Image by Ciarán Fahey

Underground out of sight, in a place open until at least 6am – exactly where you want to do your drinking. Silberfisch has long been one of those bars which gives you the feeling Berlin wants you to become a vampire, sleeping all day, out all night. It’s an easy transformation. There’s something comforting in walking down the steps from Oranienburger Straße into this den to be greeted by the friendly bar staff like a long-lost Chilean miner.

DJs with remarkably good taste churn out the sounds seven days a week. Regulars sit at the bar exchanging ill-formed commentaries with whoever listens, consoling indignations with choices from the extensive drinks menu. Visitors are delighted to listen to commentary from knowledgeable locals, toasting their own diplomacy with choices from the extensive drinks menu.

It can be smoky, it can be loud, but there’s an extensive drinks menu. Specialties include Absinthe Sour (€8), Pina Colada (€7.50) and my favourite, Long Island Iced Tea (€9.50), all interspersed with Jägermeisters of course. Beer starts at €3. Exclusive to the Silberfisch however is its infamous Weltfrieden (World Peace) which is served in what can only be described a massive goblet for €15.

“After three double vodkas, bitter lemon and tonic, everyone is for world peace,” explained the barman. There are safer drinks of course, for those who want to make use of the dance floor.

The Silberfisch is best enjoyed after midnight when all the other vampires also come out to play.

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Silberfisch | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Beer from € 3.00
Oranienburger Str. 37 | Mitte | +493028387388
Sun – Thu 20:00 – 06:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 08:00

Image by Ciarán Fahey

Long one of my favourite haunts, the only disadvantage bohemian Café Cinema has for me is that it seems to be one of everybody else’s favourite haunts too. It can be hard to find a table!

I first stumbled in here in 2004 and I’ve been stumbling out of it pretty often since.

Old movie posters and film snaps decorate the walls, overseen by film-set lighting above, but it’s the classic lines of its simple and tasteful furniture, with candles adorning the tables, which give this cosy Berlin institution (in operation since 1990) its cosmopolitan air.

But for the music which is always great, (I’ve never heard a bad song here), you would imagine you were back in the 1920s, a wonderful time to be in Berlin by all accounts. (I’m not that old.)

Friendly prices ensure regulars return, with coffee just €1.50, beer (.5l) for €2.90, and proper Cuba Libres being set free for €4. Snacks range from cake for €1, stew with bread for €2.50, a mixed salad with sheeps’ cheese and tuna for €3.70, or (from 18:00) two fried eggs with salad and your choice of tomato, ham or mushroom, or a combination, for no more that €3.50.

Café Cinema is a favourite meeting place for Berliners and it stays open late too. That’s probably not a coincidence.

Don’t forget to check out Haus Schwarzenberg (check the Haus Schwarzenberg article) just behind it while you’re here.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Cinéma | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks | Cake € 1.00
Rosenthaler Straße 39 | Mitte | +49302806415
12:00 – late daily

Image by Natalia Irina Roman

I dropped by Bflat, for the first time, by coincidence on a lazy Wednesday evening. I set down in a corner and leaned on one of the big windows. While I was happily entertained by a Hefeweizen (in case you don’t know, make sure you will get to know this type of German beer), I started wondering whether the piano and saxophone players were improvising or not. It was pretty good jazz. The answer came two minutes later when somebody from the audience asked the piano player for his seat and got it.

I go back to Bflat every now and then, on Wednesdays, when they have their free entrance jam sessions, starting with 9pm. Bflat is close to Hackescher Markt, has a mixed public and great acoustics.

Tip: They charge around 10 Euro for concerts during other evenings.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bflat Jazzclub | Bars, Music | Beck’s € 2.60
Rosenthaler Strasse 13 | Mitte | +493028386835
Almost daily from 21:00

Image by Natalia Irina Roman

Subway platform. Crowded. Around seven pm, Tuesday. It seems that everybody is trying to squeeze in here. It might even be true, when one of those rainy Berlin days. We’re at the U2 station Stadtmitte. It’s a busy one, with two arteries – the U2 platform and the U6, bound together by a seemingly never ending tunnel.

Between the U2 platform and the tunnel there is an in situ stage, created by musicians who stop there from time to time. Accordion. Saxophone. Electric Piano. Violin. Or three guitars. The great acoustic embraces the distracted passer byes and sometimes, awakens them from their daily routine. Not sure what makes the acoustic so great – the walls or the need for this embrace.

This article is not meant to bring you to Stadtmitte. It’s meant to be remembered when one happens to be there spontaneously. And when you do remember it, smile and stop for six minutes. To listen.

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Stadtmitte Subway | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing | Free
Friedrichstr. 193A | Mitte
Irregular

Image by Natalia Irina Roman

I discovered Doors by chance. Walking on Knaackstraße, I noticed ivy growing over a small bar. Almost could not read its name, but somehow the open dark room drew me in. We left it only after 3 o’clock in the night. Doors stays a classic.

The ivy crowds the facade of the bar – I wonder whether it’s a sign of age, if it grew together with the place. Maybe the ivy is meant to hide the place, keep it for the right people. Doors is a small bar packed with posters. Expect AC / DC kind of music, candle light and customers with mixed ages, starting at 20:00 every day.

Tip: Doors is a smoking bar.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Doors Bar | Bars, Music | Hefeweizen € 3.10
Knaackstr 94 | Prenzlauer Berg | +49304427847
From 20:00 daily