Desert Setting
Open-air dining combines a traditional Arabian setting, lanterns and desert surroundings.
Al Hadheerah Restaurant
Mugatrah
Al Hadheerah is an open-air Arabian buffet restaurant in Mugatrah, pairing Middle Eastern and international dishes with live cooking. The evening also brings cultural performances, including music, dancing and desert animal shows, making dinner feel like a full night out rather than a quick meal.
Reputation Score
4.6
★★★★★
2,152 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Buffet Variety
The buffet covers Arabic specialities alongside international dishes, seafood, grills, vegetarian food and desserts.
Live Shows
Expect a rotating programme of music, belly dancing, cultural dance, fire displays and storytelling.
Animal Performance
A historical show uses horses, camels and live animals to depict Arabian stories and traditions.
Grill Stations
Reviews specifically praise the lamb chops, steaks, kafta and other freshly prepared grilled meats.
Vegetarian Choice
There are plenty of vegetarian dishes, and one review describes staff guiding diners through the options.
Open-Air Comfort
Spacious tables and an outdoor layout can work well for a relaxed dinner or group event.
What to Eat at Al Hadheerah Restaurant 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 Al Hadheerah Restaurant, 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.
These items at Al Hadheerah Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 2
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Hummus Net +2
“They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”October 2021
“They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”August 2021
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Muttabul Net +2
“They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”August 2021
“They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”October 2021
Honorable mentions (15)
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Baklava Net +1
“Definitely check out their Baklava spread!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Definitely check out their Baklava spread!”January 2026
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Barbecued chicken Net +1
“There are so many varieties of Arabic food, lamb shish kebabs, amazing ouzi and the most succulent barbecued chicken, not to mention the amazing spread of seafood!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“There are so many varieties of Arabic food, lamb shish kebabs, amazing ouzi and the most succulent barbecued chicken, not to mention the amazing spread of seafood!”October 2021
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Bbq pineapple Net +1
“I love the bbq pineapple 🍍 the most.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I love the bbq pineapple 🍍 the most.”January 2026
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Bbq prawns Net +1
“The food is excellent, pulling from a range of Arabic inspired dishes that should cater to all tastes and interests. From mixed grills, BBQ prawns, salads and sides to a full 6 hour pit cooked lamb that melts in your mouth.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is excellent, pulling from a range of Arabic inspired dishes that should cater to all tastes and interests. From mixed grills, BBQ prawns, salads and sides to a full 6 hour pit cooked lamb that melts in your mouth.”December 2023
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Chicken charcoal Net +1
“Wide variety of dinner options. Ouzi lamb, chicken charcoal, shawarma station, steak station, kebab station, biriyani and variety of rice's, ice creams, Arabic bakery items, Arees, Arabic sweets and other deserts including um Ali and many more. They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wide variety of dinner options. Ouzi lamb, chicken charcoal, shawarma station, steak station, kebab station, biriyani and variety of rice's, ice creams, Arabic bakery items, Arees, Arabic sweets and other deserts including um Ali and many more. They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”August 2021
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Full 6 hour pit cooked lamb Net +1
“The food is excellent, pulling from a range of Arabic inspired dishes that should cater to all tastes and interests. From mixed grills, BBQ prawns, salads and sides to a full 6 hour pit cooked lamb that melts in your mouth.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is excellent, pulling from a range of Arabic inspired dishes that should cater to all tastes and interests. From mixed grills, BBQ prawns, salads and sides to a full 6 hour pit cooked lamb that melts in your mouth.”December 2023
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Kafta Net +1
“Special thanks to their grill master Mr Ramez, who made us the tastiest kafta. Must try”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Special thanks to their grill master Mr Ramez, who made us the tastiest kafta. Must try”January 2026
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Lamb chops Net +1
“Really recommend the meat, the lamb chops, the steaks were all great.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Really recommend the meat, the lamb chops, the steaks were all great.”January 2026
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Lamb shish kebabs Net +1
“There are so many varieties of Arabic food, lamb shish kebabs, amazing ouzi and the most succulent barbecued chicken, not to mention the amazing spread of seafood!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“There are so many varieties of Arabic food, lamb shish kebabs, amazing ouzi and the most succulent barbecued chicken, not to mention the amazing spread of seafood!”October 2021
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Mixed grills Net +1
“The food is excellent, pulling from a range of Arabic inspired dishes that should cater to all tastes and interests. From mixed grills, BBQ prawns, salads and sides to a full 6 hour pit cooked lamb that melts in your mouth.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is excellent, pulling from a range of Arabic inspired dishes that should cater to all tastes and interests. From mixed grills, BBQ prawns, salads and sides to a full 6 hour pit cooked lamb that melts in your mouth.”December 2023
-
Ouzi Net +1
“There are so many varieties of Arabic food, lamb shish kebabs, amazing ouzi and the most succulent barbecued chicken, not to mention the amazing spread of seafood!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“There are so many varieties of Arabic food, lamb shish kebabs, amazing ouzi and the most succulent barbecued chicken, not to mention the amazing spread of seafood!”October 2021
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Ouzi lamb Net +1
“Wide variety of dinner options. Ouzi lamb, chicken charcoal, shawarma station, steak station, kebab station, biriyani and variety of rice's, ice creams, Arabic bakery items, Arees, Arabic sweets and other deserts including um Ali and many more. They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wide variety of dinner options. Ouzi lamb, chicken charcoal, shawarma station, steak station, kebab station, biriyani and variety of rice's, ice creams, Arabic bakery items, Arees, Arabic sweets and other deserts including um Ali and many more. They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”August 2021
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Steak Net +1
“The buffet is awesome with different kinds of cuisine, I recommend to go and try their steak with a medium cooked( just YUM! ).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The buffet is awesome with different kinds of cuisine, I recommend to go and try their steak with a medium cooked( just YUM! ).”September 2019
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Steaks Net +1
“Really recommend the meat, the lamb chops, the steaks were all great.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Really recommend the meat, the lamb chops, the steaks were all great.”January 2026
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Um ali Net +1
“Wide variety of dinner options. Ouzi lamb, chicken charcoal, shawarma station, steak station, kebab station, biriyani and variety of rice's, ice creams, Arabic bakery items, Arees, Arabic sweets and other deserts including um Ali and many more. They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wide variety of dinner options. Ouzi lamb, chicken charcoal, shawarma station, steak station, kebab station, biriyani and variety of rice's, ice creams, Arabic bakery items, Arees, Arabic sweets and other deserts including um Ali and many more. They serve bread, hummus and muttabul as welcome snacks. Cold water and soft drinks are served on the table. Tasty food and unlimited.”August 2021
Tips for a Better Visit
Reserve Ahead. Book in advance: a review says the restaurant is popular beyond hotel guests and that the diners had made a reservation.
Check Weather. Avoid the hottest summer dates or ask about cooling before committing, since the restaurant is outdoors.
Use The Buggy. Walk down to the restaurant, then ask for a buggy back if you have had your fill of the buffet.
Allow Time. Build in extra time at busy live stations, especially grills, where queues can lengthen during peak periods.
Plan Shows. Keep the evening open for the entertainment rather than treating this as a quick dinner; performances were listed from 7pm to 11pm.
Try Desserts. Leave room for the dessert section, particularly the baklava, which received a specific recommendation.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort - Al Qudra Road
Mugatrah, Dubai
Common Concerns
Summer Heat
Outdoor dining became uncomfortably hot in August, and a nearby fan cooler did not solve the problem.
Loud Music
One visitor enjoyed the live music but found the volume a little too high for conversation.
Seafood Variation
Seafood was not consistently a highlight; one review specifically felt it could have been better.
Busy Stations
At a busy grilled-fish station, queue handling slipped and one reviewer also reported long waits for drinks.
Premium Pricing
One repeat visitor considered the meal costly, even while deciding the entertainment made it worthwhile.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Al Hadheerah is an open-air Arabian buffet in Mugatrah where dinner comes with a full evening of entertainment. You can work through Middle Eastern and international dishes, watch live cooking stations, and settle in for music, belly dancing, cultural performances and desert shows involving horses and camels. It is a substantial outing, not a quick buffet stop.
Food is the main draw, with repeated praise for grilled meats, lamb chops, mezze, Arabic sweets and the wide selection overall. Seafood has its fans, including reviewers who singled out the seafood station, though one guest felt that section could have been better. Vegetarian diners should find plenty to choose from, and baklava is worth seeking out.
The setting is memorable but seasonal: this is outdoor dining, and an August visit was uncomfortably hot even with a fan cooler. Live music can also be loud for conversation. Reserve ahead, especially if you are not staying at the resort, and allow time for queues at popular grill stations.
A review describes a five-minute downhill walk to the restaurant and taking a buggy back, a useful option after an enthusiastic buffet session.