Where can tourists buy alcohol in Dubai (including at Dubai Mall)?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 16 days ago
TL;DR
There's no walk-in liquor store inside Dubai Mall — tourists buy alcohol at the airport duty-free on arrival, or in hotel bars/restaurants and via room service; licensed liquor stores (MMI, African+Eastern) only sell to UAE residents with a liquor license/Emirates ID.
What the community said
Dubai Mall itself has no walk-in liquor store — nearby licensed shops (e.g. MMI chain) only sell to license holders, so tourists are better off getting drinks at a hotel bar or restaurant instead.
20 days ago MMI liquor store (license required)
Until around 2020, alcohol in Dubai was quite expensive: tourists bought it either at duty-free right after landing, or had to make a special trip to a licensed liquor store; hotel staff described strict licensing rules around alcohol sales.
23 days ago Airport duty-free
Back in the early 2000s, many travelers drove to 24-hour liquor stores in Umm Al Quwain for cheaper alcohol than duty-free prices; in Dubai hotels you could always order alcohol via room service or get it at the hotel bar without a license, while regular licensed stores sold only to residents with an Emirates ID and quantity limits.
23 days ago Umm Al Quwain 24-hour liquor stores