Get ready to celebrate the very best of the region’s nightlife…

Once again, we’re gearing up for the What’s On Nightlife Awards and we can’t wait to reward the incredible nightlife industry of Dubai for all of their hard work and tenacity, especially during such trying times.

Yet despite the challenges, restrictions, and ongoing guideline changes, your favourite venues have continued to deliver. Whether you’re looking for the hottest sundowner spots, pub quizzes, cheese and wine nights or even dinner and a show – our epic city has it all. And over the last year, we’ve been rating, reviewing and getting the lowdown on the region’s best nightlife, to bring you the What’s On Nightlife Awards 2021.

The What’s On Nightlife Awards recognises the faces and places that make Dubai such a wonderful – and varied – playground for party people. They give a well-deserved pat on the back to those who’ve put their heart and soul into pushing the nightlife scene forward; those responsible for creating amazing experiences and lifelong memories.

Taking place on Tuesday, October 26 at the beautiful Cove Beach Dubai, we’ll be revealing the top movers and shakers from across the industry.

This year, to reflect this ‘new normal’ we’re living in, we’ve added some new categories – including ‘Best Dinner and a Show’, ‘Best Wine and Cheese Night’ and ‘Best Sundowner Spot’. There are a total of 18 categories covering all the best places to go,  party,  dine, and dance (soon, hopefully). The categories recognise all the top people and places that make the UAE’s nightlife scene one of the best in the world.

What’s On’s panel of experts and editors pick the majority of winners. This involves intensive research mostly conducted on dance floors. Boo-hoo for us, right? Four categories are open to a public vote, which will close in September. These are: Best Ladies’ Night, Best Ladies’ Day, Best Party Brunch and Best Evening Brunch.

You can find all the details on the event of the year right here: whatson.ae/nightlife-awards

Here are the nominees for the What’s On Nightlife Awards 2021…

VOTED FOR BY YOU

BEST LADIES’ NIGHT

Antika Dubai
Atelier M
Brass Monkey
Crazy Rich Ladies Night at Maiden Shanghai
Don’t Call Me Baby at Baby Q
Dulce Maria at Toro Toro
Fuego Ladies Night at Meshico
Go Geisha at Asia Asia
Go Girl at Siddharta Lounge
Havana Ladies Night at Palm Bay
Iris Dubai
Just Fine Cuts at STK Dubai JBR
La Coco
La Mezcaleria
Ladies Love Karma at Karma Kafe
Lioness’ Ladies Night at Tipsy Lion
Observatory Bar and Grill
Noche Latina at La Carnita
Nola Eatery & Social House
Pum Pum Party at Miss Lily’s
Red Stiletto at Distillery
RITMO Sundays at Puerto 99
Rosé All Night at Cove Beach
Salute Bella at Trattoria by Cinque
Sho Cho
Sparkle Ladies Night at Twenty Three
The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill
The Penthouse
Vibes and Views at Seven Sisters with LUV Events
Zero Gravity
Vote for your favourite ladies’ night here

BEST LADIES’ DAY

Andreea’s
Azure Beach
Bae Day at Missippi’s
Coco Lounge
Daysies at White Beach
La Piscina
Ladies Who Drift at Drift Beach Dubai
Miami Beats at Bla Bla
Nikki Beach
Not Another Ladies Day at Wet Deck
Praia at Five Palm Jumeirah
Rewind Ladies Day at Five Jumeirah Village
Riva Beach Club
Rosé All Day at Cove Beach
Squeeze at Barasti
Zero Gravity
Vote for your favourite ladies’ day here

BEST PARTY BRUNCH

Absolutely Barrelled at Lock Stock & Barrel JBR
AER
Blazin’ Brunch at Miss Lily’s
Brunch on 54 at Cé La Vi
Bubbalicious
Candypants Refined Brunch at Akira Back
Coya Dubai
Hidden Brunch at Tesoro and Treehouse
Hotel Cartagena
Iris Dubai
La Carnita
La Mezcaleria
Luau Brunch at Trader Vic’s Madinat
Missippi’s
Naughty Noodles at Maiden Shanghai
Nomad Brunch at Soul Street
Palm Sugar at Wet Deck
Rare at STK Dubai JBR
Saffron 2.0 at Atlantis, The Palm
Secret Garden Brunch at Flair 5
Secret Jungle Brunch at Mama Zonia
Seventh Heaven at Buddha Bar
Spice Route at Asia Asia
Sundown Brunch at Seven Sisters by LUV Events
The Bull of Wall Street at Bull and Bear
Wanderlust at JW Marriott Marquis
Wok & Roll at Mr Miyagi’s Studio One
Yalumba
Zero Gravity
Vote for your favourite party brunch here

BEST EVENING BRUNCH

Alpine Brunch at Publique
Botanically Me at The London Project
Brunch Nation at The Croft
Fiesta at Palm Bay
Graze Gastro Grill & Bar at La Ville Hotel & Suites City Walk
Late Night Brunch at Kyo
Lazy Fridays With Betty at The Pangolin
Lost Night Brunch at Hi Five
Motorino Pizzeria Dubai
Nara Pan Asian
Original Wings & Rings
Paraíso at Cubano Lito
Blame it on Baby at Baby Q
Prusiana Brunch at Enigma Palazzo Versace
Rare at STK Dubai JBR
Saturday Late Late Brunch at 1Oak
Secret Dinner Party at 3BK
Skyline Thursdays at The Penthouse
Sui Mui, Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi
The Hideout
The Stage Brunch at Jazz@PizzaExpress
The Void Studio One
Wednesday Night Brunch at White Dubai
Vote for your favourite evening brunch here

VOTED FOR BY TEAM WHAT’S ON

BEST LIVE MUSIC NIGHT

[u]bk
Bagatelle Unplugged
Barasti
Flashback Speakeasy Bar
Gin & Jazz, Masti
Hard Rock Cafe
Jazz@PizzaExpress
Limited Edition, Q’s Bar
Live & Loud at Lock Stock & Barrel Barsha Heights
McGettigan’s JLT
Soho Garden
Soul Sessions, Cubano Lito
The Irish Village Garhoud
The Tent, Bla Bla
Unplugged, Cove Beach

BEST BEACH CLUB

Andreea’s
Azure Beach
Beach by Five
Bla Bla
Cove Beach
Drift Beach Dubai
La Piscina
Nammos
Nikki Beach Dubai
Riva Beach Club
Train Beach Club
Twiggy
Wet Deck
White Beach
Zero Gravity

BEST BEACH BAR

Aprons & Hammers Beach House
Barasti
Beach Bar and Grill
Bliss Lounge
Breeze Beach Grill
Jetty Lounge
Jones The Grocer West Beach
Koko Bay
Lucky Fish
Myrra
Palm Bay
Shimmers
Sho Cho
Wavebreaker

BEST AFTER-BRUNCH VENUE

Baby Q
Barasti
Hideout
Lock Stock & Barrel JBR
Maiden Shanghai
McGettigan’s JLT
Palm Bay
Paros
SoBe
The Penthouse
The Tent, Bla Bla
Tipsy Lion
Treehouse
Twenty Three
Vault

BEST PUB/SPORTS BAR

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Barasti
Belgian Cafe
Bridgewater Tavern
Dhow and Anchor
Dubliner’s
Fibber McGee’s
Garden on 8
Joe’s Backyard
La Vita Bar
McGettigan’s JLT
Nezesaussi Grill Dubai Marina
OuiBar + Terrace, Radisson Red
Perry & Blackwelder’s
Phileas Fogg’s
QD’s
Qube
Reform Social and Grill
Soho Beer Garden
Spike
The Duck Hook
The Eloquent Elephant
The Irish Village Garhoud
The Nine Gastropub
The Rose and Crown
The Underground
Tipsy Lion
TJ’s
TopGolf
Wavehouse Dubai
West Beach Bistro & Sports Lounge, Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach

BEST ROOFTOP BAR

Akira Back
Amazonico
Atelier M
Cé La Vi
Cielo Sky Lounge
Clap
Cloud
Estrellas
Eve Penthouse
folly by Nick and Scott
Infinity Bar, Tasca
La Mezcaleria
Level 43
Look Up
Luna Sky Bar
Mood
Pure Sky Lounge
Siddharta Lounge
SoBe
St Trop
Studio Lounge
The Bungalow
The Penthouse
Tomo
Treehouse
View by Dusit
Zeta 77

BEST SUNDOWNER SPOT

101
Aprons & Hammers West Beach
Asil
Beach Bar and Grill
Bla Bla
Bussola
Cove Beach Dubai
Drift Beach Dubai
Fish Beach Taverna
folly by Nick and Scott
Iris Dubai
Jetty Lounge
Koko Bay
Lucky Fish
Paros
S Bar
Sho Cho
Siddharta Lounge
SoBe
Tasca
The Beach House
Observatory Bar and Grill
The Penthouse
Twenty Three
Zeta 77

BEST DINNER AND A SHOW

3BK
Antika
Billionaire Dubai
Cue Dubai
La Casa Del Tango
Play
Q’s Bar
Taikun
The Theater
Weslodge Saloon

BEST QUIZ NIGHT

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Garden on 8
McGettigan’s
Palm Bay
Publique
Reform Social Bar & Grill
Soho Beer Garden
Spike
The Croft
The Underground
The Void

BEST HAPPY HOUR

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Asil
Baby Q
Bella
Boca
Claw BBQ
Eve Penthouse
Havana Social Club
Joe’s Backyard
Knox
Kyo
La Tablita
Lah Lah
Lola Taberna Espanola
Mama Zonia
Mami Umami
Mr Miyagi’s Studio One
Nara Pan Asian
Noepe
Nola Eatery & Social House
Palm Bay
Paros
Rumba
Seven Sisters
Soho Beer Garden
Trattoria

BEST WINE AND CHEESE NIGHT

Argentina Grill
Bull and Bear
Cafe W
Certo Dubai
Couqley French Bistro & Bar
Epicure
Fogo de Chão
folly by Nick and Scott
Grapeskin
Iris Dubai
Jones the Grocer
Masterchef, The TV Experience
McGettigan’s Souk Madinat
Publique
The City Grill
The Scene

BEST DATE NIGHT SPOT

101
Akira Back
Alici
Billionaire
Bleu Blanc
Buddha Bar
Bussola
Cé La Vi
Drift Beach Dubai
Fish Beach Taverna
folly by Nick and Scott
Gaia
Galaxy Bar
Il Borro
Indochine
Iris Dubai
Maine Land Brasserie
Mercury Lounge
Noepe
Observatory Bar and Grill
Prime 68
Siddharta Lounge
Taiko
Tasca
The London Project
Tomo

BEST NEWCOMER

Aprons & Hammers Beach House
Avenue
Bla Bla
Black Club
Blu Club Dubai
Clap Dubai
Cue Dubai
Dialogue
Glo
Goose Island Tap House
Koko Bay
La Coco
Mimi Kakushi
Missippi’s
Palm Bay
Phileas Fogg’s
Rumba
S Bar
Studio Lounge
The Theater
The Void
Tipsy Lion
TopGolf
Twiggy
Zeta 77

NIGHTLIFE VENUE OF THE YEAR

Amazonico
Asia Asia
Billionaire Dubai
Cé La Vi
Coya Dubai
folly by Nick & Scott
Indochine
Iris Dubai
Nola Eatery & Social House
Seven Sisters
SoBe
Taikun
Tasca
The Penthouse
White Dubai

For more information on the What’s On Nightlife awards, visit whatson.ae/events/nightlife-awards. For sponsorship or table enquiries, please email Varsha Bhatia or Violeta Popescu