I quite like the Captains Arse (as my friends call it). The temperature is just about right from now until April, so sitting outside has been perfect. Good pizza from Pappagallos, too, which is just next door. I really like the atmosphere of the Yacht Club, but the prices for drinks are through the roof. This isn't helped by a really clueless staff. The view and the outdoor seating is lovely. I was there last on a Thursday around 6. It was a bit slow at that time (was thinking we'd see an after-work crowd), but it picked up around 7:30-8:00. Hemmingways in the Hilton Corniche-smells just like an English pub. It's always jumping on ladies night(Tuesday). The Jazz Bar, just beside Hemmingways, is a bit pricey, but it tends to attract more professionals (IMHO). Nice music, cool atmosphere.
I find a lot of the hotel bars are particularly entertaining on Fridays following the Friday brunch. The brunch crowd slinks in at about4:00 pm, and those places are really jumping. PJs at the Royal Meridien, Sheraton Corniche Tavern, etc. The Shangri La in Baen Al Jasraen is really hopping on Thursday evenings at the Left Bank. Great bar. Great cocktails. Seems to be a lot of young and cute people (looks like an under 30 crowd). The Fairmont just down the road from the Shagri La just opened. I went for a look a few days ago, and the hotels and bars looks fab. Some fantastic outdoor seating w/ water views...maybe not jumping yet, but it looks like it's on it's way.
Most of these places are expats...from all over the world. Capn Arms (Le Meridien) was a really mixed bag of nuts last weekend. Oceans and Saks in Le Royal Meridien are nice, but Oceans is a bit of a meat market on Ladies' Night.