Berlin has a progressive and vibrant party scene, with a nightlife that’s always hot and buzzing. In fact, there are so many great bars and restaurants in Berlin that knowing which to pick is half the battle. Each venue has its own unique vibe, from the best jazz bars in Berlin to quirky hotspots where you can enjoy unparalleled views over the city from the roof. For special occasions, a fun night out with a group, or an intimate date night, the best bars in Berlin promise a memorable trip.
Begin your adventure in Mitte with theatrical cocktails and vegan bar snacks to get the night started. Head to Schöneberg and relax in the afternoon sun on the terrace at a bar that’s famous for creating its own cocktail ingredients from scratch. In Tiergarten, there’s a cocktail bar with a magical atmosphere – but be warned, the bartenders may make your drinks disappear. Or discover a real hidden gem in Charlottenburg, with a cocktail and wine bar hidden inside a secret garden.
Book your seat at one of the best bars in Berlin on OpenTable today and start exploring the city’s nightlife in style.
Discover some of the best bars in Berlin to really make the most of your trip
For perfectly crafted cocktails at one of the best bars in Berlin – head to FABELEI Cocktail Bar in Schöneberg
Bright and atmospheric with a bistro kitchen attached, FABELEI Cocktailbar should be the first stop on your Berlin itinerary. Take in the warmth on the sun terrace or relax in the Mediterranean-inspired interior while the waitstaff takes care of your every need – the perfect antidote to a touch of jetlag. Creatively modern, only most contemporary techniques are utilised to craft the best cocktails in town. From fermenting to fat-washing, centrifuging to cutting the perfect ice cube – the team knows how to deliver that one drink that will wash your cares away. Highly recommended by Mixology Magazine, the cocktail menu is innovative, but if you happen to be craving a classic, just let your bartender know and they will whip you one up. However, if you’re in the mood to experiment, perhaps try a clean tao punch with galgant, white tea, kaffir lime and butterfly cordial, or a sun fever with champagne, lemon and Merlet lune d’abricot.
For after-work drinks at one of the best hotel bars in Berlin – don’t miss LOST MY VOICE Bar in Mitte
As part of THE CIRCUS HOTEL, you can guarantee LOST MY VOICE Bar will be a creative, theatrical experience. If you make one stop at a bar on your trip, this will be a memorable one. Classic cocktails but served with an inventive twist – no matter how long you’re in Berlin, you’ll want to come back more than once to try them all. The Elvis Parsley is a fun take on gin and soda, with parsley, honey and organic apple soda. Or try the signature Lost My Voice cocktail with premier dry gin and vermouth, green chilli liqueur, whisky spray, bitters and a dash of olive oil. If you need something to soak up the booze, there are plenty of great bar snacks on hand – from prawn rillettes and sardines with black olive tapenade, to vegan spreads including mixed vegetables, and chickpea cream with candied lemon.
For MICHELIN star dining with a complimentary drinks menu – treat yourself to Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro in Schöneberg
For all things vegan and vegetarian, Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro is a must-try. You don’t have to be a non-meat eater to enjoy this MICHELIN-starred food – in fact, you may discover there’s a herbivore inside you. Living “bistronomy” for gourmets to the max, Bonvivant celebrates innovation and brings you an incomparable experience. Ask your server for drink pairings to match each course for the full experience, all delivered in a cosy and familiar environment. Pop in for brunch and sample brioche pancakes or classic eggs benedict. At dinner, choose from five or six courses, with or without drink pairings – start with wild broccoli and marjoram, or locust flower with peaches and rooibos tea. Cucumber has never tasted so good as when served with dashi, oyster leaf and wasabi, paired with a cucumber sake with dill and tonic water.
For hyper-seasonal cocktails at one of the best bars in Berlin – try Velvet in Neukölln
The Velvet cocktail philosophy is to reflect the changing of the seasons and the local flavours, with a weekly changing menu drawing on which plants are flowering. This award-winning cocktail bar is a unique experience not to be missed. Twice named Bar of the Year by Mixology Magazine and the current highest-rated bar in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Falstaff, Velvet allows the natural plant flavours to take centre stage. The bar team, which has been named Bar Team of the Year by Falstaff, go on regular foraging trips to source hyper local, hyper-seasonal ingredients to turn into liquids and create innovative and unusual floral cocktails for you to sample. The tasting menu is the best way to sample as many flavours as possible – available at certain times and only when you book through OpenTable. Savour 10 micro seasonal sips of drinks crafted from foraged and harvested local plant life. The drinks menu changes weekly but focuses on botanically enhanced light spirits as well as dry vermouths, sherry, Madeira and sake.
For Sicilian spirit at one of the best wine bars in Berlin – check out Sicilia Berlin in Charlottenburg
Lively, loud and familiar with a real neighbourhood vibe, Sicilia Berlin brings you a taste of southern Italy. Embrace the Sicilian nature, which is sociable and vibrant, while sharing great conversation over some amazing food and drinks. While this is a restaurant, it can also be classed as one of the best wine bars in Berlin, with an impressive drinks list. The menu features classic Sicilian dishes, from risotto to Caesar salad, tagliatelle to fresh fish and more. Pair this with a pre-dinner aperitif, celebrate with a prosecco, or add a rich and decadent glass of red. All roads may lead to Rome, but you can experience true Italian spirit right here on your trip to Berlin.
For experimental, dramatic cocktails – head to The Alchemist Bar and Restaurant in Tiergarten
Vibrant, theatrical and uber creative, The Alchemist Bar and Restaurant is not just a bar, it’s an experience. Using molecular mixology, the expert bar staff put on a show with every drink creation. From drinks that smoke with dry ice and drinks that change colour, to drinks that disappear before your eyes (but don’t worry, they will come back for you to drink), this is something you won’t want to miss on your trip to Berlin. The atmosphere is electric and infectious – if you start your evening here, you may find yourself staying all night. The cocktail menu changes regularly and is always extensive, so you might even need several return visits just to sample your favourites. If you need sustenance, there’s also a playful food menu to choose from, featuring Asian-inspired dishes such as katsu curries, vegan cheeseburgers and halloumi flatbread – the perfect accompaniments to dramatic cocktails.
For the best rooftop bar in Berlin with dazzling views – head on up to Apartment Bar in Moabit
Berlin is a stunning city when seen from above, and one of the best ways to take in those views is at Apartment Bar. Situated on the sixth and seventh floors of AMANO Grand Central and with a rooftop terrace, you can stargaze, watch the sunset or just gaze out over the cityscape while you sip your drinks. There’s a real party vibe going on late into the night, yet with pockets of intimate space for conversation and chill-out times. A real event location, expect live DJs spinning funky tunes and a spacious dancefloor for you to strut your stuff. In the summer, you could even catch the sunrise over the rooftops if you party until the early hours. AMANO signature drinks include the popular Lalaland with rum, vanilla, grapefruit, passionfruit and lime, and the AMANO Mule with tequila, cucumber water, lime and ginger beer. The bar menu also offers classic cocktails, so if you’ve got a craving for a Cosmopolitan or a passion for a Pornstar Martini, you won’t be disappointed.
For homemade distillates served in a leafy terraced garden – get back to nature with KINK Bar & Restaurant in Prenzlauer Berg
The culinary and cocktail arts unite at KINK Bar & Restaurant into a single cohesive experience. With a passion for the local region, food and drinks focus on quality ingredients sourced nearby for the menu. Seasonality reigns supreme, so you can expect the menu to change regularly. And to drink, sample wines from across Europe and the New World, or a signature cocktail or homemade distillate designed to complement one or more dishes from the menu. From the in-house lab rotary evaporator, sample a Mercury with gin mare capri, cassis, bay leaf, citrus and beetroot or the Perilla Punch with tequila, shiso and grapefruit. From the kitchen, try the tasting menu with catch of the day crudo or vegetarian kohlrabi with hazelnut and elderflower. Alternatively, opt for short ribs with fermented peppercorn jus or gnocchi with green asparagus and lemon truffle. Finish off with the rhubarb sorbet with buttermilk and oxalis.
For the best bar in Berlin for music lovers – check out Anima in Friedrichshain
If you love listening to music as much as you love great drinks, look no further than Anima in Friedrichshain. This new kid on the block is fast becoming a must-visit venue. Enjoy regular listening sessions with vinyl – from old favourites to the latest tunes. This riverside hi-fi hangout may be a blast from the past, but with a contemporary vibe that will keep you hanging out all night long. Grab a bite while soaking in the tunes – menu highlights include beef tartare with pommes allumettes, kingfish crudo with sour cherries and roses, and stuffed squid with tomato concasse and nduja. Add a cheeseboard or something sweet to your order – perhaps profiteroles with crème caramel and dark chocolate. And the venue is dog-friendly too, so you can bring your furry friends along to enjoy the chilled-out vibe as well.
For contemporary German food in a secret garden space – discover Lovis Restaurant & Bar in Charlottenburg
You’re sure to fall in love with LOVIS Restaurant & Bar, one of Berlin’s best-kept secrets. Hidden away in the midst of a verdant secret garden, LOVIS brings you the highest quality contemporary German cuisine from seasonal ingredients. The epitome of the term hidden gem, this is a real find that you’ll be glad to discover on your trip. The menu reimagines German cooking for a new age – think glazed pork belly with apple kimchi and coriander, dry-aged German entrecote and garden radish served with chilled cucumber soup, sour cream and dill. If dinner is not yet on your radar but you still want to check out this secret bar, not a problem – the drinks menu is equally as delightful. Explore the map that steers clear of extravagant trimmings and brand names, and instead lets the interplay of flavours speak for itself. Cocktails come in intriguing combinations such as raspberry and tarragon, walnut, green tea and lemon, and grape lavender.
For one of the best bars in Berlin Mitte for aperitivo – visit Bar Milano in Mitte
A classic aperitivo bar and one of very few of its type in Berlin, Bar Milano offers a unique experience not to be missed. Whether you’re travelling through Europe and want a taste of what’s to come, or just fancy a change from the norm, this is the ideal location for a pre-prandial liquid refreshment. Not only one of the best Berlin bars for aperitivo, but one of the only bars in the city specialising in pre-dinner drinks. Open every day from 6pm, this is the perfect stop-off on your way to your dinner reservation. From classic negronis and Aperol spritz to more inventive refreshments such as a gin and basil smash or a ginger mezcal sour, start your evening as you mean to go on. Or try a carefully selected glass of wine, chosen as the ideal aperitif. And, if you can’t wait for dinner, add some finger food to keep you going – bruschetta with fresh tomatoes, carpaccio or tramezzino with Italian ham are all popular choices.
For an Asian experience with the best izakaya in town – book a table at Niko Izakaya in Gesundbrunnen
If you like your food served with flair and your drinks with an Asian twist, Niko Izakaya is the best Berlin bar for you. Take a seat at the counter and watch in astonishment as the expert chefs prepare your food right before your very eyes. And with vegetarian, gluten-free and kosher options available, there’s something for everyone. Even if you’re not eating, you can pop in for Japanese beers and cocktails, and the place is dog-friendly, so if you’ve brought your four-legged family members on holiday then this is the perfect venue.
Berlin is a swinging city with a buzzing, vibrant nightlife that attracts people from all over the world. From cosy wine bars to buzzing music venues, this city has it all. With these 12 stellar gems under your belt, impress your friends by knowing all the best places to see and be seen, whether you’re visiting for a week or a weekend.
