LGBTQ+ Berlin – the city’s best gay bars, clubs and saunas

A local legend, Monster Ronson’s Ichiban Karaoke has undergone a facelift in recent years, but the on-stage stripper pole is very much still intact. There are plenty of private booths for shyer songbirds, but the real magic happens in the main room. The drag shows on Tuesdays are also worth your while. Arrive early for the new talent showcase (always a treat) and stay for the seasoned performers later.

Tucked away in a busy post-industrial complex in Friedrichshain, Zum Schmutzigen Hobby is both bar and club in one. You’ll find the cream of the Berlin queer scene here, as well as the occasional international celeb slumming it in style (Rupert Everett and, erm, Tara Reid have both been spotted here). The regular drag shows are a favourite.

It was over a century ago that the homosexuals of the Wilhelmine period would congregate around the bars and cafés of Mitte’s Mulackstrasse. Today, as one of the few gay bars left in Mitte, Betty F*** remains a favourite for gays, hipsters and fashionistas looking for a kickstart to the evening.

As well as being one of Berlin’s most prized museums, the Schwules has a quiet café for those looking for something more downtempo. Pop into one of the rotating exhibitions on gay, lesbian and trans history, peruse the abundant books and magazines stored upstairs, and then chill out over a quiet coffee or beer.

With its warm open-door policy, SilverFuture is as friendly and welcoming as its clientele. Stop by for a beer and stick around for the crowd that streams in as the night descends. This relatively cosy spot can get quite packed, but that’s all part of the fun. Make yourself at home while taking in the maximalist décor.

It’s an odd location for a gay bar, wedged among Turkish snack bars in a down-at-heel 1960s housing development, but this unpretentious space has been packed since it opened, mainly with gay and lesbian beer lovers, thanks to the excellent range of brews on offer. The crowd has swelled in recent years, with students, artists and hipsters now in the know, but the infamous Thursday nights are still a blast.

Hotfoot it to one of Berlin’s most notorious cruising bars for a heady taste of the city’s queer scene. With raging parties and a labyrinthine dark room, there’s a reason Ficken 3000 has become a legend among locals looking for a drink, dance and a flamboyant good time. The bar’s entrance on Urbanstrasse is relatively discreet – look for the rainbow flag painted above its door and ring the buzzer if you dare.

Established in the early 1970s, this is one of the city’s oldest gay cafés and is located off the beaten Schöneberg track. Formerly Anderes Ufer (‘The Other Side’), Neues Ufer (‘The New Side’) was a go-to hangout for David Bowie during his late-1970s Berlin exile; he lived a few doors down on Hauptstrasse. Come here for a chilled-out daytime latte. 

Tiny, tasteful and terribly nice, this small bar caters to an upscale Mitte crowd mainly pouring in for a post-work cocktail or two. Owner Johann Courgibet has lovingly created a homage to his hometown (hence the name), adding details including boat planks piled atop one another to create the distinctive central bar. It’s often crowded in the early evening, so either get there in good time or head down late.