On a recent trip to Berlin I was intrigued to visit Bar Tausend. I’d read plenty of reviews tipping it as the ‘next big thing’ on the emerging Berlin bar scene, with it’s sign-less incognito facade and strict door policy it sounded like many of my old drinking haunts growing up as a young bartender. I’ve worked in some of the highest brow places this side of London, mixing for the well moneyed and famous my appreciation for quality service on a low wage is second to none. At that time my peers and I quickly realised the better the service, the higher the wage and before long I was leaving 5 nights a week with many times my nightly wage in tips.
Unfortunately this realisation hasn’t hit many of Berlin’s ‘top’ establishments, although Germany as a whole isn’t exactly service orientated when I’m paying over 10 euros a cocktail I expect to be treated like I’m welcome and that the bartenders are there to carefully craft my drink.
I left my hotel and hopped into a taxi and as usual the taxi driver hadn’t the faintest of ideas where the bar was situated. This is the norm for Berlin however finding a bar with no sign or light can prove slightly challenging but eventually I found it beneath the old Paris-Moskau railway not far from the up market shopping street Friedrichstrasse. Behind a thick metal door the doorman didn’t welcome me with open arms and although I never expect to get in to a bar a friendly ‘hallo’ never hurt anyone. Once inside the I was mugged out of a 5euro entrance fee! I thought this was an interesting concept as I don’t mind paying to get into clubs but a bar? Maybe there was something I was missing.
Moving to the womb I was impressed with the interior design; a mix of light, metal and glass it fuses rustic Berlin with the awkward upper class club touch found in such established hubs like London and New York. Greeted by the waiter he led me and my companions to our seats and looking across the room the clientele seemed to be a new type of Berlin drinker. Although it is underground and well hidden this was no secret rave, between the 25-35 year old business set it seems to be the place to see and be seen. I ordered one of the classics and any diligent waiter knows the key to any classic cocktail is asking how the customer would like to made. I thought that putting me through the stress of finding the entrance and me paying to sit down I would have been treated to a drink the way I would like it made however this wasn’t to be. Aside from that the waiter was attentive and pleasant which compared to most bars in Berlin was a refreshing change. My Old Fashioned was well made, if slightly watery, and I guess I’ll never know what Bourbon was used. Perhaps the drink was a reflection of the developing Berlin cocktail scene, it has everything going for it yet it lacks those finishing touches that will make it a real destination for a higher class of drinking and drinker.
All in all Tausend is a place to take that first date that you are trying to impress however like it’s drinks it lacks real substance. With a few years to find it’s feet I don’t doubt that it’ll thrive and become not only a cool place to hang out but also somewhere you’ll naturally expect the best drinks. Next time I’m in Berlin I’m going to check it out to see if things have changed however for now it’s a high priced, medium quality establishment trying a little hard.
BAR TAUSEND
Schiffbauerdamm 11
10117 Berlin, Germany
030 27582048
10117 Berlin, Germany
030 27582048
