Tu Be’av, the holiday of love, doesn’t have to be all about celebrating
with love that you are already blessed with. It can also be about
celebrating other meaningful relationships in your life. However, there
is also no greater joy than meeting your soul mate and feeling those
butterflies for the first time.
In the heat of the Israeli
summer when love is pumping through the veins of everyone around, what
better time to meet your crush than Tu Be’av? While they say Tel Aviv
never sleeps and there is always somewhere to be, we’ve been able to
narrow down the places where we think you’ll fare the best to meet and
approach that special someone.
HaMaoz
If
you want to go out, yet feel as comfortable as you would in your own
home, HaMaoz is the ideal destination. This neighborhood bar brings the
excitement of a night’s escapade with a down to earth refinement.
Complete
with a full kitchen, family portraits, a living room set and a full
functioning shower, this playful arena provides the frolicking energy to
access your inner child and send flirtatious smiles to the room full of
cuties. The huge bar, groovy music, and clear lighting provide the
ideal backdrop to find your ideal mate.
The inventive and fun
seasonal drink menu enhances a night out at HaMaoz, a place where the
ordinary becomes the extraordinary. The homemade Sangria is a perfect
icebreaker, the kind of drink fitting for a table of two. HaMaoz is
refreshing, fun, and a place where cupid’s arrow certainly strikes.
The best seat in the house:
Way in the back, you’ll see a real life living room with a working
shower. You’ll find it past the billiards table and just next to the
kitchen. 32 King George(03) 620-9458Daily 7 p.m. - last customer. On Friday the bar opens at 2 p.m.Hemingway
Whether
looking for a lively place to gather a group of friends or to meet new
ones, Hemingway is the perfect destination. Located directly on
Dizengoff Square, the two floors of music, drinking, and fun, mean that
weekends are always packed with young dance bar enthusiasts.
Take
note of the staircase leading to a mezzanine, an awesome spot to
overlook the active scene below. However, Hemingway’s first floor bar is
its star. The square masterpiece lines the entire venue and is filled
with an array of hard liquors, beers on tap, wines, and mixed drinks as
well as eager to serve bartenders.
The service is excellent and
the crowd is diverse, ranging from relaxed patrons sitting by the bar
to partygoers boogying the night away. Spend your night at Hemingway or
stop there en route to a club to get your dancing shoes ready.
The best seat in the house: To
the left of the front door, a windowed nook, roomy enough to house you,
your friends, and that new someone you just met at the bar.Reines 2052-641-03330Sunday - Saturday 9 p.m. until the last customerStern 1
In
the center of Florentin, one of Tel Aviv’s most booming nightlife
districts, resides the seemingly unassuming Stern 1. Behind its
oversized wooden door, patrons are greeted by friendly bartenders
working at warp speed while simultaneously chatting and laughing with
customers sitting at the bar.
Take a seat for a relaxed,
neighborhood vibe or walk toward the rear of the pub to discover a short
stairwell leading into a trendy basement where hip Tel Avivians like to
hang out. There is a choice of over 100 varieties of beers, over 20 of
which are on tap. Feel free to ask for as many samples as your taste
buds desire. Order some decadent pub grub and don’t be afraid to share
with your neighbor, as portions here are larger than the average. You
never know who you may meet at this fun, casual hangout.
The best seat in the house: At the large bar at the entrance of the pub. Avraham Stern 1(03) 518-7354Sunday – Thursday and Saturday 6 p.m. until 2 a.m., Friday 6 p.m. until 3 a.m.Hashachen - The Neighbor
The
name for this popular bar really rings true as it’s a very relaxed and
friendly place. Off the bat you will see smiling neighbors filling up
the bar and spilling happily out into the street. The bar is split into a
few areas, an outdoor porch area, the main bar as well as the
downstairs level complete with a second bar and billiards tables.
There is always a birthday or two causing the air to light up with sparklers and smell of campfire.
The
walls are covered with trinkets and the downstairs area doubles as a
dynamic art gallery, showcasing new artists and the work is always for
sale.
Overall it's a lively and flirty place but the best part is
that it’s easy to fit right into the friendly atmosphere. It has the
perfect mix of crowded and relaxed to boost your confidence so you can
march right up and approach that someone you may have been too shy
otherwise.
The best seat in the house: At the bottom of the stairs, turn left. You will find a nook or cranny near the billiards table and the second bar. Ibn Gavirol 192(03) 546-0679Sunday - Saturday 8 p.m. until the last customer223
Harkening
back to the days of local speakeasies, 223 charms and delights with an
extensive cocktail menu serviced by bartenders who pour with passion.
The bartenders are all outfitted in white shirts and suspenders; showing
off true prohibition style. But what makes this watering hole unique
is the extensive cocktail menu. Whether you’re on a first date, or
looking to catch the eye of someone new, 223 is the perfect place to
sweeten the deal.
Drinks at 223 will invariably be one of the
main events of your night. As you sit down, your bartender will ask you
whether you prefer salty, sweet, strong, or a little bitter perhaps.
Depending on your taste, you may get a few recommendations, or he might
say you just have to try a certain drink. The drinks are addictive, as
is the relaxed and sexy mood at 223.
The best seat in the house: Either make your way upstairs for a more private experience, or sit at the bar in order to catch the eye of someone new. Dizengoff 223Sunday - Saturday 7 p.m. – 4 a.m.(03) 544-6537Molly Cutler contributed to this report