Buddha-Bar — Restaurant in Dubai

This place has really gone downhill unfortunately, and we were really disappointed with our experience.

Everything to do with the arrival and FOH staff was great. Firstly, sitting at the table and asking for menus multiple times didn’t get us off to the right start. I thought the menu was lovely, and chose a selection of items because we were quite hungry. The selection of sushi that we had really lacked any sort of finesse or flavour you would expect from a place like this, and was average at best (3/10)

Crispy Calamari was tough, cold and like it was from freezer to fryer to plate. For 115dhs you’d expect something amazing (2/10)

Chicken satay was tough like an old boot. Definitely had better (3/10)

Looking forward to the shrimp tempura, and for 125dhs (for a starter), again expecting something wow! But they were tasteless, watery (again assuming they aren’t fresh), and lacked any sort of punch. Served with a minuscule of sweet chilli sauce, as if we were being rationed. It just really didn’t hit the spot. (1/10)

Now onto the ‘Spicy’ tuna tartar. Normally one of my favourites if I go anywhere like this. But again, fish didn’t taste fresh, had a distinct fishy taste which you wouldn’t expect from a fresh tartare. Lacked any sort of flavour, apart from the fishy taste, and a 0 on the spice scale. Really disappointing (1/10).

Roasted duck actually wasn’t too bad, but tasted better because everything before was so bad! Crispy skin and tender, sauce served with it was ok too. Not bad, not great, definitely not worth the 250dhs price tag (5/10).

Finally, the prime beef tenderloin. Expecting relatively good quality for a 250dhs steak, but it really didn’t deliver. Asked for medium rare, got well done. It was luke warm at best, sauce was underwhelming and they served some undercooked wedges coated in a thick layer of some sort of spice (maybe Cajun) that stuck to your mouth like glue. (1/10).

Overall, food was a huge miss compared to other options in dubai at these prices. Drink selection pretty average too, selected a few of the cocktails and struggled to taste any alcohol.

Entertainment - had a really lackluster DJ, music pretty poor but got a little better later on. Later on being as soon as your booted off you’re table by the staff. Shows were a bit cringy, and when you have kids of all ages around you, the types of shows were concerning for a kid to watch. Not sure why children are allowed in past 10pm, or if it permitted by law.

Finally, to top off a very disappointing evening, we were on a 5 minute time warned to clear the table so the next lot of eagerly waiting customers could sit. Not new to having a table time slot at restaurants, but managing this with customers who pay a lot of money to eat/drink at these types of restaurants is normally pretty good elsewhere. I.e. allow a little more prep time, move the table onto a different area for drinks smoothly etc. Wasn’t the case here. It was here’s the cheque, cya later!

In short and to finish, wouldn’t be going here again. Great for tourists who perhaps think they getting amazing food. But not for those who enjoy great food considering what else is in dubai...

We fell for the tourist trap… There’s a lot to be said about this place, but I’ll start with the attitude and service.

Seating and hospitality: My husband booked a table for us almost a month prior to our visit in Dubai. When we first came in we were treated in a bit of a snobby way by the hostess. We were then asked to wait at the “lounge” until they get a table for us. I speculate this is way for them to vet the patrons by age and how much they seem like they’d spend. We were then walked pass several free tables in the main hall, and were directed to a seat in a back room where you can’t see the stage. We asked to be seated in the main hall, and they gave us the worst table of the 3 that were available. It put such a huge damper on our mood, as we felt we were being pushed back so that older or richer customers may sit front and center.

Service: Our server was very kind and friendly, but unprofessional. He was pulling empty dishes from under our hands as we were eating.

Food: the sushi roll was nothing special and very mediocre. Especially the quality of the shrimp. The spring roll was bland and oily, and frankly disappointing. The desserts were tasty though.

Drinks: the cocktails seemed to be put together a bit haphazardly, and lacked fitness. The flavors were very simple, and tasted more like mixers, very disappointing for such expensive cocktails!

The show was a matter of taste I reckon, it was a pastiche of saxophone, dancers doing un choreographed dancing, some basic choreo, and one impressive aerial. However it was very sporadic with awkward breaks in between.

All in all, a disappointing experience and especially the...

This is absolutely a place to take your "never ending visiting friends/family" for a good meal, nice dinner, having few drinks and to have a taste of Dubai nights. It is also a lovely place to spend a night out with your husband/girl-boyfriend/partner.

*Food is good not amaaazing but good enough to enjoy.

*Drinks are normal; we had bloody mary (comments : nice), martini (comments : tequila they put in is not good), pina colada (comments : this has even alcohol in it???)

*Shows are meh; girls dancing slooowly are a little bit lame, acrobatic girl & boy better showing extra flexible shows on a rope and lastly the violinist who pops in between the shows are relatively the best.

*We had a reservation at 19.30 and like 11ish they asked me to move to the bar as time came for the following reservation

*Bar is good but dancing is not available due to restrictions so you just stand and chat.

*Overall; good place, food is good, shows are average, best is the atmosphere and the decoration. Red and gold (huuuge Buddha statue sitting and meditating is controversial, just like Dubai itself) dominates the decoration.

*Less expensive than I expected, sharing is the best option as always, 4 adults paid 1500 AED with many drinks and mixed sushi place, fair enough.

*As usual place had some lonely men sitting, eating and checking around can't blame them, but this place had more groups than lonely birds who came really to enjoy and celebrate. So this was a plus for me comparing some places (see my Nammos comment lol).

*Recommended! And do not forget to...