The Hangout Mall of the Emirates: Opening Dates, Activities, and Restaurants

The Hangout Mall of the Emirates is a new spot for dining and entertainment, opening in phases from October 2026 to early 2027. It will have four entertainment options: Activate, SOCO, Explorers, and a new Magic Planet, along with new restaurants and the mall’s first outdoor food and drink courtyard.

Here’s what to expect, when each part opens, and who it’s for. If you want to visit now, check our guide to things to do in Mall of the Emirates. It covers everything already open, like Ski Dubai and the cinema.

• What is The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates?
• When does The Hangout open?
• Entertainment at The Hangout
• Restaurants at The Hangout
• An indoor-outdoor courtyard
• Part of a bigger Mall of the Emirates makeover
• More things to do at Mall of the Emirates
• Living near Mall of the Emirates
• Key Takeaways
• FAQs

What is The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates?

The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates is a new precinct built for eating, playing and spending time with friends and family, rather than shopping. Majid Al Futtaim, the mall’s owner, unveiled it in October 2026 as a key part of the mall’s AED 5 billion transformation.

The idea is simple. It’s a place where you can eat, play games, and move between indoor and outdoor areas without leaving the mall. The Hangout is inside Mall of the Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road in Al Barsha 1. You can get there easily by taking the Red Line to the mall’s metro station. For help planning your trip, see our Dubai Metro timings guide.

When does The Hangout open?

The Hangout will open in phases, not all at once. Activate opens first in October 2026, and the other venues will follow in 2027.

Entertainment at The Hangout

This is the biggest new entertainment addition to Mall of the Emirates in years. There are four options for different ages and interests.

Activate

At Activate, you are the player. You and your friends can jump, climb, solve puzzles, and compete in 12 game rooms that light up and react to your moves in real time. There are over 50 challenges to try. When you finish, you can take photos in a special photo room.

Activate Mall of the Emirates is open to players aged six and above. It’s not the brand’s first UAE venue: Activate first opened at City Centre Mirdif.

SOCO

SOCO is a social entertainment spot for nights out with friends or family. It covers 2,700 square metres and offers bowling, simulators, AR darts, karaoke, private VIP party rooms, and dining all in one place.

SOCO Mall of the Emirates is scheduled to open in the final quarter of 2026.

Explorers

Explorers is an edutainment space for kids up to 12 years old. It has three play zones in a 2,500 square metre area, with net climbs, STEM water play, and hands-on workshops in cooking, woodworking, and arts.

Explorers Mall of the Emirates is due in the first quarter of 2027. Like Activate, the concept made its debut at City Centre Mirdif.

Magic Planet

Magic Planet is being updated as part of The Hangout. The new family entertainment centre will combine old favourites with new experiences and is set to open in 2027. For now, you can check our Magic Planet guide to see what’s available today.

Restaurants at The Hangout

The Hangout will have more than a dozen new places to eat, from sit-down restaurants to quick kiosks, with food from Indian, Levantine, and Pan-Asian cuisines. So far, the announced brands include:

• Fatt Pundit, a popular London restaurant brand
• Crunch Sandwich [Up]Rising, a sandwich brand from London
• Apollo
• Asma, an Arabian restaurant
• Junk Smash Burger
• Crystal Jade Noodle Bar
• Feels, a home-grown UAE brand

More restaurant names will be announced as opening gets closer. For now, you can check our list of Mall of the Emirates restaurants to find places you can visit today.

An indoor-outdoor courtyard

One of the biggest changes is outside. The Hangout will have the mall’s first outdoor food and drink courtyard, which opens during Dubai’s cooler months. Movable walls connect it to the indoor area, so both spaces can be used together when the weather is nice.

A new climate-controlled outdoor walkway will connect The Hangout to the New Covent Garden Theatre and Fashion Dome.

Part of a bigger Mall of the Emirates makeover

The Hangout is part of a larger AED 5 billion upgrade to Mall of the Emirates. Other plans include a luxury wellness club, new dining areas, a new theatre, better accessibility, easier ways to get around, and barrier-free parking.

To learn more about the mall today, including shops, hotels, parking, and transport, check our full Mall of the Emirates guide.

More things to do at Mall of the Emirates

Even though The Hangout is opening in phases, there’s already plenty to do at the mall. You can ski at Ski Dubai, watch a movie, go bowling, or see a show at New Covent Garden Theatre.

Our full guide to things to do in Mall of the Emirates includes opening hours, floor locations, and tips to help you get the most out of your visit.

Living near Mall of the Emirates

If you like the idea of having Ski Dubai, a metro station, and The Hangout nearby, consider Al Barsha. This community surrounds Mall of the Emirates and offers a mix of apartments, villas, and good road connections along Sheikh Zayed Road.

You can browse apartments for rent in Al Barsha 1 or apartments for sale in Al Barsha on Property Finder. Check our Al Barsha area guide to see what daily life is like there.

Key Takeaways

• The Hangout at Mall of the Emirates is a new indoor and outdoor dining and entertainment area, opening in stages from October 2026 to early 2027.
• Activate will open first in October 2026 for ages six and up. SOCO will follow in late 2026, then Explorers in early 2027, and the new Magic Planet later that year.
• Some of the new restaurants are Fatt Pundit, Crunch Sandwich [Up]Rising, Apollo, Asma, Junk Smash Burger, Crystal Jade Noodle Bar, and Feels.
• The mall will open its first outdoor food and drink courtyard during the cooler months.
• All of this is part of a AED 5 billion transformation at Mall of the Emirates.

FAQs

Share