Standout Palabok
Palabok is the clearest crowd favourite, with reviewers praising its silky sauce, shrimp and crisp toppings.
Russell Dave Bakery - Al Barsha
Al Barsha
Russell Dave Bakery is a Filipino bakery and casual eatery in Al Barsha, owned by Kapampangan bakers. It is worth considering for its well-loved palabok and Filipino breads such as cheese bread and ube pandesal, with takeaway and rice meals also available.
Reputation Score
4.0
★★★★☆
281 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Filipino Bread
Cheese bread, Spanish bread and pandesal regularly bring customers back for soft, nostalgic bakery favourites.
Ube Filling
The ube pandesal is noted for generous ube and cheese filling rather than a merely flavoured bun.
Generous Portions
A party-food order was described as generous, good value and satisfying for a group.
Comfort Dishes
Reviews give specific praise to tender ox tripe in arroz caldo and a beef tapa that won over a picky home cook.
Friendly Service
Several visits mention approachable, attentive staff, including a request for extra lemon being handled readily.
Tips for a Better Visit
Choose Takeaway. Takeaway or delivery may suit you better than dining in because seats are limited and the room can feel crowded.
Allow Time. Build in extra time for collection; one palabok takeaway took 20 minutes and arrived cold.
Try Palabok. If it is your first visit, palabok is the safest starting point: multiple reviews call out its flavour and generous serving.
Check Orders. Check packed items before leaving, especially for prepaid or takeaway orders, after a reported item mix-up.
Order Bread. For bakery items, consider cheese bread, Spanish bread or ube pandesal; these are repeatedly singled out rather than generic pastries.
Locate Carefully. Allow time to find the shop, as one visitor described the Al Barsha location as hidden and not easy to spot.
Plan the visit
Practical details
City House (1)
Al Barsha First - Al Barsha, Dubai
| Mon | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Tue | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Wed | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Thu | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Fri | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Sat | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Sun | 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
Popular Mentions
Pancit Bihon
Pancit bihon is described by one reviewer as light, fragrant and satisfying, though another found it tasteless.
Beef Pares
Beef pares received praise for its flavour and bountiful serving, with one cup of rice reportedly not enough.
Siopao
Siopao is a familiar Filipino bakery choice, although reviews differ on its saltiness and recent filling size.
Common Concerns
Long Waits
Orders can take 20 minutes to nearly an hour, and the queue may become slow even when the food is well received.
Small Seating
The dining area is repeatedly described as cramped, with limited seats and a congested feel.
Hard To Find
One customer found the Al Barsha location hidden and difficult to locate.
Inconsistent Food
Some repeat customers reported changes in flavour, including oilier palabok and a sweeter tapsilog.
Order Errors
A prepaid sapin sapin order was mixed up, took 20 minutes to resolve and was not wrapped properly.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
AED5 for 7 pieces
pandesal
“The pandesal priced AED5 for 7 pieces”Google review · February 2024
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Russell Dave Bakery is a Filipino bakery and casual eatery in Al Barsha, owned by Kapampangan bakers. You can pick up Filipino breads and delicacies, order rice meals, or sit down for dishes such as palabok, pancit and tapsilog. Palabok is the strongest recurring recommendation: one reviewer described it as “Legit,” while another praised its silky sauce, shrimp and crisp toppings.
The bakery side has its own following. Cheese bread, Spanish bread, pandesal and ube cheese pandesal are repeatedly mentioned, with the ube version noted for generous filling. Other reviewed favourites include beef pares, arroz caldo with very tender ox tripe, siopao and party-food orders with generous portions.
A review also says classic pandesal was AED5 for seven pieces, though that is an older customer-reported price rather than a current menu quote. Plan this more as a takeaway stop than a leisurely meal. The dining area is small and can feel congested, while waits range from 20 minutes to almost an hour.
Some customers also reported unanswered calls and order mix-ups. Food quality is not perfectly consistent: later visits mention oilier palabok, sweeter tapsilog and smaller siopao filling. Check takeaway orders before leaving, and allow extra time if you are collecting.