Years ago, we saw a friend's photos of an underwater restaurant in Dubai. The dazzling golden tunnel set against the deep blue backdrop of the underwater world completely captured our hearts~ We later discovered it was the underwater restaurant inside the iconic 7-star Burj Al Arab: Al Mahara. For this Dubai trip, we knew we absolutely had to fulfill our long-standing dream and experience dining under the sea for ourselves!

Dubai Travel Info

★ 【Transport】Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus
★ 【Passes】Klook Dubai Attraction Pass
★ 【SIM Cards】UAE 5G eSIM
★ 【Observatories】Burj Khalifa｜Dubai Frame｜The View At The Palm｜Sky Views
★ 【Theme Parks】Legoland｜Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark
★ 【Desert Tours】Morning Desert Safari｜Evening Desert Safari｜Camel Trekking｜Hot Air Balloon
★ 【Abu Dhabi】Day Tour｜Travel Guide
★ 【Dubai Guides】Travel Guide｜Where to Stay｜Top Attractions

Burj Al Arab Underwater Restaurant: Ristorante L'Olivo at Al Mahara

★ Hours: Daily dinner 18:30-22:00
★ Location: Ground Floor, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah | Map
★ Dress Code: Smart Elegant (no shorts, sleeveless shirts, flip-flops, or jeans). Please check the official website for the latest details.
★ Reservations Email: restaurants@jumeirah.com
★ Other Rules: Guests must be 8 years or older. You must present your reservation confirmation to enter the Burj Al Arab, so booking in advance is mandatory!

Menu

The underwater restaurant offers two types of menus. The 5-course Tasting Menu is priced at AED 990 per person. The other option is à la carte, with main courses starting at AED 360. Please check the official website for the most up-to-date pricing. Note that there is a minimum spend requirement—every guest must order at least one main course!

Important Tips

Once you've booked your table, you'll receive a confirmation email with your reservation time and booking code. Make absolutely sure you have this with you! Security at the Burj Al Arab is incredibly strict, and they will check for your reservation at the main gate. If you don't have a booking and aren't staying at the hotel, you won't be able to enter! Also, heads up: on New Year's Eve (Dec 31), the Burj Al Arab is closed to outside visitors, and all restaurants are strictly reserved for hotel guests only~

Finally getting to see the front of the iconic Burj Al Arab in person!

The beach along the way is stunning, too! Right next door is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel—when it was completed back in 1997, it was actually the tallest building in all of Dubai!

One of the main reasons we booked this underwater restaurant was so we could witness the interior of this legendary 7-star hotel with our own eyes! The lobby ceiling and carpets are all styled in the shape of a dhow sail—so unique and breathtaking!

As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by this beautiful fountain. Since Christmas had just passed during our visit, there were still some festive reindeer decorations on display.

Looking straight up from the lobby gives you a spectacular view! We had always assumed the underwater restaurant would be downstairs, but after asking the staff, we found out the entrance is actually up the escalators on the first floor (the level above the ground floor).

The photo below shows the actual entrance to the restaurant. From here, you take a dedicated elevator down to the underwater dining room!

The restaurant's exclusive elevator! Once you reach the bottom, a dedicated host is waiting right at the doors to welcome you.

We finally made it to the dazzling golden tunnel I've been dreaming about!

We booked our table right when they opened for lunch at 12:30 PM, so it was wonderfully uncrowded at first.

A quick tip: the very best tables in the restaurant are set for two! For parties of three or more, you'll be seated a bit further back, separated from the tank by a walkway.

After we ordered, the restaurant slowly began to fill up. The staff mentioned that lunch is generally less busy—they were fully booked for dinner that evening with 150 guests! They also noticed that Westerners usually prefer the dinner service, while Asian tourists tend to book lunch. Westerners definitely prioritize their dinner experiences! (Update as of March 2023: Al Mahara is currently only open for dinner).

There are seriously so many fish!

The soup and bread were complimentary from the chef!

The water was imported straight from Italy!

Here are our main courses! Comparatively, the dish below ↓ was the tastier one. The mushrooms and greens at the bottom were tossed in a truly special sauce.

The fried dish in the photo below was a bit more on the ordinary side.

We were unbelievably busy throughout the entire meal! I just remember that whenever a cool fish swam by, we'd instantly scramble for our phones and cameras to snap pictures like crazy!!!!! Honestly, we felt like we were on display for the fish to look at 😆😆😆 It completely felt like we weren't even there to eat!

The staff told us that every day around 2:30–3:00 PM, a diver goes into the aquarium to feed the fish. And sure enough… there they were!!!

As soon as the diver brought out the food, swarms of fish immediately flocked over.

Suddenly, it felt like the number of fish had multiplied! If you ever experience this underwater restaurant, definitely try to stay until feeding time. The diver swims around the entire tank, so no matter which corner you're seated in, you'll get a great view of the feeding frenzy! (Update as of Oct 2023: Al Mahara is currently only open for dinner, so be sure to ask the staff about the evening feeding schedule).

Also worth mentioning: the restrooms are absolutely gorgeous! As expected from a 7-star hotel, it's dazzlingly golden everywhere you go.

There's even a chaise lounge in the restroom! 😆

If you have this "unexplainable longing" for an underwater dining experience like we did, you should absolutely go for it! It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not only do you get to dine while admiring the ocean world, but you also get a peek at the ultra-luxurious interior of the Burj Al Arab! The food itself is decent, though if your main goal is simply to look at marine life, we would highly recommend The Lost Chambers Aquarium instead! (Read more: The Lost Chambers Aquarium)

If you want to get inside the Burj Al Arab but don't want to dine at the underwater restaurant, another fantastic option is GOLD ON 27 on the 27th floor! Their afternoon tea is world-famous. If you're interested, you can check out their official website. If Cherry and Fish ate another lavish meal here, we'd probably go bankrupt, so we decided to skip the 27th-floor afternoon tea this time—we'll leave that for you guys to experience!

Just looking at this gold-plated decor—plus the breathtaking panoramic views over Dubai—you already know the price tag is going to be just as "gold-plated"!

Dubai Travel Info

★ 【Transport】Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus
★ 【Passes】Klook Dubai Attraction Pass
★ 【SIM Cards】UAE 5G eSIM
★ 【Observatories】Burj Khalifa｜Dubai Frame｜The View At The Palm｜Sky Views
★ 【Theme Parks】Legoland｜Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark
★ 【Desert Tours】Morning Desert Safari｜Evening Desert Safari｜Camel Trekking｜Hot Air Balloon
★ 【Abu Dhabi】Day Tour｜Travel Guide
★ 【Dubai Guides】Travel Guide｜Where to Stay｜Top Attractions

For more must-visit Dubai attractions and essential travel info, check out 👉🏻 [Dubai Travel Guide] 30 Attractions Map, Transport, Accommodation, Itinerary, & Visas | The Ultimate Guide

Dubai Guides & Transport Info

[Dubai Travel Guide] 30 Attractions Map, Transport, Accommodation, Itinerary & Visas | The Ultimate Guide
[Dubai] 11 Must-Visit Attractions in Dubai | Essential Guide!
[Dubai Travel Guide] Quick Guide to Dubai Transport | Nol Card for Metro & Bus | Taxi & Uber Tips
[Dubai] A Must-Visit in Dubai ☆ Slide Through a Transparent Tube and See Fish at Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark!
[Dubai] The Palm Atlantis ☆ Complete Transport Guide
[Dubai] Don't Say You've Been to Dubai Without Visiting the World's Tallest Building! Burj Khalifa
[Dubai] The World's Largest Frame | Dubai Frame | A Must-Visit Attraction
[Dubai] Jumeirah Abra Tour | The Best Views of Burj Al Arab & Madinat Jumeirah
[Dubai] An Unmissable Aquarium | The Mystical Lost Chambers Aquarium
[Dubai] The World's Largest! Where to Start in Dubai Mall? | Anti-Getting-Lost Guide!
[Dubai] Dubai Fountain | Spectacular Water & Light Show Schedule and Nearby Walk Guide
[Dubai] How to Explore Old Dubai? | Complete Water Taxi (Abra) Guide
[Dubai] High-Speed Boat Tour in Dubai Marina | Effortlessly View Atlantis & Burj Al Arab
[Dubai] A Hipster's Paradise! Local Favorite ~ La Mer Beach Dubai
[Dubai] Must-Do Dubai Desert Safari | How to Avoid Bad Tours?

Abu Dhabi Attractions & Transport

[Abu Dhabi Complete Guide] 10 Top Attractions ★ Map, Transport, & Itinerary
[Abu Dhabi] Dubai to Abu Dhabi Transport Guide ☆ Essential for Dubai Trips
[Abu Dhabi] Must-Visit Attractions ☆ Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque + Emirates Palace + Etihad Towers

Other Travel Guides

★ Middle East: Doha | Dubai | Abu Dhabi
★ Europe: Finland | UK
★ Islands: Tahiti | Maldives | Fiji
★ Southeast Asia: Bali | Phu Quoc | Koh Samui
★ USA: New York | San Francisco | Las Vegas