Bar am Wasser
Bar am Wasser is a walk-in-only premium cocktail bar in Zürich, founded in 2018 by Dirk Hany, serving affluent and business clientele with multi-course cocktail menus, laboratory-grade mixology techniques, and 400+ spirits, plus event catering and branded merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bar am Wasser does
Bar am Wasser is a premium cocktail bar founded in October 2018 by Dirk Hany, former head of the Widder Bar in Zürich, and operates as a walk-in-only venue at Stadthausquai 1, Zürich, at the junction of Lake Zurich and the Limmat river. The bar was established in a converted 1937 fishing equipment shop and features a two-story gallery layout with over 400 spirits on the back bar. Its core offering is multi-course cocktail tasting menus structured like fine dining (Amuse-bouche, multi-course, Digestif), with strength-tiered options (High-, Low-, or No-Volume). The bar employs laboratory-grade mixology techniques including rotary evaporation, ultrasound mixing, and fat/milk washing, alongside signature smoke bubble effects on select cocktails.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer bar model with no reservations policy, targeted at affluent and business clientele seeking Michelin-star-level beverage service in a bar setting. Approximately 10 staff members run the operation, led by Hany as Host and Co-owner. Revenue is generated through three streams: walk-in beverage sales (primary), bespoke event catering through the Privé am Wasser sub-brand (weddings, corporate events, galas at the venue or external destinations), and an online store selling branded merchandise, gift vouchers, and exclusive 505 bottles of Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask single-cask whisky at CHF 175.
Bar am Wasser has established pop-up partnerships with Mandarin Oriental Palace Luzern (2024 and 2025), a strategic brand affiliation with luxury watchmaker Hublot, and supplier alliances with Perrier-Jouët, Miro Coffee, and others. The bar has received numerous accolades including the Pinnacle award (October 2025, first in Switzerland), Bar des Jahres Schweiz 2023, Best of Swiss Gastro Master 2020, and ranking #362 on the Top 500 Bars worldwide list. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investment, operating throughout Switzerland with a small footprint in Zürich and seasonal Lucerne events.
Bar am Wasser firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bar am Wasser
- Legal name
- BAR AM WASSER
- Website
- https://baramwasser.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Bar am Wasser is a walk-in-only premium cocktail bar in Zürich, founded in 2018 by Dirk Hany, serving affluent and business clientele with multi-course cocktail menus, laboratory-grade mixology techniques, and 400+ spirits, plus event catering and branded merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bar am Wasser industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Cocktail Bar / Hospitality Services
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beverage Services (Bar Catering, Mixology, Beverage Programs) (THAHAKAJ), Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF), Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH)
Keywords
Where Bar am Wasser is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Bar am Wasser business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bar Beverage Sales: Direct beverage sales at the bar counter - cocktails, spirits, wine, champagne, coffee. Walk-in model with no reservations.
- Bespoke Bar Catering & Events: Private event catering including wedding receptions, celebrations, and gala events. Pop-up bar experiences at partner venues.
- Merchandise & Fan Shop: Online store selling branded merchandise including gift vouchers (from CHF 50), coffee cups, caps, whisky bottles, golf balls, bar menus, and bundle packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | — | Walk-in bar service |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Bar am Wasser product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bar am Wasser is a premium walk-in cocktail bar located at Stadthausquai 1 in Zürich, offering fine drinking experiences via multi-course cocktail tasting menus and a selection of over 400 spirits, with seated 5-star hotel-style service. The business also operates "Privé am Wasser," a bespoke bar catering service for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations, alongside an online store selling branded merchandise, gift vouchers, and an exclusive limited-edition Kavalan single-cask whisky.
Product overview
Bar am Wasser is a cocktail bar and hospitality business offering a unified experience centered on premium cocktails and fine drinking. The core product is the cocktail bar itself, which operates as a seated-only venue with over 400 spirits and multi-course cocktail tasting menus. Supplementary offerings include Privé am Wasser (bespoke event catering), an Online Store (merchandise including the exclusive BaW Kavalan whisky, gift vouchers, and branded items), and catering pop-up collaborations such as the Bar am Wasser x Minamo series at Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern. The bar was founded in October 2018 and is located at Stadthausquai 1, Zürich.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bar am Wasser (Cocktail Bar Experience)
- Privé am Wasser (Bespoke Bar Catering)
- Online Store (Merchandise & Gift Vouchers)
- BaW Whisky (Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask)
Quantifiable outcome
- First bar in Switzerland to receive The Pinnacle award (October 2025)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Bar am Wasser
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bar am Wasser technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Bar am Wasser partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered friend of the house, coffee partner, drink-delivery partner, shoe partner, champagne partner, uniform partner, architect partner, soap partner, pop-up partner and private cask partner.
- Hublotfriend of the houseLuxury watch brand partnership. Bar am Wasser shares the philosophy of fusion and creative innovation with Hublot. Dirk Hany and team offer exclusive experiences.
- Miro Coffeecoffee partnerCoffee partner supplying premium coffee to the bar.
- Huber Getränkedrink-delivery partnerDrink delivery partner for bar supplies.
- OCH Sport AGshoe partnerShoe partner for bar staff footwear.
- Perrier Jouëtchampagne partnerChampagne partner supplying premium champagne.
- Bekleidung.chuniform partnerUniform partner for bar staff attire.
- Ligno In-Raum AGarchitect partnerArchitect partner that designed the bar interior. Portfolio includes Bar am Wasser Zürich.
- ABHATIsoap partnerSoap partner supplying premium soap products.
- Mandarin Oriental Palace Luzernpop-up partnerMultiple pop-up bar events held at Restaurant Minamo and Quai10 terrace. Bar am Wasser team serves cocktails at the luxury hotel's venue.
- Destille Kavalanprivate cask partnerBar am Wasser acquired a private cask from Taiwan's Kavalan distillery. Only 505 bottles of Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask whisky sold exclusively.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bar am Wasser competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Clumsies: Athens-based cocktail bar consistently ranked on World's 50 Best Bars. Comparable European craft cocktail peer with similar award-winning brand and premium positioning in a smaller-market capital.
- Tales & Spirits: Amsterdam craft cocktail bar recognized on World's 50 Best Bars extended lists. Comparable European peer in the mid-tier premium cocktail bar category with similar menu-engineering approach.
- American Bar at The Savoy: Historic cocktail bar inside the Savoy Hotel in London, repeatedly listed on World's 50 Best Bars. Comparable to Bar am Wasser in its emphasis on classic-meets-innovative cocktail craft, hotel-grade service, and iconic physical location.
- Dante NYC: Award-winning NYC cocktail bar named World's Best Bar multiple times. Comparable peer in the globally-ranked craft cocktail bar category with similar menu innovation and award-driven brand building.
- Licorería Limantour: Mexico City cocktail bar repeatedly listed on World's 50 Best Bars. Comparable globally-recognized craft cocktail peer with similar award-driven prestige in a non-traditional bar capital.
- Dead Rabbit: New York cocktail bar recognized on World's 50 Best Bars lists and known for its themed cocktail menu concept. Comparable to Bar am Wasser in pioneering structured, narrative-driven cocktail menus.
- Schumann's Bar: Munich-based destination cocktail bar operated by Charles Schumann. Comparable DACH-region peer with international recognition, premium positioning, and similar craft bartending philosophy.
- Atlas Bar: Singapore luxury cocktail bar inside the Park Hyatt, repeatedly listed on World's 50 Best Bars with a 1,000+ spirit collection. Comparable to Bar am Wasser in its hotel-grade service ethos and extensive back-bar premium spirits selection.
- The Connaught Bar: London cocktail bar inside the Connaught hotel, consistently ranked #1 or top-3 on World's 50 Best Bars. Most directly comparable to Bar am Wasser as a luxury hotel-grade cocktail experience in a standalone bar setting with multi-award-winning bar team.
- Le Lion Bar: Hamburg cocktail bar that has appeared on World's 50 Best Bars lists. Comparable German-speaking peer in the premium cocktail category with similar mixology-driven positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bar am Wasser social profiles
Digital presenceBar am Wasser financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bar am Wasser leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Bar am Wasser funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bar am Wasser M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bar am Wasser
What does Bar am Wasser do?
Bar am Wasser is a premium walk-in cocktail bar located at Stadthausquai 1 in Zürich, offering fine drinking experiences via multi-course cocktail tasting menus and a selection of over 400 spirits, with seated 5-star hotel-style service. The business also operates "Privé am Wasser," a bespoke bar catering service for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations, alongside an online store selling branded merchandise, gift vouchers, and an exclusive limited-edition Kavalan single-cask whisky.
Is Bar am Wasser a public or private company?
Bar am Wasser is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bar am Wasser founded?
Bar am Wasser was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bar am Wasser based?
Bar am Wasser is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Bar am Wasser make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bar Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are bespoke Bar Catering & Events and merchandise & Fan Shop.
Who are Bar am Wasser's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Clumsies, Tales & Spirits, American Bar at The Savoy, Dante NYC, Licorería Limantour, Dead Rabbit, Schumann's Bar, Atlas Bar, The Connaught Bar and Le Lion Bar.
Does Bar am Wasser have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bar am Wasser.
What industry is Bar am Wasser in?
Bar am Wasser's product category is Premium Cocktail Bar / Hospitality Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANACAD, Cocktail Bars & Lounges, with a secondary code of THAHAKAJ, Beverage Services (Bar Catering, Mixology, Beverage Programs). Its NAICS code is 7224 and its SIC code is 5810.