Abundant entertainment options mean you can keep exploring Dubai well into the early hours. Listen to live Oud or Moroccan music, dance to the world's hottest DJs, and smoke traditional sheesha (water pipes) in a lively cafe.
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Nightlife |
Barasti Bar & Restaurant
Casual Chilling
Al-Sufouh Rd
This casual seaside bar is the locals' top spot for laid-back sundowners on a hot afternoon. It's the kind of place you don't have to dress up for, and can head to straight after a day at the beach. It even manages to maintain its laid-back air when a DJ is on the deck spinning chilled-out sounds for Dubai's body-conscious set.
Hours: 9:00am-2:00am
Boudoir
Celebrity Chic
Jumeirah Rd
This decadent restaurant-cum-bar-cum-nightclub is where international celebrities play when in town. Its chic Parisian-brasserie-style, crystal chandeliers, sumptuous velvet padded booths, gilt-edged mirrors and heavy drapes may seem odd in Dubai, but nobody cares when DJs like Stéphane Pompougnac spin chill-out beats; they just dance.
Hours: 7:00pm-3:00am
Carter's
Mummie Mall
Al-Qataiyat Rd
Wend your way past the kitsch obelisks, mummies and sphinxes and relax at this casual and comfortable bar. It gets busy and loud of an evening, when shoppers retreat here after their spending orgies at the Wafi City Mall. Beer is resonably priced and the food surprisingly delicious.
Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00pm-1:00am; Thu & Sun 12:00pm-2:00am
iBO
Live Music
Al-Garhoud Rd
This is the kind of funky club Dubai needs more of: comfy velvet sofas, groovy white chairs, shagpile rugs on raw concrete floor and disco ball - it epitomises casual cool. Bar staff and clubbers alike are friendly, atmosphere is relaxed, and focus is on the music and dance floor with the world's most interesting DJs flying in on weekends.
Hours: 8:00pm-3:00am
Irish Village
Guiness Goodness
Al-Garhoud Rd
A popular place with Brit expats, the relaxing watering hole draws crowds of all sorts. Its outdoor area is a great place to put down a pint and watch the sun go down. It has gas heaters for when the nights get chilly. No happy hour, but there's Guinness and Kilkenny on tap.
Hours: Sat-Tue 11:00am-1:30am, Wed-Fri 11:00am-3:00am
Lotus One
Cocktail lounge
off Sheikh Zayed Rd
Super-cool Lotus One assaults your senses in the most wonderful way - there are exotic Asian-flavour cocktails to excite your tastebuds; waves of sand, pebbles and seashells glow under your feet beneath the glass floor; fibre-optic lighting subtly shifts through a rainbow of colours; and the DJ's sultry grooves work beautifully with the sensual atmosphere.
Hours: 12:00pm-3:00am
Sho Cho
Minimalist Chic
Jumeira Rd
While the minimalist interior - with its blue lights, funky white seating and fish-tanks - is attractive, the outside deck here is even more enticing during the cool winter months. With a DJ spinning on the wooden deck, ocean breezes and the sound of the sea, this is one of Dubai's most sublime bars. If it looks busy, walk right past the door police.
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:00pm-2:30am
Skyview Bar
Luxury at a Price
Jumeirah Rd
As drinks at the world's first 'seven star' hotel now tops most tourists' lists, it's essential to book ahead and take the cocktail and cold canapé package.
(If you prefer wine and hot canapés, you'll pay extra!) Most people seem to think the bragging rights are worth it. Fortunately the dazzling views distract you from the surprisingly gaudy interior.
Hours: 11:00am-2:00am
Trilogy
Chillout
Al-Sufouh Rd
Dubai's hottest dance club, hip Trilogy has dance floors and bars catering to different tastes over several levels. Visiting DJs fly in from around the globe. Get there early and head to Trilogy's Rooftop Bar for a drink first or buy tickets in advance to avoid the sometimes outrageous queues.
Vu's Bar
Cocktail Lounge
off Sheikh Zayed Rd
The view isn't the only thing that's hot, hot, hot at Vu's. This sleek and ultra-popular venue features dry martinis, comfortable lounge chairs and conversations that run the gamut from recent restaurant discoveries to hot tips on weekend wadi bashing. It's sleek, it's busy, it's loud, and it's not to be missed; cheap, however, it ain't.
Hours: 5:00pm-2:00am