17 Best Nightlife in Tel Aviv, Israel

Many of the cocktails here are lit up with a fiery uproar, and some come with garnishes straight out of a toy shop. It's definitely worth watching the skilled bartenders do their stuff in a room that takes you straight back to the 1920s. Small dishes are served with a bit less drama and include beef tartare, crispy calamari, and house-made fried kale chips (hard to find in Israel). In true speakeasy fashion, the bar is expertly hidden inside a small boutique hotel, on a side street near the northern end of Rothschild Boulevard.

Head to the hidden back entrance of a somewhat lackluster hotel lobby and discover this colonial-British-themed playground run by five of Tel Aviv's top mixologists. Nightly specials enhance the standard menu of 150 precisely concocted cocktails. Drop in for happy hour every night from 6 to 8 pm, when the "special price" cocktails are particularly appealing, or reserve for late night, when you may be sitting next to the city's top chefs.

Showcasing Israeli vintages is the name of the game at this beautifully designed underground wine bar in the Sarona complex. An innovative automated pouring system allows you to taste 40 different wines from Israel and further afield using a prepaid smart card. Tastings are available by the sip, half glass, or full glass. If you particularly enjoy a certain wine, you can purchase a full bottle. The kosher menu features expertly prepared modern Mediterranean dishes.

This stylish neighborhood bar has the feel of Prohibition-era New York City. The suspender-wearing bartenders specialize in excellent mixed drinks. Order a spicy apple martini to go alongside the expertly crafted bar food.

This Manhattan-style lounge bar offers a rare combination of classy food, cocktails, and dancing in the same space. Seats in the lounge circle the DJ booth, where top local and international DJs, and occasional live-music performers, hold forth. A full dinner menu is available from the upstairs fine-dining restaurant, along with craft cocktails like Say Hello 2 Heaven, a fresh, citrusy concoction of champagne, gin, black mint, lemon juice, and fresh basil.

Aptly named for a small fish that's a staple of the city's old-time restaurants, Bar Barbunia draws a mixed crowd that ranges from fishermen to financial planners. It manages to be both smoky and cheerful, and the music tends toward classics from the '70s. The bar is small and can get extremely busy so don't be surprised if the party spills out onto the street.

Paying homage to a certain neighborhood in Brooklyn, Bushwick is known for its lively atmosphere and excellent cocktail menu. The bar is situated on the ground floor of the trendy new Fabric Hotel and, apart from serving breakfast to hotel guests, is also a popular spot for sipping a morning coffee or chilling over afternoon drinks. Don't miss the Rhubarbara Streisand or the wild and smoky Here Comes the Tiger. They're brought to you by the team of mixology maestros behind the immensely popular Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar.

At this place to see and be seen, especially in summer evenings, the sparkling cocktails and creative small plates draw attractive customers to a packed outdoor patio. Be adventurous and taste one of the cocktails made with a local product, such as the anise-flavored arak.

One of the oldest bars in Tel Aviv, the Monastery is a gritty, down-to-earth pub that's popular with a slightly older after-work crowd, as well as with students later in the evening and on weekends. The kitchen serves up some fine food, too.

At this neighborhood tavern rich with history, the regulars tend to be older and mellower. Groups of friends congregate outside in the beer garden or inside at the small bar while enjoying jazz or blues.

A two-level subterranean courtyard adorned by local graffiti artists draws bohemian music addicts and casual partiers for alternative music, not to mention fresh baked pizza and mojito slushies. Any night of the week you can find a relaxed crowd enjoying either a live band or an international DJ playing hip-hop, soul, or electronic music. The vibe changes over the weekend, as Tel Avivians come to celebrate the end of the working week and party the night away. 

This is a vibrant spot to experience the local music scene. Live music is on offer almost every night, featuring the widest possible mix of musical offerings, from solo singers to bands blasting indie rock in Arabic. There's a cozy bar upstairs.

In the lobby of the elegant Norman Hotel, the stately 1940s colonial-style Library Bar is ideal for refreshment at any time of day. This posh refuge serves a traditional English high tea by day and pours wines from one of Tel Aviv's most luxurious wine lists throughout the evening. Aperitifs with complimentary snacks are served during happy hour, Monday to Thursday from 6 pm to 8 pm. Look out for the bar's art and fashion evenings, which bring together the city's tastemakers for cultural conversation.

This fun, laid-back nightclub has an indoor dance floor and an outdoor garden area. Every night of the week has a different theme, including gay, mainstream, hip hop and reggaeton. Lima Lima is especially popular for its LGBTQ+ nights, which include Monday's Hip Hop nights and the Sunday night Eurovision party. The latter is a must for fans of the mega-camp European pop extravaganza that is the Eurovision Song Contest.

This well-stocked bar with multiple locations throughout the city appeals mainly to the over-thirty crowd. Live sports on TV, live music, and its location on the promenade facing the beach make it popular with tourists.

The country's most authentic Irish pub is—no surprise—run by an Irishman, Robert Segal. Live music reverberates on Friday afternoon. There's a full menu, including such Emerald Isle favorites as shepherd's pie and beef stew.

With an impressive selection of whiskey from every corner of the globe, Whiskey Bar & Museum (bar, museum, and restaurant, actually) showcases more than 1,000 different bottles, all of which you can sample and buy. Set in one of the historic tunnels built under the Sarona district by the German Templers in the 19th century, the space is steeped in history, having previously been a local winery and, more recently, home to the Israeli secret service, Mossad. The menu features a selection of kosher dishes designed to pair well with whiskey, including charcuterie and desserts.