Vienna's Art Deco Cocktail Institution
Kruger's American Bar has operated on Krugerstrasse, a narrow street parallel to the Ringstrasse, since 1931. The interior is a precise Art Deco time capsule: banquette seating in dark leather, mirrored walls with geometric brass inlays, and a bar counter of polished mahogany that has witnessed the span of Vienna's 20th century. Hotels nearby come and go. Kruger's stays.
The cocktail programme focuses on the pre-Prohibition American canon, the drinks that the "American Bar" concept was built around. Martinis shaken to order, Old Fashioneds built properly with a single large ice cube, Manhattans made with decent rye and stirred rather than shaken. The bartenders here trained in the classical sense and treat the classics with the respect that the style requires. No unnecessary flourishes, no molecular foam, no smoked glass vessels. Kruger's approach is that a perfect classic is more impressive than a novel experiment.
The bar belongs in any comparison with the Loos American Bar, which is Vienna's most architecturally significant cocktail room and sits a short walk away. Where Loos impresses with design, Kruger's impresses with longevity. Both should be visited. For our full assessment of cocktail bars in Vienna, see the complete city guide.
What to Order at Kruger's American Bar
Start with the Dry Martini. At Kruger's it is made with Plymouth gin (the bar's house preference since the 1990s), the barest whisper of dry vermouth, and a single olive. It arrives so cold that the glass fogs. Budget €17 to €24 for cocktails. The Old Fashioned, using a small-batch Kentucky bourbon chosen by the head bartender each quarter, is a close second. Ask for the bourbon selection before deciding, the staff will run through the current options briefly and enthusiastically.
The bar also maintains a notable collection of single-malt Scotch, with strength in Islay expressions that pair unexpectedly well with the room's tight, dark atmosphere. A Lagavulin 16 at Kruger's in winter, sitting in a corner banquette, is an experience worth building an evening around.
The four drinks that define Kruger's.
Context and Getting There
Krugerstrasse 5 sits between the Staatsoper (State Opera) and the Stadtpark. The nearest U-Bahn is Stadtpark (U4) or Karlsplatz (U1/U2/U4), both a five-minute walk. The street is quiet and residential, which is why the bar has survived here without relying on tourist foot traffic.
Kruger's works best as an early evening stop, between 7pm and 9pm before the theatre crowd arrives after the opera. The bar fills quickly from 9:30pm and reservations for groups of four or more are advisable Thursday through Saturday. Solo drinkers almost always find a bar stool available, the bartenders at the counter are among the most informed in the city.
For a complete evening in Vienna that spans the city's history: start at Heuer am Karlsplatz for the contemporary scene, move to Kruger's for the mid-century classic, and end at Kleinod for Vienna's modern cocktail culture. Three bars, three completely different eras, all within walking distance of each other.