The Grid Bar

Step into a realm of timeless elegance at the quintessential bar for traditional gentlemen. Here, the ambiance is a seamless blend of old-school charm and contemporary comforts, underscored by the soothing rhythms of chill hip-hop. Each visit promises an unparalleled experience, highlighted by what many hail as the town's finest Old Fashioned - a perfect harmony of flavors that captivates the palate. Complementing this exquisite drink is the bar's crowning jewel: an exceptional cigar lounge, where the aroma of premium cigars lingers in the air, creating an atmosphere of sophistication and relaxation. It's not just a bar; it's an experience where every detail is curated for those who appreciate the finer things in life.

A great place to show off and take instagrammable pictures but in our experience not a place for good cocktails. As cocktail lovers, we went there on an exploration tour and were curious to discover the creativity. Of the 3 different cocktails we had, mine was the most interesting. However, it was nowhere near the quality - in terms of taste, balance, inspiration - that we know from other place (that are actually less expensive). Also, the odour from the outdoor (cigar!) smoking lounge didn't help our experience.

This bar was quite a nice experience. It didn’t look like much from the outside and you had to ring to get inside, this in turn led to the bar not being overly crowded compared to other places in Cologne on a Saturday night. We were promptly seated and got a cocktail menu that visually looked great and had us at multiple cocktails thinking „ok interesting!“ - not just the standard cocktails. They do the standard cocktails as well, just don’t have them listed on the menu - just ask for them. While our orders were taken quite fast the service to actually get the cocktails to the table was rather slow. We waited at least 20min on each order, which felt a bit long to mix three drinks, especially with three bar keepers. The drinks were both visually and taste-wise amazing. But they were small for a 12-15€ drink. Some felt like literally 5 sips and the drink is nearly finished already. Combined with the long waiting time we spend more time waiting than enjoying the (admittedly great) cocktails. Ambient wise the bar was great, they had a DJ and everything felt right. They even had an outdoor area which looks pretty promising. They had heat lamps so it was still OK to sit outside even in November. The restrooms were nice and clean, no complaints here. Overall a rate this for four stars. It’s nice if you want a relaxing night out, but know that you’ll wait and also will spend quite a bit of money. You have to decide if that is worth it for you.

Of you are looking for a Cigar Lounge and High End Drinks crafted by Marian and team (some of the best the German Bar scene has to offer), this is where you head to. Extensive and well curated drinks menu and a small but fine Davidoff Cigar selection. Ensure to ask the top staff on what goes well with what - they will safely guide you through the many options (signature drinks, bottled drinks, spirits etc.). Beautiful interior design and a cool outdoor lounge which is heated - what a delight!