Here's some insider recommendations
02/2022 - Sahar Saini
This bar is the only place in Düsseldorf that exclusively offers craft beer and hence the perfect place to start the pub crawl. This bar imports beer from all over the world! Visitors are always eager to try out their unique beers, giving this place a lively and energetic character. It’s so worth getting on a short flight to get a good idea of what the drinking scene in Düsseldorf is all about.
It wouldn’t be a pub crawl without a trip to the lively Ratinger Straße. This street is filled with different altbier pubs each having a unique quirk. It’s so popular that on weekdays, you’ll spot many after-work customers, and on the weekends, it’s generally packed with loads of people. The cutest part? The beer comes in tiny glasses. The beer is a little more than two euros so be careful, the waiters will bring you a new beer without asking! Cheeky waiters re-filling these small glasses endlessly is almost tradition, so to stop this, just put a coaster over the top of your glass. Remember, you want to make it till the end of the pub crawl.
There are a ton of Irish pubs worth visiting in the Düsseldorf Altstadt, including O’Reilly’s Irish Pub, Fatty’s Irish Pub, Suttons Irish Pub, McLaughlin’s, and Tir Na Nog Irish Pub. All these pubs include artsy events and great beers. For example, O’Reilly’s has typical German and Irish beers and cocktails. They host a range of events: on Fridays and Saturdays karaoke, Thursday's beer pong, and Mondays trivia in both German and English. This is a great stop to grab a drink during your pub crawl and sing your heart out, play beer pong or lose a trivia!
Fancy something different? Listen to German Schlager galore and some throwback 2000s hip hop for the ultimate dancing pit stop. The bar might not be dancing, but you can make it happen. Although I have never been able to get the shot's name, just ask for the shot with powder. They will give you a packet of flavoured, fizzy sugar and a shot. Put the entire packet of sugar in your mouth and then down the shot for the best tasting shot in all of Germany!
Kürzer is packed with students and after-work life. The bar offers cheap Altbier and always has a huge crowd pouring out onto the street from inside. This is the kind of place to stand around, chat with friends, and make new ones. If you can push through the crowd, play a game of foosball at the back of the bar!
This bar is right next door to Kürzer, so it’s only a few steps away. End the night listening to wonderful music in a packed bar with a dark interior. They serve unique cocktails and listen up Gin lovers—they’ve got a wide range of gin and tonic options. For a more chilled out vibe, head upstairs to the smaller bar that usually has fewer people and more seating depending on the night of the week.