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Ackerkeller
Run by a nonprofit group, this cosy and alternative lesbigay pub spins into a party venue several times weekly with rock, pop, electro and even Polish music keeping the dance floor grooving. The crowd's mixed too, except for the saucily named Schlagernacktparty (Naked Pop Party, second Saturday) for pals and Busenfreundin (bosom buddy, third Saturday) for gals. It's a lot more innocent than you might think...
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Badeschiff
Take an old river barge, fill it with water, moor it in the Spree River and - voilà - an urban lifestyle pool is born. In summer, a hedonistic Ibiza-vibe reigns with bods bronzing in the sand and on wooden decks and a bar to fuel the fun. Come early - the place fills up quickly. In winter, it's covered, heated and has two saunas (men only on Mondays).
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Bar Gagarin
Prepare for lift-off with vodka, Russian beer and borscht at this retro lounge dedicated to Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. This is the more low-key cousin of Pasternak next door, with a spacey mural, crouched conversationalists and friendly staff. Good breakfast and Sunday brunch.
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Berghain
Those behind the legendary Ostgut have scored another huge hit with this vast post-industrial techno-electro hellhole. The Panoramabar became the coolest spot in the city within days of opening. When the full club's open on Saturday its three levels are packed with the most mixed crowd in Berlin. One warning - no cameras are allowed. Truly, truly essential.
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Berghain/Panoramabar
Raw, massive, industrial - this hedonistic club in a former power plant looks like a utopian wet dream: sort of Metropolis meets Blade Runner . On weekends it's ground zero for techno-electro with top vinyl masters like André Galluzzi and Tama Sumo heating up three floors of cold concrete. On Fridays, the action is just as wild but limited to the upstairs Panoramabar. Lines are longest after , but the party goes to the following afternoon. No cameras allowed.
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Bergstübl
The name implies Alpine cosiness, but the only thing southern German about this trashy lounge is the tasty Tannenzäpfle beer from the Black Forest. A boho crowd packs the well-worn sofas in winter and the pavement in summer. It's a good place to crash at weekends after the party has stopped elsewhere.
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Blue Man Group
This musical and visual extravaganza starring a trio of slightly nutty and energetic guys dipped in Smurf-blue latex suits now performs at its own permanent theatre, a converted IMAX now called Bluemax.
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Bundespressestrand
Sure, it's expensive and deluged with tourists, but if you happen to be in this area on a sunny day, this sandy bar with wicker chairs, kiddie corner and power view isn't a bad spot to give your feet a rest. There's food and special events like salsa parties or barbecue cook-offs.
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Café Moskau
Still flaunting 1960s flair, this snazzy commie-era restaurant now hosts special club and concert nights as well as Sunday's GMF (www.gmf-berlin.de in German) gay parties with buff and bronzed boyz enjoying high-energy pop and house. Rumour has it that GMF may move in 2007, so check the website or the Zitty (www.zitty.de), Tip (www.tip-berlin.de) listings magazines.
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Casino Berlin
Craps with a view: Berlin's highest den of vice is way up on the 37th floor, offering all the usual card and random-chance games. There's a separate slot-machine area on the ground floor for those prone to vertigo.
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Cassiopeia
An old-time train-repair shop has been turned into a grungy playground that includes a skate hall and this attitude-free, two-floor party den. The crowd defines the word eclectic and so does the music, which covers the spectrum from vintage hip hop to hard funk, roots and reggae to punk. Opening days vary but the club's always open Friday and Saturday.
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Cinema Café
This unpretentious movie-themed pub is the last alternative hang-out in the slick Hackescher Markt area. Thick smoke, candlelight and heavy talk give it an almost existentialist vibe reminiscent of Paris in the '50s, but there's outdoor seating too if you need a breather.
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Club Culture Houze
This sex-party palace caters primarily for gay men with hot 'n heavy themes ranging from 'Naked' Mondays and 'Fist Factory' Fridays to 'Naked & Underwear' Saturdays. Adventurous straight couples can get it on Wednesdays and Sundays.
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Club Der Visionäre
This summertime chill and party playground is in an old canalside boatshed across from Freischwimmer and great for a drink or two while catching some rays on the wooden decks. On Sunday it hosts one of the liveliest afterparties in town.
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Cookies
The seventh incarnation of this legendary midweek party palace has been cooking since January 2007, this time in a former East Berlin cinema behind the Westin Hotel. Once past the picky bouncers, it's all about dancing with friendly folk, sipping the signature Watermelon Man cocktail and scanning the crowd for celeb sightings.
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Csa
Friedrichshain's fanciest bar has been carved out of the offices of the former Czechoslovakian national airline and sports clear lines and a wonderfully self-ironic Soviet vintage vibe. Cocktails are strong and the bizarre wall sculpture behind the bar is an excellent conversation starter.
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E&M Leydicke
Old-fashioned Berlin pubs have their own tradition of hospitality - beer, schnapps and the Berliner humour all served up in rustic, smoke-filled surroundings. This ancient example of the species (first lager poured in 1877) bottles its own flavoured schnapps and fruit wines on the premises.
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Floating Lounge
The best time for downing a cold one at this retro lounge on the Eastern Comfort Hostel Boat is at sunset when the sun paints the fanciful Oberbaumbrücke (bridge) a fiery red. Very romantic, very Berlin.
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Freischwimmer
There are few places more idyllic than this rustic ex-boathouse with a sunny terrace floating above a little canal. Come just for drinks or for a bite from the global snack menu. The entrance is to the right of Berlin's oldest petrol station.
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Gainsbourg - Bar Américain
More Paris than New York, this cramped and casual bar speaks to a 30-something intellectual crowd and has the nicotine-stained ceiling to prove it. Relax in the warmly lit interior while sipping one of the award-winning (and copyrighted) cocktails. Gauloises optional.
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Galerie Bremer
Arriving at this tiny bar tucked behind an art gallery feels like slipping into a swanky '20s speakeasy, but the air here is rather genteel, grown-up and completely devoid of debauchery. Vintage fans will adore the original interior by Berliner Philharmonie architect Hans Scharoun.
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Habermeyer
Habermeyer isn't about seeing and being seen - quite frankly, it's a bit too dark for that. Funky GDR-era furniture, a pinball machine and endearing self-crafted décor (check out the 'pipe grotto' in back) give the place a homy feel. Different DJs hit the decks nightly.
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Hafen
A longtime fixture on the good-time gay circuit, the friendly Harbour is a great first stop to dock at before launching into a raucous night on the razzle. On Mondays, quizmaster Hendryk has developed quite a following with his hilarious Quizzorama shows (in English on the first Monday).
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Heinz Minki
This rambling beer garden with its old trees and coloured twinkle lights is an enchanting spot for wrapping up a day of turf-pounding. It's docked to an old customs house whose red-brick walls enclose a teensy bar and a homy restaurant.
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Künstliche Beatmung
You won't need artificial respiration (the name of this bar), but the deliriously retro look may well take your breath away. The psychedelic wallpaper could cause '60s flashbacks while the white-ribbed tunnel will make you feel like Jonah inside the whale. Mellow electro, attentive bar staff and wallet-friendly cocktails give this place at the quiet end of Simon-Dach-Strasse an edge.
