The 5 Best Board Game Cafes in Dubai
While video games offer plenty of opportunities for recreation, there’s nothing like playing some classic board games when out with friends. Fortunately, many board game cafes in Dubai are available to facilitate this for when you’re out!
Whether you’re just interested in playing Monopoly while munching on some pops or tenders, or testing your shaky hands at Jenga as your pasta cooks in the background, here’s some of our favorite board game cafes in Dubai to check out!
How Much Does it Cost to Check out a Board Game Cafe in Dubai?
Given their function as hangout spots, it shouldn’t be too expensive to eat at a board game cafe in Dubai. You usually choose to pay a small amount for a set number of hours or slightly higher for unlimited hours and rounds in these cafes.
Here’s a small table showing how much you can expect to spend per person on a board game cafe in Dubai:
Choosing the Best Board Game Cafes in Dubai
Looking for a nice cafe to have fun in? We’ve sorted our list of establishments based on the following factors:
1. The Six
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CAFE EXPERIENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| GAMES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Interested in just playing a game with friends as you wait for your sliders, sandwiches, and breakfast bowls? Well, drop by the Six to play a quick round of Jenga, Uno, and other board games while your food is prepared.
The place is billed as an amazing place for people who like to play a wide array of games while indulging in good food. They have a wide selection of around a thousand games in the library to choose from!
We also find it to be a great place to discover some new games for you to try out! Their “Team Gurus” are always up and available to help out, even playing a couple of rounds with you to make sure you get the picture.
Not bad for a day out with friends in our opinion.
In terms of food, you can expect some trendy bites that’s prepared fresh. There’s French Toast, acai bowls, eggs Benedict, and even poppers and tenders for easy finger food.
Drinks are just as varied as well, with both fruity and decaden (i.e. chocolate) milkshakes and smoothies being available for purchase. Of course, they have both iced and hot coffee available for order as well, for that morning boost.
We do recommend coming in early on weekdays though. The place can be quite packed with teenagers and some employees during lunch hours.
Overall, if you’re the type who loves checking out new board games and fresh, hot, snacks and finger food, then Six will be an amazing option for you!
Pros
- Fast serving times for food
- Wide variety of games to choose from
Cons
- Drink sizes are a little small for the price
- Can be quite packed on weekdays
Customer Reviews
Such a fun & chill place to hang out with your friends!
“Such a fun & chill place to hang out with your friends!! 35 dhs to play games (unlimited hours) if you get a game & you dont know how to play it, staff will assist & help.” – Sofia
The people working there were very kind and have fun recommendations and explained really well
“Very fun place to go with friends. The food is very good too. We stayed for 5+ hours and didn’t get bored. The people working there were very kind and have fun recommendations and explained really well. The view from the cafe is very pretty too.” – T
2. Charade
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CAFE EXPERIENCE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| GAMES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Located in Wasl 51 Mall, Charades offers a great spot for family-friendly activities and casual dining. It also doubles as a concept store of sorts, selling board games, fashion accessories and gift items.
In short, it’s a very nice tourist trap to check out when you’re just roaming the mall with friends in our opinion.
As far as food goes, it’s a very casual affair here at Charades. The main highlight is their burger selection, which are served nice and hot with minimal waiting times.
You can choose from a more classic cheeseburger or their signature ‘Charade Burger’ which is served with gherkin, tomato, and a hot chili mayo sauce. Its bun is even imbued with jalapenos for more spice in every bite.
There’s other options too of course. You can get a Philly Cheese Steak or even a Vegan Burger if you want to cut down on the meat consumption.
The space itself is quite colorful, with nicely-spaced tables and booths, giving you and your friends some privacy as you play chess or connect 4 while waiting for your food to arrive.
Staff are always around to help in case some of the games are a bit hard to grasp but, we think they can improve a bit here. Some customers have reported being further confused by the instructions given.
Overall though, Charades is just as fun of a place to game and dine at, almost as fun as its own namesake. We definitely recommend checking it out when you’re in the Wasl 51 Mall!
Pros
- Amazing selection of Iranian cuisine
- Fun, family-friendly theme
Cons
- Clearer communication with some of the other games
- Food is a bit pricey
Customer Reviews
You will not be feel boring since they have a lot of games to offer
“Fun, games, great experience, Love the theme of the place. You will not feel bored since they have a lot of games to offer. We enjoy the food while having fun. Very cheerful and helpful staff. Amazing!” – Kyrakurtle_SUM’tin
Families and friends can gather here and play board games and enjoy delicious food with great customer service
“Visited Charade located in Al Wasl to experience the food and ambience. The place is absolutely amazing. Families and friends can gather here and play board games and enjoy delicious food with great customer service.” – Muhammad Waleed Sadiq
3. Public Cafe
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CAFE EXPERIENCE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| FOOD | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| GAMES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
A quaint little cafe tucked in the recesses of JLT, the Public Cafe is nonetheless an amazing spot to hang out with friends over some board games and hot coffee in Dubai!
The whole place is complete with a nice, rustic feel with wooden furnishings and a more ‘natural’ vibe. They’ve got wide tables that’s perfect for small groups, especially once you bust out the board games for a round or two.
Food typically leans on traditional Greek cuisine, which is a plus for those who love eating some Mediterranean dishes and recipes like hummus and flatbread.
Of course, there’s also your staple breakfast items like toast, poke bowls and even some sweets and baked goods!
Vegetarians will also be happy to hear about the assortment of vegetable-based dishes. Their salads are always served fresh and the portion sizes are just right in our opinion.
Vegans and those with gluten-free requirements should find plenty to like in this establishment.
Given the huge crowds it draws in during the afternoons though, we do recommend coming in earlier in the morning. Despite that, we did like how it’s close to two wide parking spaces for those coming in by car.
But yes, it does take time to serve the food at these times. Fortunately, the games provided should be helpful in killing some time while you wait.
It’s a little out of the way, yes, but we definitely recommend checking out this quaint board game cafe in Dubai.
Pros
- Gluten-free dishes available!
- Wide parking space nearby for easy access
Cons
- Very crowded during the afternoons
- Takes time to serve the food
Customer Reviews
Hospitable hosts, delicious dishes, beautiful presentation, and wonderful spot to chill/break
“Hospitable hosts, delicious dishes, beautiful presentation, and wonderful spot to chill/break (have coffee or tea) . I highly recommend it to everyone!” – Gabrielle Abenojar
Good staff, quick cooking. Beautiful serving of the dish
“Good staff, quick cooking. Beautiful serving of the dish. I stop there very often to have breakfast there. Dietary restrictions: Healthy breakfasts, There are gluten-free dishes.” – Зоя Чешун
4. Dice
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CAFE EXPERIENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FOOD | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| GAMES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Billed as a social gaming hub here in Dubai, Dice offers a wide selection of board games to tide you over while you wait for food as well as a nice, spacious area to play around with friends.
Majority of their dining space consists of wide tables that’s geared more towards families and large groups. We recommend checking out the spots further up front when visiting with lots of friends and colleagues.
Those who want a more intimate place for you and your partner though, you can head on further back, with smaller tables for smaller groups.
Dice is particularly famous for their delectable breakfast waffles and toast as well as their ice cold milkshakes for washing all of that sweet and savory goodness down.
As far as lunch goes, you definitely get more of an Italian-inspired selection with pizza, pasta, and salads.
The whole experience is quite pricey, food and games alike. However, we definitely think it was worth the money.
Service is very good, once it arrives at the table in our experience. The servers were kind and polite and they’re even able to explain the mechanics of some newer games we found in the cafe.
They’re just a little understaffed in our opinion. So service slows down a bit whenever you visit during peak hours with plenty of guests.
Nonetheless, the amazing atmosphere and excellent selection of games does make this a worthwhile board game cafe in Dubai to check out. We definitely recommend Dice for your next day out!
Pros
- Excellent selection of games
- Very competent and knowledgeable staff
Cons
- Quite pricey, both for food and games
- Service can be a bit slow
Customer Reviews
It’s a cafe with lots of board games. Staff are friendly
“It’s a cafe with lots of board games. Staff are friendly. When I visited it was AED 40 per person to play, not including food. The games are in good condition.” – King Fung Cheung
A super fun place for board games and amazing food & snacks
“A super fun place for board games and amazing food & snacks. The enthusiastic game masters ensure you have a great time and patiently teach you games you have never even heard of.” – Rocky B
5. The Workshop
| RATING | |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CAFE EXPERIENCE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| FOOD | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| GAMES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
To call The Workshop as just a simple board game cafe in Dubai is a bit of an understatement. The place is a stylish, contemporary workshop for arts and recreation in the city.
It’s a community and gathering space for artists, as well as anyone involved in coming up with sustainable products and materials here in Dubai.
In addition to their “Cafe At The Back”, which is the quintessential cafe where you can read or play board games while waiting, the place also has an interior design studio, a gift shop, and an antique gallery selling furniture and collectibles.
In short, you’re not going to run out of things to do in this establishment.
Food is always freshly prepared too, and you can get some really healthy options from their ‘organic’ menu and unsweetened teas and drinks.
They do take time to prepare this though, but that’s where the books and board games come in to help you pass the time. It’s just part of their deal as a place to slow down a bit and appreciate the art in our experience.
We do want to note that the dining area is located outdoors so it can be quite hot when visiting during the peak summer months.
Overall though, this is definitely an amazing meeting place for friends or people with similar interests in the arts. Definitely check out an event at The Workshop with friends in order to take full advantage of what it has to offer.
Pros
- Nice, artsy establishment for enthusiasts
- Very cozy atmosphere
Cons
- Takes time to respond to phone inquiries
- Dining area is a little hot at times
Customer Reviews
Amazing tranquil little place with beautiful art, beautiful food and beautiful staff
“Amazing tranquil little place with beautiful art, beautiful food and beautiful staff! We were greeted by Annie who was so polite and attentive. We ordered their amazing tomato soup, lentil salad coffee and a red blush juice! Haven’t tasted food this good in ages.” – Kitty 16v Cat
It is so impressive to find this place and I recommend it
“It is so impressive to find this place and I recommend it. There are a lot of arts, antiques, ancient pieces. This place holds workshops all the time, please check their websites and you can join them. Thank you guys for your efforts to make this place stand out in Dubai.” – Hass AL
FAQs about Board Game Cafes in Dubai
We hope you’re able to have fun with your friends or partner while indulging in a delicious meal here in Dubai! Make sure to check out other sources of fun too, like this list of best arcades in Dubai!