St Patrick’s Day in Dubai: 20 places to celebrate the Irish holiday

March 17 marks Ireland’s National Day, a day to celebrate the Irish culture with worldwide festivities taking place featuring parades, music, dancing, feasting and a whole lot of green. Many of the usual celebrations will once again be put on hold this year, but that doesn’t mean the day still can’t be commemorated with spectacular sights, good food and plenty of fun.

THE POINTE: Visit The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah to see a very special Irish Riverdance show at The Palm Fountain – the largest fountain in the world. Watch as the sea and sky light up in green while the fountains dance to classic Riverdance songs from the traditional Irish theatrical show. The special edition fountain performance will be taking place on Wednesday 17th March starting at 7pm which will run every hour on the hour. Make a reservation at one of the many restaurants which overlook the waterfront for guaranteed front row seats, delicious bites and a spectacular show. The Riverdance show at The Palm Fountain is free to attend.

MCGETTIGANS: Transport yourself to the Emerald Isle and experience tasty Irish modern classics with the special McGettigan’s St Patrick’s Get Together. Enjoy Irish dishes and wash it all down with traditional Irish hops. With a guaranteed great atmosphere, celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Dubai in a true Irish environment from March 12 to 19 at McGettigan’s JLT, Souk Madinat and DWTC, priced from Dh399 per person, inclusive of food and selected house beverages.

BLA BLA: Head up to the rooftop of Bla Bla where the Irish Bar is location. It’s one of the twenty bars at Bla Bla. Irish Hops is priced at Dh30 all night long, with a complimentary shot thrown in for good measure! Make sure to get there early, as there’ll also be a giveaway of Guinness hats! Bla Bla is located at The Beach opposite JBR

NINE: To bring in Ireland's most celebrated national holiday, this English gastropub is showing their neighbours some love with a happy hour that runs from 12pm to 8pm, along with buy one, get one free on every Irishmen's favourite dark brew. Bringing in a taste of home that's sure to leave any Irish taking a trip down memory lane are authentic meals from the land, including the wildly popular braised steak and Guinness pie served with calcannon potatoes and made with a homemade puff pastry as well as a traditional Irish stew served with homemade soda bread. Marking the end to a hearty meal is Irish coffee, made with 64 per cent chocolate.

GARDEN ON 8: To celebrate, Garden on 8 is offering a selection of four mini pies at Dh45 or you can opt for the Irish beverage combo for Dh69. Pies include Guinness and beef, chicken pot pie, cauliflower, potato and cheese and braised lamb and rosemary. Garden on 8 also invites guests to watch The Cheltenham horse races from March 16 to the 19 and the six nations games live, while enjoying their rooftop garden. Additionally, daily Happy Hours take place from 4pm to 8pm every day with 2 for 1 on selected beverages.

BLACK TAP: Available from Sunday March 14 to Saturday March 20 2021, guests can enjoy an Irish Coffee Classic Shake and sink their teeth into a loaded Rueben burger to celebrate. Priced at Dh49, The Irish Coffee Classic Shake will be available at Black Tap's JBR and Jumeirah Al Naseem venues, and is made with ice cream, coffee, a shot of Irish spirit, whipped cream and cherry. Starting at Dh60, The Reuben - a popular dish across the US – will be available across all Dubai venues, with Black Tap’s own version of the classic - signature toppings of sauerkraut, corned beef and swiss cheese - sandwiched in the Black Tap signature potato bun and coated with a special sauce. Additionally, draft Irish hops will be available on St. Patrick’s Day at the special holiday price of Dh17 a pint.

BLACKSMITH BAR AND EATERY: Get ready to paddy like a rockstar at The Blacksmith Bar and Eatery in Wyndham Dubai Marina Hotel for a weeklong homage to the delicious delicacies of the Emerald Isle. From Sunday, March 14 until Saturday, March 20, customers can tuck into traditional Irish fare including Beef and Guinness Pie and crispy Fish and Chips with a generous helping of mushy peas. To mark the important day in the Irish calendar, St Patrick’s food specials will be priced at Dh75 each or Dh100 with a pint. Dishes will be available to order à al carte all day or part of Wednesday’s Miss Steak Ladies Night, from 7pm to 11pm, as well as Thursday Feast, from 7pm to 11pm, and Friday Feast, from 1pm to 5pm and 7pm to 11pm.

TAP HOUSE: The legendry luck of the Irish will smile on foodies celebrating this year’s St Patrick’s Day at The Tap House with the beachfront venue serving an extra-special F&B offer. Green will be the colour of the day on March 17, with the Club Vista Mare gastropub offering customers a specially-made St Patrick’s Day burger, complete with a Gaelic green bun, and paired with a tasty Grasshopper beverage– all for Dh99. The venue’s Classic Wagyu Burger will be given an Irish twist to celebrate the Emerald Isle’s biggest event of the year, with the green bun complementing the 200g homemade beef patty, fresh tomato, lettuce, white onion roundels and tasty extras.

SEAFIRE STEAKHOUSE & BAR: In celebration of St Patrick’s Day, Chef Raymond has been dry ageing Atlantis’ signature Black Onyx Tomahawk with Irish beverages. This steak – all 1.2kgs of it – will be served sharing style for two people with a traditional Irish side of Colcannon potatoes and creamed kale. The restaurant’s mixologist will also be whisking up a special cocktail for the occasion that will pair perfectly with the meaty main. The experience is priced at Dh850 for two.

WAVEHOUSE: Wavehouse has dedicated a whole week to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with celebrations running from March 14 to 20. Culminating on a Friday evening, revellers can enjoy Irish hops and lagers on draft as well a selection of traditional Irish dishes including corned beef with roast potatoes and vegetables, beef and Guinness pie with mashed potatoes, Irish stew with colcannon, and shepherd’s pie. For dessert, there’s an Irish apple cake with Bailey’s custard, a double chocolate brownie with cream cheese frosting and Guinness chocolate fudge, or a zesty Irish lemon pudding. Guests are also encouraged to get into the spirit of the celebration by decking themselves out in green for the occasion.

BARASTI: Don your best St. Paddy’s Day greens and head to Barasti from sunrise to sunset, where an Oysters & beverage offer will be in full swing. Buy fresh oysters for Dh10 each, and for every five oysters bought, swap their shells for a free pint of an Irish beverage! The oysters will transport you straight to the dramatic Irish coastline while the refreshing Irish hops will be reminiscent of the authentic style pubs. Free entry as always.

THE DUBLINERS: St Patrick’s Day is one of the most widely celebrated days of the year on a global level. Irish or not, this is a day dedicated to fun and merriment. As the name suggests, The Dubliners are your Irish home away from home that will be serving a St Paddy’s Day three-course menu on Friday, March 19, priced at Dh120 per person that will remind you of the delights of the Emerald Isle with the likes of Irish Stew, Guinness Braised Short Ribs and Apple Crumble. Additionally, If you wear green on St Patrick’s Day (17 March), then you will get a beverage on the house and at Dubliners.

EGGSPECTATION: Turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary one with Eggspectations’s limited Edition St. Patrick's Day pancakes. Aptly named the “Lucky Stack”, these perfectly fluffy and gorgeously green pancakes will help you win over lady luck. On Wednesday, March 17, Eggspectation is serving “The Lucky Stack” for one day at Dh25. Celebrate the occasion with a grand towering stack of green medallion pancakes layered with lemon ricotta and chopped kiwi throughout. Try your hand at Eggspectation’s Lucky Stack and see how your day turns around. Available all day for dine-in at both JBR and City Walk Eggspectation branches, be sure to stop by for a treat.

PALM BAY: On Wednesday, March 17, Palm Bay celebrates St Patricks Day with special food and beverage offering. Try the traditional St. Patrick’s Irish Stew, or go big to finish a St. Patrick’s Ultimate Burger with a side of special St. Patrick’s Pesto Mac & Cheese. Wash it down with some special Irish beverages.

GEALES: It’s that time of year to celebrate Irish heritage and culture through wholesome food and a lively atmosphere with good friends! The British restaurant and bar, Geales, is ready to kick off St. Patrick’s Day with the ultimate Irish grub of beef and Guinness pie with Colcannon mash (a traditional Irish dish), garden peas and gravy for Dh130. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Geales way, by the seaside, enjoying a meal within the modern and simple yet sophisticated surroundings.

JOE’S BACKYARD: Joe’s is hosting a week-long St. Patrick’s celebration to honour Irish tradition, heritage and culture. From March 14 to 18, savour a traditional Irish dish with a glass of Irish hops for Dhs99. Observe the occasion with a dinner set menu on 18th March with packages starting at Dh210 per person or a lunch set menu on March 19 with packages starting at Dh275 per person.

UBK: Want to experience the “old Dubai” prices? UBK is offering you pints of hops for Dh25. In celebration of the Irish culture, UBK is also going to surprise visitors with 50 per cent off the food menu from crispy fish and chips, 7Irish sausages to a traditional steak pie along with two types of beverages for Dh25.

RADISSON RED: RED’s popular OUIBar + Terrace is hosting a month-long St. Patrick’s celebration, and this deal might keep you coming back for more. Guests can enjoy the chef’s special steak pie and a choice of an Irish beverage for Dh80. Bring on the gang for a quick Irish fix.

PERRY & BLACKWELDERS: P&B will be offering an Irish stew created specially for the occasion as well as a pint of Irish Beverage for just Dh30 each on March 17.

THE DUCK HOOK: The neighbourhood gastropub have launched a three-course set menu including corn beef hash, Irish stew and a special Bailey’s Irish cheesecake along with a pint of Irish beverage for Dh195, available from March 16 to 18.