The 8 Best Bars in Tel Aviv (2026)

Updated July 2026 · 8 picks

The best bars in Tel Aviv in 2026 are Bellboy, Imperial Craft and 223. Tel Aviv's nightlife is legendary, and its cocktail scene ranks among the world's best, running from theatrical hotel bars to intimate neighbourhood spots. Below are eight of the finest places to drink, with what makes each one worth the trip.

1. Bellboy — Berdichevsky Hotel, city centre

Theatrical, playful, award-winning cocktails — the most fun serious bar in the city.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Groups

Bellboy is Tel Aviv's showstopper cocktail bar: a dimly lit, vintage-styled room in the Berdichevsky Hotel where mixology meets theatre. The bartenders are performers as much as craftspeople, serving elaborate, playful, often smoking or bubbling cocktails with a wink, sometimes in unexpected vessels and with a flourish.

Beneath the showmanship, the drinks are genuinely excellent, which is why Bellboy has repeatedly landed on international best-bar lists. The atmosphere is high-energy and fun rather than hushed and reverent — this is a place to be delighted, not just to sip.

It's small and hugely popular, so it fills fast; go early or expect to wait, and let the bartenders steer you toward something surprising rather than ordering off-list. A must for anyone who loves a proper cocktail bar.

Good to know: Go early to get in — it's small and packs out. Tell the bartender what you like and let them surprise you.

Google Maps Website

2. Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar — HaYarkon Street, near the sea

A world-ranked cocktail bar with a tiki-tinged menu and impeccable technique.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Groups

Imperial Craft, hidden behind the Imperial Hotel on HaYarkon Street near the seafront, is one of the bars that put Tel Aviv on the global cocktail map — it has featured on the World's 50 Best Bars list. The setting is handsome and clubby, and the drinks are seriously accomplished, with a tiki and tropical streak running through an inventive, well-built menu.

This is cocktail-making at a high level: balanced, creative drinks made with real precision, served by a knowledgeable team in a room that manages to feel both glamorous and relaxed. It draws a mix of visitors and locals who take their drinks seriously.

It's a short walk from the beach hotels, which makes it an easy, high-quality first stop for the evening. Go earlier for a seat at the bar, and trust the menu's more adventurous end.

Good to know: Handily placed near the seafront hotels — start the night here, and lean into the tiki-leaning menu.

Google Maps Website

3. 223 Bar — Dizengoff / city centre

A pioneering, no-nonsense cocktail bar that helped start the city's craft scene.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Groups

223 (Two Two Three) is one of the elder statesmen of Tel Aviv's cocktail scene, a bar that helped kick off the city's craft-drinks movement and has stayed excellent ever since. It's a warm, wood-and-brick, speakeasy-ish room focused squarely on well-made classic and original cocktails, without gimmicks.

The vibe is relaxed and grown-up, the bartenders are skilled and unpretentious, and the menu rewards both the classicist and the curious. It's the sort of place you go to actually talk and drink well, rather than to be dazzled.

A dependable, high-quality choice on or near Dizengoff, good for a more conversational evening. It gets busy later on, so arrive earlier if you want a table.

Good to know: A more relaxed, conversation-friendly cocktail bar — good when you want to talk as well as drink.

Google Maps Website

4. Butler — Rothschild / city centre

A sleek, upscale cocktail-and-wine bar with polished drinks and a stylish crowd.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Groups

Butler is a sophisticated, design-forward bar near Rothschild that pairs a serious cocktail programme with a strong wine list and small plates. It's a sleeker, more upscale proposition than the speakeasy-style spots — a place to dress up a little and enjoy expertly made drinks in handsome surroundings.

The cocktails are refined and well-executed, the wine selection is thoughtfully chosen, and the food menu is good enough to make it a full evening rather than just a stop. The crowd is stylish and the atmosphere buzzy without being chaotic.

It works well for a smart night out or the beginning of a longer evening along Rothschild. Book or arrive early on weekends, as it draws a fashionable crowd.

Good to know: Good for a dressier night out — the wine list and small plates make it a destination, not just a stop.

Google Maps Website

5. Spicehaus — City centre

An intimate, spice-driven cocktail bar for drinkers who like bold, unusual flavours.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Couples · Solo

Spicehaus is a small, characterful cocktail bar that builds its drinks around spices, herbs and bold, unexpected flavour combinations. It's a spot for the more adventurous drinker — someone who wants a cocktail that surprises rather than reassures — and the intimate scale makes it feel like a discovery.

The bartenders clearly enjoy experimenting, and the menu leans into aromatic, complex builds you won't find everywhere. The room is cosy and low-key, which suits the focus on what's in the glass.

Go when you want something a little different from the big-name bars, and tell the bartender how adventurous you're feeling. Being small, it's best earlier in the evening.

Good to know: For adventurous palates — ask for something spice-forward and off the beaten track.

Google Maps Website

6. Jasper Johns — City centre

A stylish, art-inspired bar with creative cocktails and a design-conscious crowd.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Groups · Couples

Jasper Johns is a chic, art-and-design-inflected bar that pulls a fashionable, creative crowd. It pairs a well-crafted cocktail list with a cool, contemporary aesthetic, sitting comfortably among the more design-conscious of the city's drinking spots.

The drinks are inventive and nicely made, and the atmosphere is buzzy and social, aimed at people who care about style as much as substance. It's a good place to feel plugged into the city's fashionable nightlife without heading to a full-on club.

A solid pick for a stylish evening or the middle of a bar crawl through the city centre. It gets lively later, so come with a group ready for a night out.

Good to know: A design-led, social spot — good as the lively middle of a city-centre bar crawl.

Google Maps Website

7. Sputnik — Rothschild / Allenby

A loud, fun, unpretentious bar that spills onto the street — pure Tel Aviv energy.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Groups · Solo

Sputnik is where the polish comes off and the party starts: a loud, energetic, no-frills bar that spills out onto the pavement near Rothschild and draws a young, up-for-it crowd. It's less about precision cocktails and more about music, cheap-ish drinks and the raucous, sociable street-bar energy Tel Aviv does so well.

The atmosphere is the draw — packed, buzzy, and often overflowing onto the street, especially on weekends. It's the kind of place you end up staying at far longer than planned, dancing and drinking with a mix of locals and travellers.

Come later in the evening when it's in full swing, and don't expect a quiet conversation. Ideal for a big, fun, unfussy night out.

Good to know: Come late and expect a loud, spilling-onto-the-street party rather than a quiet cocktail.

Google Maps Website

8. Beit Maariv — South, near the old central bus station

A serious club-and-bar for electronic music and late nights — for when a bar isn't enough.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Groups · Solo

Beit Maariv is one of the city's well-known clubs, a go-to for electronic music and proper late-night dancing in the grittier south of the city. It bridges the gap between a bar and a full nightclub, with DJs, a strong sound system and a crowd that comes to dance until the early hours.

It's the answer when the cocktail bars wind down and you want to keep going — the music leans electronic and house, and the atmosphere is energetic and unpretentious. Like most of the city's clubs, it runs very late.

Go after midnight when the night truly gets going, check who's playing beforehand, and be prepared for a proper club rather than a place to sit and chat.

Good to know: A late-night club, not a sit-down bar — arrive after midnight and check the DJ lineup first.

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

What time does nightlife start in Tel Aviv?

Late. Tel Aviv runs on a late schedule — bars fill up from around 22:00 and don't hit their stride until close to midnight, with clubs going until dawn. Arriving at a cocktail bar earlier in the evening is the best way to get a seat before the crowds.

Is Tel Aviv good for cocktails?

Exceptionally. Tel Aviv has one of the strongest cocktail scenes in the world, with several bars that have appeared on international 'best bars' lists. The style ranges from playful and theatrical to serious and technical, often built around local ingredients and spirits.

Do Tel Aviv bars open on Shabbat?

Yes — the city's bar and nightlife scene runs seven nights a week, including Friday and Saturday. Friday night is one of the biggest nights out of the week, since most people don't work on Saturday. The scene is overwhelmingly secular.

Should I tip at bars in Tel Aviv?

Tipping is customary in Israel — around 10–12% at bars and restaurants with table service, and a few shekels per drink at the bar. Many places add service or expect it, so keep some cash handy even if you're paying by card.

1. Bellboy — Berdichevsky Hotel, city centre

2. Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar — HaYarkon Street, near the sea

3. 223 Bar — Dizengoff / city centre

4. Butler — Rothschild / city centre

5. Spicehaus — City centre

6. Jasper Johns — City centre

7. Sputnik — Rothschild / Allenby

8. Beit Maariv — South, near the old central bus station

Frequently asked questions

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