The best places for dinner and a show in Dubai

It’s the formula we can’t seem to get enough of…

Somewhere between dinner and clubbing, is Dubai’s dinner and a show scene. Pairing refined fine-dining with a dazzling array of live acts, it adds another entertaining dimension to the city’s social dining scene.

Here are 12 of the best options for dinner and a show in Dubai.

Aretha

Aretha by Rikas Hospitality is an exciting live music venue located at the St Regis Gardens, Palm Jumeirah. Aretha is for foodies and music lovers who are looking for a restaurant with it all: good food, good drinks, and great music. Guests can immerse themselves in the exceptional soulful live performances, paying homage to the “Golden Era of music”: the swinging sixties and soulful seventies, while enjoying a delicious night of fine dining and creative handcrafted cocktails.

Aretha, St Regis Gardens, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Wed to Sun, 8pm to 3am, Tel:(0)4 880 5242. @arethadubai

Billionaire (reopens September 6)

Step through the signature red velvet corridor into a world of grandeur and luxury at Billionaire Dubai. A spread of Italian and modern Asian dishes curated by chef Batuhan Piatti Zeynioglu’s is paired with a mesmerising display of singing, dancing and variety acts. Billionaire are self-titled ‘masters of extravaganza’, and it’s an apt description of this shows-stopping display of dancing, singing, circus performances and jaw-dropping acrobatics, that undoubtedly raises the bar for dinner and a show venues in Dubai. It’s currently closed for the summer, reopening in September.

Billionaire, Taj Dubai, Business Bay, Tuesday to Sunday 9pm to 3am. Tel: (0)56 678 3357. @billionairedubaiofficial

Birds

This dinner and a show lands in Dubai by way of Moscow and Bodrum: get ready to shake your tail feathers at BIRDS. Soaring above the city on the 63rd floor of Address Downtown, it takes the space formerly occupied by NEOS. It’s a suitable spot for the concept, which is known as the highest restaurant and club in Moscow. Pairing panoramic Burj views with master mixology, daring dishes, and bold performance, this takes entertainment-led dining in Dubai to new heights.

BIRDS, Level 63, Address Downtown, 7pm to 3am Tues to Sat, 4pm to 11pm Sun, closed Mon. Tel: (0)50 275 4844. @birds.dxb

DREAM

DREAM is the lavish late-night dinner and show concept at the base of Address Beach Resort in JBR. The stunning restaurant utilises sophisticated projection technology to express different narratives throughout the evening. With plush, regal finishings, the space has been expertly designed to offer a luxurious experience while keeping its ethereal ‘Dream’ aesthetic. Dream’s wow factor lies within its evening show, which has been meticulously rehearsed to deliver a faultless performance. Throughout the night, expect to be entertained by an impressive line-up of singers, dancers, aerialists, acrobats, magic and more. After the shows conclude, the party continues into the early hours.

DREAM, Address Beach Resort, JBR, Wed to Sun, 8pm to 3am. Tel: (0)4 220 0224. @dreamdubaiofficial

Flashback Speakeasy

Flashback Speakeasy, found hidden within Paramount Hotel, is a retro bar designed to transport you back to the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. Vocal talents of local artists such as Claudia Patrice, Larudche and Andrea Laguna take the stage to bring you the sounds of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and many more legendary singers throughout the week, with a different theme on each night. Each night, there’s a minimum spend of Dhs150 per person.

Flashback Speakeasy, Paramount Hotel, Business Bay, 7pm to 3am daily. Tel: (0)55 180 7559. @flashbackspeakeasy

Josette

DIFC’s fancy French fun dining restaurant, Josette is a lesson in dazzling decor and fabulous entertainment. By day, it’s got the feel of a Marie Antoinette-inspired restaurant that’s been plucked from the upscale streets of Paris, with endless shades of bubblegum, marshmallow and blush pink and super sized chandeliers that twinkle above the bar and restaurant. But by night, guests frequent tables dotted infront of a grand stage that evokes an elegant Parisian cabaret. As the lights go down the sound goes up, and from 9.30pm onwards from Tuesday to Saturday, a regular rotation of singers and dancers twirl, tap and serenade guests around the dining room. The cleverly choreographed shows are as much about the costume as the performance, both adding the perfect amount of sizzle to proceedings.

La Perle

One of Dubai’s most popular and longest running theatre shows, La Perle is found in the purpose-built venue in Al Habtoor City. The enchanting performance is not to be missed, with acrobatics, mind-blowing set design and a theatrical storyline. Guests are fully immersed into the show with 270-degree seating that wraps almost the entire way around the aquatic theatre, and can ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ as the stage floods and dries, and mind-blowing tricks unfold in front of them. Their dinner and a show tickets, priced from Dhs404, include a ticket to La Perle (you can buy from bronze to platinum) plus a pre-fixe dinner at one of five Habtoor City restaurants beforehand, including Italian Il Pastaio and the World Cut Steakhouse inside Habtoor Palace.

La Perle, Al Habtoor City, Tuesday to Saturday, 6.30pm or 9.30pm, tickets from Dhs207, dinner and a show tickets from Dhs404. Tel: (0)4 437 0001. laperle.com

The Maine Land Brasserie

Bringing a sizzling taste of the Burlesque-inspired entertainment that has the crowds flocking to The Maine’s smash-hit London restaurant to Dubai is The Maine Land Brasserie. This sophisticated eatery in The Opus is a suitably glamourous setting for a stunning showcase of entertainment, with sparkling chandeliers, warm lighting, and a grand bar where master mixologists shake up some of the best cocktails in this part of town. The Maine Land Brasserie pairs its renowned menu of expertly prepared meat and seafood classics with a roster of sultry entertainment and live music acts that make for an unforgettable dining experience.

The Maine Land Brasserie, ME Dubai, The Opus, Business Bay, 12pm to 1am Sun to Tues, 12pm to 2am Weds to Sat. Tel: (0)4 577 6680. themaine.ae

Play

Play by name, playful by nature. This sleek spot towards the top of the H Hotel has long been entertaining guests with a crowd-pleasing menu of classic Dubai dishes that range from a raw bar and sushi to Wagyu striploin and black cod. Alongside the impressive menu, you can now expect a regular rotation of live acts, from solo singers belting out pop tunes, to aerial acts that twirl around a hoop to the sounds of a live violinist. Head here on a Monday and expect to enjoy their popular ‘Shades of Play’ night brunch, with packages from Dhs450; or on Tuesdays, there’s a burlesque-themed ladies’ night.

Play Restaurant & Lounge, Floor 36, The H Hotel, 8pm to 3am daily. Tel: (0)4 336 4444. playrestaurants.com

Q’s Bar and Lounge

This hidden live music venue in Palazzo Versace serves up a decent food menu that’s backed by some of the best live music you’ll hear in Dubai. The venue itself is smart and sophisticated, with plush leather armchairs and lounge sofas arranged around the central stage that’s vibrantly lit with neon blue lighting. About as close to a cosy New York jazz bar as you’ll get in Dubai, it opens from Wednesday to Sunday for live music performances of an expert calibre. Currently, the performer in residence is Jeremy Isaac, who’s returned for his second residency. It’s a minimum spend of Dhs250 per person on Weds and Thurs, and Dhs350 over the weekend.

Limited Edition by Q’s Bar, Palazzo Versace, Jaddaf Waterfront, Wednesday to Sunday, 7pm to 1am. Tel: (0)4 556 8865. palazzoversace.ae

The Showhouse

The Showhouse is a thrilling new addition to Dubai Marina’s dining scene. Located inside the Intercontinental Dubai Marina, The Showhouse pairs a French-Mediterranean menu with immersive multi-sensory performances that are sure to impress. Prices start from just Dhs395 for three-courses and a bottle of wine between two, making it the perfect option for a night to remember without the hefty price tag.

The Showhouse, Intercontinental Dubai Marina, Dubai. Weds to Thurs, 7pm to midnight, Fri 7pm to 3am, Sat 1pm to 5pm and 6pm to 3am. Tel:(0)4 423 8312. solutions-leisure.com

The Theater

If you like your dinners with a side of drama and pizzaz, we’ve got just the ticket. The Theater Dubai is experiential event that features cutting-edge visuals, delicious international cuisine, and captivating entertainment led by Creative Director Guy Manoukian. The show features an A-List team of global talent, including dancers, singers and aerialists, who perform shows on a dramatically lit stage that runs through the audience. Dinner tables are positioned for the best possible view, where a menu of fine dining dishes accompanies the entertainment.

Images: Provided