Love Monopoly? Maybe Jumanji? Here are the best board games cafes in Dubai
There’s never a boring weekend in Dubai with the plethora of social activities the city offers! For those who want to get together with friends over delicious food and fun games, the cafes with board games in Dubai are a perfect choice.
These trendy cafes are just the place for a relaxed evening, to reconnect with family and friends over your favourite childhood board games – or new ones! Discover some of the best board game cafes in Dubai for an evening well-spent.
Where to find cafes with board games in Dubai
Looking to play board games in Dubai? Take a look at some of the best cafes that offer a cool ambience, good food and a great choice of board games.
Note: The timings and services of these outlets may differ due to the coronavirus restrictions in the UAE.
Unwind Dubai
One of the newer board game cafes in Dubai, Unwind Cafe opened its doors in 2019 and has become a favourite for Dubai residents ever since. This cafe boasts a collection of over 500 table-top games from around the world, including classics like Ludo, Monopoly and UNO!
Don’t know how to play a particular game? This board game cafe in Dubai also has experienced ‘Game Masters’ to help you out and have a good time!
Located in the Al Barsha area, Unwind Cafe also offers a delicious menu with all-day breakfast, a range of salads, pizza, pasta and more. Visitors can also choose from the variety of milkshakes, juices, coffee and desserts on offer!
Bear in mind that there is a separate charge to play at the Unwind board game cafe in Dubai. Visitors can play unlimited board games for AED 18 per hour or AED 27 for two hours. Students have a discounted rate of AED 15 per hour and AED 21 for two hours.
- Location: Beside Falcon Pack, Opposite Jebel Ali Racecourse, Hessa Street, Al Barsha
- Timings: Sunday – Wednesday: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm; Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 am to 12:00 am
- Contact: +971-56-404-0019
Public Cafe
This cosy cafe in JLT offers a small but exciting selection of board games for patrons to enjoy! Head to Public Cafe for a competitive game of Monopoly, Backgammon or chess with friends.
Their menu of healthy salads, filling sandwiches, refreshing juices and melt-in-your-mouth desserts is also not to be missed!
- Location: One Lake Plaza Tower, Cluster T, JLT
- Timings: Saturday – Thursday: 08:00 am to 10:00 pm
- Contact Number: +971-4-451-9670
CHARADE DUBAI
One of the new board game cafes to open up in Dubai, Charade is ideally located for the residents of Jumeirah 1. With their menu primarily focused on comfort food and monster shakes, this place ticks all the right boxes to become a favourite hangout for a wide range of age groups.
Charade Dubai also has a bunch of fun card and board games for you to play and enjoy quality time with friends. Whether you fancy a game of scrabble, want to test your detective skills with Cluedo, or would rather guess the picture word in Pictionary to score points for your team – this place has it all. You can also play Uno, Jumanji, Charade, Monopoly and other games at Charade Dubai.
- Location: Wasl 51 – Jumeirah 1
- Timings: 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm
- Contact: info@charadedubai.com
Tea Junction & Lounge
Next on our list of cafes with board games in Dubai is Tea Junction Cafe and Lounge Dubai. Tucked away in Oud Metha, Tea Junction is the preferred hangout spot for residents of Bur Dubai. Best known for its eclectic and speciality tea blends like Kashmiri Tea and Wild Arabian Tea, Tea Junction also draws visitors for its rustic ambience, shisha options and collection of board games. Enjoy tabletop games like UNO, Jenga, Scrabble, chess and more at this board game cafe in Dubai.
- Location: Behind Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai, Oud Metha
- Timings: 09:00 am to 02:00 am
- Contact: +971-4-357-1777
Jus T Cafe
Located in the Al Karama area, Jus T Café is ideal for spending an afternoon sipping on exotic tea blends and playing board games. Jus T’s original concept revolves around providing speciality tea to customers, ranging from a rich Zafrani Tea to a refreshing Moroccan Mint Tea. For nearby residents living in rental apartments in Karama, Jus T Cafe is a great place to relax and unwind after a long day.
While Jus T Cafe Karama doesn’t have the largest selection of board games available, there’s no limit on the fun you can have with friends playing classic games like carrom, Ludo and Snakes and Ladders!
- Location: Ground Floor, Uvais Building, Behind Government Medical Center, Al Karama
- Timings: Sunday – Saturday: 12:00 pm to 04:00 am
- Contact number: +971-4-396-3666
Back to Games
While not exactly a cafe, Back To Games is one of the best places to play board games in Dubai. This store has a massive collection of North American and European board and card games, which you can buy. They also allow visitors to play over 150 demo games in-store for free! They have an extensive collection of demo games, with options for kids and adults, as well as casual games and more strategic ones. Seating at the store is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and visitors are welcome to bring their own games along, too!
- Location: Times Square Center, Ground Floor, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Quoz
- Timings: Saturday to Wednesday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; Thursday and Friday: 10:00 am to 12:00 am
- Contact number: +971-4-323-1336
HIVE BOARD GAME CAFE
How about you nibble on a delicious slice of pizza, while challenging your friends to a game of Battleship? Perfectly pairing tasty food with interesting games, Hive is another board game cafe in Dubai that you need to keep a lookout for.
Play Jenga, Sequence, Catan, Cluedo, Monopoly, Pandemic – you’re sure to find a board game that works best for your clan, because the options are endless. There’s chess too, for those of you who prefer some constructive mind games. The cafe charges on an hourly basis. A one-hour of gameplay will cost you AED 15 and for AED 35 you can have unlimited game time.
- Location: The Onyx Tower 1, Sheikh Zayed Road – The Greens
- Timings: 12:00 pm to 12:00 am | Thu – Sat 12:00 pm to 02:00 am
- Contact: +971-4-323-2113 | +971-55-966-5458
The Six
Looking for board games cafes in Downtown Dubai? The city’s most happening district now has its own board game cafe, known as The Six.
This chic cafe has over 1,000 board games for visitors to play. From Ludo to Monopoly, Azul, Marrakech, Santorini and more, you’re sure to discover something new here! If you don’t know how to play a particular game, their Team Gurus will explain the rules, set up the game and even play a round with you.
Need to refuel during an intense game? The Six offers shareable bowls and bites, perfect for a large group looking to snack. Or order from their menu of pasta, salads, sushi and mains, for those who want a proper meal!
Please note that The Six has an additional charge of AED 35 per person to play board games, but with no time limit.
- Location: Burj Vista, The Boulevard, Downtown Dubai
- Timings: Sunday – Thursday: 09:00 am – 12:00 am; Friday and Saturday: 09:00 am – 02:00 am
- Contact: +971-4-334-2666
The Workshop Dubai
Another cafe with board games in Dubai to check out is The Workshop, located in a two-storey villa in Jumeirah 2. This multi-concept space includes an art and antique gallery, interior design services, a library and a cafe, along with regular workshops and events.
You can munch on delicious, homemade salads, sandwiches, platters, breakfast dishes and baked treats while playing board games like Quoridor and Scrabble in an elegant and cosy setting.
- Location: 23B Street, Al Wasl Road, Dubai
- Timings: Monday – Saturday: 08:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Contact: +971-4-341-2595
Bert’s Cafe
Our final mention for cafes with board games in Dubai is Bert’s Cafe. Head to this airy cafe in The Greens, which serves up healthy breakfast dishes, sandwiches, salads and mains, along with a selection of vegan dishes. While waiting for your food, you can browse their collection of books and board games, for a fun evening with friends!
- Location: Ground Floor, Greens Community Centre, The Greens
- Timings: Sunday – Saturday: 08:00 am – 08:00 pm
- Contact: +971-4-361-9292
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ARE THERE ANY QUIZ NIGHTS IN DUBAI?
For those wanting to put their IQ and general knowledge to the test, there are several bars and pubs hosting regular quiz nights in Dubai. Some of the most popular take place at The Rose and Crown, The Eloquent Elephant and McGettigan’s.
ARE THERE ANY CAFES WITH FUN ACTIVITIES IN DUBAI?
Places like Ceramique Cafe and Make Art Cafe allow you to spend time at their premises, creating something beautiful while enjoying the delicious bites available on their menu. Visitors can read, draw, create pottery, paint and even attend various creative workshops at these cafes.
WHERE CAN I BUY BOARD GAMES IN DUBAI?
If you want to host games night at home, there are a number of shops that sell board games in Dubai. The best options to buy board games in Dubai include Virgin Megastore and Unwind. For online options, consider Noon.
WHAT ARE THE BEST CAFES IN DUBAI?
The best cafes in Dubai include Tania’s Teahouse, Filli Cafe and Laduree, amongst others.
That concludes our list of cafes with board games in Dubai! As you can see, there are quite a few options for Dubai’s residents, and we’re sure the city will also be seeing new ones opening up in the future.
You can also check out some of Dubai’s best library cafes, for when you want to curl up with a good book and a cup of coffee. Or check out our top picks for unique cafes in Dubai, which don’t just offer great coffee but also a memorable experience!
Stay tuned to MyBayut to stay updated on the best dining and leisure spots in the city!
