Vienna's Most Intimate Cocktail Bar
Kleinod, which translates from German as "jewel" or "precious thing," is exactly that. A 28-seat cocktail bar on Backerstrasse in Vienna's 1st District that operates with the quiet confidence of a place that knows what it is and has no interest in being anything else. No sign on the door, no presence on social media until recently, and a reservation policy that fills the room weeks in advance on weekend nights.
The bar was opened in 2012 by bartender Michael Rinderer, who trained across Austria and Germany before returning to Vienna to build the cocktail bar he wanted to drink in. The result is a dark, low-ceilinged room lined with spirits bottles, lit almost exclusively by candlelight, where the conversation is hushed and the drinks are taken seriously. In a city that tends toward grandeur, Kleinod is notable for its deliberate smallness.
The cocktail menu rotates seasonally, organized around a central theme that changes three times a year. A recent menu built around "melancholy" featured drinks named after Viennese literary figures and was as considered as it sounds. For the full landscape of hidden gem bars in Vienna, this one belongs at the top of every list.
What to Drink at Kleinod
The bar's own house Negroni variation has been on the menu since opening and has never been removed because regulars would revolt if it were. It uses a house-made barrel-aged vermouth, Campari substituted with a bitter Austrian gentian liqueur, and Rinderer's preferred gin from a Tyrolean small-batch distillery. It is better than most Negronis you will encounter in more celebrated rooms. Expect to pay €16 to €22 for cocktails and around €8 for a well-chosen digestif.
The bar stocks roughly 400 spirits, with particular depth in Austrian schnaps, Japanese whisky, and Italian amaro. Staff approach spirit pairings the way a good sommelier approaches wine, matching the drink to your mood and the direction of your evening rather than steering toward the expensive options.
Four drinks that define what Kleinod does.
Finding Kleinod and Getting In
The address is Backerstrasse 3, a narrow street running between Stubenbastei and the old city wall. The door is plain dark wood with no name plate visible from the street. Ring the bell and someone will open it. If you have not booked, ask politely whether there are seats at the bar: those four spots are sometimes held back for walk-ins. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are your best chance without a reservation.
Kleinod belongs on the same evening as Loos American Bar, which is ten minutes on foot and provides a necessary historical counterpoint. The Loos bar shows you where Vienna's drinking culture came from; Kleinod shows you where it is heading. Both are essential. Vienna's cocktail scene is also well-served by Kruger's American Bar for a more accessible version of the classic cocktail tradition.
Read our complete guide to the best bars in Vienna for a full evening's itinerary across the city's neighbourhoods.