Wirtshaus in der Au has poured beer on Lilienstrasse since 1901, and it built its name on one dish: the dumpling. The kitchen runs an organic Bavarian menu, the Paulaner flows from the tap, and the chestnut beer garden fills the moment the sun reaches it.
Published March 28, 2026 - By Daniel Okafor
Wirtshaus in der Au sits at Lilienstrasse 51 in the Au district, a short walk across the Isar from the Deutsches Museum and the city centre. The tavern opened in 1901 and now serves certified organic Bavarian cooking, which sets it apart from the tourist-grade halls closer to Marienplatz. AFAR singles it out for dumplings, and the house even runs a dumpling cookery course for guests who want to take the recipe home.
The room
The interior is the classic warm, loud, wood-lined Bavarian room, with a dark counter that the kitchen describes as an elegant bar from the 1920s. Long shared tables run the floor, so a party of two often ends up next to a party of ten. Out back, the beer garden sits under chestnut trees and seats the overflow whenever the weather holds.
The Au district itself shapes the crowd, since the tavern sits a few minutes from the Auer Dult, the traditional market that fills nearby Mariahilfplatz three times a year and sends visitors looking for a table afterward. The organic certification runs through the whole kitchen rather than a single dish, which is the detail that separates it from the bigger central halls. The beer garden is the summer draw, but the wood-lined rooms carry the colder months just as well, which is why the tavern stays busy year round rather than only in beer-garden season.
What to order
The dumplings are the reason to come, from bread Knodel to the seasonal spinach and cheese versions, and the kitchen treats them as the main event rather than a side. Pair them with a Paulaner from the tap, and add the Weisswurst with sweet mustard and a pretzel if the visit lands before noon. The roast duck is the bigger plate for a longer sit, and prices stay in the $$ range that keeps a full Bavarian meal honest.
The crowd and best time to go
The room draws Au locals, museum visitors crossing the river, and Munich families who come for the organic kitchen. Lunch is calm and the beer garden peaks on warm afternoons, so an early dinner is the window for a table without a wait. Weekend evenings fill fast, and a reservation through OpenTable saves the queue.
What regulars say
The steady note across guides and reviews is consistency: the dumplings land, the beer is cold, and the organic sourcing shows in the plate. The common caution is the volume, since this is a full Bavarian tavern rather than a quiet dinner room, so it suits a group night more than a private conversation.
Who it is for
This is for the traveller who wants real Bavarian cooking without the Marienplatz markup, the dumpling devotee, and the beer-garden regular. Skip it for cocktails or a late-night session. For more of the city, see our Munich pubs guide and the full Munich bar guide.
The verdict
Wirtshaus in der Au wins on substance: a 120-year-old tavern that still cooks to order and pours a proper Paulaner. Come hungry, order the dumplings, and take the beer garden if the sun is out. For more Munich beer drinking, compare the brewery scale of Augustiner Stammhaus, the tourist landmark at Hofbrauhaus, and the market-side tap at Der Pschorr. Our pubs guide covers the rest.
