Middle East - Anthony Ham [227]
T’mol (Map; 623 2758; 5 Yoel Salomon St; mains from 20NIS; 8.30am-midnight Sun-Thu) This legendary boho-style place is more café than restaurant but serves great kosher light meals – and strong coffee – in the company of a distinctly literary set. It’s also a gay and lesbian–friendly joint, with a 10% discount for members of the Jerusalem Open House (see Gay & Lesbian Jerusalem, Click here), and sometimes hosts impromptu concerts.
For a fast bite, one of the most popular stands with locals is King of Felafel & Shwarma (Map; felafel from 10NIS; 8am-midnight), on the corner of King George V and Agrippas Sts.
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DRINKING
East Jerusalem and the Old City roll up their pavements at sundown and only a hike into the New City will provide an alternative to a beer in your bedroom or hotel bar. Yoel Salomon and Rivlin Sts in the New City are lined with late-night bars and cafés, particularly popular with tourists and American teenagers in town on semesters abroad. Most bars serve good food or bar snacks to satisfy cocktail-induced cravings.
Gong (Map; 625 0818; 33 Jaffa Rd; 7pm-2am) It’s a dimly lit Japanese-influenced place with black lacquer furniture, blood-red lighting and blaring hip-hop sounds, serving great sushi snacks on the side.
Yankee’s Bar (Map; 625 6488; 12 Yoel Salomon St; 4pm-9.30am) This beer bar in a narrow alley just off Yoel Salomon St is all about live music, all-you-can-drink beer nights, karaoke, and DJ nights, for lots of raucous fun.
Uganda (Map; 623 6087; 4 Aristobulos St; noon-3am Sun-Thu, noon-5pm & 9pm-3am Fri, 8pm-3am Sat) Quirkily named after the country Israel might have been located in had Herzl agreed to the British suggestion, this shrine to everything alternative is a great local hang-out for a coffee, a glass of wine or something stronger. Peruse a comic book from its on-sale stocks and relax along to the good music.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Nightclubs
HaOman 17 (Map; 678 1658; 17 HaOman St, Talpiot; admission 50-80NIS; 11pm-late Thu & Fri)With its warehouse location, booming sound system and great lighting, 17 is one of Jerusalem’s ultimate clubbing venues. There are around eight other clubs on the street, so take your pick if HaOman’s queue is too long: the new Hata’asia (‘The Industry’) club gets terrific reviews from locals, as does Campus Nightclub, with similar entrance prices and opening hours.
Open (Map; 622 2622; 17 Shlomzion HaMalka St, Mamilla; 7pm-late Sun-Thu) As the name subtly suggests, this is a pick-up bar supreme, where you should head if you want to dance, nibble on tapas, and, well, be picked up.
Underground (Map; 054 677 2856; 1 Yoel Salomon St, Nahalat Shiv’a; 9pm-6am) A cave-like bar and club that reels in teenage tearaways and first-time tourists.
Gay & Lesbian Venues
Shoshan (Map; 623 3366; 4 Shoshan St. Mamilla; 9.30pm-2am) A small, slick bar at the end of a quiet alley south of Safra Sq. Dance parties are held Thursday and Friday, while Sunday is lesbian night.
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GAY & LESBIAN JERUSALEM
Though the gay and lesbian scene is far more subdued in Jerusalem than in coastal Tel Aviv, there are still plenty of ways to get involved and connected.
Your first point of contact should be the Jerusalem Open House (Map; 625 3191; www.worldpride.net; 7 Ben Yehuda St, Nahalat Shiv’a), which offers a mine of info on groups, events, and gay and lesbian–friendly venues. Its community centre (Map; 2 HaSoreg St, Mamilla; 10am-5pm Sun-Thu) hosts all kinds of regular events, social evenings and screenings.
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Live Music
Lab (Map; 673 4116; 28 Hebron St, Hamoshaya Havanit; adult/student 65/40NIS; 10pm-3am Mon-Sat) Crafted out of a disused railroad warehouse, this innovative bar and theatre hosts young artists, musicians and dancers mainly interested in alternative and ‘experimental’ arts, hence the name. Call ahead for upcoming events.
Pargod Theatre (Map; 625 8819; 94 Bezalel