Turkish breakfast
Breakfast brings a broad spread of dishes, fresh bread and unlimited chai; two breakfasts reportedly fed five to six people.
Hayal Dubai
Business Bay
Hayal Dubai is a modern Turkish restaurant in Business Bay, set on the mezzanine floor of the St. Regis Downtown. It is a strong pick for a generous Turkish breakfast or a dinner with creative cocktails, artsy interiors and views towards the Dubai Water Canal.
Reputation Score
4.8
★★★★★
144 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Artsy design
The venue’s colourful, detailed decor includes Turkish touches and an open kitchen, making the setting part of the dining experience.
Creative cocktails
Customers describe the cocktails as distinctive and tasty, with bartenders able to make familiar drinks on request.
Open kitchen
The open kitchen lets diners watch dishes being cooked, adding visible activity to the meal.
Dietary care
One guest said staff asked about allergies and dietary requirements, while another found the vegan menu notably well developed.
What to Eat at Hayal Dubai 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 Hayal Dubai, 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.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Hayal Dubai, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 2
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Turkish breakfast Net +7
“The Turkish breakfast is amazing!”
Positive 7Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Turkish breakfast is amazing!”December 2022
“I went here for breakfast, they have an amazing Turkish breakfast with a lot of dishes, I really loved it and enjoyed it .”December 2022
-
Manti dish Net +2
“The ambiance is so relaxing, the food is A+ which is modern Turkish cuisine, really good don’t miss ordering Manti dish was so delicious.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The ambiance is so relaxing, the food is A+ which is modern Turkish cuisine, really good don’t miss ordering Manti dish was so delicious.”December 2022
Honorable mentions (11)
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Baked egg plant Net +1
“So far we have tried the Mix Mezze, Butter Garlic Prawns and the Baked Egg Plant (don't remember the names in the menu, hence writing the descriptions).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“So far we have tried the Mix Mezze, Butter Garlic Prawns and the Baked Egg Plant (don't remember the names in the menu, hence writing the descriptions).”June 2023
-
Breakfast for 2 Net +1
“We ordered breakfast for 2 which made us more than full with the variety of dishes and sides we were offered.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered breakfast for 2 which made us more than full with the variety of dishes and sides we were offered.”December 2022
-
Burrata salad Net +1
“The best customer service! hands down!!very welcome and friendly staff. And the service was fast, the food was delicious as well. I recommend burrata salad and their cocktails were also on point.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The best customer service! hands down!!very welcome and friendly staff. And the service was fast, the food was delicious as well. I recommend burrata salad and their cocktails were also on point.”December 2022
-
Butter garlic prawns Net +1
“So far we have tried the Mix Mezze, Butter Garlic Prawns and the Baked Egg Plant (don't remember the names in the menu, hence writing the descriptions).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“So far we have tried the Mix Mezze, Butter Garlic Prawns and the Baked Egg Plant (don't remember the names in the menu, hence writing the descriptions).”June 2023
-
Mix mezze Net +1
“So far we have tried the Mix Mezze, Butter Garlic Prawns and the Baked Egg Plant (don't remember the names in the menu, hence writing the descriptions).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“So far we have tried the Mix Mezze, Butter Garlic Prawns and the Baked Egg Plant (don't remember the names in the menu, hence writing the descriptions).”June 2023
-
Signature breakfast option Net +1
“Which they have Signature breakfast option for 2 and it almost best for 3 person wallah..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Which they have Signature breakfast option for 2 and it almost best for 3 person wallah..”November 2022
-
Smoked beef Net +1
“Some items are excellent like the Sucuk Pide and the Smoked Beef.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Some items are excellent like the Sucuk Pide and the Smoked Beef.”November 2022
-
Sucuk pide Net +1
“Some items are excellent like the Sucuk Pide and the Smoked Beef.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Some items are excellent like the Sucuk Pide and the Smoked Beef.”November 2022
-
Wagyu beef Net +1
“The food is amazing, specially the wagyu beef!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is amazing, specially the wagyu beef!”October 2022
-
Whole sea bass Net +1
“The food is very delicious specially the whole sea bass my husband had it 3 times.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is very delicious specially the whole sea bass my husband had it 3 times.”January 2023
-
Baklava Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“The baklava on the other hand was just Average.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 1
-
Tea Net +1
“Amazing Turkish breakfast with great views, tea and really friendly and attentive staff 🥰”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing Turkish breakfast with great views, tea and really friendly and attentive staff 🥰”December 2022
What to Avoid (1)
Food 1
-
Flat bread with meat Net −1
“Even the flat bread with meat had minor amount of meat on it. This place needs a lot of help to stay in business in this competitive market. Good luck.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Even the flat bread with meat had minor amount of meat on it. This place needs a lot of help to stay in business in this competitive market. Good luck.”June 2023
Tips for a Better Visit
Share breakfast. A Turkish breakfast appears generous: one review says two breakfasts can serve five to six people, so check portions before over-ordering.
Check smoking. If you want the canal view but do not smoke, ask about seating first because the balcony was reported as the smoking section.
Ask about music. Thursday evenings may include live music and ladies night; confirm the atmosphere if you prefer a quieter dinner.
Verify packages. Before booking the Raki package for a group, confirm the serving size: one diner said the portion for four barely fed one.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Mezzanine Floor, St. Regis Downtown
Business Bay, Dubai
Common Concerns
Package portions
One customer found the Raki package advertised for four far too small, saying the food barely fed one person.
Loud evenings
A Friday visit had loud live Turkish music and guests dancing, clapping and singing, which one party found disruptive.
Smoking balcony
The balcony was described as the only area with a view, but it also served as the smoking section.
Mixed authenticity
One reviewer felt some dishes, including oysters and beef tartare, were international rather than traditionally Turkish; the baklava was average.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Hayal Dubai is a modern Turkish restaurant in Business Bay, located on the mezzanine floor of the St. Regis Downtown. Reviews make it especially appealing for Turkish breakfast, canal-view dining and an evening built around polished service, detailed decor and cocktails with a less familiar twist.
Breakfast is a major draw. Guests mention a wide spread, fresh bread, unlimited chai and enough food for two breakfasts to feed five or six people. For dinner, the menu includes dishes such as manti, lamb guvec, whole sea bass, aubergine and sucuk pide.
The open kitchen adds a bit of theatre without becoming the whole point of the meal. The setting is colourful, artistic and carefully detailed, with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the canal. It suits a relaxed morning or a dressed-up night, and some reviews mention live Turkish music and ladies night on Thursdays.
Staff are often praised for explaining dishes, making recommendations and checking dietary requirements. There are two cautions. One diner found the Raki package dramatically undersized for four, so confirm portions before ordering for a group.
Also ask about balcony seating: the view area was reported to be the smoking section, while loud live music may not suit anyone seeking a quiet meal.