Kerala Flavours
Mutton stew, appams, prawns and traditional curries have been praised for homely Kerala flavour.
Nalukettu Restaurant
Al Qusais
Nalukettu is a Kerala-focused Indian restaurant in Al Qusais, located in Dubai Grand Hotel by Fortune. Reviews highlight it for family meals, South Indian favourites such as appam and Kerala porotta, and buffet dining, though food and service can vary.
Reputation Score
3.9
★★★★☆
1,609 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Family Seating
Separate family seating and a comfortable setting suit gatherings with relatives or friends.
Appam Station
The buffet includes a live station for appam, a useful draw for appam fans.
Seafood Choices
Tawa jumbo prawns, crabs and prawns have received specific praise from diners.
Festive Sadya
Some families enjoyed the traditional Onam Sadya, banana-leaf service and festive atmosphere.
Buffet Variety
One diner found the buffet spread varied and suitable for both traditional and contemporary tastes.
Hotel Setting
Reviews mention a view, pleasant ambience, music and ample seating for group occasions.
What to Eat at Nalukettu 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 Nalukettu 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.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Nalukettu Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 3
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Appam Net +5
“Tried dinner for South Indian food all dishes where up to mark appam , kerala paratha all were excellent ambience also changed after my last visit in 2019 staff was friendly especially the resturant manager”
Positive 5Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Tried dinner for South Indian food all dishes where up to mark appam , kerala paratha all were excellent ambience also changed after my last visit in 2019 staff was friendly especially the resturant manager”July 2024
“Live station for the appam lovers... 😘”October 2023
-
Buffet Net +2
“I have brought my family here a couple of times to enjoy the buffet. The quality of food is quite good but, unfortunately variety is a problem.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I have brought my family here a couple of times to enjoy the buffet. The quality of food is quite good but, unfortunately variety is a problem.”October 2023
“The buffet menu offers a wide variety of delicious options.”January 2026
-
Toddy Net +2
“They also have a good selection of toddy and drinks which pairs wonderfully with the food.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They also have a good selection of toddy and drinks which pairs wonderfully with the food.”December 2025
“Soft porota’s and toddy is the best.”December 2025
Honorable mentions (13)
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Kerala porotta Net +1
“Soft porota’s and toddy is the best.”
Positive 3Negative 2
Review excerpts
“Soft porota’s and toddy is the best.”December 2025
“Tried dinner for South Indian food all dishes where up to mark appam , kerala paratha all were excellent ambience also changed after my last visit in 2019 staff was friendly especially the resturant manager”July 2024
-
Beef and squid batter fry Net +1
“Ordered 7 dishes only the beef and squid batter fry was good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Ordered 7 dishes only the beef and squid batter fry was good.”June 2024
-
Beef coconut fry Net +1
“Had neymeen pollichathu, beef coconut fry, egg roast, parotta and appam. All were good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had neymeen pollichathu, beef coconut fry, egg roast, parotta and appam. All were good.”June 2022
-
Chicken curry Net +1
“We tried Tawa jumbo prawns, Appam, Chicken curry along with some breads! All dishes were very delicious and fresh!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried Tawa jumbo prawns, Appam, Chicken curry along with some breads! All dishes were very delicious and fresh!”June 2023
-
Egg roast Net +1
“Had neymeen pollichathu, beef coconut fry, egg roast, parotta and appam. All were good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had neymeen pollichathu, beef coconut fry, egg roast, parotta and appam. All were good.”June 2022
-
King fish Net +1
“Its my first keral Buffet restaurant. Food was good but options were less in buffet. We ordered fish fry seperately were king fish was good not the other one.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Its my first keral Buffet restaurant. Food was good but options were less in buffet. We ordered fish fry seperately were king fish was good not the other one.”November 2020
-
Mutton stew Net +1
“The Mutton stew and Appams were really delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Mutton stew and Appams were really delicious.”December 2025
-
Neymeen pollichathu Net +1
“Had neymeen pollichathu, beef coconut fry, egg roast, parotta and appam. All were good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had neymeen pollichathu, beef coconut fry, egg roast, parotta and appam. All were good.”June 2022
-
Paayasam Net +1
“My colleagues went to the restaurant and they ordered meals. It's amazing and tasty. It's remind Kerala special traditions and different varieties of paayasam.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My colleagues went to the restaurant and they ordered meals. It's amazing and tasty. It's remind Kerala special traditions and different varieties of paayasam.”September 2025
-
Shrimp roast Net +1
“Biriyani and shrimp roast were good though.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Biriyani and shrimp roast were good though.”January 2023
-
Tawa jumbo prawns Net +1
“We tried Tawa jumbo prawns, Appam, Chicken curry along with some breads! All dishes were very delicious and fresh!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried Tawa jumbo prawns, Appam, Chicken curry along with some breads! All dishes were very delicious and fresh!”June 2023
-
Vegetable chettinad Net +1
“The best and preferred dish is Vegetable Chettinad with unlimited uppum!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The best and preferred dish is Vegetable Chettinad with unlimited uppum!”April 2026
-
Onam sadya Net 0
Mixed feedback
“We went to Nalukettu Restaurant with our family to enjoy the Onam Sadya, and it was an amazing experience. The festive atmosphere made us feel very welcome. The sadya had all the traditional dishes, prepared beautifully, and the taste truly reminded us of home.”
Positive 2Negative 2
Review excerpts
“We went to Nalukettu Restaurant with our family to enjoy the Onam Sadya, and it was an amazing experience. The festive atmosphere made us feel very welcome. The sadya had all the traditional dishes, prepared beautifully, and the taste truly reminded us of home.”September 2025
“We visited nalukettu Restaurant with our family for the Onam Sadhya and had a wonderful time. The ambience felt festive and welcoming. The sadhya was well-prepared with all the traditional items, and the flavors reminded us of home.”September 2025
Drinks 2
-
Cold coffee Net +1
“We enjoyed the mango lassi as well as cold coffee.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We enjoyed the mango lassi as well as cold coffee.”December 2025
-
Mango lassi Net +1
“We enjoyed the mango lassi as well as cold coffee.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We enjoyed the mango lassi as well as cold coffee.”December 2025
What to Avoid (9)
Food 8
-
Beef roast Net −1
“The beef roast, in particular, was quite poor in quality—tough, lacking flavor, and not prepared well.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The beef roast, in particular, was quite poor in quality—tough, lacking flavor, and not prepared well.”May 2026
-
Chicken chatti curry Net −1
“We ordered Chicken Chatti Curry and Mutton Roast. Before placing the order, we specifically asked the waiter whether the mutton was Indian mutton, and we were told that it was. However, when the food arrived, it was clearly not what was described, and the taste was very disappointing.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered Chicken Chatti Curry and Mutton Roast. Before placing the order, we specifically asked the waiter whether the mutton was Indian mutton, and we were told that it was. However, when the food arrived, it was clearly not what was described, and the taste was very disappointing.”May 2026
-
Fish molly Net −1
“Deeply unsatisfied. Almost every dish we ordered was subpar, but the Fish Molly was genuinely inedible. It tasted like old, dry fish rather than a fresh preparation.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Deeply unsatisfied. Almost every dish we ordered was subpar, but the Fish Molly was genuinely inedible. It tasted like old, dry fish rather than a fresh preparation.”May 2026
-
Fried rice Net −1
“It's a 4 star rated restaurant but the food and cleanliness is not up to par, the fried rice we ordered smelled like old boiled chicken, and there were flies literally on the tissues in my beer glass, i even killed one which was on my beef dish. We literally asked for the bill and left.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“It's a 4 star rated restaurant but the food and cleanliness is not up to par, the fried rice we ordered smelled like old boiled chicken, and there were flies literally on the tissues in my beer glass, i even killed one which was on my beef dish. We literally asked for the bill and left.”January 2022
-
Mutton roast Net −1
“We ordered Chicken Chatti Curry and Mutton Roast. Before placing the order, we specifically asked the waiter whether the mutton was Indian mutton, and we were told that it was. However, when the food arrived, it was clearly not what was described, and the taste was very disappointing.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered Chicken Chatti Curry and Mutton Roast. Before placing the order, we specifically asked the waiter whether the mutton was Indian mutton, and we were told that it was. However, when the food arrived, it was clearly not what was described, and the taste was very disappointing.”May 2026
-
Rasam Net −1
“We asked for rasam and they gave it after 10 mins. The rasam was disgusting,there was no salt and it tasted bland.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We asked for rasam and they gave it after 10 mins. The rasam was disgusting,there was no salt and it tasted bland.”September 2022
-
Sambar Net −1
“The first time they gave Sambar it was ok,the second time it was very watery.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The first time they gave Sambar it was ok,the second time it was very watery.”September 2022
-
Vishu sadya Net −1
“Seven of us friends went to the Grand Hotel Qusais Restaurant today to have the Vishu Sadya. All our expectations were shattered. We experienced extremely poor service today, and the food quality was also very bad. Even though it was a Sadya with 28 items, the main dishes were only served after we had to ask for them multiple times. We will never choose this restaurant again for a festival Sadya.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Seven of us friends went to the Grand Hotel Qusais Restaurant today to have the Vishu Sadya. All our expectations were shattered. We experienced extremely poor service today, and the food quality was also very bad. Even though it was a Sadya with 28 items, the main dishes were only served after we had to ask for them multiple times. We will never choose this restaurant again for a festival Sadya.”April 2026
Drinks 1
-
Tea Net −1
“After dinner, we ordered tea, but unfortunately it was one of the worst teas we’ve had. It was difficult to drink, and to make matters worse, we waited another 30 minutes for it to arrive.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“After dinner, we ordered tea, but unfortunately it was one of the worst teas we’ve had. It was difficult to drink, and to make matters worse, we waited another 30 minutes for it to arrive.”May 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Skip Biryani. Consider choosing Kerala dishes instead; multiple reviews warn against ordering the biryanis.
Allow Time. Avoid a tight schedule: one dinner took 45–50 minutes for food and 30 more minutes for tea.
Check Buffet. Ask what is currently included before booking the buffet, as diners have reported limited variety.
Festival Planning. For Sadya meals, ask early for missing dishes; several festival reviews mention delays or repeated requests.
Parking Check. Parking feedback differs, so check availability when planning a busy group visit.
Try Appam. Appam is one of the safer starting points, with praise for both the dish and its live buffet station.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Dubai Grand Hotel
Al Qusais, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Food Inconsistency
Recent reviews range from excellent meals to dry meats, stale fish and lukewarm dishes.
Biryani Risk
Several diners strongly disliked the biryani, describing it as tasteless and not worth the price.
Long Delays
One dinner involved a 45–50 minute food wait followed by another 30 minutes for tea.
Buffet Variety
Some guests found the buffet selection limited or repetitive, including during weekend service.
Sadya Service
A Vishu Sadya review says main dishes arrived only after repeated requests.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
45aed per person
Weekend buffet
“Weekend buffet is 45aed per person which didn't felt worth cos of verity and very regular items ( very same for years )”Google review · June 2022
33 dirhams
beriyani
“No taste and no feeling for the beriyani and it will cost 33 dirhams”Google review · December 2025
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Nalukettu is a Kerala-focused Indian restaurant in Al Qusais, located in Dubai Grand Hotel by Fortune. Reviews make it most appealing for a family meal or South Indian spread: appam, Kerala porotta, traditional curries and seafood all get specific praise, and some diners rate the buffet as good value. The setting is a real part of the draw.
Families mention separate seating, comfortable surroundings, a view and space for gatherings; another review notes a live station for appam. The restaurant has also hosted Onam and Vishu Sadya on banana leaves, with some families enjoying the traditional dishes and festive atmosphere. Parking feedback is mixed: one visitor found plenty, while another called it limited.
Food quality is not consistent. Mutton stew with appams, tawa jumbo prawns, Vegetable Chettinad and beef-and-squid batter fry have pleased diners, but other reviews describe dry meats, stale fish, lukewarm Kerala porotta and disappointing biryani. The weekend buffet has been criticised for limited variety, although another diner found its spread impressive.
Service can be warm and attentive, but waits of 45–50 minutes for dinner and another 30 minutes for tea were reported. If you are trying it for the first time, ask about current dish availability, consider avoiding biryani based on repeated warnings, and allow extra time at busy festival meals. A dated review put the weekend buffet at 45 AED per person.