As you would expect, Berlin offers many opportunities to spend a nice evening.
Shows for tourists (and locals)
Typically a combination of acrobatics, music, food and drinks, so you can enjoy the performance without understanding German. In other words, this is the contemporary version of Berlin's famous cabarets in the golden 20's (beautifully described by Christopher Isherwood in his novel “Goodbye to Berlin”, upon which the movie Cabaret was based). Just don't expect the shows to actually be like the old cabarets - contemporary productions are made according to the expectations of a contemporary audience. Here are some relevant links:
► https://www.palast.berlin/en/
► https://chamaeleonberlin.com/en
► https://www.wintergarten-berlin.de/en/
Bars for non-smokers
Europeans smoke :(
...Germans, and specifically Berliners, are unfortunately no exception to this rule. At expensive venues (such as hotel bars), smoking is indeed forbidden, but in normal pubs and bars, where the normal Berliners hang out, you will usually be surrounded by smoking people (it's legal and up to the owner). Fortunately, there is a website that helps us - locals and tourists alike - to find suitable places that don't allow smoking (or only allow it in a separate space): https://awesomeberlin.net/bars/best-non-smoking-berlin-bars
Good time with some music (typically with a dance floor, but not in the sense of Berlin's notoriously wild club scene):
♥ Clärchens Ballhaus (Swing etc.): http://www.ballhaus.de/
♥ Hafenbar: http://www.hafenbar-berlin.de/
♥ Sophienclub: http://www.sophienclub.com/
♥ White Trash: http://www.whitetrashfastfood.com/
♥ Prince Charles: http://princecharlesberlin.com/
You might also want to simply walk Berlin's bar strips, such as:
► Oranienstraße and Schlesische Straße, both in the borough of Kreuzberg (usually crowded with local people),
► Torstraße in Mitte (very international, somewhat “fake"),
► Kastanienallee and Oderberger Straße, both in Prenzlauer Berg (where the atmosphere is usually quite chic), or
► Weserstraße in Neukölln (very alternative, young, simple & usually cheap).
Jazz in Berlin
Personally, we recommend the following Jazz clubs:
♥ Yorkschlösschen: http://www.yorckschloesschen.de
♥ Waldo: http://www.waldo-berlin.de
♥ The A-Trane: http://www.a-trane.de/
♥ The Hat Bar: http://www.thehatbar.de/
♥ Quasimodo: http://www.quasimodo.de/index.php?id=90&L=1
♥ B-Flat: http://www.b-flat-berlin.de/index.php?lang=en&to=programm
♥ The Junction Bar: http://www.junction-bar.de/ (Jazz and much more)
Clubbing in Berlin
For the young and adventurous in mind and spirit (in other words: for your children/grandchildren!), here are some of Berlin's most (in)famous locations:
♦ The Berghain: http://www.berghain.de/
♦ Chalet: http://www.chalet-berlin.de/
♦ About Blank: http://www.aboutparty.net/
♦ Salon zur wilden Renate: http://www.renate.cc/
♦ Golden Gate: http://www.goldengate-berlin.de/html.htm
♦ WaterGate: http://www.water-gate.de/
♦ Sisyphos: http://www.sisyphos-berlin.net
♦ Frannz in the "Culture Brewery": http://www.frannz.com/
♦ Matrix: http://www.matrix-berlin.de/
♦ Kater Blau: http://www.katerblau.de/
♦ Club der Visionäre: http://www.clubdervisionaere.com/
♦ Tresor: http://www.tresorberlin.com/
♦ Horst: http://www.horst-krzbrg.de/
This website offers comprehensive details about parties in Berlin, it's updated daily and allows you to make reservations:
Many of the above clubs are located next to the Spree river, in the area connecting the boroughs Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, south-east of Alexanderplatz. For more info on clubbing in Berlin:
http://www.berlin.de/international/clubs/index.en.php
► Please also check out the page about Events in Berlin during your stay
► You might also want to have a look at my page about Cool things to do during the day.