Friday Skyline Brunch at The Penthouse in Dubai

Friday Skyline Brunch at The Penthouse is a late-night Japanese brunch on the rooftop of FIVE Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, running from 8pm to 11:30pm with an unlimited sharing menu, flowing drinks and DJs, before the evening rolls straight into The Penthouse’s rooftop after-party. It is pitched as a way to turn Friday night into a ritual: dinner, drinks and a party in one place, with Ain Dubai glowing across the water.

Unlike daytime brunches that wind down by late afternoon, this one is built to build. It starts as an elevated dinner and gradually becomes a high-energy social scene as the night goes on.

The Penthouse: a rooftop club on the Palm

The Penthouse sits on the 16th floor of FIVE Palm Jumeirah, and it is one of the best-known rooftop venues in the city. DJ Mag added it to its Top 100 Clubs poll in 2022, describing a space of more than 25,000 square feet for up to 800 people, with LED light sculptures that come alive after dark, L-Acoustics and Funktion-One sound, and themed decor that changes every three months.

Outside, the terraces look over the Jumeirah coast and the Dubai Marina skyline, and the Marina-facing lounge is where the brunch takes place. There are also two glass-lined rooftop pools. It is the view that gives the brunch its name: as the evening goes on, Ain Dubai lights up on the horizon and the Marina towers turn into a wall of light.

The food: an unlimited Japanese menu

The Penthouse is known for contemporary Japanese cuisine that draws on French cooking techniques, and the Skyline Brunch serves an unlimited, award-winning Japanese menu curated for sharing. Expect delicate, carefully crafted plates that arrive at the table for everyone to dip into, rather than individual dishes or a buffet.

Specific dishes are not listed, so think of it as a chef-led sharing experience rather than an à la carte meal. The sharing format makes it ideal for groups, and there is a dedicated Brunch for 4 ticket for exactly that.

Drinks

Drinks flow for the duration of the brunch and include signature cocktails and house beverages. The Penthouse’s wider bar is known for artisan cocktails, sake and champagne, though anything outside your package is extra. Arrive on time, as late arrivals may shorten the package rather than extend it.

The music: SKINNYLOOP and Jax

There is live DJ entertainment through the evening, and from 10pm SKINNYLOOP and Jax take over the decks as the crowd builds. Fridays at The Penthouse have long been associated with its Skyline nights, where DJ Mag notes the music leans towards tech house and deep house, so expect the sound to move in that direction as the brunch tips into the party.

Your ticket includes access to the rooftop after-party at The Penthouse, so there is no need to queue again or move on when the brunch ends at 11:30pm. The venue is open until 4am on Fridays.

The Penthouse has run a Friday evening brunch in one form or another for several years. When an earlier version, Eyes Wide Shut, launched in 2023, What’s On described it as a lead-in to Skyline Fridays, which it called one of Dubai’s most awarded tech house nights. The Skyline Brunch continues that idea, with the dinner designed to hand the night straight over to the club, and views that stretch from the Marina on one side towards the Burj Al Arab on the other.

The club’s recent guest list gives a sense of its standing: Lost Frequencies, Eli and Fur, Robin Schulz and Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano have all played here.

Who it suits

• Friends starting the weekend who want dinner and a night out without changing venue
• Groups of four, who can book the dedicated group ticket
• Japanese food fans who would rather spend the evening on sharing plates than a buffet
• Visitors to Dubai after a classic rooftop view of the Marina and Ain Dubai

This is an adults-only night. Entry is strictly 21 and over, and a valid ID or passport is required.

Know before you go

• The dress code is smart casual or party attire, and management reserves the right of entry.
• Bookings cannot be cancelled or changed once made.
• Transport, add-ons, upgrades, personal expenses and gratuities are not included.
• Arrive at 8pm to get the full value of the brunch, since late arrival reduces the package time.

Getting there

FIVE Palm Jumeirah is at No. 1 Palm Jumeirah. By car, take King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, then Palm Jumeirah Road. Given the drinks and the late finish, a taxi or ride-hailing app is the easiest way to get there and back.

For more Friday plans, see our dinner and brunch picks, our nightlife guide, and things to do this weekend. Our things to do in Dubai page has plenty more.