Authentic dishes
Reviewers describe the cooking as close to traditional Uzbek recipes, with a homemade feel.
Uzgen
Al Barsha
Uzgen is an Uzbek restaurant in Al Barsha serving traditional Central Asian fare in a casual, home-like setting. Reviewers come for dishes such as juicy manty and Samarkand Plov, while the generous portions and affordable bills make it an easy place to try several plates.
Reputation Score
4.6
★★★★★
945 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Juicy manty
Manty is a standout, praised for being especially juicy and full of flavour.
Excellent samsa
The samsa has flaky pastry and a generous meat filling without the chewiness some diners expect.
Large portions
Several diners say portions are large enough for one person, making the meal good value.
Good value
One diner paid 39 AED and left full, while others describe the prices as affordable.
Home atmosphere
The casual setting has been compared with eating in a mother’s kitchen or at home.
Convenient location
The restaurant is described as being right behind the Mall of the Emirates.
Free tea
One reviewer says complimentary tea is served and found it particularly good.
What to Eat at Uzgen 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 Uzgen, 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.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Uzgen, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 4
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Manti Net +4
“The Manty was definitely the highlight for me, super juicy and full of flavor.”
Positive 4Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Manty was definitely the highlight for me, super juicy and full of flavor.”February 2026
“Best manty in Dubai. My favourite restaurant.Staff very friendly . Thank you so much Akmal 🫶🏻”February 2024
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Kompot Net +2
“I had a delicious lunch. Great food in general, kompot is like I’m back in a time when I was a little boy. Service also very very good 👍🏻”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had a delicious lunch. Great food in general, kompot is like I’m back in a time when I was a little boy. Service also very very good 👍🏻”January 2025
“Ordered wedding plov, cheburek, and compote. All were tasty with simple and fresh ingredients.”August 2024
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Kurutob Net +2
“Amazing kurutob! Truly a hidden gem of a place just minutes away from Moe.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing kurutob! Truly a hidden gem of a place just minutes away from Moe.”June 2026
“My favorite 🤩 meal 🍽️ in this restaurant is Osh Pulao🍛 and Kurutob 🥗. And tea 🫖 with lemon 🍋. Try & Enjoy 😉 habibi”June 2026
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Lagman Net +2
“They serve best Uzbek dishes at a very affordable price. Located in Barsha 1 very near to MOE this place is a must visit. Lagman and Wedding Pilaf are must try.”
Positive 2Negative 0Neutral 1
Review excerpts
“They serve best Uzbek dishes at a very affordable price. Located in Barsha 1 very near to MOE this place is a must visit. Lagman and Wedding Pilaf are must try.”March 2022
“Top Uzbekistani restaurant in Dubai, their Samsa is the best, fresh and juicy filled to top prices are very very affordable for everyday meal, I tried the samsa 10/10 pilaf 6/10 the meat was dry lagman 10/10 dumplings 10/10”September 2022
Honorable mentions (16)
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Achuu et Net +1
“I never really enjoy food so much but the ‘Achuu Et’ blew my mind. You NEED to try this dish if you love beef.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I never really enjoy food so much but the ‘Achuu Et’ blew my mind. You NEED to try this dish if you love beef.”July 2026
-
Carrot cake Net +1
“My meal-mate is from Bulgaria and is familiar with the food on the menu. After tasting he said everything is good especially the dessert carrot cake.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My meal-mate is from Bulgaria and is familiar with the food on the menu. After tasting he said everything is good especially the dessert carrot cake.”May 2025
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Cheburek Net +1
“Ordered wedding plov, cheburek, and compote. All were tasty with simple and fresh ingredients.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Ordered wedding plov, cheburek, and compote. All were tasty with simple and fresh ingredients.”August 2024
-
Dumplings Net +1
“Top Uzbekistani restaurant in Dubai, their Samsa is the best, fresh and juicy filled to top prices are very very affordable for everyday meal, I tried the samsa 10/10 pilaf 6/10 the meat was dry lagman 10/10 dumplings 10/10”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Top Uzbekistani restaurant in Dubai, their Samsa is the best, fresh and juicy filled to top prices are very very affordable for everyday meal, I tried the samsa 10/10 pilaf 6/10 the meat was dry lagman 10/10 dumplings 10/10”September 2022
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Fillet beef Net +1
“our friend recommended this restraint, i had the fillet beef which was tasty, my wife and her friend had the borsch which was good, the food was tasty and served fast, we where pleasantly surprised to find the fix chocolate my wife had been looking for.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“our friend recommended this restraint, i had the fillet beef which was tasty, my wife and her friend had the borsch which was good, the food was tasty and served fast, we where pleasantly surprised to find the fix chocolate my wife had been looking for.”October 2024
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Fried lagman Net +1
“Amazing place. We had fried Lagman, was very delicious, the service is great”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing place. We had fried Lagman, was very delicious, the service is great”November 2025
-
Ganfan Net +1
“I had Ganfan and Samsa. Both are delicious. Their apricot juice is also tasty.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had Ganfan and Samsa. Both are delicious. Their apricot juice is also tasty.”January 2024
-
Lentil soup Net +1
“The food was ok…we ordered lentil soup, wedding pilaf, and a meat soup (can’t remember the name but pictured below). Out of the 3, lentil soup tasted the best.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was ok…we ordered lentil soup, wedding pilaf, and a meat soup (can’t remember the name but pictured below). Out of the 3, lentil soup tasted the best.”September 2024
-
Osh pulao Net +1
“My favorite 🤩 meal 🍽️ in this restaurant is Osh Pulao🍛 and Kurutob 🥗. And tea 🫖 with lemon 🍋. Try & Enjoy 😉 habibi”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favorite 🤩 meal 🍽️ in this restaurant is Osh Pulao🍛 and Kurutob 🥗. And tea 🫖 with lemon 🍋. Try & Enjoy 😉 habibi”June 2026
-
Pilav (плов) Net +1
“Can only speak about the food, as we ordered food to home. We ordered pilav (плов), manty (they are really big) and samsa. It was delicious and we could taste that the food was freshly made. It was easy to order, just WhatsApped them the address and what we wanted from the menu.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Can only speak about the food, as we ordered food to home. We ordered pilav (плов), manty (they are really big) and samsa. It was delicious and we could taste that the food was freshly made. It was easy to order, just WhatsApped them the address and what we wanted from the menu.”August 2023
-
Samarkand plov Net +1
“we tried the Samarkand Plov , manti and the beef soup , it was great . I will definitely come back again. Of course the quality of meat is not like the one from Uzbekistan, but it was good .”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“we tried the Samarkand Plov , manti and the beef soup , it was great . I will definitely come back again. Of course the quality of meat is not like the one from Uzbekistan, but it was good .”July 2026
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Tandoor samsa Net +1
“Wanted to try a Uzbek food. Tandoor Samsa was great. And the Tashkent tea is superb. Guys are neat, polite and friendly. Next time will try the Pilaf.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wanted to try a Uzbek food. Tandoor Samsa was great. And the Tashkent tea is superb. Guys are neat, polite and friendly. Next time will try the Pilaf.”December 2024
-
Wedding dish Net +1
“The wedding dish is generously decorated and is a yummy main dish.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The wedding dish is generously decorated and is a yummy main dish.”October 2023
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Wedding plov Net +1
“Ordered wedding plov, cheburek, and compote. All were tasty with simple and fresh ingredients.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Ordered wedding plov, cheburek, and compote. All were tasty with simple and fresh ingredients.”August 2024
-
Borsh Net 0
Mixed feedback
“our friend recommended this restraint, i had the fillet beef which was tasty, my wife and her friend had the borsch which was good, the food was tasty and served fast, we where pleasantly surprised to find the fix chocolate my wife had been looking for.”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“our friend recommended this restraint, i had the fillet beef which was tasty, my wife and her friend had the borsch which was good, the food was tasty and served fast, we where pleasantly surprised to find the fix chocolate my wife had been looking for.”October 2024
-
Napoleon cake Net 0
Mixed feedback
“Came because of a recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed! Great food and the taste is home made. Huge slices of Napoleon cake. Will come again for sure.”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“Came because of a recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed! Great food and the taste is home made. Huge slices of Napoleon cake. Will come again for sure.”October 2023
Drinks 3
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Apricot juice Net +1
“I had Ganfan and Samsa. Both are delicious. Their apricot juice is also tasty.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had Ganfan and Samsa. Both are delicious. Their apricot juice is also tasty.”January 2024
-
Tashkent tea Net +1
“Wanted to try a Uzbek food. Tandoor Samsa was great. And the Tashkent tea is superb. Guys are neat, polite and friendly. Next time will try the Pilaf.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wanted to try a Uzbek food. Tandoor Samsa was great. And the Tashkent tea is superb. Guys are neat, polite and friendly. Next time will try the Pilaf.”December 2024
-
Tea with lemon Net +1
“My favorite 🤩 meal 🍽️ in this restaurant is Osh Pulao🍛 and Kurutob 🥗. And tea 🫖 with lemon 🍋. Try & Enjoy 😉 habibi”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favorite 🤩 meal 🍽️ in this restaurant is Osh Pulao🍛 and Kurutob 🥗. And tea 🫖 with lemon 🍋. Try & Enjoy 😉 habibi”June 2026
What to Avoid (3)
Food 3
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Wedding pilaf Net −1
“I have ordered wedding pilaf from Keeta, and made sure to double check the menu before doing so. However, at the time of eating, I noticed a strange taste in my mouth. I called the restaurant to check what type of meat they are serving, to what they responded back that there is a piece of horse meat in it.”
Positive 1Negative 2
Critical review excerpts
“I have ordered wedding pilaf from Keeta, and made sure to double check the menu before doing so. However, at the time of eating, I noticed a strange taste in my mouth. I called the restaurant to check what type of meat they are serving, to what they responded back that there is a piece of horse meat in it.”July 2026
“The food was ok…we ordered lentil soup, wedding pilaf, and a meat soup (can’t remember the name but pictured below). Out of the 3, lentil soup tasted the best. The food didnt really meet my expectations as I have tried Uzbeki food once before. The meat in the pilaf was quite dry and the meat soup was a little too salty for my liking.”September 2024
-
Mastava soup Net −1
“Mastava soup was extremely oily and I felt heaviness in stomach after.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Mastava soup was extremely oily and I felt heaviness in stomach after.”October 2023
-
Pilaf Net −1
“Top Uzbekistani restaurant in Dubai, their Samsa is the best, fresh and juicy filled to top prices are very very affordable for everyday meal, I tried the samsa 10/10 pilaf 6/10 the meat was dry lagman 10/10 dumplings 10/10”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Top Uzbekistani restaurant in Dubai, their Samsa is the best, fresh and juicy filled to top prices are very very affordable for everyday meal, I tried the samsa 10/10 pilaf 6/10 the meat was dry lagman 10/10 dumplings 10/10”September 2022
Tips for a Better Visit
Visit off-peak. Try a quieter time if possible: Friday visits have ended with no free table, and busy periods brought seating disputes.
Share dishes. The dishes are served per person, but sharing lets a group sample more of the menu.
Ask about meat. If horse meat conflicts with your beliefs, confirm the meat in pilaf or other dishes before ordering.
Allow delivery time. Build in extra time for delivery, as one reviewer waited 1.5 hours for an order.
Plan facilities. There is no restroom, so bear that in mind before settling in for a longer meal.
Try manty. For a first dish, manty is a useful starting point: one diner found it juicy and full of flavour.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Adnan Building - 3 Street 3
Al Barsha First - Al Barsha, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Meat disclosure
One diner said horse meat was disclosed only after ordering wedding pilaf, despite the menu listing beef or lamb.
Slow delivery
Delivery delays were reported, including one order that took 1.5 hours to arrive.
Uneven service
Reviews describe long waits, ignored diners and one seating dispute when the restaurant was busy.
No restroom
There is no restroom, and one diner disliked having to wash hands at a sink beside another table.
Food concerns
Individual reviews reported hair in a meal, dirty-looking broken cups and desserts that were not fresh.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Uzgen is an Uzbek restaurant in Al Barsha, behind the Mall of the Emirates, with a cafeteria-like setting and a menu built around traditional Central Asian comfort food. The main draw is the cooking: reviewers mention manty, samsa, plov and lagman, with the manty praised for its juicy filling and the samsa for its flaky pastry and generous meat. One diner paid 39 AED and left stuffed full.
The atmosphere is casual rather than polished, but several customers describe it as home-like or close to eating in a mother’s kitchen. Portions are often described as large for one person, and complimentary tea has also been mentioned. Families have visited, including one couple with a baby, and the menu includes Russian and Kyrgyz-influenced dishes alongside Uzbek staples.
Service is less consistent. Some visits are fast and friendly, while others involved long waits for a table, delayed delivery or difficulty getting attention. Friday and busy periods may be challenging.
There is no restroom, and one diner reported washing hands at a sink beside another table. If meat choice matters for religious or personal reasons, ask what is in the dish before ordering: one reviewer said horse meat appeared in wedding pilaf despite the menu listing beef or lamb.