Don’t know where to go out at night in Berlin? Whether you’re looking for a club or a bar to dance the night away, or a classical concert hall or a theater, what better way to get a feel for the atmosphere of a neighborhood where it’s good to go out than by going out at night in Berlin
Here is my selection of the best places to spend a good evening.
Table des matières
Kreuzberg
Watergate: Berlin’s top club for going out
This is one of the oldest electronic music clubs in the city. The entrance to the Watergate is quite discreet, you will literally have to go into the underground of Kreuzberg by passing under the Oberbaumbrücke bridge.
The Watergate is one of the leading clubs if you don’t know where to go in Berlin.
The club is known to have been one of the pioneers of the famous “Berlin sound” of minimal techno and tech-house, and it still is today.
The sleek interior, with its LED-lined ceiling, high-end sound system and fabulous wooden deck-pontoon that juts out over the Spree, make it a unique venue and a symbol of the city’s nightlife – as do the world-famous DJs who frequent its decks; with big names like Paul Kalkbrenner and Sven Väth playing alongside the resident DJs.
Contact water-gate.de
Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, from midnightPrice
: €Dress code
: No dress code. Lines can get pretty long so try to get on a guest list if you have contacts
The Watergate has a fabulous wooden terrace that juts out over the Spree.
SO36: the legendary club
This legendary club owes its name to the postal code of the Kreuzberg neighborhood (SO for Südost, or southeast), and has its roots in the punk rock scene that plagued this part of the city in the 1970s and 1980s.
Today, it regularly hosts internationally renowned bands, mostly rock and indie, but also promising local bands.
The main room is huge, basic, and tends to smell of sweat, beer and cigarette smoke, but the concerts are often exceptional and the crowd can express itself like nowhere else.
The club also hosts monthly parties, notably the Gayhane, originally intended for Muslim gays and lesbians, it now attracts all partygoers who love Turkish pop and electronic music (every last Saturday of the month).
Contact: 00 49 30 61 40 13 06; so36.
deOpening hours
: Varies depending on the concerts, usually from 6pm until very late at nightPrice
: €-€€Dress
required: No dress code
Prince Charles: one of the best clubs in Berlin to go out
One of the best clubs in Berlin, located in a former swimming pool in the Kreuzberg district.
This club is an integral part of the reclamation of the once dilapidated Moritzplatz area.
Here you can enjoy incredible parties with hip-hop and electronic music.
The former swimming pool has been transformed into a beautiful bar that serves great beers, cocktails and other drinks.
The dancers on the dance floor tend to look a little too much like those who frequent the classic nightclubs, where fashion is important.
During the summer, the courtyard is the meeting place for all night owls who want to get some fresh air.
Contact: princecharlesberlin.com
Opening hours: Varies depending on the party; check the websitePrice
: €Dress code
required: Dress in clubber style
Prince Charles often hosts quality hip-hop parties, but also electronic music.
Charlottenburg
A Trane: the New York-style jazz bar
This world-class New York-style jazz bar in the Charlottenburg district is one of the most popular in the city, with many local and German bands playing here, but internationally renowned jazz ensembles play at least once a month.
In this rather small and intimate space, you’ll immediately feel at ease, especially with the shared table system where you’ll be sitting next to strangers.
But the modest size of the room also allows you to be close to the musicians on stage.
To be sure to get a seat, book in advance and try to arrive at least half an hour before the concert starts.
Saturday nights are reserved for open-jam nights and the prices of drinks – beer, wine and other beverages – are reasonable.
Contact:00 49 30 31 32 55 0; a-trane.
deOpening hours
: Every weekday from 8 pm; Friday and Saturday until 4 amPrices
: €-€€Dress code
:No dress codeReservations
:Essential if you want a table
This New York-style jazz bar in Charlottenburg is the place to be for jazz lovers who want to hear German artists and internationally renowned jazz musicians.
Friedrichshain
Berghain/Panorama Bar: the techno club to go out in Berlin
This former power station turned club is impressive in the truest sense of the word. The room can accommodate up to 1500 people between the main room, the bar upstairs and the experimental music area on the first floor.
The decor and design have stayed true to its industrial origins – no mirrors, concrete swings on chains, sleek stainless steel toilets.
The bouncers at the entrance are as uncompromising as the music selection at this monument to Berlin music culture.
Concerts take place during the week and you can enjoy a club night on Friday. Real clubbers usually come on Saturdays (from midnight) or Sundays.
Contact: 00 49 30 29 36 02 10; berghain.
deOpening hours
: Friday to Saturday and during the day. Sundays and Mondays from midnight; weekday concert times vary depending on the lineupPrice
:€Dress code
:Unless you’re on a guest list, the club is known to have a fairly strict admission policy.
If you don’t like techno, don’t bother coming
Cassiopeia: Berlin’s disco/funk/hip-hop club
Even though the building doesn’t look like much from the outside, Cassiopeia has become one of the best clubs in the RawGelände complex located next to Warschauer Strasse in the Friedrichshain district.
The club’s cavernous interior opens onto two-level dance floors where DJs and bands play different styles of music – one for each night of the week.
You can enjoy hip-hop, funk and soul, but also punk, reggae and rock.
In summer, there is also an open-air café in the adjacent courtyard where you can eat sausages, burgers and of course drink a nice cold beer.
Contact: 030 47 38 59 49; cassiopeia-berlin.
deOpening hours
: Daily, from 6 pmPrice
: €Dress
code:No dress code
Cassiopeia has become one of the best clubs in the RawGelände complex.
Mitte
Clärchens Ballhaus: The old-school Berlin club
This former ballroom has been synonymous with wild dance parties since 1913.
With its old-school atmosphere and a strong inclination towards jazz, swing and soul music, the place hasn’t changed much since the 1920s, even if the population today is a mix of hipsters, tourists and nimble dancers.
Used as a set in Quentin Tarantino’s film Inglourious Basterds, the large building has two floors, the stunning Mirror Room upstairs is the larger of the two, and there’s also a lovely terrace where you can buy a slice of pizza to eat before hitting the dance floor.
Contact: 00 49 30 28 292 95; ballhaus.
deOpening hours
: Daily, from 11 a.m.Price
:€Dress
code:No dress code; remember to make reservations if you want to eat at the restaurant on weekends.
FriedrichstadtPalast: Berlin’s review theater
This hallowed establishment has a long history and its origins date back to the 19th century when it was a circus theater that also hosted vaudeville plays.
Today, the revue theater is one of the most modern and largest venues in Europe.
It offers a wide repertoire of plays and shows to fill its huge hall of impressive proportions.
In addition to spectacular West End and Broadway productions, you can also enjoy children’s shows, ballets and the ever-popular QuatschComedy Club, which takes the stage every week in the basement (English version on Wednesdays).
Contact:palast.
berlinOpeningtimes
: vary depending on the show
Price: €-€€€Entrance
:dress code required depends on the show on the bill
This revue theater is one of the most modern and largest in Europe.
Philharmonie: the temple of classical music in Berlin
Designed by Hans Scharoun, the building is recognizable among thousands with its tent-like shape decorated with golden elements. It houses the world-famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
It is simply one of the temples of classical music known to all lovers of the genre.
Built to be acoustically perfect (as much as possible), the venue is famous for being one of the first to adopt a “vineyard-style” seating arrangement, a layout that can be found today in the most beautiful halls.
The concert repertoire ranges from large touring orchestras to more intimate ensembles and quartets, sometimes playing chamber music in the most majestic of German capital halls.
If you would like to attend the free lunchtime concerts and are unable to pick up tickets in advance, please visit the venue’s website.
Contact: 00 49 30 25 48 80; berlin-philharmonic.
deOpening times
: Varies depending on the concert, check the websitePrice
: €-€€€Dress
required: Opt for fairly formal attire.
B flat: Berlin’s jazz club
The one and only real jazz club in Berlin’s Mitte district, B Flat was founded in the mid-1990s by a trio of musician and actor friends.
Located near the Hackescher Markt square, it hosts musical events every night, usually locals during the week and international artists on the weekends.
On Wednesday nights, you can attend the weekly jam session that is very popular among Berliners (free entrance), you’ll feel comfortable there if you like a lively and friendly atmosphere.
Even though the room is located in the basement, the atmosphere in the club is quite contemporary and the furniture is very comfortable.
You can have a drink at the modern bar which offers reasonably priced drinks (no food).
Contact: 49 03 02 83 31; cassiopeia-berlin.
deOpening hours
: Every day from 8 pm to 2 amPrice
: €Dress
code:No dress codeReservations
:A great idea for the weekend
The B Flat usually hosts locals during the week and international artists on the weekends.
Konzerthaus: the largest classical music concert hall
Located on the chic Gendarmenmarkt, the Konzerthaus is often considered one of the largest classical music concert halls in the world.
Designed in a beautiful neoclassical style, its completely renovated facade and interior are home to its own resident orchestra, as well as two concert spaces: the Grosse Konzertsaal for large orchestras and a Kammermusiksaal (chamber music hall) for small groups and chamber orchestras.
Expect to see all types of classical music concerts in Berlin, from symphonic to contemporary classical works.
Particularly popular are the Espresso Concerts, which take place every Wednesday and feature the future great classical artists.
Contact: 00 49 30 20 30 90; konzerthaus.
deOpening times
: Varies depending on the concertPrice
: €-€€€Dress code
: Opt for a fairly formal outfit
The Konzerthaus was designed by the famous German architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel in a very recognizable neoclassical style.
Tausend: Berlin’s most exclusive club
One of the most exclusive clubs in the whole city. The interior of this tunnel-shaped bar-club is very chic, with a huge doughnut-shaped light fixture in the background that reflects on the ceiling and walls and attracts VIPs from all over the capital.
The music is a somewhat commercial mix of disco, house and R&B compared to other Berlin spots, and the bar offers very sophisticated cocktails, some with a Japanese twist like the Oscaland (sake with basil syrup and jasmine tea).
The club also features a very exclusive and upscale Latin-Asian fusion restaurant, La Cantina; reservations are essential.
Contact: 00 49 30 27 58 20 70; tausendberlin.
comOpening hours
: Thursday to Saturday, from 7:30 p.m.Price
:€Dress
required: This is THE club in Berlin where you really have to make an effort – dress to impress.
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