Bar Tausend

At Schiffbauerdamm, next to Friedrichstraße S-Bahn station, only a steel door without a sign leads into Bar Tausend. The space is a converted railway arch where photography is prohibited and, due to its structure, there is no mobile phone reception. Every cocktail has its own playlist. For scene bars in Mitte, this has been the benchmark for over a decade.

Bar Tausend: Behind the Steel Door at Schiffbauerdamm

At Schiffbauerdamm 11, right next to Friedrichstraße S-Bahn station, there is no sign and no window front, but only an inconspicuous steel door in the wall under the railway arches. Behind it lies Bar Tausend, which has been one of Berlin’s most famous nightlife addresses for over a decade, and whose reputation is based primarily on what no one sees from the outside. One detail is even on the menu: The house filters and vitalizes its own tap water and completely foregoes bottled water for environmental reasons; a liter costs five euros.

The space itself is a converted railway arch: a long counter, subdued lighting, and acoustics into which a passing train blends every few minutes. Two house rules shape the evening more strongly than any door policy. Photography, filming, and audio recordings are prohibited on the premises; exceptions apply only to commissioned photographers. And because the arch is made of steel and concrete, there is simply no mobile phone reception inside. Payment is made in cash or by EC card.

Cocktails with Their Own Playlist and Eva Che’s Cantina

Bar Tausend’s drink menu is sorted by musical chapters, each drink assigned to its own playlist, from Urban Poets to Tausend Electronica. An Old Cuban with dark rum, champagne, lime, and mint costs 22 euros, a Heineken 6 euros. Almost every cocktail can be ordered upon request as a low-alcohol or alcohol-free version with a specified residual alcohol content, and the house prepares its own water instead of putting bottles on the table.

Behind the bar is the Cantina, run by chef Eva Che, with an open kitchen and the “Flying Cells” light installation by the artist duo Arotin and Serghej. Oysters, red-braised pork ribs, and eggplant are served; the room can be rented separately as a bar or backstage area. The music program alternates between live concerts, electronic evenings, and sets by Berlin and international DJs. Both together explain why Bar Tausend in Mitte is considered the benchmark for scene bars. In the back room, the Cantina by CHEHUB is now cooking under head chef Eva Che, who was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2024; above the open kitchen hangs the “Flying Cells” light installation by Arotin and Serghej.