Dubai's nightlife scene has its shortlist for 2026, and this time the public gets a real say in who wins.
What's On has released the shortlist for its Nightlife Awards 2026, covering 27 awards in total. Hundreds of venues across the city made the cut, the result of the What's On editorial team spending the past 12 months visiting bars, lounges and clubs across Dubai to put the list together.
Most of the categories, 24 in all, are Editor's Choice awards, decided by the What's On team based on that year of research. But four categories are being left up to Dubai residents themselves: Best Happy Hour, Best Ladies' Day, Best Ladies' Night, and Best Live Music Venue.
Public voting for those four categories is open now. If you've got a favourite happy hour deal, a ladies' night you never miss, or a spot with the best live music in town, this is the moment to make it count.
Winners across all 27 categories, both the editor's picks and the public vote results, will be revealed at the What's On Nightlife Awards 2026 ceremony.
Details on voting and the full shortlist are available at whatson.ae.
Reported by What's On.