Breakfast Favourite
The paratha-and-keema breakfast is described as a cheap, satisfying regular, with chana, nihari and aloo paratha also mentioned.
Desi Zaiqa Restaurant
Al Qusais Industrial Area - Al Qusais Industrial Area 4
Desi Zaiqa is a Pakistani restaurant in Al Qusais Industrial Area - Al Qusais Industrial Area 4, known for hearty breakfasts, parathas and traditional dishes. Reviews also point to its carrot halwa, karahi and fresh lassi as worthwhile orders.
Reputation Score
4.0
★★★★☆
432 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Peshawari Karahi
A reviewer specifically praised the Peshawari mutton and chicken karahi for an authentic Namak Mandi-style taste.
Fresh Lassi
Fresh lassi is repeatedly paired with the food and described as chilled and refreshing.
Desserts
Carrot halwa and kheer stand out among the desserts, with one reviewer calling the kheer the best they had in Dubai.
Budget Meals
Several reviews describe the food as economical or modestly priced, including a simple breakfast with bread and orange juice.
Friendly Service
Many customers mention helpful, prompt or professional staff, alongside positive comments about food quality.
What to Eat at Desi Zaiqa 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 Desi Zaiqa Restaurant, 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 Desi Zaiqa Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 1
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Tandoori paratha with qeema Net +2
“And Tandoori Paratha with Qeema ❤️”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“And Tandoori Paratha with Qeema ❤️”July 2021
“The paratha and keema combination is my favourite from here and my regular friday morning breakfast. Its hitherto my personal best. Cheap and satisfactory. One disappointment, it is not served throughout the day”August 2020
Honorable mentions (21)
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Aluparata Net +1
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”January 2023
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Carrot halwa Net +1
“However, the real star of the show is their Carrot Halwa. It’s a sweet symphony of flavors, a warm and comforting dessert that feels like a hug for your soul. The balance of sweetness and the fragrant aroma of cardamom make it utterly irresistible.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“However, the real star of the show is their Carrot Halwa. It’s a sweet symphony of flavors, a warm and comforting dessert that feels like a hug for your soul. The balance of sweetness and the fragrant aroma of cardamom make it utterly irresistible.”September 2023
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Chicken karachi Net +1
“awesome proper pakistani/north indian style chicken karachi rather than the generic chicken curry most other restaurants serve.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“awesome proper pakistani/north indian style chicken karachi rather than the generic chicken curry most other restaurants serve.”April 2016
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Chicken tikka Net +1
“Nice and delicious foods, staff are friendly, rate is reasonable, especially , biryanti, chicken tikka, Paya, keer, vegetables are excellent.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Nice and delicious foods, staff are friendly, rate is reasonable, especially , biryanti, chicken tikka, Paya, keer, vegetables are excellent.”May 2018
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Chiken handi Net +1
“One of the best Pakistani Cuisine, Kabab, Mutyon Kadai and Chiken Handi ordered (all delicious). QPQ (Quantity Price Quality) perfect.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best Pakistani Cuisine, Kabab, Mutyon Kadai and Chiken Handi ordered (all delicious). QPQ (Quantity Price Quality) perfect.”June 2019
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Dahi bhalay Net +1
“Awesome Snacks and Juice during Ifteyar time.. The Dhai bhalla is delicious along with the fruit salad”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Awesome Snacks and Juice during Ifteyar time.. The Dhai bhalla is delicious along with the fruit salad”May 2019
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Fruit salad Net +1
“Awesome Snacks and Juice during Ifteyar time.. The Dhai bhalla is delicious along with the fruit salad”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Awesome Snacks and Juice during Ifteyar time.. The Dhai bhalla is delicious along with the fruit salad”May 2019
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Kabab Net +1
“One of the best Pakistani Cuisine, Kabab, Mutyon Kadai and Chiken Handi ordered (all delicious). QPQ (Quantity Price Quality) perfect.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best Pakistani Cuisine, Kabab, Mutyon Kadai and Chiken Handi ordered (all delicious). QPQ (Quantity Price Quality) perfect.”June 2019
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Kabab karahi Net +1
“The Kabab Karahi is really tasty, and they serve a nice chilled glass of fresh lassi which is refreshing to have.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Kabab Karahi is really tasty, and they serve a nice chilled glass of fresh lassi which is refreshing to have.”January 2021
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Keema Net +1
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”January 2023
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Keema mattar Net +1
“I Rate 5/5 for desi zaiqa. Excellent customer service and food is also awesome. I love their samosas and keema Mattar. I would recommend people to visit this place.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I Rate 5/5 for desi zaiqa. Excellent customer service and food is also awesome. I love their samosas and keema Mattar. I would recommend people to visit this place.”May 2021
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Lamb chops Net +1
“I love their peshwari chicken and lamb chops”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I love their peshwari chicken and lamb chops”January 2019
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Mutyon kadai Net +1
“One of the best Pakistani Cuisine, Kabab, Mutyon Kadai and Chiken Handi ordered (all delicious). QPQ (Quantity Price Quality) perfect.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best Pakistani Cuisine, Kabab, Mutyon Kadai and Chiken Handi ordered (all delicious). QPQ (Quantity Price Quality) perfect.”June 2019
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Nihari Net +1
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”January 2023
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Parata Net +1
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Enjoyed parata, aluparata, Nihari and keema for breakfast with friends, reasonable prices with good service.”January 2023
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Paya Net +1
“Nice and delicious foods, staff are friendly, rate is reasonable, especially , biryanti, chicken tikka, Paya, keer, vegetables are excellent.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Nice and delicious foods, staff are friendly, rate is reasonable, especially , biryanti, chicken tikka, Paya, keer, vegetables are excellent.”May 2018
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Peshawari mutton karahi Net +1
“I've been there just thrice, and had Peshawari mutton karahi once and Peshawri chicken karahi twice, what a taste!!!!, if you are looking for a 110% real taste of Peshawri karahi of namak mandi peshawar, then this is the right place to taste, will be going again to taste thier other cuisines as well, with a warm ambient atmosphere, clean premises and hygienic staff, you wont regret being there.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I've been there just thrice, and had Peshawari mutton karahi once and Peshawri chicken karahi twice, what a taste!!!!, if you are looking for a 110% real taste of Peshawri karahi of namak mandi peshawar, then this is the right place to taste, will be going again to taste thier other cuisines as well, with a warm ambient atmosphere, clean premises and hygienic staff, you wont regret being there.”February 2019
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Peshawri chicken karahi Net +1
“I've been there just thrice, and had Peshawari mutton karahi once and Peshawri chicken karahi twice, what a taste!!!!, if you are looking for a 110% real taste of Peshawri karahi of namak mandi peshawar, then this is the right place to taste, will be going again to taste thier other cuisines as well, with a warm ambient atmosphere, clean premises and hygienic staff, you wont regret being there.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I've been there just thrice, and had Peshawari mutton karahi once and Peshawri chicken karahi twice, what a taste!!!!, if you are looking for a 110% real taste of Peshawri karahi of namak mandi peshawar, then this is the right place to taste, will be going again to taste thier other cuisines as well, with a warm ambient atmosphere, clean premises and hygienic staff, you wont regret being there.”February 2019
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Peshwari chicken Net +1
“I love their peshwari chicken and lamb chops”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I love their peshwari chicken and lamb chops”January 2019
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Rus malai Net +1
“I ate Rus malai here, the taste was good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ate Rus malai here, the taste was good.”April 2019
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Samosas Net +1
“I Rate 5/5 for desi zaiqa. Excellent customer service and food is also awesome. I love their samosas and keema Mattar. I would recommend people to visit this place.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I Rate 5/5 for desi zaiqa. Excellent customer service and food is also awesome. I love their samosas and keema Mattar. I would recommend people to visit this place.”May 2021
Drinks 1
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Fresh lassi Net +2
“Must try Fresh Lassi”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Must try Fresh Lassi”July 2021
“The Kabab Karahi is really tasty, and they serve a nice chilled glass of fresh lassi which is refreshing to have.”January 2021
What to Avoid (7)
Food 7
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Chicken karrhai Net −1
“Ordered Chicken Karrhai, it was a tomato paste with no taste!”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Ordered Chicken Karrhai, it was a tomato paste with no taste!”February 2021
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Dry paratha Net −1
“I order dry paratha and chana for morning breakfast, I was served yesterday’s reheated paratha. Not recommend!”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I order dry paratha and chana for morning breakfast, I was served yesterday’s reheated paratha. Not recommend!”July 2023
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Mix grill Net −1
“Mix Grill was Normal and not extra ordinry.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Mix Grill was Normal and not extra ordinry.”February 2021
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Mixed rice Net −1
“The worst experience ever I had in Dubai. We ordered mixed rice which in the menu was showing 5 different types and they gave just 3 which includes a white rice portion as well. The rice is just from biryani and pulao. The charge is AED 35 which way more than separate rices and quantity is also less. Moreover the taste is not good at all and cold food.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The worst experience ever I had in Dubai. We ordered mixed rice which in the menu was showing 5 different types and they gave just 3 which includes a white rice portion as well. The rice is just from biryani and pulao. The charge is AED 35 which way more than separate rices and quantity is also less. Moreover the taste is not good at all and cold food.”July 2023
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Motton tikka Net −1
“the only problem is motton tikka, and namkeen is not ok, also no parking place.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“the only problem is motton tikka, and namkeen is not ok, also no parking place.”May 2018
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Pulao Net −1
“The rice is just from biryani and pulao.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The rice is just from biryani and pulao.”July 2023
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Biryani Net −2
“I was not pleased with the service and also not much as expected biriyani I have tried. Better try other.”
Positive 0Negative 2
Critical review excerpts
“I was not pleased with the service and also not much as expected biriyani I have tried. Better try other.”June 2022
“The rice is just from biryani and pulao.”July 2023
Tips for a Better Visit
Go Early. Try breakfast early, when paratha, keema, chana and omelet are commonly ordered; the restaurant was reported open from 6am.
Check Freshness. Before ordering dry paratha with chana, ask whether it is freshly made, since one customer received a reheated paratha.
Confirm Portions. If choosing mixed rice, confirm exactly which rice varieties and how much is included before accepting the AED 35 order.
Try Takeaway. Takeaway is an option if the basic dining room or parking is inconvenient; one reviewer packed the food and ate it at home.
Allow Time. For delivery, build in extra time: one review specifically complained about waiting too long.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Qusais Industrial Area - Al Qusais Industrial Area 4 - Dubai
Al Qusais Industrial Area - Al Qusais Industrial Area 4, Dubai
Common Concerns
Inconsistent Food
Some dishes have disappointed: a mixed rice order arrived cold, short of the menu description and lacking flavour.
Reheated Paratha
One breakfast customer said the dry paratha served with chana appeared to be from the previous day and reheated.
Service Lapses
Reviews include complaints about poor customer service and being told after 15 minutes that a chosen dish was unavailable.
Basic Ambience
The dining room has been criticised for torn seat covers, poor ventilation and an outdated environment.
Parking Pressure
Parking can be difficult, with nearby school and shisha-cafe visitors occupying many spaces.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Desi Zaiqa is a Pakistani restaurant in Al Qusais Industrial Area - Al Qusais Industrial Area 4, with a menu that suits an unfussy breakfast or a filling traditional meal. Reviews repeatedly mention paratha with keema, chana, nihari, aloo paratha and omelet, while Peshawari chicken and mutton karahi attract praise from diners looking for a more specific regional style. The strongest food leads are the parathas, fresh lassi, Kabab Karahi and desserts.
Carrot halwa is described as fragrant and balanced, and another customer called the kheer the best they had in Dubai. Several reviewers also find the portions and prices economical, although others felt the price did not match the quality or quantity. Expect a simple, functional setting rather than polished ambience.
Torn seat covers, poor ventilation and an outdated environment were reported, and parking can be difficult because nearby school and shisha-cafe traffic occupies spaces. Service is often described as friendly and prompt, but there are also complaints about unavailable dishes, cold mixed rice and delayed delivery. For breakfast, ask whether the paratha is freshly made, and confirm what is included in mixed rice before ordering.
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