Beer garden as institution
The Bavarian beer garden (Biergarten) — long communal benches, self-service food brought from outside, beer in 1L Maß glasses, chestnut-tree shade — is a specific institution with legal protection in Munich. Other cities have evolved different outdoor drinking formats. Below: where each works.
Munich
Munich the global benchmark. Augustiner-Keller (largest, Bayerstrasse), Hirschgarten (the world's largest, 8,000 seats), Chinesischer Turm in Englischer Garten, Augustiner-Bräustuben. Bring your own picnic — legal in Bavarian beer gardens. 1L Maß Helles €9–11. April–October the season; covered indoor extensions winter.
Vienna
Vienna Heuriger wine taverns serve outdoor; Schweizerhaus in the Prater (1L beer + Stelze pork knuckle classic). Different style from Bavarian — more wine-and-snacks than beer-and-self-serve-picnic.
Prague
Prague Letna Beer Garden (panoramic city view), Riegrovy sady (outdoor, summer-only), Zahradka. Czech beer prices undercut Munich (CZK 60–80 vs €5+). Outdoor seating standard April–October.
Berlin
Berlin Prater Garten (Berlin's oldest, since 1837 in Prenzlauer Berg), Café am Neuen See in Tiergarten, Schleusenkrug. Berlin beer-garden scene weaker than Munich's but functional.
Brussels
Brussels Mort Subite, A La Mort Subite (kriek and gueuze tradition). Belgian beer culture — sour lambic, Trappist — different from German. Less garden, more terrace-with-beer-list.
Stuttgart
Schwabenpark area Biergartens. Cannstatter Volksfest (autumn) the biggest German beer festival outside Munich Oktoberfest.
Strategy
Bavarian beer-garden self-service: get your own beer at the counter (cash usually), buy or bring food. Self-service Maß deposits €2 returned with empty glass. Ordering at table = "Restauration" section, more expensive.