Cafe Isan (JLT) - Authentic Thai Street Food Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Dubai

Dubai’s first North Eastern Thai Cafe

We decided to drop by for some dinner since we were craving Thai food.

Located at one of the corners in JLT, this is a hidden gem not to be missed out on. The café has a homely vibe with a laidback setting with mixed color couches, chairs and bench like seating. The décor is minimal but crafty giving it an elegant and chic look. We would love to have a home that looked like this.

It is run by two passionate women who wanted to bring the flavors of Isan to Middle East. Isan is part of the North Eastern region of Thailand. The surprising fact is that Isan is a hidden gem yet to be explored by tourists. The restaurant has won the timeout award last year for being the best budgeted restaurant that should help you making better decisions while deciding your lunch!

Bite Board

Drinks: We tried the lemon and lemongrass ice tea. Both are good drinks for a detox and refreshing to balance the meal but not something we would pick on a regular basis. It just us with the taste, since we prefer something sweeter to sip on.

Red Curry Wings: The wings were delicious with the sweet chili sauce but did not pack enough heat for us.

Beef Sausage: An Isan specialty made with fermented garlic, sticky rice and wrapped in banana leaves. Usually eaten raw back in Isan but here the cooked version is pretty dang good as well. We were in love with the tenderness and the texture, just how we like our meat. We definitely recommend to try this out.

The Beef Hustler: The traditional Thai dish with jasmine rice, basil stir fry topped with a fried egg.

Cashew Chicken: Your regular Asian food dipped in sweet and sour sauce, garnished with bell peppers.

Lisa was a great host. Everything was just perfect.

For the quality and quantity offered, the pricing is reasonable.

Location: JLT, Dubai

We are coming back soon for more of the...

We went to Cafe Isan JLT a few days ago (most probably on Sunday). We ordered Chicken Cashew Nut (with rice), Khao Man Gai and drinks. Unfortunately, the Chicken Cashew Nut was the worst we've ever tasted; it was orange in colour, the coated chicken was soggy and it tasted like bad Sweet and Sour Chicken. I mentioned to the female staff that it tasted like Sweet and Sour Chicken and she said that they put Sriracha sauce in it. I am not the greatest cook in the world but I have never come across anyone using Sriracha in this dish and this is coming from someone who grew up eating Thai food (I love Foi Thong, Khao Yam and Miang Kham).

Khao Man Gai was acceptable but the chicken had many tiny bones and the little sauce that came with it was bland.

We ordered these 2 dishes based on our great experience eating them at Cafe Isan in Circle Mall. These 2 dishes were absolutely delicious at Circle Mall branch.

I wondered if there was no actual chef at Cafe Isan JLT and the staff just made up some sauce for Chicken Cashew Nut.

1 star for the food as the portions were generous. The staff did not know about the Cafe Isan at Circle Mall at all and they did not ask if we wanted to order drinks to go with our meal (I went to look for them to place an order for the drinks).

The plus point was that we went for a late lunch so even though it was a total let down, we didn't wait until dinner time for...

I moved into JLT in September 2023 and based on the written and anecdotal reviews I received, Cafe Isan was the first place I headed for. It is, without doubt, one of the most authentic Thai restaurants I have ever been to - ANYWHERE - and I have eaten there at least once or twice a week for the last few months. Their dishes are served with the simplicity and authenticity that you just don't get in your regular eateries and the prices are refreshingly reasonable. I have yet to find anything I don't like and my favourite dishes are the yellow and Penang beef curry, the grilled squid, the Tom Saap Nua (which I have never seen anywhere else before), the Nam Tok Nua (beef salad) and the raw prawn salad! You can specify mild, medium or "Thai Spicy", which is mouth numbingly hot, but super delicious for those that are "in the know" or dare to ask for it! The place is always busy, and the staff are happy and efficient, without being overly attentive or pushy. If there are two or more of you, it's definitely worth booking in advance - even on week days. As one of a few licensed restaurants in JLT it's a great place to go with friends and hang out until the early hours. The team is fantastic and will always look after you as long as you treat them with the respect...