Kerala flavours
Reviews describe traditional Kerala food served on large, clean banana leaves, including chakka puzhukku and rich fish curries.
Thamburu Restaurant and Bar
Al Garhoud
Thamburu Restaurant and Bar is a Kerala-focused restaurant and bar in Al Garhoud, with toddy-shop-style dishes, drinks and live music. It suits diners looking for regional favourites such as chakka puzhukku in a lively setting that can work for family meals or a casual evening out.
Reputation Score
4.6
★★★★★
1,141 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Live music
Live singers and acoustic performances are a major part of the evening atmosphere, with Malayalam and Tamil songs mentioned.
Toddy selection
The restaurant is known for coconut toddy and kallu-style drinks; one reviewer noted four to five toddy flavours.
Family setting
Reviews mention family visits, birthday gatherings and a separate cabin for family members.
Helpful service
Several diners found the staff warm and attentive, including patient menu explanations and recommendations for unfamiliar dishes.
Seafood dishes
Seafood receives specific praise, including varal ilayil pollichathu and Kerala-style fish preparations.
Lunch value
One customer reported meals and fish at AED 10 during lunch.
What to Eat at Thamburu Restaurant and Bar 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 Thamburu Restaurant and Bar, 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.
These items at Thamburu Restaurant and Bar got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 1
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Chakka puzhukk Net +2
“The standout was the **Chakka Puzhukk**, a unique addition to the menu that was both fresh and delicious.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The standout was the **Chakka Puzhukk**, a unique addition to the menu that was both fresh and delicious.”June 2025
“Long weekend,.. but I missed ..but today I enjoyed chakkapuzhukku, kappa, avoli pollichathu,.. and nadan kallu...and more.....”June 2025
Honorable mentions (10)
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Avoli pollichathu Net +1
“Long weekend,.. but I missed ..but today I enjoyed chakkapuzhukku, kappa, avoli pollichathu,.. and nadan kallu...and more.....”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Long weekend,.. but I missed ..but today I enjoyed chakkapuzhukku, kappa, avoli pollichathu,.. and nadan kallu...and more.....”June 2025
-
Coconut toddy Net +1
“Great place to enjoy food from kerala along with coconut toddy.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great place to enjoy food from kerala along with coconut toddy.”January 2026
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Deer meat Net +1
“We tried deer meat which was quite good and if you enjoy spicy food, this place is a must.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried deer meat which was quite good and if you enjoy spicy food, this place is a must.”January 2026
-
Kallepam Net +1
“kallepam must try is very tasty… for family members separate cabin also.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“kallepam must try is very tasty… for family members separate cabin also.”October 2024
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Kappa puzhukku Net +1
“For the main course, the Thala curry and kappa puzhukku stood out with their rich , spicy red sauce and fish that melted in my mouth, delivering a wonderful blend of spices and hearty, satisfying taste.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“For the main course, the Thala curry and kappa puzhukku stood out with their rich , spicy red sauce and fish that melted in my mouth, delivering a wonderful blend of spices and hearty, satisfying taste.”August 2024
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Mix grill Net +1
“We began with the mix grill, which was marinated of perfection and grilled beautifully.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We began with the mix grill, which was marinated of perfection and grilled beautifully.”August 2024
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Muntri kallu Net +1
“Recently visited thamburu restaurant and bar in mankool, i came to have muntri kallu especially. Lately i ordered muntri kallu that was amazing and well mixed.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Recently visited thamburu restaurant and bar in mankool, i came to have muntri kallu especially. Lately i ordered muntri kallu that was amazing and well mixed.”August 2025
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Nadan kallu Net +1
“Long weekend,.. but I missed ..but today I enjoyed chakkapuzhukku, kappa, avoli pollichathu,.. and nadan kallu...and more.....”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Long weekend,.. but I missed ..but today I enjoyed chakkapuzhukku, kappa, avoli pollichathu,.. and nadan kallu...and more.....”June 2025
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Thala curry Net +1
“For the main course, the Thala curry and kappa puzhukku stood out with their rich , spicy red sauce and fish that melted in my mouth, delivering a wonderful blend of spices and hearty, satisfying taste.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“For the main course, the Thala curry and kappa puzhukku stood out with their rich , spicy red sauce and fish that melted in my mouth, delivering a wonderful blend of spices and hearty, satisfying taste.”August 2024
-
Varal ilayil pollichathu Net +1
“I ate varal ilayil pollichathu.It was amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ate varal ilayil pollichathu.It was amazing.”January 2026
Drinks 1
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Black tea Net +1
“The black tea was good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The black tea was good.”March 2026
What to Avoid (5)
Food 4
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Todi Net −1
“Anyways, the food and toddy were very average.”
Positive 1Negative 2
Critical review excerpts
“Anyways, the food and toddy were very average.”November 2025
“We ordered toddy twice; the first serving was nice, but the second had a very bad smell and taste. When we complained, the staff checked and confirmed it was spoiled.”December 2025
-
Chilly chicken Net −1
“chilly chicken ordered and delivered with chicken masala with only bones....”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“chilly chicken ordered and delivered with chicken masala with only bones....”August 2024
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Fruit custard Net −1
“The wine mentioned in the menu lineup was never served, and the fruit custard was a disaster.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The wine mentioned in the menu lineup was never served, and the fruit custard was a disaster.”April 2026
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Stale fish Net −1
“Food quality is very poor … I will never recommend this place to anyone. Stale fish .”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Food quality is very poor … I will never recommend this place to anyone. Stale fish .”April 2025
Drinks 1
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Milk tea Net −1
“The milk tea was very bad.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The milk tea was very bad.”March 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Avoid peak events. For festive meals or buffets, expect pressure on seating and replenishment; visiting outside busy periods may be easier.
Check availability. Ask whether key dishes and drinks are available before ordering, as one festive menu ran out of matta rice, cutlets and wine.
Inspect toddy. Check the toddy before drinking and report any unusual smell or taste immediately; one serving was confirmed spoiled.
Ask for popcorn. If you are ordering drinks, ask about the free unlimited popcorn mentioned by a customer.
Try lunch. Lunch may offer better value: one diner reported meals and fish at 10aed.
Expect live songs. Choose an evening when live music is scheduled if you enjoy Malayalam and Tamil performances; otherwise the recorded selection may feel repetitive.
Plan the visit
Practical details
68XQ+56 - Sheikh Rashid Rd
Al Garhoud, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Uneven service
Multiple reviews report long waits, missed attention and understaffing; one table waited 90 minutes without receiving its food.
Festive chaos
An Easter booking resulted in a 45-minute seating delay, missing menu items and guests serving themselves.
Quality control
A second toddy serving was confirmed spoiled, while another diner reported stale fish.
Price concerns
Some customers felt the food and drinks were expensive, including a reported AED 150–200 per-bottle difference from other resto-bars.
Music repetition
One repeat visitor found the music selection repetitive and distracting when there was no live performance.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
10aed
meals
“And they have meals for 10aed, fish for 10aed for the lunch”Google review · August 2025
10aed
fish
“And they have meals for 10aed, fish for 10aed for the lunch”Google review · August 2025
50 AED per head
Easter lunch
“We had booked a table for five for Easter lunch, for which they charged 50 AED per head”Google review · April 2026
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Thamburu Restaurant and Bar is a Kerala-focused restaurant and bar in Al Garhoud, built around regional food, toddy-style drinks and a lively music-led atmosphere. You can come for dishes such as chakka puzhukku, kappa puzhukku, seafood preparations or kallu, then stay for live Malayalam and Tamil songs. Several reviewers say the setting works for family dinners, birthdays and relaxed drinks with friends.
The strongest experiences combine tasty Kerala flavours with attentive service. One diner highlighted large, clean banana leaves and chakka puzhukku, while another praised varal ilayil pollichathu. Toddy is a central draw, with one review mentioning four to five flavours; a customer also reported lunch meals and fish at 10aed, though this should be treated as a reported price rather than a current menu guarantee.
Service and consistency are the main cautions. Reviews describe long waits and understaffing, including one 90-minute wait without food. A festive lunch had seating delays and several missing menu items, and another customer received toddy later confirmed to be spoiled.
For a smoother visit, avoid crowded festive periods, check dish availability first and inspect toddy if anything smells or tastes unusual. Live performances are a highlight, but recorded music has felt repetitive to some repeat visitors.