Bars & cafes – All our local tips

“Have you never been to a private party in Hamburg? Welcome in our 3-Zimmer-Wohnung (3 room apartment).

The first room: here is our quirky living room with the big cosy couch. Just sit down and relax! Oh, first of all you wanna see our nice apartment? Ok, i’ll show you around: we have a second living room, because many friends come for drinks every day. Feel free in our colorful rooms with the awesome lights. Here we go, this is our bedroom – if you want, just lay down on the bed, pssssst: there is a PlayStation (with projector!!) in the bedside cabinet, if you are feeling bored play some games or check out the table soccer (kicker). The small corridor is great for smalltalk.

In our open kitchen beside the cooker and fridge, you will find the bar, where you’ll get all drinks and beer. It is always crowed there like in every private party in Hamburg – the kitchen is the place to be. Feel free and have fun, i have to take great care of all my other guests.

Nice to have you here! Cheers!”

Details about this spot (Show on map)
3-Zimmer-Wohnung | Bars, Relaxing | Beer € 2.50
Talstrasse 22 | Sankt Pauli
From 20:00 daily (in summer from 21:00)

Sometimes after exercising (my sport club is nearby) I meet friends in Aurel for a sparkling rhubarb juice or caipirinha (happy hour daily till 21:00, Caipirinha €4,00 and Mojito €5,50).

Especially around 18:00 it becomes very crowed and often too loud for profound talks. After work people let the day fade away in a cozy gold-red atmosphere. They have a very uncommon but tasty beer called “Große Freiheit” (great freedom) for €1,50 (small) to €2,50 (big). If you are with your wine lover friends, this is the first place I found for ordering a bottle (0,75l) of really good wine for only €11.00, last time it was even an 1-l-bottle!

The ambience is retro and mainly red, good music, mixed people, free pretzel sticks on every table. A big self-service bar, an amazing room with coloured windows in the back of first room. Beside that there is a cozy booth for only two people (in love?). Cute!

Don’t be surprised or afraid on the toilet. First of all it is volitional! Cheeps of whales in the ocean. Cute!

In summertime you can sit outside, if you can find a chair – if not: many people sit on the most frequented (of Hamburg?) road kerb with their drinks and immerse themselves in the vibrant life of Ottensen.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Aurel | Bars, Coffee & tea | Small beer € 1.50
Bahrenfelder Str. 157 | Altona & Ottensen | +49403902727
Mon -Thu from 12:00, Fri – Sat from 10:00, Sun from 11:00

After a long day in university or city daytrip it’s one of the best places to relax. Similar to Zoë Bar (see this article) it is filled with many couches, but they are separate. That makes you feel like you are in a friend’s house.

Good for relaxing with an old friend or serious talks. The wine is awesome there and costs around 3 Euro. An Astra Beer is under 2 Euro. The staff is like the music; veeeeery laid-back and easy-going. It’s perfect for a little break between day and night. In summer they’ll open the big windows again and so you’ve the feeling of sitting outside on a couch!

The atmosphere is a bit oriental, maybe because it is located in a former Turkish culture center. Not as crowded as it is in the Schanze or in the Kiez (St. Pauli). Alternative and simple, thus great!

PS: thanks for the comment (which was unfortunately deleted), just to let you know: Bar Roosen installed security cameras.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bar Roosen | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Wine € 3.00
Paul-Roosen-Str. 28 | Sankt Pauli | +494076975926
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sun 12:00 – open end

You wanna see the real Kiez-party szene and the touristy stuff isnt your style? Try the Hamburger Berg, a sidestreet from Reeperbahn. Barhopping here is one of my favourite things to do on weekends. The street is lined with little bars, where every small dance floor provides a different taste of music. So just go around and find your style. Of course on weekends you shouldn’t be a claustrophobic person who needs a lot of space to develop a personal way of dancing.

Sooner or later, the barbarabar is the one, where I always end on my Bergtour. I like the music, that is always fun and the bar is crowded with good looking, dancing people that are forced to have body contact because of the limited space. Therefore it is also an insiders´ tip for singles to meet some nice candidates from the other sex.

For the non-dancers they provide a kicker (table football). But be aware, that the boys and girls playing here are quite good. On Wednesdays you can show off your talent and participate in a table football-tournament. On Tuesdays they are playing Hörspiele (audio plays), that seems to be fun as the photo shows and on sundays they have “Einquadratmeterlivemusic (one square-meter live music) for newcomer bands.

So barbarabar is a “must” on a weekend St Pauli tour, but also during the rest of the week for sure worth a visit.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Barbarabar | Bars, Music
Hamburger Berg 11 | Sankt Pauli | +4916090361519
Tue – Sun from 20:00

Blauer Peter (blue peter) is a phrase from seaman’s language. It comes from the blue-white signal flag, which means the ship sets sail in the next 24 hours and let the seaman on their shore leave know, they have to come back to the ship and let the local pubs know they needed to make out their invoices. The Blauer Peter (meanwhile number IV) has a long pub tradition in the Kiez (Reeperbahn-area).

Good start for a Kiez-tour, prices are cheap (Astra beer for 1,50 Euro), rock and punk music, sometimes a DJ, but this is not a place to listen to high-quality music. The staff is monosyllabic, but quaint. The pub is raunchy and uncomfortable, but a nice place to go after a FC Sankt Pauli soccer game. Oh, and by the way, officially over 18 years only! It was the first pub in Hamburg I’ve seen.

PS: Forget the toilets – naaaaasty!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Blauer Peter | Bars | Astra Beer € 1.50
Hamburger Berg 19 | Sankt Pauli | +49403194685
Tue – Sat from 20:00

If you feeling like having a good cocktail, the Blaues Barhaus (blue barhouse) is the best place to go.

The barkeeper there are the best cocktail mixer I know here around. They have so many new ideas and of course they know all classic drinks. If you don’t know what to drink – the menu is full of many many many different drinks – they’ll give you good advices due to your feeling of the day or what you prefer or what you never tried.

The barkeepers have a good feeling for how you feel. The music is very various from good DJ’s also the people there. It is not the cheapest bar around, but one of the best.

Super Insiders Advice: Check out the impressive and creative restrooms. Like a small disco itself small LED spots showing the pretty damn cool formed washbasins. Don’t be surprised if you wanna freshen up, there is a really small window between the mirrows to the male restroom.

Blue Hour: Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00 – 22:00, also Sunday and Monday (except ahead holidays) Cocktail and Long-drinks for 5 Euro. This is my time for drinking my lovely, rarely to find ‘Pimm’s Rangoon’.

If you looking for a dignified place to go… here you are in good hands.

Hurry Up: Open only till August 1st, 2010 – I heard Blaues Barhaus has to be teared down to make room for a new building.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Blaues Barhaus | Bars | Pimm’s Rangoon € 6.00
Grosse Brunnenstr. 55 | Altona & Ottensen | +494039905842
From 18:00 daily

The café Knuth, located in a little side street, is a good spot to watch the Ottensen crowd following their daily routine or maybe taking a break of it. I love to sit here and watch people while drinking a bowl of creamy milk coffee that comes with one of my favourite cookies and maybe treat myself with a nice piece of cake.

In the morning the popular café is the meeting point for hip mothers and fathers with or without their children to enjoy one of the tasty breakfast variations. (Especially at the weekends it is not easy to conquer a free table)

At lunchtime the creative people from the nearby design offices come here to spoon a pumpkin-ginger soup or to munch a tomato rucola panini.In the evening people call it a day with a cocktail, have a nice chat and relax after work.

All day long this is accompanied by a service that seems to take just a short break to their usual occupation like studying art or theatre.

So choose whatever time suits you and get an idea of the flow of Ottensen.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Knuth | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Panini from € 3.80
Kleine Rainstraße 21 | Altona & Ottensen | +494046008708
Mon – Fri 09:00 – open end, Sat – Sun 10:00 – open end

Do you wanna sip a nice cup of tea while watching the crowd on their weekend shopping tour through Markstrasse? Here we go! Cafe Mangold has a very good setting on a little square where kids are playing and dogs sniffing on the lawn.

If you are a little peckish you should try the delicious focaccia (kind of a pizza bread) or a wonderful Austrian dessert which gives you enough strength to jump into any kind of shopping tour through Karoviertel.

For evening time it’s a good spot if you like a more sophisticated and calm place for a chat and a good wine. On a sunny saturday afternoon you will need to fight for a place to sit as it’s one of the nicest and most relaxing spots to enjoy a coffee. You can just sit and sit and sit. And if it’s getting to cold, just grab your stuff and go inside. You can relax in a modern, airy but nevertheless cosy place with

huge windows and try out the few different cakes.

The service is friendly and quite often you find some good photos on the walls to show the work of local photographers.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe Mangold | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Focaccia € 3.30
Ölmühle 30 | Karoviertel | +4927860248
10:00 – 02:00 daily

An amazing place for starting the day, best with relaxing breakfast in sunshine and with a great view over the Elbe river!

Inside it is hip and cozy, if you find a place to sit. To brave the cold weather, just go outside (especially in wintertime) – it is unbeatable – here you’ll find warm blankets. It is not very cheap there (fresh orange juice for 2,90 Euro), it no-frills, and not alternative.

It is one of my favourite breakfast points in this town. Great spot for staying after long breakfast/lunch, sipping slowly and thoroughly enjoying your latte and trying the cake in the afternoon. Talking, watching and staying for the first wine and taking the day to the blue hour, the night comes, the harbour lights shines – that’s like a visual soundtrack of the Hamburg harbour!

By the way 1: There is also a big playground for kids in front of the Amphore Café.

By the way 2: Here I always bought my sparkling rhubarb juice to go to Park Fiction (see the Park Ficton article).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
CaféBar Amphore | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Orange Juice € 2.90
St. Pauli Hafenstr. 140 | Harbour | +494031793880
From 10:00 daily

On the way to Park Fiction (see this article) you’ll drop by CaféBar Hensel, usually just called Hensel. It is a real insider tip. They employ a very mindful and patient staff, and the head of business Peter is a very calm and amiable guy.

There are plenty of drinks and you will find the best beverage list I know. They have an amazing range of affordable creativite drinks.

They offer more than 30 types of beer (Astra, Beck’s, Desperados, Jever, Pilsner Urquell, Rothaus Tannenzäpfle, Sol from Mexico, Baltika from St. Petersburg, …).

The hot beverages put no limits on your imagination. Laced Hot Chocolate, Lumumba (Chocolate with 4cl Hansen Rum), Apple-Cinnamon-Punch, … and now think about Espresso with one of the following added spices: almond, amaretto, banana, caramel, chai spiced, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, coffee, hazelnut, mango, peppermint or vanilla….

Combined with my favourite: a big piece of old-Bohemian apple cake with honey caramelized walnuts. Don’t miss the macadamia whipped cream!

Beside all these culinary masterpieces, try the snacks prepared with much love and care, i. e. curry-banana-soup or homemade Sicilian potato salad (garlic!!), Casseroles, Pennines, Antipasti, …

Very interesting for me: the current exhibitions of a young artist from Hamburg.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
CaféBar Hensel | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Lasagne € 5.00
Antonistraße 4 | Harbour | +4940134965
From 11:00 daily

The Cobra Bar is different, genuine, real – or simply put: a must see while in Hamburg! Enter this great bar through the armor-plated door and immerse yourself into the dark and gloomy atmosphere. As you pass the foosball table by the door, you’ll notice the comfy couches to your left and a well-equipped bar in front of you.

Don’t feel intimidated by the large red-eyed cobra standing guard though. Stylish art deco wallpaper, black curtains, tacky framed paintings, and chandeliers perfect the look of this cozy yet grungy setting.

This venue attracts in interesting mix of people. Although the majority of them favor black attire, leather jackets, and studded belts, you’ll also see the ‘average’ guys and gals enjoying themselves. Tattooed and pierced bartenders are happy to serve you anything from their great variety of drinks. Beware of the mixed drinks: depending on the bartender, you may end up with a vodka-sour mix ratio of 50%! If that’s not your thing, you should try a shot of their specialty drink “Mexikaner” instead. But watch out – it’s hot!

Rotating DJs create interesting sound effects that are very danceable on the small dance floor behind the bar. The typical music mix can be summed up as Rock, Punk, Metal, Ska, and Indie. It gets rather crowded on weekends, and the place is usually packed by 1am. All in all, Cobra Bar is a great place to continue or conclude a long night on the Kiez!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cobra Bar | Bars | mixed drink € 5.00
Friedrichstrasse 29 | Sankt Pauli
Mon – Sat 21:00 – open end

During the day „Die Herren Simpel” is a classic breakfast café with a good variety of breakfast and snacks. The coffee is great! Mornings you’ll find a calm place here to enjoy the “Herrengedeck” (cake and hot beverage). In the evening “Die Herren Simpel” is a classic bar with cocktails, beer and wine, small snacks.

The ambience and interior kindly stand out from the crowd of the Schanze. It is a bit too scenic and hip sometimes, but a great chill-out area with different compartments. All guests are relaxed and everybody does their own thing. By the way, here is W-LAN, too!

The staff is so different like the weather in Hamburg. It’s like playing the lottery.

Sometimes they are fast, friendly, careful guys, but sometimes the clueless “I-have-forget-your-order-in-the-first-second-you-opened-your-mouth” temporary employee work on my nerves. So, help yourself, and order at the bar, especially on weekend, when it is crowded.

I really adore the big cherry blossoms behind the Bar.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Die Herren Simpel | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Breakfast from € 4.90
Schulterblatt 75 | Schanze | +494038684600
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – open end

Many of my American friends in Hamburg have been complaining that they can’t find any good burgers around here. Well, my friends, your search has come to an end: at Doris’ Diner!

Situated in the Jewish quarter of town, the diner – tucked between two apartment buildings – is not very easy to spot. Its white and silver exterior with glass blocks vaguely resembles that of a mobile home and the mandatory neon signs in the windows give it a nostalgic appeal that will draw you inside.

As you enter the restaurant, you’re met by a friendly staff who are quick to seat and serve you either at the counter, a comfy booth, or a table for two. The large, shiny jukebox, red furniture, and wood-paneled walls decorated with beautiful photographs create a warm and pleasant atmosphere.

With a broad palate appeal at a reasonable price, the menu offers great upscale American diner fare including traditional dishes such as sumptuous burgers and hearty spare ribs, savory sandwiches and chili fries, alluring French toast and milk shakes. If you prefer to go meatless or a bit more exotic, Doris’ Diner also has a small selection of vegetarian and Mexican dishes on offer, such as veggie burgers, vegetarian fajitas, chicken burritos, and chili tacos. Breakfast is served until 17:00 and the first-rate lunch specials are available daily.

The quality and presentation of the food is impeccable and service is quick! Definitely worth a visit!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Doris’ Diner | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (American) | Burger € 8.40
Grindelhof 43 | Grindelviertel | +4940440278
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 01:00

Around the corner in my neighborhood this year, a cosy Café/Bar in Altona Altstadt was established - the El Brujito!

El Brujito means little witch and is a small, pretty comfortable place. You’ll get breakfast with fair-trade coffee, awesome cakes, all kind of toasts and (ordered in advance) fresh Argentinean empanadas, Southamerican stuffed pastry.

The always smiling, amiable crew has a good knowledge of their large wine list (house wine starts at €2,50). My favorite is the cheese plate (also available: meat plate) in two different sizes.

You can sit inside on chairs and armchairs, in front of the door on a bench (great during the day) or in the beer-garden in the backyard.

Last week you could even enjoy a surprise concert in this cosy ambiance!

Have a look at the revolutionary wall paintings and quotes, and the awesome photos of revolution.

All in all one of my new favorite spots in Hamburg and I hope it stays in Altona Altstadt for a looooong time. Viva la revolution, viva El Brujito!

BTW: Sunday is Brunch-Time from 10:00 to 15:00!!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
El Brujito | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Cheese Plate € 4.00
Lornsenplatz 7 | Altona & Ottensen | +494080607103
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 18:00

Beside the Aurel in Ottensen you can find the Familieneck (family corner) which is always a nice spot for listen to different music every night from electronic to reggae and a last beer before going home.

The DJ is under the roof in the middle of all the alcoholic beverages and can watch down to the whole scenery. The barkeeper, especially Hubertus, is like a diva and always up for extroverted chats. If you come here you never know how the night end. Everything seems to be unpredictable. The bar is always full, also late at night!

The people at Familieneck are weird, extroverted and muddle-headed – don’t mind if a woman dances on a table with a Tequila in one hand or three guys with cowboy hats trying to order their 17th beer.

Small, dark, loud, crowd – Familieneck.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Familieneck | Bars | Beer € 2.80
Friedensallee 4, 2276 | Altona & Ottensen | +49403907497
18:00 – 04:00 daily

This is the place after the boat-trip with ‘Frau Hedi’ (see this article). Also if you didn’t get a boat ticket, come home to ‘Frau Hedis Landgang’.

This tiny pub has the craziest calendar of events in Hamburg: i.e. “Autumn Sucks Party”, “Club Madame – A Night with Paris (Hilton)”, “Oklahoma Ranch Radio Show”, “Disaster Disco for your Eyes and Ears”, or the funny “NIGHT TRASH!

The Live-Auction Show.” (where you can sell all your old and nasty stuff in an auction show), after that “Konsumboykott Party”. Everytime there is a different theme and different people.

It’s hard to explain this spot, go there and have fun! I am serious!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Frau Hedis Landgang | Bars
Neuer Pferdemarkt 3 | Schanze | +494042102823
Thu – Sat from 20:00

For only € 2.00 (common) you will get a girl next-door behind the bar and a good electronic DJ. Here we are! Whenever you come to the Pudel (nobody says Golden Pudel Club – it’s too long).

It is special and different. Whether in the afternoons with cake and coffee, or evenings with quiche and beer or late sitting on the steps watching the habour (it is very close to Park Fiction) or in morning at 07:00 for the last beer after partying while watching the sunrise before breakfast at the fish-market on Sunday!

With great electronic beats there is sometimes not enough space for everybody shaking their bodies and dancing. Inform yourself about which DJ will play! Go there, dance there, don’t think about next day!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Golden Pudel Club | Bars, Music | Entrance € 2.00
Am St. Pauli Fischmarkt 27 | Harbour | +494031979930
From 22:00 daily

In close proximity to Speicherstadt (see the Speicherstadt article), this brewpub is an ideal place if you are craving some traditional hearty German food and pilsener in a quaint setting.

The interior of the cellar is decorated in a wonderful rustic style: low vaulted ceilings, red brick walls, candlelight, and the shiny brass of large brewing vessels afford a delightful atmosphere. Wooden benches and tables add an authentic note. Generally, this restaurant is home to a lively atmosphere and, especially on weekends, popular with larger crowds. However, if you prefer a more intimate setting, you may want to sit in one of the large wooden barrels holding up to 4 people.

The menu features a diverse mix of traditional Bavarian and Hanseatic fare – delicious rich meals that are definitely not for people on a diet! Try interesting possibilities such as juicy pork knuckle, hefty sausage, and smoked pork chops. For a more “Hanseatic experience”, indulge in the tasty seafood platter that arrives with fresh ‘beer bread’. Or simply order some savory snacks, or one of the more moderately priced weekly lunch specials.

German food is not complete without beer! Gröninger Braukeller has its own beer brand and fun is definitely on tap when you draw one smooth pils after the other from a 10 l keg placed on a special contraption right at your table! Be sure to tour the Braukeller before you leave to get an idea of its enormous capacity!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Gröninger Braukeller | Bars, Restaurants (hearty homemade) | meat dish € 11.80
Willy-Brandt-Straße 47 | City center | +4940331381
Mon – Fri 11:00 – open end; Sat and holidays 17:00 – open end, Sun 15:00 – 22:00

Indie, Rock and 80s music fans can feel at home her. People who like to dance between the twenty-something people are very at home here. This old inconspicuous forester’s house (that’s why it called “green hunter”) is the place for alternative concerts of unknown bands from all over the world.

The entrance fee is around € 2.00 to € 6.00 (you can’t negotiate the price). Every Wednesday there is ByteFM residency (concerts) for free, give them a try!

The beer is cheap (€ 2.20). The wine is bad. You can sit in summer outside at tables, or inside on sofas.

During the weekends it is a well filled dance area. Or you can go upstairs to play table fusball or just relax in a relaxed ambiance on old sofas for smoking and talking about all the world.

Once in a while there are theme-nights like watching “Tatort” (famous German criminal series) on Sunday, other cult movies or radio play night.

At the moment they often have free entrance for concerts. Just check out the programme!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Grüner Jäger | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Beer € 2.20
Neuer Pferdemarkt 36 | Schanze | +494031814617
From 20:00 – open end daily

“Hasenschaukel” is a true gem among the St. Pauli bars! Located on a side street away from all the hustle and bustle on Reeperbahn, local ‘characters’ and tourists alike enjoy the quaint atmosphere at the ‘bunny swing’.

The interior is a blend of art nouveau and gothic style combined with playful decorations such as dolls for lights, a fake fireplace, and a display cabinet with knitted bunny-shaped egg-warmers! The booths in the main room add a touch of American diner, but without the atmosphere. The former ‘Golden Backroom’ now serves as a smoking room.

Everything in this venue reflects a loving and thoughtful attention to detail providing a cozy atmosphere and intimate setting for the various acoustic shows put on by independent international artists. In addition, rotating DJs spin music such as Beat, Glamrock, and German classics.

The menu offers a great selection of daily vegetarian specials – handcrafted by the owner – such as quiches, enchiladas, and pasta, to name but a few. Specials on shots and long drinks, locally brewed beers, and the house special ‘Störtebeker‘  are available on a regular basis.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Hasenschaukel | Bars, Music | Beer € 2.60
Silbersackstr. 17 | Sankt Pauli | +494018012721
Wed – Sat 19:00 – open end

You want to try good old German “Hausmannskost” (home cooking) without to be forced to go into some touristy restaurant? Then the alternative schanze-szene hang-out “Hatari” is the right place for you: It has a slightly trashy atmosphere that makes fun of German clichés with deer antlers all over the walls. The staff is really friendly. It feels more like being a friend dropping in than being a customer.

And the food is how German food should be: no fancy stuff, big portions and moderate prices.

You get huge Schnitzels with fries and brown sauce, a wide variety of burgers and tarte flambées and not to forget the famous “Pfälzer Saumagen”, stuffed pig´s stomach from the Palatinate.

To be honest, I wasn´t yet brave enough to try it and sticked with the yummy Schnitzel. But hey, if the foreign guests of the former chancelor Helmut Kohl liked it? Be adventurous and find out how diplomats in Germany felt for 16 years, when they were confronted with the favourite meal of the chancelor.

Happy news: There is now also another Hatari in Ottensen, in the Eulenstraße 77! I am sure the whole great concept will be the same, therefore you will find me there soon to have some good schnitzel!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Hatari | Bars, Restaurants (German) | Main course from € 7.00
Schanzenstr. 2-3 | Schanze | +494043208866
Mon – Sat from 12:00, Sun from 16:00

Last time I was in Insbeth I got really drunk with some good friends around. Puh! Ok, it was a small celebration of a birthday (the staff make a gift: a drink called “lovesickness” – till today we have no idea, what it was).

Insbeth has no scenic or hip style, nothing fits, but it fits well together. It is also a common gay-bar and very personal. A mixture of Star Trek, dream world and multi-culture-café with space decoration and super-sized animal drawings at the wall you will find the same mixture of people here: a black African with orange juice, a Turkish vegetable trader playing Backgammon and local alternatives eating a late breakfast.

They offer a simple, but really cheap breakfast (Mon – Sat 10:00 – 14:00) for around 3 Euro (bread, cornflakes, milk, coffee or tea, jam, cheese, …) and Brunch every Sunday 10:00 – 14:00. With political correct newspapers, this is the place where you can order a coffee without an Italian language course.

When the owners changed (I think it was 2006), all the staff quit. Now everything is new and still the same. You have the feeling, this spot has a long history with lots of stories.

The staff is still very cute and friendly. Oh, and they stayed till the sunrise on Monday morning with us! Unbelievable!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Insbeth | Bars, Coffee & tea | Breakfast € 3.00
Bahrenfelder Str. 176 | Altona & Ottensen | +49403901924
10:00 – open end daily

Take your time to find this extraordinary restaurant / wine bar, set far away from where the crowd looks for food and drinks. And be aware: though tucked away it gets really crowded at sevenish – so if you want to grab a seat, be early!

In the centre of nothing but a residential quarter you will be surprised about style, interior and cuisine of Jimmy Elsass! Definitely not German let alone Hamburg cuisine! It looks a bit like a „party keller” – those 70`s style basement rooms in German middle class houses where our parents used to drink and dance and did not really care about any possible accusations of tasteless kitsch.

But the interior with chairs, tables, couches and cushions straight from the flea market (or parents houses…), the wooden ceiling and walls covered with plastic wine and green balloons, the background music ranging from electro to gypsy style will surely make you forget any northern rainy or snowy day outside.

Yes, wait till you get these incredibly tasty tarte flambee served on some kind of big wooden tray with nothing but a cutter-knife. Salty or sweet – it’s impossible to resist another order and stuff yourself. The best thing apart from that? One of the few places where you get very good wine to very reasonable prices! Austrian Veltliner meets Alsatian tarte! Voilá!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Jimmy Elsass | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Alsace) | Tarte Flambee € 7.50
Schäferstraße 26 | Grindelviertel | +494044195965
18:00 – 01:00 daily

Synonymous with Hamburg’s artistic and gay scene, Lange Reihe was once a sketchy area, but meanwhile has evolved into a rather hip upscale neighborhood, and serves as the starting point for the annual Christopher Street Day parade.

Lange Reihe is a spot that distinguishes itself from other districts by offering an eclectic mix of multicultural shops, restaurants, supermarkets, boutiques, and bars. Dive into this diverse ethnic and cultural life, and travel around the world in one day!

Obtain some delicious rarities at the Asian supermarket or buy some authentic jewelry from India. Maybe you’ll find an interesting souvenir at one of the exclusive wine stores, the Tibetan art gallery, or the specialty shop selling wide range of herbs and teas. On Fridays you can visit the “Ökomarkt“, an organic farmer’s market from 09:00 – 18:30.

If all that shopping has made you hungry, you could have some sushi, stop in one of the Chinese restaurants for the All-you-can-eat buffet (€ 11,80), or simply grab some quick chow at one of the eateries. Afterwards you might feel tempted by the sweet delights at a Persian pastry shop. You could round off the evening with a tasty drink at one of the trendy cocktail bars (happy hour: cocktails under € 5.00).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Lange Reihe | Bars, Shopping, Restaurants (International)
Lange Reihe | St Georg
Daily

Le Fonque is a small but absolutely cool spot. Located in the scenic Schanze it is a bit hidden in the side street Juliusstrasse, which also means less tourists and more locals.It has been around for 10 years making it one of the old bars (first?) in this district. Le Fonque has soft couches and dark red light that flatters every skin type. The first time I stepped in I thought: oh my god – a small, red, dark, grubby brothel?! Indeed it looks a bit like the backstage room of Moulin Rouge and with a cosy atmosphere.

People are young-at-heart, interested in good music, and of all nationalities. Time seems to stand still accompanied with a professional range of music. Every night there is a live DJ right beside the bar covered with a fresh bouquet of flowers. And for sure: they know their business! The music ranges from funk (of course!) to soul, old school, new school, 70s, sometimes mixed with groovy sounds or elements of house music. All DJs have to pass through a hard test of live performance – no demo-tapes!

Astra beer costs € 2,00, other beer € 3,00. Sometimes it’s a bit too smoky and crowded, then it’s better to change to Daniela Bar or BP1 (both at Schulterblatt) and come back later. It’s always a good place for the last nightcap or to stay longer.

Funk – Funky – Le Fonque!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Fonque | Bars, Music | Astra beer € 2.00
Juliusstraße 33 | Schanze | +49404307515
from 22:00 daily

Visiting the Lehmitz is a great way to start off the night on Reeperbahn! This shabby-looking bar with its eclectic mix of patrons, and live entertainment is legendary! In a place where looks are not important, the ambience is created by the crowd and the bands.

You’ll find bikers, punks, bums, and ‘the average guy’ alike (average age mid- to upper 30s) clustered around the u-shaped bar under a large mural of Daisy Duck. The atmosphere is generally friendly and gets really loud when the band begins to play around 23:00. That’s when you’ll need to hold on to your drinks because the counter becomes the stage! It doesn’t matter whether it’s classic rock or punk – the important thing is that it’s loud!

The Coyote Parties every first Thursday of the month with ‘hotties’ dancing on the counter while serving drinks add another dimension to the art of bartending. Some of you will be happy to hear that smoking is allowed and for those who can’t do without some ‘physical exercise’, you can knock yourself out at the foosball table.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Lehmitz | Bars, Music | shots € 1.00
Reeperbahn 22 | Sankt Pauli
Mon – Sat 14:00 – 06:00, Sun 14:00 – 00:00

This convivial welcoming place is always very crowed, because you’ll get really good food. More important for a few people: real big portions for little money during the whole day.

Breakfast from 09:00 and lunch from 11:30. Actually I could recommend everything from the menu. My favourite is Pasta Marco Polo with fried chicken slices, broccoli and tomato sauce for € 6.90. The French Fries there are the best in the Schanze. If you wanna go for breakfast, they have student breakfast with bread, butter, jam, honey, cheese, sausage, orange juice, fruit salad and (all you can drink) coffee.

Sometimes you cannot find a place. Ask the super friendly staff if there will be a free table soon and just wait few minutes.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Oma’s Apotheke | Bars, Snacks | Main meal from € 4.00
Schanzenstraße 87 | Schanze | +4940436620
Sun – Thu 09:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 09:00 – 02:00

The service is always amiable, sometimes with their heads up in the clouds, sometimes serving at the table, sometimes self-service, in this seventies furnished Pony Bar. Situated beside the campus of the University of Hamburg, you will meet lots of students shortly before seminars or relaxed after class.

I really adore the red wine there; not really cheap (€ 3.00 to € 4.50), but affordable. Merlot costs € 3.00. All the other beverages are cheap. They offer milk-coffee (€ 1.90 ) with soy-milk with no surcharge. Try out the fresh mint tea (€ 2.10 ).

The red back room is the music-area. On Mondays songwriters give their best, on Tuesdays there are very good! Open-Mic-Sessions (HipHop), contemporary Life-Jazz on Wednesday, and … and … and …

Beside that I love to watch “Tatort” (famous German criminal series) on Sunday, readings, listen to DJ’s, or watch an exhibition.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pony Bar | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Milk coffee € 1.90
Allende Platz 1 | Grindelviertel | +4940428387895
Mon – Sat from 09:00, Sun from 10:00

The Rehbar (doebar) is one of the successful examples for “szene bar meets a sarcastic view on German clichés” that are quite popular in Hamburg.

Although its also a good place to have a latte macchiato after a Ottensen shopping trip in the afternoon, I love to go to the happy hour between 6-9 pm. Drinking a cheap, tasty caipirinha, mojito or mai tai and nibbling pretzel sticks while sitting under a golden ceiling is my idea of a good start in the evening.

Or maybe you try the Rehbier (doebeer) while looking at the special details to find everywhere around: a cuckoo clock and a fake fire place behind the bar, a gallery of deer pictures on the wall and a doe in a show case. Not to forget the backroom table football under the eyes of a boar head and forest sounds on the toilet. And still it really looks stylish, a miracle you have to see yourself!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Rehbar | Bars, Coffee & tea | Caipirinha(happy hour) € 4.00
Ottensener Hauptstr. 52 | Altona & Ottensen | +494039906363
Mon – Fri 11:00 – open end, Sat – Sun 10:00-open end, Happy hour 18:00-21:00

Tucked away on a little street in Ottensen you will find a cosy and personal Portuguese restaurant which is different from the somewhat soulless and touristy Portuguese restaurants in the so called portugese quarter of Neustadt.

The restaurant Ribatejo (translated: on the shores of the river Tejo) in Ottensen is far more atmospheric and attracts a mixed crowd of youngsters, couples and elderly people. There are many regular guests – always a good sign that customers like to come back again and again.

Here you can either just enjoy a decent wine (really tasty Rose wine for example!!) or you can enjoy Tapas or other traditional dishes The tiny and somewhat open kitchen is set pretty much in the middle of the place. So sit down on a wooden bench, relax and sip your wine while watching your meal getting prepared!

Compared to many other portuguese restaurants and bars, this place has a really nice atmosphere: Nice lighting, a tasteful interior and bar/counter, old cobble stone (!) on the floor (as it used to be the entrance of a backyard for carriages). This place can only make you feel very comfortable!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Ribatejo | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Portugese) | Blass of vine € 3.00
Bahrenfelder Straße 56 | Altona & Ottensen | +494041287911
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 00.00, Sat 10:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00

This old time favourite offers tasteful breakfasts, a nice setting for an afternoon coffee or tea – and a place for beer and a chat in the evening.

Saal II used to be a shop which you can tell by the beautiful tiles – which turned little yelowish by years of guests with severe smoking habits. You can be quite  sure to listen to nice music and watch the bar tenders enjoying their job. Some of them even continue serving beer or coffee despite their hamburg fame of being writers.

Here you won’t get hassled by the so called „In-Crowd” in Schanze – though the crowd tends to be much younger and less „Hamburgerisch” in the evening or on the weekend. Watch the people pass by while sipping at your tea or have a look at the picture of Hamburg artists and musician SAM, meanwhile you are waiting for the next beer to come along with some tunes of Nick Drake.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Saal II | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Beer € 2.20
Schulterblatt 83 | Schanze | +49404392828
Mon – Fri from 12:00, Sat – Sun from 11:00

—– Summer season starts at the beginning of April 2010 —–

There are three possibilities to get here: (1) bus nr 36 from city center or St. Pauli to “Liebermannstr.”, then steeply downhill, across very luxurious mansions, back into the Strandperle or (2) take the ferry nr 62 from Landungsbrücken to Övelgönne/Neumühlen or (3) bus nr 112 from main trainstation or St Pauli or Altona to Övelgönne/Neumühlen (final destination).

At the beach you can listen to the rushing Elbe and to the seagulls. The container-dockyards from the opposite are still working day and night. Listen to the deep, hard sound. Ships from all over the world loaded with containers, no one can guess what’s inside, the ships will turn around in front of you. You’ll get an idea how huge it is.

The Strandperle has since many years been the only simple snack stall at the beach. Under the sunshades, the free chairs or at the sandy beach you can sit down and relax.

Sometimes it seems all Hamburgers (from students to seniors) are here standing in line for drinks and (the best!) french fries from the fast and friendly service. The atmosphere is easy-going and relaxed.

I come here often with friends, smoke my shisha or just get some french fries and Astra and “life couldn’t be better”. It’s magical attraction!

PS: Here a short historical excursion: Surprisingly I heard that in former times the Strandperle was a milk stand and people came here for a glas of milk after bathing in the river Elbe. It were closed during the WWII and reopened in 1949 as a restaurant. The owner changed in 1973, so the Strandperle (as we know it) were born. 2006 the owner changed again and the new ones still keep the idea of Strandperle.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Strandperle | Bars, Relaxing | French fries around € 2.00
Övelgönne 60 | Harbour | +49408801112
11:00 – 23:00 daily (weather-dependent)

Theatre Thalia has two great locations: one in the city at Alstertor (photo) reckoned as the more established, and one in Ottensen in the Gaußstraße 190, the more “wild” version.

Of course to have some working knowledge of German could be useful to understand the plays, but maybe its also an interesting experiment without.

Last but not least you also should have a look into the atmospheric bar on the rooftop at Alstertor: the now so called Zentrale (formerly called Nachtasyl). Open from 19:00 it is always nice for a drink.

They also have a lot of interesting events, ranging from chanson evening to poetry slams and other interesting lectures. Check out the website for more information.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Thalia Theater | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Theaters
Alstertor 1 | City center | +494032814444
Tickets (Alstertor) Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 16:00 – 18:00

The Toast Bar is one of my favorite places in Hamburg. It is a very cosy spot, furnished very basically with big windows in the front. The regular guests are the neighbors.

Beside a wide range of (costumer friendly priced) drinks, they always have free peanuts everywhere. You are expected to throw the shells on the ground. The music is varied, but good (sometimes mixed by the barkeeper, sometimes by a DJ), the people are between twenty- and thirty-something.

Beside Astra and Jever, you can buy original bavarian Augustiner-beer or the famous-south-German beer Tannenzäpfle. It’s always a good choice to meet some friends – during the week or weekends – any day!

In summer a bunch of people are always standing outside!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Toast Bar | Bars | Astra Beer € 1.80
Wohlwillstr. 54 | Sankt Pauli | +494043182339
20:00 – open end daily

If you are looking for a place to play snooker apart from the regular big charmless stuff, cafe/bar Yoko mono could be the right thing for you. Nevertheless there you can also enjoy a coffee or cake after a Saturday morning stroll through the fleamarket, have a gin tonic on a late evening out or just listen if you like the Dj’s stuff.

Yoko Mono attracts a mixed crowd, depending on day and DJ (from 60’s to elektro) and what’s going on next door. It’s close to places for art and artists, like Hinterconti (check the Hinterconti article) and Vorwerkstift.

Though the chairs are not the most comfortable in town, the music varies from great to ohmygod and a very very few bar tenders are not the most friendly, you can still enjoy a very laid back atmosphere. Not stylish, not made-up but easy-going and very typical „Karoviertel” as it used to be.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Yoko Mono | Bars, Relaxing | Beer € 2.50
Marktstraße 41 | Karoviertel | +494043182991
From 10:00 daily

Of course it is NO furniture store, but if you come in, you feel a bit like that. Sooooo many sofas all around.

I appreciate this place during the day, when the sun warms up the sofa you’re sitting on while drinking milk coffee. When the sun goes down, the as-hip-as-you-can-be people come from work (the wanna be’s and wanna see’s), the music gets louder and hipper and it’s hard to find a place on a sofa. Some call it an “after hour bar”, I call it and exhausting scenic bar at nighttime.

Better go there during daylight: The people are relaxed and easy-going! The amiable service have time to talk and sometimes to sit for a while with you, and the music fits the situation – call or better write a letter to an old friend, it’s the right time and place for that!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zoë 2 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Beer € 2.00
Neuer Pferdemarkt 17 | Schanze
from 10:00 daily

“Dear Zoë,

how do you feel today?

I’d like to say to you, how stunning you are. You are perfect to meet friends or strangers or both and it’s like they already know each other. Always you welcomed me with open arms, no matter if I was stressed out or absolutely relaxed, there was a place for me and a smile on your face.

Your drinks are cheap and groovy. Your cosy couches and the yellow-red lamp shades in the back rooms are reminiscent of my grandmother´s warm living room. About the secrets and mystics in your vault, we have to talk next time once more. The rooms are a bit shabby and rustic – but it’s honest! Let’s face it: You are the real Zoë, the authentic Zoë!

All my Love, Kyra.

PS: By the way: good choice to provide rooms with movies like “Gegen die Wand” or “Absolute Giganten“.

PSPS: I was seriously pissed seeing that you raised all prices all of a sudden without even talking to anyone. You’re on the samy level as all the other places now. Please tell me why!”

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zoë Bar | Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | redwine € 2.60
Clemens-Schultz-Str. 96 | Sankt Pauli | +494031792323
From 20:00 daily