Five Exceptional Cocktail Bars in Berlin

If you thought Berlin drinking culture was good for nothing but beer from the Späti, you’re about to be pleasantly surprised. We have absolutely nothing against beer and the friendly 24-hour convenience shops (you can find tips for great Spätis here), but Berlin is also home to a great, international cocktail scene. Some cocktail bars also charm their customers with explicitly queer vibes and serve up more than just great taste! Cheers!

Kink Bar

Despite its name, the 'Kink Bar' is by no means a fetish joint with a darkroom. On the contrary, the 'Kink' is a stylish, modern bar in the Prenzlauer Berg district. Thanks to a neon installation in the middle of the room, it has an unusual ambience - perhaps just perfect for impressing a date while enjoying the exquisite cocktails that the bar serves in both the short and long version. Try for example, the 'Lila & Nita', a short made from re-distilled whisky, blood orange liqueur, vermouth, lemon, and maple, among other things. The drink also promises smoky, spicy fun with the addition of ginger ale.

Kink Bar
Im Pfefferberg, Schönhauser Allee 176, 10119 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg
U Senefelder Platz
Website of Kink Bar

Green Door Bar

At the 'Green Door Bar', cocktail culture at the highest level is the order of the day. In the middle of the queer neighbourhood in Schöneberg, guests step through the eponymous green door here every evening between Tuesday and Saturday to enjoy classic drinks or discover exciting new creations. How about, for example, a 'High Noon' made of tequila, sherry, a cordial of yellow tomatoes, sour vermouth, spicy habaneros, and a touch of passion fruit? The small bar at the long wooden counter exudes a classically elegant ambience and invites you to linger for longer.

Green Door Bar
Winterfeldtstraße 50, 10781 Berlin-Schöneberg
U Nollendorfplatz
Website of Green Door Bar

Bellboy Bar Berlin

The 'Bellboy Bar Berlin' is a fairly new and much-hyped bar on the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, located in the building of the Hilton Hotel. The operators developed the bar’s concept in Tel Aviv. The adventure-seeking Berliners are seduced with charm, an unusual ambience, and creative cocktails. Each drink comes in a specially designed vessel, for example a porcelain ball gown, a shell, or a red fist. If you fancy, you can buy these as souvenirs after your visit to the bar. Incidentally, the unusual dinner dishes are also highly recommended at the 'Bellboy Bar Berlin'.

Bellboy Bar Berlin
Mohrenstraße 30, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
U Stadtmitte
Website of Bellboy Bar Berlin

Frederick's

Located on Potsdamer Platz, Frederick's is also a very new address. However, the bar impresses not only with its special location in the former historic Grand Hotel Esplanade. Today, the hotel is part of the modern Sony Centre, which was built around the historic walls of the hotel. A place like this naturally brings with it a special touch of extravagance – small wonder that drag queen and burlesque organiser Sheila Wolf routinely puts on shows here, for example at Pride or Halloween. In keeping with this, Frederick's focuses on elaborate and enchantingly colourful-looking cocktails like the 'Deep Blue'.

Frederick's
Bellevuestraße 1, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten
S + U Potsdamer Platz
Website of Frederick’s

Velvet Bar

Mixology magazine recently named the Velvet Bar in Berlin-Neukölln the best bar in Germany in 2023. The name of the bar and the art nouveau ambience might first make you think of a classic cocktail bar when you think of the word 'Velvet'. In fact, the bar is a taste laboratory that focuses on its own creations. The bartenders boldly combine fine spirits with regional and seasonal products, such as quince, apples, mushrooms, and sea buckthorn. If you're looking for new taste experiences, you've come to the right place!

Velvet Bar
Ganghoferstraße 1, 12043 Berlin-Neukölln
U Rathaus Neukölln
Website of Velvet Bar