Schreckenskammer in Köln

May 2025: A Cologne brewery with its own beer...crowded, loud, typical brewery style...the waiters were typically snippy...The food was pretty average - typical brewery. Transportation is difficult - parking is rather difficult. But it's a good neighborhood pub that I can recommend with a clear conscience. There were 14 of us there and we had reservations, so seating wasn't a problem. It's worth making a reservation!

...always happy with delicious Kölsch.

For me, a great, rustic Cologne pub. The waiters are incredibly friendly. It should be that way. The Kölsch doesn't have the most robust beer flavor, but that doesn't matter here. Walk in and start a conversation. Walls covered with carnival medals and pictures. The Three Kings are very present. The food is exceptional...

Another authentic Cologne brewery. The Chamber of Horrors serves one of the best Kölsch beers.

The food was so-so. The knuckle of pork was unfortunately not crispy, but very soft and mushy. The vegetables were just peas, and the pork fillet was overcooked. The service was quite slow and seemed very irritated. A shame. I like the ambiance, very rustic. The beer is tasty, when it arrives.

Traditional brewery with delicious Kölsch and classic brewery food. We were there for lunch. Well attended, our Köbes was very friendly and attentive. Thanks for the good service. A great place to drink beer, not our favorite for food.

A typical brewery, very nice and fast service, we were very satisfied

Lively Local Spot with Great Food and Beer We found this place through a travel book we picked up in the U.S., and it turned out to be a fantastic recommendation. It has a fun, local beer hall vibe with communal seating, which made for a lively and welcoming atmosphere. The beer flows freely here—just place your coaster on top of your glass when you’re done, otherwise it keeps coming! The staff was friendly, and the crowd seemed to be in great spirits. The menu had plenty of hearty options. We tried the pork schnitzel with Puszta sauce and the schnitzel with French-style Béarnaise sauce—both were absolutely delicious. Meals came with a flavorful brothy soup to kick things off (and maybe make you crave more beer) and fresh, tasty salads. Prices were very reasonable, and the whole experience felt authentically local. It’s just about a 10-minute walk from the cathedral—definitely worth the visit, and we’d happily come back!

The food, the Kölsch and the ambience were good. The evening was marred by the limited attentive service. Conclusion: We probably expected more.

Ur-Kölsch... it couldn't be better

Rustic Cologne brewery with a restaurant. Service very friendly. I had a great and delicious schnitzel menu. Kölsch delicious 😋

We were in the Chamber of Horrors for the first time today and were very negatively surprised by the Köbes. We are not tourists and were reprimanded very harshly by Köbes when we wanted to open a window. That could have been said completely differently and had nothing to do with a “cheeky” Köbes as we know him. When we politely took the glasses off our beer mats to make room for the new ones, that wasn't right either. As always, the Kölsch was delicious (otherwise we buy it in boxes), the food is also recommended and very tasty. Whether we dare to do it again remains to be seen…….

Tasty food and well-served dishes (the house sauce is amazing). I know that the restaurant's proposal is to stay "close to its origins", but it is important to communicate in advance that cash is the only form of payment (they do not accept cards, for example).

Very good brewery with delicious beer of course. A short detour there with a friend. I had “Heavens and Ääd” and was absolutely satisfied. A large portion and really delicious. What do you have to say about the service? Nothing I think 😀 He was definitely in a good mood and we had fun

If you're looking for a place that you won't forget so quickly, then the Chamber of Horrors is the right place for you. Kölsch, Kölsch and more Kölsch. If you want to really experience Cologne, you definitely have to try this iconic, traditional location. The Totenkammer Kölsch is a beer that is second to none. Served by the friendly Cologne staff, it is full-bodied and tasty. Just typical Cologne. Since I can't stop raving about it, I have to slowly talk about the incredibly appealing ambience. Being in Cologne means you never forget a visit: the people make the city. This saying was often used in Cologne anyway, but it was lived in the Chamber of Horrors. For your own sake, I can only recommend experiencing this iconic Cologne dream for yourself. See you there!

You have to say, the Chamber of Horrors is one of the best and most iconic places I've ever had the pleasure of visiting in my life! In addition to excellent food and drink, the old Cologne way is once again proven here: the people make the city! You can have a wonderful chat with nice Cologne residents here and enjoy a lovely evening. My favorite Kölsch is also available here, horror chamber Kölsch, an absolute insider tip. The spicy and slightly bitter aroma is unmatched by any other beer! The Chamber of Horrors is also highly recommended; the rustic and iconic interior design truly makes your stay a celebration. I particularly liked the old wooden floor. I'm already looking forward to my next visit to the Chamber of Horrors, I'll definitely and happily come back: as often as possible. This city is just wonderful!! Kind regards and have a nice stay in the Chamber of Horrors! Yours, Rudi

Typically Cologne brewery. Kölsch knuckle and sauerbraten were very tasty, Kölsch as it should be: freshly tapped and really temperamental - here there is no pre-tapping and no pouring back and forth.

If you want to roll the dice, it's best to avoid this place. We were shocked to be sent on to the competition. Kölsch tastes good. Service is good 👍

Great rustic bars with a super delicious Kölsch!!! The ambience is simple but honest, you have to like the service and the food was really tasty. You have to do it!

Wednesday is potato pancake day. They are highly recommended

Not a friendly shop, you expect rebellious waiters, but they are more than unfriendly there. To the point of yelling. Good thing the stay was only short.

Unfortunately we were treated very unfriendly by the waiter right from the start. When we didn't want to eat we were yelled at and thrown out. Very unfortunate.

Kein freundlicher Laden, mit aufmüpfigen Kellnern rechnet man ja, aber dort sind sie mehr als unfreundlich. Bis hin zum Anschreien. Gut, dass der Aufenthalt nur kurz war.

Wonderfully rustic Cologne brewery

I heard that this is the first Kölsch in Cologne. The quality of the wine is very good, and the soup provided is also very delicious, which is suitable for hangover. As for food, I highly recommend the pork chop. The sauce and the pork chop blend perfectly! Most of the people here are locals, and the service attitude is average.

I love it! I've been going there regularly for years and I've always been satisfied. It's a family-friendly place and simply great! The soup of the day is simply fantastic and hot 😘

A quaint Cologne pub with delicious Kölsch beer and good food. The food is classic brewery fare, good and plentiful. Few tourists, mostly locals. Tip: Come early, preferably before 6 p.m., otherwise it won't be a good place to be because it's full.

Very rustic inn, very tasty food with filling portion sizes, fast and friendly service and great price/performance!

THIS WAS OUR FIRST VISIT TODAY AND WE WERE TOTALLY THRILLED. GREAT SERVICE AND THE FOOD RICH AND SUPER DELICIOUS.

The location is different than other brewerys in Köln. The "Schreckenskammer" is a big room, where it easily can become noisy. The Gulasch was great and well priced with 10€. Also Kölsch costs 2€, which is cheaper than almost all otjer brewerys in Köln. You can Drink a kölsch directly at the bar, which is also cool. I will come Back.

Actually, you are not allowed to give a rating for the Chamber of Horrors. The rating here can only be good. But if everyone rightly rates it well, the iconic location in the heart of Kölle will be overcrowded. You can still get a couple without an appointment, but a reservation is advisable. The beer has cult status and is really tasty. Simply a delicious Kölsch. Food is at a good brewery level. Great schnitzel menu and local specialties. The audience is nice and you quickly get into conversation with the people sitting next to you. . . Typically Kölsch. Have you ever noticed the sand on the ground? Original text from the Chamber of Horrors (I can't put it better) The floor is made of open-pore oak wood, which is not cleaned normally but scrubbed with sand. This not only cleans the wood but also hardens it. This makes the wooden floor more durable. Well, isn't that cult? The interior is old, very old. . . Cult for me too. The staff, here of course called Köbes, is typically Kölsch and just as nice as the guest who wants to be served. Not a tourist trap like other locations. . . For me, the Chamber of Horrors is simply a cult and a clear recommendation. . . always happy and as often as I can :-)

Great coffee place setting! ☕ Finally a beer house that welcomes my coffee order. I was even allowed to drink outside the door.

Everything like before! Furnishings, narrowness, ambience! Service was funny, friendly and tried very hard! But a somewhat strange menu for a brewery and horribly LOUD!!!!!!!! Unusable for a get-together or meeting with friends!!

Authentic, Cologne brewery that brews its own beer. Food was very good and prices were also completely reasonable. Staff very friendly (with one slightly bad-tempered older bespectacled exception) and great atmosphere. Only the tables are a bit too high :-) I can absolutely recommend the horror chamber and the Kölsch is also very tasty...

Good evening! I wanted to order a table for 20 people. Unfortunately, the “operator” couldn’t or didn’t want to understand me and simply opened the receiver. Sorry, that's not behavior towards a customer. There's a better way, dear team at the Horror Chamber Brewery. Best regards

Super nice and good brewery. The food is very good and you don't have to be left high and dry :) Always my pleasure.

A Cologne brewery as it should be. Original, hearty and delicious and Köbesse with heart. Simply good!

Great value for money! 🤩 The service was very nice and quick, the Kölsch was of course good too!🍺

Great, that's exactly how I imagine breweries many decades ago, the tradition is preserved with delicious Kölsch and traditional Cologne food with really good quality, the service was also perfect, thank you

Original, rustic, simple and therefore original. Good food and above all a very tasty Kölsch

Delicious beer and food. Totally nice atmosphere.

A very nice old Cologne pub. Wooden floor is covered with a little sand. This is used to preserve the wooden floor. Further explanation in the menu.

Great brewery experience away from the crowds. Great service. Delicious food and the typical Cologne brewery atmosphere.

Delicious Kölsch, nice atmosphere. If you make a joke with Köbes yourself (actually it's the other way around), it doesn't go down well with him on Saturday lunchtime, for whatever reason. When I asked him whether we wanted Kölsch, I only answered in a friendly, funny way, otherwise we wouldn't be here. But otherwise everything is fine, as always.

Probably the best Kölsch, good, inexpensive food, but unfortunately terrible service. Rustic is all well and good, but please don't be unfriendly and arrogant. If you are served at all. It's happened to me twice now, what a shame.

Unfortunately, the cuisine is only average, the ambience is ok. Ok for a Kölsch, but there are many alternatives when it comes to food.

Somewhat away from all the glossy and high-end breweries there is the Horror Chamber, a traditional brewery with friendly service and good Kölsch, where you can also get a delicious dinner for €15-17.

Very nice staff and cozy atmosphere

Food rather average, Kölsch delicious, waiters top

Good Kölsch, good Köbes, good food. We were here with about 40 people for the Christmas party. Everyone was completely satisfied.

Typically Cologne brewery. Delicious Kölsch and decent food.

Cologne + Kölsch + delicious food and great service. We'll be back 👍

We were there last night with 5 people, the first time, great. The food was great and Köbes and his wife were great too, we had a place in the “beer garden” which was just great. All tables were occupied, the only drawback was that it was quite loud, as is the case in a brewery. We will definitely come back, it won't be the last time.

Local specialties. Cologne schnitzel. Looks unusual, but is very tasty. Horror Chamber Kölsch tastes good anyway.

Unique, but quite simple, both the ambience and the food. The beer is delicious and the Köbesse are friendly and fast. A very good place to drink beer.

Cool, Cologne brewery with delicious home cooking.

Never been there but the name deserves 5 stars

We were here with 18 people for our Christmas party on a Wednesday evening. The restaurant was completely booked. As is probably usual in a “Cologne restaurant”, the tone was rather hearty, but very friendly. Due to the number of guests, the noise level was very high (only conversation with the people sitting directly next to you was possible - therefore 1 star deducted for the ambience). The food was delicious and the price-performance level was right. For people who like a louder environment while eating, I can recommend it.

Not real, the following. If you pass through Cologne and want to go to the typical German food place (battle therefore) and get away from the tourist crowd, this is the place. Tables spread out as they should be, great Kolsch beer, food at a very affordable price and a charming place. Of course, super-borderline waiters, that's how it is, you have to know how to handle them. It is also part of the charm of the place. The letter is in German, so use Google translator or a colleague who finds out. 100% recommended

Horror Chamber gives all guests an immersive experience in a truly “Cologne” atmosphere. The sand on the ground directly from the "Father Rhine", a warm, strengthening broth (even in summer!) and the best Cologne beer Kölsch are some of the special features of this brewery. The staff is also very nice and helpful: they never leave you thirsty. For me it's top!

Very rustic in Cologne and our own KÖLSCH 👍👍👍👍👍 and super delicious food

They don’t like tourists. The beer is good but they only serve pork schnitzel, no veal.

Delicious food, delicious Kölsch away from the tourist hotspots, but very central.

A place in Cologne where you can feel really comfortable. Very tasty, inexpensive food, great atmosphere and friendly staff. It was a really great evening. We'll be back

It's crazy how easy it is to create atmosphere. A brewery that deserves the name. There's no need to talk about the Kölsch. It's in a class of its own! You feel comfortable here. In contrast to the Früh and Gaffel breweries, the Köbese here are attentive and mostly friendly. If you want to experience Cologne hospitality, you've come to the right place!

Delicious food and drink. Quaint!

Very nice brewery, not that big, very familiar. The food was good and plentiful and the service was very friendly. Not as unfriendly as in other breweries. Definitely make a reservation.

For me, THE brewery in Cologne. Kölsch tastes good, the food tastes good, the waiters are on their toes and never at a loss for a comment. Always enjoy coming here.

The beer is delicious, the food is good and you could easily have a conversation in the building next door because it wasn't that loud.

Brauhaus is nice, food is OK, beer is very good. For a Kölsch.

Great atmosphere, great team, good food. We'd love to come back.

A brewery - surrounded by the tourist horror of the old town (despite being close to the train station)

Eine schöne und authentische Kneipe! Das Essen ist gut und reichlich, die Bedienung freundlich und das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis absolut OK.

We only drank Kölsch, as a tourist you should have been there

Another really quaint brewery. One of the best in all of Cologne.

Cozy, home-style restaurant with very friendly staff

We didn't have a reservation, walked through the main building, and were then approached very rudely by a waiter. You had to wait at the counter first, I only know that from breweries that you can occupy anywhere.

A traditional brewery in the northern old town. This is where the eponymous Horror Chamber Kölsch comes from.

Delicious Kölsch and nice staff including a Kölsch atmosphere

Very good home cooking, our own type of Kölsch, which is very tasty, the service is attentive but unfortunately a bit overwhelmed as soon as it fills up

Rustic pub with Cologne flair, don't forget to put the lid on the glass if you don't want to drink anymore 😆

Everyone has to experience it. I would be happy to come back

Bene, un bel posto non turistico nel cuore di Colonia. Si mangia bene, ambiente carino come una tipica birreria. Ovviamente si beve la ottima koelsch che scende come acqua. Prezzi buoni. Vale la pena andare.

One of the loudest restaurants I've ever been to. One room was 2/3 full. I measured almost 100 dB with my cell phone. As a constant noise. Food was OK, unfortunately I felt very bad two hours later. vomiting diarrhea. However, I don't know for sure whether it was because of the food. Staff very (let's say) robust. You need a slightly thicker skin. Beer is good. However, Gaffel, Früh and Reissdorf taste better in my opinion. Well, you just have your own experience.

Friendly, cozy and rustic, the Kölsch is very tasty here I've experienced brewery cuisine that was tastier but it's ok No tourist trap It's worth walking a few meters

We were told on the phone that we couldn't reserve a table on the weekend. We should just stop by. When we were there, we were refused the free tables, they were all reserved!!! Not really understandable and it's a shame, we were already planning on generating a lot of sales with ten men. But if you don't need it!!!

The service was not friendly. Although, food and beverages were good.

A typical Cologne pub with an excellent price/performance ratio. We ended up here primarily because of the delicious Kölsch, but we realized that the food is really delicious. I haven't eaten heaven and earth in ages and I really had an appetite for it. Guys, the black pudding is so incredibly crispy and creamy. The fried onions deserve their name here. In short: we'll be back! By the way, the soup beforehand was also real food for the soul. The Köbesse are fast here too and you quickly have a new 'chamber of horrors' on the lid. Thank you to the entire team!

The food was delicious and the atmosphere was rustic, but our waiter was incredibly rude and rude, seemed at least drunk and we waited forever for the bill. You might have to be prepared for this “service”...

At the beginning it was very noisy, but later it was ok. The food was delicious 😋. The service was also nice. All very good. Can only recommend it

We went to this traditional pub with a gruesome history for a few Kölsch. At an advanced hour, the mood was cheerful and the Cologne tone was a bit rougher.

Food was good. The waiter was absolutely rude and did not tolerate any customers. Despite the good beer, I won't be coming back here and I won't recommend it to anyone. There is also good beer in other restaurants.

Always a party in this wonderful brewery!

I didn't think the food was that great. The ambience is typical of a brewery. But very good 👍.

Friday evening without a reservation could be tricky. Luckily we just wanted to drink a few Kölsch and were seated at the table with another couple. But no problem at all. The beer is absolutely delicious.

Rustic pub in Cologne where Kölsch is also spoken. Delicious food and the best beer from Cologne.

Very tasty and rustic atmosphere

I felt at home. Pleasant environment, the waiter who introduced us to the service spoke Italian, very kind and knowledgeable, he introduced us to the local specialties and recommended what to eat and drink. Excellent beer, very fresh, for me the best in Cologne. I ate a meat soup that was on the menu of the day, delicious, in fact I had 2! My boyfriend, on the other hand, ate some cheese to accompany the drink, which was also very good. We also purchased some glasses with the brewery's brand, carefully packaged as souvenirs. We will certainly return with pleasure.

Best beer in Cologne and great, authentic ambience

Rustic brewery, delicious food, nice beer garden and top Köbes who served us. Not to forget one, if not the best Kölsch.