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

The What’s On Nightlife Awards are back for 2022. This year will be extra special, as we return to full capacity to celebrate the incredible resilience, hard work and passion of the industry movers and shakers who have cemented Dubai as the go-to place to party post-pandemic.

Whether you’re looking for the hottest sundowner spots, pub quizzes, cheese and wine nights or even a 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 2022.

The What’s On Nightlife Awards recognise the 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 Wednesday, October 26 at epic party hotspot Zero Gravity, we’ll be revealing the top movers and shakers from across the industry.

This year we’ve brought back some original categories that celebrate the city’s super-venues, including ‘Nightclub of the Year’ and splitting our newcomer categories back out into ‘Newcomer of the Year: Bar’ and ‘Newcomer of the Year: Club.’ We’ve also added a new award for ‘Best Restaurant Bar,’ to commend the best restaurants that also pack a punch in the drinks department. There are a total of 21 categories covering all the best places to go,  party, dine, and dance. The categories recognise all the top 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, for which voting will open on Monday August 8 and close on Sunday September 18. 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 2022…

VOTED FOR BY YOU

BEST LADIES’ NIGHT 

Bar Du Port
Butterfly, Zero Gravity
Crazy Rich Ladies’ Night, Maiden Shanghai
La Misscaleria, La Mezcaleria at Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
Go Geisha, Asia Asia
Glasshouse at Soho Garden Meydan
Hera, Paros
The Hideout
Iris
Just Fine Cuts, STK Dubai JBR
La Coco
The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill
Mr Miyagi’s
The Penthouse
Pum Pum Party, Miss Lily’s
Sparkle, Twenty Three Rooftop
Treehouse
Vault
Vibes and Views by Luv Events, Seven Sisters
Yingsu

BEST LADIES’ DAY

Andreea’s
Barasti Beach
Daysies, White Beach
Ladies Who Drift, Drift Beach Dubai
Miami Beats, Bla Bla
Not Another Ladies’ Day, Wet Deck
Poolside Chic, Nikki Beach Dubai
Praia, Five Palm Jumeirah
Rosé All Day, Cove Beach Dubai
Zero Gravity

BEST PARTY BRUNCH

Brunch du Port, Bar Du Port
Brunch Refined, Akira Back Dubai
Bubbalicious, The Westin Mina Seyahi
Brunch on 54, CE LA VI
Coya
Fiesta Brunch, Salero Tapas & Bodega
Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen
Hidden, Cavo
Hola
Iris
La Mezcaleria at Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
Lock, Stock & Live, Lock Stock & Barrel JBR
Naughty Noodles Brunch, Maiden Shanghai
Nomad Brunch, Soul Street
Saffron 2.0, Atlantis The Palm
Secret Garden Brunch, Flair 5
Secret Wonderland Brunch, Treehouse
Secret Jungle Brunch, Mamazonia
Spice Route Brunch, Asia Asia
Sundown Brunch at Seven Sisters by LUV Events
Wanderlust, JW Marriott Marquis
Zero Gravity

BEST EVENING BRUNCH

Azucar Brunch, Sante Ria
Back to Brooklyn, Motorino
Boldly Night Brunch, BA Boldly Asian
Maskerade Evening Brunch, The Penthouse
Mezzanine Bar + Kitchen
Nisi Night Brunch, Paros
Rare, STK Dubai JBR
Secret Dinner Party, 3BK
Saturday Baby, Baby Q
Shades of Play, Play
The Stage Brunch, Jazz@PizzaExpress
Sumo Sass, KOYO

EDITOR’S CHOICE

BEST BEACH CLUB

Azure Beach
Beach by FIVE
Bla Bla
Cove Beach Dubai
Drift Beach Dubai
Fluid Beach Club
Nammos
Nikki Beach Dubai
Playa
SĀN Beach
Soul Beach
Twiggy by La Cantine
Wet Deck
White Beach
Zero Gravity

BEST BEACH BAR

Barasti Beach
Caña by Tamoka
February 30
Jetty Lounge
Koko Bay
Laguna Lounge
Lucky Fish
Shimmers
Surf Club
Ula

BEST AFTER-BRUNCH VENUE

Atelier M
Barasti Beach
Goose Island Tap House
Havana Social Club
Lock, Stock & Barrel, JBR
Maiden Shanghai
Paros
SoBe
Bla Bla
Treehouse

BEST PUB/SPORTS BAR

[u]bk
Bridgewater Tavern
Dhow & Anchor
Fibber Magee’s
Garden on 8
Goose Island Tap House
The Irish Village, Garhoud
Joe’s Backyard, Jumeirah Islands Clubhouse
Kickers
McGettigan’s JLT
Phileas Fogg’s
Reform Social & Grill
Spike
TJ’s
Topgolf
Wavehouse

BEST ROOFTOP BAR

Amazónico
CE LA VI
Clap
Eve Penthouse
Hola Rooftop
Iris
La Mezcaleria at Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
Luna Sky Bar
Mood
Paros
Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar
SoBe
The Penthouse
Treehouse
Zeta 77

BEST SUNDOWNER SPOT

The Beach House
Bussola, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi
Caña by Tamoka
Drift Beach Dubai
Fish Beach Taverna
Jetty Lounge
Koko Bay
Mercury Lounge
Noepe
Observatory Bar & Grill
The Penthouse
QD’s
The Rooftop at Folly
Shimmers
Surf Club

BEST DATE NIGHT SPOT

Amazonico
Bar Buci
Bussola, The Westin Mina Seyahi
CE LA VI
Clap
Flair 5
Galaxy Bar
Indochine
Lucia’s
The Maine Land Brasserie
Mercury Lounge
Mimi Kakushi
Noepe
Shimmers
Sushisamba

BEST DINNER AND A SHOW

Billionaire
Dream
Flashback Speakeasy
53 Dubai
Papillon
Play
Q’s Bar & Lounge
Taikun
The Theater
White Dubai

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE

Hard Rock Café
Jass Lounge
Jazz@PizzaExpress
Lock, Stock & Barrel, JBR
McGettigan’s JLT
Q’s Bar & Lounge
Soho Garden Meydan
Sola Jazz Lounge
The Irish Village, Garhoud
The Tent at Bla Bla

BEST RESTAURANT BAR

Amazónico
Bagatelle
Basko
Clap
Inochine
Inti
La Cantine du Faubourg
The Maine Land Brasserie
Mimi Kakushi
Zuma

BEST QUIZ NIGHT

Brew House
The Cheeky Camel
Garden on 8
McCafferty’s JVC
McGettigan’s JLT
Phileas Fogg’s
Reform Social & Grill
TJ’s
Spike Bar
The Underground

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Baby Q
Garden on 8
Goose Island Tap House
Joe’s Backyard, Jumeirah Islands
Lah Lah
Lock, Stock & Barrel JBR
McCafferty’s JVC
Nola
Offside
Phileas Fogg’s

BEST WINE AND CHEESE NIGHT

Bistro Des Arts
Certo Dubai
Couqley French Bistro & Bar
Folly
Grapeskin
Jones The Grocer, Emirates Golf Club
Jones The Grocer, Palm West Beach
Oeno
Publique
The Scene by Simon Rimmer

GRAND PRIX

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: BAR

Amelia Lounge
Bar Du Port
Electric Pawn Shop
Ernst
February 30
Gilt
Hudson Tavern
La Mezcaleria JBR
Lock, Stock & Barrel, Business Bay
Monkey Bar
Salmon Guru
Surf Club

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: CLUB

Bazaar Dubai
B018
Cirque Le Soir
Coda
Float
The Mansion
OPM Room
Privilege
Soho Garden Palm Jumeirah

BAR OF THE YEAR

CE LA VI
Galaxy Bar
Goose Island Tap House
Iris
Lock, Stock & Barrel JBR
Koko Bay
The Penthouse
Phileas Fogg’s
Seven Sisters
SoBe

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR

1OAK
Armani/ Prive
Billionaire
Blu Dubai
Sky2.0
Soho Garden Meydan
The Tent at Bla Bla
White Dubai