That\u2019s what foreigners on business in the emirate must ask themselves in realizing the teetotaler tendencies in this Arab country of Islamic tradition. Regular markets do not sell alcoholic beverages. You\u2019ll find only it at liquor stores, amenable to purchase only by residents from abroad with a permit.<\/p>\n
Islam does not allow alcohol consumption, and countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have banned it altogether. But since Dubai is the most worldly city in the Arab world, a major tourism and business hub, they have made a few exceptions so that us, foreigners, can sip a drink around those parts.<\/p>\n
Your options are limited to hotels, bars and specific restaurants, few of which are licensed to serve alcohol. Since the Millennium Plaza Hotel, where I was staying, didn\u2019t have a permit, I had to find some nearby options.<\/p>\n
(Story continues after photo gallery)<\/em><\/p>\n A few hotels in the area, like the Conrad and the Crowne Plaza, are licensed to serve alcohol, so if you\u2019re staying there you just got lucky. The Ibis, within the Dubai World Trade Centre, also features a bar. But it\u2019s not cheap. Whether you\u2019re in the trendiest restaurant or the grimiest pub (by Dubai standards), a beer or a glass of wine will hardly run you back less than AED 35 (about USD 9.5).<\/p>\n The thing that will bring the tab price down in simpler places, so to speak, is the food. At an American bar like the Rotana Hotel\u2019s undergorund Long\u2019s Bar, or the Irish- style pub McGettigan\u2019s, adjoining the exhibition pavilion, the average bill is way cheaper, because the appetizers and snacks are much more affordable \u2013 more so than in a S\u00e3o Paulo bar, for instance.<\/p>\n Long\u2019s Bar has a dive-like feel to it. It\u2019s a dimly lit place with loud music and numerous TV sets tuned to sports channels. Smoking is allowed, and popcorn or peanuts are served courtesy of the house. The appetizers, sandwiches and courses are international cuisine, including hamburger, nachos, club sandwich, and even pork. Patrons are strictly tourists and expatriates. A 500 ml beer goes for about AED 40, or about USD 10.<\/p>\n McGettigan\u2019s is near the Dubai World Trade Centre. The Irish d\u00e9cor features lots of green tones, black leather couches and booths. The crowd, the menu and the price point are all similar to the Long\u2019s Bar\u2019s. Here, I had a pint of Hoegaarden, a Belgian-brewed witbier. A glass of wine costs the same as draft beer, but the selection is limited and the amount is minimal. Smoking is allowed. McGettigan\u2019s has four other addresses in Dubai, two in Abu Dhabi, one in Fujairah, one in Ajman, one in Bahrain and a new one is set to open soon in Doha, Qatar.<\/p>\n The Novotel\u2019s Blue Bar and the Conrad\u2019s Cave wine bar are more expensive options near the convention center \u2013 the latter is great for wine enthusiasts. Of course there are other options of restaurants and bars in Dubai, near the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Marina, for instance, but those are farther from the financial district. Anyway, getting drunk in the emirate is next to impossible, unless you\u2019re willing to pay the price. Cheers!<\/p>\n Quick facts<\/strong><\/p>\n Long’s Bar<\/a><\/p>\n McGettigan’s<\/a><\/p>\n Blue Bar<\/a><\/p>\n Cave Bar<\/a><\/p>\n Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum<\/strong><\/p>\n
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