If you want to experience an Arabian Nights themed dinner in Dubai, head to Al Hadheerah at the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa. In a nutshell, Al Hadheerah is a live dinner theatre where patrons dine under the stars. Dinner at Al Hadheerah was one of the highlights of my Dubai visit – how often do you get to eat in the desert under a star-lit sky surrounded by an enchanting atmosphere?
Reservations are required and can easily be done on the resort’s website. The hours of operation are 7-11pm and because there is a performance, arriving promptly for 7pm is recommended. Another benefit of arriving early – seating is first come first serve. You can choose a table as close, far or centre to the stage as you want. We sat in a cozy nook padded with colourful woven cushions off to the side of the stage – this type of seating was more festive than sitting at a traditional table.
Leave Dubai as early as possible in the late afternoon to catch the sunset at Bab Al Shams and to account for the taxi driver potentially getting lost, which ours did. The sun set quickly as we left Festival City at 5:30pm for the 50 minute drive to Bab Al Shams. We were soon enveloped by darkness and our driver circled around the desert for 20 minutes, despite having printed out the directions for him. The taxi ride from Festival City Dubai to Bab Al Shams cost 140AED.
Food
Al Hadheerah serves an Arabic buffet dinner that’s prepared right before your eyes. The elaborate spread rivals the grand buffets of Vegas, but despite the variety and uniqueness of Al Hadheerah, the quality was just decent for me for the price charged. At the beginning of the meal, mazza, side dishes to accompany the mains, were brought to the table. This included a salad, hummus and flat breads. Water, soft drinks and Arabic coffee were included in the price.
The buffet was arranged by cooking stations, which reminded me of Mövenpick restaurants. There were stations for grilling, soups, sautée, seafood, desserts and a few others. Foods typically included grilled meats (chicken, lamb) on spit roasts, rice, vegetables, shawarmas, lentils, crab legs and many more that I know I’m missing! Bring an empty stomach.
Service
There wasn’t a hostess when we arrived at Al Hadheerah. At 7pm, a line formed to enter the dining space and the hostess checked off our reservation. The hostess didn’t seat anyone, we sat ourselves! At the end of our night, one waiter helped us call a taxi to drive us back to Dubai and we were required to leave a 100AED deposit with the waiter until the taxi came to help secure the booking. This condition was initially confusing but it was just fine, the 100AED was returned to us when the taxi arrived. The taxi back to Festival City was 130AED.
Place
Al Hadheerah is set up like a Disney World movie stage set. When we entered, there was a lot of “oohing” and “ahhing”. The colourful and theatrical display of the cooking stations, the textiles on the seats, the fire pit, Moroccan lanterns and reconstructed Arabian fort added to this spectacle. At the entryway, there was a trainer and his falcon posing for photos. It was a challenge to capture the spectacular atmosphere with just an iPhone 5. Any use of flash just created a dark background. A camera with high ISO capabilities would be needed.
The entertainment for the evening began at 8pm and lasted until the end of the night. There was a tanoura dancer, belly dancers, live band, horse show and concluded with a camel caravan and fireworks. Certainly the high cost of the meal funds part of the firework display. At one point, the dancers came to the tables to take photos that you can buy. I found the entertainment mediocre and the live band was too loud – it became impossible to carry a conversation with your party! You can smoke flavoured shisha during dinner too. Throughout the evening, you could visit the Bedouin camp set up on the other side of the restaurant with some market stalls and camel rides.
Al Hadheerah
Buffet Dinner per person: 375AED, includes water, soft drinks and Arabic coffee. 425AED, including gratuities ($115 USD)
Location: Meydan Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, Al Qudra Road, Opposite Endurance City, United Arab Emirates
Planning tip: The dress code is casual. In cooler weather, there are heat lamps. Not all taxi drivers know the way to Bab Al Shams so print the location on a map
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