Most people probably associate fetish clubs featuring latex and leather more with Berlin than with staid, middle-class Munich. But our city isn’t nearly as prudish as many believe, and of course there’s room for that scene here, too. In fact, Munich is even a pioneer: Germany’s first leather bar, the Ochsengarten, opened here on Müllerstraße . The BDSM bar is still in business today and can look back on a long history.
Scandal in the red-light district?
The Ochsengarten has been around since 1850. Back then, it was an ordinary restaurant with a beer garden where workers from the cattle market liked to stop by—hence the name. Nearly a hundred years later, it transformed into a wine bar where sex workers met their clients. What is now the trendy Glockenbach neighborhood was then the city’s red-light district, with Müllerstraße serving as the main street for prostitution. That changed, however, when Munich was awarded the Summer Olympics. The city center became a restricted zone, and the Ochsengarten became Germany’s first fetish bar.
Only men are allowed in the leather bar—that’s true today just as it was back then. The only woman was Gusti Wirsing, the owner who turned the Ochsengarten into what it still is today. Starting in 1978, Gusti’s employee Fridl took over the business; since 2020, it has once again been in female hands. Elke Seifert is the current proprietress and remains true to the Ochsengarten’s concept, which has been appreciated by celebrities such as Freddie Mercury, Dirk Bach, and Volker Beck.
The Ochsengarten as a safe space for men
No daylight enters from the outside; the windows are completely black. Inside, posters of men adorn the walls of the Ochsengarten. Here, leather and denim guys can openly express their freedom and retreat to the darkroom to get intimate. Free condoms are available at the bar, and admission is free as well. The dress code is liberal, although fetish clothing is expressly encouraged. In addition, there are various specials depending on the day of the week.
Mondays are Fetish Night, with a different theme each time. Anyone dressed in appropriate attire pays only half price on most drinks. Plus, every other glass of Prosecco is free. Sunday is Fetish Day, when men in the right outfit pay just €4 for a half-liter. Every Thursday is BDSM meetup night, when “FreieSMünchen” gathers at the Ochsengarten. This is the only day of the week when women are also allowed in Germany’s oldest leather bar. On all other days, the Ochsengarten is a strictly male-only safe space.
📍 Location: Müllerstr. 47
🕑 Hours: Sun–Wed from 9 p.m., Thu–Sat from 8 p.m.
💶 Price information: Free admission
