Best Craft Beer Bars in Dubai for Serious Beer Drinkers
Words by
Sara Al Mansouri
Best Craft Beer Bars in Dubai for Serious Beer Drinkers
By Sara Al Mansouri
I've spent the better part of the last three years chasing the best craft beer bars in Dubai, and I can tell you, the scene here has matured faster than anyone expected. What started as a handful of expat-run pub experiments in Jumeirah has grown into a legitimate movement, with local breweries Dubai-wide now producing beers that hold their own against anything I've had in Berlin or Portland. If you're a serious beer drinker visiting Dubai, skip the hotel bars with their overpriced Heinekens and head straight to the places where the taps actually matter.
1. The Irish Village, Al Ain Road (Al Ain District
The Irish Village sits right off the main Al Ain Road, technically in the outskirts near the border with Abu Dhabi, and it's been a cornerstone of the best craft beer bars in Dubai since long before the microbrewery Dubai scene existed. I was there last Thursday evening, sitting at one of the long wooden tables outside under the string lights, and the place was packed with regulars who've been coming here for over a decade. They don't brew on-site, but their tap list rotates with guest beers from local breweries Dubai has produced, and the bar manager, a guy named Declan who's been here since 2009, knows every brewer personally. Order the Dubai Draught, a house collaboration with The Brewery on Sheikh Zayed Road, if it's still on rotation. The best time to go is Thursday night when the live music starts around nine, and the crowd is a mix of old-school expats and younger locals who actually care about what's in their glass.
Local Insider Tip: "Park in the back lot near the service entrance, not the front. The front fills up by 8 PM on weekends, and you'll end up circling for twenty minutes. The back lot has a direct door into the bar that most tourists don't know about."
The Irish Village connects to Dubai's history in a way that's easy to miss. This place opened in 2003, back when the only beer culture in the emirate was imported lager and hotel happy hours. It was one of the first licensed bars outside a hotel, and the fact that it survived the regulatory shifts of the mid-2000s tells you everything about how much the owners fought to keep a real beer culture alive here.
2. The Brewery, Sheikh Zayed Road (near the Trade Centre Roundabout
The Brewery on Sheikh Zayed Road is the OG microbrewery Dubai built its reputation on. I walked in last Saturday afternoon and the fermentation tanks are visible behind glass along the back wall, and you can smell the hops from the bar. They've been brewing since 2014, making them one of the earliest proper local breweries Dubai has produced. Their flagship IPA, called Trade Centre Bitter, is a solid 6.2% with a piney bitterness that cuts through the heat when you're sitting outside. The best time to visit is Friday afternoon, right after the brunch crowd thins out, around 4 PM, when the head brewer sometimes does informal tastings. I had a conversation with him last week about their new sour program, and he mentioned they're experimenting with date fruit in a Belgian-style wit, which sounds insane but actually worked.
Local Insider Tip: "Ask for the 'brewer's cut' — it's an unfiltered version of their seasonal release that never makes it to the regular taps. Declan (different Declan, not the Irish Village guy) keeps a few kegs behind the bar and only pours it if you ask by name."
The outdoor seating gets brutally hot from May through September, so if you're visiting in summer, grab a stool inside near the tanks where the AC actually works. That's a mistake I see tourists make every week.
3. Bar 44, Level 44, Crowne Plaza (Trade Centre Area
Bar 44 sits on the 44th floor of the Crowne Plaza, and the view alone would be worth the trip, but the craft beer taps Dubai has to offer here are genuinely impressive. I was there on a Wednesday night last month, and the tap list had six rotating handles, all from local breweries Dubai-wide, plus a cask ale program that's the only one I've found in the Trade Centre area. Their house bitter is brewed by The Brewery down the road, and they keep it at perfect cellar temperature. The best time to go is Sunday evening, when the after-work crowd has gone and you can actually hear yourself think. Order the 44th Floor IPA, a collaboration between Bar 44 and a microbrewery Dubai brewers call "the one that got away" because it only appears once a quarter.
Local Insider Tip: "The elevator to the 44th floor is behind the main lobby bar. Most people wait for the express elevator that stops at every floor. There's a service elevator near the kitchen that goes straight up, and the bartender will point you if you mention you're here for the beer."
Bar 44 represents something specific about Dubai's craft beer evolution. It's inside a hotel, which used to mean terrible beer, but the management took a risk in 2018 and committed to local taps. That shift, from imported lager-only to actual craft beer taps Dubai-wide, happened faster here than almost anywhere else in the Gulf.
4. The Flying Crown, Al Quoz Industrial Area (near the Alserkal Avenue
The Flying Crown in Al Quoz is the kind of place you'd walk past if you didn't know it was there. Tucked into the industrial area near Alserkal Avenue's art district, it opened in 2019 and has become the unofficial taproom for the microbrewery Dubai scene's inner circle. I stopped by on a Tuesday evening last week, and the owner, a woman named Priya who used to work at The Brewery, was dry-hopping a new pale ale right behind the bar. Their Quoz Lager is a 4.8% session beer that's become my go-to when I want something I can drink three of without falling apart. The best time to visit is during one of the Alserkal Avenue art walks, usually the first Friday of the month, when the crowd spills between the galleries and the bar.
Local Insider Tip: "There's a back room past the restrooms that seats about fifteen people. Priya does a blind tasting every second Saturday. You have to follow their Instagram to get the invite, and it fills up within an hour of posting."
The Flying Crown connects to the Alserkal Avenue story, which is really about how Dubai's creative class found a home in the industrial zones. The beer here is part of that same energy, raw and unpolished in the best way.
5. Belgian Beer Cafe, Madinat Jumeirah (Jumeirah Road
The Belgian Beer Cafe at Madinat Jumeirah sits right on the waterway with a view of the Burj Al Arab, and yes, it's touristy, but the craft beer taps Dubai has curated here are no joke. I was there on a Monday afternoon, and they had eight Belgian drafts plus four local options from microbrewery Dubai operations. Their house tripel, brewed in collaboration with a Belgian master brewer who consults for the Madinat properties, is 9.1% and comes in a proper chalice. The best time to visit is Sunday brunch, which starts at noon and runs until four, and the beer pairings are included. Order the Madinat Dubbel, a dark Belgian-style ale with dates, which sounds gimmicky but the head brewer spent two years getting the recipe right.
Local Insider Tip: "The terrace seats facing the waterway are reserved for hotel guests, but if you sit at the bar inside, the bartender will pour you samples of the Belgian imports that aren't on the menu. Just ask for 'the reserve list."
The Belgian Beer Cafe represents the old guard of Dubai beer culture, the hotel-based model that predated the local breweries Dubai now celebrates. It's worth understanding that history even if your real interest is the newer scene.
6. The Tap House, Jumeirah Beach Road (near JBR
The Tap House on JBR has been a staple since 2016, and it's the place I recommend to visitors who want craft beer taps Dubai-style without leaving the beach district. I was there last Friday evening, and the outdoor deck was full of people watching the sunset over the Gulf. Their JBR Pilsner is a 5% Czech-style lager brewed by a microbrewery Dubai locals call "the quiet one" because they don't advertise much. The best time to visit is Thursday night, right after work, when the JBR walk is alive and the tap list is at its fullest. Order the Beach Road Bitter, an English-style ESB that's only available from October through March.
Local Insider Tip: "The kitchen closes at 11 PM, but the bar stays open until 1 AM. If you order the late-night menu, which isn't listed, you can get a burger that's better than anything on the regular menu. The chef does a special for the after-hours crowd."
The Tap House sits at the intersection of the old JBR party scene and the newer craft movement. It's where the two worlds meet, and the beer list reflects that tension in a productive way.
7. The Local, Downtown Dubai (near Burj Khalifa
The Local in Downtown Dubai opened in 2020, right when the pandemic hit, which tells you something about the owner's commitment to the craft beer scene. I was there last Sunday, and the tap list was entirely local, all from microbrewery Dubai operations, which is still rare in this part of town. Their Downtown Dubbel is a 7.4% Belgian-style dark ale that pairs surprisingly well with the shawarma from the kitchen. The best time to visit is Saturday afternoon, around 3 PM, when the Burj Khalifa fountain show starts and you can watch it from the terrace. Order the Local Lager, a 4.5% pilsner that's become my default recommendation for people new to local breweries Dubai.
Local Insider Tip: "The owner keeps a 'secret stash' of barrel-aged beers in a back cooler. If you're a regular, or if you mention you read about them in a guide by someone named Sara, he might pour you something special."
The Local represents the newest wave of the craft beer scene, the post-pandemic generation that's betting on local taps over imported brands.
8. The Cork Factory, DIFC (Gate Village
The Cork Factory in DIFC is the financial district's answer to the craft beer question, and it's been holding down the fort since 2017. I was there last Wednesday, and the tap list had a solid rotation of local options alongside European imports. Their DIFC IPA is a 6.8% West Coast-style that's brewed by a microbrewery Dubai insiders know as "the one near the airport." The best time to visit is Thursday evening, right after the trading floor crowd leaves, around 7 PM, when the space opens up. Order the Gate Village Gose, a 4.2% sour that's perfect for the DIFC crowd that wants something lighter.
Local Insider Tip: "There's a private room behind the main bar that seats twenty. If you book it for a group, the owner will do a custom beer pairing menu. Just ask for the 'financial district special."
The Cork Factory is where the DIFC's serious money meets serious beer, and the craft beer taps Dubai offers here reflect that precision.
When to Go / What to Know
The best time to explore the best craft beer bars in Dubai is between October and April, when the weather actually allows you to sit outside without dying. Thursday and Friday nights are peak, so if you want a quieter experience, aim for Sunday through Wednesday. Always carry cash as a backup, because some of the smaller spots in Al Quoz still prefer it. And remember, the local breweries Dubai has built are young, so the tap lists change fast. Follow the bars on Instagram, ask the bartenders what's new, and don't be afraid to try the weird date-infused sour. That's the whole point.
Enjoyed this guide? Support the work
