Shawarma
Chicken shawarma receives repeated praise, with one reviewer calling it one of the best in Dubai.
Sahelnom Express Business Bay
Business Bay
Sahelnom Express Business Bay is a fast-food restaurant with an urban Syrian-cuisine focus. Reviews point to chicken shawarma and broasted chicken as the main draws, while the Business Bay setting has also been praised for its atmosphere and canal views.
Reputation Score
4.1
★★★★☆
363 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Broasted Chicken
Reviews describe the broasted chicken as juicy, crisp and well paired with broasted potatoes and bread.
Generous Meal
A reviewer received substantial food and extras in a delivered 40 AED meal, including generous extra garlic.
Syrian Flavours
Customers mention authentic Syrian food, including hummus, shawarma, broasted chicken and Syrian-style burgers.
Helpful Recovery
When extra bread was forgotten, the restaurant delivered it after being contacted, reportedly coming twice to resolve it.
Canal Views
The Business Bay location has been praised for its atmosphere and canal view, especially for outdoor winter breakfasts or evening visits.
What to Eat at Sahelnom Express Business Bay 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 Sahelnom Express Business Bay, 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 Sahelnom Express Business Bay got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 1
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Shawarma Net +4
“I tried shawarma and it was 10 out of 10, Excellent service from the staff very corporative and nice and the food was very good. Best Shawarma in UAE😍😍”
Positive 7Negative 3Neutral 2
Review excerpts
“I tried shawarma and it was 10 out of 10, Excellent service from the staff very corporative and nice and the food was very good. Best Shawarma in UAE😍😍”June 2023
“Amazing food/ terrible service, the orders takes so long, you need to ask few times for the order to have it in, how long shawarma sandwich takes to be prepared dear reviewer? Change your work progress speed is a major service element.”April 2021
Honorable mentions (17)
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Boom crispy chicken Net +1
“🍔:- Boom Crispy Chicken ( fried crispy chicken, lettuce , turkey , pickles , cheddar sauce and special sauce )”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“🍔:- Boom Crispy Chicken ( fried crispy chicken, lettuce , turkey , pickles , cheddar sauce and special sauce )”March 2021
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Boom crispy chicken burgers Net +1
“Their must try dishes are their hummus which is super fresh and creamy, Roasted chicken which was very large in quantity and bursting with flavour, Boom Crispy Chicken Burgers which were served as sliders but were quite large and easily shareable between 2, and of course their Crispy Broast!!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their must try dishes are their hummus which is super fresh and creamy, Roasted chicken which was very large in quantity and bursting with flavour, Boom Crispy Chicken Burgers which were served as sliders but were quite large and easily shareable between 2, and of course their Crispy Broast!!”February 2021
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Broasted chicken Net +1
“Amazing Syrian burgers, Syrian style shawerma and broasted chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing Syrian burgers, Syrian style shawerma and broasted chicken.”June 2023
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Brosted chicken Net +1
“The best Brosted chicken in all of UAE, this restaurant never disappoints me when it comes to roasted chicken and Broasted chicken.. even their side dishes are great They are a little bit pricy, especially with the drinks! But the food is super good”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The best Brosted chicken in all of UAE, this restaurant never disappoints me when it comes to roasted chicken and Broasted chicken.. even their side dishes are great They are a little bit pricy, especially with the drinks! But the food is super good”June 2023
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Chicken shawarma with rice Net +1
“Fantastic chicken shawarma with rice, in my opinion the best in town.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Fantastic chicken shawarma with rice, in my opinion the best in town.”June 2024
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Crispy broast Net +1
“Their must try dishes are their hummus which is super fresh and creamy, Roasted chicken which was very large in quantity and bursting with flavour, Boom Crispy Chicken Burgers which were served as sliders but were quite large and easily shareable between 2, and of course their Crispy Broast!!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their must try dishes are their hummus which is super fresh and creamy, Roasted chicken which was very large in quantity and bursting with flavour, Boom Crispy Chicken Burgers which were served as sliders but were quite large and easily shareable between 2, and of course their Crispy Broast!!”February 2021
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Falafel Net +1
“Delicious and reasonably priced, the shawarma is amazing as well as the falafel”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Delicious and reasonably priced, the shawarma is amazing as well as the falafel”April 2022
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Flaming crispy chicken burger Net +1
“Additionally, the flaming crispy chicken burger is simply outstanding and definitely worth trying.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Additionally, the flaming crispy chicken burger is simply outstanding and definitely worth trying.”June 2023
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Fried chicken Net +1
“It has an awesome authentic Syrian Shawarma and Fried Chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has an awesome authentic Syrian Shawarma and Fried Chicken.”September 2022
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Half kilo mix grills Net +1
“I have ordered a half kilo mix grills that came with homus, salad and moutabal. The grills was really tasty and delicious and delivered hot with hot bread too.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I have ordered a half kilo mix grills that came with homus, salad and moutabal. The grills was really tasty and delicious and delivered hot with hot bread too.”October 2021
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Hummus chicken shawarma platter Net +1
“Got the Hummus Chicken Shawarma Platter. Hummus toped with chicken shawarma, bread, pickles, and garlic sauce. For AED 28 Quality was ok.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Got the Hummus Chicken Shawarma Platter. Hummus toped with chicken shawarma, bread, pickles, and garlic sauce. For AED 28 Quality was ok.”January 2021
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Kunafa dessert Net +1
“Some of the recommended dishes include the hummus, shish taouk, mixed grill platter, and the kunafa dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Some of the recommended dishes include the hummus, shish taouk, mixed grill platter, and the kunafa dessert.”June 2023
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Mixed grill platter Net +1
“Some of the recommended dishes include the hummus, shish taouk, mixed grill platter, and the kunafa dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Some of the recommended dishes include the hummus, shish taouk, mixed grill platter, and the kunafa dessert.”June 2023
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Potato farouj Net +1
“Potato Farouj was amazing which just remind me some childhood chips which we were having in home.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Potato Farouj was amazing which just remind me some childhood chips which we were having in home.”December 2020
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Samoon bread Net +1
“Average Shawarma. Their Samoon bread is good but the sandwich is meh.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Average Shawarma. Their Samoon bread is good but the sandwich is meh.”October 2021
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Shish taouk Net +1
“Some of the recommended dishes include the hummus, shish taouk, mixed grill platter, and the kunafa dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Some of the recommended dishes include the hummus, shish taouk, mixed grill platter, and the kunafa dessert.”June 2023
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Syrian shawarma Net +1
“It has an awesome authentic Syrian Shawarma and Fried Chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It has an awesome authentic Syrian Shawarma and Fried Chicken.”September 2022
What to Avoid (5)
Food 5
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Beef shawarma Net −1
“2/5 21st August 2021 Saw this new chain in the food court so I came to try it. I had the beef shawarma. It was pretty decent in size but the taste was mediocre. Won't be trying the beef shawarma again.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“2/5 21st August 2021 Saw this new chain in the food court so I came to try it. I had the beef shawarma. It was pretty decent in size but the taste was mediocre. Won't be trying the beef shawarma again.”August 2021
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Chicken meal combo Net −1
“I ordered a chicken meal combo, the soft drink was forgotten and never brought to the table until I reminded the staff. The chicken was undercooked in some parts, and I had to request them to cook it further, which added even more to the waiting time.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered a chicken meal combo, the soft drink was forgotten and never brought to the table until I reminded the staff. The chicken was undercooked in some parts, and I had to request them to cook it further, which added even more to the waiting time.”January 2025
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Chicken shawarma Net −1
“I orderd on line chicken shawarma was horrible not eatable very bad taste and bad smell”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I orderd on line chicken shawarma was horrible not eatable very bad taste and bad smell”December 2025
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Inhouse kubbus Net −1
“The inhouse kubbus was given cold and when we asked them to change, they gave normal kubbus instead of inhouse kubbus.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The inhouse kubbus was given cold and when we asked them to change, they gave normal kubbus instead of inhouse kubbus.”April 2025
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Potatoes Net −2
“I was shocked to pay 28 Riyals for a small plate of potatoes – it was barely the equivalent of tow pieces of potato. Considering this is a quick service restaurant or sandwich shop, not fine dining, the price is completely unreasonable for such a basic dish.”
Positive 0Negative 2
Critical review excerpts
“I was shocked to pay 28 Riyals for a small plate of potatoes – it was barely the equivalent of tow pieces of potato. Considering this is a quick service restaurant or sandwich shop, not fine dining, the price is completely unreasonable for such a basic dish.”January 2025
“Guys next time just put 2 piece of potato not 10, that too much, and it’s not as it looks in picture at all.”July 2024
Tips for a Better Visit
Confirm Orders. If using the app for a discount, check that the restaurant accepts the order; one app order was cancelled without explanation.
Allow Time. Build in extra time for service or delivery, since one review describes a wait of up to two hours.
Check Portions. If ordering shawarma, check the expected size first because one customer found it smaller than the image and very oily.
Check Delivery. Inspect delivered food on arrival, particularly pickles, chicken smell and packaging; reviewers reported problems with all three.
Try Chicken. For a first order, chicken shawarma may be the safer starting point than beef: one reviewer preferred the chicken.
Consider Timing. The canal-view setting was specifically suggested for outdoor winter breakfasts or evenings.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Blue Bay Tower - 44 Marasi Drive Street
Business Bay, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Safety Allegation
One reviewer alleged severe food poisoning requiring hospital treatment; other reviews also mention rotten pickles and unpleasant food smells.
Long Delays
Service can be slow: one customer described an order taking around two hours, while another reported a long wait for a meal.
Small Shawarma
Some customers found the shawarma much smaller than pictured and oily, with disappointing meat portions.
Food Inconsistency
Reviews vary sharply, including complaints about dry shawarma, bad taste, bad smells and chicken that needed further cooking.
High Pricing
Several reviewers considered the pricing poor value, including 28 Riyals for a very small plate of potatoes.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
40 AED
meal
“I ordered a meal for only 40 AED delivered to my home, and honestly I was surprised by how much food and extras they included”Google review · March 2026
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Sahelnom Express Business Bay is a quick-service Syrian restaurant aimed at shawarma, fried chicken and sandwiches. The strongest recurring recommendations are chicken shawarma and broasted chicken: reviewers describe the shawarma as highly flavoured, while the broasted chicken has been praised for being juicy and crisp. Hummus and Syrian-style burgers also appear among the dishes people enjoyed.
There is more to the setting than takeaway food. Reviews mention indoor and outdoor seating, a canal view and an atmosphere suited to evening visits or outdoor winter breakfasts. One older review also mentions paid parking.
A delivered meal costing 40 AED was described as generous with plenty of extras, including extra garlic, though other diners found portions surprisingly small and prices high for basic sides. Consistency is the main question mark. Alongside enthusiastic food and service reports, customers describe long delays, cancelled app orders, dry or bad-smelling chicken shawarma, limited sauces and sides, and one serious food-poisoning allegation.
Another diner reported undercooked chicken that needed to be sent back. If ordering for the first time, allow extra time, confirm app orders are accepted, and check delivery items on arrival. The reviews suggest the food can be very good, but the experience is not reliably uniform.