![Level 43 Sky Lounge, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/level-43-sky-lounge-nightlife-dubai-2-p.jpg?imwidth=680)
The 10 best bars in Dubai
From rooftop cocktails to chic speakeasies, discover the city's nightlife
![Level 43 Sky Lounge, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/level-43-sky-lounge-nightlife-dubai-2-p.jpg?imwidth=680)
When the well-travelled ask Dubai expats how they cope without bars, they often choke on their Dom Pérignon. Dubai is awash with world-class bars and discreet watering dens. In observance of cultural sensitivities, polite euphemisms are used in publication: 'hops' means lager, beer or ale; 'grape', wine; 'bubbly', prosecco or champagne; and cocktails are referred to as mixed drinks. Learn the code and unlock the door to the best local nightlife.
Happy hours are ecstatic, often reducing Dubai’s exorbitant alcohol tariffs by half, and on 'ladies' nights’ selected drinks are free for women. Join the party at Dubai's best bars, or meditate on a sunset at one of the emirate’s more sedate havens with sand between your toes.
For further Dubai inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, shopping, things to do and family-friendly things to do.
Find a bar by area
Dubai Marina
Siddharta Lounge by Buddha-Bar
Grosvenor House Dubai is good at creating bars. Start at Siddharta Lounge, named after Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama) and offspring of the hotel’s popular Buddha-Bar; it's decorated with enough Buddha busts to stock a Habitat. It could feel clichéd if it wasn’t so classy. Behind golden ropes manned by a black-tie doorman, an elevator delivers guests to two al fresco decks, with sofas, bar stools and bleacher-style seating, one overlooking the city, the other the sea, with an indoor restaurant in between. Balearic beats suit the mood and the drinks menu is extensive, with a guide to its many speciality sakes.
Contact: siddhartalounge.com
Nearest metro: Dubai Marina
Price: £££
Getting in: Reservations recommended
![Siddharta Lounge by Buddha-Bar, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/hotels/middle-east/united-arab-emirates/dubai/siddharta-lounge-by-buddha-bar-dubai-p.jpg?imwidth=350)
The Jetty Lounge
Islamic archways frame a view of a jetty at One&Only Royal Mirage, its deck studded with guiding lights leading eyes to the Arabian Gulf. From here, with prior reservation, you can hop on a boat to sister property One&Only The Palm, where the 101 Lounge, elegantly poised over the water, will compete for your attention. But first get lost in the The Jetty Lounge's mellifluous chill-out tunes, its maze of white cube furniture scattered across decking and sand, and its choice of five premium champagnes. The soft drinks options are impressively varied, too, with smoothies, shakes, iced teas and freshly made lemonades.
Contact: oneandonlyresorts.com
Nearest metro: Palm Monorail Gateway Station
Price: £££
Getting in: Reservations required
![The Jetty Lounge, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/one-and-only-royal-mirage-cuisine-jetty-lounge-dubai-p.jpg?imwidth=350)
Jumeirah Beach Residences
Lock, Stock & Barrel, JBR The Walk
This is possibly Dubai’s most Instagram-friendly sports and entertainment bar, with an industrial American design and walls of repurposed stereo speakers and mobile phones. LS&B presents sporting action on big screens and live bands. Acoustic sessions are mellow, while the late-night weekend sessions see DJs pump out chart-toppers and club classics. Other diversions include pool tables for hire, pub grub and the occasional inflatable sumo suited wrestling matches, but perhaps the greatest attraction is affordable drinks, with daily happy hours from 4pm to 8pm and free tipples for ladies on Tuesdays.
Contact: lsbdubai.com/jbr
Nearest metro: Dubai Marina
Price: £
Getting in: Reservations recommended; must be 21 or above with valid ID required on entry
![Lock, Stock & Barrel, JBR The Walk, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/lock-stock-and-barrel-nightlife-dubai-p.jpg?imwidth=350)
Bla Bla
Bla Bla is bursting at the seams with 20 themed bars located across purpose-built spaces connected by a metal tube slide from the top floor to the ground for those who want more fun than the standard descent by stairs. In addition to a beach club with an outdoor bar and restaurant, the complex comprises a hidden speakeasy called The Backroom, a 22,000-square-foot hall hosting live bands called The Tent, and The Rooftop with views of Ain Dubai. Sup a pint in The Garrison, inspired by the pub in Peaky Blinders; sip a Bronx Martini (passion fruit syrup, vanilla syrup and lemon juice) from a glass with an Empire State Building-shaped stem in The Bronx Bar; shoot a tequila at the Mexican Bar, or celebrate with Champagne at Bubbles Bar.
Contact: blabladubai.ae
Nearest metro: Dubai Marina
Price: ££
Getting in: Must be 21 or above
Jumeirah
The Bulgari Bar
With indoor and outdoor seating, Dubai’s most sophisticated bar shares space with two-Michelin-starred Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, so you’re well placed to work up an appetite, but in true Italian style, you’ll most likely be too stuffed with cicchetti, the small plates served with aperitivo, to think about dinner. Tempting morsels include focaccia with burrata and Cantabric sea anchovies, red prawns carpaccio with garlic, chilli, lime and extra-virgin olive oil, and ‘bombs’ of pulled veal, mustard, wild leaves and capers. Alongside classic cocktails like the negroni, there are Instagram-worthy creations, such as the vodka-based lychee and jasmine cocktail made with rose water and grapefruit sorbet.
Contact: bulgarihotels.com
Price: £££
Getting in: Free entry; dress code is smart-casual
![Bulgari Bar, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/Bulgari%20Resort%20Dubai%20-%20The%20Bulgari%20Bar%20Interiors%20Night.jpg?imwidth=350)
The Rooftop at Folly
Dubai’s expats like to keep this bar a secret. It’s not the sort of place tourists stumble across, tucked away in Madinat Jumeirah resort above Folly, a restaurant ran by Gordon Ramsay progeny Nick Alvis and Scott Price. From The Rooftop’s vantage point, views of the medina-like Madinat Jumeirah unfold, snaked by canals ferrying guests in traditional wooden boats beneath the shadow of the landmark Burj Al Arab. A resident DJ plays deep house, while friendly bar staff stir up signature cocktails. Try the Ginger Sour for fresh ginger shaken with fennel seed syrup and whisky – a worthwhile investment at AED 55 (£11.85).
Contact: folly.ae
Price: ££
Getting in: Free entry; dress code is smart-casual
![Folly, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/folly-dubai-nightlife-guide.jpg?imwidth=350)
Al Satwa
Level 43 Sky Lounge
In the canopy of Dubai’s urban jungle of mirrored skyscrapers, imposing signage and street lights, Level 43 delivers a dose of tranquillity with its soft ultraviolet glow and Café del Mar-style music. It lacks the pretention lurking in similar sky bars and serves classics such as Singapore Slings with light bites of sashimi, maki rolls and more substantial mains. Popular with budding photographers, this open rooftop bar is also one of the city’s best vantage points for neon-streaked shots of the busy Sheikh Zayed Road by night; let staff know in advance if you intend to bring a tripod.
Contact: level43lounge.com
Nearest metro: Financial Centre
Price: ££
Getting in: Reservations are only accepted Sat-Mon and Wed; must be 21 or above; dress code is smart-casual
![Level 43 Sky Lounge, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/level-43-sky-lounge-nightlife-dubai-p.jpg?imwidth=350)
Business Bay
Weslodge Saloon
Bearded bartenders perform cocktail-spinning stunts with colourfully-inked arms in this Canadian bar and restaurant that muddles 19th century-style portraiture with wall-mounted antler-topped animal skulls to create an Americana-Victoriana setting. The playlist skips from obscure Oregon rock bands to British icons such as The Smiths and Radiohead, and late weekend sessions are undertaken by à la mode DJs, often flown in from overseas, such as Hoxton Radio regulars Orange Soda. A supper of lobster poutine and southern fried chicken will soak up powerful brews such as the smoky tincture-spiked Tobacco Manhattan and the scrumptious Snickers Old Fashioned.
Contact: weslodge.ae
Nearest metro: Business Bay
Price: ££
Getting in: Reservations recommended, dress code is smart-casual
![Weslodge Saloon, Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/weslodge-saloon-nightlife-dubai-p.jpg?imwidth=350)
DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)
Zuma Dubai
Occupying the first floor above Rainer Becker’s restaurant, Zuma Dubai’s bar is consistently winning accolades. In 2021, it ranked at number 17 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. With expertly crafted cocktails, among them the Japanese Old Fashioned made with Zuma’s secret bitter, and above-par bar snacks (the salmon and tuna tartare with Sevruga caviar is sublime), it’s busy most nights. DIFC’s post-work crowd can afford the bar tab and big spenders attract beautiful people. It’s a winning formula with local DJs spinning dance tracks.
Contact: zumarestaurant.com
Nearest metro: Emirates Towers
Price: £££
Getting in: Reservations essential; dress code is smart
![Zuma Dubai](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/Travel/Destinations/Middle%20East/Dubai/zuma-dubai-nightlife.jpg?imwidth=350)
Luna Dubai
Created by New York-based hospitality designer Adam Tihany, Luna Dubai is a rooftop lounge that capitalises on Dubai’s dazzling skyline. Perched atop DIFC’s Four Seasons, it’s conveniently located within minutes of many of Dubai’s most fashionable restaurants, making it a top choice for aperitifs. Cocktails such as the Smoked Whisky Negroni attest to the resident mixologists’ credentials. If you want to eat here, elevated bar snacks and appetisers include 30g tins of osetra and beluga caviar, and black cod croquettes with aji aioli and lime zest, while main courses run from £60 Kobe burgers to £325 Kobe striploins.
Contact: fourseasons.com
Nearest metro: Emirates Towers
Price: £££
Getting in: Smart dress required
How we choose
Every bar, venue or experience in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of traveller – and consider the service, drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
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