The best bars in Copenhagen, Denmark...
Copenhagen offers some of the best cocktail bars in Europe with the standards and attention to detail better than you'll find elsewhere, whilst beer lovers are literally spoilt for choice with more brew pubs and microbreweries than you could possibly ever visit.
- As is the case in many Scandinavian cities, alcohol is not cheap and, as a result, most Copenhagen bars only get busy after 21:00, and usually only Friday & Saturday (many even remain closed during the week)
- Most Copenhagen bars open until 02:00, nightclubs and bodegas until 05:00 or 06:00
- Copenhagen is a small city and can be explored easily by foot
- The locals in Copenhagen love their beer and there's a good selection of microbreweries and local ales to choose from, including of course the world famous Carlsberg, Tuborg and Mikkeller. You can even visit the Carlsberg brewery (Tuesday - Sunday) for a tour and tastings
- Apart from the many local beers, no visit to Copenhagen is complete without trying the Danish liquors Akvavit, Brennivin, Gammel Dansk, Fisk (Fisherman's Friend) and Ga-Jol (liquorice vodka)
- Most Copenhagen bars prefer payment by credit or debit card rather than cash
- Staff in most Copenhagen bars speak fluent English
- Smoking is still allowed in most Copenhagen bars, especially the bodegas
- Generally, there is no need to tip, however locals usually round up the bill for good service
- If you're planning on visiting for New Year's Eve celebrations, be aware that most Copenhagen bars remain closed from just before Christmas until the second week of January so you should check in advance
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Mikkeller Bar / Photo: mikkeller.dk
1 ~ MIKKELLER BAR
No visit to Copenhagen is complete without visiting the original bar from Mikkel Borg Bjergsø. Long before his craft beer became famous all around the world, his ambition was to create the best beer bar in the world – a small, cool place for ale enthusiasts to enjoy top quality beer from his own Mikkeller micro brewery, as well as other small innovative breweries from around the globe. The result is a minimalistic artsy bar that takes its influences from the old Danish pubs in the centre of Copenhagen with wooden tables and benches and 20 different beers on tap. Located in the centre of Vesterbro’s red light district, it was so popular that others have opened since, including Barcelona, Reykjavik, San Francisco, San Diego, Bangkok, Seoul and Tokyo, as well as the larger Mikkeller & Friends bar, with its 40 taps and 200 different bottles which opened in March 2013 across town in Nørrebro, in an attempt to relieve the pressure from the popular Viktoriagade branch. The celebrated ale from the former maths teacher is now exported to over 40 different countries.
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Rosengardens Bodega / Photo: Facebook RosengardensBodega
2 ~ Rosengårdens Bodega
When in Copenhagen you should visit a bodega, a traditional smoky dive pub that usually opens late into the night. Whilst not open as late as others and smoking is banned (to help the owner quit his own habit), this one in particular between Nørreport station and the famous Rundetaarn round tower, should be your first port of call. Opened in 1890, it oozes history with its old phone box and smoke stained paintings. If you ask the friendly barman to tell you more about the bullet hole hidden on the wall behind the bar, he'll regale you with the history of a famous shooting during WWII whilst you sip on an Akvavit or Gammel Dansk; a Gestapo informer nicknamed Hestetyven (The Horse Thief) came into the bar on Hitler's 55th birthday and was spotted by two young members of the Danish Resistance. They shot him dead with seven bullets, before escaping on bicycles. One of the bullets is still embedded into the wall behind the bar and the room has changed very little since, making it easy to get a feeling of what it must have been like on the 20th April 1944. Closed Sunday. Cash only.
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Fleisch / Photo: Facebook fleischkbh
3 ~ FLEISCH
The vibrant Kødbyen "Meat Packing" District is a must-see when in Copenhagen. The industrial units in Vesterbro used to be home to the city's meat industry and whilst many of the slaughterhouses still remain, vacated premises have made way for late night bars, restaurants, art galleries and clubs. It provides an unusual experience seeing drunken revellers mixing with bloodstained white coated butchers working the nightshift in the surrounding units. Whilst the long standing Jolene (below) epitomises the area's party vibe better than most, it's Mikkel Sarbo's amazing butcher/bar/eatery that should be your number one choice when in the area. Opened in May 2015, you can enjoy meat infused cocktails, like the Duck Fat Washed Sazerac or Bacon-infused Old Fashioned whilst, behind the counter, qualified butchers cut up organic Danish meat and prepare delicious homemade sausages. This really is a bar like no other. Closed Monday.
Cocktails 90kr+ Beer (0.5l) 40kr+ Wine 70kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Lidkoeb / Photo: lidkoeb.dk
4 ~ LIDKOEB
This stunning wooden bar is housed in a listed 18th century former pharmacy lab in the Vesterbro region of Copenhagen. Tucked away in the backyard behind a Føtex supermarket, it's as well hidden as its popular elder sister, Ruby (below). Set over three beautiful floors - the top two only open at weekends - including a stunning whisky bar with over 200 whiskies, you'll find two real fireplaces, a long oak bar, comfortable leather sofas and a great courtyard for summertime drinking. This is Scandinavian beauty at its very best.
Cocktails 90kr+ Beer (0.5l) 60kr+ Wine 80kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Jernbane / Photo: jernbanecafeen.dk
5 ~ JERNBANECAFEEN
The moment you step off the train at Copenhagen station, you should instantly take the Reventlowsgade exit and cross the road to the "Railway Cafe", a beautiful but smoky bodega which dates back to 1933, having been owned by three generations of the same friendly family in that time. Order a 7 Exspressen beer, the cafe's own brew served in cognac sized pint glasses, and admire the railway memorabilia on the walls - keep an eye out for the toy train that circles the room every hour. There's a great selection of beers and the house special "Hot Beer" is also worth trying. Live music plays most nights and it's open until 02:00 seven days a week. Ask for a value card when you order the house beer and you'll be rewarded with presents after 10, 17 and 27 purchases.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 70kr+ Wine 50kr+
Best Clubs Copenhagen ~ The Jane / Photo: Facebook thejanecph
6 ~ THE JANE
Leather Chesterfields, roaring fireplaces and antique book cases with hidden doorways make this one of the best clubs in Copenhagen. Enjoy great cocktails at the bar (the "Lady Jane" is an absolute must), head down the stairs after midnight for a dance in the nightclub or find the hidden doorways behind the book shelves to explore other bars and rooms. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 05:00.
Cocktails 80kr+ Beer (0.5l) 75kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Hviids Vinstue / Photo: hviidsvinstue.dk
7 ~ HVIIDS VINSTUE
The oldest bar in Copenhagen, dating back to 1723, this authentic pub tells a story of time when the Danish capital was a market town and Nyhavn a busy port. Located next to Kongens Nytorv station, the bar is packed with tourists and locals alike, enjoying Danish beer and a serving of smorrebrod.
Beer (0.5l) 60kr+ Wine 40kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Duck & Cover / Photo: duckandcoverbar.dk
8 ~ DUCK AND COVER
This excellent cocktail lounge from Diageo Reserve World Class finalist Kasper Riewe Henriksen, formerly of Ruby bar (below), owes more than a nod to a 1950s and 1960s gentleman's club with its rosewood walls, black leather couches, low lighting, yucca plants, vintage glassware and library of old cocktail books. A sophisticated place to drink, this is one of the best cocktail bars in Scandinavia, with some excellent signature creations. Closed Sunday & Monday.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 70kr+ Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Fisken Pub / Photo: streckers.dk
9 ~ FISKEN PUB
With so many bars to choose from in the tourist heavy Nyhavn, it can be hard knowing which one to visit. This, our favourite, is so small that it is very easy to miss. Located in the basement underneath the Skipperkroen restaurant, the fisherman's theme pub is decorated with maritime memorabilia and, despite its lack of authenticity, gives you a feel for what it must have been like in Copenhagen's famous port 300 years ago. Sit outside in the sun or deep in the ship mess like tavern, which plays host to live music Thursday - Saturday. It's the ideal place to order a shot of Fisk "Fisherman's Friend" vodka, Ga-Jol liquorice vodka, Akvavit or Gammel Dansk. Open until 03:00.
Beer (0.5l) 55kr+ Wine 45kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Ruby / Photo: rby.dk
10 ~ RUBY
This superb speakeasy is a Copenhagen institution and can be found behind an unmarked door in an old apartment alongside the canal at Nybrograde, sharing the same doorway as the Embassy of Georgia. A mix between an old gentleman's club and a luxurious house party, together with a great view of the Christiansborg Palace, there's leather sofas, paintings, rugs, and drinks cabinets spread across the various rooms, which also include a basement, a courtyard and a smoking terrace. For some of the best drinks in Denmark, you will need to get there early (it opens at 16:00) as it gets very busy. Oh, and call it "Ruby" not "Ruby's", as that really annoys the bar staff.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 50kr+ Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ 1656 / Photo: Facebook 1656cocktailbar
11 ~ 1656
In the Red Light District premises vacated by the seedy Lone's Kro bar, which was popular with hookers and drunks, this superb cocktail bar from the team behind 1105 (above) opened in February 2014. Like its excellent sister bar, it is named after the Copenhagen postcode in which it is located, just across the road from the Kødbyen "Meat Packing" District. It's a more sophisticated and intimate offering than what surrounds it though, with dark woods, low lighting, plush seats and great drinks. In keeping with the area's history, a soundtrack of porn movie orgasms keeps you entertained when visiting the toilet. Open Thursday - Saturday.
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Best Bars Copehagen ~ Kolsters Tolv Haner / Photo: Facebook tolvhaner
12 ~ Kølsters Tolv Haner
Opened in December 2014, "Kølster's Twelve Taps" is a family affair. Per Kølster and his son Eben brew their own 100% organic beer and cider using their own homegrown grain, hops and malt. As the name suggests, there's twelve different varieties brewed in small batches of just 560 liters and served from ornate Bavarian style taps into tiny 22 cl. glasses, allowing you to taste many different brews during one session. Well, we say twelve; it's actually eleven with the twelve tap pouring good old Copenhagen water. The bar itself is large, bright and Scandinavian minimalist, recycled from old doors and floorboards, and plays host to regular live music nights.
Beer (0.5l) 60kr+ Wine 35kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Bird & Church Key / Photo: Facebook thebirdandthechurchkey
13 ~ THE BIRD & THE CHURCHKEY
This is the perfect Copenhagen bar for dedicated beer enthusiasts and eccentric gin nerds. Based on an East London pub, it serves more than 40 different beers and twenty perfect-served Gin & Tonics, plus a choice of over 80 different gins, this relaxed venue on the beautiful Gammel Strand, with its choice of trendy bars, is popular for obvious reasons. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Cocktails 90kr+ Beer (0.5l) 60kr+ Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Norrebro Bryghus / Photo: Facebook noerrebrobryghus
14 ~ Nørrebro Bryghus
Long time former Carlsberg Head Brewer Anders Kissmeyer helped establish this microbrewery in 2003 long before the real ale explosion hit Copenhagen. Located inside a former red bricked factory dating back to 1857, the design is industrial chic and the ten experimental beers on tap come direct from the brewery downstairs. Like the beer-based food on offer, the flavours boast Nordic accents. In the summer you can sit outside in the brewery courtyard. Closed Sunday.
Beer (0.5l) 70kr+ Wine 70kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ 1105 Cocktail Bar / Photo: Facebook 1105
15 ~ 1105
Named after the Copenhagen postcode in which it stands, this chilled out intimate cocktail lounge offers some of the most creative drinks in Europe, which are made with such attention to detail it's advisable to try and sit at the bar to get the best view of the mixologists at work. The minimalistic decor is complemented with soft lighting, grey walls and a jazz and motown playlist or, at weekends, DJs spinning cool house music. This is a must-visit bar for cocktail lovers and it's advisable to get there early as they limit numbers due to the small size of the venue. Open Wednesday - Saturday.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 60kr+ Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Nimb Vinotek / Photo: vinotek.nimb.dk
16 ~ NIMB VINOTEK
Renovated in January 2016, the cellars of the plush 5 Star Nimb Hotel at Tivoli Gardens are truly Copenhagen's underground cathedral of wine. The walls are decorated with wine coolers, containing over 1000 labels covering every budget, 50 of which are available by the glass, and a uniquely designed floor to ceiling glass Champagne Corner makes it a wine experience not to be missed. The knowledgeable sommeliers can help you with your choice, or why not book one of the various Wine Tasting packages on offer.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 90kr+ Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Balthazar Champagne Bar / Photo: dangleterre.com
17 ~ BALTHAZAR CHAMPAGNE BAR
The elegant Champagne bar at the rear of the famous 5 star Hotel d’Angleterre offers a selection of more than 180 Champagnes, 12 of which are available by the glass at a reasonable price. The first Champagne bar in Denmark, the superb cocktails are also Champagne influenced whilst a caviar service, a huge headless angel statue and live DJ’s at weekends add to the sophisticated atmosphere. Open until 02:00 Wednesday - Saturday
Cocktails 140kr+ Beer (0.5l) 90kr+ Wine 90kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Visit Carlsberg / Photo: Facebook visitcarlsberg
18 ~ VISIT CARLSBERG / JACOBSEN BREWERY
Located on the first floor of the renovated Old Carlsberg warehouse, which dates back to 1878, this brewhouse and bar is also the last stop of the Visit Carlsberg brewery tour. Open until 17:00 Tuesday - Sunday, the 18 metre long, copper plated bar dominates the classic interior of the room, and the helpful bartenders guide you in your choice of beer. There's an outdoor café in the summer and food, all prepared with beer as a component, is also available. It can get extremely busy during the afternoon in peak seasons.
Beer (0.5l) 90kr for tour & 2 beers Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Kayak Bar / Photo: kayakbar.com
19 ~ KAYAK BAR
In summer, you will struggle to find a better location than this bar located literally on the water in between The National Bank, Børsen and Christiansborg. These historical surroundings provide the best backdrop for this floating beach, cafe and bar. Hire a kayak and paddle the canals, grab an ice cold beer and sunbathe on the beach, enjoy a free sauna or visit one of the many organised events and festivals; this is Copenhagen living at its best. Open Thursday - Sunday until 02:00 February to mid-December.
Cocktails 80kr+ Beer (0.5l) 40kr+ Wine 50kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Strom / Photo: Facebook StromBar
20 ~ Strøm
This 1930s Prohibition era cocktail bar boasts smartly dressed waiters mixing amazing cocktails in art deco surroundings. The music policy might well be more '90s than '30s, however it doesn't detract too much from what is a great bar with popular outside street seating in summer and a cigar lounge to complement the cocktails. Closed Sunday.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 60kr+ Wine 70kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Curfew / Photo: curfew.dk
21 ~ CURFEW
This elegant cocktail bar from top International bartender Humberto Marques mixes classic Portuguese charm, Danish attention to detail and American Prohibition era exclusivity. The atmosphere in the bright bar is relaxed with scratchy vinyl funky jazz, swing, and blues providing the soundtrack to amazing cocktails, crafted with homemade shrubs and syrups as well as Port and Madeira wine. The menu is impressive and the wines also come from a Portuguese vineyard owned by a Dane. The interior is elegant yet simple, with unique details of handcrafted blue tiles from Portugal, red iron bar stools, and solid wooden tables. The glass cabinets behind the bar show off a great collection of vintage bar tools, rare cocktail books and original spirits bottles, whilst manual cocktail machines stir a delicious classical Negroni. Open until 04:00. Closed Sunday & Monday.
Cocktails 110kr+ Beer (0.5l) 90kr+ Wine 80kr+
Best Bars Milan ~ Bar Magenta / Photo: Bar-Magenta
22 ~ WARPIGS BREWPUB
When Copenhagen beer legend Mikkeller joined forces with American brewery 3Floyds to open this aptly named 20 tap beer house and microbrewery in the Kødbyen "Meat Packing" District you knew that it would be an instant success. Draft cocktails, wines and spirits make up the offer and, in keeping with the area's history, there's a Texas Barbecue theme, which - despite all the working butchers that surround it - is so popular they have a habit of running out as the night goes on. Private dining is also available in the beer cellar below the huge former meatpacking factory
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Mikkeller & Friends / Photo: mikkeller.dk
23 ~ MIKKELLER & FRIENDS
Opened in March 2013 to relieve the pressure from the original Mikkeller Bar in Vesterbro (above), the second bar from former maths teacher Mikkel Borg Bjergsø saw him join forces with two former students whom had started their own brewery, To Øl, under his guidance in 2010. Three times bigger than the original, it also incorporates Scandinavian minimalist wooden design and has an adjoining bottle shop. The selection of beer on offer is something out of the ordinary with forty taps and more than 200 selected beers and ciders on the menu, including many from Mikkeller, To Øl and Warpigs (see above).
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Alleenberg / Photo: Facebook Alleenberg
24 ~ Alléenberg
Open until 06:00, this typical Copenhagen bodega next to the Frederiksberg gardens has not changed since Mrs. Ingeborg Johannesen furnished it in 1924. She ran the place with an iron fist and the bar soon earned the nickname "Psykopaten" (The Pyschopath). On selling it in the 1990s she turned down big money offers to ensure that it would be kept exactly the same and subsequent sales of the property since have always been made with the same agreement, including the old piano on which folk songs are often played. Tired and worn, in much need of upgrades, the charm of the place and live music seems to appeal to the local population and you can really feel the atmosphere of old Copenhagen thanks to Mrs Johannesen's stubborness. Closed Sunday and Monday.
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Brewpub Kobenhavn / Photo: brewpub.dk
25 ~ BrewPub København
This innovative microbrewery is situated in a historic 17th century building just off the main Rådhuspladsen square. There are always seven taps serving the unfiltered homebrew direct from the storage tanks in the brewery, alongside seven more with guest beers from other Danish micro-breweries, and a wide selection of bottled beers from around the world. A beer garden in the courtyard provides relaxing surroundings for a cold beer in the summer months and the restaurant even offers a matching beer menu. Closed Sundays
Cocktails 75kr+ Beer (0.5l) 65kr+ Wine 65kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Salon 39 / Photo: salon39.dk
26 ~ SALON 39
In this day and age a menu of cocktails almost entirely based on American whiskey is something very rare but that's what you'll find at this shabby chic cafe and unpretentious cocktail bar in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen. Created by two friends, one a Michelin-star trained chef and the other a top barman at the 5 star Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahrzeiten in Hamburg, the food and drinks on offer here are well worth seeking out. The soundtrack is provided by old vinyl jazz records and the atmosphere is fantastic. Closed Sunday.
Cocktails 100kr+ Beer (0.5l) 50kr+ Wine 90kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Nimb Bar / Photo: bar.nimb.dk
27 ~ NIMB BAR
Located in the old ballroom at the plush 5 Star Nimb Hotel at Tivoli Gardens, this exclusive and classy cocktail bar forms an evocative setting with its crystal chandeliers and a solid pine floor. Comfortable lounge furniture and an open fireplace make it one of the nicest places to enjoy perfectly balanced classic cocktails with an innovative Nordic twist.
Cocktails 120kr+ Beer (0.5l) 75kr+ Wine 85kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Nyhavn 17 / Photo: nyhavn17.dk
28 ~ NYHAVN 17
There's that many to choose from, it's hard to choose which bar to visit when down at the beautiful harbour of Nyhavn, the number one tourist spot in town. You can't go far wrong though with "Nyhavn Sytten", which dates back to the 17th Century and has been a pub since 1936, with the interior remaining original and authentic. You can sit outside in the sun or do as the sailors used to do, and head inside to enjoy the huge whisky collection or a cold Carlsberg from the 1,000 litre steel tank, one of eight beers on tap, alongside smaller Danish microbreweries. There's live music and the kitchen offers Danish Smørrebrød and fish platters.
Beer (0.5l) 65kr+ Wine 65kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Dia'Legd / Photo: Facebook dialegd
29 ~ DIA'LEGD
Serving arguably the tastiest beer in town, this niche ale bar in Vesterbro concentrates on the beers from historic Danish brewery Refsvindinge, from Nyborg on the island of Funen, some 175km west of Copenhagen. Owned by a great-grandson of the brewery's founder, here you can enjoy all twenty of the brewery's range of ales, including the award-winning Ale nr. 16 and Røde Mor, as well as rent kegs and the necessary equipment (including beer) for private parties at home. Open Wednesday - Saturday only.
Beer (0.5l) 45kr+ Wine 150kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Bo-Bi Bar / Photo: Facebook
30 ~ Bo-Bi BAR
Another historic smoky Copenhagen bodega, this late night pub has hardly changed since it was opened by a Danish sailor in 1917. Popular with business people, students, artists, writers and tourists, beers are served in the bottle and kicking out time is at 02:00.
Beer (0.5l) 40kr+ Wine 30kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ The Standard / Photo: thestandardcph.dk
31 ~ THE STANDARD
This Art Deco former Custom House building and hydrofoil terminal, which Danish architect Kristoffer Nyrop Varming designed in 1937, is home to three different bars and restaurants including ex-Noma Creative Chef Torsten Vildgaard's Michelin Starred Studio, recognised as being the third best in Denmark. Owned by Noma co-founder Claus Meyer and residing in a pretty location on Gammelholm, surrounded by the Slotsholm and Holmen canals and Nyhavn, it offers a harbourside summer terrace where you can also enjoy the beautiful cocktails and homemade sparkling apple wine. Although the upstairs jazz club has closed down, the building boasts Nordic minimalist design throughout and is accessible to all; this is Copenhagen at its classiest.
Cocktails 95kr+ Beer (0.5l) 80kr+ Wine 80kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Barking Dog / Photo: thebarkingdog.dk
32 ~ THE BARKING DOG
A Copenhagen take on a modern London pub, or a "cocktail pub" as it were. The clientèle are sophisticated, the service is excellent, the prices are more than reasonable, the music is never too loud to ruin your conversation, and the drinks some of the best in town with a creative cocktail list and their own beer.
Cocktails 85kr+ Beer (0.5l) 50kr+ Wine 45kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Olsnedkeren / Photo: Facebook olsnedkeren
33 ~ Ølsnedkeren
Second hand furniture, recycled woods and bicycles hanging from the ceiling make this brewpub attractive enough, however it is the beer that is the main attraction. Opened in August 2012 with the beer brewed on site in the basement, it became so popular they had to move the brewing process to a larger production site nearby, making room for more seats. The eight beers, which take ten days to brew, are so experimental and changed that regularly throughout the month, you are probably never to taste the same brew again. Try the beer flight of six different brews for 100kr to sample what's on offer. Closed Sunday, Happy Hour Mondays.
Beer (0.5l) 45kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Fugu / Photo: Facebook fugucocktailbar
34 ~ FUGU
"Freddy’s Unique Garden Union" is a beautiful cocktail bar created by five good bartender friends who enjoyed drinking outside in Freddy´s garden. When he moved apartments, it inspired them to look for a new garden and hence this popular bar on Gammel Strand was created, where it is possible to sit outside in the middle of the city all year long. Specialising in tea and coffee infused seasonal cocktails served in teapots, you can enjoy them in the garden under heat lights (and covered in winter), on the vibrant street out front or inside the "union house" with its fish aquarium and greenery. Open Wednesday - Saturday until 04:00.
Cocktails 95kr+ Beer (0.5l) 90kr+ Wine 70kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Gilt / Photo: Facebook Gilt
35 ~ GILT.
"Glass, Ice, Liqueur and Topping" is located in the Nørrebro neighbourhood, north of the city centre. This is the bar that is credited for introducing cocktails to Copenhagen and is still regarded as being one of the best in town with talented barman Peter Altenburg delivering an interesting menu of 12 seasonal Nordic influenced cocktails. Well worth checking out. Open Wednesday - Saturday.
Cocktails 90kr+ Beer (0.5l) 40kr+ Wine 50kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Wessel's Kro / Photo: Facebook Wessels-Kro
36 ~ WESSELS KRO
Opened on New Year's Day 1772, this is one of the oldest bars in Copenhagen. Before getting rowdy in the early hours - it's open until 05:00 every day (closed Sunday) - you will find a dark and smoky bodega in which to enjoy a speciality beer or a whisky over a game of dice and Danish food. Named after the Norwegian comedic writer and poet, Johan Herman Wessel, who made a speech to the Norske Selskab (Norwegian Society) in the same building during the late 1700s on how Norway could secede from Denmark. He lived most of his life in Copenhagen until he died aged just 43, of bad health caused by drinking. Something to remember over your beer and dice. Skål!
Beer (0.5l) 45kr+ Wine 40kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Jolene / Photo: Facebook JoleneBar
37 ~ JOLENE
No other venue typifies the drunken debauchery of the Kødbyen "Meat Packing" District better than this party bar, which has somehow remained open whilst all those around it close down. Opened by two Icelandic DJ girls and, yes, named after the Dolly Parton song, a sign above the bar reminds you that "this is not a fucking cocktail bar" and you can expect to see students and hipsters downing shots and sipping on beers to the soundtrack of top Danish DJs, whilst spilling out on to the car park in front and mixing with the blood stained butchers and meat packers on the night shift rather than "working 9 to 5". Open Thursday - Saturday until 04:00. Get there early to avoid the queues.
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Best Clubs Copenhagen ~ Vega / Photo: Facebook VEGA-Klub
38 ~ VEGA / IDEAL BAR
Originally named "The People's House" and built in 1956 for the Danish Worker's Union, this stunning building now plays host to some of the biggest concerts in Copenhagen with the likes of David Bowie, Prince, Foo Fighters, Blur, Bjork and Kylie Minogue all having played here. Split into three venues; the beautiful main hall, Store VEGA, holds 1,500 people, Lille VEGA a further 500, and then the street level Ideal Bar with its VEGA Klub, a busy pre-show meeting point, 250 capacity concert venue and popular nightclub.
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Bar O / Photo: Facebook barocph
39 ~ BAR O
Open from 21:00 - 04:00 on Fridays and Saturdays only, this popular bar is ran by famous Copenhagen DJs Peter Visti and Le Gammeltoft, and it is their love for music that drives the atmosphere here. With the bar split between a dark, club like environment, and a bright outside glass courtyard, the vibe is fantastic, the crowd fashionable and the music mix eclectic with a set list that ranges from balearic beats to David Bowie, Talking Heads and Eddie Grant. Well worth checking out.
Cocktails 110kr+ Beer (0.5l) 80kr+ Wine 70kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Orsted Olbar / Photo: Facebook Ørsted-Ølbar
40 ~ Ørsted Ølbar
Located next to Ørsted Park, this tavern offers one of the biggest craft beer collections in Copenhagen with 20 on tap and over 200 bottles. Open until 03:00, there's DJs at weekends and it's also the place to be if you want to watch live sports. As well as Premier League football, they show any televised sport you want if requested in advance. They also have a sister bar by Sortedams lake (below)
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Soernes Olbar / Photo: Facebook soernesoelbar
41 ~ Søernes Ølbar
Opened in 2013, the sister bar to Ørsted Ølbar (above) can be found at Sortedams Lake and is a similar set up with exposed brick walls, 20 beers on tap and over 100 bottles. Like at Ørsted, it is also the place to catch live sports as they show any televised event you want, if requested in advance.
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Europa 1989 / Photo: Facebook europa1989
42 ~ EUROPA 1989
Open from 07:45 until midnight, this incredibly popular beautiful cafe bar with its outside seating is ideally located next to the Storkespringvandet (Stork Fountain) on the pedestrianised Amagertorv, the most central square in Copenhagen. A family ran establishment, it takes its name from the historic year it opened, the same year the Berlin Wall came down. With award-winning speciality coffee and great Danish dishes, there's plenty of reasons to visit even if you don't opt for the many alcoholic options.
Cocktails 90kr+ Beer (0.5l) 70kr+ Wine 70kr+
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Mojo / Photo: MojoBluesbar
43 ~ MOJO BLUES BAR
Copenhagen may be famous for its jazz bars, however it is also one of the only cities in Europe to boast a specific blues venue. Offering live music until 05:00 every day, this friendly but smoky bar serves up blues, soul, jazz, rhythm'n'blues, blues rock, boogie, bluegrass, funk, zydeco, and swinging blues, amongst other related genres. Blues DJs play after the show and there's a Blues Jam every Thursday.
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Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Olbaren / Photo: Facebook oelbaren
44 ~ Ølbaren
Opened in 2002 before the real ale explosion, this no nonsense beer specialist does not try to offer the largest range but instead presents a wide and interesting variety of which you have probably never tasted before. In saying that, there are still 22 tap beers and the friendly skilled bartenders are experts who are more than happy to guide you with your choice. You can also go for a beer tasting, taking in five different ales.
Beer (0.5l) 50kr+ Wine Not known
Best Bars Copenhagen ~ Nemoland / Photo: Facebook Nemoland
45 ~ NEMOLAND
Whilst the bar itself is hardly worthy of its place amongst the best bars in Copenhagen, the whole tourist experience probably is. When the military chose to shut down the naval complex in Bådmandsstræde at the end of the 1960’s, no one would have ever imagined that the 32 acre area would evolve into what is one of the most unique places in Europe. Hippies and Scandinavian backpackers decided to squat in the complex making it a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood, of which the Danish Government has largely ignored to this day, despite attempts to shut down the open cannabis trade. On this spot, Nemo started to sell his fruit and vegetables to the new residents until Bullshit MC, a gangster biker's club, took over in an attempt to profit from the drugs trade. Following violence, shootings, killings, and even mutilation of dead bodies, the residents of Christiania kicked them out and introduced their own self-policed rules which forbid stealing, violence, guns, knives, bulletproof vests, hard drugs and biker colours. Nemo helped redevelop the cafe that now stands on the large grassed area, where live summer concerts take place every Sunday. Open until 03:00, you can play pool, enjoy a hemp beer and even smoke marijuana. Nemo's bar really is the centre of the famous Copenhagen sub-culture.
Beer (0.5l) 40kr+ Wine 50kr+
Best Clubs Copenhagen ~ Sopavillonen / Photo: Facebook Soepavillonen
46 ~ Søpavillonen
This unpretentious nightclub makes our list of best bars in Copenhagen for its beautiful setting, in the stunning 1895 pavilion at the end of Peblinge lake. Originally built for the ice skating club, it now plays host to weekend 80s and 90s club nights, Tuesday night salsa classes, private functions and occasional tribute act concerts. Open until 05:00 - check schedule for events.
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Best Clubs Copenhagen ~ Zen / Photo: zen.dk
~ Closed ~ ZEN
In a city where many bars stay open until 06:00, you'd be forgiven for not wanting (or having time) to visit a club, however if you do, then make it the most exclusive venue in Copenhagen; the lavish nightclub owned by the modern day equivalent of Jay Gatsby; Remee S. Jackman, the Danish X Factor judge and songwriter behind 30 million records, including Jamelia's "Superstar". Since opening in 2010, it has remained the most successful nightclub in Copenhagen, with some of the best looking guests in Scandinavia, all dressed to impress in suits and cocktail dresses. And the reason it has remained so popular? Well, where do we start? The opening show, fireworks, beautiful, creative costumes, superstar guests, drums, saxophones, singers, dancers, a rooftop terrace, music that covers every genre and a house DJ line-up that includes DJ Kongsted, who himself has had many Top 10 chart hits. Open Thursday -Saturday 23:30 - 05:00
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Last updated 7 Feb 2016