Dubai Nightlife

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Vintage is a cheese-lovers' & wine-connoisseurs' dream.
I'm not a big wine-connoisseur, therefore I hadn't returned to Vintage for quite a few years. But after winning a gift voucher in a radio contest a friend and I decided to have a girly-evening and enjoy our freebie treat!
Despite the exclusive wine list (over 120 varieties) Vintage feels more like a friendly bistro than a snooty lounge: it's a small place with a few tall tables & some sofas. Capacity is approx. 50 people.

Cheese, salmon, foie gras (morally, I think one should never order this), tempura prawns, caviar, freshly baked breads, fondue (blue cheese, traditional cheese or chocolate): this isn't a place to have a full dinner, but the various tid-bits from their menu with nevertheless leave you more than satisfied.

We sank into a low sofa, enjoyed listening to the tunes of Ella Fitzgerald & Frank Sinatra and then tucked into the baked, oozing, honey-drizzled chunk of melted camembert. Oh... my... god: this must be what heaven tastes like! This is definitely more than enough for 2 people to share, priced at 69 Dirhams. In comparison, the vintage cheese platter with a selection (of your choice) of 5 small chunks of cheese, some grapes & walnuts priced at 99 Dirhams seems quite expensive & unnecessary in my opinion. We had selected Wensleydale with cranberries, Chaumes, Celtic pride (a sharp, hard cheese), Pont-l'Evêque and my new favourite: the Italian, fantastically creamy Taleggio.

We also enjoyed a 3-piece portion of prawn tempura (28 Dhs) with wonderful sweet chilly sauce. Although delicious, I couldn't help feeling that they seemed a little out of place in this wine bar, but we enjoyed them nonetheless.

Dress Code: Dress Code is Smart-Casual.

A glass of wine costs between 34 and 48 Dirhams, and bottle prices start at 170 Dhs per bottle, all the way up to 14,000 Dirhams (!) And if you're not a wine drinker, beer and regular spirits are also available here.
--> Special "Wine flights" promotions are available to provide timid tipplers with ample opportunity to sample 3 wines for the price of 1.

The service here is impeccable and unusually professional for the normally pathetic & sub-standard waiting staff in Dubai's numerous 5 star hotels. The waitresses were able to recommend a nice rose wine, letting us taste 2 varieties before we made our choice. Throughout the evening, they were attentive, friendly and knowledgeable.

This is a place that will definitely keep you craving for more return visits!

Fridays & Mondays: Enjoy Traditional Blue or Cheese Fondue for 2 and a bottle of house Red or White for only Dhs 185 per couple.

NOTE: smoking *is* permitted here.

--> UPDATE 2nd visit: The ham & salami platter is large & our boys really enjoyed it! The dark chocolate fondue is great for sharing.

Opening Hours:Fri - Wed 06.00pm-01.00am.
Thursdays 04.00pm-02.00am.
Happy Hours: 06–08pm on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday only.

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It's easy to have some wild nights & crazy parties in Dubai (I have pictures to prove it...) but you have to make sure that you stay within relatively strict guidelines. Dress code, not getting too "steamy" and hands-on with your date in public & early closing hours are just some of them. So: Inform yourself, prepare yourself & enjoy yourself!

TIP: Please note that the legal "partying-age" in Dubai is 21 yrs. You may be asked to present your ID at the door.

>>> 99% of all clubs & bars are located in hotels, as only hotels can apply for a liquor licence in the UAE.<<<

Many clubs in Dubai have a "couples only" policy, meaning that couples & single girls are allowed, but not single men.
Some clubs will ask for an entrance fee from single men (which can be quite high!), but if you wait outside for a group of single girls and ask then politely if you can simply walk in with them, most ladies will help you out... especially if you offer to buy them a drink as a "thank you".

If you've finally pulled Mr or Mrs "Right Now", hold your horses! Before you both start receiting non-verbal French to each other, get a room! Overly-friendly "physical displays" in public are a big No-No, not even in a cab. So wait until you're alone - and avoid spending the night in jail.

Also: hitting on girls is fine lads, but don't over-do it: if one of us girls gets too annoyed with a guy we can simply walk up to any bouncer & have you "removed from the premises". So don't get too clingy: if the lady isn't interested move on! Ladies rule the Dubai night-scene... haha! (>evil giggle<)

Unfortunately many high-class clubs are quite "racist" and will often refuse entry to patrons from Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc.) There's not much you can do about it on the night, but definitely complain to the management the next day.

OPENING HOURS: It's sad but true: all bars and nightclubs in Dubai close the latest by 03:00am (by law)

Behave Yourselves: being drunk & disorderly in public (this means anywhere between the club's front door and your home's/hotel room's door) is punishable by law.

Dress Code: When going out in Dubai, dress codes vary from establishment to establishment. If you are planning on "bar-hopping" throughout the night follow these guidelines and you won't be left standing outside because you are underdressed...

MEN: Some places (Irish pubs, etc.) are very relaxed when it comes to dresscode for men.
To play it safe though, men should wear
- a shirt with collar
- good-quality jeans or proper trousers (no shorts!)
- proper shoes (no sandals or sports shoes/sneakers).
Then no bouncer should have a problem letting you in.

LADIES: For us girlies, pretty much anything goes... sorry guys! Even the more upmarket places don't have a problem if you show up in jeans and a sexy top, or short skirts, or boots, etc. Some bouncers may have a problem if you are wearing sneakers/sports shoes. But usually they are glad to see girls wanting to party at their club and will let you in without any trouble.

PUBLIC DECENCY LAWS in the UAE: http://www.gulfnews.com/gngalleries/galleries/10227399.html

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The Malecon is located at Dubai Marine Resort off Jumeriah Beach Road near the Jumeriah Mosque. A Cuban themed restaurant it has a separate bar area in which you can drink, chat (and smoke), the restaurant area where you can obviously eat, a dance floor to dance to the irresistible Cuban beats and a lounge area to just chill out and watch the dancing.

There are good and bad things about the Malecon in my opinion. The atmosphere is great and even those (like me) who are challenged in the dancing department feel the need to shake their hips Shakera style on the dance floor amongst the obviously well trained professionals. The good thing is it doesn't matter if you can dance or not, you're there to have fun and no one feels intimidated! The cocktail and wine lists are comprehensive and fairly reasonably priced (AED34 for a strawberry daiquiri) and Tuesday is ladies night after 10pm with 4 free drink vouchers handed out.

The only thing that let me down at the Malecon was the food. Although some in my group said that their meal was nice, both my starter and main were bland and I was told that the Rib Eye was bad too. My advice? Perhaps just go to the Malecon for some drinks and dancing rather than dinner and you'll have a great night!

P.S. Don't be put off by the "graffiti" all over the walls, it's obviously just a decorating style they have adopted along with the Castro pictures and flags on the wall. Cuban!

I discovered Bar 44 when I was waiting for Buddha Bar to open at the Grosvener House hotel in the Dubai Marina. Located on the 44th floor of the hotel, Bar 44 has amazing views of the Marina and you can (on a clear day/night) see all the way to the Palms. It is an expensive bar and unless you have bundles of money, it's probably not a place to spend an entire evening. However, the minute you walk through the doors, the staff are incredibly polite and helpful and you get the feeling that if you only asked they would get anything for you. Very 5 star hotel service. You get a bowl of nuts and olives automatically and the staff are incredibly attentive and will refresh your drink or change the ash tray before you even think about needing it. I was very impressed with Bar 44 and it's nice to have a nice drink and to be made to feel special every now and then!

Dress Code: A bit dressy

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Bahri bar is a great bar located at Mina Al Salam perfect for after brunch drinks. The inside is fairly tight when it gets busy but the large balcony is ideal for sitting and having a relaxing drink with friends with an amazing view thrown in.

The only problem I found with Bahri Bar is that there were only 2 people working behind the bar and you could wait up to 20 minutes before being served. Also, although the drinks menu is huge, prices are extremely steep and it's not a place to drink away the night unless you've got a penny or two.

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We went to Harry Ghatto's briefly after dinner on a Thursday night. I think that you may have to be either very drunk or LOVE karaoke to enjoy yourself here. The drinks were slightly overpriced (but then again so is everywhere else!), you had to wait an hour to get your turn on Karaoke and the bar is quite small so you'll find yourself in the middle of a crowd or up against a wall. Personally I think it may be a location for the end of the night or after a brunch to fully realise your singing potential better.

Location: Emirates Towers
Theme: Japanese Karaoke Bar
Pro or Con (depending on your point of view!): No smoking inside.

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Head to Boudoir any night of the week for a great clubbing experience. Located within the Dubai Marine Hotel in Jumeriah (not to be confused with Dubai Marina) you head through the hotel towards the beach and then upstairs into a room FILLED with luxury. There are chandeliers and velvet covered seats, everything screams opulence. Except the price tag (for ladies at least) doesn't match the décor! Every night of the week has a free drink deal for all ladies thank you very much! Coupled with free entry, it is a great night out!

Guys, price is a different story. Champagne is AED90, beer is AED50, a little bit pricy! To top it off, to sit at the tables surrounding the dance floor, a booking needs to be made 2 weeks in advance and there is a minimum spend of AED2,000. If the guys can stand the prices and on a Tuesday at least, quite girly music, they will be rewarded with being surrounded by heaps of girls and a guaranteed good night to be had by all. Brownie points will certainly be rewarded by bringing your girlfriend or wife to Boudoir. They'll love you for it!

Monday - Free Shots for Ladies All Night - Persian Music
Tuesday - Free Champagne for Ladies All Night - House/R&B Music
Wednesday - Free Cocktails for Ladies All Night - R&B Music
Thursday - Free Cocktails for Ladies Until Midnight - House/R&B Music
Friday - Free Champagne for Ladies All Night - R&B Music
Saturday - Free Shots for Ladies All Night - Asian / R&B Music
Sunday - Free Bellini's for Ladies All Night - House / R&B Music

Dress Code: Anything goes, but it is a little bit dressy. You'll feel better if you make the effort.

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One of the must dos while in Dubai is to have drinks at 360. It is located at Jumeriah Beach hotel at the end of a long bridge so it literally has a 360 degree view of the water, hotel and Burj Al Arab around you - very nice. The bar is circular and has couches surrounding the outskirts. Price may be an issue if you want exclusive use of the couches though as I was quoted a minimum spend of AED15,000 for the priviledge. Hmmm… maybe not!! We were lucky however and got ourselves use of the deck chairs which in my opinion are better than the couches anyway. They were free to use and seated 2 - 3 people per chair. They also had mini tables next to each one to rest your drinks on. It is a perfect spot to watch the sun go down. The deck chairs and couches did have "table" service or there were several bars to order from. Bar food is also available. There is a fantastic DJ and dance floor and you will find yourself dancing away until the wee hours of the morning.

The downsides to 360 are that drinks are expensive (around AED65 for a mixed drink and AED 45 for a beer) and you also need to be on the guestlist to gain entry. To do this simply google 360 and follow the links for that weekend's events. Finally, 360 is also seasonal and is open from October through to late May/early June.

Entry starts from 4pm until late.

Dress Code: Casual, but classy