As a country with a great nightlife scene, with a great variety of bars in clubs in many of the unique cities, Israel is a great place to visit for travelers who like live music. Thanks to an emerging scene of free concerts, which are held in various bars throughout the country, and especially in Tel Aviv, you won’t have a hard time finding a great live show of your taste in one of the great bars in Israel. Here are some of the best places in the country for live music.
Best live music bars in Tel Aviv
Hoodna
The timeless Hoodna Bar, located on the outskirts of the cool Florentin neighborhood, is a bar that runs on a sincere love of music and community. In Hoodna, they like to give a free stage to every genre of music and performing arts – acoustic shows, band shows, orchestras, lectures, stand-ups, DJs that set the nightly atmosphere, and more.
Thus, this was the bar that raised many well-known Israeli artists, whose first-ever performances were here, so don’t be surprised if the unknown artist standing in front of you here becomes an Israeli sensation in a few years.
Kuli Alma
Kuli Alma, which steadily maintains its position as the most popular live performance club in Israel, is your best bet to get a great live music show in Tel Aviv. In a city where businesses have a one-in-a-million chance to succeed consistently, the club has cracked the code, with a young and refreshing vibe that attracts visitors from all over the country to the happy tropical atmosphere of the place.
Here you will find fascinating exhibitions that change frequently in the gallery room, and different rooms and spaces that are very easy to get lost in. The club also hosts great stand-up evenings, which take place on Mondays and give a stage to experienced stand-up artists as well as beginners and young ones, as well as the popular drag shows that take place here every second Saturday.
Herzl 16
Herzl 16 is one of the most eclectic places in the city, with a special combination of the possibility of having a fine dining experience alongside a crazy show in one evening. Indeed, the place manages to attract different types of audiences and it seems that everyone has a place to crowd together. Besides discos and parties, there are many live performances here with free admission, in a huge variety of styles.
October
The October is a neighborhood bar that manages to be both sexy and gentle and attracts both people who come for a relaxed meeting with friends or dates. The performances in October are small, intimate, and mostly acoustic, and if you’re lucky, you can also catch your favorite mainstream artists in their most authentic versions here.
Ariellas House
Ariellas House Bar (not to be confused with the library by the same name) is a place not to be missed in the city. It is a big community center for the city’s LGBT community but is certainly a great place for anyone to experience. The bar holds events every day, including parties, film screenings, lectures, and more, with the highlight being the live performances held at the wonderful dark-happy bar, which include mainly minimalistic acoustic or electric performances.
Best live music bars in Haifa
Nola Socks Pub – Haifa
A student pub par excellence, located close to the Technion University and the University of Haifa. This is a real public house, with quality cultural content, such as lectures at the bar, shows, and exhibitions. The bar is mostly known for its great live shows on Fridays at noon and also offers great hamburgers.
Petush Galeri Bar – Haifa
A beautiful gallery bar located in the downtown of Haifa. It is highly recommended to wander around the entire bar, which is designed in an amazing way, featuring an incredible gallery with changing exhibitions. The place is built for live performances in the evening but also serves a great breakfast.
Other great live music bars in Israel
Zappa clubs
Some of the best live music bars in Israel are a part of the Zappa chain, which puts an emphasis on live music bars, clubs, and restaurants, that regularly host some of the best musicians in Israel. Zappa operates various clubs around the country, in some of the country’s biggest cities, including Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Beer Sheva, Jerusalem, and more.
Blaze Rock & Sports Bar – Jerusalem
A great bar located in downtown Jerusalem, which features great live performances every evening, with an emphasis on alternative rock. In addition, the bar hosts regular open jam sessions, so if you miss playing your favorite instrument during your Israel trip, this is the best place to do it.
Mike’s Place – Eilat
Mike’s Place is one of the only bars with free live performances in Eilat. The place includes blues, rock, funk, and soul performances, which are played on a professional stage inside the restaurant space, which also serves great food and drinks. There is a wide variety of events here, such as open jams, open-mic night, concerts by local blues and rock bands, and more.
