Dubai has mastered the art of having a good time every night of the week. Here, you can be mesmerized by flamenco dancers, let your hair down to samba at a fiesta, admire jaw-dropping aerial acts or sway to ’70s jazz, all while enjoying a sumptuous dinner at the city’s finest restaurants alongside views of the Burj Khalifa.
Whether you’re after an experience worthy of a birthday celebration or simply want to toast your holiday, here’s where to go for the most magnificent dinner shows in Dubai.
En Fuego
For an energetic, fiesta-like night out, head to Latin American-inspired restaurant and bar En Fuego at Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Atlantis, The Palm. You’ll find yourself ready to let your hair down as soon as you step into an eclectic Colombian-inspired interior that has a whimsical carousel bar, bold signs, colorful tiled floors and piñatas, llamas, flamingos and trumpets suspended from the ceiling.
While this heralded venue throws a great party every day of the week, on Fiesta Fridays, expect evenings filled with tango dancers, samba performers, flaming hoop artists, acrobats, mariachi bands and an after-party where you’ll find yourself on the dance floor. Another headliner is the sharing-style menu featuring Caribbean shrimp ceviche, Peruvian chaufa rice, tres leches and fruity cocktails.
DREAM Dinner Show
On a night out at DREAM Dinner Show at Five-Star Address Beach Resort, expect larger-than-life productions that combine vivid imagery, realistic 3D mapping, exhilarating performances by talented international artists and an immersive multisensory spectacle. The venue hosts 13 shows throughout the evening, each between three and five minutes.
The theatrical productions stand out for exquisitely detailed costumes, astounding acrobatics and aerial feats, and masterful techniques and choreography that create an escapist entertainment experience true to the venue’s name. The closing act is not your cue to leave — stay for the after-party.
Besides the feathers, chandeliers and rhinestones, you can count on being dazzled by Mediterranean dishes such as linguine with lobster, whole salt-baked sea bass, charcoal-grilled beef rib and an extensive cocktail menu.
La Niña
In the upscale neighborhood of DIFC, this modern Latin-Iberian restaurant impresses as soon as you step into a glamorous space dotted with Portuguese azulejo tiles, elaborate chandeliers, plush red booths and a lively bar dressed with wax dripping off pillar candles.
While the perfectly crispy cod fritters, lobster and octopus paella, and Josper-grilled rib eye with padrón peppers are reasons enough to visit, the monthly Tales of Flamenco evenings are a highlight. Every Thursday, diners can enjoy flamenco performances by talented artists alongside world-class fine dining. If you’re lucky, a flamenco dancer will tap heels on your table between courses while the rest of the ensemble plays live. The colorful vibe, the staff’s infectious enthusiasm and frequent “Olé!” cheers might make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a flamenco bar in the backstreets of Seville.
The Showhouse
With an entrance through a stage door in the unassuming parking lot of the InterContinental Dubai Marina, this glamorous Parisian-style cabaret club piques your interest with its lavish interiors, scarlet velvet chairs and sparkling light fixtures even before the show begins. The two-hour Down The Rabbit Hole production sees singers, dancers, acrobats, aerial artists and contortionists in elaborate costumes perform pop hits by artists like Prince and Kylie Minogue, as well as beloved stage songs, throughout a spectacular evening.
The massive stage layout ensures there are no bad seats, and the immersive visual and sound features create an electric atmosphere that will keep your feet tapping (and perhaps aching to dance) as you dine. The three-course set menu features French-Mediterranean fare like foie gras ballotine, duck leg confit, wild sea bass and a show-stopping wine list.
Aretha
One of a handful of world-class venues at the St. Regis Gardens of Five-Star The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm, live music restaurant Aretha is a must-visit for R&B lovers. Inspired by the legendary Aretha Franklin, every detail — from the rose-gold bar and sparkling chandeliers to the grand central stage and roster of talented artists — nods to the golden age of soul music.
Besides captivating musical performances, expect to feast on dishes such as wagyu beef rossini, grilled rock lobster and poached egg caviar with crispy potato and Parmesan emulsion. Cocktail aficionados will be pleased with choices named after other iconic musicians such as Al Green, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder.
Birds Dubai
On the 63rd floor of Four-Star Address Downtown with views of the Burj Khalifa, Birds Dubai presents sophisticated live entertainment and a contemporary Eurasian take on Japanese cuisine in an elegant fine-dining setting. During the restaurant’s inaugural Sky Lake show, expect to see ballet and contemporary dancers, contortionists, acrobats, musicians, circus and other artists perform around the venue between courses.
Curated by chef Alexander Raylyan and with chef Dmitry Lim at the helm, dishes such as bluefin tuna otoro, baked hamachi and baby quail are masterfully executed and creatively plated. Cocktail lovers will appreciate a unique experience of 36 inventive pours. True to the reputation of its Moscow and Bodrum outposts, Birds Dubai turns into a nightclub after the show, with diners ending the evening on the dance floor while grooving to the DJ’s beats.
