Bars in Berlin

Set out below are some the bars in Berlin that we visited on our weekend trip!

Prater Beer Garden

Prater is Berlin’s oldest beer garden, serving beer since 1837! It is located at Kastanienallee in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg around a 20 minute walk from Berlin Cathedral.

With seating for 600 people, Prater Beer Garden is a winning choice when the sun is shining. The best bit is it wasn’t crowded and there were plenty of space along the long wooden benches. This just doesn’t happen in London! There were strings of fairy lights up around the venue, which must look really gorgeous in the evenings.

We relaxed and played cards over a Prater Pils (0.3l €3.50) and a glass of Reisling (€4.50). We also fancied a snack so couldn’t resist a Rostbratwurst ( €3.80) and a Krakauer (grilled spicy sausage) (€3.90) together with Nudelsalat (€4.50) which was a pasta salad with rocket and Parmesan. This is one of the best bars in Berlin for outdoor space and local food and is open daily from midday between April and September.

Schleusenkrug Beer Garden

On the theme of beer gardens, we paid Schelunsenkrug a visit on the west edge of Tiergarten. Similarly to Prater, there is a large outdoor area with tons of long benches both covered and not covered. You can even nab a table overlooking the canal itself.

We had a local beer (€3) and glass of Riesling (€4) sitting in the sun. There were a few dishes on offer including Schnitzel, bread dumplings, salads and pasta. We had lunch booked so didn’t try them out. This is a great recommendation if you are visiting Tiergarten area.

We also wanted to visit Café am Neuen situated a 15 minute walk from here surrounded by a lake. Sadly the rain absolutely poured down so we took shelter inside!

Monkey Bar Rooftop

Monkey Bar is one of the best bars in Berlin for rooftop views, situated to the south of Tiergarten. Situated on the 10^th floor of the 25hours Hotel, it offers gorgeous views of the city and the zoo through its huge windows and outdoor terrace.

We were keen to try out the cocktails so had a Rafiki: Gin, Rhubarb, Lemon, Lemon Balm, Rosemary (€12.50) and a Monkey’s Cobbler:13 Red Vermouth, Dark Rum, Lime (€13). Both of these looked and tasted great! This is a cool and laid back rooftop in Berlin which we recommend.

Solar Bar

Solar Bar is located just opposite Anhalter Bahnhof (former station) and just minutes away from Potsdamer Platz and Brandenburg Gate.

The entrance to Solar Bar is hidden in between apartments so keep an eye out! On the 17^th floor is a lovely space decorated in red and black with views over Berlin. There are swinging chairs to make yourself comfortable as well as stools and tables and chairs.

They offer a “Happy Sunset” deal between 17.30 and 20.00 where all cocktails are €8.50 and a glass of champagne is €9.50. We had an Agent Basil Smash with Szechuan pepper infused gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup (€13 non happy hour) and a Negroni. There is also a gorgeous restaurant on the 16^th floor available for reservations. Dress code should be smart.

Mein Haus Am See

The name translates to my house on the lake and is a combined cafe, bar and restaurant open 24 hours! It describes itself as not a bar, not a club but something sexy in between and that actually made sense!

It felt like a pretty cool place with a small bar area with the staff holding their money in bumbags! There is a large sloping seating area where customers sit on stairs and people watch. There is random furniture and disco balls making for rather quirky decoration. We really liked the vibe here and had a Gin Sour and G&T which put us back €17.

Clarchens Ballhaus

This bar dates back to 1913 and is proudly an old fashioned but established venue in Berlin. The focus is on dance (it is a ballroom for a reason!) with salsa on Monday, tango on Tuesday, swing on Wednesday, chacha and waltz on Thursday and Sunday afternoon, and a live band on Friday and Saturday.

We visited on a Saturday at around 11pm and paid €5 entry. The crowd appeared to be predominantly local with an average age of mid-late 30’s. It felt like we were at a German wedding / birthday party with the live band and DJ playing in between. And do you know what – we bloody loved it! Drinks are averagely priced with a beer and wine around €10.