Zollpackhof — Restaurant in Berlin

The Zollpackhof is a historic building located in the heart of Berlin, Germany. The building, which dates back to the 19th century, has played an important role in the city's history, serving as a customs house, a museum, and a cultural center.

The Zollpackhof was built in 1866 as a customs house for the Prussian government. It was designed by the architect August Orth and was one of several customs houses built in Berlin during the 19th century. The building was strategically located near the River Spree, which allowed for easy access to goods that were being transported into and out of the city.

During the 20th century, the Zollpackhof was used for various purposes. In the 1920s, it was briefly used as a museum, housing an exhibition on the history of the German customs service. During World War II, the building was heavily damaged by Allied bombing raids and remained in a state of disrepair for several decades.

In the 1990s, the Zollpackhof was renovated and transformed into a cultural center. The building was refurbished and modernized, and a new wing was added to provide additional exhibition space. Today, the Zollpackhof is home to a range of cultural activities, including concerts, exhibitions, and events.

One of the most significant events to take place at the Zollpackhof was the signing of the German-Russian Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership in 1992. The treaty, which was signed by German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Russian President Boris Yeltsin, marked an important moment in post-Cold War relations between the two countries.

The Zollpackhof is also significant for its connection to the Berlin Wall. The building is located near the former border between East and West Berlin, and its proximity to the wall made it a popular spot for East Berliners to attempt to escape to the West. In 1962, a group of East Berliners attempted to tunnel under the wall near the Zollpackhof, but their plan was discovered and foiled by East German authorities.

Today, the Zollpackhof remains an important cultural center in Berlin. Its history as a customs house, museum, and cultural center make it a unique and fascinating destination for visitors...

I recently went to this establishment with my Girlfriend on holiday and have been left shocked and disappointed. The experience began with us asking for a table for two, we were informed that they were only tables available in the basement, the server on door failed to specify how it differed from upstairs and I found him largely disinterested in customer service. Once we had seated OURSELVES (not by a member of staff) a waiter greeted us, he was seemingly polite and helpful. He explained how the basement had a limited menu and offered to translate the menu for us, he went on to offer us schnitzel which was not on the menu, we naively agreed thinking he'd took pity on a couple of tourists and wanted to give us a positive experience. The food was okay but by no means anything special, a schnitzel, cheap fries and a basic side salad (fries were on the salty side). We finished our food feeling relatively happy and satisfied. Then came the bill... over 60 euros, worth baring in mind meals on the standard menu cost between 9-12 euros. We were charged over 20 euros per schnitzel and fries, and 5 euros for a f**ing side salad, without being informed at all as to what this might cost before hand. We are British tourists in our twenties, however we look younger than we are. I feel as though an opportunity was seen to take advantage of a couple of young tourists and make some cash. Unfortunately however we both work in marketing, work in market research and have experience as mystery shoppers. Putting my work hat on I feel the service we received was shocking. I complained to the waiter, he was in fairness apologetic, however it felt much like a pity party and the sincerity I cannot know, he offered us a free drink which we took. However I feel this was a small compensation for essentially being manipulated and deceived. Would not recommend for tourists and would advice the company check keep a closer eye on their customer service and customer...

We visited here Thursday 5th August 2021. This was a great find for us as our hotel, namely Steigenberger Hotel, near Berlin Hauptbahnhof, was just 300 meters away and Hauptbahnhof itself only another 150 metres further on. Just to add to the location details, it's near a woodland area and is by the river spree, if you sit on the terrace you'll see plenty of river boats pass by. It's a stroke of luck to find a great place like this so close to a main station, however for me living in Bavaria a little bit weird to travel 4+hours by train from Munich to Berlin only to then go into a Bavarian style Biergarten for our first beers of this trip which served Augustiner beers, clearly one of the big hitters of the Munich beer scene.

As already mentioned we sat on the terrace, so we overlooked the Biergarten. There is also plenty of seating inside. We had a salad each, these were very good and a Hefe-Weisse (Loz) whilst I had a Helles followed by an Edelstoff, the beers were excellent. The Biergarten is mostly laid to gravel as I recall, it's a good size with plenty of bench seating, there is plentiful shade from the large trees and it was very popular. It's great to people watch, and this location was great for it, I wish people watching was a professional occupation. The staff were super friendly and both food and drinks were swiftly delivered to our table.

I really liked it here and if you are after a Bavarian Biergarten fix but are based in Berlin, this really is the...