JUMEIRAH. Located at the exclusive Emirates Towers Hotel, the Agency Wine Bar is one of the area's sleekest after work destinations. Stop in and make your way to one of their cozy tables or saddle up to the bar, relax a bit, and soak up the upscale environs ­ a contemporary bar area juxtaposed with an cozy, pub-style seating area. Featuring a Spanish tapas menu, the Agency's kitchen serves up delightful dishes of hot and cold nibbles: feuillete of baby squid, croquette of smoked duck, chilled tomato soup, and mussels on marinated vegetables, to name but a few. As for the wine list, most in Dubai agree that it's among the city's best, with vintages that hail from Provençe, Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, Burgundy, Tuscany, as well as California and Chile.

BUR DUBAI. This Bur Dubai gem, part of the Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, brings sagebrush and tumbleweeds to the Arabian Peninsula. A favorite hangout amongst locals and expats, the Alamo boasts a kitchen that turns out some delicious Tex-Mex dishes; however, it's as a bar that this Western-themed joint has made its reputation. Combine terrific live Latino music, potent margaritas and other specialty drinks, and cozy dance floor where attractive locals shake off the doldrums of the day, and it's easy to see why the Alamo is just the place to "spice up" your Arabian nights.

Situated just off the lobby of the immaculate Fairmont Dubai, this versatile yet bar gets you going early in the morning, when its fresh gourmet coffee and homemade pastries are big favorites with business-types on the go. In the evening, Bridges becomes a popular place to take a break from the day's activities and enjoy a premium cocktail, imported brew, or fine wine. A light menu is available throughout the day, in addition to delectable desserts and specialty teas and coffees. A professional musician who can tickle the ivories with the best of them delights the evening patrons.

This enormous, plush venue is really a lounge club-cum-restaurant, although it does contain a vast statue that wouldn't look amiss on an Asian mountain. The menu is rooted in the Far East and the restaurant section has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Dubai Marina. Intimate mini-lounges flank the entrances: a fitting taste of the opulence ahead. The long linear bar is a magnet for those looking for a thirst-quencher before, after or in lieu of their meal.

BUR DUBAI. Inside the Pyramid at Wafi City, this upscale night sppot has become a trendy after-work meeting place for the stylish business types and expats who call Dubai home. The skilled bartenders create some of the city's most potent cocktails, and the sophisticated decor and café-style tables are conducive to intimate conversations. As the night wears on, DJs turn it into one of the most exclusive dance clubs around, with the beat-driven parties lasting long after most people go to bed. As if that wasn't enough, Carters also features its popular Big Life Jazz Band, which helps get things swinging every night save Sunday.