The Best Bars in Mitte, Berlin

Buck and Breck hides behind an unmarked door on Brunnenstrasse, seating about a dozen guests around a single counter. The house Buck and Breck cocktail gives the room its name. Reserve ahead, since walk in space is rare.

Windhorst sits a short walk from Friedrichstrasse station on Dorotheenstrasse, a small jazz leaning bar known for its martini. The bartenders work without a printed menu and build to taste. It runs late every night.

The bar at Borchardt on Franzosische Strasse pours champagne beside the restaurant's marble columns. It draws a dressed up crowd before and after dinner. Book the dining room first if you want a table.

The Pearl sits inside the Hotel Adlon Kempinski on Behrenstrasse, steps from the Brandenburg Gate. The room leans classic, with an Adlon Old Fashioned as the signature. Expect hotel bar prices and polish.

Clarchens Ballhaus on Auguststrasse has run as a dance hall since 1913, with a mirrored upstairs room and a courtyard for summer. Sekt by the glass and live bands keep the floor moving. Go early on weekends for a seat.

B-Flat on Dircksenstrasse books acoustic jazz most nights, with the stage close to the tables. The room is small and the sets start around nine. Arrive early when a known act plays.

Tausend Cantina sits behind the Tausend bar on Schiffbauerdamm, pairing mezcal forward drinks with a short Mexican menu. The room opens Wednesday through Saturday. Entry is easier earlier in the night.

Mein Haus am See on Brunnenstrasse opens from morning to late, with tiered seating and a mate mule on the list. It works as a cafe by day and a bar after dark. There are no reservations, so claim a step and stay.