Automatic cafe Saida

Saida , a small city located in the south of Lebanon also knows as “South’s Capitol” , well knows for it’s beach “Shaabi beach” , and all the shops close around 7pm
“people don’t have a night life at all there except for religious occasions like holidays” , sounds kind of lame , but it’s not that bad really, due to the well known tradition of Saida sleeping at 7pm the café’s / shops that open 24/7 are well knows and always have company which leads us to my favorite café “my own humble opinion” that opens 24/7 because fuck sleeping at 7pm.

Automatic café , a very “sha3bi” café as we call it here , a suitable place for people with low budgets or even doing well , it’s located in the area around “dawar merjan” , when you enter there you can feel that people who actually there , will always be there , and that is true , you always see them on the same tables with same mutal friends ordering the same order again and again and agin due to the lack of options , but hey ! it’s packed with some real deal vintage entertainment , 3 big ass billiard tables and a snooker set ! awesome right ? Fuck yeah , also a huge TV set for football season , make sure to catch up with the premiere league on the 16th of August there you’ll love the crowd and the surprisingly good sound system hooked up to the set.

The menu is very simple almost everything can be found anywhere or made at home you got the basics only , Water , tea , coffee , hooka , cigarettes , and a small shop “dekeni” that sells a variety of cheap snacks ? ; perfect for your wallet;  eh;  ? ; hell yeah ; I mean who the fuck wants a fancy while playing , playing cards ?; no body ; exactly my point !

Did I mention that’s one of the few café’s in Saida that opens 24/7 ??
My friends and I go there every night , after mid night it’s the only okay place – chill place to be at , but to be honest it suits us just fine , awesome breeze , cheap menu , vintage entertainment , also a cool place to stay at if you’re locked out out of the house.

I recommend every body to check this place , just go and see for your self it’s so simple you’ll feel like you’ve been there and done that before a million time , yet you’re perfectly entertained and café owner won’t even bother you by politely asking you the get out cuz of closing , there is no closing time 24/7.

khaled Antar