In J. G. Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf (1908), Sanabis is said to be inhabited by 1500 Baharna who primarily engage in boat-building, pearling and fishing. According to his report, the village had a "prettily situated" mosque located in the centre of the village. At the time, there were an estimated 900 date palm trees, 16 donkeys, 10 cattle, and 30 pearling boats belonging to Sanabis.[3]
Sanabis is traditionally seen as a commercial centre alongside Seef and the Central Business District, this is evident due to the presence of multiple skyscrapers and malls.[4] Native villagers from Sanabis are noted to have had a distinct accent.[5]
The village, along with other villages in the country, is also the site for Muharram processions on the annual Day of Ashura and Arbaeen festivals respectively.
An illegal demonstration calling for a boycott of the controversial 2022 Bahraini general election was held in Sanabis on October 18 of that year.[6]
