The Best Bars in Charlottenburg, Berlin

Bar am Steinplatz sits inside the Hotel am Steinplatz off Hardenbergstrasse, with a low lit room and a precise cocktail list. The Steinplatz Sour anchors the menu. Service runs late and the bar fills with hotel guests and locals alike.

A-Trane on Bleibtreustrasse has hosted Berlin jazz since 1992, with nightly sets and a tight bar at the back. The A-Trane Manhattan suits the room. Arrive early on weekends for a seat near the stage.

Monkey Bar perches on the 25hours Hotel above Budapester Strasse, looking over the Zoo and the Tiergarten. The Banana Joe is the signature pour. Reserve a terrace table or queue early, since the view fills the room.

Velvet on Joachim-Friedrich-Strasse keeps a quiet residential corner of Charlottenburg, with a long highball list and an unhurried pace. The Velvet Highball is the order. It runs Tuesday through Saturday into the early hours.

Bar Zentral tucks into the Lotte-Lenya-Bogen near Savignyplatz, a small room that locals treat as a neighbourhood secret. The Zentral Spritz starts the night. It opens Tuesday through Sunday and seats fill fast.

Quasimodo on Kantstrasse runs a basement stage that has carried Berlin jazz and soul for decades. The Quasimodo Pale keeps the bar moving between sets. Buy tickets ahead for the bigger names.

Provocateur Bar sits in the Provocateur Hotel on Brandenburgische Strasse, a 1920s themed room with red velvet and a long list. The Provocateur 75 is the house pour. It works for a late date or a nightcap.

The Western Bar on Kantstrasse keeps a casual room with whiskey highballs and regular live sets. The Whiskey Highball is the easy order. It opens daily and suits a low key start to the evening.