Image by David Brandt

In Denmark we have a special type of bar called a Bodega. A bodega is dark, has tinted windows and is frequented primarily by old drunks. You can smoke in a bodega and the beer is cheap! Most bodegas are empty during day except for a handful of regulars, but come to life at night with young people coming in, in search of indoor smoking and cheap drinks. Palæ Bar is an upscale bodega. It is located on an expensive address and it shows in the clientele. You’ll find old retired lawyers, architects and doctors alongside artists and journalists. The average age is well above 50 but it lends an informal air to the place. People play chess, discuss jazz and politics and in general just enjoy life over a beer or a glass of rose wine.

A simple lunch is served every day, as Palæ Bar gets a big order of Smørrebrød (the infamous danish open-faced sandwich) delivered from a local take-out place. It is served for lunch as long as they last, and if you are really lucky, there might be a piece or two left later in the evening as well. Every 3 weeks on Sundays there is live jazz.

On sunny evenings quite a crowd can gather on the sidewalk outside enjoying the last rays of the day. Not a bad place to spend an evening.

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Palæ Bar | Bars
Ny Adelgade 5 | Inner City | +4533125471
Mon – Wed 11:00 – 01:00, Thu – Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 16:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Salon 39

Salon 39 is a cocktail bar and restaurant in the Frederiksberg neighborhood of Copenhagen. It is small place with an amazing ability to mix a few ingredients together to create outstanding flavors in both food and drinks. It started out as a cocktail bar founded by two Copenhagen friends, a Michelin-star trained chef and a trained bartender from Hotel Vier Jahrzeiten in Hamburg. They wanted to create a great cocktail-bar while serving a few simple dishes and snacks so people would stay around instead of leaving to go get food elsewhere.

Food is prepared with lots of love and great ingredients, cocktails are made with the best liquors imported from around the world; Pisco from Chile and Peru, Bourbon from small American distilleries and homemade infused vodka and cognacs. One of my favorite things to do is sit at the bar, let the bartender surprise me with new concoctions and listen to him chat with off-duty cocktail-bartenders from around Copenhagen who somehow always hang out at Salon 39. Don’t be surprised if the topic is something geeky, like how to make the perfect ice cube for shaking cocktails.

The décor is dark and somber. The soundtrack is vinyl jazz records. The main reason I love this place is their insane passion for making sure that both food and cocktails are the very best. Not the most fancy, but the very best.

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Salon 39 | Bars, Restaurants (Italian ) | Cocktails DKK 85.00
Vodroffsvej 39 | Frederiksberg | +4539208039
Wed – Thu 16:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 16:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Brass Monkey

Housed in an old Poulaine shoe store, Brass Monkey is a blast from the past. Back in the 1940s Don The Beachcomber, the worlds first Tiki-bar opened up in Hollywood. Brass Monkey in Vesterbro, is trying to bring back the celebration of Polynesian culture, the fruity rum-based drinks and pacific island bar snacks.

Tiki-drinks are made with lots of juices and flavors like pineapple and banana. Drinks are served in traditional porcelain Tiki Mugs and served with loads of rum. Brass Monkey boasts the largest selection of rum in Scandinavia.

Their snacks include fish burgers, shrimp skewers and other delicious pacific island bar foods.

Opened by the crew behind the best classical cocktail bar in Copenhagen (Check the Salon 39 article), Brass Monkey aims to continue the traditions of classical bartending – impeccable service, a little bit of showmanship and honest great tasting drinks – that has rendered Salon 39 so successful.

Brass Monkey is dark and decorated with wood carvings and palm trees. The bartenders wear Aloha Shirts and don’t be surprised if you get a Lei hung around your neck when you enter.

One of my favorite things to do is get a Volcano – a big tub of tiki-licious cocktail for 4-5 people served with 5 extra long straws. You can’t really be sparse with the alcohol in Tikis. Maybe that’s the reason that I’ve never had a boring night out at Brass Monkey. Or maybe it’s because you never know when they’ll break out the Limbo stick at Brass Monkey!

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Brass Monkey | Bars | Cocktail DKK 85.00
Enghavevej 31 | Vesterbro | +4533223433
Wed – Sat 20:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Lior Zilberstein & Lone Eriksen, www.ediblematerial.com

In downtown Copenhagen between shops and busy offices you’ll find one of my favorite cocktail bars: 1105 (named after the zip code). An English expat and longtime Copenhagen bartender started 1105 a couple of years ago and became an instant hit on the Copenhagen cocktail-scene.

The room is black with a big black long bar, a few black couches and black walls. The bartenders are a shining contrast with crisp white lab coats and the colorful drinks they produce at the bar. There is ample space to hang at the bar and plenty of standing room on busy nights.

The focus at 1105 is classical cocktails but with a modern twist. This is best exemplified by the head bartender being Hardeep Rehal, two-time Danish Bartender of the year. You shouldn’t miss his infamous Cucumber Yum-Yum, a pink concoction of gin, aquavit mixed with raspberries, honey and of course cucumber. It’s one of my favorite cocktails.

The crowd is in their 30s, well-dressed and well off, but 1105 manages to keep a good atmosphere where having fun and high quality drinks comes before social ranks. A DJ plays R&B on weekends.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
1105 | Bars | Cocktail DKK 90.00
Kristen Bernikows Gade 4 | Inner City | +4533931105
Wed – Sat 20:00 – 02:00, Fri 16:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Mayra Lemos

When I first came to Copenhagen, I wanted to go to as many cafes as possible. I think it’s great to go to a place that is not really a restaurant, but instead is a place where you almost feel like at home! Going to cafes is one of my favorite things to do in Copenhagen, that’s why you will find so many choices of cafes in my articles.

One of them is definitely Bjørg’s. It’s very well located, right off Rådhuspladsen (City hall square), and it is a great choice if a sudden appetite comes along when buzzing around downtown. It’s a good pick if just for a coffee or a bite to eat.

I’ve been there for drinks, dinner, lunch or brunch! (yeah, I go there a lot!) and loved it every time. I always try to sit by the windows and get a view of the busy street outside. My favorites dishes are their chicken curry and wraps, it’s really good! The staff are always smiling and very nice, and they make delicious drinks.

The place it’s not super big, but really enough to feel at home. The red color invites you even more, and give this warmth feeling that suits different states of mind. I would highly recommend this Cafe to anyone, from a tourist friend to a local mate (if they haven’t been there yet).

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Cafe Bjørg’s | Bars, Restaurants (Cafe food) | Nachos supreme DKK 89.00
Vester Voldgade, 19 | Inner City | +4533145320
Mon – Wed 09:00 – 00:00, Thu 09:00 – 01:00, Fri 09:00 – 02:00, Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Mayra Lemos

When you come for a quick visit to Copenhagen, you probably stick to the downtown area and its surroundings. But if you deviate a bit towards Østerbro, you will not regret it. You’ll find a lot, from great restaurants and cafes, to a classy shopping street (Østerbrogade).

Talking about cafes (one of my favorites things in the city), Bopa couldn’t be left off my list! I’ve held one of my birthday celebrations there and it was a great party. Not only because they treated me so well, but also because we were served super good food and the night was a success.

This french inspired cafe is located on a cute square and offers more than just really good cafe food. Perfect brunch, live music and great DJs on weekends (see who is playing in the current month here). In the summer, their terrace is packed with people and you can enjoy their grilled meals (from the inner-yard).

I do recommend going around the area and finding out why Østerbro is one of the cutest neighborhoods in Copenhagen. While there, have a bite or a drink in Cafe Bopa, you will like it! Especially because you can get two for one: a cosy dinner and a night out, all in the same place! After 23:00, the cafe turns into a night club, how great is that?

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Cafe Bopa | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Cafe food) | Brunch DKK 109.00
Løgstørgade 8 | Østerbro | +4535430566
Mon – Wed 09:00 – 00:00, Thu 09:00 – 02:00, Fri 09:00 – 05:00, Sat 10:00 – 05:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by The Library Bar

What do you see when you look at the picture illustrating this article? Is it a bar? is it a library? Well, hence the name, it’s The Library Bar. In the heart of the city, located right next to the Copenhagen’s Central Train Station and inside Plaza Hotel, this bar is a hideaway for those who want a great place for a chat, for a drink, for some snacks or relaxing after a busy day at work or after a busy day being a tourist!

“I would like it to be my own”. I heard this phrase from one of the bar’s customer that I chatted with and it got me thinking. It’s true. It’s a very cool bar, with such an inviting atmosphere, that you do wish it was your own! In a sense that you wished you had come up with the idea of such a place!

The moment you step inside The Library Bar, you have a smile in your face. Dim lights, jazz music in the background, books and encyclopedias everywhere, a beautiful grand piano, cozy and comfortable tables and chairs, and a nice staff ready to serve you a great drink! Those are definitely reasons to make me smile!

No wonder it was voted twice one of the best hotels bars in the world, by Forbes magazine. And it does feel this way! If I was visiting Copenhagen, I would surely find the time to visit this bar and find out what it’s all about!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
The Library bar | Art & culture, Bars | Glass of Cava DKK 60.00
Bernstorffsgade 4 | Inner City | +4533705732
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 16:00 – 01:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Sérgio Alves

I love beer. There’s nothing like a cold light beer in a hot summer day or a rich, dark, mouthwatering beer on a cold winter night. I am no expert, far from it! But I recently went to the perfect place to broaden my knowledge of the world of brewing: Mikkeller Bar.

Two Danish guys, Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Kristian Klarup Keller, (Mikkel has run the business alone since 2007) went from brewing at home in their kitchen to national and international recognition as brewers in just a couple of years. And I certainly understand why! Their creations are just amazing, and you will definitely find the perfect beer to suit your taste. They serve 20 different taps in their bar, and you won’t be able to leave without trying at least two or three!

The Bar itself is also an experience. As well as indulging yourself with beer tasting, the atmosphere, the soft music, the great service, tasty snacks and the perfect location will guarantee a great night out in Copenhagen!

Their success is partly due to the brewery’s focus on creating challenging beers and where quality always comes before quantity. In their own words: “uncompromising beer”. Are you ready to broaden your horizons of beer tasting? While in the city, pass by Mikkeller Bar, you will not regret it!

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Mikkeller | Bars | Beer (small) DKK 25.00
Viktoriagade, 8 B-C | Vesterbro | +4533310415
Sun – Wed 15:00 – 00:00, Thu – Fri 14:00 – 02:00, Sat 12:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Mayra Lemos

When you look at the picture with this article you probably don’t see a very nice place, right? Well, the picture doesn’t do Boutique Lize any justice at all! This bar is a very good option for a cheap and great cocktail.

Boutique Lize has had its up and downs. In 2007/2008, it was one of the trendiest bars in the Vesterbro neighborhood with many other bars and discos around. In other years, the competition started growing and maybe the line outside dwindled a little. But Boutique Lize managed to keep its clientele and continued to be a very popular hang out.

But what is there not to like? They have full house most of the time, so you are sure to find interesting people. They serve a great variety of cocktails at very affordable prices. It is located within walking distance from one of the most famous night clubs and venues in town, Vega. And if you are there early enough you may be able to sit at the far end of the bar by their cool jukebox.

But don’t worry If you don’t get that spot. Stand up, enjoy your cocktail, chat with people and have some fun. Let the night surprise you! And beginning the evening at Boutique Lize is not a bad idea!!

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Boutique Lize | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Mojito DKK 75.00
Enghave Plads 6 | Vesterbro | +4533311560
Wed 20:00 – 00:00, Thu 20:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 04:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen

Image by Elina Roivainen

A true city classic – a guaranteed party until the morning! Cosy used to be a full-blooded gay bar, the most famous one in the city. It still is, but over the years the place has got also its heterosexual fans. I love the place since it always has a welcoming atmosphere and you’ll always feel included to the party. No prejudice, no 16-year-olds or super high tech interior. Cosy is as cozy as a bar can be.

Though the place is not very big, it manages to have plenty of places to sit down in the dimly lit corners and by the long bar. Cosy is always crowded in the weekends, especially after 01.00 when the party starts to be at its best. In other bars I’m not much of a dancer, but on Cosy’s tiny dance floor you just can’t help but to let the diva inside you to get loose. The dance floor is always totally too full, but the more the merrier!

Songs vary from today’s best hits to Eurovision song contest’s greatest oldies from back in the day of Abba. So put on your dancing shoes and head to Cosy -and party till the morning!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cosy bar | Bars | Beer DKK 50
Studiestræde 24 | Inner City | +4533127427
Sun – Thu 22:00 – 06:00, Fri – Sat 22:00 – 08:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Copenhagen