Generous portions
Several diners found the portions filling, including a medium pide that easily served three people.
Baba Iskender
Dubai Festival City
Baba Iskender is a Turkish restaurant in Dubai Festival City, with food-court convenience plus its own seating area. Reviews particularly point to the İskender kebab and generously filled Kıymalı Kaşarlı Pide, alongside fresh bread, Turkish tea and a broad grill menu.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
856 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
İskender standout
The İskender kebab is repeatedly praised, including an extra-meat version compared favourably with one eaten in Turkey.
Fresh bread
The restaurant serves complimentary bread, with one review highlighting hot bread straight from the oven.
Family flexibility
Its food-court setting lets families order for children from other stalls, while the restaurant also has exclusive seating.
Quick service
Reviews describe the service as fast, including a casual food-court visit with food arriving sooner than expected.
Turkish desserts
Kunafa and pistachio baklava-style desserts receive particularly strong mentions from returning diners.
What to Eat at Baba Iskender 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 Baba Iskender, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. 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 Baba Iskender got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 2
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İskender kebab Net +6
“We also ordered fries and took an İskender kebab as a parcel, and that turned out to be really good as well.”
Positive 6Negative 0Neutral 1
Review excerpts
“We also ordered fries and took an İskender kebab as a parcel, and that turned out to be really good as well.”December 2025
“I’d say it’s the best İskender I’ve had in a long time. The food at Beyti Kebab is delicious and the staff are very attentive. As someone from Bursa, I felt right at home.”June 2026
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Chicken shish kebab Net +4
“3.5 stars - Friendly service. I didn’t like the meat Adana kebab. The chicken shish kebab was good. The pide with meat and cheese was delicious - they are generous with their filling!”
Positive 4Negative 0
Review excerpts
“3.5 stars - Friendly service. I didn’t like the meat Adana kebab. The chicken shish kebab was good. The pide with meat and cheese was delicious - they are generous with their filling!”June 2026
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”November 2019
Honorable mentions (33)
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Adana kebab Net +2
“Their iskendar kebab & adana kebab is a must try items...”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their iskendar kebab & adana kebab is a must try items...”January 2025
“However their Iskander Mutton Kebab and Adana Kebab are super tasty and yummy.”December 2022
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Beyaz peynirli pide Net +2
“Beyaz Peynirli Pide - it is a Boat shaped baked Turkish Pita bread topped with special Turkish white cheese. Very nice, warm, oven fresh bread, was soft and baked perfectly.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Beyaz Peynirli Pide - it is a Boat shaped baked Turkish Pita bread topped with special Turkish white cheese. Very nice, warm, oven fresh bread, was soft and baked perfectly.”November 2020
“The dishes I tried were Lokma Kebab Beyaz Peynirli Pide Tavuk Sis Iskender kebab Fresh Mango juices Kunefe All dishes were made to perfection,tasted delicious and came in generous portions.”February 2022
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Chicken doner Net +2
“Try Chicken Doner, good quick meal, very busy shopping mall, hardly you get dining table here.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Try Chicken Doner, good quick meal, very busy shopping mall, hardly you get dining table here.”December 2025
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”June 2017
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Dondurmali havuc dilimi/ havuc baklava with i̇ce cream and pistachios Net +2
“Dondurmali Havuc Dilimi/ Havuc Baklava with İce cream and pistachios - A multilayered triangle shaped flaky pastry with loads of pistachios and served with ice cream. This took my heart away and was delectably amazing.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Dondurmali Havuc Dilimi/ Havuc Baklava with İce cream and pistachios - A multilayered triangle shaped flaky pastry with loads of pistachios and served with ice cream. This took my heart away and was delectably amazing.”November 2020
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”June 2017
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Fattousch Net +2
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”November 2019
“• Hummus and Fattoush - Both were so good! Especially the Fattoush, so fresh, crunchy and flavours on point 👌🏼”October 2020
-
Kunafa Net +2
“Their kunafa is the best I have tasted so far!”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their kunafa is the best I have tasted so far!”December 2025
“The dishes I tried were Lokma Kebab Beyaz Peynirli Pide Tavuk Sis Iskender kebab Fresh Mango juices Kunefe All dishes were made to perfection,tasted delicious and came in generous portions.”February 2022
-
Lamb chops Net +2
“• Pirzola (Lamb Chops) - I really liked the taste, it was well marinated and juicy”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“• Pirzola (Lamb Chops) - I really liked the taste, it was well marinated and juicy”October 2020
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”November 2019
-
Lokma kebab Net +2
“The dishes I tried were Lokma Kebab Beyaz Peynirli Pide Tavuk Sis Iskender kebab Fresh Mango juices Kunefe All dishes were made to perfection,tasted delicious and came in generous portions.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The dishes I tried were Lokma Kebab Beyaz Peynirli Pide Tavuk Sis Iskender kebab Fresh Mango juices Kunefe All dishes were made to perfection,tasted delicious and came in generous portions.”February 2022
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”June 2017
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Mixed grill platter Net +2
“Loved the mixed grill platter and the freshly baked bread.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Loved the mixed grill platter and the freshly baked bread.”November 2024
“I did face one issue with there mixed grill last visit how ever I have been a customer at the place for about 10 years and honestly there food is really good”July 2026
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Tavuk adana Net +2
“• Tavuk Adana (Adana Chicken) - omg, the the last time I had this dish was in Turkey last year!! So it made me very nostalgic 😭🤩😅 You can swipe to see a video of how tender this was!”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“• Tavuk Adana (Adana Chicken) - omg, the the last time I had this dish was in Turkey last year!! So it made me very nostalgic 😭🤩😅 You can swipe to see a video of how tender this was!”October 2020
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”June 2017
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Ayran Net +1
“The iskandar platter is so good.. the ayran drink is also yummy..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The iskandar platter is so good.. the ayran drink is also yummy..”October 2023
-
Cheese pide Net +1
“We had the Iskender kebab and it was fantastic we also had the cheese pide a cucumber salad and a lamb kebab dish all were amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had the Iskender kebab and it was fantastic we also had the cheese pide a cucumber salad and a lamb kebab dish all were amazing.”March 2024
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Eti bol iskendar kebap Net +1
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”June 2017
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Firin beyti kebap Net +1
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Must try is the eti bol iskendar kebap, shish kebap chicken, chicken doner, chicken adana kebap, firin beyti kebap, lokma kebap, dondurmTi hovuc ditimi (baklava with ice cream)”June 2017
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Fresh mango juices Net +1
“The dishes I tried were Lokma Kebab Beyaz Peynirli Pide Tavuk Sis Iskender kebab Fresh Mango juices Kunefe All dishes were made to perfection,tasted delicious and came in generous portions.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The dishes I tried were Lokma Kebab Beyaz Peynirli Pide Tavuk Sis Iskender kebab Fresh Mango juices Kunefe All dishes were made to perfection,tasted delicious and came in generous portions.”February 2022
-
Gavurdagi salatasi Net +1
“Gavurdagi Salatasi - This salad was the best and had all flavours of finely chopped onion, tomato, parsley and walnut topped with olive oil and pomegranate sauce. A must try salad.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Gavurdagi Salatasi - This salad was the best and had all flavours of finely chopped onion, tomato, parsley and walnut topped with olive oil and pomegranate sauce. A must try salad.”November 2020
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Grilled chicken Net +1
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”November 2019
-
Hummus Net +1
“• Hummus and Fattoush - Both were so good! Especially the Fattoush, so fresh, crunchy and flavours on point 👌🏼”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“• Hummus and Fattoush - Both were so good! Especially the Fattoush, so fresh, crunchy and flavours on point 👌🏼”October 2020
-
Iskandar platter Net +1
“The iskandar platter is so good.. the ayran drink is also yummy..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The iskandar platter is so good.. the ayran drink is also yummy..”October 2023
-
Iskander mutton kebab Net +1
“However their Iskander Mutton Kebab and Adana Kebab are super tasty and yummy.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“However their Iskander Mutton Kebab and Adana Kebab are super tasty and yummy.”December 2022
-
Iskender kebab with extra meat Net +1
“We ordered the iskender kebab with extra meat and it was soooo good just like the one we had in Turkey! We just had to meet the chef and thank him personally.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered the iskender kebab with extra meat and it was soooo good just like the one we had in Turkey! We just had to meet the chef and thank him personally.”April 2025
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Kıymalı kaşarlı pide Net +1
“We ordered the Kıymalı Kaşarlı Pide (pita with minced meat and cheese). It’s a baked Turkish flatbread topped with minced meat, tomato, green capsicum, and cheese. We went for the medium size for AED 75, thinking the regular might not be enough for two people, but the medium was huge and easily enough for three. The combination of cheese, meat, and the freshly baked pita was so delicious and filling 😁.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered the Kıymalı Kaşarlı Pide (pita with minced meat and cheese). It’s a baked Turkish flatbread topped with minced meat, tomato, green capsicum, and cheese. We went for the medium size for AED 75, thinking the regular might not be enough for two people, but the medium was huge and easily enough for three. The combination of cheese, meat, and the freshly baked pita was so delicious and filling 😁.”December 2025
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Lamb Net +1
“The lamb which I ordered was very tender and juicy, which earned most of the points. The sauce was rich and the taste was right.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The lamb which I ordered was very tender and juicy, which earned most of the points. The sauce was rich and the taste was right.”November 2019
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Lamb kebab dish Net +1
“We had the Iskender kebab and it was fantastic we also had the cheese pide a cucumber salad and a lamb kebab dish all were amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had the Iskender kebab and it was fantastic we also had the cheese pide a cucumber salad and a lamb kebab dish all were amazing.”March 2024
-
Mint lemon cooler Net +1
“Mint Lemon Cooler - I also ordered their mint lemon cooler drink which was again on point with perfect flavors.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Mint Lemon Cooler - I also ordered their mint lemon cooler drink which was again on point with perfect flavors.”November 2020
-
Mixed meze Net +1
“The taste of eskender kebab is outstanding, the mixed meze is recommended.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The taste of eskender kebab is outstanding, the mixed meze is recommended.”December 2019
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Mixed pita bread Net +1
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”November 2019
-
Orange juices Net +1
“We always opt for fresh juices so ordered lemonade and orange juices. They are fresh and good in taste.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We always opt for fresh juices so ordered lemonade and orange juices. They are fresh and good in taste.”November 2019
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Pide with meat and cheese Net +1
“3.5 stars - Friendly service. I didn’t like the meat Adana kebab. The chicken shish kebab was good. The pide with meat and cheese was delicious - they are generous with their filling!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“3.5 stars - Friendly service. I didn’t like the meat Adana kebab. The chicken shish kebab was good. The pide with meat and cheese was delicious - they are generous with their filling!”June 2026
-
Shawarma Net +1
“One of the best shawarma I have ever had in my life.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best shawarma I have ever had in my life.”December 2019
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Small mezze plate Net +1
“They serve a small mezze plate when you arrive and some hot Turkish bread straight out of the oven.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They serve a small mezze plate when you arrive and some hot Turkish bread straight out of the oven.”March 2024
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Sultan baba iskander special salad with walnuts Net +1
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Moving towards the food we ordered grilled chicken, chicken shish, lamb chops, fattousch, mixed pita bread, and sultan Baba Iskander special salad with walnuts (really drool worthy), Words just can’t do the justice how delectable the food was.”November 2019
-
Tea bread Net +1
“The only positive part of the meal was the tea bread, which was genuinely delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The only positive part of the meal was the tea bread, which was genuinely delicious.”January 2026
What to Avoid (2)
Food 2
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Dinner meal for 1 person Net −1
“The food taste is disaster , the dinner meal for 1 person will cost 108.5 AED . I don’t like it”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The food taste is disaster , the dinner meal for 1 person will cost 108.5 AED . I don’t like it”May 2026
-
Meat adana kebab Net −1
“3.5 stars - Friendly service. I didn’t like the meat Adana kebab. The chicken shish kebab was good. The pide with meat and cheese was delicious - they are generous with their filling!”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“3.5 stars - Friendly service. I didn’t like the meat Adana kebab. The chicken shish kebab was good. The pide with meat and cheese was delicious - they are generous with their filling!”June 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Share the pide. If ordering Kıymalı Kaşarlı Pide, consider medium: one diner found it easily enough for three people.
Visit off-peak. For a better chance of finding a table, consider an off-peak visit; a Sunday noon visit had no crowd.
Check offers. Ask whether current promotions apply before ordering; one diner reported an Entertainer buy-one-get-one offer.
Use food-court choice. With children, the food-court layout allows them to choose from other stalls while adults use the restaurant.
Consider small size. The small meal size was described as suitable for one person, so check sizing before ordering larger portions.
Check leftovers. If requesting leftovers to take away, check the container before leaving; one diner reported receiving less than a quarter of the plate.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Kheeran - Dubai Festival City - Dubai
Al Kheeran - Dubai Festival City, 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 | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Price concerns
Some diners felt the bill was high for a food-court restaurant or not justified by the quality.
Inconsistent cooking
Reviews include complaints about dry, tough meat and cold, dry bulgur, although other visits describe tender meat.
Service inconsistency
One midday visit involved an impolite response when the diners moved from indoor seating to the outdoor food-court area.
Takeaway dispute
A diner reported receiving much less of a requested leftover takeaway and felt the response to the complaint was defensive.
Busy seating
The mall location can make finding a table difficult, particularly when the food court is busy.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Baba Iskender is a Turkish restaurant in Dubai Festival City where you can eat in the mall food-court area or use the restaurant’s own seating. The menu’s strongest recurring draws are İskender kebab, Adana kebab, Beyti Kebab and baked pide. Diners also mention complimentary bread, Turkish tea and well-liked desserts such as kunafa.
Portions are often described as generous. One first-time diner ordered a medium Kıymalı Kaşarlı Pide with minced meat and cheese and found it easily large enough for three people; another said the small meal size suited one person. That makes checking the size before ordering worthwhile, especially if you are dining with children.
The setting is convenient for families because children can choose food from other food-court stalls, and reviews describe service as quick on some visits. It can be difficult to find a table when the mall is busy, though, so an off-peak visit may be more comfortable. The restaurant also has its own seating apart from the general food court.
Value is mixed. Some guests find portions good for the price, while others call it expensive for a food-court restaurant. Food quality is not completely consistent either: alongside praise for tender, authentic-tasting meat, reviews mention dry meat, cold bulgur and one disappointing mixed grill.
Check current promotions before ordering, and inspect takeaway leftovers before leaving.