Archives for posts with tag: friedrichshain

Dachkammer

18.01.2012 //
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One of the things Berlin is known for are its living room-style bars. Characterized by the total absence of coherence in interior design – to the extent in which it becomes fashionable again – and many different rooms in which smaller and larger parties can find a place of their own, the Dachkammer at Simon-Dach-Straße is an example of these. However, it’s mainly the first floor that’s interesting. Separated also in terms of ordering drinks, the upper floor opens up later than the ground floor cafe.

For those who have enough money to kick off the night in a bar like this – as opposed to drinking beer at home or on public transport – the Dachkammer is a perfect place for doing so, both in atmosphere as in its nearby locations to the many clubs along the railway tracks at Warschauer Straße. Cocktails start at 5 euros and they always carry some nice German beers. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sanatorium 23, Berlin

24.02.2011 //
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Different from most places in my ‘espresso guide’, this is not primarily a coffeehouse. Rather, as written in my Berlin tips, it’s a lounge bar serving mainly beer and cocktails, adding coffee to their menu merely as a service to those who need it, or like the taste of it together with some alcoholic beverage. The cappuccino isn’t too bad, but the milk is rather cold and there’s some residual coffee on the bottom of the cup, even though the coffee was made with an espresso machine, clearly showing coffee’s just an ‘extra’. So don’t go there for the coffee, but do go there for the nice music before a night out, and while you’re there, there’s no need to shy away from ordering a coffee!

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Neweurope Pub Crawl

23.01.2011 //
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Only a few days in town and no clue where to start at night? Take a pub crawl and simply enjoy the ride along a few of Berlin’s pubs, bars and clubs. It might not get you to the best, most secret underground clubs of Berlin, but it’s sure to get you going. In the summer, the New Berlin Pub Crawl is sure to get a few dozen people going, so you’re sure to find someone or a group of people you can connect with throughout the night. You will not be alone, nor do you need to fall back on a possible partner in crime you dragged along.

Although there are plenty of other pub crawls in Berlin, I like the Neweurope tours due to their non-commercial attitude. The day-time touristic tours are essentially free and leave it up to you to appropriately tip the guide for provided services. The pub crawl requires a €12 fee to get along, but this fee is for the most part used for getting into the clubs and providing you with a free Jägermeister at every club.

Although the program is subject to change, back when I took the pub crawl, the tour started at Zapata, the bar adjacent to the infamous Tacheles. It then visited rock club Silberfisch, techno club Ruderclub, soul club Bohannon and the ‘all-styles’ Matrix. Although the last tends to be visited by the young and slutty, it likes to let visitors think their door policy is very strict and only the best get in. You will, for participation and entry to any of the clubs, require to have an ID with you proving you’re over 18. There’s no obligation to finish the pub crawl, if you’ve found a place to spend the night, you are free to stay behind.

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Sanatorium 23

22.01.2011 //
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On number 23 of Frankfurter Allee, which is the continuation of the famous Karl-Marx-Allee, you will find Sanatorium23. A lounge-bar, which I feel is one of those things Berlin is all about. Perhaps the description on their website explains what it is better than I could do:

The Sanatorium23 is a Friedrichshain micro-cosmos, somewhere between coffeehouse, gallery and mini-club. For the relaxed night, Sanatorium23 offers its visitors comfortable lying-down areas. On week-ends, first-class DJ’s offer its patients audio-medication. As you’re taking in your beverages in horizontal position, you see Berlin life passing you by through the panoramic window.

It’s all about relaxation. The benches which you can lie down on, as well as the general atmosphere. You won’t be bothered by pushy staff, wanting you to order a drink either, as it’s self-service. At the bar you can order your drink according to a mock periodic table, which you van preview on their website. And when it closes just after midnight, you can either go on, deeper into Berlin’s nightlife or get some sleep in the hotel room they offer up-stairs.

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Industriepalast

21.01.2011 //
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Opened in summer 2010, this hostel is tailor-made for the modern traveller. No more hassle with large keys, which have to be left at the reception when you’re gone, but like in modern hotels you get a key-card which gives you access to the front door as well as your room’s door. Besides that, the hostel offers all other amenities you could wish for. Shower and toilet are available in the rooms (some dorms do not have ensuite facilities and are therefore slightly cheaper) and there’s nice seating in the lounge downstairs, with reasonably priced beer available at the reception. There are computers available for use or you can get wifi access throughout the hostel for 3 euros a day, or 5 euros for 3 days, which I feel is cheap.

Although it wasn’t open for more than a few weeks when I was there, everything looked clean as could be, and I hope and think it stays that way. The hostel is just a few steps away from the U- and S-bahn station Warschauer Straße, through which all of Berlin is within reach, often without changing trains and all through the night. Party goers need not take any train, though, as Warschauer Straße is one of Berlin’s most infamous nightlife areas with clubs such as Watergate and Matrix (the latter of which I personally detest with a young, hip-hoppish public) around the corner and others such as Berghain and Badeschiff within 2 kilometers distance.

This hostel gets my full recommendation for anyone on a budget considering price, location, amenities and cleanliness are all perfect. The only downside I noticed is the low amount of power sockets in the room, which might prove problematic if everyone’s charging their cell phones as well as one combined shower/toilet on the room, which means you might have to wait until someone finishes showering before you can go for your morning pee, but there are also ‘public’ toilets elsewhere in the hostel.

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