Reviews - What's On https://whatson.ae/section/eat/restaurant-reviews/ Things to do in Dubai & the UAE Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:00:12 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 Review: Yava – a neighbourhood restaurant that leans into its Palestinian roots https://whatson.ae/2026/07/restaurant-review-yava-dubai-palestinian-restaurant/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:00:21 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=392908 Home cooking done with rigour and love. Yalla go to Yava… When Yava opened in Wasl 51 in late 2021, it cast its net wide across the Mediterranean. But owner Basil Yassin has since gone home – to his family’s roots in Palestine – and let that lineage recolour everything. “You won’t find batata harra […]

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]]> The Barrel Dubai review: comfort food and a pet-friendly terrace https://whatson.ae/2026/07/the-barrel-dubai-review-comfort-food-and-a-pet-friendly-terrace/ Sat, 11 Jul 2026 05:00:55 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=392813 The Barrel Bar & Restaurant gets the neighbourhood gastropub formula right…  Every neighbourhood needs a spot like The Barrel. Somewhere for after-work drinks that turn into dinner and chilled-out afternoons that are exactly what weekends are for. The newly licensed gastropub at Vida Creek Beach brings together comfort food, a great wine and beer selection […]

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]]> Good Burger review: Dubai’s cult favourite lands its first permanent home at Damac Mall https://whatson.ae/2026/06/good-burger-review-dubais-cult-favourite-lands-its-first-permanent-home-at-damac-mall/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 03:45:30 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=390954 Good Burger – the homegrown brand that won What’s On’s Best Burger title in 2024 before it even had a restaurant – has officially opened in Damac Hills, Dubai. Here’s what to order. Good Burger, one of Dubai’s most talked-about homegrown food brands, has opened its first permanent restaurant at Damac Mall in Damac Hills. […]

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]]> Orfali Bros has dropped a new OG Menu, and it’s only Dhs350 per person https://whatson.ae/2026/06/orfali-bros-has-dropped-a-new-og-menu-and-its-only-aed-350-per-person/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 04:30:14 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=390948 Dubai’s fan-favourite restaurant is serving up a fresh tasting menu packed with popular dishes – here’s everything you need to know. If there’s one restaurant that needs no introduction in Dubai, it’s Orfali Bros. The Jumeirah bistro helmed by brothers Mohamad, Wassim and Omar Orfali has spent the last few years quietly (and not-so-quietly) becoming […]

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]]> Jodhpur Bar & Kitchen Dubai review: The Rajasthani restaurant the city didn’t know it was missing https://whatson.ae/2026/06/jodhpur-bar-kitchen-dubai-review-the-rajasthani-restaurant-the-city-didnt-know-it-was-missing/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 03:30:45 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=390934 A new Indian restaurant has opened in Dubai, and it isn’t playing the hits. Jodhpur Bar & Kitchen brings the bold, rustic cooking of Rajasthan’s Marwar region to the table – and yes, the butter chicken is the least interesting thing on the menu. Dubai has no shortage of Indian restaurants. Walk into almost any […]

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]]> Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri Abu Dhabi: Inside a quietly magnificent waterfront staycation https://whatson.ae/2026/06/shangri-la-qaryat-al-beri-abu-dhabi-inside-a-quietly-magnificent-waterfront-staycation/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 03:30:37 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=390727 A weekend at one of Abu Dhabi’s most relaxed waterfront retreats proves that sometimes the best escape doesn’t have to shout about it Some hotels announce themselves loudly. Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi does the opposite. Arriving at the property feels less like checking into a hotel and more like slipping into a parallel, […]

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]]> The Four Restaurants and People Who Defined Dubai’s Food Scene in 2026, According to Us https://whatson.ae/2026/06/the-four-restaurants-and-people-who-defined-dubais-food-scene-in-2026-according-to-us/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:55:44 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=390112 The Editor’s Choice at the What’s On Dubai Awards are given to the restaurant, the chef, the newcomer, and the homegrown story that we believe have most meaningfully moved the needle on Dubai’s food and dining scene this year. Here’s who won in 2026, and why. There are 47 categories at the What’s On Dubai […]

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]]> Is The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Downtown one of Dubai’s most beautiful spas? https://whatson.ae/2026/06/is-the-spa-at-mandarin-oriental-downtown-one-of-dubais-most-beautiful-spas/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:00:09 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=389319 City views and pure calm at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai You step out of the lift at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai expecting the usual spa calm, but this feels different. Darker, quieter, more cocooned from the city below. High above Sheikh Zayed Road, the space leans into low lighting […]

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]]> NIRI Restaurant and Bar review: Japanese dining by the beach https://whatson.ae/2026/05/niri-restaurant-and-bar-review-japanese-dining-by-the-beach/ Fri, 22 May 2026 05:44:46 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=389090 Sushi, live music and glittering Mamsha beach views make NIRI one of Abu Dhabi’s best dinner spots right now Mamsha Al Saadiyat always feels a little cinematic at night, it comes alive. The water shimmers beside the promenade, music drifts through the restaurants, and the Dine and Vibe activation adds even more energy to the […]

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]]> Beach House Abu Dhabi review: Saadiyat sunsets and standout tiramisu https://whatson.ae/2026/05/beach-house-abu-dhabi-review-saadiyat-sunsets-and-standout-tiramisu/ Mon, 18 May 2026 06:40:57 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=388678 Italian comfort food, sea views and a tiramisu worth obsessing over at Beach House Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island Beach House sits right on the shoreline at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas. It’s a short walk past the hotel’s pools and sun loungers and feels like a quiet escape from the city. […]

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]]> Inside Villa Sélène’s Riviera-inspired brunch in Abu Dhabi https://whatson.ae/2026/05/inside-villa-selenes-riviera-inspired-brunch-in-abu-dhabi/ Sat, 16 May 2026 05:00:20 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=388601 We reviewed the Villa Sélène Côte d’Azur brunch at Yas Links and already want another afternoon on that terrace Few places in Abu Dhabi do scenery quite like Yas Links. Between the rolling greens, sea views and soft afternoon breeze, Villa Sélène already feels like an escape before the first drink even lands on the […]

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]]> Why people love living in the UAE: Chefs, founders and creatives on life in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah https://whatson.ae/2026/04/why-people-love-living-in-the-uae-chefs-founders-and-creatives-on-life-in-dubai-abu-dhabi-and-ras-al-khaimah/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:30:43 +0000 https://whatson.ae/?p=386582 From Dubai’s multicultural energy to Abu Dhabi’s stability and Ras Al Khaimah’s natural beauty, industry leaders share why the UAE is one of the world’s most exciting places to live, work and build a future   Why the UAE feels like home: Voices from across the Emirates Across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, […]

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