Arabic setting
Traditional Arabic decor, a fountain and patio seating create a warm, comfortable atmosphere.
Taraf Restaurant & cafe
Jumeirah
Taraf is a Jumeirah Arabic restaurant and cafe with Lebanese, Syrian and Iraqi influences, known for generous meals, a relaxed Arabic setting and shisha. Reviews point to the mixed grill, outdoor terrace and breakfast offers as the main reasons to visit.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
669 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Shisha terrace
The large terrace gives shisha customers a dedicated outdoor place to settle in with friends.
Grilled dishes
The mixed grill is a strong order, with one diner especially praising the chicken shish.
Tender lamb
A lunch guest found the lamb tender enough to fall off the bone, suggesting the slow-cooked dishes are worth considering.
Helpful service
Several reviews describe attentive recommendations and friendly staff who explain the menu and accommodate requests.
Outdoor sports
Large screens make the patio useful for watching matches while eating or having shisha.
Parking
Reviews mention private parking, free self-parking nearby and valet parking for an additional charge.
Late breakfast
The kitchen prepared breakfast for a late-arriving group, a useful sign for diners with non-standard breakfast hours.
What to Eat at Taraf Restaurant & cafe 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 Taraf Restaurant & cafe, 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 Taraf Restaurant & cafe got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 10
-
3-Course meal Net +1
“They have some unbelievable offers for breakfast & lunch that costs AED60 for 2pax for a lavish and sumptuous 3-course meal.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They have some unbelievable offers for breakfast & lunch that costs AED60 for 2pax for a lavish and sumptuous 3-course meal.”August 2024
-
Chicken shish Net +1
“The mixed grill player was delicious especially the chicken shish.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The mixed grill player was delicious especially the chicken shish.”August 2024
-
Grilled chicken Net +1
“The grilled chicken was perfectly cooked, with a delicious smoky flavor that was both tender and juicy.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The grilled chicken was perfectly cooked, with a delicious smoky flavor that was both tender and juicy.”August 2024
-
Hammour Net +1
“Mutabal appetizer with oven fresh Arabic bread to start with, followed by Lamb and Hammour main course. Superb, cooked to perfection, with a very tasty sauce on the side.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Mutabal appetizer with oven fresh Arabic bread to start with, followed by Lamb and Hammour main course. Superb, cooked to perfection, with a very tasty sauce on the side.”October 2024
-
Hummus Net +1
“To top it all off, the hummus was creamy and flavorful, making it a great starter.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“To top it all off, the hummus was creamy and flavorful, making it a great starter.”August 2024
-
Mixed grill player Net +1
“The mixed grill player was delicious especially the chicken shish.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The mixed grill player was delicious especially the chicken shish.”August 2024
-
Mutabal appetizer Net +1
“Mutabal appetizer with oven fresh Arabic bread to start with, followed by Lamb and Hammour main course.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Mutabal appetizer with oven fresh Arabic bread to start with, followed by Lamb and Hammour main course.”October 2024
-
Oven fresh arabic bread Net +1
“Mutabal appetizer with oven fresh Arabic bread to start with, followed by Lamb and Hammour main course.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Mutabal appetizer with oven fresh Arabic bread to start with, followed by Lamb and Hammour main course.”October 2024
-
Pasta Net +1
“The pasta was equally impressive, featuring a rich and savory sauce that complemented the perfectly cooked noodles.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The pasta was equally impressive, featuring a rich and savory sauce that complemented the perfectly cooked noodles.”August 2024
-
Zater manoushi Net +1
“I ordered the advertised set manu breakfast for two, which included eggs, falafel, foul, cheese, zater manoushi, libana, humos, and honey, along with a drink. Despite looking like a lot of food, the taste was disappointing. The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered the advertised set manu breakfast for two, which included eggs, falafel, foul, cheese, zater manoushi, libana, humos, and honey, along with a drink. Despite looking like a lot of food, the taste was disappointing. The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”December 2023
Drinks 1
-
Pistachio coffee Net +1
“I also tried their pistachio coffee, which was a unique and delightful twist on a classic.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I also tried their pistachio coffee, which was a unique and delightful twist on a classic.”August 2024
What to Avoid (4)
Food 3
-
Scrambled eggs Net −1
“The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”December 2023
-
Set manu breakfast for two Net −1
“I ordered the advertised set manu breakfast for two, which included eggs, falafel, foul, cheese, zater manoushi, libana, humos, and honey, along with a drink. Despite looking like a lot of food, the taste was disappointing. The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered the advertised set manu breakfast for two, which included eggs, falafel, foul, cheese, zater manoushi, libana, humos, and honey, along with a drink. Despite looking like a lot of food, the taste was disappointing. The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”December 2023
-
Shakshoka Net −1
“The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The shakshoka was more like scrambled eggs, and the rest seemed like low-quality canned food, except for the manoushi.”December 2023
Drinks 1
-
Orange juice Net −1
“The orange juice was the worst, being powdered.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The orange juice was the worst, being powdered.”December 2023
Tips for a Better Visit
Check breakfast. Ask about the current breakfast promotion before ordering; reviewers reported different offers and mixed experiences.
Use terrace. Choose the large terrace if you want to combine dinner with shisha outdoors.
Ask parking. Check the parking arrangement on arrival: valet costs extra, while free self-parking was reported around the restaurant.
Catch matches. For sports nights, ask for seating near the large TVs, which reviewers saw being used for games.
Try breakfast. Breakfast can be filling for two or three people, but confirm the exact inclusions and price because promotions vary.
Plan the visit
Practical details
taraf restaurant and cafe - Villa 4 Al Athar Street
Jumeirah - Jumeirah 3, Dubai
Common Concerns
Breakfast quality
One customer found the promotional breakfast disappointing, describing the shakshoka as scrambled eggs and the juice as powdered.
Iftar pressure
A Ramadan iftar visit had empty food plates and staff struggling with the volume of guests.
Service dip
One breakfast review specifically said the service still needed improvement, despite finding the option good value.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
AED60
breakfast & lunch
“They have some unbelievable offers for breakfast & lunch that costs AED60 for 2pax for a lavish and sumptuous 3-course meal”Google review · August 2024
60aed
breakfast offer
“The breakfast offer for only 60aed is for 3 people and it is really worth it (comes with 3 juices and teapot)”Google review · January 2024
AED 30 per person
set manu breakfast for two
“It's AED 30 per person, not for two”Google review · December 2023
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Taraf is a Jumeirah Arabic restaurant and cafe suited to relaxed meals, late breakfasts and evenings that stretch into shisha. You can order dishes such as mutabal with oven-fresh Arabic bread, a classic mixed grill, tender lamb or hammour, then settle on the patio for a hookah. The setting leans traditional, with Arabic decor, fountain sounds and indoor and outdoor seating.
The terrace is a useful draw for groups: several diners mention good shisha, while large TVs show sports and matches. Reviews also describe friendly, knowledgeable service, including staff who recommend dishes from the broad Lebanese, Syrian and Iraqi-influenced menu. Private parking is mentioned, as are free spaces around the restaurant; valet parking is available for an additional charge.
Breakfast promotions have attracted plenty of praise for generous portions and value, including offers reported at AED58 for three people and AED60 for two people or three people. Prices and inclusions appear to vary, though, so check the current offer before ordering. There is also a clear caution: one breakfast guest found the shakshoka underwhelming and the orange juice powdered, while a Ramadan iftar review reported empty plates and strained service.
For busy iftar periods, à la carte may be the safer choice.