My Bar ICI — Restaurant in Berlin

The owner started singing a song really loudly (and badly) and stopped to tell us to be quiet because we were playing a card game. She said “it’s my Sunday not yours” 😂😂 like what ??? Keep in mind there was maybe one other table of people in the bar, a bunch of Italians. My friends and I were speaking English and she seemed to have a problem with that.

Then another man working there came over and slammed down a box of matches. We thought at first oh that’s nice, he gave us a box of matches. A while later he comes back and says the matches were for another bar where he said we could be “active”- because we were playing cards. Basically telling us to leave and go there. Extremely passive aggressive and rude. He asked if we were on vacation or if we were students - not that it matters but we are all living and working in Berlin for 5+ years. He said it’s all about “communication”- what slamming a box of matches down from another bar ?????????

She corrected our German grammar, told us that once she closes the windows we are no longer allowed to play cards.

And to top it all off a friend said “thank you” when ordering a drink- and she says, “when you say thank you, you should really leave a tip” - AS if we are gonna leave a tip after all that hahahahhah. Insane egotistical behaviour - we would have understood if we were being very noisy but we really were not all . And all spent around 20 euros each over 2/3...

One of my favorite bars in Berlin, and the world. Great friendships spawned and nurtured. It'll always be a part of me.

Here are some tips if you're visiting: The supreme rule: Don't ruin the vibe. It's not a place you get "served", think of it as visiting a friend's place. Respect is earned here. The staff are all rich characters, filled to the brim with soul. You have to earn the right to know them. If the staff come off as rude, it's usually because they're mirroring/responding to a rude behavior of yours. Don't order cocktails. Maybe an Aperol Sprtiz at the most. The wine here is amazing (for red, go for the Les Mûres). Beer if you need to take it slow. Free tap water by the bar. Don't bring a large group of friends, especially if (collectively) they're loud. Ruins the vibe. If you want huge brownie points, bring in a jazz record—you can interpret that widely—I bring bebop, but even funk, soul. Even though it's a smoking bar, it isn't super noticeable until around 7p when the bar starts to fill up. In the winter it can be overwhelming, even for smokers. Time your visit accordingly. Just remember, this is someone's dream. They put a lot of effort to build it into the community it is today. Respect...

We visited the bar as an international group communicating in English. While we were chatting and playing a light card game among ourselves, we were abruptly told to be quiet because the woman working there was singing. Later, we were informed that for us playing games wasn’t allowed in the bar after a certain time, a rule that struck us as oddly specific and not clearly communicated upfront.

I also encountered surprisingly rude behavior from the woman behind the bar. When I ordered in German, she corrected my phrasing in a condescending way, then pointed out that it’s customary to leave a tip, despite the unfriendly service we had received all evening.

At one point, a man working at the bar placed a matchbox on our table. He later explained it was a subtle way of suggesting we leave and go to another bar. He assumed we were students, even though we are all working professionals. Regardless of our background, everyone deserves respectful treatment.

As a non-German, I felt distinctly unwelcome in this establishment. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who expects to be treated with...