Etzel Pini Ba'hatzer, Tel Aviv-Yafo

This is one with this interesting Hebrew name: Etzel Pini Ba'hatzer is one of the best places for dinning near by the sea with a great selection of food and wines.
We also had a VT meeting here with travelogue dedicated for it in this page.

Our second visit to Etzel Pini Ba'Hatzer, two years in a row. Wonderful seaside restaurant at the end of the Tel Aviv beach promenade in Jaffa (Yafo). Reservations are helpful but both times we had none and, as crowded as they were at sunset, they accommodated us with a table with a wonderful view of the Mediterranean. The food is wonderful - try any of the lamb dishes, such as lamb shoulder or the veal osso buco, or any of the fresh fish dishes. Also, ask the waiter for a recommendation from the selection of excellent Israeli boutique wines. The head waiter pooh-poohed my selection and insisted we try a taste his recommendation, and he was absolutely right. Tip: walk the promenade south from your hotel to the restaurant. There are several other restaurants on the way, but hold out for this one. If you are too stuffed to make the return walk, it is a quick taxi ride back again.

Well this was really funny, we planned to go to this restaurant because of its great location and my friend recommended it. Anyway it was closed till 12.00 ,so we thought we would have a drink next door a place called Mirpeset mool hayam and then go eat.
well at the place next door we sat down and looked at the menu and decided we didn't like it. so we got up to leave and the guy (restauranteur??) comes up and starts yelling at us that we have a nerve "to make the waitress walk up all the steps to us etc etc and we are so rude ... " we were totally flabbergasted and could not believe his behaviour!! all the guests were just sitting and staring!! Anyhow we got into Etzel Pini.. and told them we had just been thrown out and yelled at next door and they were extremely amused, courteous and kept asking us every 5 mins if everything was alright. And it was!! excellent food and service.

Favorite Dish: Stuffed courgettes, salad with goats' cheese.
lovely bread too

Etzel Pini Ba'hatzer, translates into "At Pini's in the Garden". Well there was no garden, but we had one of the window tables, you need to ask for one if it is a cold day. Otherwise you can sit outside on the "porch" and listen to the sea in the evening.

Favorite Dish: Had the Gaspacho which was excellent, the Shrimps wrapped in Bacon was great and the Steak (only a tiny 300 gram, but larger than the average 250), was cooked just medium rare as I like it. All were very good and the excellent wine was an added treat.

One of the nices places in TA, actually its even closer to Jaffa.
The Location is Absolutelly perfect, just by the water front and if you sit by the windows (some of the walls are made of glass) you can see all the shore line, hotels and the beautiful med sea obviously.
Pini is the owner's name, and he used to have a restaurant in Jerusalem, a local good one. now he moved to TA, and brought all this great i mean really great food here.

In the restaurant there are inside and outside tables. if you are in a real summer day then no doubt you have to sit outside. Just remember to make an early reservation as the chances to get a table without a reservations are low.