The daytime hours of sipping cocktails, ‘learning’, conversing with the cocktail-educated types and generally pretending to look like I’m important came to an end for me around 6 PM. I walked back to the hotel and had a spirited debate with the street corner bratwurst guy about why hot dogs are ultimately superior. (Don’t ask, I was pretty buzzed)
So I got my sexy nap on real quick and then it was game on. Since I don’t know a soul here, I ended up emailing the Chancellor Of Berlin bars, Helmut Adam, and he gave me some suggestions on where to go solo.
Quick recap because I’m drunk and it’s 5 AM:
1st Bar: Amano Hotel Bar. Incredible. The barmen Philip and Rene treated me as one of their own. Had the best Mint Julep ever made (The Kentucky Derby can suck it). No women to be seen but the music was popping and the service was top notch. Philip’s kindness behind the bar made me re-think my angry bartender routine that I’ve perfected over the past few years. Should I actually start being nice to customers???
2nd Bar: Road Runners. The home to the Sailor Jerry Rum party this evening. It was buried down a hidden alley that even had my German cabby confused as to its whereabouts. This place had serious promise and overall it didn’t dissappoint nor did it overwhelm. Free drinks aside, it was packed with male cocktailians and the guest bartenders had no real sense of urgency when it came to slinging the sauce. Listen I’m all about waiting for a quality cocktail, but c’mon dude…. Quantity beats quality after 20 minutes of waiting. No fucking rum cocktail is that good. Although again, everything was free, sooo… I’m complaining anyways.
3rd Bar: Koffee Burger. This is where I pulled a Jack and went off the map. Started walking down a random street because I wanted a dive bar where people take shots and didn’t discuss the merits of certain brands of bitters and other such drivel. I accosted a group of girls on the street and they reco’d this place. It had a shitty decor and the cover band was playing Neil Young. I got a Berliner Pilsner. All in all, not bad.
4th Bar: White Trash Fast Food. Yeah that’s the name of the bar and the name fits. Had a tequila shot with the bartender (who was American!), then had a bbq chicken burrito, then a tequila shot, then a Guinness, then a shot of Jim Beam, and then, umm, something else probably. I really enjoyed the ‘white trash’ motif. Reminded me of my Richmond Virginia. Favorite bar of the night by a hair over Amano Hotel Bar.
After this I managed another visit to Road Runners so I could listen to more cocktail blather. Then cabbed it to Amano for a second go-round. And then I realized that I was spending my Euros like they were slips of monopoly money so now I’m here in the lobby of the hotel drinking beer at 5 AM and loudly not getting laid.
Story of my life.