bars · Abu Dhabi
The best nights in Abu Dhabi start at these addresses — award-winning cocktail rooms, beloved locals' haunts and views worth ordering a second round for. All rated 4.5 stars or higher.
Conrad Etihad Towers, Corniche West · $$
The UAE capital's highest vantage point, on the 74th floor of Tower 2, pours afternoon tea and evening cocktails 300 metres above the Corniche. The view sweeps from Emirates Palace's gardens to the Presidential Palace.
Insider tip: The entry fee converts to a minimum spend; book the golden-hour slot and sit at the western windows.
Conrad Etihad Towers, Corniche West · $$
On level 62 of Etihad Towers, this dark, Japanese-inflected cocktail lounge made the World's 50 Best Bars conversation with drinks like its yuzu-shiso highballs. Floor-to-ceiling glass frames the Gulf 250 metres below.
Insider tip: Reserve a window-side table for two after 7pm; smart casual enforced, and the bar snacks lean Nikkei.
Emirates Palace, Corniche West · $$
The blue-lit bar attached to Hakkasan mixes lychee and jasmine-led signatures that match its Cantonese kitchen, inside the palace's east wing. It's the capital's most glamorous pre-dinner drink.
Insider tip: Come at 7pm before dinner service fills the lounge, and try the Hakka-tini with the dim sum bar bites.
Yas Marina, Yas Island · $$
An open-air lounge over Yas Marina with nightly DJs and live acts, directly facing the superyachts and the F1 circuit lights. During Grand Prix week it becomes one of the hottest tickets in the Gulf.
Insider tip: Book a marina-rail table online; during F1 season reserve weeks ahead or settle for standing room.
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island · $$
The Saint-Tropez-born brand's beach outpost layers sunset DJs, Pacific Rim plates and sake cocktails over Saadiyat's white sand. It's the capital's most polished beach-club evening.
Insider tip: Reserve a sunset-facing sofa for 5.30pm in winter; Thursday and Friday evenings have the strongest lineups.
Rosewood Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island · $$
The Rosewood's fifth-floor terrace bar overlooks the Al Maryah promenade and Gulf, with a long gin list and shisha on the open deck. It draws the financial district's after-work crowd through the cooler months.
Insider tip: Go on a weeknight for terrace seats with skyline views; happy hour runs early evening.
November–March
UAE Dirham (AED)
Arabic (English widely spoken)
How this list is made: we only feature places rated 4.5 stars or higher with 1,000+ reviews from real travelers. Ratings and review counts are approximate and move over time — always check current numbers before booking. Photos are sourced from Wikimedia Commons under free licenses (credits in each gallery).
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Good to know
Three days works well: one for the Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Corniche, one for Saadiyat's Louvre and beach, and one for Yas Island's parks. Add a night in the Liwa desert if you can.