After exploring Cologne to the fullest, we were looking for a nightcap. Harry's New York Bar was on…read moremy list of the most reviewed (with a good rating) bars in Cologne (though you won't see as much Yelp activity in Germany compared to the States), and it was conveniently located to where we were at the time, so we stopped by for a drink half an hour before they closed. Ambiance (3.5/5): Harry's New York Bar is located in a hotel, though the bar has its own entrance, too. Think of it as an elegant hotel bar. Comfortable seating. Spacious. Along with a long bar which has some bar seating as well. So why not a higher rating for their ambiance? Well, this is pretty wild but there was a rat walking around while we were there. We told the bartender about it, but he didn't seem too concerned with the situation. I sure hope rats are not frequent guests here! Service (4/5): Outside of the rat situation, our bartender did a good job. Service in Europe doesn't tend to be terribly attentive, friendly, or efficient. And in Germany, they will often kick you out right when it's closing time. Not the case here. The bartender let us stay for a good while after they closed. Which I always appreciate. They even give you some snacks to munch on with your cocktail. That was a nice touch. Food (N/A): Outside of the complimentary snacks, we had dinner prior so I was on a liquid diet. Drinks (4.5/5): You would think that Harry's New York Bar is an American bar given the name. That's what I thought initially. I was wrong. Harry was a famous bartender in the U.K. who invented several famous cocktails. So that's what you should have here. They have a solid list of craft cocktails, many of them with an interesting blend of flavors and ingredients. I was happy with mine, though you will pay a premium here since it's a hotel bar. Harry's New York Bar has locations across the world. I was happy to check out my very first one in Cologne.

Great bar with heavy pours on the cocktails. The food is good too, the burger was tasty and…read morereminded me of home. It gets a little loud but that's fine because the lobby it's connected to is a bit more of a chill space. Great service and overall and excellent bar in a town full of great bars.

I like this place. Loud, noisy, good drinks. Really good White Russian too…read more Missing one star because getting a drink can take AGES. Despite there being lots of staff. They can't always seem to handle big crowds and tend to purposefully ignore people when the going gets tough. Other than that, not bad.

Oh, Maya. Why must you be so smoky inside? Haven't your owners realized that smoking is best done…read moreto raw meat, not to the lungs of its patrons? *sigh* The 'Mexican' food at Maya is the best in Bonn, outside of my kitchen. But I cook Tex-Mex, so maybe that doesn't count... but I digress. I must admit that I've only eaten at Maya once, due to the aforementioned smokiness. I just have a serious problem with not being able to taste my food for the smell of smoke in the air. All things considered, the meal I had at Maya was one of the better ones I've had in the area. After a starter of the typical Poco Loco-variety tortilla chips and questionably "homemade" dips, I had the Palenque enchiladas with ground beef, avocado, and salsa. The plate came with a side of rice, beans and a small salad. The ground beef had pleasant, although not spicy, flavors, and the avocado was more guacamole than avocado strips, which is what I expected from the description. The rice and beans were only slightly seasoned, but were an acceptable complement to the main part of the dish. Bear in mind that my idea of good Mexican involves a generous portion of chiles (preferably poblanos, jalapenos and/or chipotles) and cumin, so I was a bit underwhelmed by my meal at Maya. However, if the smoke and lingering stale smokiness would go away, I would definitely be back to try more of the menu.

We stumbled on Weinkommissar late one night after finishing dinner with clients on a Bonn walk…read morestreet. I loved that in spite of the chilly 40 degree temps, patrons were sitting at benches outside with blankets provided by the bar enjoying their drinks. When we arrived it was 10:45 and when we asked as we sat down when they closed, the young bartender told us they closed at 11pm, but would let us know when last call came around. We ordered a couple of lovely German reds and proceeded to enjoy another hour or so of conversation and another glass of wine. Finally at nearly midnight we hear last call. While we didn't partake, we watched the the bartenders putting together lovely plates of charcuterie and cheese with bread. As we'd just had dinner, we just couldn't eat another bite, but it all looked so good. They had a great selection of wines and friendly service.