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Famous for its nightlife, its leftist politics, and its huge Turkish immigrant population, Kreuzberg – once a part of West Berlin – has always been known as a melting pot of immigrants, fringe groups, and members of the alternative scene.
Now in a unified Berlin, the neighborhood finds itself situated near Berlin’s geographic center and is home to a bevy of new restaurants, cocktail bars, and clubs.
Luckily, however, Kreuzberg has managed to maintain its culture, alternative flair, and low prices, and offers a host of ethnic eateries, easygoing bars, and plenty of clubs for all-night dancing.
Oranienstrasse, which runs through Heinrichplatz and down to Wiener Strasse, is the center of Kreuzberg’s nightlife where the streets are lined with pre-party bars and a wealth of rock, punk, and indie live music venues that attract hordes of offbeat but friendly denizens of the neighborhood.
Neukölln to the south touts a similar demographic, though it has yet to witness the same level of gentrification as Kreuzberg, and unemployment rates for residents are high. It’s also the largest borough in Berlin, with vast industrial stretches to the south that offer little in the way of nightlife.
That said, rising rents in recent years highlight an influx of students, artists, and bourgeois bohemians, and it’s probably the best place in town to discover a true Berlin dive. Visitors will also find plenty of wholly original cafés with a strong artistic focus, as well as funky clubs with cheap drinks to go with their ramshackle décor.
It’s undeniably gritty, but there are many true gems hidden beneath the less-than-esthetic surface, and adventurous sorts will probably end up dining on sustainable fare, sipping great cocktails, and talking politics with intellectual locals outfitted with piercings in places most people never thought possible.
20s / 30s / Acoustic / Alternative
Party Earth Review A bevy of young creative types are dawn to Ä, which despite its simple name touts a varied calendar of live entertainment hidden past the bedraggled and graffiti-plastered façade. The ... more
Weserstraße 40
12045 Berlin
20s / All Ages / Alternative / Bar
Party Earth Review Asking Parisian owner Emmanuel Girondin why he opened Manouche back in 2008 elicits a simple answer: “Berlin needed a crêperie.” Apparently he was right, because since then French ... more
Grimmstraße 23
10967 Berlin
20s / Club / Cover charge / DJ / EDM
Party Earth Review With its immense windows framing the city lights and offering a spectacular view of the beautiful Oberbaumbrücke, the famous bridge spanning the Spree River, Watergate wows its patrons ... more
Falckensteinstrasse 49
10997 Berlin
20s / 30s / Casual / Club / Club Kids
Party Earth Review The folks at Sage Club throw a rock and roll party every Thursday at this massive nightspot that draws a diverse and easygoing crowd from casual music lovers to trendy clubbers. The ... more
Köpenicker Straße 76
10179 Berlin
All Ages / All Types / Barbeque
Party Earth Review A microcosm of Kreuzberg itself, Görlitzer Park is a popular community gathering spot for everyone from blue-mohawked punks to blue-haired old ladies, with sporting grounds and swimming ... more
Bounded by Görlitzer Straße, Wiener Straße, Spreewaldplatz, and The Landwehr Canal
10999 Berlin
All Ages / Alternative / Beer / Bar
Reviewed by Núria C.
"My take Goldberg is a café-bar-restaurant that is very roomy indoors but also has an outdoor terrace to bask in the sunny days. Breakfast, lunch, cof ..." more
Reuterstrasse 40
12047, Berlin
20s / 30s / 40s / Bar / Café / Casual / Hip
Party Earth Review The trendy, upscale sister of the downstairs Junction Bar, Junction Café is a sleek bar and eatery that attracts a hip, young professional crowd. Inside patrons will find an elegant ... more
Gneisenaustrasse 18
10961 Berlin
18 and over / 20s / Club / DJ / Dance
Party Earth Review Though it’s easy to find the colossal Tresor – clubbers just have to look for the giant smoke stacks and listen for the wild techno beats – getting lost inside this enormous club is ... more
Köpenicker Strasse 70
10179 Berlin
30s / 40s / Ambient / Art / Artsy / Bar / DJ
Party Earth Review A beacon of class in a sea of dives, Yuma Bar combines art and theater with crafted cocktails and Belgian beers to offer a tasteful but still very casual night out. Opened in 2008 ... more
Reuterstraße 63
12047 Berlin
All Ages / All Types / Art / Artsy
Reviewed by Núria C.
"My take Fitzcarraldo is a café, bar, and a video store. It takes time to take a deep look into this place, there are a lot of kitsch figures, broken l ..." more
Reichenberger Straße 133
10999 Berlin
20s / 30s / Bar / Blues / Casual / DJ / Jazz
Party Earth Review Junction Bar is a live music venue with lots of character, a down-to-earth feel, and nightly featured bands that play everything from blues and jazz to rock and hip-hop. This candlelit ... more
Gneisenaustrasse 18
10961 Berlin