Editorial Review

DDR-style dive bar hosting everything from dance parties to lit readings to avant-garde Yiddish cabaret. Having been around since the 1930s, this locale has its share of history and was even a meeting point for political dissenters and revolutionaries before the Wall came down, adding some rebel spice to its authentic Berlin flavor. Newer, adjoining lounge is modern and less grungy, while dance floor sports retro wood paneling, decaying floral wallpaper and Parisian cafe tables. Live bands, acoustic sets, DJanes and folk singers take turns during weekly programs, appealing to diverse audiences that include local old timers, throngs of giddy drunken exchange students, recent ex-pat implants and the rest of Mitte's fashionable fringe.