Kuwait is dry — alcohol is illegal — so "bars and cafes" here means exactly that: cafés, shisha lounges, and late-night restaurants, not pubs or clubs. Salmiya has the liveliest evening scene in the country, concentrated along Marina Crescent and Salem Al-Mubarak Street. Families stroll the waterfront, groups of friends sit out with coffee and shisha, and the atmosphere is relaxed and social rather than raucous. Most cafés and restaurants close around midnight or 1 AM. The Marina Crescent restaurants on the waterfront are the most atmospheric option, especially in cooler months.