Charcoal chicken
Charcoal chicken is a standout, with one customer praising every flavour and rating it 10/10.
TOP TASTY CAFETERIA & RESTAURANT
Al Qusais
Top Tasty Cafeteria & Restaurant in Al Qusais is a casual spot for Kerala and South Indian-style food, from charcoal chicken and shawarma to porotta-based meals. It can suit a quick, budget-minded bite, though recent reviews raise serious concerns about delivery reliability, service, and food hygiene.
Reputation Score
3.6
★★★★☆
153 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Kerala flavours
The menu has a strong Kerala street-food character, including traditional porotta dishes and beef liver.
Large fries
The fries were described as a surprisingly large portion at a very cheap price.
Fresh coffee
Black coffee was reported as strong, fresh, and suitable for a quick break.
On-demand cooking
One review says food is prepared on demand, with menu variety and some scope for customised orders.
Respectful staff
Some diners found the staff friendly and respectful, particularly during a relaxed dine-in visit.
What to Eat at TOP TASTY CAFETERIA & 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 TOP TASTY CAFETERIA & 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 TOP TASTY CAFETERIA & RESTAURANT got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 2
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Porotta Net +3
“Boty fry and porotta No compromise for taste”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Boty fry and porotta No compromise for taste”January 2021
“Very authentic food , tasty porotta , beef and juice . Nice indian style karak tea .”November 2020
-
Charcoal chicken Net +2
“Their Charcoal Chicken is the best . I’ve tried all of the flavours. Would buy again 10/10”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their Charcoal Chicken is the best . I’ve tried all of the flavours. Would buy again 10/10”July 2024
“I have tried their charcoal chicken,it was really good.”July 2024
Honorable mentions (17)
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Bbq chicken Net +1
“Delicious BBQ chicken,the taste was amazing with softly and juice masala.Highly recommend.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Delicious BBQ chicken,the taste was amazing with softly and juice masala.Highly recommend.”May 2024
-
Beef biriyani Net +1
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”February 2022
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Beef liver Net +1
“Great taste, affordable rate, serving day to day kerala food. Beef liver is the highlight.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great taste, affordable rate, serving day to day kerala food. Beef liver is the highlight.”July 2021
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Big shawarma Net +1
“I ordered a big shawarma and a big chai, and it’s the best! I just wish the shawarma had been hot upon receiving it, but overall it’s worth it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered a big shawarma and a big chai, and it’s the best! I just wish the shawarma had been hot upon receiving it, but overall it’s worth it.”February 2026
-
Chicken tandoori Net +1
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”February 2022
-
Fish pepper finger Net +1
“Best place to hangout with friends ....road view dishes are neatly served and delicious...try the fish pepper finger and prawns fried rice...”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Best place to hangout with friends ....road view dishes are neatly served and delicious...try the fish pepper finger and prawns fried rice...”December 2021
-
Fish tawa fry Net +1
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”February 2022
-
Fried chicken Net +1
“13 Fried chicken Taste soo delicious 😋”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“13 Fried chicken Taste soo delicious 😋”August 2023
-
Fried chicken 65 Net +1
“The majority of the dishes here are pretty good, but the fried chicken 65,prawn masala and kothu poratta really stand out as excellent choices.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The majority of the dishes here are pretty good, but the fried chicken 65,prawn masala and kothu poratta really stand out as excellent choices.”April 2024
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Fries Net +1
“Also, last time my boyfriend and I bought fries, and I was shocked because it’s a lot and very cheap! 😍 I forgot to take a photo of the fries.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Also, last time my boyfriend and I bought fries, and I was shocked because it’s a lot and very cheap! 😍 I forgot to take a photo of the fries.”February 2026
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Idly Net +1
“Here mostly i eat porrotta beef in morning or idly sambar vada idly is so soft and tasty❤️❤️”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Here mostly i eat porrotta beef in morning or idly sambar vada idly is so soft and tasty❤️❤️”March 2021
-
Kothu poratta Net +1
“The majority of the dishes here are pretty good, but the fried chicken 65,prawn masala and kothu poratta really stand out as excellent choices.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The majority of the dishes here are pretty good, but the fried chicken 65,prawn masala and kothu poratta really stand out as excellent choices.”April 2024
-
Mutton biryani Net +1
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Loved the taste of all items that I bought. Mutton biryani, beef biriyani, fish tawa fry, chicken tandoori... Everyone who ate along with e really appreciated the food.”February 2022
-
Porrotta beef Net +1
“Here mostly i eat porrotta beef in morning or idly sambar vada idly is so soft and tasty❤️❤️”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Here mostly i eat porrotta beef in morning or idly sambar vada idly is so soft and tasty❤️❤️”March 2021
-
Prawn masala Net +1
“The majority of the dishes here are pretty good, but the fried chicken 65,prawn masala and kothu poratta really stand out as excellent choices.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The majority of the dishes here are pretty good, but the fried chicken 65,prawn masala and kothu poratta really stand out as excellent choices.”April 2024
-
Prawns fried rice Net +1
“Best place to hangout with friends ....road view dishes are neatly served and delicious...try the fish pepper finger and prawns fried rice...”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Best place to hangout with friends ....road view dishes are neatly served and delicious...try the fish pepper finger and prawns fried rice...”December 2021
-
Tandoori chicken Net +1
“absolutely must visit Top Tasty cafeteria and restaurant This hidden gem has quickly become my go-to spot for tandoori chicken, and I can confidently say that their offerings are nothing short of superb.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“absolutely must visit Top Tasty cafeteria and restaurant This hidden gem has quickly become my go-to spot for tandoori chicken, and I can confidently say that their offerings are nothing short of superb.”June 2025
Drinks 1
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Samavar tea Net +2
“'Samavar tea' is very special and it have same taste as we used to drink from tea shops in our villages in Kerala.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“'Samavar tea' is very special and it have same taste as we used to drink from tea shops in our villages in Kerala.”February 2023
“Awesome place for Malabar,s Cannore style oil fried snacks and Samovar tea . Visit in the afternoon , you can find at least 10 varieties of freshly made snacks”October 2019
Honorable mentions (5)
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Big chai Net +1
“I ordered a big shawarma and a big chai, and it’s the best! I just wish the shawarma had been hot upon receiving it, but overall it’s worth it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered a big shawarma and a big chai, and it’s the best! I just wish the shawarma had been hot upon receiving it, but overall it’s worth it.”February 2026
-
Black coffee Net +1
“Today I had black coffee here. It was strong, fresh, and tasted good. Nice place for a quick coffee break.””
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Today I had black coffee here. It was strong, fresh, and tasted good. Nice place for a quick coffee break.””February 2026
-
Indian style karak tea Net +1
“Very authentic food , tasty porotta , beef and juice . Nice indian style karak tea .”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Very authentic food , tasty porotta , beef and juice . Nice indian style karak tea .”November 2020
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Indian tea Net +1
“Simple food, Good Indian Tea. Value for money.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Simple food, Good Indian Tea. Value for money.”March 2022
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Naadan chai Net +1
“They have a tea called "naadan chai" it was good better then Karak tea. Really liked it.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“They have a tea called "naadan chai" it was good better then Karak tea. Really liked it.”May 2019
What to Avoid (6)
Food 5
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Beef waste curry Net −1
“Ordered a ghee rice and beef combo. Received ghee rice and beef waste curry. You should rename it ghee rice with beef waste combo”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Ordered a ghee rice and beef combo. Received ghee rice and beef waste curry. You should rename it ghee rice with beef waste combo”October 2019
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Dosa Net −1
“Worst restaurant, served spoiled dosa since batter was with foul smell, prepared batter was not fresh, had to leave in between the owner doesn’t know how to talk with customers was too rude.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Worst restaurant, served spoiled dosa since batter was with foul smell, prepared batter was not fresh, had to leave in between the owner doesn’t know how to talk with customers was too rude.”June 2026
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Fish curry Net −1
“Barik rice&fish curry was not worth for 10dhs, as the fish curry was horrible,also not serving with any side dishes, pls bring out some changes in the lunch meal.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Barik rice&fish curry was not worth for 10dhs, as the fish curry was horrible,also not serving with any side dishes, pls bring out some changes in the lunch meal.”February 2023
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Shawarma Net −1
“Shawarma was not fully cooked and now i am feeling that chicken is stuck in my throat. Don't play with your health”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Shawarma was not fully cooked and now i am feeling that chicken is stuck in my throat. Don't play with your health”June 2024
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Simple chicken burger Net −1
“.last time i order zinger burger, they give me simple chicken burger,which smells like dead old man,and guess what, I find out the hair in the burger ..”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“.last time i order zinger burger, they give me simple chicken burger,which smells like dead old man,and guess what, I find out the hair in the burger ..”March 2026
Drinks 1
-
Karak tea Net −1
“They have a tea called "naadan chai" it was good better then Karak tea. Really liked it.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“They have a tea called "naadan chai" it was good better then Karak tea. Really liked it.”May 2019
Tips for a Better Visit
Prefer dine-in. For time-sensitive meals, dine in or collect rather than relying on delivery, which several reviews describe as taking an hour or more.
Check orders. Check the dish and its condition before eating: one zinger order arrived as a different burger with a hair inside.
Request hot food. If ordering shawarma, ask for it hot; one customer said the big shawarma arrived cool.
Try afternoons. Visit in the afternoon if you want Malabar-style fried snacks, when one review found at least 10 varieties available.
Check freshness. Ask when batter and cooked food were prepared, as reviews specifically mention foul-smelling dosa batter and spoiled biryani.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Qusais Ind. Third - Dubai
Al Qusais Ind. Third, Dubai
| Mon | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Tue | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Wed | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Thu | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Fri | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Sat | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Sun | 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Food hygiene
Recent reviews report foul-smelling dosa batter, a hair in a burger, and spoiled food.
Slow delivery
Delivery delays are a repeated issue, including orders taking two hours despite the customer living next door.
Poor follow-up
Customers describe wrong orders, cancelled deliveries, unanswered messages, and replacement food that never arrived promptly.
Rude service
Several reviews describe dismissive or rude communication, including a complaint call being cut short.
Uncomfortable dining
One dine-in visit found the restaurant uncomfortably hot because the air conditioning was not switched on.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Top Tasty Cafeteria & Restaurant in Al Qusais is a casual Kerala and South Indian-style cafeteria built around quick meals rather than a polished night out. Reviewers mention charcoal chicken, shawarma, porotta, beef dishes, biryani, tea and snacks. The strongest food-specific praise goes to the charcoal chicken, Kerala-style beef liver, and large portions of cheap fries.
Samavar tea and strong black coffee also suit a short break. There is a genuine value angle in the older reviews: customers describe affordable rates, traditional thattukada-style food, and a family-budget feel. One reviewer specifically enjoyed beef liver with porotta and tea, while another praised the variety of freshly made Malabar snacks available in the afternoon.
The atmosphere, however, is not consistently praised; it has been called relaxing in one visit and uncomfortable or poor in others. The main caution is reliability. Multiple customers report delivery waits of an hour or more, including a two-hour wait from the neighbouring building, along with wrong orders, unclear dispatch status, unanswered WhatsApp messages, and weak complaint handling.
More seriously, recent reviews allege foul-smelling or spoiled food, undercooked shawarma, and a hair in a burger. For a first visit, dine in or collect if possible, check the order carefully, and ask for hot, freshly prepared food.