When trying to get reservations for my Northern Irish firefighters friends earlier this year (like in March) of course I went for two tables in one of the “big‿ tents – a vain endeavor. So then I tried the “small‿ ones (Poschner, Wildmoser, Hochreiter), thinking the short end of the blanket is better than being left out in the cold. Wildmoser confirmed two tables, and this place, to my most pleasant surprise, is hot!

The tent seats 320 people and is decorated in a down-home Alpine style that is not obtrusively down-your-throat Bavarian, you sit at a proper table on proper benches with comfortably high backs and plenty of elbow room. The beer, served by quick, friendly and unflurried waitresses, is Hacker-Pschorr, fairly light as Märzenbier goes; for those not that into Helles they also offer Weißbier. The menu has your standard Oktoberfest food – half chicken, Obatzda, snacky stuff, various kinds of soup – and yummy specialties such as half a roast duck (big duck, too!), Southern fried chicken and chicken curry. Everyone agreed that the food was delicious, well cooked and worth the price.

Prices range from €3.90 for the chicken noodle soup to €17.90 for the roast duck with potato Knödel, half a chicken sets you back €7.90 (or maybe €8.90, I should have stolen a menu). The beer is just about the cheapest going, €7.50 for a generally well-filled Maß.

The music doesn’t start until 7pm, it’s a duo called “Die Zwei‿ (makes sense). They started out with traditional Bavarian stuff but as the evening progressed they performed rock’n’roll medleys, Latin rhythms (samba, salsa), DJ Ötzi songs and – every German’s favorites – German hits from the early 70’s. And that is where the benches come in handy – they are wide enough to not just bounce up and down but really dance on, and the waitresses even encourage it. As for dancing in the aisles, it is de rigueur, the waitresses make their way without shouting or scolding, everyone has a really good time. I think the ice between the tables broke when the first conga chain started and everyone was hands on everyone else.

Wildmoser himself was there at the beginning of the evening, greeting people and chatting, and again at closing time when he stood at the door with a smile and kind word for everybody, no matter if they were regulars or fly-by-nights like us. All in all, I highly recommend this tent for a really good time without drunks, gropers of any nation and burly security guards telling you to stop having fun.

A big thank you, too, to the attendees of the Return of the Northern Irish Do, for being such good company and contributing to the fantastic atmosphere.

I can concur with sarabyrd. I spent a very nice evening there with my now ex-girlfriend a few years back. Lovely place!

I didn´t know that was Wildmoser who greeted us and was checking on everything during the night. Nice

Thanks again Sara. it was a wonderful night and a pleasure to meet the Firemen.

"Deie Zwei" were great fun too, they really got the party going! Have a few pictures which I will put up soon.

Yes, many thanks Sara. I hope to join you guys again next year

I always miss the good parties ...great time had for sure. Thanks Sara.

My head hurts.

Yep, great tent. Would rate it as one of my top Wiesn experiences and would be keen to go back again before the end of the fest. Sarabyrd pretty much summed it up: good food, great atmosphere, kinda cosy-like, servers that aren't arseholes, easy access to toilets. Never had to wait more than a minute for the loo, which is good for me given my peanut-sized bladder.

Careful for the accordian player in Die Zwei though. He's a charmer.

Many thanks to sarabyrd.

What do you mean? You were there? You remember don´t you?

Edit: My photos are up

Our department goes to Wildmoser every year (tonight for example :-) ) and people seem to either love it or hate it. A lot refuse to go (probably more to do with company politics). Food is good, service is good and once a few masses have been downed then it doesn't really matter what tent you are in...

Die Zwei somehow flatly refuse to sing the old parody "Sitzt der kleine Wildmoser noch..."

Sara - I think you should make lederhosen mandatory for the guys next year

That's right, we all did the honors in our Dirndln. I will speak to the firefighters about Lederhosen.

It was a great night!

Seeing the pictures, I wish that I'd gone, too. It appears that there were quite a number of intelligent women there last night!!!

Of course there was!!

a very nice tent and Wildmoser was also saying goodbye to people at the end as well. I first met him 6-7 years ago when myself and sarabyrd organised a charity pub quiz at O'rileys (now closed) I went to the 1860 training ground to pick up some prizes they had donated at our request, and I was shown into his office and he was amazed that any English speakers were 1860 fans. I was shown round the trophy room by himself and his son and they gave about 20 times more stuff to give away than Bayern did. He also remembered me when we left the tent and said ...oh you are from the Irish Pub, which after 6-7 years shows attention to detail (shame his son doesn't quite have that level of attention about money). i think we will be booking a lot more tables at his place next year, we were well impressed that we had room to move, food was good, and service was excellent

Just back from Wildmosers... a good night was had by all, their duck is really nice and the selection of wild birds on view later in the evening only added to the entertainment...

i think most of us were in lederhosen?...i was border line on a kilt but it was raining so went for the leather gear instead

Lederhosen for the firemen...

HA! Organised Charity Pub Quiz?!
Surely you mean make promises of personal appearances of FC Bayern players and the local media only to turn up on the night with a few pin badges from 1860 and the excuse of player curfew of 21.00 means the guys couldn't come afterall? Or did i just imagine that you f*cked up the quiz night for a few weeks?!

Easy, phillyboy, we went around various stores and sports clubs and begged for free merchandise to be given away as prizes at the quiz. The dues for the quiz went to the Süddeutsche Zeitung's Adventkalender.

Why is Scogs looking so pissed off and down-at-heel in all the photos?
I thought it was supposed to be a party.

I was dancing in the aisles and stealing hats and poor Scogs was stuck on the bench surrounded by ladies in Dirndls.

Maybe he should have scrubbed down his Lederhosen before sitting on the bench.

Yes, but could you imagine if they turned up in Uniform?

Eh GARIBALDI!!

Does Scogs look pissed off here?

No. But the phrase "dentally challenged" springs to mind.

His old caps were removed for renewal within the next few weeks.

Did it make any difference?

hi all !!

thank you so much for the wonderful evening !!

maybe this party needs to come to dublin for a weekend ??? !!!

thanks from all the guys also

xx