Berlin's nightlife - restaurants etc.
Nov 8th, 2006, 07:20 AM
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Berlin's nightlife - restaurants etc.
Hello,
in about one month we will be in Berlin with some friends for 3 days and we would like some advice for berlin's nightlife. Not clubs but cool and contemporary bars, restaurants etc. Thanks!
in about one month we will be in Berlin with some friends for 3 days and we would like some advice for berlin's nightlife. Not clubs but cool and contemporary bars, restaurants etc. Thanks!
Nov 20th, 2006, 05:07 AM
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Cristine, I'm sure someone will chime in. Unfortunately, the terms "cool" and "contemporary" may not be as uniformly defined in some people's minds as they are in yours.
People here ultimately want to be helpful and give you useful information. I have lots of Berlin ideas but my own sensibilities and likes in Berlin bars are not the same as yours so i refrain.
Please be patient.
People here ultimately want to be helpful and give you useful information. I have lots of Berlin ideas but my own sensibilities and likes in Berlin bars are not the same as yours so i refrain.
Please be patient.
Nov 20th, 2006, 05:13 AM
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You're right dukey, it's just that my first post was 12 days ago and i had no recomendations!
Let me rephrase, we would like some ideas for places with a contemporary decor and nice food of course. It's our first time in Berlin and frankly for just 2,5 days we wan't to make the most of this trip.
Also please feel free to tell me your ideas even if they may not be in the category i mentioned above!
Thanks!
Let me rephrase, we would like some ideas for places with a contemporary decor and nice food of course. It's our first time in Berlin and frankly for just 2,5 days we wan't to make the most of this trip.
Also please feel free to tell me your ideas even if they may not be in the category i mentioned above!
Thanks!
Nov 20th, 2006, 06:47 AM
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Not fun to be waiting around for a response...
Okey-dokey, I'll take a stab, even though my preferences for nightlife are unlikely to match many folks'.
First, poke around here: http://tinyurl.com/y9j94u
It's a link to the Berlin Tourism website, which has a lengthy section on the clubbing scene.
I can recommend a couple neighborhoods where you can survey the scene and decide on what tickles your fancy.
1. Savigny Platz, close to the Ku-Damm, which offers additional possibilities
2. Nollendorf Platz -- a Gay neighborhood, but in Berlin most Gay venues are likely to be somewhat mixed.
3. Prenzlauerberg, an up-and-coming area with lots of restaurants and nightlife on the Bohemian end of the spectrum.
If you fancy really off-the-wall club and/or restaurant scenes, look into the eastern side of the city.
Hope this will get you started.
Fritzrl
Okey-dokey, I'll take a stab, even though my preferences for nightlife are unlikely to match many folks'.
First, poke around here: http://tinyurl.com/y9j94u
It's a link to the Berlin Tourism website, which has a lengthy section on the clubbing scene.
I can recommend a couple neighborhoods where you can survey the scene and decide on what tickles your fancy.
1. Savigny Platz, close to the Ku-Damm, which offers additional possibilities
2. Nollendorf Platz -- a Gay neighborhood, but in Berlin most Gay venues are likely to be somewhat mixed.
3. Prenzlauerberg, an up-and-coming area with lots of restaurants and nightlife on the Bohemian end of the spectrum.
If you fancy really off-the-wall club and/or restaurant scenes, look into the eastern side of the city.
Hope this will get you started.
Fritzrl
Nov 20th, 2006, 06:52 AM
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It would be good to know age & budget range as well as what you think is cool. A few places come to mind:
Universum Lounge: futuristic trip to the moon theme wih white leather, wood, brushed aluminum on Kurfurstendam.
www.universumlounge.com
Victoria Bar www.victoriabar.de
Newton Bar on Charlottenstr, it looks like a conservative bar with buttoned red leather chairs until you enter and see the large pictures on the wall. More expensive than the previous two.
http://newton-bar.de/
RESTAURANTS:
FACIL inside Hotel Mandala in Potsdamerplatz, cool contemporary with a star chef and glass roof. Potsdamerstrasse 3. Very expensive
www.facil.de
GUY: very expensive French restaurant with 2 story contemporary design. Jaegerstr 60, Potsdamerplatz area.
www.guy-restaurant.de
CAFE DE FRANCE: designed by Phillipe Starcke. Prices are less than half of both previous restaurants. Unter den Linden 62. www.peugeot-avenue.de
Another good bet is to go to Gendarmenmarkt,there are plenty of contemporary or classic but yet cool restaurants on the west side of Gendarmenmarkt square to choose from.
Hackeschermarkt & surrounding has a lot of younger cool places not necessarily an ultra cool design, but some people think the younger crowd is cool. There is also a cool Starbucks lounge on Rosenthalerstrasse. On the same street there is KULA KARMA (www.Kulakarma.de) less expensive with california food.
If you want a tour of bars/pubs, the group tend to be 20 somethings for 10 euro per person:
www.insomniactours.com - www.berlinpubcrawl.eu
Universum Lounge: futuristic trip to the moon theme wih white leather, wood, brushed aluminum on Kurfurstendam.
www.universumlounge.com
Victoria Bar www.victoriabar.de
Newton Bar on Charlottenstr, it looks like a conservative bar with buttoned red leather chairs until you enter and see the large pictures on the wall. More expensive than the previous two.
http://newton-bar.de/
RESTAURANTS:
FACIL inside Hotel Mandala in Potsdamerplatz, cool contemporary with a star chef and glass roof. Potsdamerstrasse 3. Very expensive
www.facil.de
GUY: very expensive French restaurant with 2 story contemporary design. Jaegerstr 60, Potsdamerplatz area.
www.guy-restaurant.de
CAFE DE FRANCE: designed by Phillipe Starcke. Prices are less than half of both previous restaurants. Unter den Linden 62. www.peugeot-avenue.de
Another good bet is to go to Gendarmenmarkt,there are plenty of contemporary or classic but yet cool restaurants on the west side of Gendarmenmarkt square to choose from.
Hackeschermarkt & surrounding has a lot of younger cool places not necessarily an ultra cool design, but some people think the younger crowd is cool. There is also a cool Starbucks lounge on Rosenthalerstrasse. On the same street there is KULA KARMA (www.Kulakarma.de) less expensive with california food.
If you want a tour of bars/pubs, the group tend to be 20 somethings for 10 euro per person:
www.insomniactours.com - www.berlinpubcrawl.eu
Nov 20th, 2006, 07:17 AM
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Several come to my own mind:
the Reichstag building; the Potsdammer Platz just to view all the steel and glass; the Under Den Linden for a stroll; the Kaiser Wilhelm Church; the KaDeWe department store for the food hall if nothing else; Checkpoint Charlie Museum; a possible trip out to Potsdam to see either the Sans Souci or the Neues Palas or both; the museums on the "Museum Island"
the Reichstag building; the Potsdammer Platz just to view all the steel and glass; the Under Den Linden for a stroll; the Kaiser Wilhelm Church; the KaDeWe department store for the food hall if nothing else; Checkpoint Charlie Museum; a possible trip out to Potsdam to see either the Sans Souci or the Neues Palas or both; the museums on the "Museum Island"
Nov 20th, 2006, 08:18 PM
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I second Dukey's suggestion for KAEFER on top the Reichstag especially it helps you cut the line if you want to see the big glass dome. Kaefer is a gourmet institution from Munich. You can view the roof top restaurant at
www.feinkost-kaefer.de/
by pressing the gastronomie link and then the Berlin link.
www.feinkost-kaefer.de/
by pressing the gastronomie link and then the Berlin link.
Nov 20th, 2006, 09:37 PM
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Just reread your question on must sees, so I must add to Dukey's list:
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL just south of the BRANDENBURG GATE.
GENDARMENMARKT (French & German Churches)
HACKESCHERMARKT & ORANIENBURGSTRASSE (Prenzlauerberg)
CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE
Many people would add NIKOLAIVIERTEL, ALEXANDERPLATZ (glorified remnants from the East Block), SACHSENHAUSEN (if you like visiting concentration camps)
Berlin has lots of fantastic major museums to choose from. The ultimate must see is probably the PERGAMOM MUSEUM which can be visited along with the BERLINER DOM and other museums on the Museum island which Dukey already mentioned. The BODE MUSEUM was just reopened last month after an expensive renovation (long lines).
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL just south of the BRANDENBURG GATE.
GENDARMENMARKT (French & German Churches)
HACKESCHERMARKT & ORANIENBURGSTRASSE (Prenzlauerberg)
CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE
Many people would add NIKOLAIVIERTEL, ALEXANDERPLATZ (glorified remnants from the East Block), SACHSENHAUSEN (if you like visiting concentration camps)
Berlin has lots of fantastic major museums to choose from. The ultimate must see is probably the PERGAMOM MUSEUM which can be visited along with the BERLINER DOM and other museums on the Museum island which Dukey already mentioned. The BODE MUSEUM was just reopened last month after an expensive renovation (long lines).
Nov 21st, 2006, 02:46 AM
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Hi Cristine, I visited Berlin 3 years ago and I second almost all the responses below. I actually did not have time to visit everything on offer so I am planning to return. For bars and meals out, I would definitely recommend Lutter & Wegner on Gendarmenmarkt, followed by a drink at the Newton Bar. This is my favourite bar in the WORLD, let alone Berlin. I grew up reading Vogue every month and loved Helmut Newton's photos. He left his photo collection to the city of Berlin so there is a museum devoted to that. I think he literally defined "cool and contemporary"! He is also buried there.
The other bar I loved was the Prater beer garden in Prenzlauer Berg, a short metro ride away. Apparently the oldest bar in Berlin. The area is lovely, have a wander round.
For things to do in Berlin, I definitely recommend Berlin Walks (www.berlinwalks.com). I absolutely loved wandering around Berlin generally - although I guess it will be quite cold when you are planning to visit. I imagine there will be some Christmas Markets?
The other bar I loved was the Prater beer garden in Prenzlauer Berg, a short metro ride away. Apparently the oldest bar in Berlin. The area is lovely, have a wander round.
For things to do in Berlin, I definitely recommend Berlin Walks (www.berlinwalks.com). I absolutely loved wandering around Berlin generally - although I guess it will be quite cold when you are planning to visit. I imagine there will be some Christmas Markets?
Nov 21st, 2006, 03:40 AM
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Here's a link to my trip report from April 2005 in case it's of any use - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34614269
I'm afraid we'd didn't really go to any cool & contemporary places, though - apart from overdoing the martinis in Bar Newton on our first night !!
I'm afraid we'd didn't really go to any cool & contemporary places, though - apart from overdoing the martinis in Bar Newton on our first night !!
Nov 21st, 2006, 05:18 AM
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Thanks everyone for the wonderful response!!
I'm overwhelmed!!! I REALLY don't think that in 2,5 days we will be able to see all the things mentioned above but we'll do our best!
Of course we woulnd't like to rush from one place to another so i think we'll skip the museums this time!
I'm overwhelmed!!! I REALLY don't think that in 2,5 days we will be able to see all the things mentioned above but we'll do our best!
Of course we woulnd't like to rush from one place to another so i think we'll skip the museums this time!
Nov 21st, 2006, 05:43 AM
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Hi Cristine,
I'm not much of a museum goer but have to say that the Pergamom Museum is an exception. You'll see entire walls & gate of the ancient city Babylon as well as incredible ruins that you can walk or climb into from the ancient city of Pergamom.
I second endlesssummer suggestion of Lutter & Wegner, it's cool & contemporary in its own way, more of an upscale classic wine bar/ restaurant. They have several branches, I do like the one on Charlottenstrasse,Gendarmenmarkt the best.
www.lutter-wegner-gendarmenmarkt.de/
I'm not much of a museum goer but have to say that the Pergamom Museum is an exception. You'll see entire walls & gate of the ancient city Babylon as well as incredible ruins that you can walk or climb into from the ancient city of Pergamom.
I second endlesssummer suggestion of Lutter & Wegner, it's cool & contemporary in its own way, more of an upscale classic wine bar/ restaurant. They have several branches, I do like the one on Charlottenstrasse,Gendarmenmarkt the best.
www.lutter-wegner-gendarmenmarkt.de/
Nov 21st, 2006, 06:42 AM
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I like Dukey's Kadewe suggestion. A friend of mine asked me to make notes of places that I visited during my seminar trip in Berlin last month, so I can easily copy & paste, here's more:
Small Pasta Bar on the 6th floor of Kadewe. There are two pasta bars, this one is the smaller one against the wall with granite countertops right next to the marmalade & jam section. They sell colorful pasta in a glass counter, but on the sides they serve excellent pasta selections for 7.50 to 8.50 euro. The young lady took me to the pasta glass counter to choose which kind of pasta and let me try the different sauces. It was a tough choice but I decided on the mascarpone sauce over the gorgonzola sauce which she prepared right in front of me. She threw in a few spinach basil stuffed ravioli along with the gorgonzola tortellini that I chose because she wanted me to try both. They are both great even with the simple chianti she opened.
TRATORIA PERETTI:
On Friedrichstrasse north of the Spree River just before Oranienburgstr. Dark red walls candlelit huge dining room with wooden tables, the later the evening,the louder ;servers are overworked & overwhelmed , waitress is very friendly but barely had time to talk. Giant tortellini filled with rabbit & fig topped with more rabbit slices smothered with cream & sherry sauce went well with the chianti they serve, finished off the palate with Pannacotta & multiple crushed berries totaling 15eur. Good food except for the fact that the tortelloni had a slight sour taste which didn’t belong there. Located on Friedrichstr just east of the Oranienburg U bahn exit. Indoor seating only.
LUTTER & WEGNER on Oranienburgstr near Friedrichstr corner: reliable restaurant & wine bar with typical dishes like Sauerbraten 16euro,Tafelpitz with horseradish 17euro, great wine selection from high to low end. Knowledgable wine stewart, he even told me where the good wine stores are to find certain wines that I was looking for. Upmarket wine drinking clientele. Outdoor seating faces an interesting festive looking Singaporean restaurant serving Indian, Malay, Indonesian food with red awning and Balinese umbrellas. The place looks so inviting but I don't like curry which I could mell just passing by.
ASSEL on Oranienburgstr a block south of the Jewish temple(on the same side of the road), outdoor old wooden tables, no table cloth, cheap food. This restaurant is unique in that a blind person can easily find it because right above the tables is a big climbing plant bush inhabited by loud chirping bat colony. It’s been written up in the New York Times, though to me the place is really nothing special but it may be considered cool by others.
DIE BOSENBUEBBEN(Angry boys): Can’t get anymore local than this place on Marienstrasse. Outdoor tables filled with neighborhood Berliners relaxing & chatting, it’s a bit removed from the tourist restaurant row on Albrechtstr & Schiffbauerdamm. This local place had that Berlin simple gemuetlich look (not the Bavarian gemuetlichkeit) as I walked pass the place which was all lit up for the neighbors to enjoy the limited, cheap & simple dishes on the menu. The signboard on the street advertises breakfast buffet for only 2.50 euro( hard to believe but I checked it twice on both sides of the sign). Unfortunately my hotelroom includes a good breakfast buffet that's hard to give up.
BERLINER TREFFTPUNKT:
(Just off Frierichstr, south of the train station across the street from Jolly Vivaldi Hotel). This place made me think of Caroline of Edinburg which motivated me to try it even though it's not something that I'd normally go for. Old authentic Berlin Gasthaus with very friendly & attentive service despite how hectic & crowded this small restaurant was. In such an elbow to elbow setting, one gets to know the neighbors really quickly which was the very reason for to eat there since I travelled solo this time. Honestly, I enjoyed the beers (had 4 glasses!) & the people more than the typical traditional German food. The newer/reinvented German dishes with French/Austrian influence are much better. We had a gregarious long chat till almost midnight; I had an OK Geschmorte Kalbhaxe while my neigbor had the blood & liver sausage with salted potatoes & red cabbage for 8.50 eur (yum!) while my neighbors on the other side had giant schnitzels. The entire restaurant was filled with mostly German tourists & locals. Too much smoke. Have to shower off the cigarette smoke before I could even think of sleeping.
Small Pasta Bar on the 6th floor of Kadewe. There are two pasta bars, this one is the smaller one against the wall with granite countertops right next to the marmalade & jam section. They sell colorful pasta in a glass counter, but on the sides they serve excellent pasta selections for 7.50 to 8.50 euro. The young lady took me to the pasta glass counter to choose which kind of pasta and let me try the different sauces. It was a tough choice but I decided on the mascarpone sauce over the gorgonzola sauce which she prepared right in front of me. She threw in a few spinach basil stuffed ravioli along with the gorgonzola tortellini that I chose because she wanted me to try both. They are both great even with the simple chianti she opened.
TRATORIA PERETTI:
On Friedrichstrasse north of the Spree River just before Oranienburgstr. Dark red walls candlelit huge dining room with wooden tables, the later the evening,the louder ;servers are overworked & overwhelmed , waitress is very friendly but barely had time to talk. Giant tortellini filled with rabbit & fig topped with more rabbit slices smothered with cream & sherry sauce went well with the chianti they serve, finished off the palate with Pannacotta & multiple crushed berries totaling 15eur. Good food except for the fact that the tortelloni had a slight sour taste which didn’t belong there. Located on Friedrichstr just east of the Oranienburg U bahn exit. Indoor seating only.
LUTTER & WEGNER on Oranienburgstr near Friedrichstr corner: reliable restaurant & wine bar with typical dishes like Sauerbraten 16euro,Tafelpitz with horseradish 17euro, great wine selection from high to low end. Knowledgable wine stewart, he even told me where the good wine stores are to find certain wines that I was looking for. Upmarket wine drinking clientele. Outdoor seating faces an interesting festive looking Singaporean restaurant serving Indian, Malay, Indonesian food with red awning and Balinese umbrellas. The place looks so inviting but I don't like curry which I could mell just passing by.
ASSEL on Oranienburgstr a block south of the Jewish temple(on the same side of the road), outdoor old wooden tables, no table cloth, cheap food. This restaurant is unique in that a blind person can easily find it because right above the tables is a big climbing plant bush inhabited by loud chirping bat colony. It’s been written up in the New York Times, though to me the place is really nothing special but it may be considered cool by others.
DIE BOSENBUEBBEN(Angry boys): Can’t get anymore local than this place on Marienstrasse. Outdoor tables filled with neighborhood Berliners relaxing & chatting, it’s a bit removed from the tourist restaurant row on Albrechtstr & Schiffbauerdamm. This local place had that Berlin simple gemuetlich look (not the Bavarian gemuetlichkeit) as I walked pass the place which was all lit up for the neighbors to enjoy the limited, cheap & simple dishes on the menu. The signboard on the street advertises breakfast buffet for only 2.50 euro( hard to believe but I checked it twice on both sides of the sign). Unfortunately my hotelroom includes a good breakfast buffet that's hard to give up.
BERLINER TREFFTPUNKT:
(Just off Frierichstr, south of the train station across the street from Jolly Vivaldi Hotel). This place made me think of Caroline of Edinburg which motivated me to try it even though it's not something that I'd normally go for. Old authentic Berlin Gasthaus with very friendly & attentive service despite how hectic & crowded this small restaurant was. In such an elbow to elbow setting, one gets to know the neighbors really quickly which was the very reason for to eat there since I travelled solo this time. Honestly, I enjoyed the beers (had 4 glasses!) & the people more than the typical traditional German food. The newer/reinvented German dishes with French/Austrian influence are much better. We had a gregarious long chat till almost midnight; I had an OK Geschmorte Kalbhaxe while my neigbor had the blood & liver sausage with salted potatoes & red cabbage for 8.50 eur (yum!) while my neighbors on the other side had giant schnitzels. The entire restaurant was filled with mostly German tourists & locals. Too much smoke. Have to shower off the cigarette smoke before I could even think of sleeping.
Nov 21st, 2006, 07:25 AM
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This site wouldn't allow me to edit it more than once (after previewing) so I apologize for the terrible sentences & grammar as I was trying to change things from the present diary style report to past tenses.
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