BAHRAIN TRAVEL GUIDE

Nightlife In Bahrain

Bahrain’s nightlife is quite well developed, which is surprising. This is primarily owing to the government’s tolerance and the large number of foreigners living in the country. Bahrain is often referred to as the “Hawaii of the Middle East.” Everyone will find amusement after sunset. Nationwide, there are discos, karaoke bars, and live music clubs.

Adliya is especially renowned for its nightlife. This is Manama’s Bohemian district. Luxury hotels provide several possibilities for evening entertainment. Alcohol is permitted across the nation, even in clubs. This attracts tourists from neighboring, more conservative Arab countries.

Bars and Clubs in Bahrain

Since practically all licensed establishments must be affiliated to four- and five-star hotels, there is no distinct nightlife district in Manama; rather, there is a grid-like distribution of venues across the city. Once a bar has been operating for some time, it gains a reputation among the locals, and many of them become well-known establishments throughout the Gulf States. One such establishment is the Sherlock Holmes (Gulf Hotel, Manama), a theme bar with a distinguished history. Although quite comfortable, it has unable to shed its traditional London pub appearance, and it has live music most weeknights, which are typically packed with regulars; nevertheless, weekends in Bahrain may also be extremely crowded.

Trader Vic’s (Le Meridien, Manama) is located near one of Manama’s beaches and offers an expansive view of the Gulf from the comfort of its air-conditioned interior. It is renowned for its cocktails inspired by the South Seas and served in beautiful pots, making it one of the city’s greatest venues for sundowners. The Warbler Club (Baisan Hotel, Manama) is another establishment that features regular live music, attractive crowd, and delicious bar food. This is one of the best places in Bahrain for sports fans to enjoy a drink, as it features a lot of large televisions tuned to all games.

Downtown Bar

Address: 1507 King Faisal Highway, Manama - Opening hours: Daily: 4pm-2am

Downtown, a section of the Intercontinental Regency Hotel, is a local and tourist favorite and draws large crowds, especially on nights featuring live music. They showcase local bands, open mic nights, and jam sessions, and Wednesday is Ladies’ Night.

JJ’s Irish Pub

Address: Block 326, Al Qudaibiya, Manama

JJ’s bar is a large establishment with a welcoming environment and a wide variety of draft beers. There are numerous weekly activities, including karaoke, pub quizzes, ladies’ night, and live music by the house band The Noise.

Bushido Lounge

Address: Road 38, Block 428, Seef, Manama - Opening hours: Daily: 12pm-3am

On the second floor of the Bushido Restaurant is one of the chicest and most elegant lounge/bar sections in the entirety of Bahrain. Elegant furnishings and romantic lighting invite you to linger and sample one of the numerous varieties of speciality Sake. Don’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy your drink on the patio.

The Warbler

Address: Block 320, Manama - Opening hours: Daily: 12pm-2am

The Warbler, a prominent British-style sports pub that hosts nearly nightly events, is located within the Baisan International Hotel. There is dancing, live music, broadcasting of significant sporting events, Ladies’ Night on Tuesdays, and a fully stocked kitchen serving a variety of food.

Dining and Cuisine in Bahrain

In Bahrain, the price and quality of food vary widely. If you don’t feel like shelling out a lot of money, you can choose from a variety of hotels that fall within a wide range of prices. Expat living entails a significant lot of eating out, so feel free to ask anyone for up-to-date ideas; they will typically be glad to help. In Manama, word of mouth is highly influential.

Adilya, Mezzaluna (3808 Road, Manama) is a treasure in the center of the restaurant district and one of the most popular restaurants in Manama, so be sure to book reservations well in advance. The French chef at Mezzaluna prepares a wide variety of international meals, and the rib-eye steaks come highly recommended. The restaurant is located in an old Bahraini mansion with decor to match.

Meanwhile, Jim’s (Osama bin Zaid Avenue, Manama) has become an expat institution, as well-known for its handcrafted chocolate vodkas as for its full Irish breakfasts served in a charming cottage setting. Due to Jim’s warmth and sense of humor, this restaurant in Bahrain is likely to become extremely crowded, so make reservations in advance.

The trendy, Arabic-style Casa Blu (Sheikh Isa Avenue, Manama) is decorated with vintage typewriters, damaged old cash registers, luxurious divans, and live hip-hop, all of which contribute to the restaurant’s ambiance. The cuisine is as excellent as the atmosphere.

Where to eat & drink in Bahrain

As befits its reputation as the only Gulf state where alcohol can be legally purchased, Bahrain’s eating and nightlife scene is popular among local expats and Saudi Arabian tourists.

In Manama, sports bars are prevalent, and JJ’s Irish Restaurant is one of the greatest. The Bizarre Lounge at the Le Méridien and the Casa Bar & Terrace at the Mercure Grand Seef are two of the finest bars and nightclubs among the area’s upscale hotels. Ibrida at the Ramee Grand Hotel and Club XS in the Ramee Rose Hotel are popular nightclubs. In the majority of prominent nightclubs, happy hour drink promotions and ladies’ nights are hosted on weeknights.

Brunch

With the on-track action not starting till later, why not start your day with a popular location tradition. Sumptuous “all you can eat” brunches are served in countless restaurants across Manama, especially in high-end hotels like the Le Méridien & Ritz Carlton. Fridays and Saturdays are the most popular days. You’ll pay a fixed amount (normally 20-40 BHD / $50-100 USD) for all the food and drink you can handle in 3-4 hours. If you arrive early for next year’s race, many restaurants will be celebrating St Patrick’s Day on 17 March with specially themed events.

Buffet

In addition to brunch, several of the city’s finest hotels and restaurants provide “all you can eat” buffets during the week, particularly from Wednesday to Friday evenings. Popular buffets include theme evenings at the Crowne Plaza, Indian cuisine on Thursdays and Fridays at Lanterns Restaurant, and seafood on Thursday nights at the Le Méridien.

Adliya

Many of Manama’s finest restaurants are located in the Adliya neighborhood. Popular cafés include Coco’s, which serves traditional American cuisine, and Café Lilou, which has a Parisian feel. Rasoi by Vineet serves some of the greatest Indian cuisine in Manama; nearby, Polo Gastropub in the Palace Boutique Hotel has tasty burgers and live music, and The Meat Company serves prime cuts of steak.

Bahraini cuisine

Do not leave Manama without eating the delicious native cuisine. Popular recipes include machboos (meat-flavored fragrant rice), grilled meat with khubus (soft bread), nasheef (potato and meat stew), and luqaimat (sweet dumplings). Haji Gahwa is a street-side cafe in the Manama Souk that serves delicious and inexpensive home-cooked meals, whilst Basta 23 in the Riyadat Mall gives a contemporary take on traditional local cuisine.