Terrace views
Outdoor seating looks across the downtown skyline and creek, with fountain and firework views mentioned by visitors.
Vista Restaurant & Terrace
Dubai Festival City
Vista Restaurant & Terrace is a restaurant and lounge in Dubai Festival City, with terrace seating overlooking the creek, skyline and fountain shows. It suits sunset drinks, live entertainment and relaxed evenings, while the menu includes customer favourites such as slow-cooked tacos and Teriyaki Salmon.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
240 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Live music
Live singers, DJs and weekend entertainment create energy without always making conversation difficult.
Accommodating service
Several reviews describe polite, attentive staff and managers who help with seating, recommendations and special occasions.
No minimum
One review specifically notes there is no minimum charge, which is useful for a drinks-led visit.
Dish highlights
The Teriyaki Salmon was singled out as tasty and satisfying, with Fish and Chips also receiving a positive mention.
Chill atmosphere
Visitors describe the outdoor setting as calm and suitable for unwinding after work or enjoying pre-dinner drinks.
What to Eat at Vista Restaurant & Terrace 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 Vista Restaurant & Terrace, 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 Vista Restaurant & Terrace got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 10
-
Fish and chips Net +1
“The food was not bad either. The Teriyaki Salmon was very tasty and satisfying, as was my husband's Fish and Chips.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was not bad either. The Teriyaki Salmon was very tasty and satisfying, as was my husband's Fish and Chips.”December 2024
-
Grilled baby chicken Net +1
“We had the best dinner at this place! Thank you Francess for recommending us the scrumptious Tournedo Rossini & the Grilled Baby Chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had the best dinner at this place! Thank you Francess for recommending us the scrumptious Tournedo Rossini & the Grilled Baby Chicken.”June 2024
-
Lobster Net +1
“I also tried their Lobster for dinner and it was so delicious!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I also tried their Lobster for dinner and it was so delicious!”June 2024
-
Mediterranean 🍕 Net +1
“The Mediterranean 🍕 was good to share.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Mediterranean 🍕 was good to share.”September 2021
-
Passion fruit martinis Net +1
“Medrine is amazing. Best server. She recommended the passion fruit martinis and I’m obsessed. The manager was also helpful and checked in on us.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Medrine is amazing. Best server. She recommended the passion fruit martinis and I’m obsessed. The manager was also helpful and checked in on us.”November 2023
-
Profiterole Net +1
“The slow cooked tacos and profiterole was a great choice! We really enjoyed it!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The slow cooked tacos and profiterole was a great choice! We really enjoyed it!”December 2025
-
Slow cooked tacos Net +1
“The slow cooked tacos and profiterole was a great choice! We really enjoyed it!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The slow cooked tacos and profiterole was a great choice! We really enjoyed it!”December 2025
-
Sushi plate Net +1
“The food is outstanding, despite that they forgot my sushi plate...however it arrived at the end. Friendly atmosphere and the food has a decent size”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is outstanding, despite that they forgot my sushi plate...however it arrived at the end. Friendly atmosphere and the food has a decent size”July 2021
-
Teriyaki salmon Net +1
“The food was not bad either. The Teriyaki Salmon was very tasty and satisfying, as was my husband's Fish and Chips.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was not bad either. The Teriyaki Salmon was very tasty and satisfying, as was my husband's Fish and Chips.”December 2024
-
Tournedo rossini Net +1
“We had the best dinner at this place! Thank you Francess for recommending us the scrumptious Tournedo Rossini & the Grilled Baby Chicken.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had the best dinner at this place! Thank you Francess for recommending us the scrumptious Tournedo Rossini & the Grilled Baby Chicken.”June 2024
Honorable mentions (1)
-
Vista salad Net +1
“The Vista Salad & their Strawberry Mojito is exceptional! Definitely recommend.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Vista Salad & their Strawberry Mojito is exceptional! Definitely recommend.”June 2024
Drinks 2
-
Refreshing tequila cocktail Net +1
“Huge shoutout to Mary & Francess for welcoming me with open arms and for recommending me the refreshing tequila cocktail.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Huge shoutout to Mary & Francess for welcoming me with open arms and for recommending me the refreshing tequila cocktail.”June 2024
-
Strawberry mojito Net +1
“The Vista Salad & their Strawberry Mojito is exceptional! Definitely recommend.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Vista Salad & their Strawberry Mojito is exceptional! Definitely recommend.”June 2024
What to Avoid (2)
Food 2
-
Cesar salad Net −1
“Last night we have been there, atmosphere were very good, unfortunate we got food poisoning from eating Cesar salad”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Last night we have been there, atmosphere were very good, unfortunate we got food poisoning from eating Cesar salad”May 2026
-
Rib eye Net −1
“Went for rib eye. See photo. This was 30% fat and inedible. Some of it was ok but pretty poor.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Went for rib eye. See photo. This was 30% fat and inedible. Some of it was ok but pretty poor.”April 2019
Tips for a Better Visit
Check offers. Before ordering, ask which promotion applies to your cards and whether it can be combined with Happy Hour.
Happy hour. Ask about the current Happy Hour window before visiting; one review lists it as 4–7pm.
Choose terrace. Request outdoor or terrace seating if you want sunset views or the Festival City fountain show.
Allow time. Build in extra time for food and drinks, especially at busy periods, as several visitors reported slow service.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Dubai Festival City, InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Al Kheeran - Dubai Festival City, Dubai
| Mon | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sun | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Food concerns
One recent reviewer reported food poisoning after eating the Caesar salad, a serious caution when deciding what to order.
Slow service
Multiple reviews mention delays, including late food and orders being missed or handled slowly.
Food inconsistency
Food feedback ranges from delicious dishes to a report that the meal quality was poor for the price.
Offer confusion
One customer said unclear advice about Happy Hour versus a card discount led to a 700 AED bill.
Uncomfortable chairs
A review criticised the newer table layout and said the chairs were uncomfortable.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Vista Restaurant & Terrace is a Dubai Festival City restaurant and lounge built around its outdoor setting. The terrace looks towards the creek, downtown skyline and Festival City’s fountain displays, making sunset drinks, pre-dinner visits and relaxed evenings the main draw. Live singers and DJs add atmosphere, and one review says the music still allowed conversation.
There is more to eat than bar snacks. Reviews mention slow-cooked tacos with profiterole, Teriyaki Salmon with Fish and Chips, Seafood Linguine, lobster and the Tournedo Rossini. The Strawberry Mojito, tequila cocktail and passion fruit martinis also appear among the more memorable orders.
Food feedback is mixed, however: some diners call it delicious, while another rated the food zero out of five, and one recent reviewer reported illness after a Caesar salad. Service can be warm and accommodating, including help with outdoor seating, birthday arrangements and drink recommendations, but delays and missed orders recur in the reviews. Check the current Happy Hour hours and confirm whether a card discount applies before ordering; one customer reported paying 700 AED after receiving unclear advice.
If the view matters, ask for a terrace table and allow extra time during busy periods.