Fresh cooking
Fish is described as very fresh, staying juicy after careful cooking rather than drying out.
Umm Suqeim
Sardina is a Mediterranean seafood restaurant in Umm Suqeim, where diners can choose fresh fish and have it cooked to order. Reviews especially point to well-prepared grilled shrimp and the light, citrusy rice pudding.
Source: Google Maps
Fish is described as very fresh, staying juicy after careful cooking rather than drying out.
You can select your own fish from the fresh display before choosing how it is prepared.
Hospitality is a consistent strength, with attentive staff and complimentary starters or dessert mentioned by several diners.
Portions can be generous: one diner found the spaghetti, fish, herring and juice servings huge.
The outdoor area is noted for views towards the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Burj Al Arab.
Multiple reviews describe the seafood as reasonably priced, especially given the freshness and portion sizes.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Sardina Seafood Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
“I would recommend the grilled shrimps opened with a side sauce of butter & dill.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I would recommend the grilled shrimps opened with a side sauce of butter & dill.”September 2025
“The grilled 🦐 arrived well cooked and paired with a light sauce that worked nicely, while the grilled sea bream stood out for its freshness, even if the seasoning was kept quite simple.”February 2026
“Excelent seafood, tastes I never experienced before! Sensational lobster. Thank you Mahmud for a great dinner. Totally recommend this restaurant!”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Excelent seafood, tastes I never experienced before! Sensational lobster. Thank you Mahmud for a great dinner. Totally recommend this restaurant!”October 2025
“I ordered lobster and it was really good.”July 2026
“Dessert options were limited, but the rice pudding was a pleasant way to end the meal, light and not overly sweet.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Dessert options were limited, but the rice pudding was a pleasant way to end the meal, light and not overly sweet.”February 2026
“The clam pasta with pesto was the Bomb!!!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The clam pasta with pesto was the Bomb!!!”May 2026
“My favourites were the fried shrimps and the fresh bread.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favourites were the fried shrimps and the fresh bread.”February 2026
“Highlights are the fried sardines and Grand Catch platter.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Highlights are the fried sardines and Grand Catch platter.”May 2026
“My favourites were the fried shrimps and the fresh bread.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favourites were the fried shrimps and the fresh bread.”February 2026
“I liked the fish, shrimps and even the salad and garlic sauce (Tumeya).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I liked the fish, shrimps and even the salad and garlic sauce (Tumeya).”February 2026
“Gave us free plate of grilled clams & even desserts. Nice managers, boss & waitresses / waiters too.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Gave us free plate of grilled clams & even desserts. Nice managers, boss & waitresses / waiters too.”September 2024
“They offer a wide variety of seafood at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp hummus, grilled sardines, and seafood rice. Everything was fresh and flavorful.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They offer a wide variety of seafood at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp hummus, grilled sardines, and seafood rice. Everything was fresh and flavorful.”May 2026
“The grilled 🦐 arrived well cooked and paired with a light sauce that worked nicely, while the grilled sea bream stood out for its freshness, even if the seasoning was kept quite simple.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The grilled 🦐 arrived well cooked and paired with a light sauce that worked nicely, while the grilled sea bream stood out for its freshness, even if the seasoning was kept quite simple.”February 2026
“I ordered pink sauce spaghetti with shrimps, a supreme fish, herrings tahini, and fresh juices. They were all good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered pink sauce spaghetti with shrimps, a supreme fish, herrings tahini, and fresh juices. They were all good.”January 2026
“Overall, all of the food we ordered tasted great! The seafood grill platter was served fresh and perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend to also try the lemon grilled fish - it was super fresh as well. If you ever have a chance to stop by, you should definitely go try it out. Service is excellent as well!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Overall, all of the food we ordered tasted great! The seafood grill platter was served fresh and perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend to also try the lemon grilled fish - it was super fresh as well. If you ever have a chance to stop by, you should definitely go try it out. Service is excellent as well!”October 2025
“I ordered pink sauce spaghetti with shrimps, a supreme fish, herrings tahini, and fresh juices. They were all good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered pink sauce spaghetti with shrimps, a supreme fish, herrings tahini, and fresh juices. They were all good.”January 2026
“Overall, all of the food we ordered tasted great! The seafood grill platter was served fresh and perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend to also try the lemon grilled fish - it was super fresh as well. If you ever have a chance to stop by, you should definitely go try it out. Service is excellent as well!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Overall, all of the food we ordered tasted great! The seafood grill platter was served fresh and perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend to also try the lemon grilled fish - it was super fresh as well. If you ever have a chance to stop by, you should definitely go try it out. Service is excellent as well!”October 2025
“They offer a wide variety of seafood at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp hummus, grilled sardines, and seafood rice. Everything was fresh and flavorful.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They offer a wide variety of seafood at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp hummus, grilled sardines, and seafood rice. Everything was fresh and flavorful.”May 2026
“They offer a wide variety of seafood at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp hummus, grilled sardines, and seafood rice. Everything was fresh and flavorful.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They offer a wide variety of seafood at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the shrimp hummus, grilled sardines, and seafood rice. Everything was fresh and flavorful.”May 2026
“Wonderful food. The shrimp tagine will melt into your soul.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wonderful food. The shrimp tagine will melt into your soul.”December 2025
“I ordered pink sauce spaghetti with shrimps, a supreme fish, herrings tahini, and fresh juices. They were all good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered pink sauce spaghetti with shrimps, a supreme fish, herrings tahini, and fresh juices. They were all good.”January 2026
“Salads like the tomato salad were fresh but fairly standard.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Salads like the tomato salad were fresh but fairly standard.”February 2026
Only neutral feedback
“Hammor fish was just ok.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
“And watermelon juice coming in 0.5 glass is fantastic)) defenitely come back”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“And watermelon juice coming in 0.5 glass is fantastic)) defenitely come back”July 2026
“The watermelon juice was a standout—fresh, incredibly refreshing, and served in a massive glass that’s perfect for sharing or just enjoying slowly.”May 2025
“The pinnacle of this disappointment was the prawns. We paid 190 AED for 1 kg of what can only be described as watery, flavorless rubber. At that price point, you expect quality, freshness, and skill. We received none of it. It is an absolute rip-off.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The pinnacle of this disappointment was the prawns. We paid 190 AED for 1 kg of what can only be described as watery, flavorless rubber. At that price point, you expect quality, freshness, and skill. We received none of it. It is an absolute rip-off.”October 2025
Choose fish. Ask to see the fish on ice and choose the one you want before ordering.
Try pudding. Save room for the rice pudding; one review found it light and not overly sweet.
Use terrace. For a more scenic meal, ask about terrace seating, especially when the weather is comfortable.
Plan parking. If driving, use the mall parking; one reviewer reported that the first two hours are free.
Check extras. On a first visit, ask whether complimentary starters or dessert are available, as several diners received them.
Expect noise. If conversation matters, keep the nearby road and indoor seafood smell in mind when choosing your table.
Plan the visit
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
The indoor dining area can carry a noticeable seafood smell, which may bother sensitive diners.
The restaurant’s road-side setting can make both the indoor and outdoor areas noisy.
One diner ordered fried sardines but received lemon-oil sardines instead.
One reviewer found the 190 AED prawns poor value, describing them as watery and flavorless.
The Bottom Line
Sardina is a Mediterranean seafood restaurant in Umm Suqeim, described in reviews as being inside a shopping centre near Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The main draw is fresh fish: diners can choose fish from ice and have it cooked to order. Grilled shrimp, lobster, seafood rice and the Grand Catch platter are among the specific dishes people enjoyed, while the rice pudding is a popular finish.
Service is a strong part of the experience. Reviews mention warm hospitality, helpful recommendations, attentive staff and occasional complimentary clam, pasta or dessert. Portions can be substantial, and several diners describe the prices as reasonable for the freshness; one review, however, strongly disputed the value of a 190 AED kilogram of prawns, so expectations may vary by dish.
The setting is clean, family-friendly and easy to reach through the mall, with free parking for the first two hours according to one reviewer. Terrace seating brings views towards the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Burj Al Arab, but the road can be noisy. Indoors, a noticeable seafood smell was a recurring caution.
For a quieter, more scenic visit, ask about the terrace when the weather allows.