Burj views
Outdoor seating looks across to the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, with the water show visible from some tables.
Samad Al-Iraqi Restaurant
Downtown Dubai
Samad Al-Iraqi is an Iraqi restaurant in Downtown Dubai, known for traditional dishes such as Masgouf, kebabs and generous rice-and-meat plates. Its outdoor seating brings views of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, making the setting as much a part of the visit as the meal.
Reputation Score
4.4
★★★★☆
2,574 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Large portions
Portions are substantial: one reviewer said a meal ordered for two adults and two children might have been enough for four.
House starters
Many diners mention complimentary lentil soup, pickles and freshly baked Iraqi bread before the main dishes.
Iraqi dishes
The menu gives diners distinctive Iraqi choices, including Masgouf, Kubba Mosul, Quzi and stuffed dolma.
Breakfast
One reviewer specifically called it the best breakfast they had in Dubai, alongside praise for the location and service.
Family dining
Reviews describe the restaurant as suitable for families and groups, with one diner praising the kids menu.
Hookah
Hookah is available and was rated highly by a reviewer who also enjoyed the Iraqi kebab and meat platter.
What to Eat at Samad Al-Iraqi 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 Samad Al-Iraqi Restaurant, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. We still have more reviews to analyze, so the scores may change. 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 Samad Al-Iraqi 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 1
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Moutabal Net +2
“The starters were outstanding: fresh and well-balanced tabbouleh, smoky and creamy moutabal, and an excellent hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts, absolutely delicious.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The starters were outstanding: fresh and well-balanced tabbouleh, smoky and creamy moutabal, and an excellent hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts, absolutely delicious.”January 2026
“Hummus/ Salad/ Mutabbal 9/10”January 2024
Honorable mentions (28)
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Char grilled chicken Net +1
“Char grilled chicken 7/10”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Char grilled chicken 7/10”January 2024
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Chicken liver with pomegranate Net +1
“Date salad is super recommend and if you like chicken liver the one with pomegranate is also recommend.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Date salad is super recommend and if you like chicken liver the one with pomegranate is also recommend.”April 2025
-
Corn salad Net +1
“I ordered the Iraqi kebab with corn salad and for drink I ordered strawberry mojito .everything was perfect!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered the Iraqi kebab with corn salad and for drink I ordered strawberry mojito .everything was perfect!”October 2025
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Date salad Net +1
“Date salad is super recommend and if you like chicken liver the one with pomegranate is also recommend.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Date salad is super recommend and if you like chicken liver the one with pomegranate is also recommend.”April 2025
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Generous kebab meal Net +1
“I was reminded of Iraqi generosity, the complementary lentil soup before the meal, pickles, and then amazing Iraqi shai after the generous kebab meal.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I was reminded of Iraqi generosity, the complementary lentil soup before the meal, pickles, and then amazing Iraqi shai after the generous kebab meal.”February 2026
-
Gouzi Net +1
“We tried mix appetisers, Arabic salad, batata harrah, gouzi (lovely), mix grill, ryash (great), and the second time we ordered sea bass💯”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried mix appetisers, Arabic salad, batata harrah, gouzi (lovely), mix grill, ryash (great), and the second time we ordered sea bass💯”July 2022
-
Grilled mix Net +1
“We ordered Hummus Kubah Qalayah which is meet soups with onion and black paper Quzi which is lamp with different types of rice Grilled mix which was great in general!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We ordered Hummus Kubah Qalayah which is meet soups with onion and black paper Quzi which is lamp with different types of rice Grilled mix which was great in general!”July 2025
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Hummus Net +1
“• Hummus: 9/10”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“• Hummus: 9/10”January 2026
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Hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts Net +1
“The starters were outstanding: fresh and well-balanced tabbouleh, smoky and creamy moutabal, and an excellent hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts, absolutely delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The starters were outstanding: fresh and well-balanced tabbouleh, smoky and creamy moutabal, and an excellent hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts, absolutely delicious.”January 2026
-
Iraqi styled chicken biryani Net +1
“Ordered Iraqi styled Chicken biryani (powered by raisins and nuts) with Lemon with Mint. Got served with a Lentil soup and fresh whole bread (naan) as starters. The slides had yogurt and beans. Tasty food packed with amazing ambience.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Ordered Iraqi styled Chicken biryani (powered by raisins and nuts) with Lemon with Mint. Got served with a Lentil soup and fresh whole bread (naan) as starters. The slides had yogurt and beans. Tasty food packed with amazing ambience.”October 2025
-
Kubba mosul Net +1
“The Kubba Mosul was especially delicious and very special.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Kubba Mosul was especially delicious and very special.”February 2026
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Lamb kebabs Net +1
“Lamb Kebabs 8/10”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Lamb Kebabs 8/10”January 2024
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Lamb shank Net +1
“The lamb shank and the stuffed quzi lamb were excellent, the appetizers and bread were very fresh, and the staff were very friendly.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The lamb shank and the stuffed quzi lamb were excellent, the appetizers and bread were very fresh, and the staff were very friendly.”June 2026
-
Meat hummus Net +1
“food is unbelievable ✨ my go to is meat hummus and meat/kebab platter.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“food is unbelievable ✨ my go to is meat hummus and meat/kebab platter.”May 2026
-
Meat/kebab platter Net +1
“food is unbelievable ✨ my go to is meat hummus and meat/kebab platter.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“food is unbelievable ✨ my go to is meat hummus and meat/kebab platter.”May 2026
-
Musakhan Net +1
“• Musakhan: 7.5/10”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“• Musakhan: 7.5/10”January 2026
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Pistachio kebabs Net +1
“The pistachio kebabs were excellent juicy and full of flavor.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The pistachio kebabs were excellent juicy and full of flavor.”February 2026
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Rice pudding Net +1
“I liked that the rice pudding had a subtle sweetness to it that the mango and fruits added on to,On top of that the texture was phenomenal as it was smooth with some chew..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I liked that the rice pudding had a subtle sweetness to it that the mango and fruits added on to,On top of that the texture was phenomenal as it was smooth with some chew..”July 2025
-
Rice with slow cooked braised lamb shoulder Net +1
“The salad was delightfully goodbwith some strips of crunchy fried eggplant and pomegranate molases based vinegrette, the Iraqi style kubba tasted perfect with a tasty filling and crunchy exterior, and the rice with slow cooked braised lamb shoulder hand with the under-rice bread peaces soaked in the black lemon infused tomato sauce, very pleasing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The salad was delightfully goodbwith some strips of crunchy fried eggplant and pomegranate molases based vinegrette, the Iraqi style kubba tasted perfect with a tasty filling and crunchy exterior, and the rice with slow cooked braised lamb shoulder hand with the under-rice bread peaces soaked in the black lemon infused tomato sauce, very pleasing.”December 2022
-
Ryash Net +1
“We tried mix appetisers, Arabic salad, batata harrah, gouzi (lovely), mix grill, ryash (great), and the second time we ordered sea bass💯”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried mix appetisers, Arabic salad, batata harrah, gouzi (lovely), mix grill, ryash (great), and the second time we ordered sea bass💯”July 2022
-
Special iraqi pickled cabbage (lahana) Net +1
“I felt my mom with me the second I tasted that special Iraqi pickled cabbage (Lahana), the curry taste transported me to my aunts kitchen in Baghdad.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I felt my mom with me the second I tasted that special Iraqi pickled cabbage (Lahana), the curry taste transported me to my aunts kitchen in Baghdad.”February 2026
-
Stuffed quzi lamb Net +1
“The lamb shank and the stuffed quzi lamb were excellent, the appetizers and bread were very fresh, and the staff were very friendly.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The lamb shank and the stuffed quzi lamb were excellent, the appetizers and bread were very fresh, and the staff were very friendly.”June 2026
-
Succulent baba ghanoush Net +1
“Everything we tried was outstanding, especially their succulent baba ghanoush!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Everything we tried was outstanding, especially their succulent baba ghanoush!”December 2025
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Tabbouleh Net +1
“The starters were outstanding: fresh and well-balanced tabbouleh, smoky and creamy moutabal, and an excellent hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts, absolutely delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The starters were outstanding: fresh and well-balanced tabbouleh, smoky and creamy moutabal, and an excellent hummus topped with minced meat and pine nuts, absolutely delicious.”January 2026
-
Kebab Net 0
Mixed feedback
“Kebab portion was big enough. It was so delicious and the most important part was cooked well. It was not overcooked or raw. I prefer kebab bread on top of the plate so you can grab and eat easily with kebab but it is just my preference :) Stuffed dolmas were huge!”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“Kebab portion was big enough. It was so delicious and the most important part was cooked well. It was not overcooked or raw. I prefer kebab bread on top of the plate so you can grab and eat easily with kebab but it is just my preference :) Stuffed dolmas were huge!”August 2025
-
Maskouf Net 0
Mixed feedback
“Highly recommend this restaurant and to try the Masgouf.”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“Highly recommend this restaurant and to try the Masgouf.”February 2026
-
Fattoush salad Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“The fattoush salad was just okay, but overall I enjoyed the visit.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
-
Mixed grill Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“• Mixed Grill: 5/10”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 2
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Strawberry mojito Net +1
“I ordered the Iraqi kebab with corn salad and for drink I ordered strawberry mojito .everything was perfect!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered the Iraqi kebab with corn salad and for drink I ordered strawberry mojito .everything was perfect!”October 2025
-
Yoghurt drink Net +1
“Yoghurt drink is the best with kebab of course.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Yoghurt drink is the best with kebab of course.”August 2025
What to Avoid (3)
Food 3
-
Habait Net −1
“• Habait: 0/10 we could not eat it.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“• Habait: 0/10 we could not eat it.”January 2026
-
Meat tikka Net −1
“I ordered mixed Iraqi grills and I’m really wondering what kind of meat did they used? the meat tikka was very dry and raw bright red pink!”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered mixed Iraqi grills and I’m really wondering what kind of meat did they used? the meat tikka was very dry and raw bright red pink!”April 2025
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Mixed iraqi grills Net −1
“I ordered mixed Iraqi grills and I’m really wondering what kind of meat did they used? the meat tikka was very dry and raw bright red pink! the kebab i couldn’t even finish it because of the flavor of the meat and the smell !”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered mixed Iraqi grills and I’m really wondering what kind of meat did they used? the meat tikka was very dry and raw bright red pink! the kebab i couldn’t even finish it because of the flavor of the meat and the smell !”April 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Reserve ahead. Book ahead if you want a table, especially at busy times; one reviewer explicitly recommends a reservation.
Choose balcony. Ask for balcony or outdoor seating if the Burj Khalifa view and fountain show are a priority.
Avoid overordering. Start cautiously: portions are large, and a reviewer said food for two adults and two children could have fed four.
Allow time. Build in extra time for service, as some diners experienced long waits and delayed bread or tea.
Check fish size. Ask about the Masqouf portion before ordering; one fish described as serving two was too large for four diners to finish.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Address Downtown - Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd
Burj Khalifa - Downtown Dubai, Dubai
| Mon | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Tue | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Wed | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Thu | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Fri | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Sat | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
| Sun | 10:00 AM – 1:30 AM |
Common Concerns
Uneven service
Service reviews vary sharply: some diners found staff warm and attentive, while others struggled to get attention or received curt service.
Slow delivery
Several reviews report delays, including bread and tea arriving after the kebab was finished or the bill was paid.
Heat issues
One visit reported an uncomfortably hot dining room, an apparent air-conditioning problem and cold soup.
Price concerns
Although some diners call the pricing reasonable for the location, others describe it as expensive for an Iraqi restaurant.
Food inconsistency
Most food feedback is positive, but one diner found the mixed grill dry and partly raw, showing that execution can vary.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
330aed
Food for two
“Food for two was 330aed”Google review · January 2026
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Samad Al-Iraqi is a Downtown Dubai dining spot for traditional Iraqi food, with outdoor tables facing the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain. You can order dishes such as Masgouf, Iraqi kebab, Kubba Mosul, Quzi and dolma, while many reviews mention complimentary lentil soup, pickles, warm Iraqi bread and tea. The setting is a major draw, particularly when the fountain show is running.
Portions are notably generous. One reviewer said a meal ordered for two adults and two children might have been enough for four, so it is worth resisting the temptation to overorder. Families and larger groups are well represented in the reviews, and the kids menu received a positive mention.
Breakfast is another reason some diners visit, with one reviewer calling it the best breakfast in Dubai. Service is less predictable than the food and setting. Several guests describe friendly, attentive hospitality, but others report difficulty getting staff attention, delayed tea or bread, and an unwelcoming response to a birthday booking.
Reserve ahead during busy periods, and request the balcony if the view matters. Prices are considered reasonable by some for the location, though another diner called it one of the more expensive Iraqi restaurants; one review reported 330 AED for food for two.