Abu Dhabi Bar Guide
30+ bars across Abu Dhabi's drinking neighbourhoods, curated by editors who know the city.
Abu Dhabi's bar scene out-glamoured Dubai's around 2018 and never gave the title back. The licensed bars are inside hotels by law. The result is a city of rooftop hotel bars, beach-club lounges, and high-end cocktail rooms run by Tokyo-trained bartenders. The drinks lean theatrical, the views run vertical.
Five neighbourhoods cluster the action. The Corniche along the coast holds the skybar spine. Saadiyat Island runs the beach-and-resort layer. Yas Island has the entertainment-zone bars. Al Maryah Island is the polished business-district quarter. Khalifa City is the suburban hotel district.
Cocktails run AED 80 to AED 130 ($22 to $35). Service charge of 10 percent included. Tip beyond is rare. Most bars run to 2am, weekend bars to 3am. Friday brunch (with bottomless cocktails) is the institution. Reserve Ray's Bar — 62 floors up, sunset is the moment.
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Cocktail Bars in Abu Dhabi
World-class cocktail rooms
Rooftop Bars in Abu Dhabi
Skyline drinks
Date Night in Abu Dhabi
Romantic spots
After Work in Abu Dhabi
Apéro-hour bars
Live Music in Abu Dhabi
Bands and DJs
Craft Beer in Abu Dhabi
Microbreweries and taprooms
Hidden Gems in Abu Dhabi
Unmarked doors
Sports Bars in Abu Dhabi
Watch parties
Top Picks This Week
Ray's Bar
62nd-floor skybar inside the Etihad Towers. Floor-to-ceiling windows, polished marble interior, and the most photographed Abu Dhabi sunset view. Reserve a window seat.
Stratos
Revolving rooftop bar inside Le Royal Meridien. The room turns once every 90 minutes. Cocktails are competent. The slowly-changing view is the draw.
Hakkasan
Cocktail bar attached to the Hakkasan restaurant inside the Emirates Palace. Asian-influenced cocktail menu, dramatic interior, and a dressed-up evening crowd.
Cyan Bar
Beach-club bar inside the Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island. Sunset views, white-cushioned daybeds, and a long Mediterranean cocktail menu. Best in winter.
Yacht Club
Marina-side cocktail terrace inside the Rosewood. Yacht-side seating, polished after-work crowd, and a serious classics-driven menu.
Buddha-Bar Beach
Beach lounge with a Buddha-Bar branded cocktail menu and DJs from sunset onward. The Abu Dhabi weekend-evening institution. Reserve a daybed.
Neighbourhood Guide
Corniche
The coastal road wrapping the centre. Skybars on the 60th floor, hotel cocktail rooms, and the most vertical drinking in the UAE. Best at sunset.
Saadiyat Island
The beach-resort island. Beach-club lounges, sunset cocktail terraces, and the most photographed Abu Dhabi shoreline. Best in winter.
Yas Island
The entertainment zone. Hotel bars, theme-park-adjacent venues, and big-format restaurants. The dressed-up weekend crowd.
Al Maryah Island
The polished business-district island. Marina-side terraces, hotel cocktail bars, and the corporate after-work scene.
Khalifa City
The suburban hotel district. Mid-range cocktail bars, hotel pubs, and the most local-feel evening crowd.
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