53 Best Nightlife in Berlin, Germany

Young German artists perform most nights at b-flat. The well-known and well-attended Wednesday jam sessions focus on experimental jazz.

In an imposing power station in a barren stretch of land between Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain (the name borrows from both neighborhoods), Berghain has achieved international fame as the hedonistic heart of techno music—it was originally a 1990s techno club called Ostgut. It's only open as a club on weekends (for 48-plus hours straight, from midnight on Friday to early Monday), though many international music acts pass through for concert performances during the week. It's become something of a local tradition to arrive on Sunday morning or afternoon and dance until closing. Upstairs, the slightly smaller (but by no means intimate) Panorama Bar opens on Friday at midnight and offers different beats.

A night out at Clärchen's Ballhaus (Little Clara's Ballroom) is like a trip back in time; opened in 1913, the club is an impressive sight. On summer nights, lines often stretch out the door, while the front courtyard comes alive with patrons dining alfresco on brick-oven pizzas. The main ballroom features a different style of music every night and there are often dance lessons before the party starts. One of the best things about this place, though, is the variety of people of different ages, nationalities, and social backgrounds.

This sprawling, 600-seat Biergarten is where Berliners go when the urge for a hefeweizen and pretzel strikes. Grab a beer and a snack (a bratwurst is the classic choice), squeeze in at one of the long community tables, and get ready for some marathon drinking—at least as a bystander, if not a participant. If the outdoor boisterousness is too much, opt for an indoor table at the slightly more upscale restaurant, which serves an expanded menu of German classics like Wiener schnitzel. The beer garden is open from April to September, while the restaurant operates year-round.

The elegant Victoria Bar is a stylish homage to 1960s and '70s jet-setters, and the cocktails are mixed with care. It typically attracts a middle-age, affluent, and artsy crowd.

A-Trane in West Berlin has hosted countless greats throughout the years, including Herbie Hancock and Wynton Marsalis. Numerous free events make it a good place to see jazz on a budget.

In the grand tradition of upscale clubs, Bar Tausend is well hidden behind a steel door under the Friedrichstrasse S-bahn tracks and guarded by a discerning doorman. The futuristic main bar area, basically a long tunnel with circular lights at either end and mirrors above, looks like something out of the classic German film Metropolis. It would feel a bit claustrophobic if not for the excellent cocktails and stylish clientele. Hidden behind the bar is an even harder-to-get-into restaurant, whispered about by Berlin foodies—the so-called Tausend Cantina. For an unforgettable meal, call in advance for reservations.

This small vaulted cellar lounge, whose comprehensive cocktail list offers more than 180 classics and house creations, is much loved by both locals and visitors.

The only indication anything exists behind this bar's curtained facade is a glowing photograph of the head of Samuel Beckett in the window. Press the buzzer and if there’s space, you’ll be ushered into the dimly lit, gentlemen’s club-like surroundings. Settle into a leather armchair and choose from sophisticated cocktails like the Lusitanian or the Widow’s Kiss, all crafted with artisanal spirits. Or, try a classic martini—one of the best in town. Reservations are recommended.

The candlelit, rough-wood tables, water-stained walls, and frequent appearances by local musicians just dropping by for a few tunes give this cozy cocktail bar an artsy, old-world feel. Lovingly nicknamed "the Gramophone Bar" for the old gramophone that sits in its window, Bellmann is a place to linger and chat over a glass of wine or a whiskey from the outstanding collection.

It may not be much more than a series of wooden rafts and a few shoddily constructed shacks, but this club is one of the most beloved outdoor venues in town. The place is packed at all hours, either with clubbers on their last stop of the evening, or with locals and tourists soaking up the sunshine on a Sunday morning.

Just south of Wittenbergplatz, the dance club Connection is known for heavy house music and lots of dark corners.

This Wedding brewery has major bragging rights within Berlin's craft beer scene. Not only has it been around since 2001, it also offers something the newcomers don't: a beer garden. The brewery’s taproom is hidden away on the ground floor of an undistinguished apartment complex; finding it is like discovering buried treasure. The brewery usually has three concoctions on tap, which can include anything from the typical pilsner or hefeweizen to the unusual smoky Rauchbier to drinks with playful names like the Weddinator or the Black Mamba. There's also a small distillery on the premises, where ambitious and talented owner Martin Eschenbrenner tries his hand at schnapps and whiskey.

Facciola looks like a lovely little wine bar from the outside—large windows with some greenery, a red awning, a handful of Berliners sitting on the stoop. Inside, the bartenders make the environment more than cozy, though. Fresh Italian foods and snacks are available on candlelit tables, but it’s the impressive selection of Italian wines that make the place stand out—and the over-the-top-friendly bartenders. Don't miss Aperitivo Thursdays, when light Italian snacks are served with every drink.

A grown-up crowd focused on conversation and appreciating outstanding cocktails heads to Green Door, a Schöneberg classic (note that smoking is allowed). The decor is retro 1960s style, with gingham walls and floor lamps.

The stylish decor and the energetic crowd at Hafen make it a popular singles hangout.

Berlin's multiculti crowd frequents the Havanna Club, where you can dance to soul, R&B, or hip-hop on four different dance floors. The week's highlights are the wild salsa and merengue nights (Wednesday at 9 pm, Friday and Saturday at 10 pm). If your Latin steps are weak, come an hour early for a lesson. Friday and Saturday are "ladies free" nights until 11.

Named after owner and head brewer Johannes Heidenpeter, this brewery has transformed its little corner of the bustling Markthalle Neun market hall into a pleasant taproom (the brewing happens just below, in the basement). Enjoy the six beers on tap here, or take them with you in hand-labeled bottles; choices typically include an IPA and a couple of seasonal ales. Open Tuesday and Thursday–Saturday only.

Serving local and regional craft beer, this small brewpub offers a curated taste of seasonal varieties. The building was once a butcher's shop and is the kind of place you can walk in without knowing anyone, and make some friends before you leave.

More like a lounge and party venue than a club, House of Weekend has great views of East Berlin's skyline and several different floors of music, including the occasional international DJ act. But beware: the crowd is young, and on weekends you may find yourself caught in a throng of tourists, or rowdy study-abroad students on their night out. In the summer, it's open nightly from 6 pm, with table reservations available.

This club is in an old brick building bordering one of Wedding's most beloved green spaces, Volkspark Humboldthain; its sprawling outdoor area gives it a feeling of woodsy openness quite different from other Berlin clubs. During the day in warm weather, the courtyard functions as a beer garden, complete with ping-pong table and bocce ball. At night, the club's two dance floors draw revelers from all over the city with an excellent DJ lineup—even on weekdays. It's a welcome addition to the Wedding nightlife scene.

Schlot hosts Berlin jazz scenesters, aspiring musicians playing Sunday-night free jazz sessions, and local heavy hitters. It's a bit hard to find—it's in the cellar of the Edison Höfe—but enter the courtyard via Schlegelstrasse and follow the music.

A drinking spot for people who love cigars, or a smoking room for people who love top-shelf alcohol, Lebensstern consistently wins awards, in and out of Germany, as one of the best bars in the world. If the floor-to-ceiling cases full of bottles make you dizzy, ask the bartenders for a recommendation: all are well-versed in the relative merits of rums and whiskeys.

Open regularly in the winter, the docked boat MS Hoppetosse rocks steady to reggae and dance hall, house, techno, or hip-hop. A few steps into Treptow from Kreuzberg (if you pass Freischwimmer you're on the right track), there are fantastic views of the Spree River from both the lower-level dance floor or the top deck. The boat is the winter location for Club der Visionaere and hosts occasional parties in summer.