Houdini Kino/Bar
Aussersihl, Zürich
Bar in Zürich, Switzerland
Book with PearlWhy go
A cinema bar on Badenerstrasse with an outdoor terrace that changes the calculation in warmer months. Best booked when the film schedule aligns with your evening; the terrace makes an early drink before a late screening the smartest way to use it. Less compelling as a standalone bar destination compared to Zurich's cocktail-focused rooms, but a solid choice for a structured night out in Aussersihl.
About Houdini Kino/Bar
Worth Booking? The Quick Verdict
If you are after a Zurich bar that doubles as a cinema and spills onto an outdoor terrace on Badenerstrasse, Houdini Kino/Bar is worth your time. The combination of film programming and a functioning bar in the Aussersihl district gives it a genuinely different purpose from the hotel bars and cocktail-focused rooms that dominate the city's options. Book this if you want an evening with structure; a drink before or after a screening; rather than a night built purely around what is in the glass.
What Houdini Kino/Bar Is For
Houdini sits on Badenerstrasse 173 in the 8003 postcode, a stretch that has accumulated independent venues over the years and sits at a remove from the polished lakefront crowd. The outdoor area here is the practical reason to plan around the season: warm-weather evenings on the terrace shift the experience from a dark cinema-bar into something more social and open. If you have been once for a film, the next visit worth making is an early-evening drink outside before a late screening, which makes better use of what the space offers than arriving solely for the programme.
The Aussersihl neighbourhood context matters for comparison purposes. This is not a destination for a choreographed cocktail experience, for that, Widder Bar is the better call. Houdini works well when the film schedule aligns with your evening plans and the terrace is open. Check the cinema calendar before you go, because the bar element on its own is harder to justify as a standalone destination when Zurich has strong alternatives.
For broader planning across the city, see our full Zurich bars guide, our full Zurich restaurants guide, and our full Zurich hotels guide. If experiences with programme or cultural context appeal to you, our full Zurich experiences guide covers more options in that vein.
Know Before You Go
- Address: Badenerstrasse 173, 8003 Zürich, Switzerland
- Neighbourhood: Aussersihl (District 4)
- Format: Cinema bar with outdoor terrace
- Booking difficulty: Easy
- Leading visit timing: Warm-weather evenings when the terrace is open; align with film schedule
- Who it suits: Pairs, small groups planning a film evening; less suited to those seeking a dedicated cocktail bar
- Hours/Price/Phone: Not currently listed, check directly with the venue before visiting
Nearby and Related
Other Zurich bars worth knowing in this bracket: Bar 3000 and Bar am Wasser for outdoor-adjacent options, the 25hours Hotel Zürich Langstrasse or 25hours Hotel Zürich West if you want a hotel bar with a similar neighbourhood energy. For reference points further afield, Brasserie, Bar und Event Volkshaus Basel in Basel is a useful comparison for the arts-venue-with-bar format, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu shows what a genuinely cocktail-led programme looks like for contrast. Viniviva Wein in Dübendorf is worth a look if wine is your priority over mixed drinks. See our full Zurich wineries guide for more on that side.
Happy Hour at Houdini Kino/Bar
No confirmed happy hour details are available in our current data for Houdini. Given the cinema-bar format, pre-screening drink deals are common at venues of this type, but we cannot confirm specifics without verified information. Check the venue directly, pricing structures at arts-focused bars in Zurich's District 4 tend to be more accessible than the hotel bar tier, so expectations on value should be reasonable even outside a formal deal window.
Planning details
- Location
- Badenerstrasse 173, 8003 Zürich, Switzerland
- Website
- riffraff-houdini.ch
- Phone
- +41 44 455 50 33
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Houdini Kino/Bar operates as a thoughtful hybrid: part neighbourhood cinema, part local bar. It inhabits Badenerstrasse’s layered District 4, holding two audiences at once without collapsing into either identity. During the day it reads as a relaxed threshold—people arrive early to settle in before screenings—while evenings lean into the area’s after-hours energy. The programming-driven rhythm keeps things intimate; the cinematic element gives the space a contained, focused feel, and the bar side supplies the easygoing sociality typical of independent venues along this strip.
Best For
This is a natural stop for filmgoers who want a no-pressure place to arrive before a screening and for locals who appreciate a neighbourhood venue that works both as a daytime hangout and an evening destination. The lunch-to-early-evening window rewards those looking for a quieter spot to sit and chat, while the screening schedule makes it useful for people who plan nights around film programming. Its placement on Badenerstrasse also suits visitors who are exploring District 4’s cafe-and-bar circuit and want a single spot that combines culture and drinks.
Ordering Tips
Treat Houdini as a pre-show venue: check the screening times and arrive early to take advantage of the pre-show dwell time the description highlights. The lunch-to-early-evening stretch is when the space functions more as a relaxed threshold—go then if you want a quieter experience. For evening visits, expect the bar to be keyed into the cinema schedule, so timing your arrival around a screening helps avoid the busiest moments. The write-up foregrounds programming over menu theatrics, so plan around film times rather than treating the bar as a standalone late-night destination.
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Bar am Wasser; Notable alternative
- Dr. Zhivago Bar; Notable alternative
- Late Bloomers; Notable alternative
- Old Crow; Notable alternative
- Widder Bar; Notable alternative
Bar context
Against Zurich's bar options, Houdini Kino/Bar occupies a specific niche: it is a programme venue first, bar second. That distinction matters when you are deciding where to spend an evening. Widder Bar is the clear choice if cocktail quality and service polish are your criteria; it sits at the top of Zurich's hotel bar tier and outperforms Houdini on both counts for a drinks-only visit. Bar am Wasser is the better call if outdoor space is your primary reason to go out, given its waterside position gives it a setting advantage Houdini cannot match on location alone.
Old Crow and Late Bloomers are worth considering if you want a neighbourhood bar feel without the cinema scheduling dependency; both are easier to drop into spontaneously, whereas Houdini rewards planning around the programme. Dr. Zhivago Bar offers more atmosphere for a dedicated evening out if theatrical setting is what you are after.
The honest comparison: Houdini is the right booking when film plus drinks is the plan, the terrace is open, you are in the Aussersihl area already. For any other profile; serious cocktails, waterfront outdoor seating, or a purely social bar night; one of the alternatives above will serve you better.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Houdini Kino/Bar guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Houdini Kino/Bar
| Venue | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Houdini Kino/Bar | No published awards | Easy |
| Bar am Wasser | Top 500 Bars 2027 · #313Top 500 Bars 2026 · #362Star Wine Lists 20262026 Pinnacle Guide | Unknown |
| Dr. Zhivago Bar | No published awards | Unknown |
| Late Bloomers | 2026 Europe's 50 Best Bars · #44Top 500 Bars 2026 · #332 | Unknown |
| Old Crow | Top 500 Bars 2027 · #307Top 500 Bars 2026 · #373 | Unknown |
| Widder Bar | Top 500 Bars 2027 · #302Top 500 Bars 2026 · #250Star Wine Lists 2026 | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Zurich for this tier.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Houdini Kino/Bar have happy hour deals?
No confirmed happy hour details are on record for Houdini. That said, cinema-bar venues in Zurich commonly run pre-screening drink specials, so it is worth checking directly when you book or arrive. If a structured deal matters to you, Dr. Zhivago Bar or Widder Bar are more likely to have documented promotions you can plan around.
Where is Houdini Kino/Bar located?
Houdini Kino/Bar is located in Zurich, at Badenerstrasse 173, 8003 Zürich, Switzerland.
