When nightfall descends upon Gaza, the glittering lights of the Level Up restaurant seem to be the only bright spot in this darkened city.

In a territory plagued by chronic power outages, poverty and shortages of construction materials, the restaurant defies all the rules: It's well-lit, thanks to a humming generator. The tables are crowded and hard to come by, and it is one of the few places to relax in Gaza.

"People seem to like this place," said Basil Eleiwa, the restaurant's manager.