You barely notice it, tucked away in an alley, behind the Imbiss and the over-priced clothing stores. If you look closely, you’ll see a wooden door. It’s worn down, but still there. Look closer, above the door. There it is—old and scratched—the name: Schwabinger Sieben. This bar doesn’t follow the trends that so many other places in Munich seem to. It doesn’t matter if you wear a suit, have dreadlocks or haven’t showered in a week. It doesn’t matter if you’re the mayor of Munich, play for FC Bayern or are some American student whose German isn’t so hot. At Schwabinger Sieben, all walks of life are welcome.
Since its beginnings, in 1949, Schwabinger Sieben has been known for attracting some of the best jazz acts Munich has to offer. The bar still puts on shows from time to time, some jazz, some rock, but you’ll never see a schedule: it’s all done by word of mouth. Not only has Schwabinger Sieben been around a long time; it has also successfully resisted change for the last 30 years: no alterations, no renovations, not even a new sign or name plate. You’ll see the same bar, the same black painted walls and white candles jammed in old Jägermeister bottles with candle wax around the edges.
DJ? What DJ? The music comes from the bartender, playing songs in between drink orders. Just like its clientele, the music selection is always diverse. In a single night you can hear everything from Johnny Cash to Sublime, from Harry Chapin to Green Day, and everything in between.
Schwabinger Sieben offers more than just € 2.60 beers. It offers atmosphere. It’s a place to come and forget about everything, to let go. It’s the type of place that you enter at midnight and leave as the sun starts to peak over the horizon. And, as you walk out, you’ll wonder where the time went.
There is a saying in German: “Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh” (Thirst is worse than homesickness). And at Schwabinger Sieben, you can take care of both. <<<
