Berghain Club & Panorama Bar

Berghain certainly lives up to its reputation, both good and bad. My partner and I took trips to Berlin every summer over the last few years, and have had great visits to it every year. Though I have to say it is becoming tamer, and less and less gay every year. Gone are the days (even just four or five years ago) where people, gay or straight, were doing it out in open in the lounge on the ground floor. While there are certainly still a sizable contingent or gay men on the main dancefloor (and the backroom next to it continues to be a hub of gay activities), overall I would say the crowd is more than half hetrosexuals techno fans. However, I have to say the straight men there are generally pretty chill and "hetroflexible". (On my most recent visit, I danced with a cute guy who despite being there with his girlfriend went on to kiss me for an extended period). The venue is certainly not refined, quite industrial and cold, which makes it more edgy. One-time visitors who are upset for being turned away are certainly missing the point. People get turn away for no specific reason (especially when the queue is long), that is the nature of the queue at Berghain. "Well dress twinks" are certainly no more likely to get in than gruffly dressed middle age dudes in cheap t-shirt (in fact I would argue, less likely), and it certainly has nothing to do with language or race. My partner and I are visitors who speak virtually no German, one of us is visible minority, and we never had a problem. (We have had been turned away a couple times, but have successfully got in I would say 80% of the time.)

This spring my husband and I went to Berghain and after passing through security and paying our entrance, it was off to techno wonderland. This is a huge club which has two floors the upper is the Panorama bar, which plays house music and the main floor. All around are plenty of chill spaces and multiple bars. The star here is the music, they get the best DJs from around the world to play here and they do not disappoint. Great techno with a floor full of diverse people just cutting loose and having a great time. Great sound system. Lots of gay men here and people from around the world and yes, lots of Berliners. It has been called one of the best clubs in the world, it's for good reason, good staff, good drinks and absolutely amazing music. Highly recommended.

My husband and I got into Berghain and after getting through security we paid and entered one of the best clubs in the world. This place has it going on. Good beer, great lights, and the best djs in the world. People there are friendly and we meet folks from all over the world. The music is really the star of the show. This is hands down the best club I've ever visited. Yes, the door gets selective when it's busy but if you get in, you are transported. Highly recommend.

Inconsistent, amateurish and a fake “selection”. This is NOT a gay club and I don’t think real Berliners bather even trying to get in this tourist attraction. Come on, what you will see there is skinny well-dressed straight twinks! The real things in this town happen underground.

I think that gay community is friendly and open minded... well, this club is not indeed.

I don't understand why this place is listed here in a guide for gay travelers. It was the worst and most humiliating experience I had in my life in a gay place. After 3 hours of a freezing waiting in a cue 95% made by straight people, I was refused at the entrance without a word by few brain-dead straight guys. No words, no explanation. We were two together, both gays, both refused. I also saw a very rough scene of a person refused at the entrance and pushed down violently on the ground by one of these brain-dead guards. So why listing this place here and make gay travelers waste time and healthi can only suggest other gay travelers to avoid this humiliating and useless experience.