"Smoking Allowed" Bars in Germany
One counter, fourteen bar stools, the best ingredients, classic basic recipes with a creative twist and highly professional service: this is the minimalist secret of Gonçalo de Sousa Monteiro's magnificent bar, which rightly made it on to the charts of "The World's 50 Best Bars" ten years ago.
In August 2025, the elegant and cosy bar celebrated its tenth anniversary. As well as plenty of party evenings, this was also a good reason to add some new discoveries to the cocktail menu - from the dry and tart Jägermeister-based "One Shot" to the exotic "Silver Fig" with kota pandan liqueur, Imperii gin and fig.
It's not just about drinking here - it's about tasting, sipping and discovering. A series of mini cocktails focussing on tequila and mezcal with lots of attention to detail entice - how about the "Buttermilk Margarita" with agave and quince, "Red Flag" with strawberry liqueur, mint cordial and Aperol or "Death by Peanut" with chocolate liqueur and cream?.
The Limonadier cocktail bar in the Bergmannkiez neighbourhood feels like you've been transported back to the Roaring Twenties. The menu features exciting and original creations, reinterpreted classic cocktails and homemade lemonades. Many of the ingredients used are produced by the bar team themselves.
Don't worry: ageing bachelors are by no means the largest group of guests in this bar, which has long since become a classic. Regardless of whether it's mixed with gin, brandy or pisco: The cocktails always have an original twist. Enjoying a drink outside is particularly pleasant in summer. The party starts at 8 pm!
Knud Scheibelt's living room radiates the kind of serenity that only the really big bars have. Hardly anyone in Stuttgart knows more about malt whisky than the boss. Drinks from the 20th or even the 19th century can also be mixed - and the homemade vermouth is a big hit.
The trendy bar with its burlesque charm and chic ambience is a meeting place and stage for Frankfurt locals and their guests. A place to be, where the competent bar team not only serves classic cocktails and tried-and-tested long drinks, but also surprises with its own innovative creations.
As Berlin's oldest bar, the Rum Trader is still one of the top addresses for really good drinks in the capital. The atmosphere is intimate and personal, the furnishing style eccentric and reminiscent of the 70s. The bar is known of course for its excellent selection of different types of rum.
The old fiesta author and bullfighting admirer would probably have felt at home in the bar named after him in the hotel's vaulted cellar. You can imitate the legendary Ernest Hemingway and simply order a daiquiri, but you can also get detailed advice on particularly trendy drinks.
Have you tasted "pheasant blood" yet? At the Blauer Fasan, it's quite bloodless with gin, Carpano Bitter, raspberry and rosemary. Relaxed atmosphere for after-work beers and sophisticated cocktails - from classics to signatures. The "Pedro on a skiing holiday" with tequila, limoncello, milk foam and tonka is winter-proof, while the "Hamburg Mule" is refreshing.
The drinks mixed at Herr Lindemann in the quiet Rixdorf district of Neukölln promise a healing effect. They are made with lots of herbs, which, in combination with gin, rum and other spirits, are not only supposed to make you healthy, but also have a completely convincing flavour.
With dark wood, black leather, and the tangy aroma of almost 40 years of bar history, Franzotti is a Kreuzberg classic with a solid selection of cocktails and a mecca for whisk(e)y fans. There are hundreds of bottles of Scottish Islays, Canadian Rye whiskeys, and exclusive bourbons, which not just pleasing to the eye.
Meet up for an aperitif after work at the Salut! Classic Bar in Schöneberg. The menu features classics from the 1920s and 1930s, as well as the bar's own first-class drink creations. Bar owner Dejan Spasovski attaches great importance to high-quality ingredients, some of which are produced on site.
Tasty drinks are served at the long bar or in the cosy seating areas in the Hildegard Bar. The so-called "Poetry Drinks", which are inspired by personalities, are particularly fine, such as the "Bellini Fellini", a tribute to Federico Fellini made from port wine, peach puree and crémant.
When a bar becomes an experience, then you are usually in Kassel at King Schulz. Here, the bear dances to wacky music, the 1960s-style interior looks like it has fallen out of time and beer is drunk from the bottle. The menu also includes the world's legendary bar drinks.
Howdy - you should actually wear cowboy boots here, if only because of the decor. Local craft beer, bourbon or rye whisk(e)y and very good cocktails such as the "Stagger Lee Manhattan", which are mixed with homemade ingredients, are served with very good sound (an often underestimated bar accessory).
A little scruffy, a little nonchalant, but always bright in the head: unfortunately, the city is rarely as authentic as Berlin is in some places. TiER stands by its derangements, with old plush sofas, dim lighting and simply really good drinks - honest Neukölln.
In this pleasantly unspectacular neighbourhood, it is more by chance that you find a wonderful watering hole for real barflies. Named after the Prohibition gangster George Remus, the bar offers a surprisingly large selection of spirits of all kinds and impressive cocktails such as the "Waldspaziergang" or the non-alcoholic "La Bella Donna".
Bar Immertreu is no longer an insider tip, but an integral part of the Berlin bar scene. In the understated interior with subdued, warm lighting and art deco elements, you can enjoy classic cocktails and modern interpretations of your favourite drinks in cosy leather armchairs or at the long bar.
Hike or cross-country ski in the Upper Lusatian mountains, then relax in the luxurious spa and enjoy excellent fine dining cuisine and drinks in the evening: In the fairytale Mauritanian ambience of the beautiful hotel bar, you can round off the day with well-mixed and creative cocktails such as "Touch of Asia".