Mumtaz Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal does tasty, Indian food, with overbearing live music, and discomfortingly obsequious staff 9 Reviews

© ITP Images

As first impressions go, Mumtaz Mahal is a standout with a plush setting, décor and intricate artwork. There is soft live music but, like most Indian restaurants in town, it gets much much louder as the evening progresses, which doesn’t seem to perturb the many Indian families that dine here. Service can be a little too attentive at times but they are quick with recommendations and the food is worth it with succulent chicken and lamb kebabs, hearty curries that are light on the grease and a nice range of vegetarian options too. Prices reflect the regal theme but if you’re entertaining out-of-towners and looking for a good curry with a pint, you’d do worse than to fall for Mumtaz’s charms.

By Time Out Dubai staff
Time Out Dubai, 25 March 2012

• Previous reviews
  • 28 March,2011- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 07 April,2010- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 19 March,2009- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 05 January,2009- reviewed by Daisy Carrington
  • 26 March,2008- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 12 March,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 20 February,2006- reviewed by Matthew Lee
  • 01 April,2005- reviewed by Matthew Lee

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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: hasan on 13 Feb ' 13 at 07:54

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Very bad experience, as it gives a feel of dance bar rather a decent restaurant.

Posted by: Avanish on 21 Jan ' 13 at 21:09

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

All Service staff are manner less...

Posted by: Deepesh on 21 Jan ' 13 at 21:06

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

One of Poor Service, Service staff treat them self they are doing big favor to customers, quality of food is worst... One of worst restaurant to visit again..

Posted by: manisha on 14 Apr ' 12 at 07:31

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Edited by TimeOutDubai.com

A very overpriced restaurant with food quantities not justifying the prices. Making things worse is the extremely poor service: we went there at about 8.30pm and our order was taken at 9.15pm! After placing the order we had to wait for about 40-45 minutes listening to music which was pretty good. The food was a further disappointment since the rice was undercooked and the kabab weren't anything special either. During the food suddenly 3 girls get up on stage and start dancing to bollywood numbers which was very awkward! All that done, even after the food we had to wait for about half an hour for someone to get our check and then bring back the change. Would much rather prefer to go to Gazebo and get value for money.

Posted by: jannat on 18 Jul ' 10 at 22:24

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Went there on a weekend. The service was good until they asked us to speak on the radio ( radio spice or something ) give good reviews about us and all that jazz.. finaly once done we were offered the menu. mind it - 8 people on the table and we are given only 1 menu,
anyhow the food is selected and it arrives. Dissapointment galore.
cant really belive people actualy come here to eat.. Supposed to be a family venue but you see men oogling at the dancer ( yes they have a nice dancer performing on stage ) and gestures go on , and men tease and she smiles etc. Embarrassment as i was with my kids.
Thee food was a utter put off though.. would ignore the sleazy men but what about the food ? Service is so slow and the staff are more intersted in serving the drunk men instead of families.

Posted by: Dr. Raji Mathew on 12 Apr ' 10 at 16:33

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Ambience: Music takes centrestage. You cannot relegate it to the background. Those who wish to have a quiet dinner may avoid this place. Singer sings well in a melliflous voice. Volume was slightly loud but not to the point of being irritating and helps to appreciate the nuances of the singing. In between the singing, a couple of girls do a dance bar routine. Those who were getting high on drinks are taken to greater heights. I was seated right adjacent to the stage on a sofa with a low table. Not a good idea especially if you're having soup. The other tables were normal ones with chairs. Seating located around the stage can give you a good view but those in the far corners of the room do not.

Dinner consisted of mutton paya(trotters) soup and mutton raan(thigh). Soup was nothing special. The raan was well done, soft and cooked in a thick and tasty masala - an enjoyable fare. Total cost including a small bottle of water and tip, Dhs130.

This is a place for middle aged roosters and for families despite the dance bar routine. Cheers!
Dr. Raji Mathew

Posted by: Wayz Khan on 06 Sep ' 09 at 08:19

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

I have been to Mumtaz Mahal on my last birthday with my family. Due to Ramdan there was no traditional music & nor there was a crowd.
The service was generally good, with one woman in cultural indian saree & a man in traditional sherwani. The ambience & surrounding was good enough but could have been made better. The lights were too dim for my likings. The food was generally good taste and pricing. One might find pricing high but when you consider this restaurant is inside a star hotel the pricing is justified.

Posted by: Ryan Dsouza on 01 Sep ' 09 at 16:35

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

Posted by: Kamal Taparia on 04 Aug ' 09 at 09:39

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

I have been to MM on last Thursday with my younger brother and cousin. We had given order at 9.45 pm and food came on our table at 11.15 pm. Service of the restaurant is very bad and the reason has given to us for delay in service that order taker misplaced the KOT. we had asked for two lime soda - one sweet & another salt, at the time of serving service staff was not sure which glass is for sweet & which glass is for salt. Service staff asked us to taste it and tell which is sweet & salt. That was disgusting. Even I had asked for comment book but got comment card then i did not make any comment & suggestion that time. I was knowing that bad comment card is not going to concern person. My experience was so bad with MM that I will neither visit nor recommend it to my friends.