Berlin and Amsterdam recommended bars and restaurants
 

My partner and I, along with another couple, will be in Berlin from 6/21 through 6/24, and in Amsterdam 6/25 through 6/29. Does anyone have any recommendations regarding any upscale restaurants and cocktail bars/piano bars that are gay owned, operated or patronized by other gay people? Thanks!

You will be in Berlin for Christopher Street Day (Gay Pride) so the gay scene will be pretty lively more so than usual.

Behind Hackescher Markt is The Liberate which tries to be one of the swankier places in Mitte...across the street was a dear friend's bar The Sharon Stonewall which has since closed. Schöneberg is the "older" gay area (think The Castro or Christopher St NYC) where you can also find the dirtier sex clubs and fetish parties.

I would suggest just popping into any of the gay bars you may be around the first night you are there and you can pick up a copy of BLU which usually has the whole month's party listings and adverts for gay friendly businesses.

While not gay owned/operated but places I favor to eat include Alpenstueck, Dos Palios and Dudu.

I've been to Berlin many times and my partner is actually originally from Berlin.

Berlin is not the place for swanky upscale bars, IME. Just popped the question to him and he confirmed.

If anything, the gay crowd in Berlin is mostly the opposite.

There are a lot of fancy and expensive bars in Berlin, they will all be gay friendly, as anything in Berlin. Harry's New york in Ku'dam is pretty nice. Also "Catwalk bar".(not gay)

The bar at the Axel Hotel (gay) may fit what you are looking for. But on gay pride weekend, it might get too busy.

That's the beauty of Berlin...which is why the only "swanky" gay bar/lounge I can muster up would be The Liberate. But even then sitting across the street from it many nights at SSW it didn't seem to have much traffic.

In Amsterdam, try supperclub:

http://travelwithscott.files.wordpre...sh-visual1.jpg

www.supperclub.com

You'll need to book now for a table.