White walls, blue accents, a wall of glass onto the boats: Les Sardines looks lifted off the Côte d'Azur and set down on Eilat's North Marina, under the Laguna hotel. It is a fish house first, with the day's catch laid on ice, sea bass (lavrak), denis (sea bream) and salmon cooked simply, and carpaccio, grilled artichokes and the namesake salt-cured sardines to start. There is meat and pasta for the holdouts. Prices are deliberately gentle for a marina address, roughly ₪36 to ₪89 a plate. The view comes free.
The Kitchen
Les Sardines is run by hospitality people rather than a celebrity chef, and the kitchen's whole argument is restraint: buy the fish that came in that day, cook it as little as it needs, charge fairly. The catch, with sea bass (lavrak), denis (sea bream) and salmon among the regulars, is filleted and either grilled, salt-baked or pan-finished, then plated clean with lemon and oil rather than buried in sauce. Starters set the tone: thin sea-fish carpaccio, grilled artichokes, and the house sardines cured with coarse sea salt that give the place its name. For anyone who does not eat fish there is steak, pasta and a short meat list.
The room sits on the North Marina, at HaMayim Street 3 beneath the Laguna hotel, looking straight onto the moored boats. Plates run roughly ₪36 to ₪89, which for a waterfront fish restaurant in a resort town is the genuinely surprising part. Les Sardines opened to do exactly that, bring honest, affordable fish to a stretch of Eilat used to charging for the view, and it has been a North Marina fixture and a steady Tripadvisor pick since the mid-2010s. Reserve a sunset table in season; the marina-facing seats go first and the room is not large.
The Room
Small, bright and uncluttered. White walls, splashes of navy, bentwood chairs, and a glass front that turns the marina into the décor. By day it reads as a lunch café; after dark, with the boats lit and the water moving, it tips into something more romantic. Sound is moderate, busy on weekend evenings and easy midweek, and tables are close in the bistro way, so it suits two more than twelve. There is no dress code, and people come off the promenade in summer clothes. Service is quick and unfussy. The seats you want face the water, so ask for the marina line and time it for sunset.
Best for First Date
Book Les Sardines for a first date when you want low stakes and a good view. Three reasons it works: the marina-facing glass and the sunset do the romancing for you, no effort required; the gentle ₪36 to ₪89 plates mean the bill never becomes an awkward early moment; and shared starters, the carpaccio, the artichokes, a plate of salt-cured sardines, give you an easy, hands-on way to fill the first quiet stretch of conversation. Picture two people at the window, the day's catch between you, boats knocking gently outside, the Red Sea going dark. For more like it, see our first-date guide.
Not for a big group or a long lingering feast. The bistro is small, the tables are tight, and it is built for two over fresh fish, not twelve over many courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Les Sardines in Eilat worth it?
Yes, for fresh fish at fair prices with a marina view. Les Sardines is a small French-Riviera-style bistro on Eilat's North Marina that buys the daily catch and cooks it simply, with plates around ₪36 to ₪89. It is not haute cuisine and the room is compact, but for honest seafood and a waterside seat at sunset it is one of the better-value tables in a resort town that usually charges for the view.
What should you order at Les Sardines?
Start with the namesake salt-cured sardines, the thin sea-fish carpaccio, or the grilled artichokes, then go to the catch of the day: sea bass (lavrak), denis (sea bream) or salmon, kept simple with lemon and oil. The fish is the reason to come and is best plainly grilled or salt-baked. Non-fish eaters have steak and pasta. Ask the staff what came in that morning and order around it.
How much does Les Sardines cost?
Plates run roughly ₪36 to ₪89 each, which is gentle for a waterfront restaurant in Eilat. A starter, a fish main and a glass of wine land in comfortable mid-range territory. Whole catch-of-the-day fish are usually priced by weight, so confirm before ordering. The deliberately fair pricing, on a marina stretch used to charging a premium, is a large part of why the place has a loyal following.
Do you need a reservation at Les Sardines?
Book for a sunset or weekend table, when the small marina-facing room fills quickly. You can reserve by phone on +972 8-676-7488. Midweek and earlier evenings are easier to walk into. The seats worth having look straight onto the boats, so ask for the marina line when you book and aim for the hour before sunset for the best of the light and the view.
Is Les Sardines good for a first date?
Yes, it is a natural first-date room. The glass front onto the marina and the sunset do the romancing, the gentle prices keep the bill low-pressure, and shared starters give you something easy to do while conversation finds its feet. The tables are close and the room small, which suits two. For a relaxed, scenic first date in Eilat it is a strong pick; see our first-date guide for more.