Live music, a full Irish breakfast and a popular pub quiz are the strengths of Celtic Cottage, an old established Irish pub in Berlin-Steglitz. The pub has existed since 1979 and Gunnar Birkner has been the owner for 20 years, not an Irishman himself, but one who sticks to Irish traditions with the Irish breakfast, for example. This rich full Irish breakfast is served with bacon and baked beans, original Irish sausages and – quite authentically – with original black and white pudding.
Every Monday classic pub quizzes are played here. 60 to 70 mostly young guests come to the Irish pub just for this reason. Birkner recommends to show up early because the pub does not accept any reservations for the quiz. The teams consist of a maximum of five people who have to prove their knowledge in politics, economics, music, religion and gossip. Every player pays one euro and hopes to win the jackpot at some point, which sometimes rises to 300 euros. The runner-up has to make do with pickled gherkins.
From September to May, guests from other Berlin districts also come to the pub in Steglitz due to the live music played here. Music genres are varied from traditional Irish folk to acoustic folk, country and Celtic Rock. Then the pub is packed, having only about 80 seats.
As the Celtic Cottage is not only an Irish pub, but also a neighbourhood pub, soccer is enjoyed here: live on Sky the 1st + 2nd Bungesliga (German Soccer League), DFB Cup, Champions League and in the back room games of Berliner soccer clubs like Hertha or FC Union. Of course, major events such as the World Cup and the European Championship also take place here.
Worth mentioning is also the unusually large selection of good tea for a pub, which is obtained from Samova Tee from Hamburg, as well as almost 80 kinds of whisky, which are, however, less irish, but mainly Scottish kinds.
