Charles Schumann opened this bar in 1982 and spent four decades making it one of the most influential cocktail bars in Europe. The room moved to Odeonsplatz and became even more beautiful: a long marble bar, floor-to-ceiling windows onto the square, daylight that most bars would kill for, and the particular atmosphere of a place where the bartender's opinion matters more than the customer's preference. Schumann wrote the bar book — literally, his American Bar is a definitive text — and his team builds classics with a precision that has not wavered in over forty years. Munich has trendier bars. None are more important.
Location
Maxvorstadt, Munich
Map
Insider Intel
A dry Martini — Schumann's is the bar against which Munich measures all Martinis. A Negroni for the bitter balance the team is famous for. An Americano at the day bar if visiting before evening. Whatever your benchmark classic is, order it here and recalibrate. The bartenders will build what you want and build it properly.
Late afternoon from 5pm at the day bar for the light through the windows onto Odeonsplatz. Evening from 9pm for the proper bar atmosphere. Weeknights attract the loyal crowd; weekends are busier but the quality is immovable.
Odeonsplatz 6-7. Odeonsplatz U-Bahn. Cocktails EUR 15-20. The day bar and evening bar are different spaces and atmospheres — visit both if time allows. No reservations; the bar is first-come. Charles Schumann's American Bar book is required reading for cocktail enthusiasts. Smart casual. Cards accepted.