Franken

Kreuzberg / Neukölln, Berlin –

Franken has the feel of an old English pub with a punk attitude and the prices of a Berlin dive.

A huge wooden bar, complete with a boar’s head hanging above it, dominates the front of the pub, where posters and stickers for punk bands cover the wall and give some legitimacy to the bar’s reputation as a punk hangout.

Toward the back, red leather booths provide some contrast to the pub’s dark décor and are often filled with Franken’s loyal local patrons – although the Guinness on tap and a good selection of ciders also pulls in a sizable crowd of British expats.

While the music naturally tends toward rock and punk, it’s never overly loud and blends in with the patrons’ voices to create a boisterous pub atmosphere. And it is precisely because of that festive environment – and the cheap drinks – that Franken fills up and stays full almost every night of the week.