Founded in 1589 as the Wittelsbach royal brewery, the Hofbräuhaus is now one of the world's most famous beer halls — and one of the most tourist-saturated spots in Munich. The main hall seats 1,000 people, with Bavarian folk music playing continuously and waitresses carrying multiple litre steins through the crowds. The beer (brewed to strict Reinheitsgebot standards) is genuinely good.
Go in expecting the spectacle it is: noisy, crowded, and improbably fun if you're in the right mood. Order the Weisswurst before noon (the Bavarian convention dictates they should never be eaten after the church bells have rung midday), eat the pretzels, and drink the Märzen. Locals do come — Munich residents have a complicated relationship with the place but some of them show up anyway, especially in the quieter upstairs rooms.