Rockcafé HALFORD

Heavy Metal Bar on Mainzer Straße in Friedrichshain

Mainzer Straße branches off Frankfurter Allee in Friedrichshain’s Boxhagener Kiez and is primarily a residential street. Behind house number 15, the Rockcafé Halford has been a fixture of Berlin’s heavy metal scene since 1991, named after the singer of one of the most famous British metal bands. Inside, it’s colorful and dark at the same time: neon lights in violet and blue, posters on the walls, chains, skulls, and a displayed guitar. A bust of the namesake is also part of the decor, as is a small shop with its own merchandise. All rooms are air-conditioned, and those who wish to smoke can use a dedicated ventilated smoking room. The address is reachable via Samariterstraße subway station in about a four-minute walk, and via tram and bus at Wismarplatz in about three minutes. This makes Rockcafé Halford unusually convenient for a metal bar, without being stuck on a party strip. Reserved tables are only held for a limited time and then released. The venue deliberately bears the singer’s name and has accumulated its own small collection over the years.

Fourteen Beers on Tap, Pinball, and the Metal Gods Open Air

The Rockcafé Halford is not just a concert bar, but a place where you can spend an entire evening. Fourteen beers are on tap, along with cocktails, long drinks, and liqueurs. Cocktails range from 7.20 to 10.50 Euros, a half-liter from the tap costs 4.90 Euros as a weekly special, and if you order five, you pay for four. For games, there’s a billiards table, two dart machines, a foosball table, and a pinball machine. Musically, they host release parties, meet and greets, after-show events, unplugged concerts, and music video nights, plus record fairs and performances by cover bands. The annual highlight is their own Metal Gods Open Air. The heated terrace offers forty-eight seats. Payment can be made in cash and by card, a ramp is available, but guests with mobility impairments are asked to announce their visit beforehand. All areas are video-monitored, and staff intervene quickly in case of disputes. Anyone who has seen the inside of the venue understands why it has been running for over three decades and why the audience ranges from teenagers to regulars from day one.