Meet The Face Behind Your Favorite Bars In Tel Aviv Yossi Mautner

Yossi Mautner, a native born Israeli, is one of the partners who owns Tel Aviv’s hottest bracelet bars, including Biggy Z, Tangier, HaMezeg, Backy, Hahoog Hatzfoni and Dizi Frishdon (bracelets on Sunday nights), as well as one of Tel Aviv’s trendiest cafés, Java. It is in his blood to be part of the nightlife business. He has worked as a bartender, a shift manager, and even as a DJ. Even when he became a lawyer, he was still playing music and was involved in the bar scene. Yossi came to realize that he had to follow his true passion, which is where he decided to jump at the opportunity to open up HaMoaz bar with a few other partners.

Following this success came the opening of HaMezeg, with the same partners. This entrepreneurial group was the one to invent the bracelet bar concept, with bottomless refills for one reasonable price.

C.T: What’s next?

Y.M: Well that, I can’t really tell you. We are working on something, but it’s a secret. I can tell you though that it won’t be a bar or food-related. We opened three bars in one year – so we are trying to focus on maintaining what we already have going.

How would you describe your business in 80 characters? Tweet it!

Local, urban, Tel Avivi hangouts with great value and friendly service.

How soon do you check your phone in the morning?

With so many messages, I realized that I can’t check my phone all the time. I don’t check it at night. In the morning I check it about 15 minutes after I’ve woken up. Coffee first. Sometimes I wake up to over 100 messages, since I have around 50-60 WhatsApp groups.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I am very happy I finished school before I started this business. A lot people open bars and restaurants without actual experience – and it’s a very hard business. Don’t take risks – open a business with people who have experience. I wouldn’t change anything I did.

Whiskey or gin? Gin!

Hip Hop or R’n’B? Hip Hop

New York or London? New York

Florentin or Kerem HaTemanim? Florentin

Pizza or beer? Beer

Espresso or black coffee? Black Coffee

About the author

Serena Carsley-Mann

Serena Carsley-Mann is a recent graduate of Tel Aviv University. She is an avid runner, loves the beach and outdoors and embraces a holistic lifestyle. She is originally from Montreal, Canada and has been living in Tel Aviv for four years.