Escobar is one part cocktail bar, two parts friendly hang-out, with suspender-wearing bartenders running the show. The new addition to the Downtown Haifa bar scene is serving up classics cocktails with a modern twist.
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So what makes Escobar a stand-out place, unlike any other in Haifa's ever-improving Port area?
Fun cocktails that scream nostalgia. Their fruity blended margarita infused with an inverted bottle of Corona will immediately send you back to the beach in Mexico.
"We wanted to embody that tropical feel in our cocktails, which is also why we chose a Columbia-centric scene," shares bartender Lotuf Makhoul, a Haifa nightlife veteran who taught himself the craft of mixology.
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As for the complete meaning behind the trendy name, co-owner Rami Issa explains, "You might be familiar with Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, but there are alternative meanings for us. Pablo embodies the persona of a rebel, while at the same time the word esco in Italian means "I go out." We bridged that with the word "bar" to get Escobar.
Since the new cocktail bar on the block embodies this "Columbia meets the Middle East" vibe, you may be surprised to hear co-owner Amanda Tony's thick Australian accent. "Melbourne offers a really unique nightlife with eccentric bars and cocktails," Tony explains. "I wanted to bring ideas to the Haifa nightlife scene that I felt were missing."
One example is the (large) Agwa bomb, which takes a Bolivian herbal liqueur made from coca leaves and tops it off with energy drink, all served in a funky hourglass-shaped shot glass to start the night off with a bang.
Issa, who spent a few years studying in Italy, brings Italian liquors and methods into the mix as well, and the guys also support local alcohols with such cocktails as “The German Tubi,” which combines Haifa's unique Tubi 60 with Jägermeister among other ingredients.
Another standout was the “Smoked Negroni,” which came with a performance of trapping the essence of smoked rosemary in our glass before serving up the bitter, complex drink. But don’t worry, if you prefer straight up tequila shots in frozen shot glasses with an inviting slice of lime, you can get those here too.
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The bar may be a salute to "Baba Escobar," embodied in the satirical nod to the rebel spirit of the larger than life historical figure that hangs towards the back, donning a fez and the endearing Arabic title, but you can breathe a sigh of relief that when imbibing here, you will not in fact be supporting the cocaine trafficking shit show that inspired Netflix's Narcos.
While their cocktail menu brings some fresh flavors to town, the atmosphere is equally important to the two owners. Tony and Issa have been involved in every step of the design process from the start. "We wanted to make Escobar dark and little bit sexy, but also cozy," Tony shares. Their goal was a fun, relaxed atmosphere where you can drink quality alcohol, try something new, and feel free to get up and dance once the liquid confidence kicks in.
"We want to encourage people to drink cocktails again, as they are just so much more satisfying than beer or wine. There's a cocktail for everyone," Issa adds, "and we want to prove that to our customers."
As she hands out Agwa bombs insisting they're an all-in-one-go experience, Tony bares her soul, "We put our hearts into this bar that we literally started from nothing. There's absolutely no better feeling than seeing it grow every day."
Become a part of Escobar's growth one creative cocktail at a time.
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30 Hanamal St, Haifa (054-2692069). Cocktails range from NIS 35-45. For more information check out Escobar's Facebook page.