Westerners in Riyadh will indeed not be able to mix with the opposite sex in any late night public venue and will also not find any alcoholic beverages anywhere in the city. To bring your own alcohol into the country, whether you are Saudi Arabian or not, is considered a serious, legal offence that will result in severe punishment.

The best visitors can hope for are cafes where the clientele will typically drink coffee and sometimes tea which will usually feature large groups of men sitting around chatting. Women will rarely venture out late at night as they will be expected to be at home.