When asked about the sparse entertainment, Haifa's first mayor pointed to the fac-
tories and said, "There is our nightlife." Although today's Haifa is not exactly a bas-
tion of Bacchanalia, times have changed since that sobering statement. Each
terrace of the city specializes in one form of evening revelry. Downtown hosts the
most popular dance floors around Ha-Atzma'ut St. These discotheques heat up on
Thursday and Friday and shut down on Saturdays. Dress codes run from casual to
nonexistent. While the Nordau midrahov in Hadar may once have been the place
for long evenings of cafe au lait, the current cafe gold mine resides on Masada
and Hillel St. near the Masada Carmelit stop. As middle ground, Hadar is home to
a couple good bars and the city's oldest dance club. Carmel Center has enough
diversity of pubs to please both sophisticates and brewsky-swilUng sailors.
PUBS
The Bear, 135 Ha-Nassi Blvd. , on the corner of Ha-Nassi and Wedgewood
Ave. a few blocks up from the Carmel Center Carmelit stop. Everything seems sexier
(even before the 4th beer) in this mellow, candlelit bar. Pleases the upper twenty-some-
thing crowd with indoor and outdoor seating and a monstrously large alcohol menu
(beer NIS15-22; cocktails NIS27). Open daily 6pm-3am.
Little Haifa, 4 Sha'ar Ha-Levanon St. , between Ha-Nassi and Yefe Nof
St. a block down from Gan Ha-Eim park. The oldest pub in the area, with a raucous
decibel level matching its age. Drunk American sailors sing about home. Beer NIS10-
12. Open M-Sa from 8:30pm until the ship leaves port.
Ha-Olam Hazeh , hidden away in a tiny nook on Haim St. between Herzl
St. and the Nordau midrahov, right next to the Nor-Em Internet Cafe and B&B. This itsy-
bitsy bar in Hadar teems with locals and hostel-dwellers alike on weekends and chills
out with cocktails (NIS18-24) and tasty toasts (NIS22) on laid-back weeknights. Open
daily 9pm-3:30am.
Carmel Cafe, down the coast at rjof Ha-Carmel. Almost every customer has a delicious
fruit shake (NIS18, with alcohol NIS27) and a navel ring. Skinny dipping is rumored to
occur. BeerNIS15-21. Open daily 8am-sunrise.
CLUBS
Hurva , on Qedoshe Baghdad St. off Ha-Atzma'ut St. Probably best to take
a cab. A veritable carnival of a club, Hurva offers one dance floor with alternative and
Euro-techno downstairs and another one on the roof with MTV standards. Henna tattoos
(NIS18). Beer NIS10-13, cocktails NIS18. Th 21+, F 18+. No dress code. Cover NIS30,
students with ID NIS25. Open Th-Ffrom 12:15am.
City Hall , on Shabtai Levi St. which Herzl turns into after crossing Ha
Nevi'im St Recently relocated from downtown to Hadar, this Haifan institution opened
its doors in the 80s, and its DJ has yet to leave the decade. Beer NIS12-15, free on Th.
F men 23+, women 21+. No dress code. Beer NIS 12-15. Open Th-Sa until the dancers
collapse. Cover Th-F NIS40, Sa NIS35.
CAFES
Greg's, 3 Hayam St. , off Ha-Nassi Blvd. Ex-New Yorker Greg serves pricey
but delicious coffee and steaming variations thereof (NIS8.50-22). A great place to
stumble into after a long night. Open 24hr.
Martef 10, 142 Ha-Nassi Blvd. , enter around the back of the Rothschild
Cultural Center which is next to the Cinematheque. Prime stomping grounds for univer-
sity students and intelligentsia-bent tourists. Local musicians wail late into the night on
Fridays; poetry readings, debates, and lectures (in Hebrew) other nights from Nov.-June.
Coffee NIS5, beer NIS 12. Cover for music NIS35-40, other nights NIS25. Opens 8pm.