Ibn AlBahr Seafood Restaurant — Restaurant in Dubai

I came here on a balmy February evening for dinner with my family. I had originally booked a reservation at 7pm but arrived a little early. The hostess kindly let us be seated on the beach, which came with an absolutely breathtaking view. If there is a table on the beach, I would definitely recommend it over the terrace or indoors seating. They provide blankets and patio heaters if it gets too chilly, as well as bright lamps so you're not eating in the dark. I was really excited to dine at Ibn al Bahr as they were on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list for two years in a row, and won several accolades from Time Out Dubai as well. So far, the service and the views checked out.

For our starters, we ordered the calamari (39 AED), the harra Beiruti (39 AED), and the moussaka (32 AED). The calamari was crispy and well-breaded but I think I would have preferred a marinara dipping sauce instead of the creamy tartar sauce that was provided. The harra Beiruti was a very interesting dish that felt more like a tomato-based, highly-textured spicy salsa with slivers of fish laid on top. I also tried dipping the calamari in this and it was fantastic. The moussaka was probably my favorite, and while I asked for it to be heated up, it was served pretty lukewarm. The eggplant was tender and the tomato filling was well-seasoned.

A main draw for me was the fact that you can choose your fresh fish, which gets weighed and priced, and its preparation style. We picked two of the blue crabs (163.24 AED), which we had never seen before, with its mottled blue and white shell that reminded us of the Chesapeake Bay variety that we love back home, and five of the jumbo shrimp (110.98 AED). The man at the fish display, whom I am assuming was the GM, recommended that we order both the shrimp and crabs provençal style, with garlic, coriander, and butter. While the sauce was delicious, the quality of the seafood was unfortunately not there. The crabs had a mushy texture that was indicative of a lack of freshness and the shrimp had a bitter taste overall. They were likely overcooked and the chef who prepared the shrimp overcompensated for the bitterness with a ton of salt in the sauce. But, the sauce for the crabs was executed well. We also ordered the seafood paella for two (220 AED) which came with a ton of jumbo shrimp and tiny little mussels. The rice was quite soggy and mushy, and resembled risotto than actual paella-- overall, the texture was a little off-putting for my table.

Despite these complaints, we did end up eating most of our food because it was not cheap and we did not want to waste food. The seafood wasn't prepared in a way that rendered everything inedible, but it was definitely not up to Michelin Bib standards. We were very disappointed with the quality of our food, especially since the best thing on the table was an appetizer that was not even seafood-related. Our server, who was incredibly attentive, did ask us how out food was and when we gave him our input he apologized and said he would relay the information over to his manager. We never did get to speak to anyone, though I did catch a man skulking around our table so maybe he couldn't work up the courage to come speak with us. With water (24 AED), everything on our bill came to $196.04 USD after tax and tip. When we left, I ran into the man who helped us with our seafood selection inside earlier, who asked me how the food was. He was very receptive to my input and invited me to return on another night, though I wasn't able to because I already made reservations at other restaurants during my trip. I appreciated the gesture, nonetheless, and left with a slightly less bitter taste in my mouth (from the shrimp and from my dining...

Was very excited to try this restaurant out as it had great reviews and the menu and location seemed great.

On a positive note, before i start complaining, it must be said that the staff is very welcoming and kind. I wouldn’t believe any review that says otherwise. They were always apologetic and accepting when we complained about anything.

Unfortunately the experience was overall an unpleasant one. It seems the restaurant suffers when they’re busy with lots of customers. We had to ask for menus twice, had to ask for our order to be taken twice, etc.. but the most important take away from all this is: CHECK YOUR BILL meticulously! This might be an honest mistake, and not something intentional, but my bill had random stuff added to it that I didn’t order, and some items were added more than once. I was about to be charged about 300 dhs more than i should have been. I had to send the waiter back to fix it twice and he kept getting it wrong until i had to get up and resolve it with the manager myself at the cash register. TWO other tables next to us suffered the same thing at the same time with incorrect bills and we had a laugh about how ridiculous it was.

Not to mention little annoying things here and there like some items we ordered never made it to our table, even though we reminded them several times. Putting incomplete cutlery in front of us, serving water bottles without cups and having to tell them to bring cups, two or three times. The side dishes we ordered with the fish came 10-15 mins after the fish was served and after many reminders ofcourse.

This restaurant has lots of potential but clearly needs an overhaul...

Our lunch experience at Ibn AlBahr Restaurant was a mixed bag of delights and disappointments. The service was exemplary, with attentive staff ensuring our needs were promptly met throughout the meal. From recommendations to accommodating special requests, they went above and beyond to ensure a pleasant dining experience.

Now, onto the highlight of the meal: the seafood. Fresh and expertly prepared, each dish showcased the restaurant's commitment to quality ingredients and skilled culinary execution. From the succulent grilled fish to the flavorful seafood pasta, every bite was a testament to their expertise in seafood cuisine.

However, despite the outstanding service and delectable seafood offerings, we couldn't overlook the elephant in the room: the prices. While we expected a premium for the quality of food and service, we found the overall cost to be a bit steep, bordering on overpriced.

In conclusion, Ibn AlBahr Restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience with its top-notch service and delicious seafood options. However, potential diners should be prepared to splurge a little, as the prices may be on the higher side. Despite this drawback, we still enjoyed our lunch and would recommend it to seafood enthusiasts looking for a memorable...