Dubai
With a minimum spend of Dhs370 for cocktails and afternoon tea running at Dhs590 (Dhs720 for window seating), the tab at Burj Al Arab's Skyview Bar is as…
Must-see nightlife in United Arab Emirates
Yas Island
Voted Abu Dhabi's best sports bar, this wildly popular and rowdy bar and grill is unapologetically American. With 24 taps, including craft selections from…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With a huge marble-topped bar as its centrepiece and a daily happy hour (5pm to 8pm), the New Orleans–inspired Nola is popular with the after-work crowd…
Bur Dubai
This been-here-forever Western expat fave has a '70s-era American roadhouse feel, with a cover band blaring out Top 40 hits and a DJ filling in the breaks…
Abu Dhabi
This pool and beach party, beloved by Abu Dhabi's buffed and toned set, is an all-day affair. Boats leave frequently from the dock near the Khalidiya…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This UK import features private karaoke pods where groups of six to 25 people can belt out tunes from a huge playlist without (much) fear of embarrassment…
Abu Dhabi
Have a beer (Dhs34 to Dhs40) or wine (glass from Dhs35) with high-rises as your neighbours at this bar on the roof of the World Trade Center; entry is…
Marina Breakwater
Radisson Blu Beach Club's bar and shisha cafe – open to the public – sits on prime beachside real estate with outstanding skyline views to accompany…
Yas Island
Healthy vegan-friendly cafe offering homemade almond milk, avocado smoothies and green vegetable juices along with karak chai (spicy tea) and a caboodle…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With metal-plated stools, palette tables and oversized artwork in a warehouse-style setting, this place works hard to channel New York but still manages…
Dubai
This Ibiza-style beachside 'meet' market is one of Dubai's top day-to-night dance clubs and worth the trek out of town at weekends, especially when big…
Yas Island
This rectangular den of decadence literally occupies a bridge directly over Yas Island's Formula One track. It's flush with the city's party-hard, moneyed…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
Coya's colourful Pisco Lounge is a destination in itself, particularly if you're partial to a pisco sour (Dhs65) or two – and with creative infusions of…
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
This rooftop bar at the Aloft Abu Dhabi hotel indeed puts you in the mood for relaxing, with mellow sounds, comfy seating and an extensive drinks menu…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
When it comes to glorious views over The Beach at JBR and Palm Jumeirah, this chic indoor-outdoor lounge is in a lofty league on the 35th floor of the…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This place is exclusive with a capital E. Entry is via fingerprint recognition, and minimum spend at a table for four is Dhs5000. If you want to drive…
Sharjah
Caffeine nerds rejoice: this hipster coffee house digs deep with single-origin beans sourced from El Salvador, Ethiopia and Indonesia, among others, and…
Yas Island
Ignore the tacky faux-Tiki totems on entry. In cooler months, the outdoor terrace of this curvy timber bar-restaurant, jutting right out onto the water at…
Abu Dhabi
The famous Asian-themed chillax lounge from Paris has brought its normally temporary beach-bar concept to Abu Dhabi – the first location to receive a…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
From the moment you start following the meandering path through One&Only's luxuriant gardens, you'll sense that you're heading for a pretty special place…
Ras Al Khaimah
Sit amid the proper traditional bar set-up inside or head out onto the terrace for beers with views of players tee-ing off on the Al Hamra golf course…
Abu Dhabi
We really like this cafe, fronted by a small street-front terrace, for its cracking coffee, cooling milkshakes and good tea selection. The taupe and white…
Bur Dubai
This breezy open-plan space is the perfect place to sip on a cup of speciality tea, traditional chai or coffee, including a creamily delicious cappuccino…
Abu Dhabi
This relaxing poolside rooftop lounge at the Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi reopened after a full makeover in 2018. New glass partitions and ceilings offer a…
Ras Al Khaimah
Sure, you could head to one of the international coffee chains in RAK (they're all represented here), but why do that when the coffee is better at this…
Marina Breakwater
Serious beachy vibes are yours, with a gin and karkadai (hibiscus) cocktail in hand. This chic open-air terrace, with the sand-front rimmed by cabana…
Deira
Need some A.S.S., Man Kiwi or Viagra? Then head down to this actually very wholesome Saudi juice bar famous not only for its 200 fantastically creative…
Yas Island
This convivial pub plays all the big sport matches and holds a flurry of weekly events as well as regularly hosting local bands and singers. There's…
Fujairah City
McGettigan's has injected some much-needed pizzazz into Fujairah's nightlife. Events such as happy hour, quiz night and open-mic night bring in the…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Sunset is the perfect time to stake out your turf at the circular bar or on a cushiony sofa in a tented 'pod' at this beachfront lounge with view of the…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Revamped in 2018, the ethos of this club is that it offers revellers the flip side of the VIP high-end nightclub experience. Decor is stripped back,…
Downtown Dubai
Finance moguls and corporate execs mix it up at this intimate rooftop cocktail bar perched atop the 40th floor of the H Hotel with views of the World…
Al Ain
Al Ain's biggest party spot, Rooftop sits – you guessed it! – on top of the Aloft Hotel with views that stretch all the way to Jebel Hafeet. Happy hour…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This is the prettiest branch of a local chain serving regional faves in a dimly lit, endearingly over-the-top Arabian Nights setting complete with…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Part of Buddha Bar in the same hotel, Siddharta is an urban oasis and great spot to join Dubai's glam crowd in taking the party from daytime by the pool…
Dubai
Score a candlelit table on the terrace overlooking the Madinat canals and illuminated Burj Al Arab, and you’ll instantly know you’ve found one of the most…
Dubai
At this stylish rustic wine bar imbued with a homey vibe, you can match your wine to your mood. Most pours come from small vineyards and are served with…
Rooftop Terrace & Sport Lounge
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With its fabric-draped banquettes, Moroccan lanterns and Middle Eastern carpets, this lounge is one of Dubai's classiest sports bars. Catch live games in…
Abu Dhabi
There's a pianist playing tunes on weeknights for a chilled-out ambience: kick back on one of the sofas and stare out at cityscape views from this bar on…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
A welcoming gastropub with a vast space made intimate by the warm wood fittings and moody low lighting. There are a couple of sports screens here, but the…
