The 360° bar is set on a circular platform off the coast with, as the name suggests, a 360-degree view from the Jumeirah Palm on one side round to Port Rashid. It's a seven-minute walk along the pier that connects the venue to the mainland, or take a zippy golf buggy which adds to the fun. Head straight up the steel steps to the rooftop platform rather than into the slightly claustrophobic restaurant area. Weekdays and Saturday nights see a more relaxed shisha-smoking and mint tea–imbibing crowd who hang out on white leather beanbags. Weekends (that's Thursdays and Fridays) are a different matter, as the DJ pumps up the bass and the crowd drink and dance the night away.

A city hot spot, 400 Club has a Baroque-style interior and an extremely long line of dressed-up hopefuls waiting to get in. One of the venue's best tables (strategically situated under the DJ booth) can be secured by splurging on a Dom Pérignon '61 Methuselah, a snip at $8,447. Expensive Champagne bottles are brought with great fanfare, lit with sparklers and accompanied by the Rocky 2 overture. Tacky? Probably, but it's a popular venue nonetheless. If feeling like a sardine packed tightly in a can (albeit an exclusive one) isn't your thing, then avoid the weekends and come on the Gold-themed Tuesday night. Music is mainly house, R&B, and Arabic.

Closed Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

This popular, dimly lit wine bar is primarily patronized by vinophiles, banking boys, and the pretty girls trying to attract them. The well-heeled crowd make a beeline here after work, meaning the buzz—helped by the selection of more than 500 Old and New World wines—starts early and carries on through the night (last orders are at 2:30 a.m.). The antipasto platters are great for sharing, providing just enough sustenance to soak up the alcohol but not enough to make a meal of it. Avoid this branch on weekends, when it can be deathly quiet; go midweek to soak up the local vibe. On weekends visit its sister branch at the Madinat Jumeirah Souk, which has the added attraction of a canal-side location.

This Dubai outpost of the famous Beirut Crystal nightclub is always packed with Lebanese lotharios trying to recapture the spirit of their homeland. Music is a crowd-pleasing blend of commercial house, R&B, and hip-shaking Arabic music. The low ceilings can get a little claustrophobic and the air-conditioning leaves a lot to be desired, but it remains one of the few happening clubs on a Wednesday night. Don't show up until after 11 p.m., when the party is just getting started.

The pyramid-shaped Raffles Hotel looks less like an ancient monument than the set for the film Stargate transplanted to the Arabian desert. At the top, beneath the transparent capstone, sits the China Moon Champagne Bar, which in addition to 53 varieties of premium fizz, has extraordinary views of the Burj Dubai and the sparkling night skyline. Up a staircase guarded by a sculpture of a golden pharaoh (and white-gloved staff discreetly vetting potential prostitutes), guests lounge on white couches or Oriental red plush chairs while nursing drinks. A glass of Veuve Clicquot sets you back $47.

Open nightly 7 pm to 3 am.

Wine racks line the walls of this low-lit, chichi bar. Cin Cin is a good but expensive option for indulging in a pre- or postprandial drink any night of the week, and is one of the few places that retain their character through the summer months, mainly because the owners have concentrated on creating a cool interior as there's no terrace. Cin Cin really picks up on weekends, when decked-out Dubaians get tipsy before heading to nearby Club 400. A more sedate cigar lounge in the back attracts slightly older, Cohiba-puffing big spenders. If you feel like dancing, head for the Fairmont Hotel's Ballroom, which becomes the very happening Peppermint Club on weekends.

Open nightly 6 pm to 2 am.

Literally underground, in the basement of the Dhow Palace Hotel in gritty Bur Dubai, Submarine opened in November 2007 and immediately became Dubai's dance hot spot, thanks to movie-set decor (guests enter through an industrial steel tube), a revolving musical lineup (Wednesdays for German Underground, Fridays for R&B, Saturdays for Bollywood Playback), and, sadly, the closure for redevelopment of long-reigning nightspot Trilogy. A retractable 25-foot roof lets in fresh air and a view of the stars. The Bur Dubai location attracts both socialites and regular working folk. There's a $27 door fee for guys, but women enter free.

Open nightly 8 pm to 3 am.

Alfresco, laid-back, and lovely. Sip a lethally strong Mojito while gazing at the golden sunset, sea, and, er, construction site on Palm Jumeirah in the distance. Small Arabic snack plates are on offer (try the triangular fatayer, bite-sized pastries filled with spinach and pine nuts). DJs tend toward funky house: Expect them to crank it up a bit on Fridays to create a party atmosphere.

Year after year, this nondescript wooden terrace remains the most popular bar in town. Sunday nights are heaving thanks to the nostalgia-inducing '80s music that gets the up-for-it crowd dancing on tables and singing. There's food here too, but be aware that you might be unceremoniously kicked off your table to make way for the partying as the evening progresses. If you can't get in, walk around the corner to Boudoir, another cult spot done up in red velvet and black silk (971-4345-5995; www.myboudoir.com).

Open nightly 7 pm to 3 am.

The crowd at this Creek-side spot love to lounge and listen to local favorite DJ Lady Red Label spin her remixed, jazzed-up versions of old classics. Try the Fruitini cocktail (a blend of basil- and peach-infused vodka, fresh passion fruit juice, and elderflower cordial), and grab a seat on one of the much-coveted sofas overlooking the marina. Food is good here too, and caters to most tastes, from the juicy Cheddar-topped burger to a dozen oysters. This place is best on Friday and Saturday evenings.