Nightlife and nightclubs in Berlin

Hi,

I'm coming to Berlin in about a week and would love any suggestions on where to go clubbing.

Aussie_Chick

Berghain http://berghain.de/
Club Maria http://www.clubmaria.de
Watergate http://www.water-gate.de/program/index.html

All three are very cool.

If you're looking for something a bit different, I've heard tell of the Russendisko, which may be found either at Kaffee Burger or Rodina.

Where are the most trendiest places to hang out in Berlin at night? Which are not pretentious but sociable?

Rodeo Club?

Rodeo club IS pretentious. But you may like it...

The Matrix club. Its not pretentious there.

I went to the club at the top of the tower in the Europa Center. The DJ was so-so but the view was great and atmosphere was really hip.

Club Felix is cool. You have to dress up though.

I am going to have to strongly recomomend AGAINST the Matrix. Its horrible. The music is shit, the place is generic, and the people are either tourists who don't know any better, sleezy guys looking to pick up on girls, or clubbers that couldn't get in anywhere else.

My suggestion would be to check out Watergate or 103 in Kreuzberg, or Privat Club, depending on the night. Cassieopia in F'shain is also good but again it depends on the night. Music can range from hip hop to salsa to soul to electro, so it depends on what you are into. And yeah, Berghain is an experience but I wouldn't get there before 5 or 6 am if I were you. Things usually tend to get really good around that time, in general, in clubs here.

There's also a handful of seriously gritty, underground, amazing places scattered around the city where you will not (hopefully, no offense) find tourists, but you will find amazing people and an amazing party. You can PM me for that info if you'd like... didn't want to spread it around to just anyone.

I'm staying in Berlin for a couple months and I was wondering what would be some good places to go clubbing? I'm a younger guy, 22, from the USA. Also, if anyone here has clubbed in the USA (LA area specifically), would you mind explaining some of the differences in USA clubbing to Berlin clubbing? I have no problem in the clubs in the USA, but the people in Berlin are entirely different. I've travelled extensively all over Europe and North America, but I have to say the people in Berlin are the biggest pricks in the world (no offense ), hands down. Yes, I'm sure everyone is nicer once you get to know them, but how the hell is that possible when everyone is such an uptight ass to begin with... I'm pretty sure walking up to girls and introducing myself like I do in LA won't fly here in Berlin, so yeah, any tips would be excellent, just want to meet some people in this city

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Learn the language asshole...seems like you have a problem.And yep I been clubbing also in USA and believe me for pricks take no further look than your own backyard in LA.I bet youre just another american who has come to Europe to see the real world...amd boy its is different from your own self destructing,consuming USA.
But on a lighter note check out Q-dorf for hot chicks...I think they have a gay corner too so you`ll fit just snug there.

Nice attitude, bro. There's plenty of clubs in Charlottenburg who just love to cater to people like you.

Enjoy.

No it won't. Wanna know a secret tip? To get a girl's attention here in Germany, wave your hand back and forth in front of your face (palm side facing your face).
It may sound strange, but it's a traditional Berlin flirting technique.
Works a charm every time.
You can thank me later

I am going to be the odd one out here, and my German husband is too.. and say that yes, in a lot of hip hop clubs or normal discotheques you will run into some jerks.. Its totally different than in the US, and I have been all over the US east coast clubbing, and Europe...

What kind of music are you into?

maybe I can help you find a club with friendlier people..

If you like good Electro, British Indie, and dance music like that.. you should try the Magnet Club in Prenzlauerberg on Thursday nights. The entry fee is cheap and the DJ is good on Thursdays! Good luck!

Gentle Jim:

I do speak the language... asshole... additionally, I'm here studying abroad to improve my German language skills even further and I'm sure that by the time I leave I'll be near fluent. I love how you immediately assume I'm some sort of ignorant American who has traveled to Europe thinking everywhere is just like where he's from. You're wrong, very wrong. Regardless, your response EPITOMIZES the kind of attitudes I've been getting from Berliners. A friend from Muenchen said its called Berlin Schnauzer or something along those lines. You ask for directions (auf Deutsch) around here and you get this "What the f*** are you doing?" look or they'll just look at you and literally just walk away. Try to start a conversation in a bar with a similarly aged group of people and they just sit and stare at you. I've lived LA, NY, various smaller west coast cities and travelled all over Europe. Berlin takes the cake for unapproachable unfriendly citizenry, hands down. I wasn't trying to insult Berlin in my first post, not by any meausre. It's a different place with a different culture, but you have to accept, even if you live here, that its not friendly, at all--I think I would like this place a whole lot more if I had grown up here.

I can understand the unfriendliness in other parts of Europe. For example, in France and especially the south of France (i.e. Nice, Eze, in and around Monte-Carlo) they get blitzkreiged with ignorant disrespectful tourists every summer who drive up house prices, food prices, cab prices, everything and then leave again once the weather turns. In Monte-Carlo its even worse--the locals (i.e. the people who clean everything around Monaco, not the billionaries) can't even afford transportation once the rich tourists descend on the area. In Berlin, you definitely do not have this problem. For the past two weeks I've been searching and mulling over what could be the cause for such unfriendliness, but I can't figure it out. Maybe someone can explain it to me, because, as always when I visit a new culture, I'm visiting to learn.

In response to your comments about assholes in my own backyard, if you clubbed here, then you are most certainly going to find pricks in the club. Many of the clubs here are all about flexin, stuntin, showin what you got--not a friendly thing. However, if you try to talk to people in regular bars or ask for directions on the street, you'll find everyone much more approachable, yes, even in the premier US snob cities like LA and NY.

This wasn't intended to be any sort of rant against Berlin, but if you're going to try to label me as some ignorant and disrespectful American, then this is the kind of reply you can expect.

sweetieberlin:
I prefer hip-hop clubs in the USA, but I've heard that Berlin is the best place to hear home-grown German techno, so I'd definitely like to experience that. Any place you can suggest where someone from a different culture is least likely to be an immediate outcast would be great

EDIT: I should point out that I have been having a great time in Berlin after meeting a bunch of people through my studies, however I'm studying at an international academy of sorts, so everyone I've been able to meet has not been a Berliner.

For techno, try Tresor. I'm no expert, and I'm sure there are possibly more underground venues than this venerable old institution, but if you love techno you will be in safe hands there. Re: the type of crowd you can expect, it's usually a real mix, pretty unpretentious, people just out to get trashed and dance. Have fun.

I'm coming to Berlin next weekend. So where's a good night spot for a hip middle age woman to hang out?

i have to disagree. i never met a person here that i thought was a total "prick." and when i came here i only knew basic german. ppl were more than happy to help me out if/when i needed any (in a shop, directions, etc.) having someone walk away after you've gotten their attention to ask them for some directions in their native language no less? never happened to me. that just seems strange to boot.

anyway, what kind of responses did you expect with your post? i mean, if you start a topic in a forum about/for/with berliners, what makes you think people will 1. help you out and 2. be nice to you when the first thing you post is about how us people in berlin are the "biggest pricks in the world" (and then try to play it off by saying "no offense" .. of course we're offended and you'll just perpetrate your nonsense stereotype because people will respond in prick-like manner since you asked for it in the first place, imo.) just try to think a bit before you post. ...and that's why there's the silly saying "you get more bees with honey." hint hint. so, saying that gentle jim's response "epitomizes" the kind of response you typically get, well... why don't you have a look at yourself before judging the people around you? (hmm.. i dont know much about him, but didnt that cool guy with the beard and the sandals a long ass time ago say something similar? can't really remember...)

ps. ok, you know the language, good for you. but it seems to me that you don't understand why people are the way they are here. so i would recommend picking up a book about the german psyche, or more specifically, reading up on the northern german or berliner psyche. berlin is an anomaly compared to other german cities and there are many reasons why.

tresor and maria have pretty awful crowds, mostly tourist/students/trashy kids from the suburbs that just like to be loud and get wasted. but if you fall into one or more of those categories, then those places are for you.

mareluna:

My biggest pricks in the world line wasn't meant to be taken seriously, it was crudely sarcastic, but no one really got that Why do you think I put "(no offense )" after it? Because it confirms that it is a ridiculous statement!

What I tried to add into my post before the 5 minute edit time limit expired was that I've been spending the last two weeks trying to figure out the German psyche, and trying to figure out why Berliners so snobbish. Whenever I visit a new place, I always assume that I won't immediately understand why people do the things they do, but that after time I'll begin to understand. Everywhere I've been this has worked well, but after almost three weeks here in Berlin, still haven't figured it out. Before visiting Berlin, I'd been everywhere else in Germany and loved it (especially Munich)--Berlin is just a very different place.

I also tried to edit in my post that some people have been very helpful and friendly here, but they've always been either 1. well-travelled or 2. not originally from Berlin.

I'm here for a while though so we'll see how things turn out.

it would be the same if i showed up on an LA forum and said "hey, everybody in LA is a shallow snobby asshole but i don't understand why...by the way, can anybody tell me where to go out on weekends?". btw, you're doing a very bad job of convincing anyone otherwise.

anywayyyyy...back on topic. tresor and maria are just fine in my opinion. the crowds are not "pretty people" but a more dedicated music crowd from the brandenburg area. if you want to find good looking people to bring back home, these are not the places to go but the music can be quite good if you like techno. they are dingy warehouse-style clubs but there is nothing inherently wrong with that. different strokes for different folks.

Don't mess with Maria and Tresor except for a laugh-- they're just dorfdiscos for Brandenburgers these days (which isn't a good thing). Try Weekend, Berghain and Watergate. Bar25 if it's still open (and you feel like doing a line or two). Also anywhere near Schlesisches Tor (Monarch and the bar next to it at Kottbusser Tor are also good).

Walking up to girls on the streets here works as well as it does anywhere else, as does approaching them in bars. The girls you would approach won't even be from Berlin.

Viel spass and check your attitude at the door.

i could do with some help on finding clubbing venues. For the past few weekends ive tried a variety of clubs only to be told a blunt NO by the bouncers. Im not exactly under age nor badly dressed and nor do i turn up off my face. I always ask why they refuse me entry and the excuses vary. Its hard enough to make new friends having recently moved to Berlin so being turned away regularly for no reason isnt really helping. I dont wish to discuss the possible reasons why im getting turned away as even though i have a clear idea why.

On the whole im finding Berlin to be a lovely place to live with lots going on and friendly people. So im hoping you guys can recommend some places where the music is good and theres possibilities of meeting people. I can pretty much listen to anything although im not really a techno fan.

it could help if you list the venues where you got bounced away...
normally it's not a problem to get in clubs (at least the non-techno non-"exclusive" ones) in berlin, so I'm wondering what happened... in some clubs the bouncers are kind of racist against turkish-looking people...
anyway, there are lots of clubs in berlin in which entry isn't refused...
did you try cassiopeia, lovelite, Pavillon, RAW-Tempel, bang bang club, fire club, grüner/roter salon, kaffee burger, mudd club, sophienclub, duncker, frannz, icon, nbi, lido?

Thanks Toby, that gives me a pretty good list of venues to check out. I don't want to list the names of the clubs as theyre probably good venues so wouldn't want to put people off. I'm off Indian origin so i guess that puts me in the 'turkish looking category' Still id be as bad as the bouncers if i judged them so just let it be..

Well i look forward to a few weeks like ive done something wrong now
many thanks

--------------
did you try cassiopeia, lovelite, Pavillon, RAW-Tempel, bang bang club, fire club, grüner/roter salon, kaffee burger, mudd club, sophienclub, duncker, frannz, icon, nbi, lido?

Anyone who haven´t checked out Berghain/Panorama bar should do so right away.
I just dig the crowd, the music, the vibe...
And I must admit that it gives me a certain pleasure to see hot blondes being refused entrance...

But just don´t behave like a (group) of drunken tourists, and you will probably get in.

I'm going to Berlin this weekend. Can anyone recommend a brit poppy or indie type place in Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg for friday or saturday night that isn't Knaack or Kaffee Burger cos I've been to them loads of times and fancy a change? Also 80s or whatever actually as long as it isn't techno or full of posh people because that isn't my thing.

We can't. The reason is that they really don't exist in Berlin. This is because Berlin really is in the sticks - and moreover, is located deep in the GDR as we know - so no, I'm sorry, there's no life to speak of here... and particularly, none of the sort you seem to be after.

Boo-ho-hoo. But that's just us, making do in our plattenbaus living on the dole.

PS. Sorry. My 1st post on this board and it's crap. I know.

PPS. Disregard this answer. Testing only.

Great test.
So for all of you who want to search after clubs there is this great clubguide berlin:
http://www.clubguideberlin.de/clubguide/clubguide.php
where you can search after musical style, district... and it is really comprehensible in most cases.
just click on the links to be sure, that your date features the right party...
for me the best indiepop club was Rosi's, especially in summer month cause of the nice outdoor area. sometimes it can get rather crowded though.

I went to the last White Noise Party at White Trash Bar (every other Saturday and it's this upcoming Saturday) and had a blast. The music was great (SO NICE NOT TO HEAR ANY CRAP TECHNO) and the people were nice.

Aside from that I've heard that Bang Bang Club on Friday nights is a good indie dance party. Magnet Club is also nice. And I've heard some interesting things about Picknick but have never been..

TobyG: thanks for the link - great site!

Berlin club suggestions:

1) Tresor. Yes it does get its fair share of tourists (although Berghain is now officially the most tourist filled club in Berlin) but is definitely worth checking out as the Tresor name is part of techno history, although in my opinion the label has declined in recent years, the best thing they've put out lately was Christian Vogel's Neverengine album. Dates of note coming up would be Scotland's finest Dave Tarrida on the 15th of August. The place Tresor is at now isn't actually the original club, that was knocked down a few years ago.
http://www.tresorberlin.de/

2) Club Maria. Another "non-hip" club, due to its lack of minimal techno I suppose, which in my mind makes it better than most. Maria is usually where they get the more alternative line-ups. This Saturday Cylob from Rephlex Records (the label Aphex Twin co-runs) will be playing as well as Skam Record's Rob Hall (Skam is where Boards of Canada started off before Warp poached them)
http://www.clubmaria.de/

3) Berghain. Currently number one in Resident Advisor's "Top 100 Clubs", expect two hour queues unless you get there pretty early or pretty late. Full of tourists, but still pretty decent. The main Berghain floor is home to the harder techno (Birmingham's Surgeon is playing there in September, one night I'd definitely recommend), the Panorama Bar is more geared towards the housier end of things (best thing I saw there was the Environ label night a few months ago). I I find the music mostly a bit dull myself, I also don't think most people go there for the music but more for the atmosphere.
http://www.berghain.de/

4) Watergate. Definitely "fancier" than the other clubs mentioned so far, Watergate gets some good line-ups but most of them are of the minimal techno (eg Troy Pierce played last night) or tech-house (Get Physical, Mandy etc) variety. They've got a pretty cool looking ceiling with crazy lights upstairs. Flicking through the line-up I'd say go check out Matt John on the 28th of August.
http://www.water-gate.de/

5) Week-End. Some people go mad for this place, I personally think it's pretty good but not amazing. The roof is open in summer which affords a great view of the construction work going on in Alexanderplatz. Music policy is close to Watergate's, the Mobilee Lovers weekend on the 9th of August looks pretty good. They also have Moby (Moby!?!?) playing there on the 7th of August! I don't know whether to cry or laugh...
http://www.week-end-berlin.de

6) Club Der Visionaere. An Irish girl I've been hanging out with told me that every single time she goes to this place she picks up a new guy. It's a great small bar/club type thing on the River Spree, very relaxed atmosphere and free in every time I've been there. More a small private party than a proper nightclub, well worth checking out and one of my favourites on this list. Mostly outside though so not so great when it's raining. Music was a mix of plinky plonky Perlon style house stuff, but one night the DJ played a Glass Domain track which totally knocked me off the seat and made me get up and do a robot dance.
http://www.clubdervisionaererecords.com/source/main.htm

7) Icon. I've only been here once so far, the actual club has a pretty cool underground cavern feel to it, music policy seems to be drum n' bass or else Ninja Tune style instrumental hip-hop (I saw DJ Food play the time I was there, bit of a disappointment actually). I'd like to check this place out again sometime, could be a nice alternative to the minimal techno you hear at most places in Berlin.
http://www.iconberlin.de (site seems to be down right now)

8) Birthday Party Berlin. Mentalist breakcore/noise/anything goes club co-hosted by DJ Donna Summer (no, not that Donna Summer). DSP merchants such as Kid 606 were booked to play the last time, the venue changes so check their site for the next show.
http://www.birthdaypartyberlin.com/

9) Bar 25. This is another great club by the river, I was actually here four years ago (during Love Parade Week in 2004, the actual parade was cancelled) and one of my friends was sitting on a windowsill and fell off it as he became unconscious due to partying too much, we stuck a donner kebab into him and he was fine though. I haven't actually been here since I moved to Berlin but it's on the list. Check their website for listings.
http://www.bar25.de/

10) University of Bohannon. I think this is mostly a more commercial hip-hop (uh oh!) style of club, but once a month these guys come in and run what I can only describe as the best night in the universe called "Rap History Berlin". Each month they do a year (they're doing 1988 in August, it was 1987 the month before and so on) and they only play old school electro, hip-hop electrofunk music from that year! I'm a huge fan of this type of music so I was in my element the last few times I was there (if names like Mantronix, Man Parrish, Egyptian Lover, Ultramagentic MCs mean anything to you then you'll love this place). Egyptian Lover actually played there for the 1984 night in April which was the best night out I've had in Berlin so far. Berlin doesn't get much proper electro (proper electro being the kind that's made from 808s), hence why I love this place.
http://www.myspace.com/raphistoryberlin

11) Arena Club. I haven't actually been here yet, but saw a few posters with some half decent listings for it so may be worth checking out. http://www.arena-berlin.de/

12) Dr. Pong. This isn't a club at all but I DJ here every so often so I thought I'd stick it in (hey, I'm writing this guide I'm allowed some advertising space!). It's a small bar in Prenzlauer Berg with a ping-pong table, I'm playing there this Sunday (3rd of August) and also in September on the 6th (a Saturday I think) and probably once a month-ish after that also.
http://www.drpong.net/

So, that's all I can think of at the moment! Berlin is a veritable smorgasbord (that's what they say in American right?) of clubs and places that play music. Whatever your taste I'm sure you'll find something good. On the "Berliners in clubs are unfriendly", I'd say that compared to Americans, who are usually more quick to talk to you in a club, native Berliners can seem a little cold but any effort you make is usually well rewarded, just don't be put off by a few curt answers at the start of a conversation! Speaking German probably also helps, I am ashamed to say I don't speak a word of German yet but then again I'm Irish and we have special powers when it comes to talking to strangers in an alcohol fuelled environment.

I'll update this list if I find anything else good, enjoy your time clubbing in Berlin!

Maria and Tresor is predominantly "non-hip" because of the non-hip suburbian crowd (e.g. brandenburg) partying there. and because they were about ten times better five years ago...

whatever: great, great list!
Arenaclub is in fact a great club, not so pretentious as the other ones, better crowd than maria and tresor, good interieur, good bookin (although on the "minimal" side).

@missDigital: Picknick is some sort of über-hip "underground" electro/clash club, like Rio some years ago. hard to get in sometimes, because it is also overcrowded.

what about ritterbutzke, zpyz, lido, west germany, c-base, goldengate...?

ssshhhhh, we try to keep em semisemisecret

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about C-Base (http://www.c-base.org/), it was pretty dead the one time I was there but I've been assured that was slightly out of the ordinary. Must go visit again as the interior decor looked pretty interesting!

I'll be over in Berlin again in September, is there something on every night of the week (and if so do these clubs stay open really late or just normal?) or is it just at the weekends mainly?

mainly of course at the weekend. but there are clubs open all week long, opening times are different from club to club, but most stay open till at least 5 o'clock or so also in the week. there are also some clubs with quite exotic opening hours (delicious doughnuts for example with 5 am tuesday and friday mornin). theoretically, it is possible to party all week long. have a look for example at http://www.berlin030.de/index.php/componen...rty/