The back story
Riyadh After Dark: Rooftops, Mocktails and Garden Terraces
Where Riyadh goes at night: sky lounges, mocktail bars, garden terraces and late shisha.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © The St. Regis RiyadhA night out in Riyadh, from mocktails to shisha: sky lounges and jazz bars in Al Hada, the mocktail bars of Olaya and KAFD, and garden terraces open until 2am.
Riyadh is a night city. In the hotter months life moves after sunset, and even in winter the evening is when the city dresses up, goes out to eat and lingers. Its bars pour mocktails and zero-percent cocktails, and the best have made a craft of it.
Up in the sky
At The St. Regis Riyadh in Al Hada, Stella Sky Lounge is an open-air terrace with panoramic views, dinner, entertainment and shisha from 6pm to 2am. Downstairs, The St. Regis Bar is a jazz-inspired room under a custom mural, with crafted drinks and the house ritual of sabrage every evening.
In Olaya, Asir Lounge sits inside the glass sphere of Al Faisaliah Tower, with mixology and cigars from 4pm to 1am and the Kingdom Centre across the skyline.
The mocktail bars
Tonic Bar, at the Four Seasons in the Kingdom Centre, calls itself Riyadh’s destination for alcohol-free social evenings, with handcrafted mocktails. In KAFD, Il Baretto received the Exceptional Mocktail Award at the first MICHELIN Guide Saudi Arabia ceremony in 2026: come for a drink before dinner.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, RiyadhClose by at W Riyadh, W Lounge runs from 11am to 1am with signature drinks and curated music.
Riyadh wakes up when the heat goes out of the day, and stays up late.
Garden terraces
On cooler evenings, Riyadh moves outdoors. At the Hilton on the Eastern Ring Road, Anar Terrace serves street food, Moroccan tea and zero-percent cocktails in the gardens, with the big football matches on screen. Fairmont Riyadh’s Cedra Terrace pairs Lebanese plates with shisha until 1am on weekdays and 2am at weekends.
In the north, Fork & Pipe at the JW Marriott is a green terrace with skyline views, open until midnight, and in the Diplomatic Quarter the Marriott’s 10:10 Lounge keeps its poolside going until 2am.
Did you know? The Turquoise Cigar Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton keeps a walk-in humidor, and the hotel’s six-lane Strike bowling alley nearby serves mocktails and smoothies.
Our advice
Our advice: go late, as Riyadh does, starting with a sunset drink up high and ending on a terrace. Dress smart casual, book ahead at weekends, and check each venue’s own page for the night’s hours.
Why it's on our list
- Up in the sky
- The mocktail bars
- Garden terraces
- Our advice
Location
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