menu has been expanded to include numerous vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Reservations 2026
Ochsenbraterei started accepting reservation requests in its reservation form on March 23, only including irrelevant time slots. Last-minute reservations are offered as well.
New Building 2017
The Ochsenbraterei tent, newly built in 2017, is largely modelled after its predecessor from 1980, when Spaten took it over as a brewery tent. Its façade continues to stand out for its unusual curve—even more so than in recent years, after the temporary installation of windows in the façade had somewhat diminished that impression. Although the windows are still there, they have now been integrated more harmoniously. The display grill on the façade is also still present—it’s actually the same one from the old tent. Likewise, the figures in traditional costume on the columns are still the same.
They just hang a little higher now. To make room for a gallery that runs all the way around, the tent had to be raised by more than two meters. This new gallery is a feature shared by the new building and the Hacker tent, which was redesigned last year. However, in the Ochsenbraterei, it is located entirely inside the building. On the ground floor, space was created for wider aisles and a larger kitchen, as technical equipment, restrooms, and some toilets were relocated to the upper floor.
Otherwise, great care was taken to preserve all essential design features. In particular, the fresh, bright white-and-blue canvases under the roof create a very pleasing appearance. Together with the large wreaths, the tent is designed in a style very typical of a Bavarian beer tent. And the Haberls apparently like it so much that, since 2010, they have even been trying to register it as a three-dimensional trademark.