Let me paint you a picture. You’ve clawed your way through another day of back-to-back Zooms and inbox chaos. The desert sun is finally softening, and that familiar 4 p.m. itch begins – the one that whispers, “Is it too early for a little mischief?” My darlings, I’ve found the answer, and it’s wearing cowboy boots.
Tucked inside the Oaks Hotel at Ibn Battuta Gate, there’s a place that feels less like a venue and more like a personality transplant. Welcome to Rodeo Drive, a 14,000 square foot love letter to Americana, but with a rebellious, Dubai-sized wink. Forget everything you know about hushed, marble-clad lounges. This is a neon-drenched, mechanically-bull-riding (mechanical bull-riding), arcade-game-beeping playground where the energy is as electric as the playlist. It’s the kind of place that gives ‘main character’ energy, and honestly, we all need a bit of that.
And now, they’ve gone and weaponised their charm with a Happy Hour that runs Monday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. This isn’t just a discount; it’s a mood. It’s the golden hour for your social life, where classic cocktails – think Aperol Spritzes that glow with Instagram potential and Cosmopolitans that would make Carrie Bradshaw trade her Manolos for a Stetson – start from a blissfully reasonable AED 27. You can saddle up to the New York-style bar for a Mojito that smacks of minty freshness or a Whiskey Sour that soothes the soul, all while the pre-weekend anticipation starts to hum.
But what’s liquid courage without its edible wingman? The shareable bites here are the stuff of group chat legend. We’re not talking sad peanuts. We’re talking ‘Holy Guacamole’, which actually lives up to its name; Mac ’n’ Cheese Croquettes that are a crunchy, cheesy hug; and a parade of tacos – from zesty chicken al pastor to crispy Baja fish – that demand to be fought over. Let’s be real: nothing bonds people faster than collaboratively dismantling a plate of Truffle Fries or agreeing to split an order of churros because, well, adulting.
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The magic of Rodeo Drive, though, stretches far beyond the Happy Hour. This is a place of glorious, unapologetic immersion. One minute you’re in a secret mobster-inspired man cave, feeling like you’re in a Scorsese film; the next you’re being dared to conquer the mechanical bull by a friend who’s already had two Margaritas. You can chase a high score in the retro arcade, get swept away by a live band on the Broadway-inspired stage, or simply bask in the glorious chaos. It’s a welcome reminder that the best memories aren’t made in perfectly curated silence, but in the beautiful, messy, shared laughter of it all.
So, gather your riders. Your new favourite story is waiting to be written – one shared taco, one signature cocktail, and one wildly uncoordinated bull ride at a time. Consider this your official invitation to the party.
Location: Oaks Hotel, Ibn Battuta Gate, Dubai. Contacts: 042597497or email: reservations.ibn@rodeodrivedubai.com
