Ukrainian Cooking
Reviews describe a modern Ukrainian menu with traditional flavours, European technique and occasional Asian touches.
YOY Restaurant
Dubai Marina
YOY Restaurant was a Ukrainian restaurant in Dubai Marina, known for modern takes on dishes such as Chicken Kyiv and pumpkin varenyky with truffle sauce. However, the latest supplied review says the restaurant has permanently closed, so its current status should be confirmed before making plans.
Reputation Score
4.8
★★★★★
104 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Chicken Kyiv
Chicken Kyiv was one of the clearest repeat recommendations, with reviews praising its preparation and flavour.
Creative Dumplings
The menu stood out for unusual dumplings, including pumpkin varenyky with truffle sauce and shark dumplings.
Warm Service
Customers repeatedly described the team as welcoming, attentive and knowledgeable about the dishes and their history.
Live Music
Several reviews mention live music creating a lively but relaxed backdrop for dinner.
Desserts
Honey cake and Napoleon desserts were repeatedly singled out, including a Napoleon served in a cup.
What to Eat at YOY 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 YOY 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 YOY Restaurant got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 4
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Chicken kyiv Net +8
“Great food and experience. Chicken Kyiv is a must try! Thank you Wai for taking good care of us! Highly recommended.”
Positive 8Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great food and experience. Chicken Kyiv is a must try! Thank you Wai for taking good care of us! Highly recommended.”March 2025
“The food was generally good, particularly the chicken Kyiv.”October 2025
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Borsch soup Net +6
“The borscht was rich and hearty, and the vareniki were the best I've ever had!”
Positive 6Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The borscht was rich and hearty, and the vareniki were the best I've ever had!”January 2025
“Probably the best cuisine I found in Dubai. Borsch is marvellous. Desserts are prepared in a very specific way that you won’t find anywhere else.”May 2025
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Shark-fin varenyky Net +3
“Phenomenal Ukrainian-Asian fusion cuisine. Can't think of any other place that serves shark-fin varenyky! The execution is masterful and the service is top-notch.”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Phenomenal Ukrainian-Asian fusion cuisine. Can't think of any other place that serves shark-fin varenyky! The execution is masterful and the service is top-notch.”March 2025
“We were delighted with the shark dumplings and the Kiev cutlet, as well as the desserts - Napoleon in a cup and honey cake with raspberry sauce - incomparable, delicious, incredible presentation and service.”July 2025
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Vareniki with pumpkin + truffle sauce Net +2
“Vareniki with pumpkin + truffle sauce 🎃 super comforting, creamy, and surprisingly light; the pumpkin sweetness with the truffle hit is so good”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Vareniki with pumpkin + truffle sauce 🎃 super comforting, creamy, and surprisingly light; the pumpkin sweetness with the truffle hit is so good”December 2025
“Borshch was outstanding, varenyky with pumpkin and truffle were a true discovery, cutlet Kyiv was great as always and Kyiv cake was a perfect finish to our dinner.”January 2025
Honorable mentions (15)
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Beef cheek Net +1
“Beef cheek🐮melt-in-your-mouth tender with deep, rich flavour… honestly my favourite of the night.☺️💞”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Beef cheek🐮melt-in-your-mouth tender with deep, rich flavour… honestly my favourite of the night.☺️💞”December 2025
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Fresh veggie salad Net +1
“We also tried the Fresh Veggie Salad, Varenyky with Sour Cherries, and Kombucha, all of which exceeded our expectations.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We also tried the Fresh Veggie Salad, Varenyky with Sour Cherries, and Kombucha, all of which exceeded our expectations.”January 2025
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Honey cake Net +1
“From the desert the honey cake and a Napoleon cake, were both delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“From the desert the honey cake and a Napoleon cake, were both delicious.”October 2025
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Honey cake with raspberry sauce Net +1
“We were delighted with the shark dumplings and the Kiev cutlet, as well as the desserts - Napoleon in a cup and honey cake with raspberry sauce - incomparable, delicious, incredible presentation and service.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We were delighted with the shark dumplings and the Kiev cutlet, as well as the desserts - Napoleon in a cup and honey cake with raspberry sauce - incomparable, delicious, incredible presentation and service.”July 2025
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Kyiv cake Net +1
“Borshch was outstanding, varenyky with pumpkin and truffle were a true discovery, cutlet Kyiv was great as always and Kyiv cake was a perfect finish to our dinner.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Borshch was outstanding, varenyky with pumpkin and truffle were a true discovery, cutlet Kyiv was great as always and Kyiv cake was a perfect finish to our dinner.”January 2025
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Lard canapes Net +1
“Everything that we had was fantastic: Chicken Kyiv, dumplings with shark and lard canapes (mus try).”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Everything that we had was fantastic: Chicken Kyiv, dumplings with shark and lard canapes (mus try).”April 2025
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Nalyvka Net +1
“It was true joy to experience Ukrainian hospitality and enjoy incredibly tasty dishes - especially Borshch and Chicken Kyiv. Nalyvka was also outstanding.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It was true joy to experience Ukrainian hospitality and enjoy incredibly tasty dishes - especially Borshch and Chicken Kyiv. Nalyvka was also outstanding.”April 2025
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Napoleon cake Net +1
“From the desert the honey cake and a Napoleon cake, were both delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“From the desert the honey cake and a Napoleon cake, were both delicious.”October 2025
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Napoleon in a cup Net +1
“We were delighted with the shark dumplings and the Kiev cutlet, as well as the desserts - Napoleon in a cup and honey cake with raspberry sauce - incomparable, delicious, incredible presentation and service.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We were delighted with the shark dumplings and the Kiev cutlet, as well as the desserts - Napoleon in a cup and honey cake with raspberry sauce - incomparable, delicious, incredible presentation and service.”July 2025
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Rye & lard Net +1
“The chef personally treated us to two complimentary dishes: Rye & Lard, and a unique Waffle Cone with smoked tuna and mango chutney—both were delicious and thoughtfully prepared.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The chef personally treated us to two complimentary dishes: Rye & Lard, and a unique Waffle Cone with smoked tuna and mango chutney—both were delicious and thoughtfully prepared.”January 2025
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Strawberry napoleon vareniki with shark Net +1
“Spectacular place for slavic food! great atmosphere, loved their concept of sustanability. Highly recommend their strawberry napoleon vareniki with shark! also their bread is wow!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Spectacular place for slavic food! great atmosphere, loved their concept of sustanability. Highly recommend their strawberry napoleon vareniki with shark! also their bread is wow!”March 2025
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Varenyky with cherries Net +1
“That restaurant is amazing! Extremely delicious food, pleasant atmosphere, great wine selection. Varenyky with cherries impressed me🫶🏻”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“That restaurant is amazing! Extremely delicious food, pleasant atmosphere, great wine selection. Varenyky with cherries impressed me🫶🏻”December 2024
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Varenyky with sour cherries Net +1
“We also tried the Fresh Veggie Salad, Varenyky with Sour Cherries, and Kombucha, all of which exceeded our expectations.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We also tried the Fresh Veggie Salad, Varenyky with Sour Cherries, and Kombucha, all of which exceeded our expectations.”January 2025
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Waffle cone with smoked tuna and mango chutney Net +1
“The chef personally treated us to two complimentary dishes: Rye & Lard, and a unique Waffle Cone with smoked tuna and mango chutney—both were delicious and thoughtfully prepared.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The chef personally treated us to two complimentary dishes: Rye & Lard, and a unique Waffle Cone with smoked tuna and mango chutney—both were delicious and thoughtfully prepared.”January 2025
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Wagyu crispy rice Net +1
“Wagyu crispy rice 🍣 crunchy, rich, and easily one of the stars of the meal”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Wagyu crispy rice 🍣 crunchy, rich, and easily one of the stars of the meal”December 2025
Drinks 1
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Kombucha Net +1
“We also tried the Fresh Veggie Salad, Varenyky with Sour Cherries, and Kombucha, all of which exceeded our expectations.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We also tried the Fresh Veggie Salad, Varenyky with Sour Cherries, and Kombucha, all of which exceeded our expectations.”January 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Check Status. Confirm that YOY is operating before booking or travelling, as a guest reported arriving for a booking after the restaurant had closed.
Try Kyiv. If the restaurant reopens, Chicken Kyiv is the safest starting point: multiple diners specifically called it a standout or must-try dish.
Ask About Dumplings. For a less familiar choice, ask about the pumpkin-and-truffle varenyky or the unusual shark dumplings mentioned by diners.
Save Room. Dessert is worth planning for, particularly the honey cake or the restaurant's distinctive Napoleon preparations.
Try Nalyvka. Several diners recommended the homemade Ukrainian liqueur Nalyvka as an accompaniment or a final taste of the menu.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Marina Promenade
Marsa Dubai - Dubai Marina, Dubai
Common Concerns
Closed
A December review reports that the restaurant had permanently closed without notifying a guest who held a New Year's Eve booking.
Booking Notice
A guest says the closure was not communicated even though they had an active booking.
High Pricing
One customer reported an average spend of AED 400 per person, while another said prices were on the higher side.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
The most important update is also the least culinary: the latest supplied review says YOY Restaurant had permanently closed and had not notified a guest whose New Year’s Eve booking was still in place. Check directly with the venue or hotel before making any journey or reservation; the older reviews may describe a restaurant that is no longer operating. When it was open, YOY was a modern Ukrainian restaurant in Dubai Marina with a menu built around familiar dishes given a contemporary treatment.
Chicken Kyiv was the clearest recurring recommendation. Other memorable orders included pumpkin varenyky with truffle sauce, shark dumplings and borscht. Nalyvka, a homemade Ukrainian liqueur, also received specific praise.
The setting was described as warm, elegant, cosy and artistic, with some evenings featuring live music. Diners often appreciated servers who explained the dishes and their Ukrainian background, while several reviews mention chefs presenting or discussing courses at the table. Honey cake and Napoleon were the desserts to look for.
Pricing was not casual: one review reported average spending of AED 400 per person, and another called prices high, though it felt the quality justified the cost. These details are useful only as historical context unless the restaurant confirms a reopening.