The part of DIFC nightlife I find most appealing is the in-between bit: dinner that does not feel finished when the plates leave. These five names show different ways of building that evening, from a seven-cuisine concept to a steakhouse-and-lounge partnership. This is a retrospective, not five places to reserve tonight. Closure evidence differs: 7 Elephants and Indochine have dated closure reports; Spark and Gaucho have directory closure labels; Indie’s current operation is unconfirmed.
1. 7 Elephants
7 Elephants opened in Emirates Financial Towers in 2017. What’s On’s 8 May 2018 closure report described seven cuisines and seven signature cocktails, and confirmed a permanent closure after its short run. I find that ambitious all-in-one brief the most intriguing of these concepts: a group could choose the place without everyone having to choose the same cuisine first.
That is the idea I would bring back—a venue with enough variety to solve the group decision, but still a distinct identity. It is not a claim that every dish worked, a review of the food or an invented memory of a night at the bar. The dated closure report is the reason this belongs in the history section, not in a current reservations list.
2. Indochine Dubai
Indochine brought the New York name and French-Vietnamese restaurant format to Dubai in December 2019. What’s On reported its Dubai closure on 23 October 2023, citing the venue’s announcement. That date is a published report date, not a day we independently witnessed the doors being locked.
I like the idea of a restaurant with a late-evening identity of its own. For me, a meal and the next part of the night should feel connected, not like two unrelated reservations stitched together. That is a judgment about the format, not a borrowed critic’s tasting notes or a promise that another Indochine location reproduces the Dubai room.
3. Caramel and Spark by Caramel
Caramel and Spark by Caramel are names that recur in older DIFC lounge coverage. The specific Spark Zomato record marks the venue permanently closed, as does Wanderlog. Treat those as directory records, not a dated operator closure announcement. An old menu or promotional page beside that label does not make the offer live.
What interests me is the dinner-to-lounge proposition, not an expired ladies’ night price. I would look for a current venue that can carry the group through both parts of the evening. Reusing the old name, remembered phone number or promotion is exactly how a nostalgic plan turns into a wasted journey.
4. Gaucho DIFC
Gaucho’s Argentine steakhouse format belonged to the earlier Gate Village scene. A particularly useful historical marker is The National’s 19 July 2018 report: a spokesman said the Dubai operation would remain open despite the UK business entering administration. That report does not establish the DIFC venue’s status in 2026, nor does it say the Dubai restaurant closed as part of that UK event.
HiDubai now labels its Dubai record permanently closed, while retaining old hours and other directory fields. I would not use those hours to book an evening. The steakhouse-and-bar combination appeals to me as one coherent occasion; it still needs a current, named operator before it becomes a recommendation for tonight.
5. Indie Kitchen & Lounge
Gulf News’s partnership reporting placed Indie above Gaucho, and its opening-era interview described the intended progression from an early lounge atmosphere towards a later, more musical evening. Those are historical accounts with the venue’s people—not interviews conducted by this magazine for this article.
Of the formats here, that gradual change is the one I would look for on a current night out: somewhere I can start with a conversation and let the evening build. But I have not confirmed a current Indie-controlled booking or programme source. That is an unresolved status, not proof of closure. An old recurring event page or a surviving directory listing does not settle it.
Where to go in DIFC now
For tonight, start with a current format rather than an old favourite’s name. Our DIFC restaurant guide is a separate planning resource; use DIFC’s official dining directory and the chosen operator’s own selected-date booking information to check the actual concept. A new restaurant in a familiar building can have a different entrance, menu and programme.
My shortlist question would be: “Do we want a meal that becomes a longer evening, or are we choosing dinner and a separate bar?” Then confirm the exact venue, date and inclusions. I would rather make that choice once than drag the group between buildings because an old listing looked convincing.
What I would take from these five concepts
- For an undecided group: the appeal of 7 Elephants is the breadth of its original brief. Find a current menu that genuinely serves the people coming, not just the largest menu.
- For a restaurant-led evening: Indochine’s historical format is the relevant comparison. I would make the meal the anchor and check what follows at the chosen current venue.
- For dinner into lounge time: Caramel/Spark is a historical reference, not a reusable promotion. Check the present operator’s table and entertainment arrangements.
- For steakhouse plus bar: Gaucho’s earlier Dubai story shows the format, but a global brand’s continuing existence does not confirm its former local branch.
- For a night that builds gradually: the opening-era Indie interview supplies the idea. I would not translate its old hours or programme into a current booking.
These are my comparisons of the documented concepts, not a ranking of meals I tasted. The common thread I like is continuity: one evening with a clear purpose, rather than a collection of fashionable venue names.
How to read the closure evidence
A report quoting a closure announcement is different from a directory’s status field. Equally, failure to find a current booking page does not prove a venue has closed. This distinction matters most for Indie: its operation remains unconfirmed in this review. None of the historical contacts or programmes here is supplied as a current reservation route.
Research rechecked: 20 October 2026. Published historical reporting and directory records were compared; no operator calls, venue visits or live reservations were made. The header image is illustrative, not confirmation of the present appearance or operation of any named venue.
FAQs
Is 7 Elephants still open?
What’s On reported 7 Elephants’ permanent closure on 8 May 2018. This article includes it as a historical DIFC venue, not a current reservation option.
Did Indochine Dubai close?
What’s On’s 23 October 2023 report said Indochine had announced its Dubai closure. That is the DIFC venue’s reported history, not a statement about every Indochine location elsewhere.
Is Spark by Caramel open?
The Zomato and Wanderlog records checked for Spark by Caramel mark it permanently closed. These are directory labels, not a dated operator closure announcement; do not treat surviving old menus or promotions as current availability.
Are Gaucho and Indie taking bookings in DIFC?
HiDubai labels its Gaucho Dubai record permanently closed. A current Indie-controlled booking or programme source was not established in this review, so Indie’s operation remains unconfirmed rather than proven closed. Neither is recommended here as a current booking.
