#8 | Ory Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Munich, Germany
Last Visit: Summer 2022
For years I always complained that in Germany specifically the hotel bars are the weakest link in the industry, the gap to the best international addresses seemed to be the greatest on average here and compared to independent ones.
Since those times - 5-6 years ago - quite a bit has happened in this country, some solid examples were opened, but still not really outstanding when compared internationally (I'm looking at you, Cologne, my home), some on the other hand really inspiring. The latter category includes the Ory Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, right in the historic center of Munich. At the same time, Munich was also rather a prime example of a sad selection of hotel bars until then, for such a rich and big city. Sure, you had great locations here and there but the cocktail game itself was still somewhere in the 90s or in the better cases, maybe early 2000s. Anyway, this review here should be about the Ory Bar ...
The highlight, the bar counter itself / Copyright: Ory Bar
Opened in October 2018, I visited this jewel several times now and especially the first visits were some of my most positive bar experiences and even more so surprises of the last 5 years. I had simply no longer expected something like this in Germany concerning hotel bars, at least outside of Berlin. While some over-motivated hotel bars tend either to implement too much pomp or kitschy, overused retro design, they went in a different direction with this one. Here one is timelessly and elegantly embedded into the location, never feels out of place. Another great thing about the Ory Bar, it has its own side entrance from the street, without having to go through the hotel, something you can find more often in the US or UK, but not so often in Germany.
The selection of smaller appetizers or desserts also lives up to the hotel's name, as well as always new luxury bottles in the back bar for the appropriate high-end clientele, such as a Hakushu 25yo. Although the spirit selection itself is mostly matched to the concept of the menus, a bit on the modest side in terms of size and not a prominent factor of the bar itself, but this rather fits into the vibe of the location, not having endless shelves of liquors.
An example of the interior design / Copyright: Ory Bar
Initially the Ory Bar started with a twisted classics menu, but quickly came the one that got famous in the German cocktail community. Inspired by materials and the associations one has while touching them and thinking about them, woods, metals, fabrics, etc.
10 drinks, no more, no less. And this by the way for nearly 4 years now, the only, small point to criticize from my side. There should have been more than this for that long of a time period, on the other hand, of course, these were special times and the infamous virus definitely played a big part in that. In addition to that, some great news: Exactly as these lines are written in early January 2023, the new menu is probably finally about to be introduced and rarely have I had such a desire to plunge immediately into a new cocktail selection.
A few examples of the last years and visits shall follow, of course no drink on the small menu was left out after all those visits...
"Linen" & "Stone", as well as some refreshing, free aperitifs on the left
As examples, we will simply present the three most recently sampled ones here, since they also represent a nice spectrum:
Linen: Plymouth Gin (Oolong tea infused) / Champagne / Honey / Homemade spice mix
One of the best champagne drinks I've had in a bar, presented in a classy and minimalistic look. The flavors are dominated by a dry, really linen-like champagne-gin duet, with light and dry nuts, think of macadamia, almond and peanut and hints of tea and subtle spice, plus just the right minimal amount of the honey, which is the only thing that doesn't quite fit into the linen theme, but connects the dots well.
Stone: Shipsmith Gin (tarragon Sous Vide) / Riesling / Verjus / Balsamic Vinegar / Salt
Served with real river stones from the Isar river that flows through Munich, it's exactly what you'd expect from the ingredients and also hits the theme well with green & mineral notes, acidity from vinegar and the verjus, a drink that definitely only a bar can bring to the menu that definitely trusts its guests to try out new things, which is always nice to see.
Leather: Rye / Mezcal / Cynar / Chinotto / Maple / Soy
Whether it's the bar's best-selling cocktail, I don't know. But in my bubble and the communities where we talked about the bar, it always seemed to be THE symbolic drink of the menu. As the name suggests quite tart and slightly spicy, yet quite elegant and it also has a surprisingly light body despite two liqueurs, maple syrup and soy sauce too. Not nearly as sweet as many typical Maple Old Fashioneds for example, it surprises you with a rather nice and dry umami flavor on the tongue.
"Leather" / Copyright: Ory Bar
The conclusion? Quite simple. The Ory Bar is one of several showcase projects for what German bars can be and archieve these days, and more importantly:
It will hopefully inspire more similar hotel bar projects in this country in the future.
Already now it can keep up with some of the best international hotel bars and should they implement an annual menu change, as it is standard in most high end bars and the coming ones will be as good and interesting as the first one, there will be actually nothing left to criticize. Keep up the amazing work, Ory team.
