Schöneberg
Original art decorates this discreet cocktail lounge whose motto is the 'Pleasure of Serious Drinking'. It's favoured by a grown-up, artsy crowd. If you…
Must-see nightlife in Berlin
Prenzlauer Berg
Pram-pushing mummies, tablet toters and laid-back students all congregate at this funky-romantic beer garden for cold beers, cakes and barbecue. On the…
Prenzlauer Berg
The pioneers of third-wave coffee in Berlin, Yumi and Kiduk make a mean cuppa java from beans freshly roasted right in their tiny industrial-flavoured…
Prenzlauer Berg
Men-Drinks-Cruising: Greifbar’s motto says it all. This traditional Prenzlauer Berg gay bar draws a mixed crowd of jeans, sneakers, leather and skin,…
Berlin
Mingle in the warm glow of this old-school German pub teeming with global DNA and serving some 100 beers on tap and in the bottle, alongside a line-up of…
Kreuzberg
The name means ‘insane asylum’, and that’s no joke. Hostess with the mostest, trash queen Nina Queer, puts on this nutty, naughty party on two floors that…
Friedrichshain
Now in new digs, trash diva Chantal’s louche lair has been a beloved gay party institution since 1999, as much for the glam factor as for the over-the-top…
Berlin
Charmingly improvised decor, consisting of well-worn sofas and egg cartons tucked under the ceiling, characterises this neighbourly pub that's always…
Berlin
This dimly lit cafe with its wooden tables and movie-themed memorabilia has lured chatty boho types with coffee and beer since 1990, making it one of the…
Berlin
The Berlin version of the London original descends on Berlin bi-monthly with electro-house beats raining down on a party-happy crowd. See the website for…
Schöneberg
This 'Harbour' has been a friendly stop to dock at for about a quarter of a century. It's still a good place to ease into the night with dancing, theme…
Schöneberg
Javaholics cherish the award-winning espresso at this teensy cafe, which is why no one minds braving the inevitable queue. For variety, try a Portuguese…
City West & Charlottenburg
The spirit of French crooner Serge Gainsbourg hangs over this seductively lit lair beneath the S-Bahn arches. Round tables, candlelight, classic cocktails…
Berlin
Flatteringly lit and dripping with black-and-gold glamour, the Liberate's decor even incorporates a mirror and a chandelier scavenged from the demolished…
Friedrichshain
This basement club has a heavy drum ‘n' bass bent infused with techno, industrial and related sounds. Thanks to its tricked-out Kling & Freitag sound…
Berlin
Bar stools draped in petrol velvet wait for patrons at this chic, sultrily lit retreat on the 6th floor of the Hotel Amano Grand Central. An expertly…
Museumsinsel & Alexanderplatz
If you yearn for the rough sound and aesthetics of ’90s Berlin, you’ll break into a sweaty flashback at this small club in a derelict building beneath the…
Kreuzberg
No prescription needed to get your hands on a potent Penicillin at this charming cocktail bar in a retired 150-year-old pharmacy. Shelves and drawers that…
Prenzlauer Berg
Way off the beaten track, Duncker is a rare Prenzlauer Berg club survivor in a century-old brick building that's seen stints as a horse barn, a salt…
Friedrichshain
Chapeau! Clichy brings a whiff of boho Paris to the lower end of Simon-Dach-Strasse. Candlelit, artist-designed and cosy, the postage-stamp-size boîte…
City West & Charlottenburg
If you like VIP booths, bottle service and women in vertiginous heels, Pearl is your oyster for partying in western Berlin. Office jockeys loosen ties and…
Kreuzberg
The sassy glamour of the Golden Twenties gets a classy reboot at Prinzipal, an apothecary-style burlesque bar right on funky-punky Oranienstrasse. The…
City West & Charlottenburg
With its clientele of grizzled and aspiring artists, actors and writers, this cosy pub has been Charlottenburg at its boho best since the patchouli…
Historic Mitte
This Hilton-based party boîte holds up the hip-hop and house tradition in techno-centric Berlin. A cosmopolitan vibe lures cashed-up, dressed-up weekend…
Historic Mitte
No sign, no light, no bell; just an anonymous steel door tucked under a railway bridge leads to one of Berlin’s chicest clandestine bars. The tunnel…
Kreuzberg
Gather your posse at this laid-back hangout before heading a few doors down to the area’s celebrated clubs and concert venues. The odd name, by the way,…
Kreuzberg
This electro club in a handsome red-brick, 19th-century customs house is warmly decked out in vintage furnishings, patterned wallpaper and a coffered…
Friedrichshain
In the RAW compound, behind the requisite street-art-festooned facade, awaits this bar-club combo with vintage sofas, lofty ceilings and chandeliers…
Prenzlauer Berg
Rock-and-roll temple for rebels without a cause. From rockabilly parties to concerts by the famous and the not-yet-famous, there's often some kick-ass…
Schöneberg
Erotic artist Tom of Finland inspired the name of this been-here-forever bar, although you don’t have to look as buff as his subjects to feel comfortable…
Kreuzberg
Fetishists of all sexual persuasions are welcome to get in on the action at this playground for advanced sexual experimentation. Themes and fetishes vary…
Museumsinsel & Alexanderplatz
This veteran electro club has a high-flying location on the 15th floor of a socialist-era office building and often has big-name local and international…
Prenzlauer Berg
Retro is right now at this been-here-forever self-service retreat where you can check out passing eye candy through the big window or lug your beverage to…
Neukölln
Tier was the first serious cocktail bar on the Weserstrasse strip and still draws global hipsters with its vintage design and good drinks from a pedigreed…
Friedrichshain
This sophisticated bar right on Karl-Marx-Allee has been carved out of the eponymous Czech national airline offices. All hard edges and clear lines, it…
Kreuzberg
Standing the test of time, Südblock has long encapsulated the true spirit of Berlin. In addition to coffee, brunch, and drinks served in the heaving beer…
Berlin
This rare den of urban cool in gritty Wedding serves coffee by local gourmet roastery Bonanza Coffee Heroes and lovely cakes, although loyal locals keep…
Berlin
Cosmic Kaspar is the basement ‘baby’ of the popular cafe-bar Mein Haus am See with an eclectic line-up of bands, DJs and one-off events amid surreal,…
Kreuzberg
German for tinsel, Rauschgold’s name is the game at this shimmering gay girl-boy lair with outlandish theme parties, karaoke contests, potent cocktails,…
Friedrichshain
Although founder and trash-drag deity Nina Queer has moved on to other pastures, this living-room-size, deliciously kitsch and wacky party den in a former…
