Unfortunately, the Black Lodge bar closed in 2024. I decided to leave the article online to give you an idea what it was like.

Berlin sure is home to some unusual sights. Over the years I’ve explored everything from a creepy abandoned amusement park to a dilapidated Cold War-era listening post. One of my favourite secret spots is hidden in the midst of apartment buildings and grocery stores in the city’s Neukölln district.

The otherworldly Black Lodge Bar recreates the famous extradimensional place of the same name from David Lynch’s and Mark Frost’s TV show “Twin Peaks”. As a huge Lynch fan, I knew I had to check it out on my next visit to the city, as soon as I heard about it.

Similar to its namesake, finding your way to the Black Lodge isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting this amazing place.

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What the Hell is the Black Lodge?

Since you’ve found this post, I assume you’re well aware of Twin Peaks, which I would argue is both David Lynch’s and Mark Frost’s magnum opus. In case you’re not familiar, let me give you a quick spoiler-free recap.

The show originally ran from 1990 to 1991 (with a third season in 2017) and follows FBI Agent Dale Cooper as he tries to unravel the mystery of the murder of prom queen Laura Palmer in the small town of Twin Peaks, Washington.

He soon realizes that the seemingly peaceful atmosphere of the community hides some darker secrets, and nothing really is as it seems in Twin Peaks. The Black Lodge is part of that underlying darkness. It’s an extradimensional place, which is populated by some really unsavoury characters.

Because of the unique design of the place, it’s long entered the collective cultural memory. Even if you’ve never seen an episode of Twin Peaks, you’ll probably recognize the place from all the homages and parodies that were created over the years (“Chief Wiggum, don’t eat the clues!”).

How to Find the Black Lodge Bar

Hard facts first: The Black Lodge Bar is located in Sanderstraße 6 in Berlin’s Neukölln district. The closest subway station is Schönleinstraße, which is served by the U8 train. Similar to the fictional version of the Black Lodge, I assume, you’ll only find the namesake bar if you’re actively looking for it, as the outside is completely unassuming.

It doesn’t mention the name of the bar anywhere and the sign above the door reads “Mittelpunkt Gaststätte”, which suggests a generic rustic restaurant (and one that looks abandoned, no less).

I was a bit sceptical at first, but once I opened the black door with the number 253, I left Berlin and stepped into another dimension.

What to Expect From the Black Lodge Bar

Once I entered, I was greeted by a subdued atmosphere, ethereal music and low lighting (which is the reason for the bad quality of the photographs; sorry about that).

The main room of the bar is surrounded by red velvet curtains and the floor has the distinct zigzag black-and-white pattern of the Black Lodge. There are some red spotlights on the ceiling, but otherwise the only light in the bar comes from candles that stand on tiny tables surrounded by black leather sofas.

The smoking section past the toilets kind of reminded me of the interior of the Great Northern Hotel, although the wainscoting on the walls might just be a leftover from the restaurant that used to be located in the building.

The blue flowers on the windowsills might have been a coincidence, too, but I’d like to think that they were a conscious allusion to the Blue Rose Project. You can also watch some Twin Peaks episodes via a projector in this room (I watched Donna visit Harold Smith while I was there).

The music that played in the bar wasn’t from the show, but would fit it very well, as it alternated between ambient Badalamenti-esque soundscapes, smooth jazz and Julee Cruise-like dreampop, which wouldn’t be out of place in the Roadhouse.

The only thing missing from the fictional location was some Ancient Greek statuary, although some pictures/skateboards near the bar show one of the Venus figurines from the TV show, as well as Laura Palmer and a police sketch of BOB, so I’m willing to let that one slide ;-).

When to Visit

Something that really added to the atmosphere was that I had the place almost completely to myself. I chatted with the barkeeper for a bit, and he told me that the place tends to be packed in winter but is usually empty in the summer, when everyone likes to socialize outside.

If you want the place to be as atmospheric as possible, you should drop by in the summer or come as soon as it opens. If you prefer some company, do the exact opposite.

The bar is open from Tuesday to Saturday, usually from 8pm to 2am. Make sure to double-check the times in their Google profile before going.

Available Drinks

As far as drinks go, they have some craft beers and a big selection of cocktails, long drinks, whiskey, rum, tequila and some soft drinks. Unfortunately, there are no snacks, so don’t expect cherry pie on the menu (it wouldn’t be as good as in the R&R anyway).

The only thematic cocktail seems to be the Black and Lodgy, but I went with a craft beer, so I have no idea what that contains. No coffee, either; maybe there was a fish in the percolator.

Is the Black Lodge Bar Worth Visiting?

As a huge long-time fan of Twin Peaks, I was immediately enamoured with the place, and imagined myself in conversation with the Man from Another Place, being handed cryptic messages to decipher.

The only thing that would make the place even cooler would have been some more thematic items on the menu (Garmonbozia, anyone?).

Even if you (or the people you’re with) aren’t huge fans of the show, I just found it a cool place to hang out in and as the setup willingly discourages huge numbers of walk-in customers, the atmosphere is bound to be laid-back.

If there are other people, you’ll likely be in the company of other fans of the show to nerd out with. If you have even the tiniest fondness for Twin Peaks, I highly recommend dropping by the bar on your next visit to Berlin! Chances are, you’ll even find your way back outside to the real world.

Other Cool Things to Do in Berlin

Exploring Berlin’s abandoned Spreepark Theme Park

What to know about visiting Berlin’s abandoned Teufelsberg Radar Station