Brawl erupts at Eilat eatery after long wait for food riles up customers

A violent brawl broke out outside a restaurant in Eilat late Saturday night between hungry customers and staff at the eatery.

The fight purportedly began due to a long wait to be seated at the Halev Harahav kosher steakhouse in Israel’s southernmost city.

In video of the incident circulated widely on social media, multiple men could be seen wielding chairs and using them to hit members of the restaurant’s staff, as the brawl spilled out across the parking lot.

As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made in the incident.

On its Facebook page on Sunday, the restaurant’s management said it condemned all forms of violence.

“The Halev Harahav restaurant condemns any and all violence,” the post read. “Yesterday, a 17-year-old server was attacked by guests who were waiting in line for the restaurant.”

אילת: כתר פלסטיק-OUT
כורסאות קש מהודרות-IN pic.twitter.com/jZ1WYu4pa4

— Itsik Zuarets איציק זוארץ (@Itsik_zuarets) August 14, 2022

“We are saddened by the incident and we apologize to our customers,” the restaurant added.

The brawl took place at the peak of domestic tourism in Israel, when children are off school and many families have poured into the resort city for vacation.

For some, Saturday’s incident was reminiscent of an infamous 2019 brawl in Holon, when visitors at an indoor water park in the city began throwing plastic chairs at security staff during a violent fight.