Kerala flavours
Reviews highlight Kerala-style food with spicy southern curries, seafood and familiar South Indian dishes.
Kalpaka Malabar Restaurant
Al Karama
Kalpaka Malabar Restaurant is a Kerala-style Indian restaurant and bar in Al Karama, suited to casual meals, drinks and relaxed gatherings. Reviews highlight dishes such as Fish Pollichathu and sardine fry, along with a homely atmosphere and generally budget-friendly food and beverage options.
Reputation Score
3.5
★★★★☆
470 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Seafood picks
Fish Pollichathu and crab roast were specifically praised as tasty by a recent diner.
Affordable drinks
Customers describe the restaurant-bar as an affordable place for Kerala food and drinks.
Homely setting
Several reviews mention a calm, cosy atmosphere with a homely Kerala feel rather than formal dining.
Quiet gatherings
One long-time customer valued being able to sit and talk without loud music dominating the evening.
Metro access
The restaurant is described as very near BurJuman metro station, making it convenient to reach without a car.
What to Eat at Kalpaka Malabar 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 Kalpaka Malabar 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 Kalpaka Malabar Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 8
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Chicken biriyani Net +1
“Really good and consistent food! On time delivery and amazing taste. I have ordered a million times from here and not regretted once . Try the chicken fried rice and Indian chili chicken. Chicken Biriyani is also decent but it’s South Indian style.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Really good and consistent food! On time delivery and amazing taste. I have ordered a million times from here and not regretted once . Try the chicken fried rice and Indian chili chicken. Chicken Biriyani is also decent but it’s South Indian style.”October 2019
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Chicken fried rice Net +1
“Really good and consistent food! On time delivery and amazing taste. I have ordered a million times from here and not regretted once . Try the chicken fried rice and Indian chili chicken. Chicken Biriyani is also decent but it’s South Indian style.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Really good and consistent food! On time delivery and amazing taste. I have ordered a million times from here and not regretted once . Try the chicken fried rice and Indian chili chicken. Chicken Biriyani is also decent but it’s South Indian style.”October 2019
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Crab roast Net +1
“Have been to this place…wonderful ambiance tried their Fish Pollichathu and crab roast it was very tasty!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Have been to this place…wonderful ambiance tried their Fish Pollichathu and crab roast it was very tasty!”January 2026
-
Double omlet Net +1
“Visited place with friends for drinks and snack typical desi Malabar restaurant, Loved the double omlet with hash brown on side.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Visited place with friends for drinks and snack typical desi Malabar restaurant, Loved the double omlet with hash brown on side.”September 2024
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Fish pollichathu Net +1
“Have been to this place…wonderful ambiance tried their Fish Pollichathu and crab roast it was very tasty!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Have been to this place…wonderful ambiance tried their Fish Pollichathu and crab roast it was very tasty!”January 2026
-
Hash brown Net +1
“Visited place with friends for drinks and snack typical desi Malabar restaurant, Loved the double omlet with hash brown on side.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Visited place with friends for drinks and snack typical desi Malabar restaurant, Loved the double omlet with hash brown on side.”September 2024
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Indian chili chicken Net +1
“Really good and consistent food! On time delivery and amazing taste. I have ordered a million times from here and not regretted once . Try the chicken fried rice and Indian chili chicken. Chicken Biriyani is also decent but it’s South Indian style.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Really good and consistent food! On time delivery and amazing taste. I have ordered a million times from here and not regretted once . Try the chicken fried rice and Indian chili chicken. Chicken Biriyani is also decent but it’s South Indian style.”October 2019
-
Sardine fry Net +1
“The sardine fry is unmissable, and the curries have that extra spicy southern kick.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The sardine fry is unmissable, and the curries have that extra spicy southern kick.”August 2024
What to Avoid (5)
Food 5
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Beef roast Net −1
“We ordered prawns tawa, beef roast, and fish mango curry. All the dishes were very bad and not fresh.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered prawns tawa, beef roast, and fish mango curry. All the dishes were very bad and not fresh.”January 2026
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Fish curry Net −1
“We came in a group, this restaurant is typical mallu ambience, We order fish Curry which was very salty, there's was a dead cockroach in our plate before the food was served which was immediately replaced. won't recommend.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We came in a group, this restaurant is typical mallu ambience, We order fish Curry which was very salty, there's was a dead cockroach in our plate before the food was served which was immediately replaced. won't recommend.”August 2019
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Fish mango curry Net −1
“We ordered prawns tawa, beef roast, and fish mango curry. All the dishes were very bad and not fresh.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered prawns tawa, beef roast, and fish mango curry. All the dishes were very bad and not fresh.”January 2026
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Prawns tawa Net −1
“We ordered prawns tawa, beef roast, and fish mango curry. All the dishes were very bad and not fresh.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered prawns tawa, beef roast, and fish mango curry. All the dishes were very bad and not fresh.”January 2026
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Thali Net −1
“First of all, the staff doesn't even know how to serve a thali. They put rice everywhere and then took their own sweet time to serve us. The food quality was terrible, and the rice was overcooked.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“First of all, the staff doesn't even know how to serve a thali. They put rice everywhere and then took their own sweet time to serve us. The food quality was terrible, and the rice was overcooked.”August 2024
Tips for a Better Visit
Check inclusions. If ordering a thali, confirm whether beer is included and will actually be served before paying the bill.
Avoid peak times. Weekends can be crowded, so consider visiting outside the busiest periods if prompt service matters.
Confirm orders. Double-check dishes and serving details when ordering, as one review reported receiving the wrong food.
Plan parking. The restaurant is close to BurJuman metro, while parking may take patience at times.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed St
Al Karama, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 4:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Uneven service
Service feedback is sharply mixed, with multiple reports of rude or unprofessional staff behaviour.
Food concerns
A reviewer reported that prawns tawa, beef roast and fish mango curry were not fresh and were followed by stomach upset.
Order delays
One customer received the fish curry only after nearly finishing the rest of the meal.
Bill confusion
Two reviews said beers were billed with a thali even though they were not provided.
Washroom access
A customer complained that guests must request a code before entering the washroom.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Kalpaka Malabar Restaurant is a casual Kerala-style Indian restaurant and bar in Al Karama. You can come for a South Indian meal, drinks with friends or a low-key evening where conversation is easier than at a loud nightlife venue. Reviews especially mention Fish Pollichathu, crab roast, sardine fry and chicken fried rice, giving seafood fans and Kerala-food regulars several concrete reasons to look at the menu.
The atmosphere is often described as cosy, calm and homely, with some diners comparing it to a Kerala holiday or home-cooked meal. Food and drinks are repeatedly called affordable, and the restaurant’s proximity to BurJuman metro station is useful if you would rather avoid driving. Parking, however, can be difficult at times, and weekends may be crowded.
The main caution is inconsistency. Alongside strong reports of tasty food and attentive service, other customers describe rude staff, delayed dishes, wrong orders and poor food quality. Two reviews also raised concerns about beers appearing on a thali bill despite not being served.
Confirm what is included in your order, check the bill before leaving and consider an off-peak visit if service speed is important.