LGBTQ+ Berlin: 13 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.

Opened in 2004 on the border between the Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain districts, Berghain has long been known for its techno and minimal techno music scene. It’s just as celebrated for its queer-friendly rooms that are dedicated to sexual pleasure-seeking. All of this has contributed to the Berlin club’s extreme and one-of-a-kind reputation that has travellers desperate to enter its front doors.

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.

A former beer-slinger from Möbel-Olfe opened this bar for Kreuzberg’s increasingly large gay population in 2010. Located under the round- about housing development at Kottbusser Tor, the mixed (but girl-heavy) crowd enjoy nightly drinks and dancing, as well as many one-off rock parties. The Kottywood party is a popular go-to for gays and lesbians looking to cap a Friday night grinding to Latin, retro and pop music. Südblock also serves food, ranging from breakfast to midnight snacks.