Iris

Address: An Nahar Building, Martyrs Square, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: +961 (0)3 090 936

Style: Cocktail bar

Amiable door police greet you at the base of the An Nahar building, in the heart of Downtown, just a short stagger from Le Gray, where Iris sits on the topmost floor.

Open only for summer, this upscale goodtime bar serves food earlier in the evening and transforms around midnight into a party space: if you're after a table, make a reservation, and eat or buy bottles.

Long tables, white sofas, and views up to the lights sparkling in the hills behind Beirut make this a most excellent space to party, while the short cocktail list majors on fruity things, including Aviations and Mojitos.

A goodlooking, dressed-up crowd of 20- and 30-somethings appreciate the party tunes, and an able bar and floor crew somehow manage to keep good drinks coming through the crowds.