Fresh variety
A lunch buffet review praised the wide range of fresh, high-quality dishes.
Liwan Restaurant
Deira
Liwan is an all-day dining restaurant in Deira, serving buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Reviews highlight its live cooking stations, including grilled chicken, steak and pasta, while families also use it for birthdays and larger celebrations.
Reputation Score
4.1
★★★★☆
583 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Live cooking
The live station’s grilled chicken was singled out as skillfully cooked.
Family friendly
The restaurant has a children’s play corner, making birthday meals and family visits easier.
Birthday extras
Birthday bookings can include a complimentary cake and a sung birthday surprise when requested.
Comfortable setting
Reviews describe spacious seating and a warm, inviting atmosphere for family meals or quieter dinners.
Desserts
Desserts receive particularly enthusiastic mentions, including pineapple cake, ice cream and other sweets.
What to Eat at Liwan 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 Liwan 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 Liwan Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 10
-
Braised baby-octopus Net +1
“The food's quality is also at the very good level. Me and my wife specially appreciated pineapple cake, braised baby-octopus and oysters.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food's quality is also at the very good level. Me and my wife specially appreciated pineapple cake, braised baby-octopus and oysters.”January 2023
-
Chicken Net +1
“Thanks to the Grill chef who served best steak and chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Thanks to the Grill chef who served best steak and chicken.”May 2023
-
Chocolate cake Net +1
“They provided and served the best chocolate cake, like I swear.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They provided and served the best chocolate cake, like I swear.”May 2023
-
Grilled chicken Net +1
“A highlight was the grilled chicken, skillfully cooked by the chef at the live cooking station.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A highlight was the grilled chicken, skillfully cooked by the chef at the live cooking station.”February 2025
-
Hot chocolate fondue Net +1
“Please try the Jumbo Prawns, the Nasi Goreng Kampung, and the Hot Chocolate Fondue. Really happy with those food items.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Please try the Jumbo Prawns, the Nasi Goreng Kampung, and the Hot Chocolate Fondue. Really happy with those food items.”August 2019
-
Iftar buffet Net +1
“Overall the Iftar Buffet was good & enjoyable & would recommend.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Overall the Iftar Buffet was good & enjoyable & would recommend.”April 2023
-
Iftar menu Net +1
“Recently visited to try their Ramadan preview Iftar menu. Absolutely amazing and should be in your bucket list.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Recently visited to try their Ramadan preview Iftar menu. Absolutely amazing and should be in your bucket list.”February 2026
-
Jumbo prawns Net +1
“Please try the Jumbo Prawns, the Nasi Goreng Kampung, and the Hot Chocolate Fondue. Really happy with those food items.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Please try the Jumbo Prawns, the Nasi Goreng Kampung, and the Hot Chocolate Fondue. Really happy with those food items.”August 2019
-
Live steak Net +1
“Wide variety of food spread was available at our dispersal; food was really good. We loved the live steak and pasta section.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wide variety of food spread was available at our dispersal; food was really good. We loved the live steak and pasta section.”November 2022
-
Nasi goreng kampung Net +1
“Please try the Jumbo Prawns, the Nasi Goreng Kampung, and the Hot Chocolate Fondue. Really happy with those food items.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Please try the Jumbo Prawns, the Nasi Goreng Kampung, and the Hot Chocolate Fondue. Really happy with those food items.”August 2019
Honorable mentions (5)
-
Pasta Net +1
“Food was great. They served us fresh sushi and freshly-prepared pasta. Their service is commendable.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was great. They served us fresh sushi and freshly-prepared pasta. Their service is commendable.”November 2024
-
Pineapple cake Net +1
“The food's quality is also at the very good level. Me and my wife specially appreciated pineapple cake, braised baby-octopus and oysters.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food's quality is also at the very good level. Me and my wife specially appreciated pineapple cake, braised baby-octopus and oysters.”January 2023
-
Steak Net +1
“Thanks to the Grill chef who served best steak and chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Thanks to the Grill chef who served best steak and chicken.”May 2023
-
Sushi Net +1
“Food was great. They served us fresh sushi and freshly-prepared pasta. Their service is commendable.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was great. They served us fresh sushi and freshly-prepared pasta. Their service is commendable.”November 2024
-
Turkey Net +1
“I ordered a turkey for a Christmas dinner at home, and it was absolutely exceptional! The flavor, tenderness, and seasoning were all perfect; everyone at the party kept commenting on how delicious it was.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered a turkey for a Christmas dinner at home, and it was absolutely exceptional! The flavor, tenderness, and seasoning were all perfect; everyone at the party kept commenting on how delicious it was.”December 2025
What to Avoid (2)
Food 2
-
Corn soup Net −1
“The only thing that needs improvement here is the soup served.T wice i visited the place , the same corn soup they have prepared. Better if it is bone broth. Much healthier and savory.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The only thing that needs improvement here is the soup served.T wice i visited the place , the same corn soup they have prepared. Better if it is bone broth. Much healthier and savory.”April 2026
-
Shawarma Net −1
“it was just outright disrespect to so loved traditional dish shawarma imagine paying 100+ dirhams to eat shawarma and meat so hard you cant even chew”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“it was just outright disrespect to so loved traditional dish shawarma imagine paying 100+ dirhams to eat shawarma and meat so hard you cant even chew”March 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Check inclusions. If booking through a voucher, confirm whether the offer is a full or limited buffet before paying.
Plan parking. Allow extra time to find a space, especially for busy Valentine’s or weekend services.
Flag spice. If you avoid spicy food, mention it when ordering; one diner received alternative options on request.
Request cake. For a birthday, ask in advance about a complimentary cake and birthday serenade.
Consider brunch. Families may prefer brunch, which has been reviewed as a good fit for children and live cooking.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Omar Bin Al Khattab St
Al Muraqqabat - Deira, Dubai
| Mon | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Tue | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Wed | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Thu | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Fri | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Sat | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Sun | 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Uneven variety
Several reviews found the buffet selection limited, especially compared with other five-star restaurants.
Voucher risk
One Cobone customer expected a full buffet but received a limited spread with few mains and appetizers.
Spicy dishes
Some brunch and Valentine’s diners found much of the food too spicy for their taste.
Parking pressure
Finding a parking space can take time, even when complimentary parking is available.
Service gaps
One Iftar review reported that used plates remained on tables until the buffet ended.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
AED 159/-
Sunday brunch for adults
“Brunch rates (including drinks) are AED 159/- for adults and AED 59/- for kids (6 to 12 years), below 6 years can dine for free of charge”Google review · November 2022
AED 59/-
Sunday brunch for children aged 6 to 12
“Brunch rates (including drinks) are AED 159/- for adults and AED 59/- for kids (6 to 12 years), below 6 years can dine for free of charge”Google review · November 2022
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Liwan is an all-day dining restaurant in Deira where you can book breakfast, lunch or dinner buffets, as well as brunch and special Iftar services. The strongest reasons to consider it are its live cooking stations, family-friendly layout and celebration support. Reviews specifically mention grilled chicken, live steak and pasta, fresh sushi and generous birthday cakes arranged on request.
The setting is spacious, comfortable and generally described as elegant or cozy. Families get an unusual bonus in the form of a children’s play corner, while larger groups have used the restaurant for birthdays and bridal showers. Desserts are a consistent bright spot, with mentions of pineapple cake, ice cream and a broad sweets selection.
The main caution is consistency. Some diners found the buffet fresh and varied, but others described the selection as limited; one voucher customer received only snacks, salad and very few main dishes. Brunch and Iftar reviews also vary on flavour, with some finding dishes too spicy or, in one case, stale.
Ask what the current buffet includes before booking a promotion, and request alternatives if you avoid spice. Parking is free for four hours according to one review, but finding a space can be difficult. A 2022 review quoted AED 159 for adults and AED 59 for children at brunch, so confirm current rates before visiting.