Forget Berghain, These Are the Best Secret Bars in Berlin

There’s nothing more Berlin than an unmarked door. You’ll find them all over, shielding dark drinking dens from the unwitting masses (read: tourists). But the truth is that even locals have trouble tracking down proper speakeasies serving unique craft cocktails. They thrive in obscurity on unsuspecting streets and apartment blocks in staggeringly tiny spaces.

Here are a few of the best, and how to find them:

Neukölln
kwia is inspired by jazz kissas (Japan’s listening bars), though with shabby-chic interiors and DIY furniture that are so very Berlin. The “queer ambient bar” gives murmurs of living room; trade in your shoes for slippers at the door and sink into carpets covered in floor pillows and funky decor. Performances range from poetry readings to chilled-out electronic beats and entry is donation-based. Cocktails spiked with soothing ingredients from pandan leaf to lemongrass enhance serene vibes.

How to get in: Look for the purple-and-red lights in the window of Maybachufer 16 (across from the canal). There’s a sign that says “kwia” (although it blends in a lot with the building graffiti).

Neukölln
Forever a favorite among the Neukölln neighborhood’s student dive bars, Dschungel (“jungle” in German) buzzes every night of the week. The bar’s name, a throwback to the iconic ’80s nightclub Dschungel (essentially, Berlin’s Studio 54), but also lends to kitschy fake-forest decor with tree branches and tangled vines throughout. Forget fancy mixology; this is a spot for draft beer, hangover-heavy wine and doozy Mexikaner (tequila and tomato juice) shots.

How to get in: Look for the striped-awning storefront and the small black sign that says “Dschungel.”

Neukölln
Sniff out Truffle Pig, a sophisticated yet friendly and approachable speakeasy, hidden in an unlikely spot: behind a craft beer pub. With a design bringing together dark woods and velvet armchairs around a central marble bar, Truffle Pig is also a slick departure from the surrounding Neukölln neighborhood’s shabbier, graffitied facades. Come for well-done classic cocktails and interesting (yet unpretentious) signature creations.

How to get in: Enter Kauz & Kiebitz and follow the pig tracks on the floor to the back. Press the fire-alarm button, and, if Truffle Pig is open, the bartender will open the door to fetch you. If no one answers, also try the bell marked “Truffle Pig” at the gastropub’s entrance.

In the summer, you can also climb inside through the window on Lenaustrasse (if it’s open).

Kreuzberg
Another listening bar à la Japanese jazz kissas (vinyl cafés), Bar Neiro is a must-visit for audiophiles. Part of a local initiative promoting analogue sound culture, this gorgeous drinking den boasts rich wood and candlelight amongst record-lined walls. Sip a whisky cocktail while grooving to psychedelic sounds through designer hifi speakers—essentially, the perfect relaxing pre-drink before hitting legendary nightclubs KitKat and Tresor nearby.

How to get in: Find the graffiti-covered entrance to Ohmstrasse 11 and ring the bell marked “Bar Neiro”. Go through the courtyard, left through a second courtyard and up the old apartment building (there is subtle signage guiding the way).

Space is limited so we recommend a reservation.

Kreuzberg
Multilayerladen is the epitome of quirky-cool style. Retro TV screens and candles cast light around a room piled with wooden pallets turned into cubby and loft seating and swings. Ropes and ladders keep an industrial aesthetic but are also highly functional; climb up into a bunk and order drinks via a container on a string (write down your order on the provided paper; you’ll get your drink sent back with the change).

How to get in: Coming from Kottbusser Tor, turn right into the small pedestrian street before Lezzet Grill. Look for the vine-covered storefront directly across from the playground.

Mitte
Phantom Bar is as mysterious as its name suggests; a teeny, unmarked speakeasy without any website or social media (though the bar’s location is marked on Google Maps with a “0”). Though situated near a touristy part of the Mitte area, it’s a hangout known mostly only by locals via word of mouth. Come for stiff cocktails and well-dressed clientage in a dark room with moody red lights (arrive as early as 8 pm, ‘the Phantom’ fills up fast).

How to get in: At Torstrasse 231, look for the dark-wood entrance and “The future is near” written on the window and ring the bell. A bouncer will let you in if there’s room (and, sometimes also, depending if he likes your vibe).

Kreuzberg
At Repeat Bar, catch some of Berlin’s best DJs in an intimate space without queuing up. The underground bar is known for vinyl and live electronic sets spanning genres from classic disco to minimal house with a cozy dance floor (check the bar’s Instagram for lineups). Repeat is also known for very good cocktails, serving up perfectly-made whiskey sours and espresso martinis (with real espresso) plus changing inventive creations like herbal highballs.

How to get in: Look for the sunken-in wooden door (almost like a cellar door) on Lausitzer Strasse and take the small set of stairs down. There’s also a small black sign that reads “repeat” in white lettering.

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