Logo
RESTAURANTS SHIDDOUKH FAVORITES
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Ein Hemed
  4. /
  5. Koomzitz
Grill restaurant at Koomzitz, Ein Hemed
Grill cuisine at Koomzitz, Ein Hemed
Grill cuisine at Koomzitz, Ein Hemed
K
Koomzitz

Ein Hemed Forest, Ein Hemed

Share
Need a table?Our team can help.

Bassari

Hashgarah

Rabanut Mateh Yehuda, Mehadrin

Meat Hashgarah

Badatz Mahfoud

AmbianceFestive & Theatrical
CategoryGrill House & Smokehouse
Wine SelectionNo
Outdoor TerrasseYes
RooftopNo
What do we think

Koomzitz: A Forest Full of Smoke, Long Tables, and Fire Artists

The smell reaches you in the parking area, before you have seen a single flame. Eucalyptus smoke, beef fat rendering onto coals, bread blistering somewhere out of sight. You walk down through the Ein Hemed forest under trees lit from below, and the sound arrives next: a bass line, a hundred conversations, and the flat crack of a fire artist snapping a burning baton through the dark. Then the tables appear. Not tables for two, but long communal runs of timber set for dozens, already loaded with roasted breads and small bowls of things to tear them through. Somebody hands you a glass. Somebody else waves you toward a seat between strangers. This is Koomzitz on a Tuesday night in September, and it is not a restaurant in any sense you are used to.

The kitchen works with exactly four tools: an open fire pit, a grill, a deep hole in the ground, and a smoker running eucalyptus wood. Every main course is assigned to one of them, and the chef spends the evening moving between the stations in full view of the room, pulling cuts, resting them, carving, calling out what has been aging and for how long.

About the Place

Koomzitz is a kosher open fire meat feast staged in the Ein Hemed forest, roughly ten minutes west of Jerusalem beside Ein Hemed National Park. It runs on scheduled evenings, generally Tuesday through Thursday, rather than as a daily restaurant, and seats every diner at long communal timber tables under the trees. The kitchen cooks entirely with fire across four stations: an open pit, a grill, a deep underground cooking hole and a eucalyptus smoker. Signature dishes include picanha and brisket smoked for twelve hours, and a lamb shank cooked underground and served over Persian freekeh with an Indian date reduction. Every evening pairs the meal with fire artists and a named live singer. Koomzitz is certified by Rabanut Mateh Yehuda at Mehadrin level with bishul Yisrael, basar halak and supervised greens, and its meat carries Badatz Rav Machpud certification. The fixed price covers all courses plus water, soda, beer and wine.

Contact Info

Address: Ein Hemed Forest, Ein Hemed National Park, Route 1 Hemed InterchangePhone: +972555709219Website: koomzitz.co.ilInstagram: @koomzitz.ein.hemedParking Nearby: Yes

Services

Reserve a table onlineCaterer Service Available
Not available for deliveriesNo takeaway available

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Koomzitz open every night?

No. Koomzitz runs on scheduled evenings rather than daily service, normally Tuesday through Thursday with a 20:00 start, plus additional Sunday and Monday dates during festival periods. It never operates on Friday or Shabbat, and several dates each month are sold as private buyouts.

How much does an evening at Koomzitz cost?

The standard rate is 350 NIS per diner, all inclusive. Group and couple rates run lower, from roughly 285 to 320 NIS depending on party size. The price covers every course from the breads to the marshmallows, plus water, soda, beer and wine. Spirits are charged separately.

What kashrut certification does Koomzitz hold?

Koomzitz is certified by Rabanut Mateh Yehuda at Mehadrin level. The certificate specifies bishul Yisrael, basar halak and supervised greens, and the meat carries a second certification from Badatz Rav Machpud. The kitchen is fully Bassari with no dairy served at any point in the meal.

What should I order at Koomzitz?

You do not order. Every diner receives the same fixed sequence. The dishes worth saving room for are the picanha and brisket, both smoked for twelve hours over eucalyptus, and the lamb shank cooked in an underground pit and served over Persian freekeh with an Indian date reduction.

Where exactly is Koomzitz located?

Koomzitz is staged in the Ein Hemed forest events grounds, beside Ein Hemed National Park in the Judean hills about ten minutes west of Jerusalem. The entrance sits a few hundred meters off Route 1 at the Hemed interchange, near Abu Ghosh, with parking on the grounds.

Is Koomzitz suitable for couples or only for groups?

Seating is communal at long timber benches, so couples are placed within the shared run rather than at a private table. The music, fire shows and general volume make it a poor fit for a quiet date. Groups of six or more get the most from the format.

Can Koomzitz host private and company events?

Yes. The same open fire format is sold privately for groups of twenty to five hundred people, with premium alcohol added and the whole forest site given over to the booking. Corporate dates are arranged directly with the events manager rather than through the public reservation system.

What happens during a Koomzitz evening besides the food?

Each date is built around a named live performer with DJ accompaniment, and fire artists work the open ground between the tables in short bursts through the night. The chef cooks in full view across four stations and calls the room to attention when a cut comes off the smoker.

Work at Koomzitz

TaamTaam Logo
ExploreRestaurantsMagazineShiddoukhFavoritesKashrut Glossary
GuidesKashrut CertificationKosher TravelShabbat Dining
CompanyAboutContactRequest a ListingPrivacy PolicyTerms of Service
Designed by La Boétie