Hard Rock Café

You'll forget the food but not the experience 8 Reviews

© ITP Images

Hard Rock isn’t just a restaurant, or a café, for that matter; it’s an assault on the senses that starts at the Hard Rock shop, which guests are channelled through on arrival, to the food. The jumbo combo platter offers an array of deep-fried treats, including potato skins, chicken wings, spring rolls, onion rings, tupelo-style chicken (boneless chicken wings) and enough blue cheese sauce to induce a coronary. The burgers are big, juicy and overflowing with filling. But remember, you don’t go to Hard Rock to have a gourmet meal – you go to have your ears, eyes and palates rudely assaulted with music, bright lights and artery-clogging diner food. Take this as you will.

By Time Out Dubai staff
Time Out Dubai, 21 March 2012

• Previous reviews
  • 15 April,2013- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 14 December,2011- reviewed by Oliver Robinson

• Share | |
• E-mail:
• 
• Print:
• 

Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.

User reviews:

Posted by: Andrew Younan on 21 Feb ' 13 at 08:35

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Great service, great atmosphere, great music...
And most importantly probably the best food in dubai...
Especially for families... and to David, your judgement of a good restaurant fails completely. Sorry

Posted by: David on 22 Nov ' 12 at 11:54

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

I have not even got into the restaurant and I already dislike it. I called to make a reservation for a company xmas party and was advised that they don't take reservations but we should come early and the should be space. So am really going to take 22 people to a restaurant in the hope we'll get seated. I think not. Ridiculous policy, business taken elsewhere.

Posted by: loubilou on 17 Nov ' 12 at 16:14

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

fantastic atmosphere band is top rate, food lots of very loud hard rock stands for its name !!!!

Posted by: Ben on 15 Apr ' 12 at 07:59

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Edited by TimeOutDubai.com

The new Festival City branch is an absolute disgrace to the Hard Rock brand. I've been to the London, Las Vegas, and Moscow branches and the new Dubai branch pales in comparison. I left with the feeling it was more akin to a school hall that had been decorated as a fake Hard Rock Cafe for a dance night than the real thing. There is no atmosphere - unless you count the annoying and cringeworthy birthday announcements that seem to happen every ten minutes. The dancing on stage to songs such as Shakira's Waka Waka, and Jai Ho is an affront to the very values and experience you are supposed to have at a branch of Hard Rock Cafe. If I was the franchise director at the owners, the Seminole tribe of Florida, I would strip the Dubai branch of its licence, or force it to shut it down in its current location and open it in a location that is closer to Hard Rock's target audience, and one that allows a true Hard Rock Cafe experience.

Posted by: john on 22 Dec ' 11 at 06:26

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Awsome

Posted by: Lara on 21 Dec ' 11 at 05:18

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

I love this place! Since its opening I've been there at least 5 times. Their food is delicious and flavorful (although as said above, very messy!). Not only is it good for lunch but also evening drinks with friends, or just hanging out on the terrace once the weather is good. The staff are friendly and entertaining! And their music is different from all the repetitive tunes you hear playing on the radio, its so refreshing. However, speaking as an interior designer, I would say they made it a bit too modern, it kind of lost that authentic Hard Rock feeling. Nevertheless, its an awesome place and Im so glad they reopened. It was about time!

Posted by: Mital on 30 Nov ' 11 at 11:02

Love the bar, absolutely amazing. They should start having rock band nights asap , a karaoke till then wil do :D :D .

Posted by: Mounir Hassoun on 28 Nov ' 11 at 07:14

what a great place. it is the best Hard Rock Cafe i ever saw around the world. Great atmosphere, amazing food; open theatrical sapce...
Hard Rock will certainly spread the word of peace in among Dubians... we missed it the last 3 years...