Oktoberfest at Hofbräuhaus Melbourne

Melbourne’s Hofbräuhaus has been doing its Bavarian thing since 1968. With 600 seats and all the charm of a classic German beer hall, the Chinatown institution is the oldest Hofbräuhaus outside Germany (and the only one in Australia). And it really shines during Oktoberfest – each year, punters descend for freshly crumbed schnitzels, pork knuckles, German sausages and brezels (pretzels), steins of bier and good times.

For its 57th go at the iconic beer festival, Hofbräuhaus is pulling out all the stops. Celebrations kick off with a massive opening party on Saturday September 13 and run through to Saturday October 25. Around 15,000 people are expected to attend across the whole duration, so if you want to beat the crowds, here’s our tip: book a Thursday night or a Saturday daytime session. Live music, entertainment and the Oktoberfest vibes will be the same at any time of the festival.

No matter when you don your dirndls and lederhosen, expect more than 16 imported beers direct from Germany (including two Oktoberfest specials), hearty Bavarian feasts and live performances from the Hofbräuhaus Haus Bands every Thursday to Sunday. Special appearances from a six-piece traditional Oktoberfest band will bring extra oompah on select nights.

It gets better: if your birthday falls during the festival, you’ll score a stein and a round of schnapps for your table, on the haus (pre-booking is necessary; terms and conditions apply). Plus, test your strength in the famous stein-holding competitions for a shot at free beer for a year. Wunderbar!

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Hofbräuhaus.