As Dubai is a Muslim city, many restaurants, especially at the cheaper end of the market, are not licensed to serve alcohol. However, restaurants in the hotels almost always serve alcohol. Sales tax at 10% is added to all bills. Service charges at 10-15% are also frequently added, but if they are not, a 10% tip is expected.

Look out for the “all-inclusive” buffet nights offered by many hotels – for a fixed fee you can eat and drink as much as you like! For starters, sample Gardinia’s at the Towers Rotana, The Marketplace at the Marriott, or Spice Island at the Renaissance.

Cuisine    

American                          Chili’s  
                                      The Grill Room, Sheraton Jumeirah Beach 
                                      Resort & Towers  
                                      Henry J Beans,  Capitol Hotel  
                                      Planet Hollywood, Wafi City 
                                      Rattle Snake, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai
                                      Rodeo Grill, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel
 
Arabic                              Al Diwan, Metropolitan Palace Hotel
                                      Al Mandaloun,  Al Khaleej Palace Hotel 

Chinese                            China Grill        
                                      China Garden   
                                      Dynasty, Ramada Hotel 
                                      Long Yin, Le Meridien Dubai
                                      Noble House, Imperial Suites    
                                      The Peacock, Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort
                                      & Tow 
                                      Summer Place,  Metropolitan Hotel Dubai
  
English Pub                       Fox N Hounds,  Marco Polo

French                             Café Chic, Le Meridien Dubai
                                      L’Orangerie, Metropolitan Beach Club
                                      Retro, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach  Resort

German                            Brauhaus, Jumeria Rotana Hotel
 
Greek                              Zorba, Al Khaleej Palace Hotel 

Indian                              Bazaar, Four Points Sheraton Hotel  
                                      Bombay Brassiere, Marco Polo
                                      Chappan Bhog       
                                      Dubai Mughal  
                                      Handi,  Taj Palace Hotel  
                                      Haveli,  Imperial Suites   
                                      Jewel of India        
                                      Kamat
        
International                     Antigo,  Le Meridien Dubai
                                      Barasti Bar, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi 
                                      Beach Resort
                                      Bazaar, Oasis Beach Hotel 
                                      Bella Vista, Jumeria Rotana Hotel  
                                      Bistro, Holiday Inn Downtown 
                                      Cococabana, Oasis Beach Hotel
                                      Fontana, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel 
                                      Gardinia, Towers Rotuna Hotel   
                                      Le Rendezvous, Taj Palace Hotel
                                      Safa, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai 
                                      Shooters Jebel Ali Shooting Club
                                      Spice Island, Renaissance Dubai Hotel 
                                      Teatro,  Towers Rotuna Hotel 
                                      Tower, Aviation Club

Italian                              Come Prima, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel  
                                      Casa Mia, Le Meridien Dubai
                                      Ciro’s,  Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort
                                      Don Carleone, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai
                                      Grotto,  Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort &
                                      Towers
                                      Luciano’s, Metropolitan Beach Club
                                      San Lorenzo, Metropolitan Palace Hotel
                                      Venezia, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai
                                      Verdi, Taj Palace Hotel

Japanese                          Benihana, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel  
                                      Kiku, Le Meridien Dubai
                                      Japengo Café      
                                      Miwako Metropolitan Hotel Dubai
                                      Sakura, Taj Palace Hotel
                                      Tepanyaki, Ramada Hotel 

Lebanese                          Al Basha, Metropolitan Beach Club  
                                      Bazerkhan, Capitol Hotel 

Mediterranean                   Oregano, Oasis Beach Hotel
                                      Mivida, Le Meridien Beach Resort & Spa

Mexican                           El Ranch,Marco Polo

Polynesian                        Beach Comber,  Metropolitan Beach Club
                                      Tahiti, Metropolitan Palace Hotel

Portugese                         Da Gama, Century Village 

Pub                                 Viceroy, Four Points Sheraton Hotel 

Seafood                           Far East, Regent Palace Hotel
                                      Seabreeze, Le Meridien Beach Resort
                                      Seafood Market, Le Meridien Dubai

Singaporean                      Singapura, Oasis Beach Hotel

Thai                                Blue Elephant,  Al Bustan Rotana Hotel  
                                      Fish Bazaar, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai
                                      Sukhothai, Le Meridien Dubai

Turkish                            Topkapi, Taj Palace Hotel

Select Restaurant Reviews

Al Boom Tourist Village
Al Areesh is as authentic an impression of traditional Emirati food as Dubai offers. It is not the best restaurant in the city but, for impressing business clients by showing willingness to try the local specialities, this is the place. Much of the food is cooked in the open air on the shores of Dubai Creek.

The Al Boom Floating Restaurant is one of Dubai's finest seafood restaurants and is located on board a boat. Diners choose which fish they want from those on display and the chefs will then cook it to order. There is also a river cruise every night, creating a unique setting for a relaxed business dinner.

Al Dawaar
Dubai's only revolving restaurant, atop the Hyatt Regency, has to have the best views of any restaurant in the city centre. The restaurant revolves over a two-hour period, offering panoramic views of the entire city and out towards the Arabian Gulf. The most popular dining option is the international buffet, which features dishes from all corners of the globe.

Al Muntaha
This restaurant is suspended 200 metres (219 ft) above the Arabian Gulf, as the showpiece eating place in the Burj Al Arab. The views across the waters of the Arabian Gulf and back out across the shimmering city lights are stunning, although the restaurant tests the nerve of vertigo sufferers. The cuisine is modern Mediterranean, with plenty of seafood on the menu, some of which can be selected from the tanks of live fish and cooked to order.

Benihana
This first-class Japanese restaurant at the Al Bustan Rotana is one of many venues serving currently vogue Oriental cuisine. The dining room has an open-plan kitchen so diners can see their meals being prepared. Tuesday is sushi night with special deals on the wide variety available.

Casa Mia
Tucked away behind Le Meridien, Casa Mia is a bit of a local secret. Savvy natives know it as the best Italian in Dubai. It is run by an Italian couple who lovingly supervise all the cooking and tend to the decent wine list. The decor is authentic too, with an Italian style that just manages to avoid looking kitsch. It is advisable to book well in advance.

Irish Village
This truly unique restaurant can be found next to the Dubai Aviation Club and is part of a whole street that has been built to look like it is has just been flown in from Dublin. The Irish Village is a very popular place to meet people especially on the wooden benches and tables scattered outside overlooking a pleasant lake and lawn.

La Baie
This fine dining restaurant in the Ritz Carlton spirits you away to a major European capital for the evening, with its mellow piano music, unfaltering service and elegant table settings. The food is similarly impressive and it all adds up to a meal that may stretch the credit card but is always guaranteed to be of the highest quality.

Sphinx
Smart dress is essential to dine at this unusual restaurant, serving top class, fusion and global cuisine, accompanied by ambient jazz. The decor is ancient Egyptian and the restaurant is actually located inside the pyramid peak of the top floor of the Pyramids complex.

Summer Palace
This five-star establishment in the Metropolitan serves the finest cuisine against a subtle and tasteful background of folding screens and Oriental art, and is recognised as one of the city’s best Chinese restaurants.

Spago
This Italian restaurant, which has no connection to the Los Angeles venue of the same name, was newly opened in 2001 and is already proving very popular. On the top floor of the Dubai Marine, this open-plan restaurant allows diners to see the Italian chefs at work. The clientele is young and buzzy, and the food authentically Italian with the pasta dishes a speciality.

Tamasha
The restaurant at the Ramada Continental occasionally has live 'Tamasha' evenings. These involve savouring some fine Indian dishes (mainly spicy curries and other South Indian dishes) to the accompaniment of live music and Indian performers. These theme nights have already attracted a cult following after starting early in 2001.