What's On Nightlife Awards 2024: Here are the nominees
And voting in five public vote categories is now open…
Dubai, let’s get loud: The What’s On Nightlife Awards 2024 is back bigger, and better than ever before. Taking place this October, we’ll be bringing the nightlife industry’s shining lights to an epic beach bash to crown this year’s winners.
We’ve spent the last year rating, reviewing, sipping drinks and hitting dancefloors, to bring you the very best of the city’s nightlife scene. This year, we’ll be crowning winners across 27 categories that cover everything from cool cocktails bars and sensational sundowner spots to epic festivals and party hard bars, beach clubs and nightclubs. The awards recognise all the top places that make the UAE’s nightlife scene one of the best in the world.
You can find all the details on the event of the year right here: whatson.ae/nightlife-awards
What’s new
This year, the What’s On Nightlife Awards covers a total of 27 categories featuring all the best places to drink, party, dine, and dance.
New for 2024, we’ll be introducing Best Pool Club, to cater to the array of new daytime party spots in the city. After a year of epic events, we’ve also introduced new categories separately for Best Festival and Best Concert or Gig. This year we’ll also be introducing Best Aperitivo, a salut to the restaurants and bars serving up sunset sips with the best vibes.
And in the Grand Prix collection, rather than just a single Nightlife Venue of the Year, we’ll be recognising the ultimate bar and ultimate club separately, with Bar of the Year and Nightclub of the Year individually.
Public vote
While most of the categories are decided by the editorial team, we couldn’t have all the fun. That’s why five categories are voted for by you, our passionate, knowledgeable, party-loving readers.
This year, we’re letting you crown the winners of: Best Ladies’ Night, Best Ladies’ Day, Best DJ, Best Band, and Best Promoter Night.
As Dubai’s nightlife scene continues to evolve, there’s never been a better time to champion the music masters that keep dancefloors full and tables sold out. Voting is now open, and you’ve got until September 27 to cast your votes. You can VOTE NOW HERE.
The full list of nominees
VOTED FOR BY YOU
BEST LADIES’ DAY
The 305
BCH:CLB
Be Beach
Bla Bla
Covebeach
Drift Beach
Mimi’s Pool Club, FIVE Jumeirah Village
Nikki Beach Dubai
Praia, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Surf Club
White Beach, Atlantis, The Palm
Zero Gravity
BEST LADIES’ NIGHT
Bar Du Port
Canary Club
Couqley French Brasserie, Pullman Downtown
Iris
Lock, Stock & Barrel JBR
The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill, JBR
Miss Lily’s
Oche
The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Seven Sisters
SOON
Ting Irie
BEST BAND
13 Daze
4TheMusic
Abri and the Everlasting
Big Mouth Band
Billu and the Brownies
The Boxtones
Gorgeous George
Karman Line
Problem Child
The Rebel Bass
Redlight
The Tasty Biscuits
BEST DJ
1Takennandos
DJ Crown Prince
DJ John Bowtie
DJ Kaboo
DJ Sarah Hardan
Drew Moreland
Jack Sleiman
Karno
Mister Levier
Parv Bar
Shef Codes
Tala Samman
BEST PROMOTER NIGHT
Audio Culture at Soho Garden, Meydan
Bubbles at Blu Dubai
Bodega by House of Yanos at One Life
FRSH at Surf Club
Garage Nation at P7 Arena
IYKYK at Chanca by Coya
Off The Record at Tribal Dubai
Plus 44 at Blu Dubai
Rendezvous at Cove Beach
Secta Collective at Q Underground
Sorry I’m Late at various locations
Vinyl Souk at 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central
VOTE NOW FOR THE PUBLIC VOTE CATEGORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
BEST PARTY BRUNCH
Bubbalicious, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Candypants Brunch, Refined at Akira Back, W Dubai – The Palm
Clap
The Clay Nikkei Brunch, Clay
Eva Beach Restaurant
Iris
Lock Stock and Live at Lock, Stock & Barrel JBR
Lucia’s
Naughty Noodles at Maiden Shanghai, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Saffron 2.0 at Atlantis, The Palm
Sundown Brunch at Seven Sisters
Wanderlust at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai
BEST EVENING BRUNCH
Aura Skypool
BA Boldly Asian, Fairmont The Palm
Barfly by Buddha Bar, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
Big Fat Greek Brunch by Secret Parties, Gallery 7/40
Secret Escape Brunch, Caña Beach
Hutong
PizzaExpress Live JLT
Josette
Mi Amie
Motorino, JA Ocean View
The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
STK Dubai JBR
BEST BEACH CLUB
BCH: CLB
Be Beach
Kyma
Nammos
Nikki Beach Dubai
Summersalt, Jumeirah Al Naseem
SAN Beach
Soul Beach
Tagomago
Twiggy
Verde Beach
Zero Gravity
BEST BEACH BAR
Barasti Beach
Bungalo34
Byron Bathers Club
Caña Beach
February 30
Jetty Lounge, One&Only Royal Mirage
Koko Bay
Laguna Lounge, Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort
Ria Restaurant & Beach Bar
Shimmers, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam
Surf Club
Ula
BEST POOL DAY
Alizee, Banyan Tree Dubai
Aura Skypool
Blu Oasis
Cloud 22, Atlantis The Royal
Drift Beach Dubai
Mare by Bussola, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi
Playa Pacha, FIVE LUXE
Safina, One&Only The Palm
SAL, Burj Al Arab
Tapasake, The Link, One Za’abeel
Terra Solis
Zeta Seventy Seven, Address Beach Resort
BEST PUB
Benny Mack’s
The Black Sheep
The Crafty Fox, Jumeirah Golf Estates
Ernst Biergarten, 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central
Fibber Magee’s
Goose Island Tap House, FIVE JVC
The Irish Village, Garhoud
JB’s Gastropub, Amwaj Rotana
McCaffery’s, JVC
McGettigan’s, JLT
Phileas Fogg’s
Reform Social & Grill
Toad in the Hole, Topgolf
BEST SPORTS BAR
Bedrock
Bridgewater Tavern, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai
Buffalo Wings & Rings, JLT
The Coterie
Claw BBQ, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
garden on 8, Media One Hotel
Joe’s Backyard, Jumeirah Islands Clubhouse
Offside, JA Ocean View
Spike Bar, Emirates Golf Club
The Taphouse, Dubai Hills
TJ’s, Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Topgolf Dubai
BEST ROOFTOP BAR
Above Eleven, Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah
Attiko, W Dubai – Mina Seyahi
Barfly by Buddha Bar, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
CÉ LA VI
High Society, The Lana, Dorchester Collection
Luna, Four Seasons DIFC
Mercury Lounge, Four Seasons Resort Jumeirah Beach
Monkey Bar, 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central
The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar, Grosvenor House
SoBe, W Dubai – The Palm
Tiki’s, Canary Club
BEST SUNDOWNER SPOT
Above Eleven, Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah
Bungalo34
The Beach House, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
Caña Beach
Drift Beach Dubai
February 30
Helipad by Frozen Cherry
Jetty Lounge, One&Only Royal Mirage
NOEPE, Park Hyatt Dubai
Onda by Pierchic, Jumeirah Al Qasr
QD’s, Dubai Creek Resort
Shimmers, Jumeirah Mina A’ Salam
BEST DATE NIGHT SPOT
Avli by tashas
Chez Wam
Couqley French Brasserie, Pullman Downtown
The Guild
Il Borro Tuscan Bistro Dubai
Kinoya
La Petite Maison Dubai
The Maine Land Brasserie
Mythos, C2
Rare
Ristorante Loren
Soiree
BEST DINNER AND A SHOW
Aretha
Billionaire
Birds
Dream Dubai
Flashback Speakeasy Bar & Lounge, Paramount Hotel Dubai
Josette
The Maine Land Brasserie
Play
Q’s Bar and Lounge, Palazzo Versace Dubai
The Showhouse
The Theater
BEST PARTY RESTAURANT
Agatha
Amelia
Bagatelle
CÉ LA VI
Cou Cou
Ling Ling, Atlantis The Royal
Lucia’s
Miss Lily’s
Opa
Raspoutine
Verde
Zuma
BEST QUIZ NIGHT
The Cheeky Camel
The Coterie
The Eloquent Elephant, Taj Dubai
Garden on 8, Media One Hotel
The Irish Village, Studio City
McGettigan’s JLT
Mr Toad’s Pub and Kitchen, Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park
Phileas Fogg’s
Reform Social & Grill
Spike Bar, Emirates Golf Club
TJ’s, Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers
The Underground, Habtoor Grand, Autograph Collection
BEST SPEAKEASY BAR
Aether, W Dubai – The Palm
Bund at Shanghai Me
Electric Pawn Shop
Hush Hush at The Nice Guy
Kiara
Ly-La at Alaya
Moonshine
NYX at Gaia
Onkagu by Clap
Seven Tales at City Social
So Much Trouble at Papas
Voyage by Amelia
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
Agora
Alma Bar
Amelia
Blind Tiger, Jumeirah Al Naseem
Farrago, W Dubai – Mina Seyahi
Galaxy Bar
Gilt, Burj Al Arab
Honeycomb Hi-Fi
Mimi Kakushi
Paradiso, FIVE LUXE
Salmon Guru
Soul Kitchen
BEST ENTERTAINMENT VENUE
The 44
Bedrock
Boom Battle Bar
Brass Monkey, C2
Claw BBQ, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
Goose Island, FIVE LUXE
Lucky Voice
Oche
Topgolf
Triple 7 Dubai
[u]bk, Mövenpick Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Wavehouse, Atlantis, The Palm
BEST CONCERT OR GIG
Blondish at Surf Club
Central Cee at Sky2.0
Chris Brown at Coca-Cola Arena
Ed Sheeran at The Sevens Stadium
Dizzee Rascal at Emirates Golf Club
PLAYA PACHA ICONS x KEINEMUSIK DUO, led by DJ Duo, Adam Port and Rampa
Martin Garrix at Atlantis, The Palm
Project 174 at P7 Arena
Khalid at Coca-Cola Arena
50 Cent at Sky2.0
Tomorrowland presents Diplo, Terra Solis
Adriatique Present X by Soho Garden Festival, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
BEST FESTIVAL
Black Coffee at White Festival, Dubai Harbour
Bohemia, Beach by FIVE, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Defected, Soul Beach
Elrow, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
Loaded, The Irish Village
Rewind Festival, Bla Bla
Soho Garden Festival, Expo City and Media City Amphitheatre
Untold, Expo City Dubai
Mixtape, Bla Bla
Snoopy Beats
Sole DXB
Waterbomb Dubai, Dubai Festival City
BEST APERITIVO
Acquasale by Cucina, Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah
Bar Du Port
Bussola, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi
Eugène Eugène
L’Amo Bistro Del Mare
Leña
La Petite Maison Dubai
Piatti by the Beach, Raffles The Palm
Roberto’s
Salmon Guru
Signor Sassi
Twiggy
GRAND PRIX
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Be Beach
Brass Monkey, C2
Blu Oasis
Citadelle
Epik
Kiara
Ling Ling Ultra Lounge, Atlantis The Royal
Paradiso, FIVE LUXE
Soul Kitchen
Sphere, The Link, One Za’abeel
BAR OF THE YEAR
Above Eleven, Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah
CÉ LA VI
Electric Pawn Shop
Galaxy Bar
Honeycomb Hi-Fi
Iris
Miss Lily’s
Monkey Bar, 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central
Surf Club
Zuma
NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR
1OAK
The Avenue
Bling, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Blu
Icy
The Mansion, FIVE Jumeirah Village
The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah
Sky2.0
Soho Garden DXB, Meydan
Vii