20up Bar
20up Bar occupies the 20th floor of the Empire Riverside Hotel on Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse, giving it the best harbor view of any bar in Hamburg. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap around the room, and from the seating areas you can see the entire Elbe harbor, the container terminals, the Elbphilharmonie, and the Reeperbahn district below. The bar itself is a serious cocktail operation with a menu that rotates seasonally, a short wine list, and a well-chosen selection of spirits. The interior leans toward modern hotel bar aesthetics with dark wood, leather seating, and muted lighting that doesn't compete with the view. A smart-casual dress code applies after 20:00, meaning shorts, flip-flops, and overly casual streetwear get turned away at the door. Reservations are recommended on weekends, especially for window seats. The crowd mixes hotel guests with Hamburg locals treating the place as a destination bar, and prices reflect the view more than the drink quality, though the drinks are genuinely good.
Where to stay near 20up Bar
Hotels and rentals within walking distance.
What to Expect
An elevator ride to the 20th floor opens onto a dim, modern bar with panoramic windows on three sides. The harbor view dominates everything; container ships, cranes, and the Elbphilharmonie are all visible from most seats. The bar is quiet at 19:00 and busy by 22:00, with conversations kept at moderate volume by the design of the space.
Refined hotel bar with a view that sells itself.
Low-volume lounge, downtempo electronic, jazz and soul on weeknights
Smart casual strictly enforced after 20:00. Collared shirts, clean shoes.
Date nights, pre-dinner drinks, travelers wanting one upscale evening away from the Reeperbahn.
Cards widely accepted, cash also fine
Price Range
Cocktails 12-16 EUR, beer 6-7 EUR, wine 8-12 EUR by the glass
Cocktails ~$13-17, beer ~$6.50-7.50, wine ~$8.60-13
Hours
Daily 18:00-02:00, sometimes later on weekends
Insider Tip
Reserve a window table at least a few days ahead for weekend visits; walk-ins rarely get the best seats. Go at sunset for the most dramatic view, roughly 21:00 in summer and 16:30 in winter. Dress smart casual; the door does enforce the code after 20:00.
Full Review
20up Bar earns its reputation almost entirely on the view, though the cocktails hold their own. The Empire Riverside Hotel sits above the harbor, and the 20th-floor bar enjoys the best angle of anywhere in the city. You enter through the hotel lobby, take the elevator up, and step out into a dim room with panoramic windows that frame the Elbe, the container port, and the Reeperbahn district below. On clear nights you can see all the way to the harbor mouth.
The bar program is solid rather than adventurous. The seasonal cocktail list rotates several times a year, with classics handled well and a few signature drinks that show some creativity. Prices are on the higher end for Hamburg, around 14 EUR for a standard cocktail, but the value proposition is the view as much as the drink. Service is polished, attentive, and speaks English fluently.
Compared to Hamburg's other high-floor bars, 20up has the clearest harbor angle. The Westin Elbphilharmonie bar competes on prestige but offers a different view. The Clouds Bar at the Tanzende Turme is taller but further from the water. 20up splits the difference, and for first-time Hamburg visitors it's the most immediately impressive option.
Arrive at sunset for the photograph and stay through the blue hour when the harbor lights come on one by one. The window seats fill first, so reserve if you want one. The dress code is enforced, meaning the door will politely redirect guests wearing trainers and shorts after 20:00. The bar gets busy around 22:00 on weekends and stays that way until 01:00.
The bar has a small outdoor terrace on the south side with limited capacity; it's worth asking about availability when you arrive since many guests don't realize it exists. Non-alcoholic options are strong for a hotel bar of this caliber, including several creative zero-proof cocktails that are worth ordering on their own merit rather than as an afterthought. Last call tends to be quiet and signaled discreetly by the staff rather than by the lights coming up, which keeps the experience polished all the way to the end of the evening.
The Neighborhood
The Empire Riverside Hotel sits on Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse, a quiet street on the harbor side of St. Pauli. The Reeperbahn district is a five-minute walk uphill, and the waterfront with its ferry terminals and Fischmarkt is just below.
Getting There
S-Bahn S1 or S3 to Reeperbahn station, then walk south downhill toward the harbor for about seven minutes. Taxis can drop you directly at the hotel entrance. Ferry terminal Landungsbrucken is a 10-minute walk east along the water.
Address
Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 97, 20359 Hamburg
Other Venues in Herbertstrasse
Dollhouse
One of Hamburg's best-known go-go clubs, operating since the 1970s on Grosse Freiheit. Multiple floors with rotating stage shows and table seating.
Safari
Long-running go-go bar a short walk from Herbertstrasse. The neon-lit exterior is a fixture of the Grosse Freiheit strip.
Zur Ritze
Legendary St. Pauli dive bar with a full boxing ring in the basement. A neighborhood institution since 1962, popular with locals and tourists alike.
Silbersack
Old-school corner bar on a quiet side street behind the Reeperbahn. No frills, cheap drinks, and a loyal local crowd that keeps the jukebox running.
Gruenspan
Concert venue operating since the 1960s, when it hosted acts during Hamburg's beat music era. Still books live bands and DJ nights across genres.
Golden Pudel Club
Legendary DIY club on the harbor waterfront below the Hafenstrasse. Experimental music, noise acts, and leftfield DJs play in a rough wooden shack with views of the Elbe.