Whiskey Bar & Museum

Whiskey Bar & Museum, Tel Aviv: a great kosher steak in a whisky cellar under Sarona

Whiskey Bar & Museum has been one of my reliable kosher steak spots in Tel Aviv for years. Every time I went it was consistent, and the food was really good. I want to be honest that on my most recent visit it felt like it had slipped a little, and I hope they get it back, because at its best this is one of the best kosher meat restaurants in the city. The setting is what makes it special, and what makes it a great kosher date spot. The restaurant sits in a restored historic Templar tunnel beneath Sarona Market, so you walk down into a stone cellar lined with whisky. It is intimate and atmospheric in a way almost nothing else in Tel Aviv is, a proper cave-like room rather than a bright dining hall. It is also a genuine whisky museum, with well over a thousand bottles collected from around the world, so the drinks list is as much of an attraction as the food. There is usually a table available, which is a real plus in central Tel Aviv. On the food, two things stand out. The liver pate is lovely, rich and smooth, a great way to start with a glass of whisky. And the entrecote is excellent, a proper, well-handled steak. They used to run a fixed price on the entrecote and have recently reworked the menu, so check the current prices, but the steak is the reason to come. The beef carpaccio makes a good starter to share too. The whole concept is built around pairing good kosher meat with good whisky, and when it is on form, it does exactly that. Service has generally been good, friendly and unhurried. Bottom line: for a great kosher steak in a setting you will not find anywhere else in Tel Aviv, Whiskey Bar & Museum is my pick for the best kosher meat date spot in the city. Go down into the cellar, order the pate and the entrecote, and choose a whisky to go with it. I am hoping the recent dip is temporary, because at its best this place is special.