Asia de Cuba
Asia de Cuba occupies the ground floor of the St. Regis Abu Dhabi within the Nation Towers complex on the Corniche. The concept merges Cuban and Asian culinary traditions across a restaurant and a lounge bar that operates late into the evening. The bar area, positioned near the entrance, works independently from the dining room and becomes the Corniche's more social drinking venue on Thursday and Friday nights. The interior uses warm materials, mood lighting, and Cuban-inflected design elements that contrast with the glass-tower exterior. Ceiling height and an open layout give the space more volume than most Abu Dhabi hotel bars, which tend toward intimate formats. A central bar anchors the room, with lounge seating around the perimeter and dining tables further in.
Where to stay near Asia de Cuba
Hotels close to Corniche, Abu Dhabi.
What to Expect
A stylish Cuban-Asian restaurant with a bar area that transitions into one of Abu Dhabi's more social late-night spaces on weekends. The crowd mixes hotel guests, Corniche area expats, and visiting professionals. The atmosphere is lively by Abu Dhabi standards without being a proper nightclub.
Warm and social, with enough energy on weekend nights to feel genuinely lively. The bar side handles the late crowd well.
Cuban and Latin-influenced house and lounge music. DJ on Thursday and Friday from around 9 PM.
Smart casual. Collared shirts for men, no shorts or sportswear. Women dress to match the venue's upscale hotel setting.
Evening drinks before or after dinner. Thursday and Friday social nights on the Corniche. Couples and groups wanting a stylish bar without club-level prices.
Cards accepted. Reservations recommended for the restaurant.
Price Range
Beer AED 65-85, cocktails AED 90-130, mains AED 120-260, wine by the glass AED 80-130
Beer ~$18-23 / EUR 16-21; cocktails ~$24-35 / EUR 23-33
Hours
Daily 12:00-01:00 (bar until 02:00 Thursday and Friday)
Insider Tip
The bar is more lively than the restaurant on Thursday evenings and is the best option on the Corniche for a mixed social crowd. Book a dinner reservation if you want to eat; the bar accepts walk-ins. The mojitos are consistently well-made and a reasonable signature for the concept.
Full Review
Nation Towers gives the St. Regis Abu Dhabi one of the more dramatic hotel entrances on the Corniche. The towers themselves are visible from the water, and the hotel lobby has the scale that belongs to a building of that ambition. Asia de Cuba sits just off the lobby, with an entrance that opens into the combined restaurant and bar space.
The Cuban-Asian concept is a stretch in literal culinary terms but creates a visual identity that works. The bar area near the entrance is defined by dark wood, warm amber lighting, and a solid central bar with an extensive spirit selection. The cocktail program focuses on rum-based classics and tropical-influenced house creations. A mojito here is one of the better ones available in Abu Dhabi.
On weekday evenings, the crowd is primarily hotel guests and nearby office residents. The pace is relaxed. Thursday changes the atmosphere considerably. The bar fills from around 9 PM with a more deliberate going-out crowd, DJ music replaces background ambient tracks, and the venue reaches something close to a genuine late-night bar atmosphere.
Food quality is competent across the Asian side of the menu. Dim sum and wok dishes perform better than the Cuban-influenced items, which lose something in translation to the Abu Dhabi market. Mains run AED 120-260 and portions are appropriate for the price.
The central limitation is that Asia de Cuba is still a hotel restaurant-bar rather than a standalone venue. The ambition is there but the format, with dining dominating most of the floor plan, limits how social the bar can get. For Abu Dhabi, it's near the top of the Corniche options.
The Neighborhood
Nation Towers, Corniche Road. The St. Regis complex also contains Tetsu, another licensed venue, allowing for a two-stop evening within the same hotel. The Corniche promenade is directly outside.
Getting There
The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is on the northeastern section of the Corniche Road. Taxis and Careem drop at the Nation Towers entrance. No metro serves Abu Dhabi.
Address
St. Regis Abu Dhabi, Nation Towers Galleria, Corniche Road
Other Venues in Corniche
Crystal Lounge
The closest thing to a proper nightclub on the Corniche. Inside the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, with DJ nights on weekends, a dancefloor, and table service. Dress code is enforced strictly.
Stratos Anti-Gravity
Revolving rooftop bar at the Le Royal Meridien. Completes a full rotation roughly every 90 minutes, giving 360-degree views of the Corniche waterfront and Abu Dhabi skyline.
Hakkasan
Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant and bar at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental. The lounge and bar area stays open after dinner service and draws a well-heeled crowd on weekend nights.
Tetsu
Japanese teppanyaki restaurant and sake bar at the St. Regis Abu Dhabi. The bar area operates semi-independently from the restaurant and is one of the Corniche's better late-night drinking spots.