Helmut Kohl Bar

Kreuzberg / Neukölln, Berlin –

Named after the famous statesman who oversaw German reunification, Helmut Kohl is an understated and event-driven bar located on quiet and quaint Emser Straße.

For the artists and other creative types flocking to Neukölln in search of cheap rent, HK provides an alternative to the standard Berlin student bar. Instead of second-hand furniture that someone may have died in, thirsty young patrons gather around the classy wooden furnishings that dress the otherwise barren space, warmed by the low flicker of candlelight and some of the cheapest whiskey sours in town.

The bohemians who frequent the place aren’t the sort who the famously conservative Kohl would have chosen to hang with, but the venue’s sobriquet is meant to inspire memories and provoke discussion, not celebrate a political dynasty.

The two-room venue fills quickly on event nights, which include monthly art exhibits by the Greek Art Troupe and performances from the Knock Knock Who’s There company, promising a diverse assortment of festive and invariably odd live action.

Also popular is PowerPoint Karaoke, which involves booze-filled creative types gathering on stage to give impromptu presentations as random PowerPoint clips are projected on the wall.

Recurring bands from jazz to acoustic folk fill the rest of the packed schedule, so whether guests are searching for a quiet drink deep inside Berlin’s ever-migrating art scene or a night of creative entertainment, Helmut Kohl is waiting.