The Best Bars In Jerusalem

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There are many great bars in Jerusalem.

Known as the cultural and historical center of Israel, and one of the holiest cities in the world, Jerusalem would hardly strike you as a party-town. After all, at less than one hour drive you have Tel Aviv – the ultimate party-town.

Yet, Jerusalem nightlife is actually fantastic and whether you spend 48 hours in Jerusalem or more you will have plenty of chances to have a drink and a fun night out.

Bars in Jerusalem are often located where you’d least expect – a market stall, a hole in the wall, an old train station. You’ll have plenty of choice between sophisticated and retro bars; budget friendly and expensive; and for any kind of music.

Curious to discover the best places for a night out in Jerusalem? Read on!

tips for traveling to Israel

14 Fabulous Bars In Jerusalem

Gatsby Cocktail Room

Easily my favorite bar in town. My friend took me there once years ago and I have been hooked since.

Located in downtown Jerusalem, minutes from the busy Yaffo Street, this is the kind of place you have to look for – in other words, you won’t come across it while walking down the street, because it’s actually not visible at all. The bar is tucked away on the ground floor of a building, practically hidden in a corner next to a nice café. 

Walk through the door, and you will find yourself in a fantastic retro atmosphere – 1920s style decoration, an overall speakeasy vibe, and great music (occasionally live). 

Cocktails are fabulous, prepared with quality ingredients, herbs, spices and whatever else your barman decides to mix. There is a fixed menu and a set of daily specials. It’s not cheap: don’t go if you are looking for a happy hour kind of place. But I promise you it’s worth every cent.

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS:18 Hillel St.; open Sunday to Saturday from 6:00 pm to 1:00 am. Bbook in advance – you can do that via the Ontopo app.

Blaze

Steps away from Gatsby Cocktail Room, Blaze is pretty much its exact opposite – and you will love it just for that. Go there in search of truly easygoing atmosphere, rock music, and a good, chilled beer. There is live music pretty much every night.

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 23 Hillel St.; open Sunday to Thursday from 6:00 pm to 3:00 am; Saturdays from 8:30 pm to 4:00 am.

The Barrel and The Tap

Further down the street on Hillel, this is an English style pub that serves beer on tap, good pub food, and where you’ll enjoy an easygoing atmosphere.

The choice of beer is the same as in any pub in London – Stella, Guinness, Carlsberg – and at actual reasonable prices. Food goes from snacks such as mozzarella sticks to burgers, sandwiches and salads. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 33 Hillel St.; open daily from 7:00 pm to 4:00 am.

bars in Jerusalem

Yudale

At a stone’s throw from Mahane Yehuda, Jerusalem’s great market in the modern city, and right in front of Mahneyuda, one of the best restaurants in town and run by the same owners, Yudale is one of the trendiest spots in town, and summarizes what Jerusalem nightlife is like: easygoing despite its reputation. 

At Yudale you will be able to get some great bar-style bites, prepared in front of you and using the best ingredients coming from the nearby market. The selection of drinks is just as great – from wine to good cocktails and pints. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 11 Beit Ya’akov St.; open Sunday to Thursday from 6:00 pm till midnight, Fridays from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 pm to midnight. You may find a line at the door, but it usually moves quickly. 

Wine Bar

There is no stopping the genius of Assaf Granit, owner of Machneyuda and Yudale. He is also behind Wine Bar, the best place for wine and tapas, great for a date or for a friends’ night out. You will find a great selection of drinks – wine obviously, but also beer; food – think charcuterie, sandwiches and the like, and a chilled atmosphere. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 28 Azza St.; open daily from 8:00 am to 1:30 am.

Jerusalem nightlife

Yellow Submarine

An institution in Jerusalem nightlife, Yellow Submarine is the prime music venue in town. It’s the kind of place where you can listen to a different kind of (live) music any day of the week – up and coming as well as established Israeli musicians will generally be on stage. Bar food is available in case you get hungry, and there is a bar with an excellent choice of drinks. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 13 Hareichavim St.; open Sunday to Thursday from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am and Saturdays from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Birman

This is the place to go for jazz lovers. You will find an excellent selection of drinks, delicious Middle-Eastern style food, and perfect music. It’s open until the wee hours – just in case you have insomnia. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 8 Dorot Rishonim St., right by Ben Yehuda; open Sunday to Thursday from 7:30 pm to 4:00 am, Fridays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturdays from 8:00 pm to 4:00 am.

Mike’s Place

Located in the heart of town on Yafo St., this is a nice pub where you will find your typical selection of pub food and beer. 

Mike’s Place is on two levels – live music is played on the lower level. You will also find pool tables. It honestly has that unbeatable pub atmosphere that you wouldn’t expect to find in Israel.

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 33 Yaffo St.; open Sunday to Thursday from 12:00 pm to 3:00 am; Fridays from 12:00 to 5:00 pm and Saturdays from 8:00 pm to 3:00 am.

GOOD TO KNOW: There is a Mike’s Place in Tel Aviv too. You will find it at 90, Retsif Herbert Samuel St.

bars in Jerusalem

Beer Bazar

Mahane Yehuda market is a hotspot for Jerusalem nightlife, and Beer Bazar is definitely one of the best bars there. It started a few years ago as nothing more than a hole in the wall serving Israeli craft beer (and cider) and fresh popcorn, and it soon became so popular that it expanded and became a pub proper, and with excellent (kosher) food. 

If it is your first time there, ask for the beer sampler before deciding which beer you want. Their ale is fabulous!

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 3 Etz Chaim St., inside Mahane Yehuda market; open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 am to 2:00 am; Fridays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm and Saturdays from 7:00 pm to 3:00 am. 

GOOD TO KNOW: You will find a Beer Bazar in Jaffa too.

Hatch

Inside Mahane Yehuda Market, Hatch specializes in craft beer on tap and sausages, as well as corn beef sandwiches. It’s kosher, so it is closed on Shabbat. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 28 HaEgoz St.; open from Sunday to Wednesday from 12:00 pm to 1:00 am; Thursdays from 12:00 pm to 3:00 am; Fridays from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and Saturdays from 8:30 pm to 1:00 am.

things to do in Jerusalem

Mirror Bar

Located inside Mamilla Hotel, you will love the trendy atmosphere, the great selection of drinks, and the view from the terrace.

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 11 Shlomo Hamelech St.; open Sunday to Thursday from 6:00 pm till late; and Satursday from 9:30 pm till late. 

GOOD TO KNOW: On the mezzanine floor of Mamilla Hotel you will find an excellent wine bar too.

Toy Bar

If you are in the mood for some real local action, this is where to go. Located in the Nahalat Shiva neighborhood, it’s a favorite of university students. Aside from the great selection of drinks at reasonable prices, you’ll enjoy the music – perfect if you are in the mood to dance. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 6 Du Nawas St.; open Thursdays from 9:30 pm to 4:45 am; Fridays from 10:30 pm to 5:00 am and Saturdays from 9:30 pm to 4:45 am. 

GOOD TO KNOW: This is one of the very few bars in Jerusalem that is actually open on Shabbat – so if you are in town on a Friday evening, look no further!

Video Pub

This 1980s themed bar opened in 2012 and is the only gay bar in town. It’s the kind of place where you will be able to dance to electronic music while sipping a reasonably priced drink. Although it is a gay bar, it attracts all sorts of people – from all nationalities and any sexual orientation.

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 1 Yohanan Horkanos St.; open daily from 8:00 pm (10:00 pm on Fridays) to 4:00 am. It’s one of the few bars in Jerusalem to offer happy hour! 

Sira

Popular among students, it’s of the few places in town that offers happy hour from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Go there for fun music, live music by Israeli prominent artists, events, premiers and the like. 

ADDRESS AND OPENING HOURS: 7 Ben Sira St.; open Saturday to Wednesday from 4:00 pm to 3:00 am; Thursday and Friday from 4:00 pm to 5:00 am.

Final Thoughts On Jerusalem Nightlife

Despite its reputation for being all about religion and culture, nightlife in Jerusalem is great and you will find plenty of places to keep entertained and have a drink. The bars mentioned in this post are just a selection. The best way to discover more bars in Jerusalem is to just go out – my personal favorite is Mahane Yehuda Market, which is an incredible, lively place as soon as shops close down! 

Further Readings

Make sure to read my other posts about Israel:

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