AUYL — Restaurant in Almaty

FOOD For a restaurant rated top 50 I think food is pretty average except for the bone marrow dish.

ATMOSPHERE They restaurant is clean and have a nice decor. Definitely comfortable to dine in.

SERVICE First of all, front line person looks unhappy serving us today. Perhaps we are Asian ? When you request to get order, we were like being instructed to wait where waitress would just tell us "1 minute" and we were left hanging for amount of time. We have ordered food with a waitress* ( short - plum ) *no name mentioned and this is a terrible. First of all ive ordered a simple coke with lemon and Ive been provided we a bottle of coke without lemon and we ask from the waitress again, she expect us to drink straight from the bottle. Perhaps she thinks we are from a low class race. 2nd incident, she served us with bone marrow and only assist us with two marrows and expected the remaining two of us to do ourself.

Anyway, every dark cloud comes with a silver lining. We would like to praise a waiter named Aslan where he is very helpful and serve us very well. Even though his English is not that well, he did helped us to make our meal great.

A suggestion to Auyl management, as a Top 50 restaurant, please look into your front line staff as I would deem them as rude and not friendly or perhaps a bit racist. All of the front staff dont smile at all and we thought we enter a burial ceremony.

For a great restaurant, front line represent the first impression and without good impression, no matter how good your food is, it would not set a good meal for anyone.

Last but not least, the energy is pretty bad in the restaurant and I hope Auyl can improve further in the future.

On the personal note we would like to say Thank you to Aslan for his great service to us and if not because of him I would rated Auyl 1 star only....

An exceptionally authentic establishment with a modern take on cuisine and top-tier service. For me, it was an extraordinary experience.

The atmosphere sets the tone right from the entrance, with its unique doors and the mesmerizing sight of snowflakes and crisp mountain air drifting into the lobby as guests arrive. The waiting area offers tea, water, and nuts, creating a warm welcome.

The restaurant features two distinct dining spaces: on the right, a cozy area with floor seating and cushions, and on the left, traditional tables for a more conventional experience.

The open kitchen allows guests to witness the preparation of pilaf in the kazan and freshly baked tortillas in the tandoor oven. The music enhances the ambiance, immersing you in a serene and almost hypnotic state—every detail is designed for a complete sensory experience.

The menu is a unique and creative interpretation of traditional dishes. Highlights include mini shashlik made from horse loin, served with flatbread, homemade hand-pulled Dungan noodles, flavorful tandoor chicken, and beautifully presented desserts.

The restaurant also boasts an excellent wine selection, and sommelier Julija recommended a local Gewürztraminer—an unexpectedly refined choice that I highly recommend trying. To complete the meal, the fragrant herbal tea was a delightful touch.

A special mention goes to the exceptional service, which exceeded all expectations. Truly an experience...

A must-visit in Almaty. Auyl is located at the beginning of the Commissar Gorge, intersecting with the Medeu Gorge, offering a fantastic view of the Medeu sports complex and dam. The restaurant features a colorful neo-nomad interior with exotic utensils, housed in a historic building, and phenomenal cuisine from the chef. It is part of the ABR+ group, and with their app, you can get discounts and earn points on premium Visa cards. There are usually seats available during the day, but in the evenings and on weekends, reservations are recommended. The atmospheric veranda has high tables, while inside, people dine on low tables on the floor in a nomadic style. Definitely try the nomad tea with roasted wheat.

Interesting details: This building was originally constructed in another region of Kazakhstan and later relocated to the gorge. It is faced with shell limestone and features unique mosaic panels with hunting motifs. These mosaic panels and murals are iconic to Almaty in the 1970s. The terrace is covered with geometric fabrics, and on the second terrace, there is an installation with a traditional Kazakh game - a pole with ribbons. In ancient times, girls would dance in a circle, holding these ribbons in their hands and weaving them together. This historical and cultural detail adds a unique charm...