Wunderbar Hofbrauhaus

Best venue in Edmonton, one of our favourites in the country. Great staff, perfect dive bar. Can’t wait to be back.

I’ve gone to wundi shows a million times to see everyone from bands I don’t know to bands my friends are in and I’ve never had a bad experience.
Aside from live music, they also do trivia nights sometimes which are always fun!
The owners are great, and one of them, Craig, is one of the nicest people I’ve met (plus he makes great drinks with things that sound like they shouldn’t go together– try a denim daddy if you like gin, it’s surprisingly good).
The venue is pretty tiny and looks kind of sketchy, but everyone there is usually incredibly friendly (especially the staff) and I’d say the only downside is that the ladies room is almost always out of toilet paper by 8pm. I don’t know what people do in there, but a full roll is gone in two hours, tops.
Liquor wise there’s a pretty great selection with a lot of unique beers on tap.
Music wise you’ll see almost every hardcore/​punk subgenre local band, lots of western canadian hardcore/​punk bands, and some psychedelic and post rock thrown in the mix. The shows are decent prices too (I’ve been there at least 30 times, more than I like to count, and I’ve never paid more than $ 15 for a ticket and usually it’s 10 or less).

A godly place with latest whatever music and entertainment. Local hang out for sure and for out of town new age hipsters.

Wunderbar is an institution in this city. The company and camaraderie to be found between those four walls is of the highest calibre. You will be as thick as thieves with these bartenders after two or three visits. Regarding music, this is the CBGB of Canada. If you want to see acts before they are internationally renown, attend shows at Wunderbar regularly. This is a place that doesn’t exploit, doesn’t pretend, and doesn’t mind being exactly what it is: an unassuming utopian space for the creative others of this country – for those few who would trade the world for some good song, some good drink, and some good friends.

Small, lots of beer, live music, cool lighting — it is a little claustrophobic for me, but I would definitely come here for an event or band.

Just south of Whyte Avenue on 101 street you’ll see a sketchy looking door called Wunderbar. You’ll probably walk in and think, «WTF! This is just a room with a bar in it!» And you’d be right, but its so much more!
What you need to understand is that this room serves this city’s local brews on tap as well as has some of the most unique microbrew beers you’ll find in Edmonton. In addition, there is live music almost every night. These are the kinds of places you want in a city. They are focused on the real, even… organic, and that gives it much character.
Expect the facial hair per person density to increase significantly when you walk though that sketchy looking door!

I’ve never been more stressed out in my life about what to wear to a bar than when I went to Wunderbar. Listen, I’m not a hipster. I kind of pretend I am. I have the glasses and skinny jeans thing down, and yes, I own a plaid shirt or two or five. But that’s like, hipster day wear. What’s hipster night wear like? Am I overthinking this? (The obvious answer is yes, because hipsters don’t try at anything. It is just not in my nature to be a hipster, alright? I try SO HARD at ALL THE THINGS.)
I didn’t care at all about the bands playing — I was there with friends to see a band that their friend was playing in, naturally — but the patio here is solid. A good view of loser dudes driving up and down Whyte on weekend nights in their muscle cars and the drunk people stumbling out of Maki Maki post-​karaōke and sushi. Yellowhead was on special for $ 5 a pint which definitely made my night.

Ok… I’m reviewing Wunderbar… and it has nothing to do with Craig’s name calling! Truly, I love this place, I just wish it were closer to home because I walk here when I’m out for a bunch of drinks. It takes me a ½ hour, but it’s worth it.
I come for the beer, so I have to come late enough that they’re open but early enough that the music hasn’t started. I love that Wunderbar is serving local craft brews on tap and boasts a bottle list that would scare a macro beer lover. I enjoy walking in and perusing their beer lists and finding something new that I haven’t tried. It’s great that they are searching for new beers all the time and better that when they get strange ideas in their heads, like chai blended with stout, they just go out and get it made.
And as they say «LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR SHITTY BEER.»

Wunderbar is the closest thing I’ve found in Edmonton to my beloved Zeitgeist in San Francisco. It’s about ¹⁄₁₀^th of the size, but that’s part of the charm of this place. And I don’t think that you’ll find a better beer selection at any place that also doubles as a punk-​oriented music venue.
Craig, an owner and primary bartender knows his beer well. There’s a selection of five rotating local beers on tap, plus over 100 beers from around the world in the fridge.
This isn’t a place to drink pints of Kokanee and shout «woo!» but it’s apparently a place where you can hang outside on a patio during the summertime.
The inside environment is small, sparse, and features limited seating, but that’s fine for a place which primarily functions as a music venue during the winter. Cover charges range from $ 5 to $ 10.
The bar is cash only.

Don’t get me wrong here, I do love coming to the Wünderbar. It’s a terrific little joint that has a great selection of bottled beers and a decent selection of beers on tap. I just find this space a little too small for my liking. They have live music here every night, which is great if you’re coming to listen to a band that you’ve been looking forward to, but can be annoying if you’re just here to have a drink. On more than one occasion I’ve turned my head away from this place because it’s just been too noisy from the outside. I have a feeling I’ve become too delicate: P
The outside patio is nice for summers and is wonderful for people watching. It has a real city feel to it. I’ve got to say though, I’ve outgrown the age of drinking beer in a place that lacks a decent washroom and doesn’t have food. On top of it, it’s cash only. Knowing these things and coming here, is fine. However, just dropping in for a drink can be annoying if you’re unaware of these small hurdles that are hard for me to get past, unprepared.
Having said that, I have come here a few times and will continue to come here when I’m in the mood. It’s hard to have any complaints with the staff. They know their beer and are passionate about what they do. They’re not pretending to be a Hudson’s, so it’s totally fine to have just what they have. For a good time drinking beer and listening to loud music, I suggest visiting Wünderbar. As is now circulating Edmonton, Wünderbar is possibly the hipsteriest bar in town! I love that aspect of it. Very chilled, everything works kinda attitude.

I don’t go for the music, which is live and they have regularly. I go for the beer.
They like interesting beers and have plenty available, I like beer and drink plenty. So it is a good match. The atmosphere is a little on the run-​down bar side, but a good vibe and many regular clientel make this a fun place to hang out.
In fact I am going again tonight.

Wunderbar is one of, if not THE Hipsteriest bar in Edmonton.
It’s a place with both a great local beer selection and a fantastic assortment of teas. The three owners, Craig Martellica, Levi Christensen, and Christoph Janke, always seem to be working, and they’ll gladly pour you a pint and tell you which band is going to play next.
Wunderbar is a neighbourhood bar where people dance like a mix of junior high awkwardness and characters in a Charlie Brown Christmas special. The patio is one of the finest in the city, looking out onto East Whyte Avenue. The sticky patio tables share many memories, and it seems like sharpies should be included for those sitting outside.
The bathrooms — fair warning — are pretty frightening. The walls are covered with sharpied notes from management, and other folks. Meanwhile, the sink and paper towel dispenser are both a bit grungy.
Despite that, the atmosphere in Wunderbar is second to none. The people who go to Wunderbar are friendly, which is a nice change from the normal bar scene. If you’re looking for a bar to chill out at, or enjoy some local tunes, Wunderbar is your place!
But just FYI: bring cash. The ATM frequently doesn’t work.
Also — there are occasionally paninis, but it’s best to eat first. This isn’t a place that serves food.
It’s important to note that although Wunderbar has been around for a while, this old place is new again. It’s been under new ownership since 2010.

Lately I’ve wound up at the Wunderbar on a few occasions, mostly Sunday nights to watch solo folk musicians play live.
As can be inferred by the name, it’s a German-​themed bar, serving Bratwurst on request, beer in mugs larger than my head and airing soccer games on a regular basis.
A large cooler stocks a huge range of international brews; the lighting is dim in the main room and bright in the alcove, entered through an arch in a frescoed wall, all the better to play foosball by.
Personally, I prefer to spend my time racking up points and destroying contenders on the tabletop Tetris machine, just 25 cents a game. That, or winning replays on the super-​fun, old, pool-​themed pinball machine located just inside the front entrance.