My Guide to the Best Bars, Kneipes, Cafes, and Spätis in Berlin
Berlin has one of the most democratic drinking cultures in Europe. No matter where I go in the world, I miss Berlin's bar culture. Despite gentrification and rising housing prices, Berlin continues to be a unique and highly accessible city for travelers on any budget. Is there another city in Western Europe where you can drink in multiple areas for less than €10? Berlin's bar scene is incredibly diverse - on a typical evening, you can start with a €1 sterni at a neighborhood späti, move on to a classic bar like August Fengler or Bohnengold, and then sip your drink at a classic Kneipe run by the same family for over a century. My guide covers the best bars where you can drink in different areas of the city, from Mitte to Neukölln.
Mitte
1. Tadshikische Teestube
Address: Oranienburger Str. 27, im KunstHof, 10117 Berlin
Not a bar, I start my guide with a Tajikistan-themed tea room that is a copy of the Tajik pavilion from the trade fair in Leipzig in the 1970s. It has a wonderful eastern atmosphere and is a perfect place to sip tea and relax. Located in the KunstHof courtyard, away from Oranienburger Strasse, you feel surrounded by handmade sandalwood columns and eastern carpets while sitting barefoot at low wooden tables. It feels like you've passed through a portal. Request the Russian Tea Ceremony and bring cash because cards are not accepted. The pelmenu and Uzbek lamb rice dish plov are excellent.
Tip: Make a reservation in advance, especially on weekends.
2. Clärchens Ballroom
Address: Auguststrasse 24, 10117 Berlin
This venue, a retro mirrored dance hall, is where you can find people dancing tango or waltz on any given evening, or enjoying simple, hearty German meals at long communal tables. It’s a truly local establishment and one of the most atmospheric places in the city. It has been operating since 1913 and is one of the last remaining ballrooms in Berlin. On Mondays, they have Salsa, Tuesdays are for Swing, Wednesdays are for Tango, and the mirrored hall upstairs offers a truly magical atmosphere.
3. Pawn Dot Com Bar
Address: Torstrasse 164, Aufgang A, 10115 Berlin (backyard entrance)
This bar on Torstrasse pays homage to its historical roots; the building once served as a royal pawn shop. It features a cleverly designed drink menu that revolves around twelve drink options served with two drinks. For example, a Pornstar Martini comes with a separately served glass of champagne. The grunge, graffiti-covered, neon-lit interior looks like it’s straight out of Blade Runner. It’s a fun place with great bartenders. It’s not cheap at around €15 per cocktail, but it’s truly a cool experience. The entrance is hidden in the backyard, so look for the small blue neon sign.
4. FC Magnet Bar
Address: Veteranenstrasse 26, 10119 Berlin
Right next to Veteranenstrasse, this is one of the best football bars in Berlin. They serve Czech beers, have a friendly crowd, and show most Premier League and Bundesliga matches. As a big fan of Liverpool FC, I spend a lot of time and money here, and I've never been disappointed. A real pub.
5. Rosie’s – Circus Hostel Basement Bar
Address: Weinbergsweg 1a, 10119 Berlin
Rosie’s Bar, located in the basement of Circus Hostel, has been home to its own unique beers since 2014, hosting a microbrewery. This venue attracts a mixed crowd of locals and regulars and seems to have a good atmosphere every night. They also organize a great karaoke night, and the bar is next to the Hoff Museum, one of the largest in Berlin.
If you’re spending some time in Mitte, don’t forget to check out my free self-guided walking tour for Berlin Mitte.
Must Experience in Berlin: Späti Culture
Like techno, Spätis are the cornerstones of Berlin's 24/7 nightlife; it’s where strangers meet and become friends. A night here starts with a €1 Sternburg beer on a Friday night and the party usually ends here. The Späti culture is one of the reasons Berlin has the cheapest nightlife in Europe. Especially in the summer months, when the weather is nice, a Späti visit is the best option. (Plus, fortunately, decent public restrooms are now available in Berlin.)
Best Spati in Mitte
6. Weinbergsweg Spati
Beginning of Weinbergsweg, at Rosenthaler Platz, 10119 Berlin
My favorite Spati in Mitte is the one at the beginning of Weinbergsweg. Affordable beers, many outdoor benches, and a perfect location to watch the crowd and chaos of Rosenthaler Platz. Great on a warm evening. Meanwhile, Boxhagener Platz, known locally as Boxi, is also a great spot for a Späti beer on a summer evening - this area is completely filled with Spatis.
Prenzlauer Berg
7. Metzer Eck
Address: Metzer Strasse 33, 10405 Berlin
For over 100 years, Metzer Eck has been family-run as an institution in Prenzlauer Berg and is the oldest Kneipe in Prenzlauer Berg. This pub is one of the few places that preserves the past with its patina-covered, warm interior, old bar, and many photos on the walls of famous past visitors and stories. Here you can still taste beers, Hackepeterstulle (minced meat on bread), and Bulette with fried potatoes, just like 50 or 80 years ago. There is also a small beer garden in the summer. It is closed on Sundays.
8. Wohnzimmer
Address: Lettestrasse 6, 10437 Berlin
This name, meaning 'living room' in German, feels exactly like that. There’s a truly cozy atmosphere with mismatched vintage furniture, warm lighting, bookshelves, and a welcoming vibe that attracts locals of all ages. It’s the most beloved meeting spot in the neighborhood, not flashy but a place everyone loves. A good place for a quiet drink or a long evening where the noise gradually rises.
KREUZBERG
9. Bohnengold
Address: Reichenberger Strasse 153, 10999 Berlin
Kreuzberg is filled with perfect, cozy bars that make you feel like you’ve stepped into someone’s apartment, and Bohnengold is a perfect example of this. With plenty of sofas, peeling wallpaper, candles, antique lamps, and beautiful people scattered throughout its two rooms, it has the same intimate, relaxed feel. You’ll find a dance floor in the back, and the DJ plays everything from House to Motown to Trance. Entrance is free and beers are around €4.
10. Michelberger Bar
Address: Warschauer Str. 39-40, 10243 Berlin, Germany
I am a big fan of the stylish Michelberger Bar on Warschauer Strasse. You won't find a cooler bar in Berlin - surrounded by lamps made from book covers, vintage chairs, and large sofas inviting you to escape from the outside world. Choose your desired drink from their menu called ‘Book of Booze’ (the gin and tonics here are fantastic) and enjoy this beautiful bar.
Berlin's Kneipe Culture
The Kneipes in Berlin are like time capsules to a different era - the photos on the walls give the room a feeling of having absorbed conversations and smoke for a century - yes, you smell like an ashtray when you leave a Kneipe, so if that’s not pleasant for you, stop reading now. The word Kneipe comes from the German word ''kneipen'', which means to squeeze or press, indicating that these cramped places are filled with the working class, hardworking people, poets, artists, and rogues; all coming together to drink cheap beers and chat.
During the years of the Weimar Republic in the 1920s and early 1930s, Berlin's Kneipes became the engine of the city's progressive cultural life. Writers, philosophers, and revolutionaries all had their regular haunts. Some of these same venues are still open today.
After the war, especially in East Berlin, the Kneipe took on an even more significant role. In a city where public life was tightly controlled, the local pub was one of the few places where you could sit, drink, and speak freely. The old Eckkneipen scattered throughout each neighborhood became community centers and continue to be so today.
11. Best Kneipe in Berlin: Schlawinchen
Address: Schonleinstrasse 34, 10967 Berlin
Always crowded and noisy, Schlawinchen is open 24/7. Regular customers fully enjoy the late opening hours, cheap beers (only one type), and the crazy atmosphere. There are old gramophones everywhere, carved wooden sculptures, a general sense of chaos, and some characters that haven’t seen sunlight in a while. It’s a place you will either love or hate, but it’s definitely a memorable experience in Berlin.
12. Club der Visionare
Address: Am Flutgraben 1, 12435 Berlin
Located by the Flutgraben canal, this largely outdoor, waterside club has a dreamy, whimsical atmosphere. One of Berlin's favorite outdoor venues, it functions as a great front bar, late-night bar, or morning club depending on what you’re looking for. Techno rhythms, wooden platforms, and a canal view. Of course, it’s best in warm weather, but it’s worth a visit any time of year.
Are you visiting Berlin? Check out my popular guide on the best things to do in Berlin.
FRIEDRICHSHAIN
13. HeidenPeters Craft Beer at Markthalle Neun
Address: Eisenbahnstrasse 42-43, 10997 Berlin
If you're craving craft beers, head to Markthalle Neun. Street Food Thursdays is the main event with many vendors selling everything from currywurst to arepas. In one corner, there’s the fantastic HeidenPeters Craft Beer stand. Open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, this place makes great beers in varieties you won’t find at an average Spati. Their stouts have a great balance and are a testament to their craft, but you’ll need to pay around 3 euros for a half pint, which is a bit more expensive than a Sternburg. But it’s worth it.
14. 8mm Bar
Address: Schonhauser Allee 177b, 10119 Berlin
This bar is the definition of cool. Specializing in psychedelic rock and appropriately dressed, it has a fantastic playlist of deep cuts and lesser-known tracks. The bartender is friendly, and the service is great. There are quirky and absurd silent films projected on the wall. The beer selection isn’t extraordinary but offers a full bar at reasonable prices; a beer is about €4, and the cocktail menu starts at €6.
15. Birgit und Bier
Address: Revaler Strasse 99, 10245 Berlin
Surrounded by Fassbier (fresh beer from kegs), interesting sculptures, and a good outdoor atmosphere, it’s a great beer garden. This interesting open space, along with a DJ and dance floor, keeps things lively when the beer effect kicks in.
NEUKÖLLN
16. Klunkerkranich
Address: Karl-Marx-Strasse 66 (Neukölln Arcaden rooftop), 12043 Berlin
Klunkerkranich, a perfect place to end the day, is located near Karl-Marx-Strasse 66 and is ideal for sunset drinks. Klunkerkranich (translated as ‘crane without a cage’) has a beautiful rooftop bar where you can sip on some of Berlin’s best beers. It features spacious seating areas that eliminate social distancing issues. The view of Berlin's red rooftops and the distant TV Tower is the best way to conclude your first day in Berlin. As the night progresses, the party begins; there are live DJs and plenty of space to dance. There is a small entrance fee (around 2 euros), but it's definitely worth it for the view. The vintage Photoautomat photo booth at the exit is also worth checking out.
WEDDING
17. Cafe Pfortner
Address: Uferstrasse 8-11, 13357 Berlin
Located next to the charming Panke River in an old bus repair station, Cafe Pfortner feels like a true Berlin discovery. If you're hungry or thirsty, you can find a variety of options offering delicious food, great coffee, and lovely cakes. The star of the show is a vintage bus transformed into a super cool seating area for enjoying beer or coffee with friends.
18. Lobe Block (Baldon Cafe and Restaurant)
Address: Graunstrasse 29-30, 13355 Berlin (Humboldthain area)
About a 15-minute walk from Cafe Pfortner, Arno Brandlhuber’s extraordinary mixed-use Lobe Block is described as a ‘brutalist Babylon garden.’ The concrete building is located on the edge of Wedding in the Humboldthain area and houses workshops, studios, and the Baldon restaurant and cafe on the ground floor. It’s a great spot for coffee or reading if you're in the area.
Don't forget to check out my free self-guided Wedding walking tour.
19. Brewery Eschenbrau
Address: Triftstrasse 67, 13353 Berlin
Wedding is home to not just one, but two craft breweries. Eschenbrau has a beer garden, making it quite enjoyable to spend an afternoon there when the weather is nice. It's definitely worth trying their house-brewed beers.
Best Beer Gardens in Berlin
Berlin is not particularly famous for beer gardens, but there are a few Bavarian-style Brauhauses where you can enjoy yourself. At Hackescher Markt, you’ll find Weihenstephaner Berlin; it’s a Bavarian-style tavern with wooden tables and serves Austrian-German cuisine. Located on the edge of Berlin's green lung, Tiergarten, Schleusenkrug overlooks the beautiful Landwehr Canal and is an open beer garden. If it’s not raining and the weather is nice, it’s a perfect spot for a late afternoon beer.
20. Brewery Vagabund Brauerei
Address: Antwerpener Strasse 3, 13353 Berlin
The second craft brewery in Wedding and definitely worth a visit. A truly independent local business with interesting rotating beers. A good spot to stop by while exploring the neighborhood.
21 Prater Garten
Address: Kastanienallee 7-9, 10435 Berlin, Germany
No trip to Berlin is complete without visiting Prater, the oldest beer garden in Prenzlauer Berg. Dating back to 1850, Prater is one of the few bars that has stood the test of time; it has survived two world wars, the GDR period, and the Wall - there are stories at every corner. I usually order a Prater pils, along with a meaty pretzel. They also serve wine for those who don’t drink beer. When the weather is nice, sitting at one of the outdoor tables is a different pleasure - it’s a true taste of Berlin summer!
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