The Best Bars in Tel Aviv: Five Authentic Spots

I'll be honest, I used to think Tel Aviv's nightlife was overhyped. Then a friend dragged me out on a random Tuesday, of all nights, and I ended up closing down two different bars and regretting absolutely nothing the next morning. That's the thing about this city: nobody's watching the clock. So over the last few years of visiting, I've built my own shortlist, the places I text people the second they tell me they're booking a flight here. These are the five I still haven't gotten tired of.

For the Cocktail Purists: Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar

This is the one I make everyone go to first, no exceptions. You'd walk right past the entrance if you didn't know to look for it, tucked into the Imperial Hotel with barely any signage. I remember being a little embarrassed the first time, standing outside double checking my phone like an idiot before realizing yes, this unmarked door is actually it. Inside, it's a different kind of quiet: low light, unhurried service, bartenders who clearly take their work seriously without being precious about it. It's picked up real recognition over the years too, including a spot among the world's best bars, so it's not just my opinion. I always let the bartender pick for me now. Every single time, it's been the right call.

For a Playful, Design-Obsessed Night: Bellboy

Bellboy makes me laugh before I've even had a sip, which I think says everything you need to know. The staff wear old-school bellhop uniforms, the furniture looks like it was pulled from a 1920s hotel lobby, and somehow none of it feels like a gimmick. I ordered the Luna Park on a whim once because it arrived riding a tiny carousel and I couldn't not, and it turned out to be one of the better drinks I've had that year. It's become one of those bars everyone's talking about lately, and for once, I don't think it's overrated.

For Golden-Hour Views: Speakeasy, Rothschild Boulevard

I have a rule now: if I'm in town when the weather's good, I try to get to this rooftop before the sun actually sets. Missed it once, showed up too late, and the whole vibe of the evening felt off. Learn from my mistake. The drinks are familiar classics with a local spin, and I always end up back on the Rothschild Mule even though I tell myself I'll try something new. The crowd here is relaxed in a way that feels effortless rather than performed, and there's a stretch right around sunset where the whole boulevard just glows. Worth planning your evening around, honestly.

For Pure Energy: Port Said

Port Said is not a place you go for a quiet drink, and I'd be lying if I said I always love that. Some nights I want somewhere calmer. But when I'm in the mood for noise and good food and a drink that just appears in your hand, this is where I end up, usually later than I planned to stay. It's tucked behind the Great Synagogue, always packed, always loud in a way that somehow works. I've had some of my best random conversations with strangers at that bar, the kind you only get when everyone's a little bit too close together and having a good time anyway.

For the Locals-Only Feel: Kuli Alma

I almost didn't include this one because it feels like a bit of a secret, but that seems unfair to keep to myself. Kuli Alma is scruffier than everywhere else on this list, and that's exactly why I love it. Graffiti on the walls, art that changes depending on when you show up, a crowd that isn't dressed for anyone but themselves. I've wandered from the bar into some kind of impromptu gallery opening in the back room more than once without really meaning to. It's the closest thing on this list to how Tel Aviv actually parties when no one's performing for tourists.

Five bars, five completely different moods, and one city that never really seems to wind down. If I'm being honest, I still don't have a single "favorite," it depends entirely on the kind of night I'm chasing. Start proper at Imperial Craft, get a little silly at Bellboy or Kuli Alma, and let Port Said take you home too late. That's usually how mine go, anyway.

Exploring more cities? See all my World's Best Bars & Restaurants guides. And to order like you mean it, learn the language of the back bar in the Whisky Vocabulary guide .