It’s set to open on the Palm Jumeirah in the coming months…

For 10 years, upscale Japanese restaurant Okku was at the top of its game, consistently recognised among Dubai’s best homegrown restaurants. When it sadly closed down in The H Hotel in the summer of 2018, the team promised that Okku would return in a new location. And now we can confirm that it’s finally happening, with Okku set to reopen on the Palm Jumeirah.

At the moment, we’re not sure where on The Palm Okku is planning to open, but we don’t have long to find out. The team behind the brand tell us that Okku 2.0 is set to open at the end of April.

A post shared across the brand’s social media channels advertises that it will open ‘in a brand new and iconic location,’ so we can’t wait for the big reveal. The post also advertises a number of front and back of house roles they’re currently recruiting for.

If you don’t remember Okku, the original venue was a dimly lit, sultrily designed restaurant and bar and a multiple What’s On award winner. Recognised both for its cutting-edge service and style as well as its menu of consistently good Japanese dishes, at a time when international exports dominated the Dubai dining scene, Okku stood out as a pioneering homegrown restaurant.

But as much about the food and drink as it was about the vibe, Okku’s regular rotation of events is what made this hotspot stand out. L.O.V.E Sundays dinner party was always a good reason to head to work with a sore head the next day, as was O Socialista ladies’ night on a Wednesday. And the restaurant’s Friday brunch was stuff of legend.

We’re already salivating at the thought of it coming back…

Okku Dubai, Palm Jumeirah location TBC, opening April 2023. @okkudubai