OTP’s Guide to the Best Clubs in Berlin
The epitome of broke but sexy, nightlife in Berlin certainly has swagger like us. The fall of the Wall birthed the rise of a raging nightclub scene that pounds well into the day, blaring house music in multi-level warehouses. Since roaming tricky streets in search of an unmarked building can be a big bitch, OTP’s here to walk you through the backdoor to Berlin’s wildest nightclubs.
Some of the biggest and best in the world, Berlin’s clubs do have difficult doors. Don’t let the feeling of being eyeraped by a smug bouncer throw off your game–you’re a rockstar and you know it. A city of artists, the dress code is more of a moral code to just be yourself. Don’t be the uncomfortably awkward penguin in a button-down unless you wanna get tossed like an unlucky horseshoe. If you’re scared or just want to play it safe, arrive when the club opens and sit tight for a few hours ‘till the cool kids come. Once inside, be the Berliner: calm and confident, your shit stinks yet you still feel fresh as peppermint Schnapps. The Berliner always pays with cash because–well, fuck banks, right? Treat the entire city like you’re holding an invite to an exclusive party and don’t be afraid to mingle. Get a few drinks in you and rave like you’ll never remember.
Berghain
Bordering the popular Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain districts, Berghain is better known for hanging somewhere between real life and fantasy…a dark, hedonistic fantasy. Two floors give structure to the former power station: Berghain on the main and Panorama Bar (which favors house over techno) upstairs. A huge venue through and through, Berghain consistently ranks among the world’s top 10 clubs, attracting the biggest of big-name DJs and pumping parties from Saturday night nonstop through Monday morning. No humping in the hostel? Feel free to bang anywhere you’d like. As the night progresses, the club turns into an orgy of mythological worth. If you’re uncomfortable getting it on while Todd the truck driver rubs his belly watching, head to the basement where there’s plenty of secluded dark rooms. Remote control shutters for sealing out the light and strict restrictions on cameras and mirrors assure that your sneaky secrets are safe at Berghain. As for trying to figure out if your partner is hot or not, better get your night vision prescription up to date.
One of the more glamorous venues in Berlin, Weekend takes over the 12th, 15th and rooftop floors of the seemingly plain Haus des Reisens office building (the one with the Sharp Aquos ad on top) in the touristy Alexanderplatz district. Strong drinks and a lively young crowd keep the building bumping all weekend, starting on Thursdays, its best night. The real seller is the rooftop, so try to catch this club in the summer when it’s open. Fuck the nearby TV Tower and its $12 admission’s views; look at the same city at Weekend while shaking your ass and toasting a drink to the sunrise.
Once the techno club king of Berlin and arguably the world, Tresor continues to blast beats hard enough to knock down any still-standing sections of the nearby Wall. Set in an old power station that once fueled the city, the music on all three levels of the club pumps power into the tranced clubheads that you’ll find here on Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays (its strongest night).
OTP Tip: Tresor (like many Berlin clubs) will often issue you a marker when you buy a drink. This isn’t a souvenir toy. These markers are a way to raise drink prices without actually raising them. A $3 drink will cost you $4, but you’ll get a marker. Return the marker to the bartender to get your dollar back. At the end of the night, most people are too drunk to remember the rule, which is when you scrounge the place collecting yours, your friends’ and that drunk girl (who was too busy grinding the electricity ball)’s markers and score enough change to party tomorrow.
Bar 25 closed and Kater Holzig opened in its place as a bigger, badder, refreshed rendition of the world-renowned hotspot along the Spree river. Two dancefloors sit atop grounds that are decorated with wacky circus hedonism. Tents and awnings keep the party flowing smoothly inside and out regardless of the weather. Stocked with an indoor cinema and restaurant to compliment the club, Kater Holzig is an all day experience and has earned a reputable name for itself that’s far greater than “The new Bar 25”.
Floor to ceiling glass windows and end to end LED lights make Watergate seem more pretentious than it really is. Despite the fancy decor, the scene is just as raw as an underground shitty warehouse, but hey–nobody ever objected to a little extra eye candy, right? Split levels separate house and techno and the main floor is covered with flat screens that show trippy geometric shapes transforming with the music, for simultaneous eye and ear stimulation. Watergate’s outdoor patio hangs over the Spree so when the raving intensity has your body trickling sweat, chill on a couch outside and watch the sun crack over the beautiful Oberbaumbrücke bridge.
These clubs are the fat floating on top of a huge club scene that doesn’t start to pump hard until 3 a.m. Get lost in the city’s streets covered with restaurants, bars and smaller clubs and when the night is ripe, suck in your cheeks, pre-roll a few cigarettes, get comfortable in your coolest clothes and start tasting the cream of the club crop.
A mind and body traveller who thrives on recollection and anticipation, all the while decorating the crossroads.
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS Feed
I went to Watergate last time I was in Berlin but got a bit bored of the music after a while. I know Berghain has a notorious reputation but I would like to try the place next time I visit the city!
Yup, you definitely have to party your ass off at all the clubs so you can have a fair comparison. You know, for research purposes.