Dachkammer (DK Bar)

Friedrichshain, Berlin –

A daytime café, a funky pub, and a retro cocktail bar all manage to coexist at Dachkammer, a combination that keeps the bi-level space full of artsy regulars throughout the day.

Afternoons see hordes of college kids gathered at the street-side tables for coffee and a smoke, while other patrons wander past the multi-colored tribal sign and into an airy room full of mismatched chairs, cozy couches, and rustic touches like iron chandeliers and bottle-strewn shelves.

A small menu of light fare like pudding, fresh olives, and nachos juxtaposes a sizeable selection of booze, which includes traditional domestics on tap, a nice array of mostly UK imports, and a multi-page cocktail list that covers most of the classics and dips into tropical touches like Banana Coladas and Planters Punch.

Arbitrary sombreros loom over the tiny upstairs bar, where scattered vintage sofas and multiple nooks offer ideal spots for friends to chill with a daily cocktail special, while a small, plant-strewn balcony is a perfect place for people-watching on to Simon-Dach-Straße.

International students and hip mellow locals keep both floors buzzing long into the night, though even with a full house, conversation is always king in this joint, except when the occasional live band is scheduled.

A versatile neighborhood haunt, Dachkammer is where new friends go to get to know one another better, chat, and maybe sneak a slurp from someone else’s cocktail.