Can You Drink In Dubai? (Local Advice)

When you’re facing a hot day in Dubai, it’s common to want to go out and get a refreshing drink.

If you are considering drinking alcohol in Dubai, it’s essential to know what the Dubai regulations are surrounding this and where you can buy alcohol in Dubai.

We love grabbing a drink or two, so it’s important to know where to go and what’s legitimate.

We are more than happy to pinpoint what the laws are surrounding drinking alcohol in Dubai to help shed light on the subject.

Drinking Laws In Dubai

Most people coming to Dubai are going to have one eye on the rules and regulations of Dubai.

It’s important to be aware of this information to make sure you are not breaking the rules and getting in trouble with the local authorities. This can create more of an issue than you want to face as someone who is visiting or moving to Dubai.

For the most part, it is okay to drink alcohol in Dubai.

It’s important to note that anyone drinking alcohol in Dubai has to do so in a licensed location (i.e. restaurant) or do it privately.

You can also drink in most hotels.

It’s also essential to know what the legal age is for drinking in Dubai. You are going to have to be over the age of 21 for drinking to be legal.

It is possible for a police officer to ask for your ID in a public place if you are drinking. This includes if you are drinking in a licensed place such as a restaurant. There are consequences for anyone under the age of 21 drinking in Dubai.

When the temperature rises in Dubai, it’s normal to want to drink while you are outside. It is not allowed for you to do this. You cannot drink out in the open while walking the streets. This is illegal. You have to do it within the licensed location that is serving alcohol (i.e. bar, restaurant) or privately. There is no other option.

You can end up getting punished for getting caught with a drink even if you are not unruly.

Where Can You Drink In Dubai?

While you are not going to get a drink at a water park in Dubai, this does not mean there aren’t other public places where alcohol isn’t sold.

For example, a lot of restaurants will offer alcohol and are going to have a bar area that is separate from the rest of the seating area. This is going to be advertised and you should be able to go there without a problem.

There are also specialized bars around Dubai where you can go for a drink.

It’s simply important to look at who sells alcohol in Dubai and then go there. In this day and age, there are a lot of options as the law was passed in 2020 to allow for alcohol consumption throughout Dubai.

This was done to help expats and travelers who are coming to the region.

Once again, you have to be over the age of 21 to drink in Dubai. This is essential and you do want to carry your ID with you at all times.

It’s normal for a person to assume this is an Islamic region, so you are not going to be able to get alcohol as freely as you would in other places. Yes, it is not as easy as other places, but there are various locations that serve alcohol.

It’s simply best to do a Google search and then pinpoint which location is closest to you. There are a lot of options compared to the past.

We have also noticed several Dubai malls offering alcohol options for buyers. It’s best to walk around the mall and find these locations to make sure you are getting a fair deal on the beverages. The same goes for hotels in Dubai.

You are going to often see specific stores such as African + Eastern that are going to sell alcohol. You can find these locations inside the malls.

Based on our experience, the best option is always going to be to go to a bar or a restaurant. This is where you are going to have more options to choose from and you will get the type of drink that is best suited to your needs.

Final Thoughts

These are the laws for drinking in Dubai.

It’s always best to look for different options when buying alcohol in Dubai. We know it’s something you are going to want to do and it’s best to respect the laws of the land before diving into this.

There are a lot of options for those who do want to experience drinking in Dubai.

Take the time to go through other Dubai articles including the wealth in Dubai, how to send money from Dubai to America, and the expense of living in Dubai.