Brauerei zur Malzmühle

I had an amazing experience at Brauerei zur Malzmühle! This historic brewery offers an authentic Cologne atmosphere with a cozy and lively setting. The service was friendly and efficient, even though the place was quite busy. The Kölsch beer here is one of the best I’ve had—fresh, crisp, and served the traditional way. The food was fantastic, with hearty portions of classic German dishes. The location is great, just a short walk from the city center, making it perfect for tourists and locals alike. If you’re looking for an authentic Cologne brewery experience with great beer and food, Malzmühle is the place to go!

Very local restaurant, friendly staff and good service. Food was very delicious, the crispy pork knuckle was to the point. The chicken salad was also tasty. Kölsches wasser with different flavour was also great. Good price quality food👍 Highly recommended!

**Restaurant Review: Mühlen Kölsch** Tucked away in an unassuming, weathered building, Mühlen Kölsch has been serving authentic German cuisine since 1858. The entrance is a unique experience—guests pass through antique wooden revolving doors covered by thick curtains, briefly plunging them into darkness before stepping directly into the bustling dining area. The atmosphere is rustic and historic, with aged wooden tables and walls adorned with nostalgic photographs of Germany’s past. Seating is informal, with the nearest server guiding guests to an open spot. The service is efficient and quintessentially German—beers arrive almost immediately, so if you prefer otherwise, be sure to decline upfront. Refills come regularly, maintaining the lively, traditional beer hall feel. The food is nothing short of excellent. A crisp side salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, dressed in a tangy, French-inspired dressing, was a refreshing start. The potato soup, rich and velvety, paired perfectly with crusty bread, ideal for dipping. For the main courses, the rump steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, topped with a flavorful herbed butter, and accompanied by crispy potatoes and a small side salad. The roast pork cutlet was a standout—tender and smothered in a thick, savory gravy reminiscent of a comforting Thanksgiving meal. Mühlen Kölsch delivers on its promise of authentic German cuisine with hearty portions, traditional flavors, and an old-world ambiance. For those seeking an immersive German dining experience with excellent service and history-rich surroundings, this spot is a must-visit.

Delicious beer and sauerbraten, plus a great selection of after-dinner digestives. Malzbiercreme dessert was excellent as well.

We had a great time at Brauerei zur Malzmühle! Cozy, traditional atmosphere, tasty food – and above all, amazing service. A special thanks goes to our waiter Ritchie, who truly made our visit extra special. He was incredibly attentive, warm, and made us feel genuinely welcome from the moment we arrived. We’ll definitely come back next time we’re in Cologne.

Cool atmosphere, good Kölsch. The food was also good. Definitely a good idea to make a reservation if you want to get a table (specially in the weekend).

If you find yourself thinking what and where to eat in Cologne to get a real local experience, this is your place. And you won't be alone in doing so -- it can be quite packed at times in there, but that's part of the experience, and the service is great in mastering and maneuvering through the crowds, while keeping it light and friendly to make you feel comfortable. As for the food, the Haxe (pork knuckle) is simply excellent. Crispy as it needs to be on the outside, tender and juicy -- falling off the bone -- on the inside. Also the spicing is just right to bring out the full taste of the meat. There are also daily dishes, which in our case was a pork neck steak, nicely grilled with potatoes and green beans -- again, simply delicious.

Not only is the beer amazing, but the staff are fantastic as well. The waitress was so friendly and helpful in explaining the beer, the process, and a few other questions that the table had as well. It is very well located, easy to get to on public transport. Although I did not try the food, it looked great. English is readily spoken, you can pay with cash or card. The Kölsch is of amazing quality, and is one of the best that Cologne has to offer. Highly recommended for a visit.

One of the highlights from our 2022 Cologne beer culture tour with Viking. Beautiful old venue with lots of atmosphere. We were with a large group and everyone was served promptly and efficiently. Fantastic German food and probably the best Kolsch beer I've ever tasted. The Kobe's were quick to serve another beer as soon as your glass got low.

Hard rate when they don't wait on you. Went in as a single and sat at a table for 10 minutes

My visit to this establishment was not the best. It is large and clean with nice bathrooms. But the food we were provided, as part of a large Viking Cruise group, was not good. It was all meat and cheese plate type food with large plates full of bratwurst and cabbage. Something I had far too much of while in Germany visiting touristy places on this cruise. Gross. Our table was largely ignored and no one made eye contact with us. I asked for something with vegetables and was actually laughed at. Not impressed.

Came to this place based on Anthony Bourdain's show "part's unknown" episode "Cologne"! SO glad we stopped by my GF and I are still craving his dish ( which of course we can't say in German" but translates to "Heaven on Earth" SO delicious! The beer ( I'm not a beer drinker) was super light and tiny for €2.50! Our server was so awesome and offered to take photos of my GF and me without us even asking! He even gave us tips and recommendations. The service, ambience & food are incredible! We will be back next time in Cologne

Fun place, great atmosphere, great kolsch, great food. Although my schwienshaxe wasn't the best I've had, it was still solid and I was able to try one of my table mate's dishes that I was more into. It was called "heaven and earth" and featured really pleasingly crisply fried blood sausage served with mashed potatoes and apple sauce. It sounds weird but it's real good.

If you want a nice meal and excellent service, this is the place. Our server was very friendly and didn't mind we were American. He kept the Kölsch coming with a smile each time. We really enjoyed ourselves and I highly recommend this brewery. I had the goulash which was so yummy. Wish we had a place like this in the States.

An institution amongst the breweries in Cologne and one of my favorite stops when visiting the city, for both food and beer! The Malzmuehle brauerei, with its famous windmill logo, serves some of my favorite Kolsch in the city and its menu of traditional German dishes is fantastic. Their Himmel und Erde (blood sausage with potatoes and apples) is my particular favorite dish, but the schnitzel is a close second place. The interior of the restaurant is a surprisingly large space, but, with a network of rooms and warm wood paneling, it becomes a cozy and inviting place to eat. The staff are gruff and mildly rude, but this is the persona that everyone is supposed to project at the beer halls in Cologne, so it fits perfectly, as long as you're aware of the tradition. Overall, the Malzmuehle brauerei will continue to be one of my favorite stops whenever I visit!

If you're on a Kolsch tasting tour, Brauerei zur Malzmühle is one of the best breweries to check out in Köln. It's about a 15-minute walk from the cathedral but well worth the jaunt. Take note that you'll receive smaller pours, but once you're finished your empty glass will be replaced with another full one unless you place your coaster on top of your glass (the signal for "no more for me").

This place fully embodies the saying "the beers start coming, and they don't stop coming"! I love this brewery, and make a point to stop here every time while in cologne. It is a traditional cologne house brewery, serving delicious German food (meaty!) and endless amounts of Kölsch beer. Everything which myself or others I've been here with have liked what they ordered, especially the Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) is delicious! The price is a bit more expensive (15-20 euros for a dinner plate) but the whole experience is worth it, so go for the splurge. :) I can't say good enough things about Timo, our waiter. He perfectly nails what a stereotypical beer server should be in cologne, "mean and sarcastic", but also has the whole table laughing. This "rude" persona is typical for house breweries in Germany, if you don't understand the humor under it, that's on you! He was awesome and even gave my friends some good recommendations for places to visit during their time in cologne. Seriously, do yourself a favor and go here! Especially if you like beer. Once you sit down, they will bring you a beer and will continue to bring you beers until you tell them to stop. Heaven on earth :)

So I have enjoyed the beer here before but never sat down to eat a meal. The menu is a little hard to understand because some of the writing is in Kölsch and doesn't come up on a translator but in a way it adds to the experience. My grandmother always talks about Sauerbraten and how she loves making it for my grandfather. So once I saw it on the menu I knew I had to get it just for the simple fact of being able to tell and show them the pictures of it. The meat was very tender to where you don't need a knife to cut it. Covered in a sweet yet sour raisin sauce served with a big potato ball, sweet red cabbage and apple sauce. It all goes together so well. Not only is the beer good here but the food I had and my friends food all looked good and with big proportions. A good place to enjoy a big German meal with of course beer!

I had the schnitzel with hunter sauce. It was A-OK and I liked the ambience of the place. I didn't know that Clinton ate here or I would have kept an eye on my women. J/K, I went by myself. I really like the custom of bringing beer automatically as the glass drains down my gullet. The server makes a tick mark on the coaster to keep track of how many you've had. I was feeling like a lush at 7 tick marks until I looked at the glass and it only held 200 ml. : ) More tick marks please!

In an old building traditionally decorated this restaurant offers local dishes. These dishes are largely pork based and we found very little vegetarian and a two fish options on the menu. The food tasted good. However, the service completely ruined it for us. We were treated like tourist with an 'this restaurant will be full anyway' attitude. We were told to stand in a corner of the restaurant when we came in. In the end we stood there 20(!) minutes. Then when we ate our food our two beer glasses were empty for the last 15-20 minutes until we paid. The restaurant was crowded. There was no music playing. A beer costed 1,80 (without tip) a meal about 15 Euro.

Kölsch was excellent. Bright, smooth, and delicious. Enjoyed five glasses of 0.2l throughout the evening. Richie, our server was prompt and friendly. Dinner was authentic but somewhat lacking for my American tastebuds. Pork shank was superb. Moist, tender and loaded with flavor. Sides were less delightful. Red cabbage was strong cinnamon and barely warm and potatoes almost cold. Sauerkraut was authentic German style, but also unpleasantly cool. Overall,a pleasant dinner in Cologne, but will try one of hundreds of others upon our return. GO FOR THE KÖLSCH!

This was our first stop on our 2 day visit to Cologne and it did not disappoint. Service was prompt and friendly, kolsch was cold and the Mettbrotchen was delicious!

Good authentic food and beer. Initial service took interminably long--perhaps because I joined an established table. Once I ordered the food arrived hot within 5 minutes. I met some fellow travelers and had an enjoyable time.

Long trip to this place from our flat in Mulheim. We arrive to a half empty restaurant, small group, looking for a few beers. 15 minutes is all we asked. They said no, totally full. 2 hour wait. Of course, the people online behind us were seated immediately. Though they said they had no reservation. He spoke to waiter in German. Then said to his group in English "Its good to know people on Cologne." I say fcuk you to this place. Plenty of other Kolsch brewhouses where I can spend my time and not be treated like chopped liver.

Malzmühle served up quite possibly the best sauerbraten I've ever had, all around amazing food, and an authentic German brauhaus atmosphere. After disappointing food for our first few nights, we stumbled on Malzmühle after it was mentioned on a tour--and then, no lie, we ate there twice in a row. The food is amazing, they brew their own version of the kölner kolsch, and it's all set in the warren-like brauhaus atmosphere--what more could you want? We had the soup of the day (killer!), the sauerbraten (best ever!), German meatloaf (yummy!) and sausage (spicy), plus sauerkraut and red cabbage--all great. They were the best meals we had in Cologne, hands down, and I feel no shame in saying we went two out of four dinners in Köln! It is wonderful, but the downside is that everyone else knows it is, too. The wait can be a bit long (30-45 mins) to get a table to eat, but they do have a system, and you can get drinks while you wait. Trust me, it's worth it--and most of the other places make you wait too!

Great Atmosphere!!! Great food. The beer keeps coming unless you put your coaster on top of your glass.

Great service, really good classic german food! The service is good and what i liked the most they're always taking care so you won't get dry. The waiters are also very friendly! The only but i see and it's personal is that there's no smoking area, but besides that the place is a must go in Cologne.

After a week of traveling through London, Belgium and France, we arrived in Cologne today and came to this restaurant at the recommendation of a local. Wow! They JD menus on English, they were incredibly welcoming even though they were super busy. They worked efficiently to get us seated and the atmosphere was fun and festive. We had a wonderful time and the service, beer and food were better than nearly ever other meal we've had in Europe. Stephan and Olaf were absolutely the best! We had a very memorable meal and visit on their special restaurant, and felt as if we were old friends. This family from Florida is grateful and cannot recommend this place more!

Another lovely looking place. I tried to come here on my previous visit to Cologne but it was too busy. Its just such a shame that Kolsch is such an uninteresting beverage. Muhlenkolsch. Is not awful but its not the best Kolsch by any means. A strict pay for toilets rule, but no fixed amount means they only got small change (and a yelp rating deduction) from me.

One my favorite destinations for traditional Kölsch beer and food. Unbelievable large portions of delicious food at great prices. Standard selection of Köln Brauerei food, with typically a seasonal menu. Service is always top notch and all staff members are a comedic friendly group of characters.

Great atmosphere, German home brewed beer, open till late (unlike other places in Köln) food was nice, huge portions. Missed the Apple strudel cause it was 23:12...(kitchen closed at 23:00)

Clinton did not come here for any other reason but security considerations, the owner himself tells you that, if you ask. Which is precisely why I love the place, it is SO unpretentious. Nonetheless, to me the best of all "Kölsch"-beers by far, since years. If you go, eat a "Hämmchen". Just do it!

Great place and great atmosphere! We dined upstairs but will next time request dining downstairs amidst the brouhaha. Great veal schnitzel (listed as veal scallop). The salad dressing is also something amazing too.

A typical brewery in Cologne. Old fashion design, local beer (Koelsch). If you like this kind of pubs this is for sure a place to go to. I did not like the food. It was only half cooked and mainly the potatoes haven't been tasty at all. Even do the pub was not full, service was not really fast. Reading the other articles it seems to be I have chosen a bad day to go there.

When I arrived in Köln, I was craving a solid German meal with delicious meats and savory kartoffeln. We stumbled upon Brauerei zur Malzmühle which was extremely fortunate. We were welcomed and seated by our waiter who spoke limited English, but with whom we managed to communicate just fine nonetheless. The schinken salat we ordered to split was a slice of heaven, one of my favorite German dishes and prepared perfectly with a generous helping of ham. I ordered the bratwurst and my friend ordered the ham hock. My brat was amazing, and the selection of different mustards available only made it better. My friend's ham hock was Flintstone-sized, moist and savory, and came with some of the butteriest mashed potatoes I have ever tasted. This is an unassuming traditional brauerei frequented by the locals with amazing pub food and friendly, helpful service. Thanks for a memorable experience!

A little expensive. Good beer and nice food. They have a menu in a tons of languages but Spanish.

the food is excellent, however the service is lousy. The waiters attended us very badly. I believe they do not like tourists.

If it was good enough for President Bill Clinton, it's good enough for me.