Ankerklause Bar / Café

Kreuzberg / Neukölln, Berlin –

Perched over the Spree River canal near the famous open-air Türkenmarkt, Ankerklause is a cozy former boathouse known for its casual daytime vibe, heavy-handed drinks, and raucous late-night parties.

Catering to everyone from young university students to retired couples out for a weekend stroll, the venue features a small menu with big items like the Mexican breakfast, French toast, and several gut-busting burgers, all perfect for coating the stomach before diving into the much larger – and mostly under €5 – drinks menu.

The small interior, with its old wooden furniture, seaside décor, and kitschy fish-patterned wallpaper, stays full most days with a diverse crowd of hungry customers, and seating can be especially sparse on market days when the outdoor patios serve as a hub for weary shoppers.

Both patios – one out front and the other directly over the canal – are also popular for relaxing day-long conversations and snuggling in to catch the sunset on a warm summer night.

Families and errant old farts are long gone by 11pm, when the lights dim, the kitchen closes, and the jukebox amps up to draw an evening crowd of local young bohemians and curious tourists who remain on their feet long into the night.

For anyone in need of a coma-inducing breakfast before setting sail on a long day or a few powerful drinks to anchor an even longer night, Ankerklause is Das Boot to satisfy.

Great movie, by the way. Jürgen Prochnow rocks.