NIRI Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

I’ve always been a dinner time visitor and have no complaints. It’s a great restaurant with fantastic food and ambience.

However, I made the mistake of going there for a business lunch recently, and was sorely disappointed. We were actually celebrating a very important milestone and choosing this restaurant ruined it. The service was unbelievably slow and flawed. It wasn’t the staff’s fault, they were just underequipped to deal with the number of people they had. This is management’s oversight. They should know better than to be shortstaffed on a beautiful Friday afternoon in the winter.

I had made an outdoor seating reservation and mentioned that I was there to celebrate and requested a nice table. When I arrived, all of the nice tables were taken, and there was one sad table in the back corner under the sun, when I had specifically asked for shade. They paid no attention to my reservation request, which is again, poor management and organization.

Service was painful. It took me four attempts to get my beverage, when they brought out the appetizers, they only brought 2 of the 4, so half our party didn’t have their food. We had to keep reminding them to bring the other two and they looked genuinely confused.

The miso soup they brought us was absolutely cold. We asked them to bring us warm soup and they just microwaved the ones that they had already brought out. Microwaved seaweed and tofu is a special kind of disgusting.

Both our steaks were delivered medium well when we had asked for medium rare. It had taken almost an hour to bring the mains out, so we decided to just keep the tough chewy meat instead of waiting more.

Not once did anyone come by to ask if our food was OK or whether we needed anything.

I think instead of trying to bring in a lot of foot traffic during lunch with a very well priced business lunch menu, they should up their prices, hire more staff, and provide a better dining experience for...

Japanese restaurants have become what Italian restaurants once were—the go-to option when you're not quite sure what you're in the mood for. They're everywhere, from boutique city corners to plush hotel dining rooms, and always seem like a safe bet when the indecision kicks in. NIRI in Abu Dhabi is no different, except that it somehow manages to stand out.

It's fun, it’s busy, and there’s a palpable sense of energy that makes you feel like something important is happening at every table. The cocktails—thankfully not just the token sake or yuzu martini—are inventive and pack a punch, without that pretentious mixology nonsense. The service is brisk, almost to the point of precision, yet there’s still a warmth to it.

The menu? Interesting enough to make you do that thing where you nod along while thinking, Right, let’s see what that actually looks like when it arrives. And when it does, it mostly delivers. The softshell crab, in particular, was a standout—a crisp, briny hit that might make you question whether ordering another plate would be overkill.

But here’s the kicker: NIRI was full. And in a city where new restaurants crop up like skyscrapers, that’s saying something. Sure, you can check the Google reviews, but the real sign of a place worth visiting is how hard it is to find a seat. So if you're in Abu Dhabi, NIRI is a must. Even if you're not, it might just be reason enough to...

Unfortunately did not have the chance to taste the food, so will leave 5 stars on that front, just in case.

Walked in for a table for two at 8pm on a Friday night. Was told upfront that our table would only be free for 90 minutes, which we accepted no problem.

After 10 min having ordered a water to start, we asked whether a tasting menu was available. Our waiter informed that one was in fact proposed, and promptly came back with the menu.

When informing him that we would like to order said menu, we were informed that this was not a very good idea given it would take too much time since we only had one hour (until 9pm) before we would be asked to leave. After asking to clarify whether our graciously allotted time was in fact 60 or 90 minutes, we were unfortunately downgraded to 60. We were then offered a high table with more flexible timings: think that one table in the middle of the entrance, so you can personally welcome every patron walking in yourself (still, why was this table not offered at first if it came no strings attached?). Although grateful for the generous offer, we politely declined and decided to try the next door restaurant instead, where we were able to stay as long as we wanted (despite higher affluence).

Tldr: for a stress free experience, you’re better off booking. Otherwise start your timer, and double check instructions for...