German beer, bratwurst and some tacky Eurotrash songs: this is the entertaining premise of Bavarian Beerhouse Tower Hill. It's a venue where you can't stay serious - or sober - for very long.

The Venue
The Bavarian Beerhouse Tower Hill aims to be faithful rather than fancy. The decor is kept to a minimum but this is what you expect of beer halls in Germany. The basement space at this new Tower Hill site (the original BBH is near Old Street) is a good indicator, since it is entirely furnished with long foldable wooden benches and tables, of the type often seen in continental multi-purpose halls. On these, a very simple paper tablecloth in gingham white and red adds to the overall feel of authenticity. The brown leather benches along the yellow walls seem a concession to a more modern aesthetic but, despite being out of place, they do not detract from the overall effect. The ceiling is low and painted beige. Under the paint you can imagine there are wooden beams but unfortunately they've not been restored, although the wooden floor is original and nicely preserved. The wooden stairwell heading towards the ground floor is once again simple and yet again adds to the ‘Germanness’ diffused everywhere else. The ground floor is actually a bit more soulless. The long benches here mix with high tables and stools, much more akin to standard City pubs. On the walls, glittering reindeer heads are in tone with the theme but apply a fun edge to it.

The Atmosphere
Naturally, given the location, City suits make up the vast majority, and they are, of course, the target audience. The atmosphere is extremely jolly. The tone is set by the beer maidens in identical traditional outfits who move constantly between the bar and the tables. Their light blue embroidered outfits with a pink apron cannot fail to be noticed and to amuse. If you add that a good number of the staff are actually German or German speaking, it is clear that the theme is pretty much perfect. The tacky continental music in the background is not as noticeable as the maidens, thankfully. Although, if you are lucky, you can spot an Oompah band (accordion, guitar, saxophone and lots of cheesy, fun tunes) playing here during special occasions, dressed in perfect Tyrolean attire. All in all, Bavarian Beerhouse is ideal for happy drinking sessions. As long as you don’t take things too seriously, you will love the humour and camaraderie.

The Food
The menu carries on with the German theme: there are no concessions to any other cuisine and no space even for the ubiquitous fish and chips. Do not expect gourmet Bavarian dishes, in keeping with the threadbare beer hall theme, the food here is more utilitarian than refined. Starters (£2-£5.90), snacks (£2.90-£5.50) and mains (£9.90-£15.50) offer plenty of sausages, schnitzel, wurstel and pretzels and you will get a good idea of the simple recipes and staple ingredients used in Germany: aufschnitt, for example, is a type of cold meat which is far more colourful and tasty than you may be used to. Vegetarians, beware: the options here are extremely limited and all include plenty of cheese. At least, the desserts (£4-£5) suit all. You can pick between the authentic Bavarian alpfenstrudel, and the just as famous Black Forest chocolate gateau or kaiserschmarrn, a Bavarian pancake with raisins.

The Drink
You might expect a long and structured list of German beers but the drink list is actually streamlined. If this is a disappointment to you, hopefully knowing that authenticity is the key will help you accept the limited choices. Beer is only served on draught and you can pick between eight options: there are two Erdinger, Warsteiner, Lowenbrau, Krombacher and Kaltenberg. And two are served as a shandy (with lemonade).

The temperature and gas-content for all of them is very good and Krombacher, which seems to be one of the most popular, is softer in taste than any run-of-the-mill continental beers and it is a light blonde colour that slips down well and is very refreshing. The Erdinger Hefe Weissbier is a popular wheat beer which is particularly wholesome and gifted with a healthy body. Fruity enough to be very appealing during the summer, it is fresh and light. Here you can also order the much rarer Erdinger Hefe Dunkel Weissbier which is, instead, dark, rich and smooth.

Just as much can be said about the size of the beer glass as of the beer itself. The sizing here is continental and comes in three types: you can go for a third of a litre (approximately half a pint for a rather steep £3), half a litre (£4.20) or a whole litre (£8.10) for the magnum stein size. If the first two come served in regular beer glasses, the latter is a huge glass jug with a sturdy handle, incredibly popular even just for the novelty factor. Other options include a dozen bottles of wine (£14.50-£19.50), Champagne (£19.50-£65) and an interesting selection of German schnaps (£3), ciders and mulled wines (£4.20-£5.50 per glass). The house specialty seems to be, aside from the unmissable Jagerbomb (£4.50), the Porno Brause (£3.50), a mix of vodka and sherbet which is meant to be the latest party trick from Germany.

The Last Word
Bavarian Beerhouse is an uncomplicated, fun venue with authentic German food and drink. If you're not bothered about being in the hottest place in town and you're planning a drink or two with friends, the simple and effective Bavarian Beerhouse may be exactly what you are looking for.

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