KAYA Restaurant & Lounge — Restaurant in Bahrain Island

A Hugely Disappointing Experience at Kaya Brunch This was a well-anticipated brunch—we were curious to see what all the hype was about. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the most disappointing dining experiences I’ve ever had in Bahrain. To begin with, the staff at the entrance were courteous, which gave us hope. We specifically requested a table away from the speakers, yet we were seated right under one when there was clearly a table that suited our needs across from us. So after pointing that out, they moved us, and we settled in, expecting a great afternoon ahead. We arrived at 1 PM and were offered prosecco (not my preference unless it’s champagne), so I opted for a cocktail instead. To my surprise, they didn’t have menu for the food and drinks that were going to be served. We were told, for cocktails, there were only four options, none of which were rum or vodka-based. Sangria and Margaritas were the only ones I remember. I asked for vodka and orange juice instead, since they couldn't do a screwdriver. lol. As we placed our first order of drinks, they brought us two tiny bowls of green salad leaves and two variations of edamame. Our drinks didn’t arrive until 1:40 PM. Meanwhile, we discovered a very small sushi selection at the back, which gave the illusion of a large spread because it was just the same few items repeated: three types of maki, nigiri with salmon and shrimp, and some sashimi (salmon, tuna, and something else unidentifiable as there were no labels). By 2:30 PM, no additional food had appeared, and we were still trying to flag down our server. You can’t order drinks at the bar or from any other server—you must wait for your designated server, which made it worse. When we finally asked about food, they said, “Oh, if you’re ready, we’ll bring it out.” Ready? We’d been sitting for over an hour and a half! At 3 PM, they served us 2 plates of tiny portions of : • 5 tiny beef strips • 3 chicken rolls (wrapped in something with sauce that tasted awful) • 3 types of potatoes And that was it. That was all the food they had to offer. Inexcusable for BD42. By far, the worst food offering on the island for a brunch of this price point. We requested more beef strips (because that was the only thing I preferred), and only after asking four times did we finally get some. (oo I counted) Drinks? They were consistently delayed. Dessert? A small wagon with a repeated selection, mostly gone by 4:40 PM, and no sign of refills—just a sad display of leftovers and some fruit. Now, about the entertainment: • The music was great, I’ll give them that. Two DJs in opposite corners, though—completely unnecessary. • The staged entertainment beside the singers? Cheap theatrics at best. Honestly, if they slashed half that entertainment budget and spent it on food and service, the experience would’ve been bearable. Then, around 4:20 PM, the servers suddenly emerged, handing out paper napkins to everyone. They began a performance that involved guests waving the napkins in the air and tossing them onto the floor which covered the entire floor. The sheer disregard for sustainability and the unnecessary waste this created was truly disappointing, especially at an establishment of this caliber, where one would expect them to be more thoughtful and environmentally conscious. This brunch felt designed to distract you with “show” so you overlook the extremely limited, low-quality food and poor service. For a package priced at the higher end of brunch options in Bahrain, this was a rip-off. As someone who was born in Bahrain and grew up dining at Gulf Hotel since I was 5, it’s sad to see how far the standard has fallen after 40 years. This was my first and last time at Kaya. I hope people read this review before booking. There are so many amazing brunches on the island, but this one does not deserve the hype. We had to dine at Saltfire afterward just to get rid of the bad taste this brunch left us with and what an absolute...

So much wrong yet so much write, let's start with the atmosphere and entertainment, the event we attended started at 1300 and went to around 1630. I have to be upfront and say from about 1300-1500 I was extremely board. In that time frame , entertainment only came out two times played one song and curtain closed.

I'm sure this will be countered by well that was because everyone was eating , the food will talk about in a bit. After 3 the event definitely went from 1st gear to 4th gear, the party started people danced show was great and yes I had fun. About 1 hour later then I would have liked but last two hours was definitely fun.

The food ......oh the food , ok this is considered a brunch but let me assure you if you never been here it's not what your thinking and if your not a fan of sushi or sashimi you are absolutely screwed. I went with my wife and here is what's brought for two of us, a giant plate of lettuce , one bite and we sent back, about 8 one inch pieces of sliced steak not per person but for both of us, a bowl of seaweed salad and 3 pieces of pasta for both of us. Imagine the pasta about twice the size of a piece of ravioli, in kter words 3 very small pieces. my wife and I had one piece each and sent last piece back. You also get a cup of fried miniature shrimp 1 to share. If you come as a couple and you don't decide to fill up on the 8 styles of different sushi at the back table you WILL LEAVE HUNGRY. They had a dessert bar but we decided not to partake. Not sure if someone that goes by themselves gets the same quantity, but for two people it was enough for one person, but if I didn't have to share i would have to make due because they don't give an option what your going to eat.

The drinks....... Sangria was good, no whiskey based cocktails , they give you a cup of whiskey and a coke,if whiskey is what you want. not sure if they used bourbon , Rye or scotch , I didn't try it. but no included whiskey cocktails, just a gin cocktail , wine , beer and sangria. Which is a Shame because they have such a nice bar, you would think with a premium package you have more options for cocktails. I'm not sure what premium package included when I asked the waitress she couldn't explain. But you probably will save some money if you don't buy premium , I only drank the sangria and one of there gin cocktails anyway.

Overall the crowd was great , everyone seemed to enjoy, my wife enjoyed but for me I prefer they take away set menu and add a small choice of foods giving people options.

In total you'll get maybe an hours worth of showtime , limited selection of drinks and food , but after 3 dancing becomes available and crowd is a good one. Oh and get there early or else you won't get a good seat to...

Disappointing New Year’s Eve Experience

We booked a large table at Kaya for New Year’s Eve, expecting a special and well-organized celebration, but unfortunately, it turned out to be far from enjoyable.

Our group arrived at different times, and when we joined around 10:30 pm, the waiter took our drinks order: a bottle of vodka, whiskey, mixers, and Prosecco. Oddly, they refused to place the Prosecco bottle on the table and insisted on refilling glasses themselves. This created unnecessary inconvenience as we had to repeatedly call the waiter every five minutes for a refill, which was extremely slow.

When the spirits arrived, the mixers took another 20 minutes, despite us asking at least five different staff members. Frustrated, we called the manager, who finally resolved the issue and even allowed the Prosecco bottle on the table, but this should’ve been handled smoothly from the start.

The food experience was equally disappointing. The starters we received—salmon carpaccio, salmon tartare, and sweet potato purée—were ridiculously small and far from what we expected for the price we paid. Other tables were served additional dishes like salads, sushi maki, and miso soup, none of which ever made it to our table. Were they hoping we’d be too drunk to notice?

The main courses took an hour to arrive and were barely warm. Worse, the side dishes we ordered were completely forgotten despite us asking for them multiple times. By this point, we were starving, frustrated, and fed up.

To top it off, when the venue opened the roof for some sparklers, it became uncomfortably windy and cold, killing the mood entirely. The entertainment was mediocre—the show was decent but obstructed by a column in front of our table, and the DJ was terrible.

At 120 BD per person, we left feeling hungry, sober, and utterly disappointed. Kaya is definitely not the place for a special occasion if you’re looking for good service, decent food, and an...