Riding high on the excitement of a day at Yas Island, you’ll find so much to stick around for when the sun goes down and Yas Island’s bars and clubs open up. Here are 10 of the most vibrant venues to see and be seen in, with suggestions on where to stay so the party never ends.
Belgian Café Yas Island
Specialising in Belgium’s best hops and ales, this late-night café channels 1920’s Art Deco sophistication. Enjoy Yas Island’s nightlife; wash down moules-frites, steak and gourmet burgers. With a schedule of culinary promotions, sports screenings and quiz nights, customers are continuously entertained. Come early for the Saturday Roast – slow-cooked beef sirloin or garlic and rosemary roasted lamb with Yorkshire pudding, crispy roast potatoes, creamy cauliflower cheese and a generous boat of gravy – and then stay for the happy hours. STOPOVER: Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi, Yas Island www.radissonhotels.com/emirates/yas_island
Black Tap
The craft hops and burgers attract fans, but the most photographed items at this New York loft-style diner are its ‘Crazy Shakes’. There are 10 signature Crazy Shakes to choose between. Chocoholics should try the ‘Brooklyn Blackout’ chocolate shake with chocolate frosted rim, chocolate chips, chocolate brownie chunks and whipped cream, while the ultimate experience is the limited-edition Cake Shake. Made with cake batter, vanilla frosting, rainbow sprinkles, a whole slice of funfetti cake, whipped cream and a cherry on top, it’s the pageant queen of shakes. This beauty sells out early but doors are open until 11pm on weekdays and midnight at weekends. http://blacktapme.com
Casa De Cuba
Yas Marina’s Havana-flavoured hot spot draws the click of Cuban heels. Discover Hemingway’s favourite tipples among the extensive cocktail menu, loaded with exotic flavours of Latin America, presented with panache. Generous happy hours raise spirits. Hip neon signage and floral walls look fabulous on Instagram feeds, and music to watch yachts by comes courtesy of DJs spinning old-school R&B, pop and dance. www.yasmarina.ae/casadecuba
Diablito
Yas Marina’s Diablito translates as Little Devil – in part a reference to the spicy menu, which hails from Mexico, Italy and Spain, running the gamut from Tex-Mex to tapas. Soothe the heat with a fine selection of Latin American and European mixed drinks while soaking up views from this two-storey restaurant overlooking the water. Arrive early to score a table on the rooftop for dreamy sunset views and enjoy the 6pm to 8pm happy hour. http://www.diablitofoodandmusic.ae/
Hickory’s Sports Bar
The serenity of Yas Links golf course imbues Hickory’s with the ability to soothe and calm its patrons, but the famous “19th hole” picks up the pace after dark. Arrive to endlessly restorative green vistas and enjoy the complexity of refined cocktails and conversation as evening unfolds, with superb service until midnight. This is a lounge designed for keen listeners and lovers of live action sports, which are shown on plasma screens that don’t overcrowd the thoughtful Spanish interiors. https://yaslinks.wpengine.com
Iris
Located in Yas Marina’s futuristic Building 1, directly under Cipriani, this unconventional lounge serves sunset views with artisan mixology and fashionable food (including fabulous ceviche). Get a front-row seat on the terrace and enjoy the beat of DJs artfully building the tempo. Past 10pm, Iris is one of the hottest dance spots in town, and the weekend begins early with Yas Island’s Wednesday’s ladies’ night promotion, treating women to three complimentary cocktails. https://www.irisabudhabi.com
Mr Miyagi’s
“I am all that and dim sum” declares the neon pink signage on the wall at Yas Marina’s Mr Miyagi’s Asian bar and restaurant, famous for its buoyant brunches. The menu is described as “pho-nomenal” with a comprehensive selection of Asian street food favourites, but it’s the entertainment that pulls in punters with lively days and nights of karaoke, singing and dancing beneath paper umbrellas and plastic blossom trees. https://www.yasmarina.ae/mrmiyagis
Stars ’N’ Bars
Live entertainment from 10pm until the small hours, major sporting events playing across 70 screens, quiz nights and generous drinks promotions are all part of Stars ‘n’ Bars winning formula. The American and Tex-Mex menu is loaded with burgers, wings, ribs, nachos, fajitas, steaks and salads – and the portions are huge! Come hungry; leave late. http://abudhabi.starsnbars.ae/
W Lounge
The newly opened W Lounge follows the narrative of this famous hotel’s musical agenda. Expect international DJs pumping out the latest must-listen tracks, geared up to complement coveted views from inside one of the world’s most exciting F1 racetracks. Elsewhere, poolside WET Deck and rooftop SUN Deck provide options for an enticing bar crawl all within the same design hotel, before climbing straight into bed in a WOW Suite. STOPOVER: Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/auhwh-w-abu-dhabi-yas-island/
Y Bar
New York is the theme at laidback Y Bar, with platters named after landmarks. The Empire State comprises shrimp popcorn, chicken wings and beef sliders, while Central Park, a vegetarian option, includes stuffed mushrooms, onion rings and vegetable spring rolls. Other bar bites include sausage sold by the metre, spaghetti and meatballs, and Boston mussel pots. Cocktails are colourful, football screenings are lively, and the happy hours are long – from 4pm to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday, and from 12pm to 9pm from Thursday to Saturday! STOPOVER: Yas Island Rotana https://www.rotanatimes.com/yasislandrotana