Bars in DubaiAll the information about the the best bars in DubaiIf you're looking for somewhere to relax and unwind with a few drinks in the evening, then Dubai will offer you more choice than you are likely to need. Whether you want to sit outdoors by the beach, drinking cocktails as the sun sets, or to mingle with the beautiful people in one of the urbane city centre wine bars, Dubai offers something for everyone. 
The best place to go in Dubai, and the area where you will find most of the most fashionable bars is along Sheikh Zayed Road around the Emirates Towers, Fairmont, and Shangri La hotels. This part of Dubai is the fastest growing, and is home to many ex-pats, meaning that there are always friendly faces around, and people to chat to. As Dubai's skyline has developed over the years, many observation bars have opened which offer superb views of the city, and are really popular with tourists and wealthy ex pats in equal numbers. Bars tend to be at their busiest on Thursday nights at the start of the Arab weekend, and stay busy until around midnight, when most people have headed for home, or to one of the many nightclubs in Dubai. All the bars in this list welcome overseas visitors, and are licensed to sell alcohol. We have rated them on a scale of one to five, in order to help you choose where to go, and where not to go. Irish Village * * * * *Fantastic food and beer, The Irish Village prides itself on offering the best pint of Guinness and plate of bangers and mash in Dubai. The outdoor section gets a bit hot in summer, but is really busy in winter - especially during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Fortnight, when its location right next to the tennis stadium means that you'll see a lot of famous tennis players there. ku-bu @ InterContinental Dubai * * * * *Popular with almost everyone in Dubai, Ku-Bu, which can be found at the InterContinental Hotel on Dubai Creek boasts a live DJ from the UK playing differently themed sets every night of the week and is the home to the Bar Flair champion of the whole UAE who can always be persuaded to do some spectacular tricks as he mixes your drinks. Scarlett's @ Emirates Towers * * * * *Scarlett's is the best place in town to begin your night out, and is located at the Emirates Towers Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. The bar was refurbished recently, and is all the better for it. Scarlett's is always really busy at the start of the night. Because of its location, the bar enjoys great popularity with tourists and ex-pats alike. Vu's @ Emirates Towers * * * * *Vu's is one of the best skyline bars in Dubai, and offers incredible views of the city from the 50th floor of the Emirates Towers Hotel. It's a fairly swanky place, and popular with couples, as well as first time visitors to the city, who tend to congregate by the windows oohing and ahhing. Bahri Bar @ Mina A'Salam * * * * *Bahri Bar is one of the best places to enjoy an evening out in Dubai. Located on a terrace overlooking the sea as a part of the majestic Mina A'Salam Hotel at the Madinat Jumeirah Resort. Bahri Bar is a perfect place to enjoy a cocktail as the sun goes down, and offers an enchanting and relaxing atmosphere that makes it a popular choice with most visitors. Trader Vic's @ Crowne Plaza * * * * *Trader Vic's bar at the Crowne Plaza hotel just outside the city centre consistently offers the best cocktails in town and has a famous happy hour that is truly worth attending, especially with the discounts on booze that are offered. Barasti Bar @ Le Meridien Mina Seyahi * * * * *Without a doubt Barasti is one of the best beach bars in Dubai at the moment. Barasti is located on a pier outside the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel. The bar is especially good during the winter months, but like all outdoor bars in Dubai, in Summer it is not so much fun, as it gets too damn hot. Churchill's @ Sofitel * * * *Churchill's is a traditional English pub with the smoothest pool tables in town and a bowling alley next door. The pub is right next to the City Centre Shopping Mall within the Sofitel Hotel building, and enjoys a reputation as a popular place for men to hide for a cheeky pint whilst their lady shops. PeanutButterJam @ Wafi City * * * *This outdoor bar beside the Wafi City Mall is only open on Friday nights. PeanutButterJam has a chilled out atmosphere and beanbag seats everywhere, there is usually a live band on to act as soundtrack to your weekend. Longs @ Towers Rotana * * * *Longs is a consistently good bar in the popular Towers Rotana Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road close to Internet City. The best time to visit is during the Rugby 7's, when many of the players stay at the hotel. Longs has the longest bar in the Middle East (hence the name) and usually has some good drinks promotions to make up for the bland food. Carters @ Wafi City * * * *An Egyptian themed cocktail bar that usually gets quite lively later in the evening. Located within the Wafi City Mall complex close to the city centre, Carter's is a popular choice for the place to begin a night out. Good value drinks promotions and happy hour ensures that Carters is a place to party with ex-pats. Blue Bar @ Novotel * * * *Stylish and quiet, Blue Bar at the Novotel Hotel, which is close to the World Trade Centre on Dubai's popular Sheikh Zayed Road offers what is probably the best selection of Belgian beers in town. They don't play live or recorded music but they do have a worrying predilection for the Bee Gee's and Celine Dion concert dvd's on the TV's. Blue Bar is a good place to watch the footy in peace and quiet. Hard Rock Cafe * * * *Like any Hard Rock Café in the world, this one offers great food and a good atmosphere. It is pretty good for families during the day but at night it thankfully becomes more grown up. Hard Rock Café can be found in a distinctive building close to the Beach Hotels on Dubai's Abu Dhabi Highway. Peppermint Lounge @ Fairmont * * * *Brand new house music bar, very stylish and chic, and extremely popular with the locals rather than tourists. The Peppermint Lounge is a good place to begin your evening out at the Fairmont Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. Dhow & Anchor @ Jumeirah Beach Hotel * * * *Great food and plenty of choice of beer in this traditional English Pub. The drinks are well priced too, especially during happy hour. The Dhow and Anchor is a great place to get a taste of home, and is located just off the lobby at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Agency @ Emirates Towers * * * *Probably the best, and most affordable wine bar in town. Agency is chic and classy, but still fun. It is not the most popular bar at the Emirates Towers Hotel, which means it is easier to get served than others, but still offers the same high levels of service that you expect from a Jumeirah International company. Fibber McGee's (next door to Fairmont) * * *This recently reopened Irish pub, attracts a slightly older crowd but still manages to be a fun place to wile away the afternoon. It is located right next door to the luxurious Fairmont Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. Waxy O'Connors @ Ascot Hotel * * *Not one for shrinking violets, Waxy O'Connors is always boisterous, and good for getting smashed, although not a great place for a romantic drink. The pub is especially busy during football matches, when games are shown on the big screen. Ascot Hotel Dubai is right in the city centre, making the bar a popular choice with office workers looking to relax after a hard day in the office. Boston Bar @ Jumeirah Rotana * * *Good bar, cheap beer, shows football. A real man's pub. The Boston Bar is located at the Jumeirah Rotana Hotel just one block away from the beach on Al Diyafah Street. Goodfella's @ Regal Plaza * * *See Boston Bar, only more so. If you fancy spending the evening at Goodfella's, then head to the Regal Plaza hotel, which is can be found in the Bur Dubai area close to Dubai Creek and the shopping area of Al Karama. Aussie Legends @ Rydges Plaza * * *Excellent venue for watching sports on the big screen - until the Australians lose a match. Then it's about as lively as a funeral. Famous for having a clientele that only sing when they're winning. Aussie Legends is at the Rydges Plaza Hotel on Al Diyafa Road close to the World Trade Centre. Oxygen @ Al Bustan Rotana * * *Mediocre bar/club, has a good DJ and music policy which is let down by the gimmick of being able to take hits of pure oxygen from tubes in the wall. The Oxygen Bar is at the fancy Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, which lies just across the road from Dubai International Airport. The Apartment @ Jumeirah Beach Hotel * * *The Apartment is mainly a tourist bar that also serves good food and a wide selection of drinks. The bar is a good place to spend a night looking at Dubai from the beach, although after one visit, you'll want to try the real thing. Apartment is on the top floor of the famous Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Dubliners @ Le Meridien Airport * *This stereotypical Irish pub is always busy because the airport hotel is always full, the atmosphere is less than exciting though, and you'd be better off going elsewhere for a bit of "Oirish" fun. Champions @ JW Marriott * *Champions is a faceless bar that is custom designed for people with no personality. It has pool tables though. Should you want to spend an evening with boring people, then follow the drab music to this bar at the JW Marriott Hotel close to the Gold Souk in Deira. Alamo @ Dubai Marina *Alamo is a truly dreadful bar at the Dubai Marina that you should only recommend for people that you don't like. The only good point about it is that it never gets busy. Avoid. |
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