Authentic flavours
Reviewers consistently describe the Sri Lankan food as authentic, including hoppers, kottu, curries and string hoppers.
#TPH Lakwil Restaurant, Lounge & Bar
Dubai Marina
TPH Lakwil is a Sri Lankan restaurant, lounge and bar in Dubai Marina, with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the Marina Walk. It is a good bet for traditional dishes such as hoppers and kottu, with shisha and live music adding to the evening atmosphere.
Reputation Score
4.5
★★★★★
978 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Marina setting
Outdoor tables beside the Marina Walk give diners views of boats, the promenade and JBR.
Generous portions
Several reviews mention satisfying or large portions, making the traditional dishes feel substantial.
Family events
Reviews describe smooth birthday celebrations, including decorations, seating coordination and children’s menu planning.
Live entertainment
Live Sri Lankan music appears on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with other reviews also mentioning live bands and karaoke.
Shisha option
Outdoor diners can add shisha, which one reviewer described as smooth and well prepared.
Licensed venue
A review notes that the restaurant is licensed and serves beer, wine and cocktails.
What to Eat at #TPH Lakwil Restaurant, Lounge & 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 #TPH Lakwil Restaurant, Lounge & 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 #TPH Lakwil Restaurant, Lounge & Bar got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 1
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Rice and curry Net +2
“He even spoke to the chef and arranged extra rice and curry for us — such a thoughtful gesture that we really appreciated.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“He even spoke to the chef and arranged extra rice and curry for us — such a thoughtful gesture that we really appreciated.”November 2025
“The food was exceptional—especially the rice and curry.”January 2026
Honorable mentions (12)
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Brownies Net +1
“The brownies were my absolute favorite—so delicious!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The brownies were my absolute favorite—so delicious!”December 2025
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Caramel and biscuit pudding Net +1
“The caramel and biscuit pudding was also the perfect ending to the meal.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The caramel and biscuit pudding was also the perfect ending to the meal.”June 2026
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Crab buffet Net +1
“A beautiful restaurant by the Marina, was so happy to find some Sri Lankan cuisine and we were in time for the crab buffet.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A beautiful restaurant by the Marina, was so happy to find some Sri Lankan cuisine and we were in time for the crab buffet.”July 2022
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Hoppers with prawn curry Net +1
“Hoppers with prawn curry is delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Hoppers with prawn curry is delicious.”April 2026
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Hot butter polos Net +1
“Every dish was full of flavor, but a special shout-out to the hot butter Polos… clearly made with the chef’s magical hands!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Every dish was full of flavor, but a special shout-out to the hot butter Polos… clearly made with the chef’s magical hands!”January 2026
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Kothu roti Net +1
“I have to say the food was excellent and we had string hoppers, hoppers and Kothu Roti which are all traditional Sri Lankan dishes and they were very good here.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I have to say the food was excellent and we had string hoppers, hoppers and Kothu Roti which are all traditional Sri Lankan dishes and they were very good here.”May 2025
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Kottu Net +1
“The Kottu tasted just like back home, and the spices were spot on.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Kottu tasted just like back home, and the spices were spot on.”April 2026
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Mutton kottu Net +1
“From the string hoppers to the mutton kottu everything was exceptional. The flavors felt authentic, fresh, and perfectly balanced without being overloaded with spice.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“From the string hoppers to the mutton kottu everything was exceptional. The flavors felt authentic, fresh, and perfectly balanced without being overloaded with spice.”June 2026
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Pol (coconut) pittu Net +1
“The food is great, especially the Pol (coconut) Pittu—a must-try! It goes perfectly with katta sambol (a spicy Sri Lankan chili paste) and fresh coconut milk.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is great, especially the Pol (coconut) Pittu—a must-try! It goes perfectly with katta sambol (a spicy Sri Lankan chili paste) and fresh coconut milk.”April 2025
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Sl chicken curry Net +1
“The SL chicken and mutton curry was good. Though we ordered medium spicy the curries still were pretty hot.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The SL chicken and mutton curry was good. Though we ordered medium spicy the curries still were pretty hot.”December 2024
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Sl mutton curry Net +1
“The SL chicken and mutton curry was good. Though we ordered medium spicy the curries still were pretty hot.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The SL chicken and mutton curry was good. Though we ordered medium spicy the curries still were pretty hot.”December 2024
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Stringhopper kottu Net +1
“Hoppers and stringhopper kottu was a blaster.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Hoppers and stringhopper kottu was a blaster.”June 2026
Drinks 3
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Milk tea Net +2
“Rinoshan's srilankan Milk Tea is a must try here.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Rinoshan's srilankan Milk Tea is a must try here.”April 2026
“And the highlight for me? The milk tea. I’m honestly not even a milk tea person, but I was convinced to try it and I have zero regrets. Easily one of the best teas I’ve had. If you visit Lakwil, the milk tea is an absolute must try.”June 2026
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Aliya cocktail Net +1
“The Aliya cocktail was complemented the spicy curry.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Aliya cocktail was complemented the spicy curry.”December 2024
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Wood apple juice Net +1
“Wood apple juice was also nice.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wood apple juice was also nice.”December 2024
Tips for a Better Visit
Clarify spice. If you prefer gentler heat, ask how spicy the curries are before ordering; one medium-spicy order was still very hot.
Check delivery. For online orders, compare the delivered items with the app listing immediately, as one customer reported missing advertised portions.
Choose outdoors. Try outdoor seating in cooler weather for the Marina view and breeze; a reviewer specifically suggested it during the chilly season.
Allow time. If ordering hoppers with curries, allow for staggered serving: one review reported a wait of more than 20 minutes.
Use parking. Navigation apps reportedly direct drivers to the basement parking, which can make arrival easier.
Check music. For live music, check the schedule before visiting; one review specifically mentions Sri Lankan performances from Friday through Sunday.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Marina Promenade
Marsa Dubai - Dubai Marina, Dubai
| Mon | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Tue | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Wed | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Thu | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Fri | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Sat | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Sun | 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Online mismatch
One delivery order arrived without items or portions listed in the app, followed by an unhelpful response when the customer called.
Uneven service
Service was described as sporadic in one visit, while another reviewer found Saturday buffet stewards insufficiently attentive and informative.
Spicy curries
Curries ordered medium spicy were still described as very hot, so spice-sensitive diners may need to clarify their preference.
Delayed hoppers
One diner received the hoppers more than 20 minutes after the curries, disrupting the meal’s timing.
Inconsistent seasoning
A reviewer found the food too salty and below expectations, showing that seasoning may not be consistent for every visit.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
around 140 dirhams total
two beers
“I ate a lot of food and the cost came to 65 dirhams plus I had two beers which made it around 140 dirhams total”Google review · May 2025
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The Bottom Line
TPH Lakwil is a Sri Lankan restaurant, lounge and bar in Dubai Marina, drawing diners for traditional food alongside Marina Walk views. You can order hoppers, string hoppers, kottu, curries and rice dishes, then stay for shisha, drinks or live music. The indoor and outdoor seating makes it work for a casual meal as well as a longer evening.
The food is the main reason to consider it. Reviews specifically praise hoppers with prawn curry, mutton kottu, rice and curry, pol rotti with seeni sambol, and milk tea. Portions are often described as generous, and the weekly or Saturday buffets have featured a broad spread of Sri Lankan dishes.
Desserts such as caramel and biscuit pudding and brownies also receive individual praise. The Marina setting is a real part of the experience, especially outdoors when the weather is cooler. Families and large groups have used the restaurant for birthdays and celebrations, with reviews describing help with seating, decorations and children’s menus.
Live Sri Lankan music is mentioned on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while karaoke appears at some group evenings. There are a few reasons to plan carefully. One delivery customer reported missing items from the app order, and dine-in service has occasionally been slow or uneven.
Curries can run hot even when ordered medium, and one diner found the food too salty. Drivers can use basement parking via Google Maps or Waze.