THE APRONS AND HAMMERS DHOW DIARIES - Part 6
- Aprons & Hammers
- May 14
- 3 min read
Taking the Aprons Spirit to Shore
You’re not just looking for a meal. You’re looking for something real - a moment to slow down, share a bucket of seafood with your friends, and laugh until you forget what time it is.
That’s why Aprons & Hammers has always stood out among Dubai’s beloved seafood restaurants.
That’s what Aprons and Hammers was always meant to be.
And when our little Crab Shack on The Dhow became packed every weekend - laughter echoing across the marina, the smell of seafood and garlic in the air - we knew: you were asking for more.
You Asked. We Took the Leap. We kept hearing the same thing:
“When are you opening on land?”
Somewhere easier to reach. Bigger tables. Room for families and celebrations - but still with the fun, unfussy, seafood-by-the-sea feeling we were known for.
So, we did it. But not without asking ourselves: Can we grow… without losing our soul?
JBR: Our First Step Onto Land
In 2014, we opened at The Beach JBR - and it felt like starting over.
Would people still want aprons and hammers if the boat wasn’t rocking? The answer was loud and clear: yes.
From the first table cracking crab from the beachside terrace, we knew Aprons had found a new kind of sea breeze.
Just over a decade later, JBR is still going strong - refreshed with coastal colors, but with the same generous spirit and signature buckets you know and love.
La Mer: A Beachside Chapter to Remember
When we opened at La Mer in 2017, it felt like home all over again.
Families came for seafood lunches, friends for messy dinners, tourists by the beach for a taste of something different.
When La Mer closed in 2023 to make way for J1 Beach, it stung - but by then, we’d anchored something even bigger: a community that followed us, wherever we went.
Palm West Beach: A Risk That Paid Off
In 2019, just before the world changed, we signed a lease at Palm West Beach. Then the pandemic hit.
We almost didn’t go through with it.
But we trusted our story. And we opened in October 2020 - to an amazing response. Opening another seafood restaurant during uncertain times was a risk, but it proved that genuine, approachable seafood restaurants always find their people. You showed up. You cracked. You laughed. And once again, you reminded us why we do this.
As the beach evolved into more of a party scene, so did we — and Surf Club was born on NYE 2021. That’s been our Aprons way since day one: stay true to who you are, but roll with the tide.
Palm Jumeirah (Shoreline 10): Coming Home Again
In 2024, we opened a new Beach House next to Vista Mare.
It wasn’t easy - construction delays, a hot summer launch, slow footfall at first.
But just like The Dhow days, word spread.
And now, this new restaurant in Palm Jumeirah is becoming a favorite - the place where families return, friends reconnect, and seafood meets sea breeze all over again.
What’s Always Stayed the Same
No matter where we are, you’ll always find:
Aprons on every guest
Hammers on every table
Buckets full of bold seafood and sauces
A team that makes you feel like part of the family
We’ve modernized the interiors, sure. But the heart? Unchanged.
We’re still here to guide your messy, joyful, delicious moments - whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth.
The Dhow’s Not Done Yet
And for those who keep asking (thank you!) - yes, the dhow is still with us.
She’s docked at Al Jadaf, waiting for the right moment to shine again.
Because that’s where this whole story started. And we’re not ready to close the book.
Our journey from dhow to dockside has always been about more than just being another seafood restaurant—it's about staying real, staying fun, and always welcoming you back.
What’s Next?
In next week’s post, I’ll take you inside what Aprons looks like today:
The magic in the kitchen. The people behind the buckets. And where we’re heading next.
Because this story?
It’s still being written.
Until then - aprons on, hammers ready… and let’s get cracking.
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