10 Best Bars in Center City, Jerusalem

This austere open space in the center of town once served as a cistern and a storage area, but today the Distillery is the center of Jerusalem's art and alternative music scene. During the day it's an artists' workspace, and at night it's a performance space where you can get Palestinian beer on tap and dance alongside throngs of art students. Try to make it when local DJ mini-celebrities Tali Ben Itzhak or Markey Funk are on the lineup.

Across from the New Gate of the Old City, this rooftop eatery offers an unrivaled vista of Old Jerusalem and the hills beyond. Take it all in while nibbling on some of the 45 local and imported cheeses and sipping one of the 85 wines. There's also a rather pricey menu, but the best reasons to come here are the drinks and the view.

A great watering hole with a gritty edge, Sira features a variety of music spun by DJs. Open until the wee hours, it's one of the most fun places in the city to dance. Here you'll find a hodgepodge of students and young professionals who gather on weekend afternoons.

Owned, operated, and across the street from the well-regarded Machneyuda restaurant, this vibrant bar serves smaller versions of the classics served there. It's good for a drink before dinner or before hitting the town. It is definitely worth trying your luck here if getting a reservation at Machneyuda doesn't work out.

An unmarked door opens to a library with bookshelves that slide apart to reveal a bar inspired by the Roaring '20s. Eager young bartenders mix classic cocktails and drinks of their own creation, accented by crushed star anise, arak liquor, absinthe, or honey syrup.

This chef-bar located around the corner from Machneyuda serves Mediterranean-inspired cocktails and tapas.

Hebrew for "Neighbor," Hashchena is a youthful bar steps from the Machaneh Yehuda market that greets you with hanging laundry and a wall of beer cans from around the world. There are plenty of local and imported brews along with a satisfying food menu.

The name means "The Record," a nostalgic tribute by the three young, musically inclined owners. This is a great place for beer, especially during happy hour. There's live music, occasional dance parties, and a back room where international soccer games are screened.

Named for a beloved toy store that previously occupied this space, Toy Bar is a multilevel club with cozy couches for conversation, a great selection of local DJs, and massive flat-screen TVs for live performances and keeping an eye on the game.

This intimate, inventive craft cocktail bar is situated cozily in back of 1868, with an accompanying menu of the Zuta burger, beef tartare, a Caesar salad with cured red tuna, and other treats.