Beach setting
Pool, beach access and sunset views make it possible to turn a meal into a full day by the water.
African Queen Dubaï
Jumeirah
African Queen Dubaï is a Jumeirah restaurant and beach club built around Mediterranean dining, pool and beach time, and an easygoing evening atmosphere. Reviews highlight the artichoke salad, attentive hospitality, sunset setting, music, and shisha as reasons to linger.
Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
733 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Warm service
Reviews repeatedly describe the team as welcoming and attentive, with thoughtful touches for birthdays and other celebrations.
Artichoke salad
The Artichoke Salad is one of the clearest dish recommendations, with one guest calling it the best they had tried.
Sunset mood
The beach-facing setting becomes especially atmospheric at sunset, with guests praising the views and romantic evening feel.
Live music
Music is a genuine part of the experience, ranging from DJs to live saxophone, bands and occasional violin performances.
Group dining
The venue has worked well for birthday dinners, family celebrations and larger groups, including a table of 10 friends.
Shisha option
Shisha is available for guests who want to extend an evening with a smoking option alongside dinner or drinks.
What to Eat at African Queen Dubaï How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For African Queen Dubaï, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. We still have more reviews to analyze, so the scores may change. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of African Queen Dubaï, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 1
-
Artichoke salad Net +2
“But the real star of the show? The artichoke salad! It was a delightful surprise that tantalized our taste buds and left us craving more.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“But the real star of the show? The artichoke salad! It was a delightful surprise that tantalized our taste buds and left us craving more.”July 2025
“I highly recommend the Artichoke Salad, it’s the best I’ve ever had! The Miso Black Cod and Pepper Steak are also my favorites. You must try them.”July 2025
Honorable mentions (11)
-
African curry Net +1
“I’ve tried several dishes, including the King Tiger and their specialty dish « African curry » if I remember correctly, and my absolute favorites are the oysters and the snails — great flavors, delicious sauces, and beautifully presented.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I’ve tried several dishes, including the King Tiger and their specialty dish « African curry » if I remember correctly, and my absolute favorites are the oysters and the snails — great flavors, delicious sauces, and beautifully presented.”January 2026
-
Clam pasta Net +1
“Love everything about this place! Nice ambiance. Food is so good — esp the clam pasta. Also for dessert the pineapple crème brûlée is a must try.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love everything about this place! Nice ambiance. Food is so good — esp the clam pasta. Also for dessert the pineapple crème brûlée is a must try.”November 2025
-
Cocktails Net +1
“Cocktails are top notch. Pizza were too salty and steak as well. Two ladies were serving us were amazing, didn’t know their names but were super smiley and delivered great service. Amazing atmosphere!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Cocktails are top notch. Pizza were too salty and steak as well. Two ladies were serving us were amazing, didn’t know their names but were super smiley and delivered great service. Amazing atmosphere!”February 2026
-
King tiger Net +1
“I’ve tried several dishes, including the King Tiger and their specialty dish « African curry » if I remember correctly, and my absolute favorites are the oysters and the snails — great flavors, delicious sauces, and beautifully presented.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I’ve tried several dishes, including the King Tiger and their specialty dish « African curry » if I remember correctly, and my absolute favorites are the oysters and the snails — great flavors, delicious sauces, and beautifully presented.”January 2026
-
Lobster Net +1
“While the food was good, it wasn't particularly memorable, though the lobster was a standout compared to the other dishes.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“While the food was good, it wasn't particularly memorable, though the lobster was a standout compared to the other dishes.”January 2026
-
Miso black cod Net +1
“I highly recommend the Artichoke Salad, it’s the best I’ve ever had! The Miso Black Cod and Pepper Steak are also my favorites. You must try them.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I highly recommend the Artichoke Salad, it’s the best I’ve ever had! The Miso Black Cod and Pepper Steak are also my favorites. You must try them.”July 2025
-
Pepper steak Net +1
“I highly recommend the Artichoke Salad, it’s the best I’ve ever had! The Miso Black Cod and Pepper Steak are also my favorites. You must try them.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I highly recommend the Artichoke Salad, it’s the best I’ve ever had! The Miso Black Cod and Pepper Steak are also my favorites. You must try them.”July 2025
-
Pineapple crème brûlée Net +1
“Love everything about this place! Nice ambiance. Food is so good — esp the clam pasta. Also for dessert the pineapple crème brûlée is a must try.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love everything about this place! Nice ambiance. Food is so good — esp the clam pasta. Also for dessert the pineapple crème brûlée is a must try.”November 2025
-
Seabass cevice Net +1
“Food: nice food in general, food selection isn't very wide, but everyone can find something to suit their tastes. I can say the seabass cevice was good. Overall, I didn't find anything new here.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food: nice food in general, food selection isn't very wide, but everyone can find something to suit their tastes. I can say the seabass cevice was good. Overall, I didn't find anything new here.”May 2026
-
Signature cocktails Net +1
“We enjoyed their signature cocktails, appetizers and the dessert the most. The mains were also good, but the appetizers were amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We enjoyed their signature cocktails, appetizers and the dessert the most. The mains were also good, but the appetizers were amazing.”January 2025
-
Risotto Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“The risotto was ok, chicken was dry and overcooked.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 1
-
Prosecco drinks Net +1
“Highly recommended and will come back for another round or tasty nibbles and refreshing prosecco drinks...”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Highly recommended and will come back for another round or tasty nibbles and refreshing prosecco drinks...”March 2026
What to Avoid (2)
Food 1
-
Sea-bass Net −1
“Have a look at fish picture. This is a serving for 8 people. 1 sea-bass.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Have a look at fish picture. This is a serving for 8 people. 1 sea-bass.”October 2025
Drinks 1
-
Iced matcha Net −1
“Came here for drinks before and decided to come again to try their breakfast. The breakfast options were great, something for everyone. Though I would personally love to see a bit more variety in the drinks menu. I ordered an iced matcha, but it arrived as a hot matcha with ice added.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Came here for drinks before and decided to come again to try their breakfast. The breakfast options were great, something for everyone. Though I would personally love to see a bit more variety in the drinks menu. I ordered an iced matcha, but it arrived as a hot matcha with ice added.”December 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Book ahead. Reserve before weekend visits, as one review says the venue gets busy then.
Choose sunset. Aim for sunset if views matter: reviewers describe the beach outlook then as especially striking.
Check seating. Ask about outdoor seating and smoking arrangements before arriving, especially if you prefer a smoke-free meal.
Allow time. Build in extra time during peak evenings, when staffing has sometimes been thin and drinks delayed.
Check parking. Pool days and long brunches may feel constrained by the reported four-hour free-parking limit.
Try starters. If ordering à la carte, consider the appetizers: one repeat visitor rated them above the mains.
Plan the visit
Practical details
J1 Beach
Jumeirah - Jumeirah 1, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 10:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Sat | 10:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Sun | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Indoor smoke
Indoor dining is described as smoke-friendly, with no clear non-smoking area; this may be uncomfortable for non-smokers.
Small portions
Several guests felt portions were too small for the prices, including a brunch serving of one sea bass for eight people.
Slow service
Busy periods can stretch service times: one guest waited almost half an hour for a drink, while another saw one waiter covering five tables.
High pricing
Some reviews consider the venue overpriced, including a complaint that an Aperol cost 100 AED.
Menu gaps
A review reported that some menu items were unavailable, which is worth checking before settling on a particular dish.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
100 AED
Aperol
“The only downside for me was that the prices felt a bit high — 100 AED for an Aperol seemed overpriced — and the service was a little slow at times”Google review · May 2026
aed 580
house beverage package
“Some guests went for house beverage package at aed 580 some premium package aed 690”Google review · October 2025
aed 690
premium package
“Some guests went for house beverage package at aed 580 some premium package aed 690”Google review · October 2025
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
African Queen Dubaï is a Jumeirah beach restaurant and club where you can book breakfast or lunch, eat Mediterranean dishes, spend time by the pool or beach, and return for sunset drinks, dinner or shisha. The setting is the main draw: reviews mention pool views, beach access, striking design and a particularly beautiful sunset atmosphere. Food feedback is mostly positive but not uniform.
The Artichoke Salad, Miso Black Cod, Pepper Steak, clam pasta and lobster all receive specific praise, while another guest found the pizza and steak too salty. Appetizers were especially well regarded by one repeat visitor. Music varies from DJs to live bands, saxophone and violin, so it can add energy to a celebration, though one brunch review found the portions small and drinks slow to arrive.
Service is often warm and attentive, with thoughtful birthday and engagement touches, but peak Saturday staffing has caused delays. Prices can feel high: one reviewer cited 100 AED for an Aperol, while brunch packages were reported at AED 580 and AED 690. Non-smokers should ask about seating, since reviews describe the indoor area as smoke-friendly.
Weekend bookings and sunset timing are sensible choices, and free parking is reportedly limited to four hours.