hiVe Wine bar
Map p216 (Souq al-bahar, Sheikh Zayed rd;
h10am-late) At this good-looking party den,
local and visiting lovelies heat up the dance
floor or drape themselves over brown leath-
er sofas on the terrace. Alas, there’s no view
of Dubai Fountain. Special deals (such as
ladies’ night Tuesday, and two-for-one-
pizza Sunday) help draw in the punters.
double decKer pub
Map p216 (al-Murooj rotana hotel, al-Saffa St;
hnoon-3am) You’ll feel quite Piccadilly at this
boozy, boisterous bi-level pub that’s decked
out in a London transport theme. Drinks
promotions, quiz nights, English premier-
ship football and better-than-average (by
far) pub grub attract an expat crowd.
fibber MaGee’s pub
Map p216 (www.fibbersdubai.com; Sheikh Zayed
rd; h7pm-3am) This scruffy boozer, found
behind Crowne Plaza Hotel, isn’t about see-
ing and being seen – quite frankly, it’s a bit
too dark for that. It’s Dubai’s most authen-
tic Irish pub, with great ales, stouts and
fat fish and chips to sop it all up. Tuesday
is quiz night (arrive by 8pm). Great fun on
match nights.
neZesaussi SporTS bar
Map p216 (al-Manzil hotel, burj khalifa blvd;
h6pm-2am Sun-Thu, noon-2am Fri & Sat) Throw
back pints with your mates at this high-end
sports bar with wall-to-wall TVs and great
food. The name is an amalgam of New Zea-
land, South Africa and Australia, and the
bar snacks selection plays on those coun-
tries’ classics. Standouts include boerewors
(spicy sausage) and grilled New Zealand
lamb. The rugby-ball-shaped bar is sur-
rounded by sports paraphernalia donated
by famous players. During the 2011 Rugby
World Cup final, queues to the bar virtually
stretched from the hotel’s reception.
caValli club Club
Map p216 (www.cavalliclubdubai.com; Fairmont
hotel, Sheikh Zayed rd; h7pm-2am) Roberto
Cavalli, Italian fashion designer of over-the-
top glam, rock and animal-print fame, has
his own nightclub where the rich and beau-
tiful keep the champagne flowing amid a
virtual Aladdin’s cave of black quartz and
Swarovski crystals. Girls, wear your little
black dress or risk feeling frumpy. Boys,
shine your shoes. Enter from the back of
the hotel.
Zinc Club
Map p216 (www.ichotelsgroup.com; Crowne plaza
hotel, Sheikh Zayed rd; h10pm-3am) This reli-
able standby has a killer sound system and
plays R&B, popular tunes and house for a
crowd that likes to have fun without the
pretence, including lots of cabin crew. We
like it here because people don’t seem to
care who you are; they’re here to dance and
drink, not show off. Bar service is quick –
well, for Dubai. Men pay cover (Dh50 to
Dh100); women don’t.Zyara CaFe
Map p216 (union Tower, Sheikh Zayed rd;
h8am-1am) Puff away in the shadow of
giant skyscrapers at this convivial boho-
cool Lebanese cafe. The colourful doll-
house-like interior is great for booze-free
socialising over a game of cards or back-
gammon. The sheesha (water pipe used to
smoke tobacco) is outdoors, where you sit
at living-room-like clusters of cushy sofas
on a palm-lined patio while gazing up at
the impossibly tall towers. It’s located be-
hind the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.3 EntErtainmEnt
blue bar liVe MuSiC
Map p216 (novotel World Trade Centre, 312th
rd, off Sheikh Zayed rd; h2pm-2am) Cool cats
of all ages gather in this relaxed joint for
some of the finest live jazz and blues in
town. It’s tucked away in a ho-hum busi-
ness hotel but once inside, all is forgiven.
The mostly local talent starts performing
at 10pm (Wednesday to Friday only), so get
here early to snag a table and quaff a cold
one from the standout selection of Belgian
draught beers. When there’s no band, it’s
just another bar.reel cineMas CineMa
Map p216 (%04-449 1988; http://www.reelcinemas.ae;
2nd fl, Dubai Mall, Financial Centre rd; tickets Dh30,
3-D films Dh40) Pre-assigned seats, THX sound
and a staggering 22 screens make Reel one
of the top flick-magnets in town. The fare
is mostly Hollywood blockbusters, except
in the Picturehouse, purportedly the UAE’s
first dedicated art-house cinema. If you don’t
want to sit with the hoi polloi, shell out Dh110
for a reclining leather chair in a 32-seat plati-
num movie suite.s
heikh Zayedr
oa
d &a
ro
und(^) e
n
Ter
Tai
n
M
en
T