Murder mysteries
Thursday murder mystery evenings turn dinner into an interactive crime-solving show with performers, clues and audience participation.
Flashback - Speakeasy Bar & Lounge, Paramount Hotel Dubai
Business Bay
Flashback is a compact speakeasy-style bar and lounge inside Paramount Hotel Dubai in Business Bay, built around cocktails, small bites and live singing. Its biggest draw is the interactive murder mystery evenings, where performers and guests work through clues over drinks and food.
Reputation Score
4.4
★★★★☆
124 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Live singers
Reviews repeatedly highlight talented singers, including performances where artists walk between tables, take requests and engage directly with guests.
Craft cocktails
Cocktails are a strong point, with guests praising the selection and individual drinks such as the Gatsby and espresso martini.
Vintage setting
The small hidden-bar layout and 1920s theme create an intimate, distinctive setting for a night out.
Celebration help
A birthday organiser said the team helped arrange the best table and a cake, while another anniversary visit included a cake and microphone shoutout.
Attentive staff
Several visitors describe the staff as polite, friendly and helpful, particularly during drink selection and group celebrations.
What to Eat at Flashback - Speakeasy Bar & Lounge, Paramount Hotel Dubai How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Flashback - Speakeasy Bar & Lounge, Paramount Hotel Dubai, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
These items at Flashback - Speakeasy Bar & Lounge, Paramount Hotel Dubai got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 2
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Gatsby Net +1
“Christian who is staff working in this bar , is great and very kind and nice and helpful and very respectful and was assisting me in choosing the best drinks , he made for me Signature cocktail called gatsby , and it’s very delicious and awesome drink , I never had such drink in my life ,”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Christian who is staff working in this bar , is great and very kind and nice and helpful and very respectful and was assisting me in choosing the best drinks , he made for me Signature cocktail called gatsby , and it’s very delicious and awesome drink , I never had such drink in my life ,”June 2024
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Set menu Net +1
“Loved the burlesque murder mystery on Thursdays. Amazing performances by all the singers, great vibe, lovely setup and an excellent set menu, delicious food and cocktails.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Loved the burlesque murder mystery on Thursdays. Amazing performances by all the singers, great vibe, lovely setup and an excellent set menu, delicious food and cocktails.”February 2024
Drinks 1
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Espresso martini Net +1
“I do enjoying the atmosphere and god the LaRudche😍⭐️ show is the best I always going to watch her perform it’s art fusion and since of humerus Skitch she provide within her performance, the drink is amazing try espresso martini is amazing like the tenacity of the show ❤️❤️❤️”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I do enjoying the atmosphere and god the LaRudche😍⭐️ show is the best I always going to watch her perform it’s art fusion and since of humerus Skitch she provide within her performance, the drink is amazing try espresso martini is amazing like the tenacity of the show ❤️❤️❤️”March 2023
What to Avoid (3)
Food 2
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Manhattan Net −1
“Drinks, at 70 dizz a pop, were truly atrocious. One was so tooth achingly sweet it was undrinkable (and I will masochistically grit my teeth and down almost anything for that price), and their spin on a Manhattan was marginally better only because it actually tasted like it had alcohol in it (which we were in desperate need of by this stage).”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Drinks, at 70 dizz a pop, were truly atrocious. One was so tooth achingly sweet it was undrinkable (and I will masochistically grit my teeth and down almost anything for that price), and their spin on a Manhattan was marginally better only because it actually tasted like it had alcohol in it (which we were in desperate need of by this stage).”September 2021
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Sauvignon blanc Net −1
“Service as well ordered. What must’ve been the worst dirty martini. And Sauvignon blanc we’ve ever had. THE DIRTY MARTINI HAD BLACK OLIVEs .”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Service as well ordered. What must’ve been the worst dirty martini. And Sauvignon blanc we’ve ever had. THE DIRTY MARTINI HAD BLACK OLIVEs .”August 2021
Drinks 1
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Dirty martini Net −1
“Service as well ordered. What must’ve been the worst dirty martini. And Sauvignon blanc we’ve ever had. THE DIRTY MARTINI HAD BLACK OLIVEs .”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Service as well ordered. What must’ve been the worst dirty martini. And Sauvignon blanc we’ve ever had. THE DIRTY MARTINI HAD BLACK OLIVEs .”August 2021
Tips for a Better Visit
Check format. Ask whether the evening has a live singer or a full band; one guest arrived expecting a band and found singing instead.
Reserve ahead. Book early for weekend shows, as one group specifically reserved its table for the weekend performances.
Expect smoke. Avoid this venue if smoke is a concern, since a review describes the whole space as smoking and says clothes may smell afterward.
Clarify dinner. If you want a full meal, check the menu first: a guest was told it was dinner but found only small bar portions.
Mystery briefing. First-timers should ask how clue-hunting works, as one guest found the roaming and searching confusing at first.
Plan the visit
Practical details
57PR+HR
Business Bay, Dubai
| Mon | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Tue | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Wed | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Thu | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Fri | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Sat | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Sun | 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Small space
The venue is compact, with crowded seating and loud music that can make conversation difficult.
Smoking venue
One review describes the entire venue as a smoking space and warns that clothes may retain the smell.
Small portions
Food is generally described as finger food or small bar portions rather than a full dinner, despite some positive comments on taste.
Limited vegetarian
Vegetarian choices were reported as narrow, leaving one diner with fries, cheese cubes and edamame as snacks.
Service confusion
One table was approached by several waiters taking the same order, creating confusion that required checking the final bill.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Flashback is a small, 1920s-themed speakeasy bar inside Paramount Hotel Dubai in Business Bay. People come for cocktails and live singing, but the standout booking is the murder mystery night, where actors, singers and guests follow clues while eating and drinking. Thursday shows are repeatedly described as entertaining and immersive, with performers sometimes moving around the tables and interacting with the audience.
The cocktail programme gets better feedback than the food. Guests have singled out the Gatsby and espresso martini, while some also praised the careful use of large clear ice. Food can be tasty, and one murder-mystery review enjoyed its set menu, but other visitors found the portions closer to finger food than a full dinner.
Vegetarian choice has also been criticised; one diner was left with sweet potatoes, a small Caesar salad, fries, cheese cubes and edamame. This is an intimate, lively room rather than a quiet conversation bar. Music can be loud, seating is close together, and one review says the entire venue is smoking.
Service is often described as polite and attentive, though order-taking became confusing for one table. Check whether your booking includes a singer or a full band, clarify the food format, and reserve ahead for weekend shows.