THE APRONS AND HAMMERS DHOW DIARIES - Part 8

Aprons & Hammers
May 29
3 min read

Thank You for Being Part of Our Story

When I look back over the past 14 years - from a spontaneous conversation at DIMC about a wooden dhow to a homegrown seafood brand loved across Dubai - I feel a mix of deep gratitude and quiet pride.

What started as a floating crab shack has grown into something so much more:

- Two beloved beachside locations—our buzzing JBR venue venue with views of Ain Dubai, and our laid-back Palm Jumeirah, spot right on the shoreline, both serving up the bold flavours and signature seafood buckets you love.

Aprons and Hammers at JBR Beach

Aprons and Hammers Beach House at Palm Jumeirah

- A fast, fun mall concept with Wicked Crab by Aprons at Dubai Hills Mall

Crack Into Fast, Fun Seafood at Wicked Crab by Aprons and Hammers at Dubai Hills Mall

- An extraordinary team who feels more like family

- A fiercely loyal guest community

- And over 15 major awards for Best Seafood Restaurant in Dubai

- And truly - none of it would have been possible without you.

From The Dhow to Today: What a Ride

Back in 2011, when we opened Aprons and Hammers on The Dhow, docked at Dubai International Marine Club, we had one simple goal: Create a place where people could gather, eat well, and have fun.

We weren’t chasing Instagram likes or restaurant rankings - we were just asking ourselves: How do we move away from stiff fine dining? How do we make people happy at the table?

But something special happened. You came. You stayed. You came back.

And in that same year, we won our first award: What’s On Dubai’s Best Seafood Restaurant. That moment changed everything.

Since then, we’ve been honoured more than 15 times among Dubai’s top seafood restaurants for our food, concept, and service. But the greatest reward? Seeing guests return, generation after generation - apron on, hammer ready.

Awarded for Seafood and Service - A Dubai Favorite for Generations

We’ve Seen Highs. We’ve Weathered Challenges.

This journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. We’ve had incredible highs - and moments that tested our resilience:

- The closure of The Dhow in 2018

- Saying goodbye to La Mer, a location we loved deeply

- Opening West Beach in 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic

- Launching Shoreline 10 during peak summer heat

- And dreaming of restoring The Dhow, now patiently waiting in dry dock at Al Jadaf

But no matter what the tide brought in, one thing never changed: Our commitment to bringing people together over generous portions, bold flavours, and joyful mess; staying true to our promise of standing out among Dubai’s best seafood restaurants.

Messy Delicious Seafood

And You - Our Guests. Our Community. Our Story.

You’ve cracked the crabs.

You’ve booked birthdays, toasted anniversaries, brought visiting friends and family - and made this experience your own.

Fun Dining at Aprons and Hammers

You’ve been there through it all - from wooden dhow evenings to seafood buckets under the stars at JBR and at our beloved restaurant in Palm Jumeirah.

You are part of our story.

Why We Keep Going

For us, it’s never just been about seafood. It’s about the moments seafood creates:

- First dates

- Family gatherings

- Late-night laughter

- Stories passed around the table

That’s why we’re still here. That’s why we’ll keep showing up.