Video Pub: The only gay bar in Jerusalem

“LGBTGIF and L’chaim.” – Sushi Sandwish

Israel’s most populated city Jerusalem might not be the most popular destination when it comes to LGBTQ tourism. That’s what makes Jerusalem’s only gay bar Video Pub special. Established in 2012, Video Pub is the only openly-gay bar.

The entrance leading to Video Pub.

Go upstairs.

Past the lounge.

Past the sticker.

Video Pub.

Definitely gay.

Video Pub is a gay dive bar displaying beguilingly cheesy decor of universal gay items such as bunting rainbow flags, visual arts of scruffy men, and VHS tapes of Queen and Audrey Hepburn.

Drink menu written in English and Hebrew.

The bilingual drink menu helped me a lot. Customers were international. Bartenders spoke English. Video Pub could be any gay bar in Europe but the combination of “arak” and “nachos” on the menu was definitely Israel.

My all-time favorite, gin and tonic.

My gin and tonic came with a glass with gin and a bottle of Britvic Indian Tonic Water, which was quite European. 37 Israeli shekel/$10.60 per glass was cheap since an average rail drunk in the gay capital Tel Aviv could easily cost 50 Israeli shekel/$14.30. Swallowing all that, it seems there’s no reason not to visit Video Bar when in Jerusalem. It’s one of a few bars open on Friday night. LGBTGIF and L’chaim.