Turkish breakfast
The all-you-can-eat Turkish breakfast includes fresh bread, olives, cheeses, honey, jams, eggs, simit and unlimited tea.
Otantik Cafe & Restaurant - Al Manara
Al Wasl
Otantik Cafe & Restaurant is a Turkish-leaning Mediterranean restaurant in Al Wasl, with a menu that reviewers use for Turkish breakfast and seafood dinners. It also has shisha and live music, making it a late-night social stop as well as a place for a full meal.
Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
594 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Fresh bread
Warm, fluffy bread is a recurring highlight, especially alongside hummus and grilled dishes.
Iftar buffet
The buffet iftar was praised for its variety, tasty food, attentive service and family-friendly atmosphere.
Live music
Live oud music and evening entertainment add atmosphere to dinner visits.
Separate sections
Smoking and non-smoking seating gives families and shisha guests different options.
Spacious seating
One family review found the restaurant spacious, relatively clean and comfortable for watching a football game.
Free parking
A review specifically notes that free parking is available.
What to Eat at Otantik Cafe & Restaurant - Al Manara 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 Otantik Cafe & Restaurant - Al Manara, 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 Otantik Cafe & Restaurant - Al Manara, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 1
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Simit Net +3
“The highlight for me was the warm, fluffy simit and the aromatic Turkish tea that tied everything together.”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The highlight for me was the warm, fluffy simit and the aromatic Turkish tea that tied everything together.”December 2024
“A special treat is the warm, airy simit and aromatic Turkish tea that complement each other perfectly.”February 2025
Honorable mentions (20)
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Buffet iftar Net +1
“We visited for their buffet iftar, and everything was just perfect. The food was really tasty with a good variety, the service was prompt and attentive, and the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We visited for their buffet iftar, and everything was just perfect. The food was really tasty with a good variety, the service was prompt and attentive, and the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting.”March 2026
-
Calamari Net +1
“Love the calamari and labneh and we ordered this meat platter with a small tomato rice on the side, the rice is superb (forgot the name of the dish).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love the calamari and labneh and we ordered this meat platter with a small tomato rice on the side, the rice is superb (forgot the name of the dish).”November 2024
-
Family breakfast Net +1
“Had a Family Breakfast, Ambience & food excellent, attentive staff. Recommendation for Breakfast, though tasty food all day. Free parking available.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had a Family Breakfast, Ambience & food excellent, attentive staff. Recommendation for Breakfast, though tasty food all day. Free parking available.”September 2024
-
Fattoush salad Net +1
“The fattoush salad was creatively served with goood amount of dressing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The fattoush salad was creatively served with goood amount of dressing.”May 2024
-
Fish and pineapple rice with shrimp and calamari Net +1
“We ordered seafood ( fish and pineapple rice with shrimp and calamari) which was incredibly delicious and exceptionally tasty..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered seafood ( fish and pineapple rice with shrimp and calamari) which was incredibly delicious and exceptionally tasty..”April 2026
-
Grilled chicken Net +1
“The grilled chicken was tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned, served with fresh vegetables and crispy fries.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The grilled chicken was tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned, served with fresh vegetables and crispy fries.”June 2026
-
Hummus Net +1
“The hummus was incredibly creamy, rich, and flavorful, topped with quality olive oil and fresh pomegranate seeds that added a beautiful touch.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The hummus was incredibly creamy, rich, and flavorful, topped with quality olive oil and fresh pomegranate seeds that added a beautiful touch.”June 2026
-
Iftar Net +1
“One of the best restaurants to enjoy Iftar with Shisha. An amazing buffet. Live music. Very reasonable prices. My recommendation.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best restaurants to enjoy Iftar with Shisha. An amazing buffet. Live music. Very reasonable prices. My recommendation.”March 2025
-
Labneh Net +1
“Love the calamari and labneh and we ordered this meat platter with a small tomato rice on the side, the rice is superb (forgot the name of the dish).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love the calamari and labneh and we ordered this meat platter with a small tomato rice on the side, the rice is superb (forgot the name of the dish).”November 2024
-
Lamb shank Net +1
“Lamb shank was great.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Lamb shank was great.”April 2026
-
Lentil soup Net +1
“Lentil soup was awesome.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Lentil soup was awesome.”April 2026
-
Mezze platter Net +1
“The mezze platter is a must try and at the end with Turkish tea and they spoilt us with a tiramisu cake.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The mezze platter is a must try and at the end with Turkish tea and they spoilt us with a tiramisu cake.”May 2024
-
Otantik smokes bbq breast Net +1
“I tried Otantik Smokes BBQ Breast A well-balanced and flavorful dish. The smoked BBQ chicken breast is tender and perfectly glazed, complemented by fresh vegetables and rich, smoky accents. A refined and satisfying choice.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I tried Otantik Smokes BBQ Breast A well-balanced and flavorful dish. The smoked BBQ chicken breast is tender and perfectly glazed, complemented by fresh vegetables and rich, smoky accents. A refined and satisfying choice.”June 2025
-
Personalized coffe Net +1
“You can also have personalized coffe with your photo, which is very nice.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“You can also have personalized coffe with your photo, which is very nice.”February 2025
-
Royal turkish breakfast Net +1
“The Royal Turkish Breakfast was colorful, rich, and full of authentic flavors, with generous portions and unlimited tea.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Royal Turkish Breakfast was colorful, rich, and full of authentic flavors, with generous portions and unlimited tea.”January 2025
-
Shoor Net +1
“I would like to thank the whole staff who were at the night shift ( 2:30Am to 4:00Am) they where very welcoming we had very delicious Shoor 🤗”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I would like to thank the whole staff who were at the night shift ( 2:30Am to 4:00Am) they where very welcoming we had very delicious Shoor 🤗”March 2026
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Steak Net +1
“I highly recommend trying the steak”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I highly recommend trying the steak”July 2025
-
Tiramisu cake Net +1
“The mezze platter is a must try and at the end with Turkish tea and they spoilt us with a tiramisu cake.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The mezze platter is a must try and at the end with Turkish tea and they spoilt us with a tiramisu cake.”May 2024
-
Bbq chicken Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“BBQ chicken was average.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
-
Mixed hot mezze Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Mixed hot mezze was average.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 2
-
Cappuccino coffee Net +1
“Best part of our morning was the cappuccino coffee with our pictures in it!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Best part of our morning was the cappuccino coffee with our pictures in it!”January 2025
-
Turkish coffee Net +1
“I loved their unique Turkish coffee serving, and their creative coffee-printing technique, which added a special touch.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I loved their unique Turkish coffee serving, and their creative coffee-printing technique, which added a special touch.”January 2025
What to Avoid (4)
Food 4
-
Chicken liver Net −1
“However, while most of the food shines, the chicken liver could use some improvement—it lacked the depth of flavor and tenderness that would elevate the dish.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“However, while most of the food shines, the chicken liver could use some improvement—it lacked the depth of flavor and tenderness that would elevate the dish.”October 2024
-
Lamb shank dish Net −1
“Coffee for 36, 250ml Pepsi can for 18, not even a larger 330 mm, 120 for a lamb shank dish that was not very well done and not so amazing.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Coffee for 36, 250ml Pepsi can for 18, not even a larger 330 mm, 120 for a lamb shank dish that was not very well done and not so amazing.”July 2026
-
Mediterranean salad Net −1
“Mediterranean salad was a failure, cane super loaded with dressing and oil , lettuce almost wilted every bite had so much dressing we couldnt finish it.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Mediterranean salad was a failure, cane super loaded with dressing and oil , lettuce almost wilted every bite had so much dressing we couldnt finish it.”July 2026
-
Shakshouka Net −1
“The shakshouka was dry.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The shakshouka was dry.”August 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Choose seating. If smoke bothers you, request the non-smoking section; reviews confirm both smoking and non-smoking areas exist.
Allow time. Avoid a rushed visit, especially at busy times: one review reports waiting over an hour before anyone took the order.
Check prices. Ask about current prices and offers before ordering; a regular customer said increases were only discovered at the bill.
Try breakfast. The Turkish breakfast is the clearest repeat recommendation, with warm bread, varied small plates and unlimited tea.
Confirm shisha. If you have specific shisha requirements, confirm them again when ordering because one guest said accepted requests were not fulfilled.
Use parking. For drivers, a September review says free parking is available, which may make the visit easier.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Sheikh Zayed Rd
Al Manara, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Heavy smoke
Smoke can be uncomfortable, with one visitor saying the whole restaurant felt poorly ventilated.
Slow service
Some visits involved an hour-long wait to order, while another family waited more than 30 minutes for glasses.
High prices
Several reviewers found prices high for the portions or service, including a 500 bill for two adults and two children.
Inconsistent food
Reviews range from excellent fresh dishes to complaints about reheated chicken and food that tasted stale.
Salad dressing
One family found the Mediterranean salad excessively oily and heavily dressed, leaving it unfinished.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
59AED
Shisha
“I also took a shisha which was really good for 59AED”Google review · June 2024
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Otantik Cafe & Restaurant in Al Wasl is a Turkish-leaning Mediterranean restaurant that works especially well for breakfast, shisha and relaxed evening meals. The Turkish breakfast is the standout repeat recommendation: expect warm bread, simit, cheeses, olives, sweet spreads, eggs and unlimited tea. Seafood also gets strong mentions, including fish with pineapple rice, shrimp and calamari.
The setting is spacious and comfortable, with separate smoking and non-smoking sections. Some evening visits include live music, including oud, while TVs and a small stage have suited football-watchers and casual gatherings. Free parking is also mentioned in the reviews.
There is a real split in the service feedback. Some diners describe attentive, professional care and prompt iftar service; others waited over an hour to order, more than 30 minutes for glasses, or struggled to get a waiter’s attention. Shisha smoke is another consideration, with complaints about ventilation even though the separate sections are useful.
Prices can feel high for the portion or execution. One review cites a 500 bill for two adults and two children, while another found the Turkish breakfast good value. Check current prices and offers before ordering, and allow extra time during busy visits.