The new owners of a brand-new venue on the site of Dublin’s Berlin Bar say they have been through hell and back trying to get the doors open.

Berlin D2 was shut down two years ago after a now-infamous video of customers and staff flouting COVID rules during a ‘boozy brunch’ went viral online.

The video, posted in August of 2020, appeared to show a masked bartender dancing on the bar and pouring drinks into customer’s mouths – at a time when only ‘dry’ pubs were allowed open under strict regulations.

Now, more than two and a half years later, the venue is back – refurbished from top to bottom and opening today under the new name, ‘Pawn Shop’.

Dublin’s Pawn Shop. Image: Pawn Shop

Co-owner and manager David Grier told Newstalk the new venue has nothing to do with the old operation.

“This is a completely new venture,” he said.

“It is not Berlin re-opening. This is me, a new owner, opening my first business, called Pawn Shop, in the space that was formerly known as Berlin.”

Pawn Shop

Pawn Shop has been ready to open since the beginning of last year – but Mr Grier said it has been a “hellish 18 months” trying to get a licence.

“We got the keys in October 2021 but, through a lot of bureaucratic delays and possibly because of some historical problems in this building, it has been quite difficult to get it open,” he said.

“But we finally got there; we got our ducks in a row. We were in court today and our new licence was finally granted.

“To say it is a big relief would be a huge understatement. I can’t tell you how hard the last 18 months have been – but look, we’re finally here now.”

A preview of the interior of Dublin’s Pawn Shop. Image: Pawn Shop

A preview of the interior of Dublin’s Pawn Shop. Image: Pawn Shop

He said Pawn Shop is a ‘ravy cocktail bar,’ with great music, great drinks and the best Mexican food in the city.

“We’re going for a kind of a grungy, dive bar, feel to it,” he said.

“It’s a lot of electronic music with some live bands so we’re fairly music focused but I’ve got a couple of serious hot-shot bartenders that will be dishing out some fairly premium high-end cocktails.

“Then we’ve got Órale Street Food which is Mexican street food with a bit of a Korean twist as well.

“Yeah so, it’ll be a buzz. A lot of dancing, a lot of good drinks and some banging street food.”

The old Berlin bar on Dame Lane in Dublin city centre, 17-08-2020. Image: Sasko Lazarov/Rollingnews

Mr Grier has been in the hospitality business in Dublin for over 20 years – and said he is delighted to be bringing another dancefloor back to the city.

“There has definitely been a serious problem with nightclubs, cultural venues and stuff being ripped out of the city and a lot of kind of more corporate, soulless stuff replacing it so that is definitely something I’m really happy about,” he said.

“To be able to add another dance floor and another place supporting local culture, local artists, local musicians and local suppliers.

“We’re very much looking forward to adding something to the Dublin cultural scene and hopefully we can do so in a way that people appreciate.”

Pawn Shop was granted its licence yesterday after District Court Judge John O’Connor accepted Mr Grier’s undertaking that no shadow directors would be allowed to have any involvement in running the venue.