The ultimate guide to the best burgers in Dubai

What’s On has a guide to best burgers in Dubai. We review nearly 50 burgers in Dubai, including some of the best restaurants in Dubai.

Yes, the presence of burgers in Dubai is getting a little overbearing and, yes, we’ve seen just about every permutation of them by this point. But this does nothing to tarnish their inherent deliciousness. From the gourmet to the greasy, ‘lettuce’ be your guide to Dubai’s finest patties.

GOURMET BURGERS
Think burgers are just a greasy fast food snack? Not these posh patties 

Seagrill On 25
RATING: * * * * ½
COST: Dhs150
This big, grease-free Wagyu patty is a divine bite with the perfect flavour-to-juiciness ratio, made all the more delicious thanks to a wedge of halloumi and roasted peppers. Be warned: you have to do a little bit of work to get a mouthful, but it’s oh so worth it.
Toppings: Basil, oregano, halloumi cheese, roasted eggplant and peppers, grilled onion.
Structural integrity: Starts off solid but you’ll need to use cutlery halfway through.

Fairmont The Palm, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily noon to midnight. Tel: (04) 4573457. Taxi: Fairmont The Palm. fairmont.com/palm-dubai

The Rivington Grill
RATING: * * * *½
COST: Dhs120
It’s no secret that Rivi’s burger is considered one of the best in town. No mix and match toppings. No extreme sauces. It’s just high-quality aged beef covered in cheese.
Toppings: Pickles, applewood smoked cheddar, Caprice club sauce.
Structural integrity: The lightly toasted bun is neither too fluffy to dominate, nor so thin that it falls apart.

Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, Sat to Wed noon to 11pm, Thur and Fri noon to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 3666464. Taxi: Souk Madinat. rivingtongrill.ae

The Rib Room
RATING: * * * *½
COST: Dhs118
Who needs excess toppings to confuse your taste buds when the patty is of such high quality? The hunk of meat at The Rib Room is by far the main attraction here, and combining these with a dollop of melted cheese results in one of the finest burgers in town.
Toppings: Homemade relish.
Structural integrity: Not the best. But, if the burger is this good, who cares?

Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 6pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3665866. Metro: Emirates Towers. jumeirah.com

Reform Social & Grill
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs75
No doubt about it, the burger here is a thing of beauty. The meat is thick and tasty, the bun is lightly toasted, the layers of lettuce were crunchy and the wedge of melted cheese brought the preparation into the realm of near-perfection.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, red onions.
Structural integrity: We struggled to keep hold of all the contents.

The Lakes, Dubai, daily 8am to midnight. Tel: (04) 4542638. Taxi: The Lakes Club. reformsocialgrill.ae

The Scene
RATING: * * * *½
COST: Dhs99
There’s a good amount of fat in the ground chuck steak, which is crucial for keeping the patty moist. It’s smoky and meaty in equal measure and the brioche bun adds a good sweet touch.
Toppings: Cheddar cheese, pickle, burger sauce.
Structural integrity: A cocktail stick holds the burger together. Remove it and it starts to wobble.

Pier 7, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 4222328. Metro: Dubai Marina. thescenedubai.com

Café Belge
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs115
This is a posh burger, made from Wagyu beef and, boy, does the quality shine through. There were good levels of juice in the meat which, coupled with Belgian mayonnaise, made for a succulent burger. The sesame seed bun, which was beautifully toasted, had a lovely crunch.
Toppings: Tomato confit, Passendale cheese, Belgian mayonnaise.
Structural integrity: A robustly built burger, but the mayo can be runny, so watch out for your trousers

The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, daily noon to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to 11pm (bar 6pm to 2am). Tel: (04) 3722323. Metro: Financial Centre. ritzcarlton.com

Seafire Steakhouse
RATING: * * * * *
COST: Dhs98
The beef was well seasoned and had a gorgeous flame-cooked flavour. Nestled in a toasted brioche, it was soul satisfying.
Toppings: Tomato, cucumber, relish, cheese, Dijon mustard.
Structural integrity: The bun kept the contents in place.

Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, daily 6pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 4262626. Taxi: Atlantis, The Palm. atlantisthepalm.com

Jones The Grocer
RATING: * * * *½
COST: Dhs79
Competing with UBK as the prettiest burger in town, Jones’ Wagyu burger was juicy and packed with flavour and came housed in a rich seeded brioche.
Toppings: Lettuce, cheese, bacon, caramelised onion, sauce.
Structural integrity: Despite its size, it didn’t break apart.

Al Manara Street, Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite Times Square, Dubai, daily 8am to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 3466886. Metro: Noor Islamic Bank. jonesthegrocer.com

Gourmet Burger Kitchen
RATING: * *
COST: Dhs37
The burger is juicy enough, but lacked that charcoal taste and the bun was far too big.
Toppings: A sprinkling of salad.
Structural integrity: Good.

Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 10am to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 3997705. Metro: Dubai Marina. gourmetgulf.com

Urban Bistro
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs68
A range of toppings created a balanced mouthful. But the wholewheat bun divided opinion.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese, BBQ sauce.
Structural integrity: Stayed impressively intact.

CNN Building, Dubai Media City, Dubai, Sun to Thur 7am to 6pm, Fri and Sat 8am to 5pm. Tel: (04) 3624330. Metro: Nakheel. urbanbistro.ae

Q43
RATING: * * * ½
COST: Dhs89
>A tasty Wagyu patty, topped with paprika-spiced onions. If only it came with more cheese.
Toppings: Paprika-spiced onions, roasted red peppers, melted Hungarian cheese.
Structural integrity: Retained its form without breaking apart.

Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, Dubai, Sun to Thur 11am to 3am, Fri and Sat 2pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 4435403. Metro: Nakheel. q43dubai.com

AMERICAN IMPORTS
While the burger may have taken its name from the German city of Hamburg, it’s the Yanks who have elevated this humble sandwich

Ketchup
RATING: *½
COST: Dhs45
Talk about the black sheep of all the burgers: This black sesame bun with its purple centre was rather alien like and the same applied for the taste. Ingredients included cabbage and homemade burger sauce, and it was more strange than satisfying.
Toppings: Cabbage, tomato, cheese, burger sauce.
Structural integrity: Juices a flowing, but firmly held together.

Boulevard Plaza, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Blvd, daily 10am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3638595. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. ketchup.ae

Burger Joint
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs38
The cheeseburger was a glorious combination of fluffy bap and juicy beef (both imported from America), mustard, ketchup, lettuce and tomato. You need a jaw as flexible as an anaconda’s to tackle this beast of a burger so don’t even try to eat it elegantly.
Toppings: Mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, cheese.
Structural integrity: Napkins at the ready.

City Walk, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, Sun to Wed 10am to midnight, Thur to Sat 10am to 2am Tel: (04) 3444459. Taxi: City Walk. facebook.com/burgerjointnyuae

Shake Shack
RATING: * * * * *
COST: Dhs25
Shake Shack brings one of the finest examples of truly American food available in Dubai. Juicy beef is topped with bright American cheese, nestled in a steaming potato roll. Unlike many chain restaurants their burgers are fresh and lively.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato and secret Shack Sauce.
Structural integrity: Stays together nicely, allowing you to tuck in with minimum mess.

Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, daily 10am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3475513. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. shakeshack.com

SoHo Grill
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs55
If you like your meat sweet, SoHo Grill is the one for you. The barbecue sauce complemented the Angus patty, and the lovely seeded bun offered a nice, crunchy texture.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion and barbecue glaze.
Structural integrity: Good ooze factor, which was mopped up expertly by the bun.

Wasl Vista, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, daily 7am to midnight. Tel (04) 3438775. Metro: Trade Centre. sohogrill.ae

Johnny Rockets
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs37
Maybe it’s the slightly charred edges or the sweet and salty bun – but this is burger heaven.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato.
Structural integrity: Press down hard and you’ll be OK.

Marina Walk, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Sat to Wed noon to 12.30pm, Thur and Fri noon to 1am. Tel: (04) 3682339. Metro: Dubai Marina. johnnyrockets.com

The Burger Joint
RATING: * *½
COST: Dhs37
Despite being made with Wagyu beef, we struggled to tell the difference between this and a Big Mac. Too much sauce, stringy lettuce and too thin.
Toppings: Cheddar cheese
Structural integrity: Soggy.

Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Sat to Wed 11am to 10pm, Thur and Fri 11am to 11pm. Tel: (04)4262626). Taxi: Atlantis. atlantisthepalm.com

Fatburger
RATING: * * * ½
COST: Dhs32
A crispy onion ring sat on a juicy patty. A splash more of that barbecue sauce would have made this burger a winner.
Toppings: Lettuce, onion ring, tomato, beef bacon, BBQ sauce, cheese.
Structural integrity: A solid one hander.

Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, Sun to Thur 10am to midnight, Fri and Sat 10am to 2am. Tel: (04) 3398493. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. fatburgeruae.com

Mooyah
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs37
Don’t be fooled by its fast-food appearance – this burger tastes better that it looks. The slightly sweet bun offset a salty patty.
Toppings: Lettuce, cheese, pickles, mayonnaise.
Structural integrity: Solid.

Al Wasl Square, Dubai, Sun to Wed 11am to midnight, Thur to Sat 11am to 1am. Tel (800) 666924. Taxi: Wasl Square. mooyah.ae

BATTLE OF BEACH ROAD
With so many burger joints on Jumeirah Beach Road, perhaps they should rename it Meat Mile

Cali Burger
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs19
 It’s lean grass-fed beef, the bun is shiny and soft. A nice option for the growing clan of health-conscious diners, as it boasts zero trans-fat oils.
Toppings: Plump tomatoes, lettuce and homemade sauce.
Structural integrity: It needs a firm hand to keep it together.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, daily noon to midnight. Tel: (04) 4416931. Taxi: Next to First Gulf bank. caliburgerintl.com

Elevation
RATING: * * *
COST: Dhs25
Two organic, grass-fed, free-range beef patties ticked the boxes, but not that memorable.
Toppings: Caramelised onions, cheese, lettuce.
Structural integrity: Strong enough to eat with one hand.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, daily 11am to 5am. Tel: (04) 3387055. Taxi: Crossroads of Umm Al Sheif. elevationburger.com

Fuddruckers
RATING: * *½
COST: Dhs37
The premium beef patty didn’t have much taste but a dose of double cheese helped bring it to life. The soft burger bun was easy on the teeth but a little bland.
Toppings: Onions, lettuce, tomato and cheese.
Structural integrity: Eat fast before it turns to mush.

Spinneys Mall, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, Sun to Wed 8am to 1am, Thur and Fri 8am to 2am. Tel: (04) 3854144. Taxi: Next to Jumeirah Centre. fuddruckers.com

Moylos
RATING: * *
COST: Dhs36
With its hipster décor and sauce bottles that hang from the ceiling, Moylos looks the part. Sadly its dry burgers and sweet jelly-like relish didn’t work. Points for kookiness and its brioche-like bun.
Toppings: Lots of cheese.
Structural integrity: The bun didn’t fall apart.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 3, Dubai, daily noon to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 38831240. Taxi: Next to Sunset Mall. facebook.com/moylosburgers

Max Burger
RATING: * * *
COST: Dhs22
This huge burger from the Swedish folk at Maz retained its juiciness despite its thickness, meaning there was plenty of finger licking involved. Tasty glazed buns – with a sweet coconut flavour – gave it an unusual kick.
Toppings: Cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, dressing.
Structural integrity: Ended up being a bit of a cheesy mess, but that was okay with us.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 3, Dubai, Sat to Tues 11am to midnight, Wed to Fri 11am to 4am. Tel: (04) 3881899. Taxi: Next to Sunset Mall. maxarabia.com

Burger Fuel
RATING: * * * * *
COST: Dhs32
There’s nothing frou-frou about this one, just pure New Zealand ground beef, melted cheddar, and fresh aioli that we just can’t get enough of. It’s a very juicy burger with funk, freshness, and great flavour. We love the fact that Burger Fuel even has its own app so you can order your meal on the go.
Toppings: Pickles, mustard, cheese and aioli.
Structural integrity: Don’t even worry about it. These burgers come with their very own cardboard burger holder, known as a doofer. Genius.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Al Safa 2, Dubai daily 11am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3386924. Taxi: Opposite Saga World. burgerfueluae.com

PUB AND CAFE BURGERS
Get your hands dirty with these beauties

Nelson’s
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs78
The chargrilled beef was chunky, tender and the cheese gave this beast a much-needed tang.
Toppings:  Lettuce, pickles, onion, tomato, cheese.
Structural integrity:  Keep it on the plate or it will separate

Media Rotana, Tecom, Dubai, daily noon to 3am. Tel: (04) 4350000. Taxi: Media Rotana. rotana.com

Irish Village
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs60
This patty was thick and the sautéed onions brought out its flavours. While the classic floury bap was fresh it was too big.
Toppings: Mixed leaves, cheese, tomato, mayo.
Structural integrity: With cheese oozing out it got sloppy, but in a good way.

Al Garhoud, Dubai, Sat to Wed 11am to 1am, Thur and Fri 11am to 2am. Tel: (04) 2395000. Metro: GGICO. theirishvillage.com

Dhow And Anchor
RATING: * * * * *
COST: Dhs130
If you’re a fan of strong flavours, this is one big cheesy punch to the face alongside a prime juicy slab of meat.
Toppings: Onion marmalade, cheese, mustard sauce, relish.
Structural integrity: Good.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah, Dubai, daily noon to midnight. Tel: (04) 366 5866. Taxi: Jumeirah Beach Hotel. jumeirah.com

McGettigan’s
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs60
The juicy double patty oozed flavour and its dressing added a bit of zip. Nice, crisp salad too.
Toppings: Cheese, salad.
Structural integrity: Ask for some cutlery.

Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Cluster D, Dubai, daily noon to 3am. Tel: (04) 3560560. Metro: JLT. mcgettigansdubai.com

Fibber Magees
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs42
This mighty cheeseburger is a 200g-monster of prime beef. It’s unpretentious pub grub at its best.
Toppings: Cheddar cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce, pickle.
Structural integrity: If you can handle this without half of it falling on your lap, well done.

Behind Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 8am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3322400. Metro: Emirates Towers. fibbersdubai.com

Barasti
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs92
It wouldn’t have been unreasonable to attack this mountain of meat with a knife and fork.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese.
Structural integrity: Held up thanks to a large, firm bun.

Le Méridien Mina Seyahi, Dubai Marina, Sat to Wed 11am to 1.30am, Thur and Fri 11am to 3am. Tel: (04) 3993333. Taxi: Le Méridien Mina Seyahi. barastibeach.com

Belgian Beer Café
RATING: * * *
COST: Dhs85
This generously sized patty was packed with flavour. It combined with pickles, cheese, lettuce, and tomato for a seriously good bite. The mayo and caramelised onions made it a fine gooey muddle
Toppings: Mayo, onions, cheese lettuce, pickles.
Structural integrity: A kind of beautiful mess.

Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, Sat to Wed noon to 2am, Thur and Fri noon to 3am. Tel: (04) 4470227. Taxi: Souk Madinat. belgianbeercafe.com

UBK
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs75
Winner of the beauty contest, this pretty burger is served with a generous portion of beef, sandwiched in a seeded bun.
Toppings: Greens, mushrooms, veal bacon.
Structural integrity: Verging on the messy side.

Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Cluster A, Sun to Thur noon until late, Fri and Sat 9.30am until late. Tel: (04) 4380000. facebook.com/ubkdubai

The Huddle
RATING: * *
COST: Dhs55
This is a typical pub burger that came with a huge lettuce leaf to offset the grease.
Toppings: Onion, cheese, lettuce, beef bacon, fried egg.
Structural integrity: Crumbly.

Citymax Hotel, Al Barsha, Dubai, Sun to Sat noon to 3am. Tel: (04) 4098000. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. citymaxhotels.com

Girders
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs68
This is a handsome handful that needs some firm hands. You’ll need to stretch your thumbs and index fingers to grip it. It was a well-seasoned but rather oniony burger wrapped in a homemade bun.
Toppings: Caramelised onion, cheddar cheese.
Structural integrity: Be prepared for a relish explosion.

JA Ocean View Hotel, JBR, Dubai, Sun to Thur 4pm to 3am, Fri and Sat 11am to 3am. Tel: (04) 8145590. Metro: Dubai Marina. jaresortshotels.com

More
RATING: * * *
COST: Dhs64
Good meat, fair corn-rye bread and three tiers of toppings created a giant burger.
Toppings: Cheese, mustard, lettuce, cucumber, caramelised onion, relish, mayo, dill pickle.
Structural integrity: Cutlery is essential for this one.

Mall Of The Emirates, Al Barsha, Dubai, daily 8am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3950967. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. morecafe.co

Tom & Serg
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs43
A soft, glossy bun crammed with beef, Monterey Jack cheese and a tasty Thousand Island-type of sauce. But the bun was boring.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese, sauce.
Structural integrity: It held itself together well.

Al Joud Centre, 15A Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, daily 8am to 4pm. Tel: (050) 3675332. Metro: Noor Islamic Bank. tomandserg.com

Clinton Street Bakery
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs72
The burger patty is served just the right shade of pink, and bursting with flavour – smokey and well-salted enough. Then there’s the creaminess of a generous slice of melted cheese, off-set by the sweetness of caramelised onions and the crunch of lettuce, tomato and onion. The bun holds up well – toasted and generously buttered, I loved that it wasn’t of the typically too-sweet brioche variety.
Toppings: Struck a good balance between the cheese and caramelised onions, plus no soggy lettuce in sight.
Structural integrity: The toasted bun held up well to the generous fillings.

Burj Views, Downtown, Dubai.daily 8amto 4pm and 6pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4281331. Taxi: Burj Views. clintonstreetbaking.ae

FOOD TRUCK BURGERS
Magnificent mobile meat

Jake’s Food Truck
RATING: * * * ½
COST: Dhs35
See ya later baps; enter the world of the bagel burger. It’s a unique and tasty burger. Ask for a toasted bagel so you get the crunch.
Toppings: Caramelised onions, lettuce, tomato, blue cheese, horseradish cream.
Structural integrity: Be prepared for some oozing.

instagram.com/thefoodtruckdubai

Vida Food Truck
RATING: * * * *
COST: Dhs30
If you think mini burgers are hard to resist at the best of times, the mini sliders served on board the gourmet Vida vehicle will leave you begging for more. Good for the healthy burger lover, the meat was nice and lean. It came with delicious toppings and some superb burger sauce.
Toppings: Gherkins, tomato, lettuce, onions.
Structural integrity: These slliders were held together with a stick. Great idea.

vida-hotels.com

Salt
RATING: * * *½
COST: Dhs30
Simplicity is the key at Salt, keeping extraneous toppings to an absolute minimum except for a slice of plastic yellow cheese. Having said that, this elusive food truck serves pretty darn tasty sliders. On top we found a mysterious pink sauce that added oodles of flavour.
Toppings: Cheese.
Structural integrity: The squishy bun held up well under intense munching.

instagram.com/FindSalt

BEST OF THE REST
Some quirky alternatives

Lamb burger
The poshest food truck in town, Ghaf Kitchen, does a gamey lamb burger that’s the stuff of dreams.

ghafkitchen.ae

Burger In A Bowl
If you’re counting carbs but craving a burger, the Counter has a happy medium. Their burger in a bowl option has all the tasty burger bits without the bread.

The Beach, JBR, Dubai, daily 10am to midnight. Tel: (052) 6408814. Metro: Dubai Marina. thecounterburger.com/Dubai-UAE

Biggest burger
Weighing in at 6lb, the burger at Claw is rightly dubbed ‘The Beast’. It arrived on a supersized plate, and looked as if it could destroy a city in a B-movie.

Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, Sun to Thus 6pm to 2am, Fri and Sat noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 4322300. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. clawbbq.com

Japanese burgers
Tree mini Wagyu burgers came sheltered by an umbrella of lettuce, topped with a splodge of ratatouille. Dainty and delicious.

Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Road, Dubai, Sun to Thur 10am to 11pm, Fri and Sat 10am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3436303. Taxi: Galleria Mall. atisuto.ae

Veggie burger
Leaf-lovers are obsessed with Burger Fuel’s V-Twin Vege burger. The patty is full of chickpeas, kumara, mushrooms, and basil.

Jumeirah Beach Walk, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 11am to 5am. Tel: (04) 4458220. Metro: Dubai Marina. uae.burgerfuel.com