The Bachon Fish Restaurant Has Turned Into a Fast-Food Joint: Is There Finally Decent Fish Street Food in Tel Aviv?
Bachon, one of the most popular fish restaurants in central Tel Aviv, is updating its concept and switching to a self-service street food menu via digital kiosks. We tried their crispy fish with black caviar, tuna cheeseburger, and brioche with octopus salad to see if the new format delivers.
Bachon is a long-standing brand that began as a fish shop. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a restaurant opened next door, offering a simple and accessible fish menu. It worked perfectly: on one hand, a bar-restaurant for an affordable lunch, and on the other, a shop with fresh fish on ice for home cooking. However, as is common in the restaurant industry, the challenges of the field eventually took their toll, and Bachon decided to pivot to a self-service model. Plates were replaced with stainless steel trays, waitstaff were replaced by two ordering kiosks, and the concept evolved into a fast-food joint (though we will return to the issue of speed later).
Toto Bachon personally manages the pickup station, organizing orders with great patience and a service-oriented approach. Behind the bar, Chef Ori Zared presents a menu that makes you want to order everything. Offerings include fish ceviche (62 NIS), sea bass fillet salad (65 NIS), and a variety of sandwiches—pickled fish, gravlax, fish kebab, or sea bass fillet (69–72 NIS). Fried shrimp, calamari, and red mullet are also available (69–78 NIS). All dishes are served as a full meal with a drink and chips.
We came specifically for the crispy fish with Italian black caviar and cheddar (89 NIS). Served in a large brioche bun with tartar sauce, lettuce, and pickled cucumber, it was a hearty sandwich. However, the caviar added nothing to the texture or flavor profile. The tuna cheeseburger (78 NIS) was more successful; despite being a bit messy, the tuna was plump and juicy, and the generous amount of sauce and melted cheddar created a very rich and enjoyable bite.
On the downside, the octopus salad in a brioche bun (62 NIS) was disappointing; the bun was over-microwaved and rock-hard, and the salad contained only a single tentacle. We were also surprised by the stingy portion of the fried shrimp and calamari (78 NIS), which included only 5 small shrimp and 8 rings—a letdown for a classic street food dish that should be quick and generous.
The new menu at Bachon is perhaps too large for the current staff. Even though we arrived right at 12:00, we waited 43 minutes for our order. It is clear the restaurant is going through some growing pains. We will return after the trial period ends, as Tel Aviv truly needs more fun, accessible fish dishes.
Address: 29 Karlibach St., Tel Aviv. Kitchen hours: Monday–Friday, 12:00–16:30. Not kosher.
