The Ultimate Hamburg Stag Do Guide 2023

The Hofbrauhaus group, which translates to 'Royal Brewery', started in sixteenth century Munich – and it's a tradition that is continued today. Essentially, it's one huge space where everyone drinks, eats and dances on the tables, all to a backdrop of live Oompah bands. There are two Hofbrauhauses in Hamburg, but the one we’d recommend the most is on the Esplanade – which was the first beer hall outside of Bavaria to open its doors. Serving freshly tapped Hofbrau beer from the original brewery in Munich, in an authentic German setting, you won’t get a more traditional setting than this – apart from being a p*ss up, it’s semi-cultural too. Despite its size, Hofbrauhaus can get really packed, especially on the weekends, which adds to its rowdy, beer-swilling vibe – make sure to get yourselves reserved tables before you head out.

We’ve all got that one mate who drinks the others under the table – and this bar will put him to the test. Illegal in many countries, Absinth is the Devil’s spirit. Literally. It’s either naturally green or colourless and is truly as potent as they come, sending you from totally sober to drunken legend in a few shots. If you’ve never been brave enough to try absinth, there’s no better time than on your stag do in Hamburg – and this Absinth Bar is the ultimate venue to lose your absinth virginity. The ambiance of the bar is minimalist, dark and moody, with a bright green glow (no, that’s not just the absinth skewing your vision). They’ve got a huge range of different absinths on the menu for you to try, all well-presented, some even flaming – but they’ll all end with you in the same state... on your back at half seven. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

‘Strictly no rules, just great tunes’ is a life mantra we’re happy to get on board with. Located on the Reeperbahn, you can experience a whole new genre of nightlife in Moondoo, which bills itself as Hamburg’s ‘fluid, wild and free nightclub’. The narrow, two-floored and half-timbered 19th century building could be mistaken from a scene on the latest Harry Potter set, except with less broomsticks and wizards, are more shots and rowdy clubbers. Inspired by cool, fabled 70s/80s New York nightclubs like The Roxy, Save The Robots, Dancetaria, and The Paradise Garage, this place does House, Funk and Electro like it’s never been done before. The widespread draw of Moondoo creates a pumped-up kaleidoscope of different walks of life, all letting their hair down to some huge tunes. Don’t mind if we Moon-doo…

Why not try something a bit different, as you step back to the bygone era of proper vinyl in the effortlessly cool Le Fonque. Behind its mysterious black and red façade, this small and intimate joint has low leather seating and a suggestive shimmer under its neon-red lighting. This popular hangout for lively locals is super laid-back and hosts nightly DJs playing the very best in funk and soul to packed dancefloors. You’ll be pleased to hear that unlike surrounding bars, the drinks prices in Le Fonque are very pocked friendly, leaving extra cash in those stag do funds. When partying here, you’ve also got a whole range of eateries around the corner for those inevitable late-night munchies.

Notoriously difficult to find, Clockers is widely regarded as one of Hamburg’s best kept secrets and an absolute must on any slightly more sophisticated stag do. Look out for the discrete doorbell and buzz your way in, like some sort of exclusive 1920s speakeasy rocketed into modern day life. Once you’re in, it’s almost like a treehouse with moss-lined walls, neatly piled wood and fairy lights lining branches hanging from the ceiling. The expertly trained staff will be waiting on hand to recommend something which suits every individual palette, whether you’re after something safe that you know and love, or want to try something a bit new on your stag do. It’s even got its own house-distilled Clockers Gin, which you can enjoy in the main bar or in the library-esque upper-floor that’s all woody tones, soft lighting and Chesterfield seating. Plus, as you’re just a five minute walk from Reeperbahn, you can have a few drinks in this mystical Narnia-esque world before heading out to get your red light fix.

This bar pretty much represents everything about stag dos in Hamburg. Chug, chug, chug. Just off Reeperbahn, The Chug Club doesn’t look anything from the outside, but step in for an experience you won’t forget. This temple to spirits (yes, the alcoholic kind) knows the perfect alchemy to concocting high-end drinks. However, these are not just your usual kind of drinks. The simple concept of this complex bar, is to fill small glasses (chugs) with your favourite flavours, each with their own potency, starting at high and ending in lethal. An average five chug tray is going to cost you around €20, so it’s not the cheapest in the area but it’s certainly worth it. It won’t take many chugs before you’re on your knees, trust us.

Located within St. Pauli, GAGA spans multiple areas, is open ‘til 6am and knows how to have a good time. As soon as you walk in off the street, you’ll be transported to a booze soaked wonderland which you’ll never want to leave. This edgy warehouse-esque venue knows how to host a proper club night with lively bar staff concocting awesome drinks, people dressed in quirky costumes whipping the crowd up into a frenzy and playing some of the biggest and most popular chart topping tunes. GAGA has extremely popular club nights most weekends, including ‘Deja-Vu House Classic’ which combines the biggest hits of 25 years of electronic music and ‘80s Lovers’ which does exactly as it says on the tin.

Since opening its doors back in 1945, the Reeperbahn nightlife scene has been revolutionised by Lehmitz. The truly unique ambiance attracts people from all different walks of life, and unites all visitors encouraging them to get up and dance on their chairs and tables, swilling pints as they go in a Bier Keller style p*ss up. What you’ll find cool about this bar is its 40 metre long U-shaped counter that doubles as a stage for live performances; it really gets everyone involved and encourages interaction from the roaring crowds.

With its own currency (Dollhouse dollars), Dollhouse is a Hamburg institution. The neon-lit Dollhouse sign will pull you off (steady on) the Reeperbahn and into the illustrious wonderland that’s been entertaining stag parties since opening its doors in 1997. The dark interiors give an illustrious ambiance and having yourself a table dance from one of the dolls will cost you around €30. With sultry pole dancers showcasing their best moves right in front of your eyes and scantily dressed shot girls keeping you topped up through the night, Dollhouse is a recipe for stag do success. There’s also a drinks list as long as your arm, with every spirit you could possibly imagine and then a few more to boot.

Probably the cheapest bar on the Reeperbahn, Zum Silbersack welcomes your stag do with open arms. It’s been around since 1949 and has become a bit of a cult within Hamburg, as it continually delivers cheap drinks and German power ballads in equal measures. We’ll be honest, the floors are a bit sticky, the air is vaguely smoky and the no-frills staff aren’t going to serve you cocktails with origami adornments, but, it’s the most authentic and real stag do boozer you could possibly come across – with think you’ll love it. Like time stood still, Zum Silbersack is like a 1950s German tavern on the inside, with wooden furnishings and vintage check curtains, but that’s all part of its charm. This corner building has multi-coloured tiles and graffiti murals on the exterior walls – you can’t miss it – and knowing you’ll get more bang for your buck, so to speak, you’ll be washing down trebles with pints of Astra until you can’t see. Prost!

We’re guessing beaches weren’t the first thing you thought of when you discussed having a stag do in Hamburg, but you’d be surprised with the wealth of options for sun, sea and sand lovers out there. Among the many fantastic beachy areas of Hamburg, is Strand Pauli. This urban beach is the epitome of cool, with a laid-back day vibe and a hive of bars and clubs by night. There are even lively beach clubs with dancefloors and top DJs – Ibiza, eat your heart out. See here if you want to find out a little more about Hamburg’s glorious beaches.

Adjacent to the harbour (more about that later), the warehouse district stands proudly just above the waterline. These neo-gothic buildings were once used to store goods such as spices and coffee, and have been renovated in recent years to keep their distinctive, Amsterdam-like style. You can take a tour of the area and sample Hamburg’s own Holsten Pilsiner whilst you’re at it, in the hugely popular local eateries that have sprung up all around this edgy district.

This is one of the oldest breweries in Hamburg, meaning that you’ll sample a slice of history whilst drinking beer – there are no cons to this plan, right? Groeninger brews its own beer, Groninger Pils (with water directly sourced from the famous Luneburg Heath), which you can then tap and drink from old oak barrels for a truly authentic experience. You can also get yourselves some hearty homemade dishes or some speciality small plates whilst you’re there, soaking up that beer in the very best way possible.

If you’re a bit of an eccentric nerd at heart and remember painting little Warhammer characters before taking them into ‘battle’, or if you just need something cool and cultural to do whilst you’re working off a hangover, you’ll appreciate a trip to Miniatur Wunderland. One of the largest of its kind in the world, this railway is seriously impressive, consisting of miniature versions of Harz, the fictitious city of Knuffingen, the Alps and Austria, Hamburg, America, Scandinavia, Switzerland, a replica of the Hamburg Airport and Italy. It’s constantly being added to, and by 2020, the exhibit is expected to have reached its final construction phase, including at least a total of ten new sections in a model area of over 2,300 m2. We recommend checking it out when it’s all lit up at night, too.

We know we’ve mentioned it before, but there’s nothing like the atmosphere of a bierhaus in its home country – think, a UK Bier Keller but more traditional, authentic and, in most cases, cheaper. Hamburg’s extensive choice of cosy Kneipen (that’s German for ‘pubs’ FYI) will leave you with hundreds of options, but our favourite bierhauses on the scene have to be Block Bräu, Altes Mädchen, Schumachers Biergarten (with its extensive beer garden), and, of course, the ultimate Hofbrauhaus. If you want to know a little bit more about Hamburg’s beloved beer culture, have a read of this.

Germany’s largest port is widely considered the ‘Gateway to the World’, covering an area of 73.99 km². Basically, it’s massive and impressive. If you’re not satisfied with just looking around the harbour, you can even climb on-board a Russian submarine and experience the harbour from below the waterline. We reckon that’ll go down well, don’t you? It even plays host to Hamburg Port Festival, the city’s biggest annual event. Taking place in May, this festival attracts over a million visitors each year and celebrates the birthday of the harbour – with fireworks and beer… ‘Tis the German way, after all.

Established in 1329, Hamburger Dom is one of Europe’s oldest funfairs. If you love your rollercoasters and your big wheels, you can’t miss it; it’s even home to the world’s largest portable rollercoaster, Olympic Looping. However, if you prefer your feet firmly on the ground, there are plenty of street vendors serving awesome German food and most importantly, steins of beer. Taking place in late March, late July and late November, if you’re celebrating in your stag do in Hamburg on these dates, we’d 100% recommend checking it out.

You might be thinking “eh, they’re sending us to a fish market on a stag do, are they crackers?”. The answer is no, we’re not crackers and you’ll thank us later for recommending this one. Every Sunday since 1703, the River Elbe attracts over 70,000 people looking for a good old fashioned knees up. The fish market-turned-street festival has live music, street vendors and beer stalls as far as the eye can see. As it’s by the harbour, the seafood stalls are super popular, where you can get your hands on everything from premium lobster to a fish finger sandwich (there’s always one).

Catch some of the Alstervergnugen action on your stag do, with a visit to Lake Alster. This annual summer festival sees the lake spring to life with sports including wakeboarding, water-skiing, rowing and sailing. Meanwhile, 500 national and international artists, acrobats and athletes showcase their stuff on dry land, providing entertainment from 10am until midnight. It’s a good spot to people watch with an ice cold beer (read: recover from the night before) and the fireworks display afterwards is pretty cool, too.

You don’t need us to recommend the Reeperbahn – the reputation which precedes it is absolutely accurate. Widely regarded as ‘Hamburg’s most sinful mile’, the Reeperbahn is Hamburg’s answer to Amsterdam’s Red Light District. The strip itself is 930 metres exactly and is filled to capacity with back-to-back sex shops, erotic shows and red-lit windows. It’s where The Beatles famously kick started their career back in the 60s and is also just around the corner from FC St. Pauli’s home ground, Millerntorstadion. As it’s listed on our Top 10 Cultural Attractions, that means that you can go home and claim to the missus that you went to those erotic bars and strip clubs for ‘cultural reasons’. You’re welcome.