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5 Best BBQ Restaurants in Dubai (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Thorne Savarin
By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

Absolute Barbecues alone has pulled in over 10,000 Google reviews among BBQ restaurants in Dubai, more than any other restaurant on this list and a number that only makes sense in a city this obsessed with live-grill dining. Every name here clears 2,000 reviews and holds a rating above 4.5, so the real decision isn't whether the food is good, it's whether you want table-side skewers, a smoky Texas pit, or a mall food-court steak.

Short answer: The most-reviewed BBQ restaurant in Dubai is Absolute Barbecues (4.6 stars across 10,190 Google reviews), while Pili Pili BBQ House holds the highest rating on this list at 4.9 from 6,684 reviews. Expect a sit-down BBQ meal to run roughly AED 100-250 per person, per reviewer-reported spending.
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Dubai's Top BBQ Restaurants, Compared

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Pili Pili BBQ House Restaurant 4.9 ★ 6,684 Highest rating / East African flame-grill View ›
2 Absolute Barbecues 4.6 ★ 10,190 Table-side grill / large groups View ›
3 The GrilllShack 4.7 ★ 3,775 Steaks & burgers / Downtown location View ›
4 The Pit: House of Barbecue 4.7 ★ 3,604 Slow-smoked / Texas-style brisket View ›
5 Dickey’s Barbecue Pit - JBR 4.7 ★ 2,146 Casual JBR spot / families View ›
5 Best BBQ Restaurants in Dubai (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

Pili Pili BBQ House Restaurant logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days

Pili Pili BBQ House Restaurant

4.96,684 Google reviews

Pili Pili BBQ House Restaurant is a flame-grilled restaurant tucked into a side street in Al Jafiliya, serving East African-influenced barbecue including mishkaki skewers, lamb chops, and a weekend Zanzibari biryani. The kitchen also runs a soup and fried-Mohogo starter menu alongside the grilled mains, and it operates additional branches in Mirdif and Global Village. It holds the highest rating of any restaurant on this list.

What people praise

  • Reviewers consistently praise the lamb chops and mixed grill skewers
  • Weekend Zanzibari biryani draws specific, repeated praise
  • Staff described as warm and attentive, often name-checked individually
  • Highest rating on this list at 4.9, held across nearly 6,700 reviews

Worth knowing

  • The Al Jafiliya location is on a narrow side street and can be tricky to find on a first visit
Reputation scorecardrank in Dubai
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume6,684 · 92th
Confidencevery high
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown95% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The top-rated pick here, and the rating holds firm across a genuinely large review base rather than a handful of five-stars. Worth seeking out even with the tucked-away location.

Website Book now+971508786786 Directions

37 35th St - Al Jafiliya - Dubai

Absolute Barbecues logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days

Absolute Barbecues

4.610,190 Google reviews

Absolute Barbecues is a do-it-yourself barbecue concept where diners grill their own choice of meat, seafood, and vegetable skewers at the table, alongside a central live grill serving exotic vegetable and game-bird dishes. It runs multiple Dubai outlets, including Al Sufouh and Deira, and has built the largest Google review base of any BBQ restaurant on this list by a wide margin.

What people praise

  • Reviewers repeatedly praise the wide variety of meats, seafood and vegetarian options
  • Table-side grilling makes it a popular pick for birthdays and group celebrations
  • Staff described as attentive with strong dessert and buffet-side service
  • By far the deepest review history here, at over 10,000 reviews

Worth knowing

  • Some reviewers note the venue gets loud during peak dinner hours
Reputation scorecardrank in Dubai
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume10,190 · 97th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown72% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The default choice for groups and celebrations given the sheer scale of its review base and the DIY grill format, though expect a livelier, louder room than the smaller restaurants on this list.

Website Book now+971600577776 Directions

Sidra Tower - 21 Al Noor St - Al Safouh First - Al Sufouh 1 - Dubai

The GrilllShack logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

The GrilllShack

4.73,775 Google reviews

The GrilllShack is a Downtown Dubai steak, rib and burger restaurant overlooking the Dubai Ice Rink inside Dubai Mall's food court, open since 2008 with an American-style menu built around high-quality grilled meats. It leans more toward steaks and burgers than traditional barbecue skewers, and its central location makes it a common stop for mall visitors and families.

What people praise

  • Reviewers praise the quality and tenderness of the imported steak cuts
  • Burgers described as juicy and well-prepared across multiple reviews
  • Central Dubai Mall location with Ice Rink views adds to the experience
  • Long-running local track record dating back to 2008

Worth knowing

  • A share of reviewers report meat arriving more well-done than requested
Reputation scorecardrank in Dubai
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume3,775 · 87th
Confidencevery high
Recency4 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown80% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The right pick if you want a steak-and-burger-focused meal in the middle of Downtown Dubai rather than a traditional barbecue joint, though double-check your steak temperature when ordering.

Website Book now+97143882382 Directions

Unit SF - 130 - 33 - Financial Ctr St - Burj Khalifa - Downtown Dubai - Dubai

The Pit: House of Barbecue logo
#4🕑 Open 7 days

The Pit: House of Barbecue

4.73,604 Google reviews

The Pit: House of Barbecue is an Al Wasl restaurant built specifically around slow-smoked, Texas-style barbecue, with brisket, lamb neck, and burgers as the signature draws. The space leans intentionally casual and unpolished, matching a menu focused entirely on long-cooked meat rather than a broader multi-cuisine offering. It has built a strong, dedicated review base among barbecue-focused diners.

What people praise

  • Beef brisket and lamb neck consistently draw the strongest praise in reviews
  • Reviewers note the meat isn't over-sauced, letting the smoke flavor lead
  • Mashed potato side specifically singled out by multiple reviewers
  • Strong 4.7 rating held across a large, focused review base

Worth knowing

  • Some reviewers describe the atmosphere as loud with limited music, and pricing on the higher side
Reputation scorecardrank in Dubai
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume3,604 · 82th
Confidencevery high
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenessphone · hours
Rating breakdown85% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The strongest pick here if slow-smoked, Texas-style barbecue specifically is what you're after, with reviewers consistently praising the brisket above everything else on the menu.

Book now+971585694599 Directions

50 13th St - Al Wasl - Dubai

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit - JBR logo
#5🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit - JBR

4.72,146 Google reviews

Dickey's Barbecue Pit, JBR is the Dubai outpost of the US barbecue chain, serving smoked brisket, pulled pork, and ribs from a walk-up counter on The Walk in Jumeirah Beach Residence. It leans casual and family-friendly, with a bottomless ice tea and lemonade add-on, and reviewers frequently mention specific counter staff by name across repeat visits.

What people praise

  • Brisket and burnt ends consistently praised as tender and flavorful
  • Staff described as attentive and quick even during busy periods
  • Casual JBR beachfront location makes it an easy family stop
  • Bottomless drink add-on noted as good value by reviewers

Worth knowing

  • A few reviewers note drink prices feel high relative to the food
Reputation scorecardrank in Dubai
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume2,146 · 61th
Confidencevery high
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown87% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A solid, casual choice for a family-friendly barbecue meal on The Walk at JBR, with brisket that reviewers rate on par with the more dedicated barbecue spots on this list.

Website Book now+97143990040 Directions

GM - 14, Rimal 2 - Al Mamsha St - Marsa Dubai - Jumeirah Beach Residence - Dubai

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How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the restaurant’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many diners have rated them, ranked against other Dubai BBQ restaurants. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.9 from thousands of reviewers carries more weight than a 4.9 from a dozen. Recency reflects how recently diners are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

What does BBQ cost in Dubai? (2026)

Prices at these restaurants vary by format, a DIY grill buffet runs differently to an a la carte steakhouse menu, and reviewers on this page report a wide range depending on what they ordered. None of the restaurants publish a single fixed menu-wide price, so treat these as reviewer-reported ranges:

JobTypical price
Casual counter meal (Dickey’s, food court)AED 50 - 100 per person (reviewer-reported)
A la carte skewers / mainsAED 100 - 150 per person (reviewer-reported)
DIY grill buffet (Absolute Barbecues)AED 100 - 150 per person (reviewer-reported)
Full sit-down BBQ meal with drinksAED 150 - 250 per person (reviewer-reported)

Ranges compiled July 2026 from reviewer-reported price-per-person data on Google. Actual menu prices vary by dish and may not match every visit.

Serving all of Dubai

The restaurants above span Al Jafiliya, Al Sufouh, Downtown Dubai, Al Wasl and Jumeirah Beach Residence, covering most of the city’s main dining districts. Searching for BBQ near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and directions so you can reach the closest option fast.

What to check before you book

  • Do you take reservations, and how far ahead should I book for a group?
  • Is the format a la carte, DIY table grill, or buffet-style?
  • Do you offer halal-certified meat and non-alcoholic pairing options?
  • What’s included in the price, drinks, sides, dessert?
  • Is outdoor or private seating available for larger groups or celebrations?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these BBQ restaurants?

We started from BBQ and barbecue-focused restaurants in Dubai with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (July 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Is the barbecue in Dubai halal?

Most restaurants on this list serve halal meat, as is standard in Dubai, though it’s worth confirming directly with the restaurant if you have specific certification requirements.

Which of these is best for a big group or celebration?

Absolute Barbecues, with its DIY table-side grill format and large seating capacity, is the most commonly mentioned pick for group celebrations in the reviews we read.

The bottom line

Pili Pili BBQ House is the top-rated pick on this list, while Absolute Barbecues is the safest default for groups given its massive, consistent review base. Book ahead on weekends either way, since the busiest spots on this list fill up fast.

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