Live music
Live Iranian music, including well-liked singers, is a major part of the evening atmosphere.
Leiva Restaurant & Cafe
Al Garhoud
Leiva Restaurant & Cafe is a Persian and Iranian restaurant in Al Garhoud, with dishes such as kebabs, saffron rice and stews alongside coffee and tea. Customers also come for shisha and live Iranian music, including performances by lady singers, in a spacious, relaxed setting.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
211 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Kebabs
Kebab-e koobideh, chicken kebab and lamb kebab receive particularly specific praise from diners.
Shisha
One customer was especially impressed by the shisha, making it a notable reason to linger.
Spacious seating
Reviews describe a large dining area with room to relax, including outdoor seating.
Tea
Karak tea and other hot drinks are repeatedly mentioned, with one diner calling the tea excellent.
Fresh cooking
Some diners report fresh, well-presented food and a broad menu, including excellent coffee.
Family space
One review mentions a kids play area, while other family visitors describe the restaurant as welcoming.
What to Eat at Leiva Restaurant & Cafe 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 Leiva Restaurant & Cafe, 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 Leiva Restaurant & Cafe, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 10
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Alfredo pasta Net +1
“Alfredo pasta is made fresh and taste so good! 👍👍👍. Also try thier wraps!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Alfredo pasta is made fresh and taste so good! 👍👍👍. Also try thier wraps!”July 2025
-
Chicken kebab Net +1
“We had a lovely dinner at Leiva. Service was friendly, the welcome soup was great, and our kebab-e koobideh and chicken kebab were delicious. Get the rice (it was free anyway), it is fabulous. We were really evening and sat outside so possibly missed out on some of the experience as it looked livelier later, but still a great place to eat.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had a lovely dinner at Leiva. Service was friendly, the welcome soup was great, and our kebab-e koobideh and chicken kebab were delicious. Get the rice (it was free anyway), it is fabulous. We were really evening and sat outside so possibly missed out on some of the experience as it looked livelier later, but still a great place to eat.”January 2026
-
Chicken wrap Net +1
“I just had my breakfast with my sister and it was very nice , their chicken wrap is so nice , I promise to come again and recommend to my friends too.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I just had my breakfast with my sister and it was very nice , their chicken wrap is so nice , I promise to come again and recommend to my friends too.”October 2025
-
Kebab-e koobideh Net +1
“We had a lovely dinner at Leiva. Service was friendly, the welcome soup was great, and our kebab-e koobideh and chicken kebab were delicious. Get the rice (it was free anyway), it is fabulous. We were really evening and sat outside so possibly missed out on some of the experience as it looked livelier later, but still a great place to eat.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had a lovely dinner at Leiva. Service was friendly, the welcome soup was great, and our kebab-e koobideh and chicken kebab were delicious. Get the rice (it was free anyway), it is fabulous. We were really evening and sat outside so possibly missed out on some of the experience as it looked livelier later, but still a great place to eat.”January 2026
-
Khorshte gheime Net +1
“I recommend trying one of the delicious stews like Khorshte Gheime or choose from the variety of kebabs.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I recommend trying one of the delicious stews like Khorshte Gheime or choose from the variety of kebabs.”November 2023
-
Lamb kebab Net +1
“Lamb kebab was fantastic, also the shaffran rice, salad, soup - great lunch offer, highly recommend”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Lamb kebab was fantastic, also the shaffran rice, salad, soup - great lunch offer, highly recommend”September 2022
-
Lentil soup Net +1
“If Anthony Bourdain had stumbled into this spot, he’d have called the kebabs “soul food at its purest.” And he’d be right. The meat was juicy, seasoned with just enough care to keep the true flavor shining. Lentil soup on the side, light but rich—especially after a hit of lemon. The kind of thing you’d want every winter evening. Add in the atmosphere: live music humming in the background, guests relaxed and smiling. And then there’s Mohammad—the kind of waiter who deserves his own review. A brilliant host, and a reason I’d come back even if the food wasn’t this good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“If Anthony Bourdain had stumbled into this spot, he’d have called the kebabs “soul food at its purest.” And he’d be right. The meat was juicy, seasoned with just enough care to keep the true flavor shining. Lentil soup on the side, light but rich—especially after a hit of lemon. The kind of thing you’d want every winter evening. Add in the atmosphere: live music humming in the background, guests relaxed and smiling. And then there’s Mohammad—the kind of waiter who deserves his own review. A brilliant host, and a reason I’d come back even if the food wasn’t this good.”August 2025
-
Mint lemon Net +1
“Best Mint Lemon in a long time, loved the chic decor, felt like a Soho (London) type of vibe but with the added opportunity to smoke Shisha.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Best Mint Lemon in a long time, loved the chic decor, felt like a Soho (London) type of vibe but with the added opportunity to smoke Shisha.”August 2022
-
Shaffran rice Net +1
“Lamb kebab was fantastic, also the shaffran rice, salad, soup - great lunch offer, highly recommend”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Lamb kebab was fantastic, also the shaffran rice, salad, soup - great lunch offer, highly recommend”September 2022
-
Welcome soup Net +1
“We had a lovely dinner at Leiva. Service was friendly, the welcome soup was great, and our kebab-e koobideh and chicken kebab were delicious. Get the rice (it was free anyway), it is fabulous. We were really evening and sat outside so possibly missed out on some of the experience as it looked livelier later, but still a great place to eat.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had a lovely dinner at Leiva. Service was friendly, the welcome soup was great, and our kebab-e koobideh and chicken kebab were delicious. Get the rice (it was free anyway), it is fabulous. We were really evening and sat outside so possibly missed out on some of the experience as it looked livelier later, but still a great place to eat.”January 2026
Honorable mentions (3)
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Butter chicken Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Seating capacity and ambiance is amazing ,we had chicken biriyani ,roti ,chicken 65 and butter chicken, the food was average, service is okay.very quiet place. Getting parking during working days are very difficult in this area.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
-
Chicken 65 Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Seating capacity and ambiance is amazing ,we had chicken biriyani ,roti ,chicken 65 and butter chicken, the food was average, service is okay.very quiet place. Getting parking during working days are very difficult in this area.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
-
Chicken biriyani Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Seating capacity and ambiance is amazing ,we had chicken biriyani ,roti ,chicken 65 and butter chicken, the food was average, service is okay.very quiet place. Getting parking during working days are very difficult in this area.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 1
-
Karak tea Net +2
“Awesome food taste n specially a karak tea is awesome, with awesome atmosphere really loved it.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Awesome food taste n specially a karak tea is awesome, with awesome atmosphere really loved it.”September 2025
“Mohammed was kind and friendly, thoughtfully serving us their signature karak tea and sunflower seeds to beautifully conclude our experience”September 2025
What to Avoid (2)
Food 2
-
Beef pizza Net −1
“I ordered a beef pizza from Noon from Leiva cafe , but it arrived burned. I was absolutely disappointed with the quality and taste.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered a beef pizza from Noon from Leiva cafe , but it arrived burned. I was absolutely disappointed with the quality and taste.”December 2025
-
Charcoal mandi Net −2
“Ordered 3 Charcoal Mandi at Leiva Restaurant with colleagues to our office. What we got was something like 'mazbi oru' - not what we expected. Food quantity was less and didn't fill the container. Priced at AED 18/person with NO mayonnaise, hummus, or vegetable salad. Food was VERY salty. Delivered fast (15-20 minutes) but didn't make up for the issues. Not worth AED 18/person.”
Positive 0Negative 2
Critical review excerpts
“Ordered 3 Charcoal Mandi at Leiva Restaurant with colleagues to our office. What we got was something like 'mazbi oru' - not what we expected. Food quantity was less and didn't fill the container. Priced at AED 18/person with NO mayonnaise, hummus, or vegetable salad. Food was VERY salty. Delivered fast (15-20 minutes) but didn't make up for the issues. Not worth AED 18/person.”September 2025
“Ordered 3 Charcoal Mandi at Leiva Restaurant with colleagues to our office. What we got was something like 'mazbi oru' - not what we expected. Food quantity was less and didn't fill the container. Priced at AED 18/person with NO mayonnaise, hummus, or vegetable salad. Food was VERY salty. Delivered fast (15-20 minutes) but didn't make up for the issues. Not worth AED 18/person.”September 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Check timing. Ask about the evening entertainment before booking if you prefer quiet dining; one diner found the music continuous.
Confirm children. If visiting with children, confirm the current rules and seating arrangement first, as one group was moved to another room.
Allow time. Build in extra time for service, especially if ordering during a busier period; a diner reported a long wait and a wrong dish.
Reserve ahead. For larger groups, confirm the table size rather than relying on the reservation alone; a party of 10 received seating for six.
Plan parking. Consider arriving early on a working day, when parking around Garhoud can be difficult.
Try rice. Add the rice to a kebab order: one diner specifically said it was free and particularly good.
Plan the visit
Practical details
GGICO Metro Station - 57th St
Al Garhoud, Dubai
| Mon | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Tue | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Wed | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Thu | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Fri | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Sat | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Sun | 6:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Inconsistent food
Food quality varies sharply: some diners found dishes fresh and flavorful, while others reported cold, bland or poor-quality food.
Slow service
Several reviews describe long waits, wrong orders and tables that were not cleared without repeated requests.
Family restrictions
Night-time family arrangements are unclear in reviews, with some guests saying children were moved to separate rooms or restricted.
Parking difficulty
Parking can be difficult in the area on working days, despite another review finding it easy on a Saturday afternoon.
Loud entertainment
The continuous live music may not suit diners seeking a quiet meal, according to one review.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Leiva Restaurant & Cafe is an Iranian and Persian restaurant in Al Garhoud where the draw is as much the evening atmosphere as the food. You can order kebab-e koobideh, chicken kebab, stews, wraps or Alfredo pasta, then stay for live Iranian music and shisha. Several reviews call out the singers, including a lady singer, as especially entertaining.
The strongest food reports are specific: kebabs are described as juicy and delicious, the rice served with one dinner was “fabulous”, and the karak tea gets repeated praise. Coffee, salads and fresh wraps also receive positive mentions. The spacious dining room, outdoor seating and generally friendly team make it comfortable for a relaxed meal or group gathering.
Consistency is the main caution. Other diners reported cold or bland food, a burned delivery pizza, salty charcoal mandi and a wrong order that was not replaced. Service has ranged from attentive to slow and unprofessional.
Family arrangements also need checking before you go: some reviews mention a kids play area, while others say children were moved to separate rooms or were not allowed in certain areas. Parking may be difficult on working days. If you want conversation rather than a performance-led evening, ask about the live music schedule when booking.