20 Best Bars in Dubai: Cocktails, Pubs and Hidden Spots
From rooftop cocktails with Burj views to speakeasies behind sandwich shops: the bars where Dubai's night actually happens.
Dubai's bar scene has deepened beyond the rooftop temples of the 2010s. There are still the skyline moments—and they matter—but the city has quietly built something messier and more interesting: craft cocktail rooms where the bartenders have genuine opinions, hidden bars you find through trial and error, British pubs that work better than they have any right to, and neighbourhood spots where locals actually go when they're not performing for Instagram.
This list is ordered by drinking style first, then neighbourhood, then price. Rooftops and skyline bars top the ranking because that's what most visitors search for; cocktail bars and speakeasies come next because that's where the craft is; pubs and neighbourhood spots finish because those are the places that turn a night into a memory instead of a photo.
Reservations matter here. On Thursday and Friday, book ahead at the rooftops or risk standing outside. The hidden bars stay quieter because they're harder to find—that's their whole point. The neighbourhood pubs are walk-ins by design.
Attiko
W Dubai Mina Seyahi, Dubai Marina · Rooftop lounge, Asian-inspired · Daily from sunset onwards, smart elegant dress code
Perched on the rooftop of W Dubai Mina Seyahi with panoramic views of Dubai's skyline, harbour and Palm Jumeirah, Attiko blends an Instagrammable interior lounge inspired by an Asian garden with a spacious outdoor terrace. Drinks run AED 50, bites at AED 40. Smart elegant dress code; shorts, flip-flops or sportswear not permitted.
Ce La Vi
Address Sky View, 53rd floor, Downtown Dubai · Rooftop bar, international · Book ahead Thursday–Friday
Perched on the 53rd floor of the Address Sky View, Ce La Vi delivers one of the most dramatic bar experiences in the city with an open-air sky deck offering unobstructed panoramas of the Burj Khalifa and Downtown's glittering skyline. The room fills with couples and groups from around 6 p.m. onwards on weeknights and becomes a proper late-night scene by 10 p.m. This is where you go if the view matters more than the cocktail.
Mercury Rooftop
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Jumeirah · Rooftop lounge, cocktails · Burj Khalifa views, book ahead
The newly refurbished Mercury Lounge has some of the most impressive views of the Burj Khalifa—a near 180-degree shot of Business Bay, Downtown Dubai, all the way up to Deira and old Dubai. The city's well-heeled nightlife masses have got the memo, which means Thursday and Friday tables book out fast. The crowd skews older and dressed up, which keeps the scene from feeling like a party venue for the under-35 set.
Salmon Guru
The Opus, Business Bay · Craft cocktail bar, three themed zones · Reservations essential, advanced booking required
The bar is divided into three distinct zones—a 60s-style tropical bar, a neon-lit comic world and an Asian-inspired night market—with advance reservations the best way to secure the full experience. Every cocktail is a blend of science and theatre, often using techniques such as sous vide infusions, seawater aging, or yogurt clarifications. Many vessels are handmade by a local female artist, giving each drink both cultural weight and a collectible feel.
Zuma
Gate Village 6, DIFC · Japanese izakaya-style bar, cocktails · Smart casual, reservations Thursday–Friday
Holding the most FACT Dining Awards of any restaurant, Zuma is renowned for delivering extraordinary experiences with a high-energy bar that brings Japanese izakaya culture into sharp focus, with a cocktail menu inspired by Japanese simplicity. Reservations are essential on Thursday and Friday; the bar upstairs is where a lot of Dubai's finance and design crowd end their weeknights, with precise cocktails and a grown-up crowd that still lets you hold a conversation.
JW Marriott Marquis, 71st–72nd floor, Downtown Dubai · Luxury rooftop, cigars and spirits · Dress code smart casual
stockPerched on the 71st/72nd floors of the JW Marriott Marquis, Vault gives you a sky-high lounge vibe: panoramic city views, crafted cocktails and cigars, luxe design and late nights above Dubai's pulse. The room is intimate—this isn't a place to bring a crowd—but the view alone justifies the price. Go early enough to catch the skyline before dark, or late enough that the city lights run right through to the horizon.
Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina · Asian-inspired lounge, cocktails · Marina views, dress code enforced
stockSiddharta Lounge by Buddha-Bar occupies a prime position at Grosvenor House in Dubai Marina, delivering a sensual Asian-inspired lounge experience complete with incense, candlelight and a hypnotic soundtrack, with cocktails drawing on Eastern botanical ingredients and a stylish terrace overlooking the Marina. Popular with Dubai's fashion and media crowd.
Sexy Fish Dubai
Innovation One, DIFC · Craft cocktails, Japanese-inspired · Happy hour daily 5pm–8pm, starts AED 45
Pull up a seat at the glowing bar or the terrace with Burj Khalifa views and sip expertly mixed drinks, from classics to Japanese-inspired creations, with happy hour running daily from 5pm to 8pm and drinks starting at AED 45, with a glass of bubbly for AED 55. The bar runs efficient enough that you can get in and out during the evening rush, but stay and it pulls you deeper into the room.
Moonshine
DIFC, hidden behind Wise Guys sandwich shop · Speakeasy, prohibition-era cocktails · Green fridge door entry, call for access
Disguised as a friendly neighbourhood sandwich shop, the dark and moody speakeasy bar Moonshine is hidden behind the Wise Guys deli in DIFC, accessible through a green fridge door which leads into a wobbly mirrored corridor that opens up into Moonshine. Inspired by the prohibition era, Moonshine serves modern takes on classic mixes and transforms into a lively party spot with DJs playing upbeat music.
Blind Tiger
Jumeirah Al Naseem, Palm Jumeirah · Craft cocktails, live music · Arabian Gulf views, reservations advised
Blind Tiger offers a sanctuary for discerning drinkers who revel in live music and impeccable service, nestled within the luxurious Jumeirah Al Naseem and overlooking the Arabian Gulf, showcasing the art of contemporary mixology through a cocktail list inspired by characters from an oriental circus. The drinks alone—like The Contortionist, blending mezcal with sake, cocoa, nori seaweed, tomato and soy, and The Fire Eater featuring reposado tequila, wasabi and beetroot—are reason enough to go.
Seven Tales
Grosvenor House, 44th floor, Dubai Marina · Japanese izakaya-style speakeasy · Mon–Sat 7pm–3am, 40-person capacity
Seven Tales is located at Grosvenor House, hidden within chef Jason Atherton's latest concept City Social Dubai, an Izakaya-styled speakeasy bar inspired by Japanese culture designed to take you back to 1960s Tokyo on the 44th floor. It's dark and small with space for around just 40 people, which means it fills fast and the atmosphere stays tight.
Electric Pawn Shop
The H Dubai, Trade Center · Asian-Mediterranean speakeasy, 70s Chinatown inspired · Underground design, dance floor
This hedonistic, dystopian, counterculture Asian Mediterranean bar and restaurant inspired by the 70s Chinatown of New York is located inside The H Dubai, combining underground music, contemporary design and playful drinking. Cocktails like Java Jungle Boogie and Yakuza Jacuzzi come with a custom-built sound system that creates a venue that feels edgy, immersive and refreshingly different from Dubai's glossy norm.
Double Decker
Swissotel Al Murooj, Downtown Dubai · Sports pub, pool tables · Eight-hour happy hour, astroturf garden
A longstanding bar in Downtown Dubai very popular especially come match day, Double Decker has an astroturfed outdoor area and an old-school bar inside with all the feels of a proper sports pub, complete with pool tables and an eight-hour-long happy hour. You can enjoy everything from football to rugby here while taking advantage of the top drinks and soaking up the lively atmosphere.
Bahri Bar
Mina A'Salam, Madinat Jumeirah · Over-water terrace bar · Burj Al Arab views, sunset drinks, live music nightly
Bahri Bar at Mina A'Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, offers one of the great bar settings in the world: an over-water terrace with an unobstructed view of the Burj Al Arab just 300 metres away across the waterway. With cozy, comfortable interiors that feel like a beautiful home away from home and a terrace surrounded by lush palm trees, the cocktails come with a menu split into four categories: Ambitious, Fresh, Fiery and Enchanted, with options like Behind the Times (Glenfiddich Scotch and date honey syrup) and Witch's Heart (gin with saffron, rosewater, lemon and rosemary).
Treehouse
SLS Dubai Hotel, Business Bay · Foliage-draped rooftop, tropical cocktails · Casual vibe, lush setting
Treehouse is one of Dubai's most enchanting bar concepts—a lush, foliage-draped elevated terrace nestled within the grounds of the SLS Dubai Hotel in Business Bay, with tropical cocktails, easy sharing plates and a sun-dappled, Instagram-perfect setting drawing a creative, sociable crowd. The crowd here skews younger and less dressed-up than the downtown rooftops, which actually makes the drinks taste better.
Jumeirah Lake Towers, Cluster T · British gastropub · 12pm–2am daily, walk-in friendly
stockThe Black Sheep is a well-known British gastropub in Dubai offering a cozy atmosphere and a nice bar menu, with most visitors coming for its impressive selection of drinks, bar bites and meals. It operates from 12 pm until 2 am with no days off, making it both a place for a night out and a decent option for lunch. The JLT location means it draws regulars rather than the rooftop circuit.
The Underground Pub
Jumeirah Beach · British pub atmosphere · Cozy environment, established location
Discover The Underground Pub at Jumeirah Beach, where British charm meets Dubai's vibrant nightlife in a cozy atmosphere. This is the place to go when you want beer-and-mates conversation instead of an event. The crowd is mixed nationalities but leans expat; the TVs carry the matches you actually want to watch.
Gaba
Dubai Marina · Hidden bar, Japanese tea house by day · Happy hour AED 90 unlimited mixes, Sun–Thu 5pm–1am
By day it's a calm Japanese tea house with a tea sommelier brewing over 100 blends; by night you're pushing through the hidden wooden door to find a moody, marble-lit bar where every corner oozes cool. Happy hour runs AED 90 for unlimited mixed drinks. Book this for a date where you want something quieter than the standard rooftop crowd.
Mimi Kakushi
Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach · 1920s Osaka-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar · Japanese dining and craft drinks
Mimi Kakushi at the Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach is the ultimate destination for those drawn to Japanese-inspired atmospheres, channeling the vibrant Osaka of the 1920s, its name referencing a signature hairstyle that concealed women's ears in that era. The cocktail bar carries that period through to the drinks list, which balances precision with approachability.
The Nice Guy
Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Downtown Dubai · Italian-inspired rooftop, aperitivo daily 5pm–7pm · Art Deco design
Rightfully one of the most hyped Dubai openings of the last few years, The Nice Guy is a breathtaking restaurant inside Jumeirah Emirates Towers that offers aperitivo every day except Saturday from 5pm-7pm, with playful cocktails such as Honey I'm Home and Handsome Johnny paired with hefty bar bites including The Nice Guy Burger with maple glazed beef bacon, classic Italian saffron arancini, and Loni's chopped salad packed with beef salami, provolone and pepperoncini. Go for the aperitivo window to keep costs down.
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