Alu Paratha
The alu paratha is served with desi ghee and was called one of the best the reviewer had eaten in the UAE.
Swaadi Restaurant
International City
Swaadi Restaurant is a Pakistani and broader Desi food spot in International City, with reviews highlighting dishes such as alu paratha, chicken karahi and nalli pulao. It may appeal to diners looking for familiar Pakistani flavours, though service speed and consistency are important considerations.
Reputation Score
4.0
★★★★☆
243 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Chicken Karahi
A review praised the chicken karahi for tender, well-seasoned meat and the smoky tandoori roti served alongside it.
Pakistani Taste
Several reviews describe the food as authentically Pakistani, making that the clearest reason to consider the restaurant.
Comfort Food
The dal chawal was praised for its seasoned dal, fluffy rice and home-style character.
Tea Favourite
Gurh wali chai was once a reason one customer travelled from far away, although that reviewer felt its quality later declined.
What to Eat at Swaadi 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 Swaadi 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 Swaadi Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 10
-
Alu paratha Net +1
“One of the best alu paratha I have ever had in UAE. Comes with desi ghee. Finger licking.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best alu paratha I have ever had in UAE. Comes with desi ghee. Finger licking.”April 2026
-
Bano pulao Net +1
“Famous Bano pulao ....”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Famous Bano pulao ....”December 2023
-
Chicken karahi Net +1
“I recently had the Chicken Karahi with Tandoori Roti at this place, and honestly, it was amazing! The chicken was super tender and packed with flavor, just the right amount of spice.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I recently had the Chicken Karahi with Tandoori Roti at this place, and honestly, it was amazing! The chicken was super tender and packed with flavor, just the right amount of spice.”April 2025
-
Daal chawal Net +1
“One of the best Pakistani restaurants in the international city. Best tea in the area. Tried mutton paya and daal chawal, both were great.. 👍👍 Delivery took longer than expected..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best Pakistani restaurants in the international city. Best tea in the area. Tried mutton paya and daal chawal, both were great.. 👍👍 Delivery took longer than expected..”November 2023
-
Dal chawal Net +1
“The Dal Chawal at Swaadi Restaurant is simple yet absolutely delicious! The dal is perfectly seasoned, with a smooth texture and rich flavors, while the rice is fluffy and cooked just right. It's a comforting, wholesome dish that brings back the essence of home-cooked meals. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a satisfying, traditional meal!"”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Dal Chawal at Swaadi Restaurant is simple yet absolutely delicious! The dal is perfectly seasoned, with a smooth texture and rich flavors, while the rice is fluffy and cooked just right. It's a comforting, wholesome dish that brings back the essence of home-cooked meals. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a satisfying, traditional meal!"”October 2024
-
Fruit chat Net +1
“I ordered fruit chat that was delicious 😋and they served quickly 👍🏻”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered fruit chat that was delicious 😋and they served quickly 👍🏻”January 2024
-
Mutton karahi Net +1
“The nalli pulao and mutton karahi was absolutely delicious and I found it rather cheap for the big portion they give. I'll definitely be back for more.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The nalli pulao and mutton karahi was absolutely delicious and I found it rather cheap for the big portion they give. I'll definitely be back for more.”December 2022
-
Mutton paya Net +1
“One of the best Pakistani restaurants in the international city. Best tea in the area. Tried mutton paya and daal chawal, both were great.. 👍👍 Delivery took longer than expected..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“One of the best Pakistani restaurants in the international city. Best tea in the area. Tried mutton paya and daal chawal, both were great.. 👍👍 Delivery took longer than expected..”November 2023
-
Nalli pulao Net +1
“The nalli pulao and mutton karahi was absolutely delicious and I found it rather cheap for the big portion they give. I'll definitely be back for more.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The nalli pulao and mutton karahi was absolutely delicious and I found it rather cheap for the big portion they give. I'll definitely be back for more.”December 2022
-
Paye Net +1
“Service was very good and food was delicious. We tried their paye, qeema and paratha”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Service was very good and food was delicious. We tried their paye, qeema and paratha”August 2023
Honorable mentions (2)
-
Qeema Net +1
“Service was very good and food was delicious. We tried their paye, qeema and paratha”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Service was very good and food was delicious. We tried their paye, qeema and paratha”August 2023
-
Tandoori roti Net +1
“I recently had the Chicken Karahi with Tandoori Roti at this place, and honestly, it was amazing! The chicken was super tender and packed with flavor, just the right amount of spice. The roti was soft with a nice smoky touch that went perfectly with the curry.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I recently had the Chicken Karahi with Tandoori Roti at this place, and honestly, it was amazing! The chicken was super tender and packed with flavor, just the right amount of spice. The roti was soft with a nice smoky touch that went perfectly with the curry.”April 2025
What to Avoid (7)
Food 6
-
Banu beef pulao Net −1
“Banu beef pulao not good waste of money so don't try”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Banu beef pulao not good waste of money so don't try”September 2025
-
Chicken biryani Net −1
“Last night we ordered a chicken biryani and it was horrible. And an hour before we ordered a fruit chart with cream, trust me the waste one I ever tasted.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Last night we ordered a chicken biryani and it was horrible. And an hour before we ordered a fruit chart with cream, trust me the waste one I ever tasted.”March 2025
-
Chiken shaljam Net −1
“about chiken shaljam chiken dirty smell also no taste i will pay 18 aed for dirty smell chicken & shaljam this is totally ridicoulus”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“about chiken shaljam chiken dirty smell also no taste i will pay 18 aed for dirty smell chicken & shaljam this is totally ridicoulus”December 2024
-
Fruit chart with cream Net −1
“Last night we ordered a chicken biryani and it was horrible. And an hour before we ordered a fruit chart with cream, trust me the waste one I ever tasted.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Last night we ordered a chicken biryani and it was horrible. And an hour before we ordered a fruit chart with cream, trust me the waste one I ever tasted.”March 2025
-
Nalli pulow Net −1
“I ordered Nalli Pulow, but the quantity was very less. I received mostly rice and one big bone with no beef at all. When I complained, they refused and said this is not bone, this is the nalli inside but there was only bone and no meat. The parcel was very small and not worth the money. I even sent a video as proof, but after that they stopped replying. Very bad experience. Not recommended.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered Nalli Pulow, but the quantity was very less. I received mostly rice and one big bone with no beef at all. When I complained, they refused and said this is not bone, this is the nalli inside but there was only bone and no meat. The parcel was very small and not worth the money. I even sent a video as proof, but after that they stopped replying. Very bad experience. Not recommended.”December 2025
-
Samosa chaat Net −1
“Everything was fine but the Samosa chaat we ordered Is like a Salad only Sorry”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Everything was fine but the Samosa chaat we ordered Is like a Salad only Sorry”March 2025
Drinks 1
-
Gurh wali chai Net −1
“I loved their gurh wali chai and we do travel from far away to drink it , but now the quality is not the same , they don’t cook it properly, today i complained about it , they took it and give same tea back to me after 2 minutes, I am just being honest , we loved the old gurh wali chai well cooked”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I loved their gurh wali chai and we do travel from far away to drink it , but now the quality is not the same , they don’t cook it properly, today i complained about it , they took it and give same tea back to me after 2 minutes, I am just being honest , we loved the old gurh wali chai well cooked”August 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Check Location. Verify the current location before setting out, since a recent review says the listed location is now closed.
Allow Time. Avoid arriving very hungry: diners have reported table orders taking an hour and even a single paratha taking much longer.
Skip Delivery. For time-sensitive meals, reconsider delivery; one customer waited two hours and was then told the order could not be delivered.
Check Portions. If ordering Nalli Pulow, confirm the expected meat portion first after a diner received mostly rice and one large bone.
Plan Parking. Parking was described as plentiful but usually occupied, so allow extra time if you are dining in.
Plan the visit
Practical details
England cluster building# Y05 S#01
Warsan First - England Cluster, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Location Change
A recent review says the restaurant has changed location and is closed at the current listed location.
Long Waits
Multiple diners report serious delays, including table orders taking an hour and a paratha taking much longer than expected.
Poor Delivery
Delivery complaints include two-hour waits, cancelled orders and food that did not arrive.
Portion Concerns
One customer said a nalli pulao parcel contained mostly rice and a large bone with no meat.
Crowded Seating
The restaurant has been described as very small, with no separate family area and limited parking availability at busy times.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Swaadi Restaurant is a Pakistani and Desi food option in International City, with reviews pointing to alu paratha, chicken karahi, dal chawal and nalli pulao as the main reasons to consider a visit. The alu paratha comes with desi ghee, while the chicken karahi was praised for tender meat and a gently smoky tandoori roti. Dal chawal also received a warm review for its seasoned lentils and fluffy rice.
The experience is uneven. Some diners describe authentic Pakistani taste, kind staff and satisfying portions, but recent reviews repeatedly mention slow table service. Reported waits range from more than 30 minutes to an hour, including for simple orders such as one paratha.
Delivery appears even less reliable, with complaints about two-hour delays, incomplete orders and cancellations. Portions and consistency deserve attention: one Nalli Pulow customer received mostly rice and a large bone, while another said the flavour varies from good to average. The small seating area may not suit families seeking privacy, and parking is often occupied.
Most importantly, check the current location before going, as a recent review says the listed location has changed.