Kultfabrik and Optimolwerke

Kunstpark Ost, Munich –

Ask any local in Munich where the most extensive nightlife scene is and they’re sure to mention Kunstpark Ost.

Once the site of a noodle factory, the massive area has since been transformed into the largest nightlife and entertainment complex in Europe and currently houses around fifty different venues including clubs, bars, cinemas, skate parks, and arcades.

The area has recently been expanded and separated into two distinct nightlife complexes – Kultfabrik, which appeals to a younger, rowdier set, and Optimolwerke, which lends itself to a more refined and upper scale crowd.

KULTFABRIK is the older of the two complexes and is the one located closest to the Ostbahnhof station, where streams of teenagers disembark for a full night of partying.

Spread throughout the various buildings of an old factory, the complex is home to more than a dozen bars and clubs that blast out every kind of music imaginable, from rock and pop to hip-hop, and that have become a haven for young and wild groups of partiers dying to test out their dance moves on a big club night.

Depending on the place, revelers have their pick of events on a nightly basis, ranging from kitschy themed venues, salsa, and burlesque, to large techno and house clubs pumping out heavy beats.

The establishments are all packed tightly together, so if one spot is slow, there’s always a better option just ten feet away.

OPTIMOLWERKE is Kultfabrik’s newer, trendier, and smaller cousin that is more about quality than quantity. This complex attracts an older crowd looking for a sleeker night out at a variety of upscale bars and clubs.

Music varies from venue to venue, but on any given night, smartly dressed patrons are bound to find live bands and DJs playing rock, hip-hop, techno, 80s, heavy metal, and everything in between.

On summer days, many of the complex’s venues feature outdoor terraces and beer gardens where stylish groups gather to eat and have cocktails.

On the weekends, the area is also home to a flea and antique market, where bargain hunters can find everything from furniture to art.