Israel’s best gay & gay-friendly bars and cafés

With Israelis and the rest of the world spending the last month celebrating pride festivities, now is the time to keep this magnetic spirit alive. While hundreds of thousands may not be dancing and drinking in the streets of Tel Aviv, as we saw at their famous Tel Aviv Pride Parade, there are plenty of alternate ways for Israelis to celebrate their queerness or to simply feel accepted for their sexual identity.

So, with July rolling around the corner, the Magazine presents the best gay bars and cafés in Israel, or as most of the world calls it, the most LGBTQ+-friendly country in the Middle East. While Tel Aviv may be known as Israel’s gay hub, Jerusalem, Ashdod and Haifa are also home to an eclectic and vibrant mix of bars and cafés.

When Israelis, or Ashdodians, think of Hakshaot Beach, a magnificent, yet secluded beach in the coastal city of Ashdod, a gay bar, or pub, for that matter, would rarely come to mind. Swanky, and situated right on the water, Zeh Pub is one of southern Israel’s first gay bars. A sponsor of Ashdod Pride, Zeh Pub serves delicious craft beers and burgers. Regular customers recommend the “Dirty Burger,” with Asiago and Gouda cheese, topped with onion jam. Its popularity surged after being one of the main sponsors for Ashdod’s first pride parade in 2013. Ashdodians will love this beautiful spot by looking at the Mediterranean Sea while enjoying delicious food and drinks.

With live music and 80s style cocktails, this women-run café is known for being incredibly LGBTQ+-friendly. Often seen as the House of Music within Ashdod, and right near the Mei Ami Beach, Sabo is an excellent spot for queers and music lovers. Customers recommend the burgers and the wine, although their cocktails are notoriously delicious. With open mic nights, salsa dances and the beach right nearby, this is a relaxing and vibrant spot for all those looking to enjoy great music and drinks.

This Tel Aviv bar is best known for its hip-hop nights on Mondays, which are well known to gay Tel Avivians. With a mini indoor waterfall, a vibrant patio, and delightful food, Lima Lima is not to be missed. With past events including everything from Retro Night to Eurovision Dancing, Lima Lima is amazing for those looking for a themed fun night in Israel’s gayest and most spirited city.

Arguably the most iconic gay bar in all of Israel, Shpagat is known for its mouthwatering cocktails, gorgeous garden seating and tasty food. Located on Nachalat Binyamin Street, Shpagat often hosts DJs from around the world including Roee Liss, Shaked Dudovich, and Shay Sekler at this iconic venue. With an impressive slew of activities designed specifically for queer women ranging from The L Word screenings to celebrating Lesbian Day of Visibility and even Shpagirls every Wednesday night, Shpagat fills the void that Israeli queer women have likely been feeling within the nightlife scene. Yet, beyond the festivities, Shpagat runs a ton of educational programing such as dealing with sexual harassment between gays in community zones and discussions about the elderly and LGBTQ+ youth. Shpagat truly has every nook and cranny of the LGBTQ+ community covered.

With different parties almost every night of the week, from stand-up to concerts to open mics, Syncopa is essential for those looking to catch a glimpse of queer culture in this northern city. Perhaps their most iconic themed party is Gay Parties, where Haifans flock to celebrate their queerness. Haifans suggest that around half the crowd at Syncopa is gay with the other half being incredibly gay-friendly. With lectures, slam poetry nights, and a slew of movie and TV screenings, Syncopa is a crucial check-out for both LGBTQ+ Israelis and music lovers.

 

 

Perhaps the only bar in Israel to hold an Israeli/Palestinian drag night, this Haifa bar is iconic for local queer Israelis and Palestinians alike. With great techno music, and situated downstairs, this bar boasts a speak-easy feel that typically attracts creatives and queers. Aimed at supporting underground DJs and alternative music, Kabareet also screens several films for the Haifa International Film Festival, which typically includes a variety of LGBTQ+ movies.

Almost serving as a metaphor for the hidden gay life within Jerusalem, the Video Bar is difficult to find, but worth the journey. Up a flight of stairs next to an Eritrean church, Video Bar was born to fill the void when the Mikveh, Jerusalem’s original queer bar, closed in 2011. Nestled in the heart of west Jerusalem, or “The District” as its referred to for locals, and often labeled as Jerusalem’s only gay bar, this small but mighty spot is known for its infectious atmosphere. Inspired by an 80s retro design, and with drag shows every other Monday, this bar is guaranteed for a good night out in Israel’s Holy City.

A vegan, queer-friendly café sounds like something in San Francisco, Portland, or even Tel Aviv, but not Jerusalem. Yet, Imbala, which is run as a co-op, is constantly running activist events and is best known for being accepting of all minorities and groups of people. For queer and queer-friendly people, their greatest programs include their Queer Beit Midrash, Queer ParTeas and their queer summer events. As part of Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance festivities, at the beginning of June, Imbala customers took over HaMiffal, the art and culture venue, as part of their gay pride festivities including a slew of drag performances. For Queer Beit Midrash, Imbala often partners with Uriel Levy, chief rabbi of Queer Beit Midrash, Jerusalem’s queer yeshiva, to lead queer-friendly Shabbat services for all interested. Their queer summer events often are explosively fun parties aimed at queer people in Jerusalem and have been running for several years. Their iconic Queer ParTeas often feature activist-led programs such as queering civil disobedience, with music accompanied by queer Middle East DJs. Open on Saturdays, with generous portions of delicious vegan food, reasonable prices and a mini-library inside, Imabala is a must-see.

Similar to Imbala, this vegetarian and queer-friendly café is known for its delicious Israeli food. Café Bastet lovers recommend vegetable patties and phenomenal coffee. Often sharing social media posts about LGBTQ+ issues, and featuring events with queer creatives, Bastet is a great home for queers in Jerusalem. With a rainbow flag outside its entrance, Café Bastet is hard to miss, both literally and visually. 

While this establishment might not be a gay bar in itself, the café within Lev Smadar Theater is known for attracting gay folks. In the heart of the German Colony, it’s best known for attracting LGBTQ+ and artsy patrons alike. To be sure to find queer folks at the café, check out the ample events and films presented by Lev Smadar, especially those with a queer focus. Some past and upcoming events include the screening of the LGBTQ film Beanpole and a Q&A with its creators, as well as a screening of the 2019 queer flick Late Night. Queer Israelis and film lovers can always be found at this charming cinema and café in Jerusalem.