Broad menu
The menu reaches well beyond what the small cafe frontage suggests, with Indian, Chinese, sushi, poke bowls and breakfast among the choices.
Nad Al Sheba
A casual cafe and restaurant in Nad Al Sheba, POPUP serves a notably broad menu, from poke bowls and salads to grilled dishes and cheesecake. Reviews make it worth considering for generous portions, fresh juices and affordable everyday meals, whether you sit in or order takeaway.
Source: Google Maps
The menu reaches well beyond what the small cafe frontage suggests, with Indian, Chinese, sushi, poke bowls and breakfast among the choices.
Several reviews describe substantial servings; one diner specifically praised the fried rice with alfaham for being generously portioned.
Fresh juices and smoothies are a recurring strength, with pomegranate juice receiving especially enthusiastic mention.
Customers regularly describe the food as affordable, with big portions and a wide menu making it useful for regular meals.
Reviews often mention friendly, attentive service, including a warm welcome during a dine-in visit.
Customers have described the restaurant as clean and professional, which supports both quick meals and casual dine-in visits.
The cheesecake is a standout in the reviews, particularly the San Sebastian version.
These items at POPUP CAFE & RESTAURANT | SOBHA HARTLAND got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
“New chees cake nice must try”
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Review excerpts
“New chees cake nice must try”April 2026
“The cheesecake and the grill are amazing at Pop up. Pop up is our second home.”April 2026
“I tried the fried rice with alfaham, and it was absolutely delicious — flavorful, perfectly cooked, and generously portioned.”
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Review excerpts
“I tried the fried rice with alfaham, and it was absolutely delicious — flavorful, perfectly cooked, and generously portioned.”August 2025
“Grilled chicken drumsticks were especially amazing.”
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Review excerpts
“Grilled chicken drumsticks were especially amazing.”February 2025
“The salmon Grilled was particularly outstanding—perfectly cooked and delicately seasoned.”
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Review excerpts
“The salmon Grilled was particularly outstanding—perfectly cooked and delicately seasoned.”May 2025
“The San Sebastian cheese cake was very very delicous 😍”
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“The San Sebastian cheese cake was very very delicous 😍”December 2025
“It was a nice experienced to sit and tried the vegetables noodles and avocado shake .noodles is really tasty and yummy the way they cooked .avocado is authentic ,taste is pure avocado .”
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Review excerpts
“It was a nice experienced to sit and tried the vegetables noodles and avocado shake .noodles is really tasty and yummy the way they cooked .avocado is authentic ,taste is pure avocado .”September 2025
“It was a nice experienced to sit and tried the vegetables noodles and avocado shake .noodles is really tasty and yummy the way they cooked .avocado is authentic ,taste is pure avocado .”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It was a nice experienced to sit and tried the vegetables noodles and avocado shake .noodles is really tasty and yummy the way they cooked .avocado is authentic ,taste is pure avocado .”September 2025
“Service very good and fast Must try pizza& falak juice”
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Review excerpts
“Service very good and fast Must try pizza& falak juice”December 2024
“I’m in love with fresh pomegranate juice”
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Review excerpts
“I’m in love with fresh pomegranate juice”June 2025
“I have ordered salad, mozzarella sticks and dinamite calmari, the salad taste unfresh, the eggs color is black, the souce is weird and i dont know what it is, mozzarella sticks friend with the fish oiland smells like finish, disgusting! Dinamite calmari has no dinamite sauce and full of oil because of the fried, all in all i feel i am disgusted, it wasnt a pleasant experience, i tried to call them before i put this review to inform them my note, worker do not understand english, and they kept saying ok ok! Like very bad experience i paid 90 aed for this meal and its just a waste i theough it in the garbafe”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I have ordered salad, mozzarella sticks and dinamite calmari, the salad taste unfresh, the eggs color is black, the souce is weird and i dont know what it is, mozzarella sticks friend with the fish oiland smells like finish, disgusting! Dinamite calmari has no dinamite sauce and full of oil because of the fried, all in all i feel i am disgusted, it wasnt a pleasant experience, i tried to call them before i put this review to inform them my note, worker do not understand english, and they kept saying ok ok! Like very bad experience i paid 90 aed for this meal and its just a waste i theough it in the garbafe”February 2026
“I have ordered salad, mozzarella sticks and dinamite calmari, the salad taste unfresh, the eggs color is black, the souce is weird and i dont know what it is, mozzarella sticks friend with the fish oiland smells like finish, disgusting! Dinamite calmari has no dinamite sauce and full of oil because of the fried, all in all i feel i am disgusted, it wasnt a pleasant experience, i tried to call them before i put this review to inform them my note, worker do not understand english, and they kept saying ok ok! Like very bad experience i paid 90 aed for this meal and its just a waste i theough it in the garbafe”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I have ordered salad, mozzarella sticks and dinamite calmari, the salad taste unfresh, the eggs color is black, the souce is weird and i dont know what it is, mozzarella sticks friend with the fish oiland smells like finish, disgusting! Dinamite calmari has no dinamite sauce and full of oil because of the fried, all in all i feel i am disgusted, it wasnt a pleasant experience, i tried to call them before i put this review to inform them my note, worker do not understand english, and they kept saying ok ok! Like very bad experience i paid 90 aed for this meal and its just a waste i theough it in the garbafe”February 2026
Check timing. Allow extra time for dine-in during busy periods; one reviewer reported an almost hour-long wait even with only one other diner.
Confirm delivery. If ordering late or relying on delivery for dinner, confirm the order can be fulfilled before waiting on it.
Try bowls. For a first order, consider a bowl or salad; a regular delivery customer specifically praised both the portions and fresh produce.
Save room. The San Sebastian cheesecake is repeatedly singled out, so it is worth considering after your main meal.
Expect compactness. Plan for a compact indoor setting rather than a spacious terrace; one reviewer explicitly asked for more room.
Plan the visit
| Mon | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Tue | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Wed | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Thu | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Fri | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Sat | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Sun | 8:30 AM – 1:30 AM |
A few customers reported waits approaching an hour, including during a quiet dine-in visit.
One dinner order was accepted but cancelled too late for the customer to find another open option.
Some recent reviewers felt food quality had dropped, citing less attention to detail than before.
One meal review described an unfresh salad, an oily calamari dish and mozzarella sticks smelling of fish oil.
A reviewer enjoyed the meals but wanted more room inside or an outdoor terrace.
The Bottom Line
POPUP CAFE & RESTAURANT is a casual Nad Al Sheba spot in Sobha Hartland that works for both quick takeaway and relaxed dine-in meals. The menu is much broader than the small cafe exterior suggests: customers mention poke bowls, salads, sushi, breakfast, grilled dishes and meals from Indian and Chinese cuisines. That range makes it useful when a group cannot agree on one type of food.
Food is generally praised for strong flavour, freshness and generous portions. Fried rice with alfaham, grilled chicken drumsticks, salads and açai bowls all receive specific praise, while fresh juices and smoothies are a recurring draw. The San Sebastian cheesecake and grilled dishes are also worth noting if you want dessert or something more substantial.
Prices are commonly described as affordable, with portions that feel good value for everyday eating. Service is often warm and fast, and reviewers describe the restaurant as clean. However, the experience is not perfectly consistent.
Some diners reported waits close to an hour, a missing drink, a billing error and a delivery cancellation communicated too late. A separate review raised concerns about an unfresh salad and overly oily fried items. If timing matters, confirm delivery and allow extra time during busy periods; the compact interior may also feel limiting when busy.