Built around the Mall of the Emirates in the late 1990s and 2000s. Mid-range apartments and villas, good highway access, diverse nationalities — one of the more balanced residential areas in terms of income mix, not as aspirational as the Marina nor as budget-driven as International City, with good schools and hospitals nearby.

Al Barsha South has denser, newer apartment clusters popular with young professionals. The metro runs through it. The junction where Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road meets the interchange for Barsha South is Dubai's most reliable traffic disappointment at any time of day.