Bärenwirt

This restaurant is tucked away on a quieter street, off the main tourist path. Stepping inside, you immediately feel the historic charm of the space. The restaurant is spacious, spanning two floors, and thoughtfully decorated with a warm, cozy atmosphere. A delightful detail: look closely and you’ll spot charming bear decorations tucked into various corners—a playful nod to the restaurant’s name. The menu offers a nice variety of traditional Austrian dishes, and portions are generous. I tried the half Backhendl (breaded fried chicken), which was perfectly seasoned and delicious. The staff were professional and attentive throughout our visit. Restrooms are conveniently located on the ground floor. Overall, a great experience—well worth a visit if you’re looking for authentic Austrian cuisine in a traditional setting.

Our first visit to Salzburg - this place was recommended by other visitors as well as a native Salzburger. Totally lived up to the reviews. Small place serving local dishes. Don’t miss the Wiener schnitzel or the dessert soufflée for two. Curated wine list - all well priced pair well with the food. Very nice wait staff, especially Evren who gave us with suggestions. Tips: reserve in advance. It’s not a big place. Expect that others may be seated with on a busy night you if you’re a party of two seated at a large table. Know that everything is made to order.

I had pre-booked a late lunch after reading many positive reviews. Even though I arrived about 30 minutes early, the server showed me to my table right away. I ordered the goulash soup and schnitzel for my mains, followed by an apple strudel for dessert. The goulash was the standout dish—rich, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. When it comes to service, I don’t mind whether the staff are particularly friendly or not; as long as they are polite, that’s perfectly fine for me. I actually prefer not to have overly attentive waiters checking on me constantly. When I’m eating, I simply want to enjoy the moment.

Came here because it was highly recommended. I ordered the Wienerschnitzel, a leaf salad, and a glass of wine. Total was €37. Food was very good, but the portions are huge. I could’ve split it with someone. Service was attentive. I had a reservation and arrived early, so I was given a different table that was for six, but that was fine. I was just told I had an hour before I had to vacate, which was also fine too, since I was a solo traveler. I recommend it if you’re looking for Wienerschnitzel, and it seemed the chicken was also very popular from what I observed. Located on a side street. Cozy atmosphere. But did smell a bit of fried food.

Traditional cozy tavern with authentic Austrian food. Service wasn’t amazing but didn’t harm the experience. Be sure to make a reservation beforehand because it tends to get quite full. Would definitely recommend trying their schnitzel

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE !!! The lady tonight has been so friendly , kindly talking to us in English nd always smiling! The whole team seemed super nice !!! Food great ! Ambience very typical restaurant great atmosphere!

Bärenwirt is a cozy, traditional tavern with generous portions and excellent value. The Deep Fried Chicken was the absolute highlight, crispy perfection on the outside and incredibly juicy inside. A must-visit in Salzburg! We ordered: - Deep Fried Chicken with Potato Salad (Outstanding!) - Käsespätzle (Pasta in melted cheese with deep-fried onions) - Augustiner Bräu Salzburg Lager Beer

All in all, a great meal. Most moist fried chicken I've ever had and great nockerl. Highly recommend reservations as I was turned away without a reservation on my prior trip.

The atmosphere, ambience and service was so friendly. They spoke in English fluently and I didn't have to be so intimidated with having to use my Google translate lol I had their famous fried chicken which was juicy and coated with their schnitzel coating/batter. We also ordered the bratwurst with cold potato salad. German style potato salad wow so good the bratwurst was herby but it's not like the brats in US so think consistency of bologna but bratwurst flavored. All in all it is what a neighborhood place should be.

A really fun experience. Good food we had with goulash with a huge dumpling that was delicious. Very savory beet flavors. Rich and lovely. Also having boiled beef with some great horseradish and potatoes. Both were very authentic dishes.

Make a reservation and make it easier on you :) Got the goulash, schnitzel and the fried chicken, which is what they are known for. The dumpling that came with goulash was huge, but under seasoned, chewy and dense. The schnitzel was decent and the fried chicken was good - both used the same batter. The chicken was popular as all other tables were ordering them, some table had 3 orders lol, but definitely gotta try it once. Overall, the food was decent. The interior was nice, we sat outside, but it was very windy when we visited, so it was a bit of a challenge. The service was great, the staff member was awesome, ensured we were doing well.

This is the kind of food that puts you to sleep. The cozy interior along with the hearty food made me feel right away at home in Salzburg. The food was impeccable of course -- the portion sizes is something else indeed. The seasoning was perfect, and the meat was beyond tender. The strudel stole the show though. You cannot skip it!

I wandered in without a reservation and was seated at my only option: a little two top that was perfect for a solo diner. A stein of Augustiner märzenbier to wash down my plate of bratwurst, roasted potato and sauerkraut made for a lovely treat after a casual walk across the river. The food is a bit hearty for summer weather but as the day was on the cooler side I somehow muddled through. It was probably the beer.

Really cute interior, with traditional dishes. Book a table in advance because they are popular

Delicious, cozy and affordable. Thank you for suggesting the fried chicken. The frothy beer soup is my new favorite soup in Austria. Definitely a must visit!

Tasty Austrian food. At Bärenwirt, they have shared dining tables upstairs if you don't have a reservation. The restaurant is designed like a ski lodge with plenty of wood everywhere. I ordered the gnocchi. My portion was enormous. The dish was decadent and exceptionally cheesy. Lettuce accompanied the gnocchi, and the lettuce was drenched in a light vinaigrette. Overall, I had a good experience at Bärenwirt and would recommend them for Austrian food in Salzburg.

We stopped in here while in Salzburg for the day and I'm so glad we did. The food was absolutely delicious; the service was great; and the atmosphere felt like I was at grandma's for Sunday dinner - it was cozy but not kitschy. I ordered the schnitzel because I really can't get enough of it, and my fiancé ordered the fried chicken which was so tender and tasted amazing. If you want a good, hearty meal - come here because you will NOT be disappointed!

So so good! You'll need to make reservations before arriving because I tried going in as a walk in on a Thursday and was turned away. However, you can try asking to sit at the shared table number 11 as a last resort which is how I got in. The food is worth the effort. Get anything fried and you'll have a wonderful meal. The schnitzel was excellent for me. The burger was enormous and would fill anyone. The beer list is a good compliment. Staff does speak English. Seating is indoors across two floors.

Really delicious food, cozy atmosphere, and attentive service. Generous portion sizes and amazing desserts -- highly recommend the apple strudel!

A delicious spot for Austrian food close to many of the tourist spots! You may need to make a reservation because when we went, they only had side tables left for guests unless you had reserved a table ahead of time. The menu here is quite large and features a lot of traditional Austrian foods. I ordered the frothed beer soup, Wiener schnitzel, and kasespatzel - all of which were absolutely delicious. The frothed beer soup tasted a bit like a better and lighter cream of mushroom soup. The Wiener schnitzel is quite a large portion and came with parsley potatoes and cranberry sauce. The kasespatzel is like small gnocchi topped with cheese sauce and fried onions, so it's a bit heavy but still worth a try.

Stop here if you want a hearty meal in a cozy setting. Apparently this kitchen has been cooking up food in Salzburg since 1663! Try to make a reservation beforehand if you can. It gets quite busy in the evening and I saw a number of walk-ins get turned away, but luckily I was able to snag a table. I went back and forth between ordering the Wiener schnitzel and backhendl, and ultimately went with the fried chicken. It was tender and juicy, garnished with fried parsley, and be sure to squeeze lemon juice generously on top for enhanced flavor. Served with an Austrian-style potato salad that's topped with watercress. Order a refreshing Märzen beer to wash it all down.

Friendly neighborhood tavern with delicious food. They are known for their fried chicken. The batter and frame is similar to what one would see with the schnitzel. Very good. The German potato salad was delicious. It was a beautiful day so I sat on the outdoor deck, which was very nice. I have heard that reservations ate necessary for peak dining hours. I walked in at 3 PM and was immediately given a nice outside table.

They are famous for their fried chicken backhendl here however I preferred the wiener schnitzel instead. The breading at Barenwirt was very close to panko breading and was unexpected compared to other Austrian restaurants we tried out. The chicken itself was not very flavorful so you will have to use the lemon and maybe some pepper if you want it to have more variety in taste. The chicken was cooked super tenderly and moist and the chicken meat itself was exception. But I would have preferred some taste to the chicken itself.

Awesome food. The atmosphere is cozy and the staff is friendly! The fried chicken was out of the world and the potato salad as well.

10/10 meal. Served with cabbage and bacon on the side, very flavorful. Wait staff spoke English and was very nice and helpful. Also got apple strudel for dessert that was very good.

Barenwirt since 1663 is located in Salzburg, Austria. While walking around Salzburg one evening, I came across Barenwirt but was turned away because they had no available seats. Initially I was disappointed, but luckily I was able to get a table the following evening. I had already planned on eating the Weiner schnitzel one of the best known specialities of Viennese cuisine, and one of the national dishes of Austria. The Weiner Schnitzel here was cooked to perfection. The light crisp breading on the outside and tender on the inside. This has to be one of the best in Austria. The ambiance, service, and beer does not disappoint. Whether you're on vacation or live in the area. Make sure to stop by. This will be a meal to remember.

Very good taste of Austrian food. Was bummed they were out of the Nockerl, but goulash and schnitzel were tasty. They barely squeezed us in since we didn't have a reservation.

Very nice service & food was excellent! Definitely worth a stop, particularly if you want more traditional Austrian food in a nice traditional Austrian spot. I would definitely go again!

Walked what seemed like 50 miles from Alstadt but finally arrived at Barenwirt. Just like last night at Swettlers we were warned there were no tables. Then I told the guy we're Americans and we were sent upstairs immediately. All the tables were empty. Gabor was our waiter and he was quite the character. Joking that the food was only so so we had a good laugh and knew we were in good hands. The genius formerly known as Tammy the Tornado out of the blue orders the gnocchi. What? We came here for Austrian food and we're ordering Italian. Wtf. So I maned up and kept my promise of getting the Weiner schnitzel so I can say I tried the best in town. The lager beer was cold and tasty. The place was cool with a good vibe. All was good. On the recommendation of Gabor I had the pork instead of the veal schnitzel. He promised it was pounded thin and it was. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Tammy the Tornado made short work of the fried gnocchi and the side salad too. The waiter Gabor recommended some crazy fried apple dessert. I almost didn't order it. It was amazing. Just get it! On a side note the following is a declaration of love for Tammy The Tornado Vestal. She is an angel sent to me from heaven. She gave me the best 30 plus years of my life and I love her very much for doing so. One day my reviews will come to an end and it's not because I hate yelp. It's because my non stop e ticket ride thru life came to an end. I hope this review will live on so she can read this and realize there are no guarantees in life or in yelp reviews. Sometimes a review will turn into a declaration of love! I love you baby. I hope you read this one day after I'm gone.

Food was great local dishes at very reasonable prices. This restaurant has been around for hundreds of years. My only negative would be that it's understaffed. They were all working very hard there was just not enough of them. Reservation highly recommended. 3 nights in Salzburg and we went back every night to try more of there authentic dishes!

The food and beer was good. Service very attentive, from multiple waiters, butt felt rushed. Worth a stop!

Great place in Salzburg with tasty food and drinks. Really friendly service. They were super accommodating and squeezed me in even though things were pretty booked with many tables reserved ahead of time. Loved the vibe as well--very cozy and authentic. Clean bathrooms as well. They take card or cash!

My husband and I came here for authentic Viennese cuisine while staying in Salzburg. We could not have been happier with this choice. The restaurant itself is very charming and in a nice location for walking. The staff were friendly, attentive, and quick. They even have an international menu (German, French, Spanish and English) to help you know what you are ordering. We became addicted to lemon soda in Vienna and ordered 2 large ones right away. They are so refreshing. For starters, my husband ordered the Arctic char, which is caught in a local lake. It was savory with the vegetables as the perfect complement. It also had a side of whipped cream with horseradish on top which was strange at first but worked well. I had the clear soup with pancakes, which was light and flavorful. For mains, he had a plate of roasted meats with a giant dumpling (which tasted more like a matzo ball). The sauce was excellent and the texture of the meat was tender. I had the dumplings with eggs and salad and it had a rich flavor but felt light. The salad was tossed with a tangy vinaigrette, which accented the dish perfectly. The portions were hearty- it was actually the first time my husband couldn't finish his meal! Overall, this restaurant is lovely and a place you must not miss while you are in Vienna.

Let me start by saying I don't really understand why they claim to have Austria's best fried chicken. I think the chicken is a bit strange and tastes a tiny bit like a damp cellar. The batter is very nicely fried and the chicken itself is nicely cut and plated. They even fried the innards if you'd like to give that a try as well. Not many beers or wines to choose from but you do get the Augustiner Salzburg which I think tests better than the München one.

Is it the fact that Bärenwirt is in Salzburg, or the fact that this restaurant is nearly 400 years old that makes it so charming? Don't know. Don't care! All I know is I really enjoyed coming here for lunch one of the days I was in Salzburg this past September. Nothing on the inside is likely original to the grand opening of this restaurant sometime in the 1600s, but it is still really quaint and I'm sure in the evenings, this is a great pub to come to. Service was pretty good. I was tempted to break out my German but got really shy and ended up speaking English the whole time which was fine. I got a noodle dish that was absolutely amazing and my colleague got a dish with lots o' meat and he was really excited about it. It seemed like most of the people there weren't tourists unless they were all from Germany, but only one other table had people speaking English, everyone else was German so maybe... maybe... this isn't totally a tourist trap. Or maybe we just came at the right time. Would totally come here again!

Person at the front tried turning us away twice because no reservation at 8:10. After some banter a manager said ok you can share a table out back. No one sat with us at a six top for 30 minutes. Weird. If you survive that BS with a a reservation read on. The smoked meat, pork roast, giant dumpling and sauerkraut dish was tasty and nice Austrian food. The fried chicken is delicious and the side of potatoes in vinegar with greens on top or there version of potato salad nice with the crisp chicken. The chicken comes with the heart and gizzard fried and served in a little paper cup inside the plate. I ate those as well and they were fantastic. if you can survive the BS upfront the service was excellent. They speak perfect English. They make you feel at home and had a nice wide selection of beverages we chose the local beer and drink by the half liter.

By no means am I the type of person to write reviews such as this, but I felt so incredibly inclined to do so after such a terrible experience. If it was possible to rate this zero stars, I would. My family and I had a reservation made over the phone, with a confirmation email, and was turned away. Unfortunately, I can only assume it was because of our heritage, as we all displayed our beloved Star of David necklaces to outwardly represent our religion and culture. We made no rude or sharp remarks of any means, but was immediately greeted with such disrespect. We moved to Salzburg recently, and have had nothing but positive interactions with others regarding our beliefs/religion. It is incredibly sad to see that there are still those in this world who could side with such monsters of this beautiful nation's past. I sincerely hope these people either get a grip on the reality we live in or are forced to close up shop. I would never wish or hope this upon any small business, but people with clear prejudices such as these deserve nothing.

Really nice small place on the way to the Augustiner beer garden which happened to be closed so we ended up here by accident and are glad that we did. It has an indoor, almost cave like but well lit feeling restaurant to the right as you walk in and following through to the back there is a patio/balcony which overlooks the river and because of the direction of the building in the sun most of the day the patio is in the shade and cool enough to sit at. There approximately 7 to 8 tables outback and it can seat at most 40 people total. We saw others that had schnitzel so we had to have that. One of us had the pork schnitzel, the other basically was a pork cordon blue. Both were excellent. The pork cordon blue was served with white rice which was a little plain but we mixed it with the cranberry compote that was served on the plate and that helped. The regular schnitzel was served with three medium-size boiled potatoes that had been dressed in a butter and herb coating.

Absolutely worth a try if you're in town. Great food, excellent and very nice service, English speaking servers, and all around great time. My wife ordered their famed fried chicken. It was excellent. The breading for the chicken was akin to what's used for Japanese tonkatsu, but it's lighter in color, and the meat was very juicy. The dish comes with a big plate of potato salad. I had the Bauernsckmaus and paired it with the "monk" beer. Both items, wow. The beer has the taste of a dark brew at first, but has a very clean finish. The Bauernsckmaus was served in a neat roasting pan and came with a softball sized dumpling. The service was what really put it over. Our server was nice as can be, and helped us in English all with a smile. I highly recommend this place!

I know it seems strange to go all the way to Salzburg and eat fried chicken but you better do it. Also they give you gummy bear!

I walked by this place a few nights ago as I made my way to the Augustiner Brau Hall. It lolled very welcoming. After reading the positive reviews on yelp, I decided to give it a try. My family was not disappointed. Great authentic food and great service. I would recommend this restaurant to a friend or family member!

Amazing food, and one of the few that opens around 3pm. Very authentic, great location, and the service is very good. We ordered the fried chicken with salad, and the cheese dumplings; both recommended!!

Bärenwirt is one of my favorite places in Salzburg. Although it's a bit tucked away in the Altstadt, their fried chicken makes up for it. They also have a nice wine selection, although their pours are a bit on the smaller side relative to the price. Definitely save room for the apple strudel for dessert, as it is very tasty! Beware that Bärenwirt can get pretty crowded in the evenings. The first time I went I ended up having to share a table with others. However, It is worth noting that I saw other people get turned away, so the second time I went I decided to make a reservation via email. All in all, Bärenwirt is a gem in Salzburg! Don't miss it.

This place is a great stop for an authentic Austrian meal on your trip to Salzburg. The portions were generous and tasty. However, we were disappointed by the service, which is why I've rated this lower. The experience had so much potential in a beautiful day on the patio, but the service really dampened it. Our server seemed uninterested in us and was visually annoyed when we ordered and made requests. It seemed we had to advocate throughout the whole meal from asking for drinks to the cheque. I think I'd give this another chance given the food and atmosphere and hope for a different server.

This place is a step above your typical Alpine fair and definitely worth a stop in Salzburg if you're looking for a dinner option. If it's warm, I'd recommend sitting outside on the balcony. I had "Austria's best fried chicken" and it was delicious--although definitely not to be compared to American fried chicken.

This restaurant was my favorite in Salzburg. The food, presentation, and service was all on point. If you're looking for a great place to get authentic Austrian dishes I highly reccommend Bärenwirt. The restaurant itself is so cozy and inviting. They offer seating on their terrace or indoors. Inside, the restaurant looks like you're in the home of an old Austrian grandmother. Very cute. I had the goulash soup as a starter. The dish is served with a roll and was so tasty. It's such a hearty dish and I liked that it was a smaller bowl because it can be really filling. For my entree I had the veal schnitzel. This dish is served with parsley potatoes and cranberry sauce. I have never had schnitzel served with cranberry but thought it was great. Hands down the best schnitzel I've ever had and I wish I could find an authentic restaurant like this back in the states. I also tried some of the deep fried chicken with potato salad. I've heard others describe it as the best fried chicken in Salzburg. I would still order the schnitzel over the fried chicken but the potato salad was pretty damn good. If I ever make it back to Salzburg, Bärenwirt will be the first restaurant I eat at.

I had the fried chicken (half chicken) and was very satisfied!! Not as good as the versions I've tried in the US but if you like breaded, fried chicken, it's right up there with the best I've had. Also, special mention to the staff who poured me a huge glass of house (red) wine. Hugely appreciated!! Definitely worth the walk, and if you are heading there from old town, enjoy the beautiful walk along the river - almost right up to their front door.

Loved the fried/Schnitzel 1/2 chicken. The apple strudel was also a big hit with my family.

Delicious food and the service was top notch. Food came out quickly and staff were very friendly. Would recommend!

Aaaah Salzburg... home of Mozart chocolate balls and the Sound of Music. But, the hills aren't just alive with the sound of music and chocolate; it's alive with beer and hearty Austrian food!!! After exteeeensive research, my fräulein friend and I headed over to Bärenwirt after drinking inappropriate (appropriate for Austria) amounts of beer at the nearby beer hall. Yes.... While in Austria you should eat schnitzel and kaiserschmarm... HOWEVER, at Bärenwirt, you MUST eat the Garlic Cheese Spätzle. Unfortunately, I think this was a daily special and not on the regular menu, but if you have the chance, grab it with your beer soaked hands and gobble it down like a grizzly bear who hasn't eaten for months! I've never had spätzle that tasted like this and to this day, my fräulein friend and I still talk about this ONE dish. Everything else including the beer was awesome (especially the beer foam soup!) and the inside was super cozy. Definitely five stars and if I'm ever back to sing Edelweiss along the cobble stone streets of Salzburg, this will be the first place I go!!! RAAAAAAARRRRRRR (that was a happy bear roar)

Chose barenwirt for our first dinner after a long day of travel. Could not have asked for a more authentic Austrian start! Friendly staff and delicious food. Sheeps cheese and tomato was great. Schnitzels, fried chicken, pork medallions and goulash were favorites. Only complaint was that service was a bit slow...waited 20 min for beer/wine and then kitchen closed before we could order dessert. Probably for the best since we had licked our plates clean!

Phenomenal Austrian food. The schnitzel was great. My fiancé had the fried chicken and said it was the top 5 best fried chicken he has ever had (and he's from the south). The service was great too. Highly recommended.

On a recommendation from an actual Austrian (!), we popped into this spot during the in-between hours. Happily it was open, with a reduced menu. Which worked out beautifully. If I'd had the full menu, I might not have decided to go with the schnitzel, thinking it'd be another boring fried pork cutlet I don't see what all the enthusiasm's about. But I guess this is how schnitzel's supposed to be. Dining al fresco on this unassuming but delicious schnitzel and kartoffelsalat, sipping an Augustiner, I had one of those I'm-so-glad-I'm-right-here-right-now moments. (I'm not positive I'm using this right, but I think it's what I want to express:) Gemütlichkeit.

This is a fun place for a meal, but a bit overpriced. Built in the 1600s, the building is quite interesting- a trip to the bathrooms is worth the time just to see the lower floor that is original to the building. The food is very hearty Austrian/German fare. Lots of sausages of various kinds and lots of buttered potatoes,etc. I have to wonder how Austrians don't weigh 400lbs. Friendly staff, but slow to return to table after meal is served.

We wandered into this place in search of something a little less traditional. After a week in Austria, I desperately wanted something lighter. I ordered trout and it came with a lovely watercress salad and wild mushrooms on top. It was delicious. They have all of the traditional Austrian specialties with a few lighter options thrown in. This place is directly across from the Augustiner Biergarten and they serve their beer here too. There are candles and carved wood walls. If had a great atmosphere. They take cash and credit cards and are open till 11pm. They speak German and English. With two entrees and two desserts, it was $67.00 dollars (around 47 euro).

This place should definitely go on your itinerary while you are visiting Salzburg. The service was great. The views from the patio are spectacular. My husband and I enjoyed the schnitzel and their version on Mac N Cheese. Both were absolutely amazing and couldn't find anything like it anywhere else.

Stayed in Salzburg for 3 days and ate here twice. It's THAT good. Tried the veal schnitzel as well as the deep fried chicken. Both were so filling and absolutely delectable. I normally wouldn't gravitate to either of these at restaurants but the meat stayed moist while the breading was light and well seasoned. We also shared an appetizer sized borscht, which was incredibly flavourful! The best part is probably the strudel, which is hands down the best I've ever had. We also tried the kaiserschmarren which was just as delicious!