Food variety
The menu covers Kerala, Indian, Sri Lankan, Chinese and snack options, with generous portions and fresh ingredients reported.
Smartcook Restaurant
Arjan
Smartcook Restaurant is a broad Indian, Kerala and Sri Lankan restaurant in Arjan, with dine-in seating, delivery and a recently refurbished atmosphere. Reviews particularly point to its biryani and charcoal-grilled dishes, while breakfast favourites such as idli, wada and masala dosa give regulars another reason to return.
Reputation Score
4.0
★★★★☆
777 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Charcoal dishes
Charcoal chicken and grills are recurring favourites, including smoky, tender grilled meals and toofani charcoal chicken.
Shawarma
The spicy chicken shawarma has a loyal following, with one reviewer noting its South Indian-style flavour.
Breakfast
Breakfast orders such as idli, wada, masala dosa, omelette, fresh juice and tea are repeatedly described as fresh and tasty.
Sri Lankan food
Customers specifically praise the Sri Lankan dishes as fresh, authentic and enjoyable.
Refurbished space
The newly renovated restaurant is described as airy, clean, welcoming and more inviting than before.
Family seating
Reviews mention ample sitting space and a large dining area suitable for families and groups.
Fast delivery
Several customers report quick delivery, including food arriving fresh and piping hot to nearby buildings.
What to Eat at Smartcook 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 Smartcook Restaurant, 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 Smartcook Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 1
-
Biryani Net +2
“Place is really good with lot of sitting space with finger licking food (Biryani/Grill)and background music Staff is amazing with good service 😋😋 and Nadaan Tea☕”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Place is really good with lot of sitting space with finger licking food (Biryani/Grill)and background music Staff is amazing with good service 😋😋 and Nadaan Tea☕”July 2026
“They have a wide variety of options, and the biryani, poori bhaji, and grills are our go-to picks. It’s our regular spot for family and friends, and everyone has loved it so far. There are occasional off days, but overall the consistency, affordable prices, and fast delivery make it a great value.”February 2026
Honorable mentions (18)
-
Bantimasala Net +1
“I ordered Bantimasala and Roti, it was perfectly matching.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered Bantimasala and Roti, it was perfectly matching.”November 2025
-
Black pepper chicken masala Net +1
“One of my daily favorites is the black pepper chicken masala, Ghee rice, and Kerala paratha. I order it twice a week, and it never fails to amaze me. Not only is the food delicious, but it's also a great value for money. If you're looking for homemade-style curries that are healthy and tasty, this is the place to try. I highly recommend it! Thank you.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of my daily favorites is the black pepper chicken masala, Ghee rice, and Kerala paratha. I order it twice a week, and it never fails to amaze me. Not only is the food delicious, but it's also a great value for money. If you're looking for homemade-style curries that are healthy and tasty, this is the place to try. I highly recommend it! Thank you.”December 2023
-
Charcoal chicken lemon garlic Net +1
“Tried their charcoal chicken lemon garlic and one more which was good spicey. Loved loved loved it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Tried their charcoal chicken lemon garlic and one more which was good spicey. Loved loved loved it.”July 2026
-
Charcoal-grilled meal Net +1
“The real star? That charcoal-grilled meal. Smoky, tender, and packed with flavor—it paired beautifully with their sandwiches, which were hearty and satisfying. It’s rare to find that perfect balance of taste and convenience, but SmartCook nailed it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The real star? That charcoal-grilled meal. Smoky, tender, and packed with flavor—it paired beautifully with their sandwiches, which were hearty and satisfying. It’s rare to find that perfect balance of taste and convenience, but SmartCook nailed it.”October 2025
-
Ghee rice Net +1
“One of my daily favorites is the black pepper chicken masala, Ghee rice, and Kerala paratha. I order it twice a week, and it never fails to amaze me. Not only is the food delicious, but it's also a great value for money. If you're looking for homemade-style curries that are healthy and tasty, this is the place to try. I highly recommend it! Thank you.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of my daily favorites is the black pepper chicken masala, Ghee rice, and Kerala paratha. I order it twice a week, and it never fails to amaze me. Not only is the food delicious, but it's also a great value for money. If you're looking for homemade-style curries that are healthy and tasty, this is the place to try. I highly recommend it! Thank you.”December 2023
-
Idli wada Net +1
“Morning breakfast idli wada is good and their sambar and chutneys are mind blowing 😍😍😍 Now we will be tryjng chinese because the spices they use , i trust it will be good too.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Morning breakfast idli wada is good and their sambar and chutneys are mind blowing 😍😍😍 Now we will be tryjng chinese because the spices they use , i trust it will be good too.”July 2026
-
Kerala paratha Net +1
“One of my daily favorites is the black pepper chicken masala, Ghee rice, and Kerala paratha. I order it twice a week, and it never fails to amaze me. Not only is the food delicious, but it's also a great value for money. If you're looking for homemade-style curries that are healthy and tasty, this is the place to try. I highly recommend it! Thank you.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of my daily favorites is the black pepper chicken masala, Ghee rice, and Kerala paratha. I order it twice a week, and it never fails to amaze me. Not only is the food delicious, but it's also a great value for money. If you're looking for homemade-style curries that are healthy and tasty, this is the place to try. I highly recommend it! Thank you.”December 2023
-
Masala dosa Net +1
“Had the Masala Dosa, Omelette, and Fresh Juice — everything was fresh and delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had the Masala Dosa, Omelette, and Fresh Juice — everything was fresh and delicious.”June 2026
-
Morning beef curry Net +1
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”June 2026
-
Omelette Net +1
“Had the Masala Dosa, Omelette, and Fresh Juice — everything was fresh and delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had the Masala Dosa, Omelette, and Fresh Juice — everything was fresh and delicious.”June 2026
-
Poori bhaji Net +1
“They have a wide variety of options, and the biryani, poori bhaji, and grills are our go-to picks. It’s our regular spot for family and friends, and everyone has loved it so far. There are occasional off days, but overall the consistency, affordable prices, and fast delivery make it a great value.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They have a wide variety of options, and the biryani, poori bhaji, and grills are our go-to picks. It’s our regular spot for family and friends, and everyone has loved it so far. There are occasional off days, but overall the consistency, affordable prices, and fast delivery make it a great value.”February 2026
-
Porotta Net +1
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”June 2026
-
Puttu Net +1
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”June 2026
-
Roti Net +1
“I ordered Bantimasala and Roti, it was perfectly matching.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered Bantimasala and Roti, it was perfectly matching.”November 2025
-
Shawarma platter Net +1
“I ordered shawarma platter and i was bit surprised that the portion is more than what i expected. The taste is not that amazing but its good and filling,the chicken is well cook but i kinda disliked that it has a lot of sauce i would have preferred that the sauce was on the side. But overall the food is good 👍”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered shawarma platter and i was bit surprised that the portion is more than what i expected. The taste is not that amazing but its good and filling,the chicken is well cook but i kinda disliked that it has a lot of sauce i would have preferred that the sauce was on the side. But overall the food is good 👍”October 2023
-
Spicy chicken shawarma Net +1
“This is my go-to spot for shawarma and charcoal. You have to try their spicy chicken shawarma—once you do, there's no turning back! I've recommended their shawarma and charcoal to many of my friends, and they all absolutely loved it. Thank you, SmartCook, for consistently serving the best ❤️💯”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“This is my go-to spot for shawarma and charcoal. You have to try their spicy chicken shawarma—once you do, there's no turning back! I've recommended their shawarma and charcoal to many of my friends, and they all absolutely loved it. Thank you, SmartCook, for consistently serving the best ❤️💯”October 2024
-
Tandoori chicken tikka Net +1
“The tandoori chicken tikka was so good and not too oily - great as a protein choice.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The tandoori chicken tikka was so good and not too oily - great as a protein choice.”October 2025
-
Toofani charcoal chicken Net +1
“Food is very good here specially toofani charcoal chicken”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food is very good here specially toofani charcoal chicken”April 2026
Drinks 2
-
Samovar chai Net +1
“Their samovar chai is also amazing for my nadan hommies.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their samovar chai is also amazing for my nadan hommies.”May 2026
-
Tea Net +1
“The tea was very nice”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The tea was very nice”May 2026
What to Avoid (4)
Food 4
-
Beef fry Net −1
“I recently ordered the beef fry, but it was burnt rather than fried, and the taste was very bad.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I recently ordered the beef fry, but it was burnt rather than fried, and the taste was very bad.”January 2026
-
Ckn fry Net −1
“Worst food ever had in my life. We ordered ckn fry and hyderbadi biryani but I felt it was in fridge and today ckns had strike they went for fasting.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Worst food ever had in my life. We ordered ckn fry and hyderbadi biryani but I felt it was in fridge and today ckns had strike they went for fasting.”March 2024
-
Hyderbadi biryani Net −1
“Worst food ever had in my life. We ordered ckn fry and hyderbadi biryani but I felt it was in fridge and today ckns had strike they went for fasting.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Worst food ever had in my life. We ordered ckn fry and hyderbadi biryani but I felt it was in fridge and today ckns had strike they went for fasting.”March 2024
-
Vizhinjam chicken fry Net −1
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“2 feedbacks… I have tried all your beef South Indian dishes… it all taste same except the morning beef curry along with Puttu and porotta… Your vizhinjam chicken fry … maybe you should change the name to Thattukada chicken fry… I am from Vizhinjan and I am happy to share the recipe”June 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Ask mild. If ordering for children, repeat the mild-spice request and confirm it before ordering; one customer said two WhatsApp requests were ignored.
Check prices. Confirm the exact price of an item before accepting a staff recommendation, as one customer reported a much higher final cost.
Use rear parking. Look behind the building first: several reviews mention parking there, although another visitor found parking difficult at peak hours.
Try breakfast. Breakfast is a strong starting point, with reviewers highlighting idli, wada, masala dosa, omelette and fresh juice.
Order grills. For a first order, consider a charcoal dish or mixed grill; reviewers repeatedly mention smoky grilled chicken and generous portions.
Allow waiting. Service is often described as quick, but allow extra time during busy periods; one review specifically reports a long wait.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Barsha South Third - Arjan - Dubai
Al Barsha South Third - Arjan, Dubai
| Mon | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Tue | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Wed | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Thu | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Fri | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Sat | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Sun | 6:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Spice level
One family reported that repeated requests for mild food were ignored, with Hakka dishes arriving extra spicy.
Order mistakes
A customer repeatedly received fresh milk tea instead of fresh milk coffee and felt the correction process was unhelpful.
Service delays
Although many reviews praise quick service, one customer reported waiting too long for an order.
Inconsistent dishes
Reviews include a burnt beef fry, bland food and a comparison saying this branch can fall short of the JVC location.
Price clarity
One customer said an item was described as cheap but cost much more than expected, so confirm the price before ordering.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Smartcook Restaurant is a useful Arjan stop when you want a wide-ranging Indian meal rather than a tightly focused menu. Customers come for biryani, Kerala-style curries, Sri Lankan food, shawarma and charcoal grills, while breakfast brings in regulars for idli, wada, masala dosa, omelettes and tea. The mixed grill, spicy chicken shawarma and toofani charcoal chicken are among the more distinctive mentions.
The recently refurbished dining room is described as clean, airy and welcoming, with plenty of seating and background music. Families and groups have room to settle in, and delivery is another practical option: one nearby customer received a charcoal-grilled meal fresh and piping hot. Several reviewers also mention parking behind the building, though parking feedback is not consistent; another diner struggled to find a space during peak hours.
There are a few things to clarify before ordering. Spice can run much hotter than requested, particularly for Hakka dishes, so families with children should be cautious. Service is usually praised but has also included long waits and an incorrect milk-tea order.
Food quality has occasional off days too, including a burnt beef fry and a bland meal. Prices are generally described as affordable, but one customer disputed the quoted cost of an item, so confirm it upfront.