Best Hidden Speakeasies in Sharm El Sheikh You Need a Tip to Find

The Quiet Art of Finding the best speakeasies in Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh has a reputation built on resort lobbies, all inclusive buffets, and neon lit beach clubs that close by midnight. Beneath that surface, a quieter drinking culture has been growing for the better part of a decade, one that rewards people who ask the right questions in the right places. I have spent years walking the back streets of Naama Bay, Old Market, and Hadaba, and what I can tell you is that the best speakeasies in Sharm El Sheikh are not advertised on TripAdvisor. They do not have Google pins. You find them because a bartender at a regular bar leans over and tells you to walk two alleys east, or because a taxi driver who has known you for three years finally trusts you enough to drop you at an unmarked door. This guide is the result of those conversations, and every place listed here is real, visitable, and worth the effort of tracking down.

The Back Room Behind a Bookshop in Hadaba

There is a secondhand bookshop on the corner of a narrow lane just off the main Hadaba road, a few hundred meters south of the Hadaba bus station. The shop sells Arabic novels, old National Geographic magazines, and a few dusty travel guides. If you browse long enough and mention to the owner that you are looking for something stronger than tea, he will nod toward a curtain at the back. Behind it is a small room with mismatched chairs, a single shelf of spirits, and a bartender who used to work at one of the five star hotels in Naama Bay before he got tired of the corporate cocktail menus. The room seats maybe twelve people. There is no printed menu. You tell him what you like, he makes it, and the price is whatever he decides at the end of the night, usually around 150 to 200 Egyptian pounds for a well made gin and tonic. The best time to go is after nine in the evening on a weeknight, when the bookshop is quiet and the room fills slowly with locals and a handful of long term expats. Most tourists walk past this shop every day and never notice it. The one thing to know is that the room has no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan, so it gets genuinely warm by eleven o'clock in summer. Bring water.

The Fisherman's Bar Below the Jetty in Ras Mohammed Access Road

Along the road that leads toward the Ras Mohammed National Park checkpoint, there is a cluster of fishing supply shops and a small jetty where local Bedouin fishermen moor their boats. One of these shops has a staircase in the back that leads down to a basement level bar that has no sign, no website, and no social media presence. The owner is a retired fisherman from the Tarabin tribe who opened the place fifteen years ago as a spot for his crew to drink after long nights on the water. The walls are covered with old nautical maps and photographs of Sharm before the resorts existed. The drink to order here is arak mixed with cold water and ice, served in small glass tumblers, the way it has been drunk in this region for generations. A full evening of arak and a plate of grilled hammour fish will run you about 300 to 400 Egyptian pounds. Thursday nights are the busiest, when the fishermen come in after the weekly catch, and the atmosphere is loud and genuinely local. The hidden bars Sharm El Sheikh has to offer rarely get more authentic than this. One detail most visitors would not know is that the bar closes whenever the owner feels like closing, which can be as early as midnight or as late as three in the morning. There is no set schedule. You go when he is there, and you leave when he is done.

The Rooftop That Does Not Exist on El Fanar Street

El Fanar Street in the Hadaba district is known for its mosque, its spice shops, and its modest restaurants. What almost nobody talks about is the rooftop accessible through a narrow staircase behind a laundry service roughly halfway down the street. The staircase is unmarked and easy to miss unless someone points it out. At the top, you find a flat roof with plastic furniture, string lights, and a view of the Red Sea that most tourists never see because they are all looking from the other direction, toward the resorts. The man who runs this spot sells bottled beer, local wine, and a surprisingly decent rum punch made with whatever fruit is in season. Prices are low, around 80 to 120 Egyptian pounds per drink, and the crowd is a mix of Egyptian workers from the nearby hotels and a few backpackers who have been in Sharm long enough to have heard about it. The best time to visit is just after sunset, when the light over the mountains turns the water a deep copper color. This is the kind of secret bar Sharm El Sheikh keeps for people who are willing to climb stairs and sit on plastic chairs. The drawback is that the rooftop has no railing on one side, so if you have had too much to drink, you need to be careful near the edge. There is also no bathroom up there, which becomes a real problem after the third round.

The Dive Bar Inside a Dive Shop in Naama Bay

Naama Bay is the tourist heart of Sharm El Sheikh, and most of its bars are loud, overpriced, and designed for resort guests who want a cocktail with an umbrella in it. But on a side street just off the main promenade, there is a scuba diving shop that has been operating since the early 1990s. The shop is still functional, still takes bookings, and still has dive equipment hanging on the walls. In the back, past the wetsuit racks, there is a small bar with a single tap, a cooler full of Stella and Heineken, and a chalkboard with the day's specials written in Arabic. The owner is a Bedouin diver who has logged more dives in the Straits of Tiran than most people have had hot meals. He opens the bar around six in the evening and closes whenever the last person leaves. A cold beer costs about 60 to 90 Egyptian pounds, and if you are lucky, he will tell you stories about diving the Thistlegorm wreck before it became a tourist attraction. The underground bar Sharm El Sheikh scene owes a lot to people like him, who never intended to run a bar but ended up creating one because the community needed it. The one thing to watch out for is that the shop closes for dive bookings during the day, so you cannot just walk in at two in the afternoon and expect to find the bar open. Evening only, and even then, only when the owner is in the mood.

The Garden Bar Behind a Carpet Shop in Old Market

Old Market, or El Souk, is the oldest commercial area in Sharm El Sheikh, and it has been a trading hub since long before the first hotel was built. The carpet shops here are famous, and most tourists wander through them looking for souvenirs. One of these shops, located on the eastern edge of the market near the mosque, has a garden behind it that most customers never see. The garden is shaded by a large fig tree, and there are low cushions arranged around a central table. The shop owner serves tea by default, but if you are a repeat visitor or if someone vouches for you, he will bring out a bottle of Egyptian brandy or a local date wine. This is not a bar in any formal sense. There is no license, no menu, and no posted prices. You sit, you drink, you pay what feels fair, and you leave. I have paid anywhere from 100 to 250 Egyptian pounds depending on how long I stayed and how much was consumed. The best time to visit is late afternoon, between four and six, when the market is winding down and the heat has started to ease. The hidden bars Sharm El Sheikh offers in its older districts are often like this, more like a hospitality ritual than a business. One detail that most tourists would not know is that the garden is also used for family gatherings on Fridays, so if you show up on a Friday afternoon, you might find it occupied and the owner unavailable. Go on a weekday.

The Beach Shack Bar South of Nabq

The Nabq area, north of the main Sharm El Sheikh resort zone, is quieter and less developed. The beaches here are mostly used by locals and by a small community of kite surfers who have set up along the coast. About two kilometers south of the main Nabq village, there is a cluster of wooden beach shacks that serve grilled fish and cold drinks. One of these shacks has a back room with a few tables, a sound system, and a collection of spirits that the owner keeps under the counter. The room is not advertised. You find it by sitting at the front, ordering food, and asking the waiter if there is somewhere quieter to sit. If the owner trusts you, or if it is a slow night, he will show you the back. The drink to order is a local gin mixed with tonic and a squeeze of lime, served in a plastic cup because that is all he has. A full evening of food and drinks will cost around 200 to 350 Egyptian pounds. The best time to go is on a Saturday night, when the kite surfers come in after a long day on the water and the atmosphere is relaxed and social. This is the kind of place that reminds you Sharm El Sheikh was a fishing village before it was a resort town. The one complaint I have is that the sound system is old and the bass distorts at higher volumes, so if you are looking for a place to have a conversation, go early before the music gets loud.

The Apartment Bar in Peace Road, Hadaba

Peace Road in Hadaba is a residential street lined with apartment blocks, small grocery stores, and the occasional pharmacy. It looks like any other residential street in Sharm El Sheikh. But in one of these buildings, on the third floor, there is an apartment that has been converted into a private bar by a long term British expat who has lived in Sharm for over twenty years. The apartment has a balcony overlooking the street, a small kitchen where he prepares snacks, and a living room with a sofa, two armchairs, and a shelf full of imported whiskeys and rums. You cannot find this place on any map. You get the address from someone who has been there, and you call ahead to confirm he is hosting that night. The cover charge is around 200 Egyptian pounds per person, which includes one drink, and additional drinks are priced at roughly 100 to 150 Egyptian pounds each. The best night to visit is Wednesday, when he tends to have the most guests and the conversation flows freely. The secret bar Sharm El Sheikh keeps in its residential neighborhoods is often the most personal, and this is a perfect example. He knows every regular by name, and if you are new, he will ask you how you heard about the place before he lets you in. The one thing to be aware of is that the apartment is on the third floor and there is no elevator, so if you have mobility issues, this is not the spot for you.

The Night Market Stall That Serves More Than Koshari

Every Thursday and Sunday evening, a small night market sets up along the road between Hadaba and the main Naama Bay strip. Most of the stalls sell food, clothing, and household goods. But one stall, positioned near the far end of the market, serves koshari and ful medames during the day and, after about ten in the evening, starts selling beer and arak to the market workers and late night shoppers. The transition is seamless. The same pots that held lentils during the day are pushed aside, and bottles appear on the counter. A small cup of arak costs around 30 to 50 Egyptian pounds, and a bottle of Stella is about 70. There are no chairs. Everyone stands. The crowd is entirely local, and the atmosphere is the closest thing to a street level drinking culture that Sharm El Sheikh has. The best time to go is around eleven at night, when the market is at its peak and the energy is high. This is not a speakeasy in the traditional sense, but it captures the same spirit, a place that transforms after hours and serves a community that most tourists never see. The underground bar Sharm El Sheikh culture is often this informal, this temporary, and this real. One practical note: the market is crowded and pickpockets are active, so keep your wallet in your front pocket and do not carry more cash than you need.

When to Go and What to Know

The hidden bar scene in Sharm El Sheikh operates on its own clock. Most of these places do not open before late afternoon, and the busiest nights are Thursday and Saturday, which are the Egyptian weekend. If you go on a Sunday or Monday, you may find some spots closed entirely. Cash is essential. None of the places listed here accept cards, and many do not have change for large bills, so carry small denominations of Egyptian pounds. Tipping is appreciated but not expected at the more informal spots, and rounding up by 20 to 30 pounds is standard. Dress casually. These are not resort bars, and showing up in formal wear will make you stand out in the wrong way. Finally, and this is the most important thing, respect the unspoken rule of these places. They exist because the people who run them choose to keep them quiet. Do not post their exact locations on social media. Do not bring large groups without asking first. And if someone tells you about a place, treat that information as a gift, not content.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Sharm El Sheikh is famous for?

Arak is the traditional spirit of the Sinai region, a clear anise flavored drink that turns milky white when mixed with water. It is typically served cold with ice and paired with grilled fish or mezze plates. In Sharm El Sheikh, a small glass of arak at a local spot costs between 30 and 80 Egyptian pounds depending on the venue. Date wine, made from locally grown dates, is another regional specialty worth trying, though it is harder to find outside of informal or private settings.

How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Sharm El Sheikh?

Vegetarian options are widely available in Sharm El Sheikh, particularly in the Old Market and Hadaba areas, where Egyptian staples like koshari, ful medames, and falafel are sold at most food stalls for 20 to 60 Egyptian pounds. Fully vegan options are more limited and are mostly found in a handful of dedicated restaurants in Naama Bay and Hadaba, usually catering to the expat and backpacker community. Most local hidden bars and informal drinking spots serve simple snacks like nuts, olives, and bread, which are naturally plant based.

Is Sharm El Sheikh expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.

A mid-tier traveler in Sharm El Sheikh should budget approximately 1,500 to 2,500 Egyptian pounds per day, which covers a mid-range hotel room (600 to 1,000 pounds), two meals at local restaurants (200 to 400 pounds), transportation by taxi or minibus (100 to 200 pounds), and drinks at local bars (200 to 400 pounds). Resort area dining and hotel bars can push this figure significantly higher, with a single cocktail at a five star hotel costing 250 to 500 Egyptian pounds. Sticking to local spots in Hadaba and Old Market keeps costs manageable.

Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Sharm El Sheikh?

Sharm El Sheikh is more relaxed than mainland Egypt, but visitors should still dress modestly when walking through local neighborhoods like Old Market and Hadaba. Covering shoulders and knees is appreciated, especially near mosques and residential areas. At hidden bars and informal drinking spots, casual clothing is fine, but avoid overly revealing resort wear. It is also considered polite to greet the owner or bartender when entering a small local establishment, and accepting an offered cup of tea, even if you do not finish it, is a sign of respect.

Is the tap water in Sharm El Sheikh safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?

Tap water in Sharm El Sheikh is desalinated and technically treated, but it is not recommended for drinking by visitors. Most locals and long term residents rely on bottled water or filtered water dispensers, which are available at grocery stores throughout the city for approximately 5 to 10 Egyptian pounds per large bottle. Many hotels and restaurants use filtered water for cooking and ice, but it is always reasonable to ask. Carrying a reusable bottle and refilling it at filtered water stations is the most practical and economical approach.