Bungalo34 — Restaurant in Dubai

Extremely Disappointed with Bungalo 34's Terrible Service and Attitude

I have heard so much about Bungalo 34, and my family and I decided to book a lunch reservation there today, June 10th. Unfortunately, I must express my utmost disappointment with the appalling experience we had. Having lived in Dubai for 20 years, I have never encountered such terrible service before.

To begin with, our waiter informed us that there was no kids' menu available. When we inquired about alternative options for our children, the waiter seemed clueless about the dishes on the menu. Furthermore, to our surprise, we were then informed that all pizzas were unavailable. It was quite disconcerting that a supposedly reputable restaurant couldn't even provide basic options for kids.

Anyway, when we asked if the chef could modify the pasta sauces to make them more suitable for children, the waiter was unhelpful and claimed it was difficult to accommodate such a request, Additionally, when my wife and I ordered our main dishes, we politely asked for the rice to be removed from the sea bass dish and the pasta to be removed from the chicken dish as we wanted to avoid consuming carbs and instead have more vegetables. However, despite a lengthy discussion and facing continuous objections, we were eventually attended to by a blond waitress (seems she was a head waitress)

To our dismay, the second waitress continuously interrupted us and spoke in an obnoxious manner. She rudely insisted that the dishes had to be served as they were on the menu, completely disregarding our simple request for a substitution. We then understood that we needed to order the vegetables in addition to the main dish for them to be served, we did order them, but we still wanted the rice and pasta not to be served. She simply walked away in a very rude manner, and our main dishes arrived with the unwanted rice and pasta, completely ignoring our request.

As we finished our lunch, my children went to use the bathroom. On their way back, they innocently sat on one of the colorful barstools near the entrance. In an abrupt and disrespectful manner, the same waitress approached my son and yelled at him, scolding him for treating the stool like a toy. It was truly shocking to witness such a lack of customer service from this waitress.

At this point, I had had enough and voiced my dissatisfaction to the waitress. Without receiving any acknowledgment or apology for their shortcomings, I decided it was best to leave. It is truly a shame that a restaurant associated with Tasha would have such terrible service. We have previously had better experiences at Tasha's other establishments, and this one falls far short of...

Very disappointing. I just came back from dining there for my husband’s birthday. I don’t like when businesses are not straight forward. In most restaurants in Dubai, VAT, municipally fees and services charges are included in the price. Sometimes the service charge is not included and they mention it in the menu, but in every other restaurant we have been in Dubai, VAT and Municipality fees have always been included in the price you see in the menu. Nowhere in the menu of Bundalo34 said that VAT and Municipality charges are not included and then when you get the already super pricey bill, you get hit with an additional 7% of the prices we saw in the menu. When we asked what was that they said it was the VAT and when we said that the VAT in UAE is 5%, they told us that because they serve alcohol is 7%. So, if you go, just know that you will be charged with an additional 7% of the already high price you see in the menu… Also, when I made the reservation online, there’s a section where they ask you if it’s an special occasion and they give you many options to select. As it was my husband’s birthday, I selected male birthday, which was one of the options, but they didn’t even have the gesture of bringing him a tiny piece of cake, nothing; why does this restaurant then asks you to indicate if it’s an special occasion??? The food was ok, but not worth the price tag in my opinion. Lastly, they highlight in their website and remind you in the confirmation call that no beachwear, sportswear, flip flops or sneakers are allowed, but there were plenty of people wearing sportswear, sneakers and even baseball caps; even some of the waiters wear shorts and sneakers… a little contradicting… I don’t really ever write reviews, but this time I was too...

In Dubai, where oversized franchises and glossy, copy-paste concepts dominate the dining landscape, true originality is rare. Which is why Bungalow 34 feels like a revelation. The creation of Natasha Sideris, founder of the by Tasha’s group—a proudly homegrown UAE success story now taking on Europe with a new opening in London’s Battersea—it is that rarest of things: a restaurant with soul.

Perched on the edge of the Pearl peninsula, sharing its stretch of sand with Nikki Beach Resort, Bungalow 34 is a love letter to the dolce vita of the 1960s and ’70s, infused with the languid glamour of the French-Italian Riviera. It’s a place for sunsets, for a glass of rosé Côtes de Provence, for conversations that aren’t drowned out by noise (a rarity in Dubai). Fresh fish gleam on ice at the counter, the wine list and cocktails are meticulously composed, and the walls are alive with works from Natasha’s personal art collection. Her substantial Taschen-published cookbook—Tasha’s, recipes as art—is also on display, paired in spirit with the contemporary pieces she has gathered over years of travel.

The details matter here. The playlists are selected by Natasha herself, and the atmosphere is curated with precision, a reflection of her taste and eye for beauty. Before leaving, linger at the boutique by the entrance: a carefully assembled selection of beachwear, accessories and gifts, all infused with the same personality that defines the house.

For me, Bungalow 34 is more than a restaurant. It is a personal refuge and a secret haven of Riviera nostalgia—a place where one can feel away from Dubai while still in Dubai. A slice of dreamscape, proving that locally grown ideas can outshine...