Haus Murphy gives taste of Bavaria

The oompa of a tuba and the energy of an accordion mix with the chatter of customers as a breezy night sets over the patio at Haus Murphy, a downtown Glendale favorite.

Rosemarie Hoffman, born and raised in Bavaria, carefully created a German ambiance at her eatery along Glendale Avenue. She wanted to give to her customers the same experiences she had growing up in Bavaria. She designed the inside of the restaurant to look and feel like home, while the outside resembles a German beer garden.

The mismatched plates and silverware, sporadic seating arrangements and wallmounted knickknacks decorate the inside to make customers feel like they were back at grandma’s house. Hoffman said she wants the restaurant to be a home away from home for her customers as they take a break from busy lives.

“Americans are always in such a hurry,” Hoffman said. “We want to slow them down.”

At night, the patio walls are adorned with strings of lights and multitudes of flags hang above diners.

“The decorations were all from Rose,” said Shanon Stanton, who is as a server and Hoff- man’s niece.

Staff like Stanton were dressed in dirndls, or a dresses with a bodice, blouse, skirt and apron that is native to Bavaria. They come in different colors and styles, but those worn at Haus Murphy are custom-made.

The authentic dress extends to the lederhosen, which are a type of overalls, worn by performers on weekends. . Tuba player Duane Tendick has been playing alongside Elmer Faser, on the accordion, for 15 years at Haus Murphy.

But the popular restaurant did not always serve the sausages and schnitzels it’s known for. Rosemarie and Brett Hoffman first bought an ice-cream parlor at the location in 1996. About eight months into it, they started putting German food on the menu for weekends only. From there, the popularity for their food increased. “We took out the ice cream and replaced it with beer,” Hoffman said.

Now well-established, Haus Murphy gained the attention of the Food Network a few years ago, featured on Guy Fieri‘s “Diners, Driveins, and Dives.”

The Hoffmans continue to work to create the authentic German feel with Brett as the main chef in the kitchen and Rosemarie attending to guests in the dining room.