Mezlai

Name: Mezlai
Address: Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi West Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, PO BOX 39999
Telephone: 02 690 7999
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.4

4.4

47 Reviews

$50 and over

Middle Eastern

Top Tags:

The restaurant is designed to recall an airy Bedouin tent, offering a delectable array of Middle Eastern favourites and stunning views of the Palace grounds.

Mezlai creates dishes with ingredients derived from the sea, mountains, oases and desert that evoke the region. The menu features decadent updates on staples of the Arabian diet accenting expected ingredients, such as za’atar, camel and dates, and introducing the unexpected flavours of saffron, rosewater and hand-picked wild oregano.

A meal in Mezlai is a window into Arabic culture, a warm welcome to the long history of Arabian hospitality and a journey into flavours as old as the sands of time, which taste as fresh and inspired as this city of tomorrow. No stopover in Abu Dhabi is complete without sampling the local flavours and dining as the locals do.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jul 2, 2022

7:00 PM

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Cuisines
Middle Eastern
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 1:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
02 690 7999
Website
http://www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/emirates-palace/dining/restaurants/mezlai/
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi West Corniche Road Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi PO BOX 39999
Neighborhood
Abu Dhabi
Parking details
Hotel Parking
Additional
Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Tabouleh SaladAED 50.00
Parsley, Tomato, Crushed Wheat, Lemon Juice and Mint Leaves
FattoushAED 50.00
Tomato, Cucumber, Lettuce, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and Sumac Powder
Zaatar with Rocca SaladAED 42.00
Fresh Thyme and Rocca Leaves, Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
Sautéed Green ChicoreeAED 42.00
Onion, Garlic, Olive Oil, Cinnamon Powder
Olives Salad and TomatoAED 46.00
With Black Olives in Red Chilli Sauce
Potato SaladAED 45.00
Cucumber Pickles, Mint, Green Olives, Lemon & Olive Oil

Cold Mezzeh

Hummus with TahiniAED 45.00
Chickpea and Sesame Paste with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
Hummus BeirutiAED 50.00
Chickpea and Sesame Paste with Cumin Powder and Chopped Parsley
Eggplant MutableAED 42.00
Grilled Eggplant and Sesame Paste with Lemon Juice and Garlic
Baba GhanoujAED 45.00
Eggplant with Capsicum, Tomato, Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
Labneh with GarlicAED 40.00
Labneh with Dry Mint, Garlic
Labneh with ThymeAED 44.00
Fresh Thyme, Mint, Black Olives Parsley and Olive Oil
Baladiya CheeseAED 42.00
Baladeya Cheese with Zaatar, Black Olives and Olive Oil
MouhamaraAED 42.00
Walnuts with Breadcrumbs, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice
Vine LeavesAED 45.00
Vine Leaves stuffed with Rice, Parsley, Tomato, Tomato Paste, Chili Paste
Fresh ArtichokeAED 55.00
with Rocca and Lemon Dressing
Kebbeh NayehAED 62.00
Raw Minced Lamb with Crushed Wheat and Arabic Spices

Soup

Lentil SoupAED 40.00
Served with Crispy Bread and Fresh Lemon
Moroccan Harira SoupAED 50.00
With Tomato, Lentil, Lamb and Chickpeas

Hot Mezzeh

Hummus Bill LahmiAED 55.00
Chickpea and Sesame Paste with Minced Lamb and Pine Seed
MakanekAED 45.00
Fried Lamb Sausage with Lemon and Pomegrante Molasses
Soujok with Tomato SauceAED 45.00
Spicy Oriental Sausage with Tomato Sauce
Kelayet LahmiAED 60.00
Lamb Fillet, Onions, Mushrooms and Fresh Tomatoes
FalafelAED 45.00
Served with Tahini Sauce and Mixed Pickles
Fried AsafeeAED 150.00
Fried Sparrow with Lemon Juice and Molasses (5 Pieces)
Potato HarraAED 45.00
Fried Potato Cubes with Coriander Leaves and Green Chilli
Chicken LiverAED 55.00
Fried Chicken Liver with Lemon Juice, Pomegranate Molasses
Fatteh EggplantAED 42.00
Small Cubs of Eggplant and Fried Bread, Yogurt with Pine Seeds
Grilled Halloumi CheeseAED 50.00
Grilled Halloumi Cheese, Pomegranate with Tomatoes and Basil Leaves
Grilled KebbehAED 65.00
Minced Beef with Bourghol, Pine Seeds and Arabic Spices
Mixed MouajanatAED 55.00
Fried Kebbeh, Cheese Sambusek, Spinach Fatayer, Cheese Rakakat
Chicken or Beef ShawarmaAED 85.00
Tahina Sauce, Pickles, Onion Parsley, Sliced Tomato and Fries

Chef Signature

Hummus BlendAED 85.00
Trio Hummus with Classic Blend, Green Peas & Spinach and Spicy Sundried Tomato with Feta
Shanklesh, Avocado SaladAED 85.00
Watercress, Cucumber, Pomegranate, Tomatoes, Endive, Shankleesh Cheese
Falafel BurgerAED 95.00
Rocca, Tomatoes, Coleslaw, Dill, Pickles and Cucumbers, Yogurt Sauce
Fire Prawn TajineAED 145.00
Chillis, Spices, Saffron, Dates, Baby Potato Cherry Tomato, Coriander
Syrian Kebab KarazAED 125.00
Lamb Kebab with Cherry Sauce
Seafood BBQAED 185.00
Marinated Lobster, Jumbo Prawns, Calamari & Hammour with Saffron Rice & Vegetables

The Charcoal & Grill

Mixed Grill PlatterAED 155.00
Mixed Grill of Shish Taouk, Lamb Brochette, Shish Kebab, Lamb Chop and Arayes, served with Garlic Sauce, Grilled Tomatoes and Onion
Lamb ChopsAED 155.00
Grilled Lamb Chops marinated with Arabic Spices and served with Grilled Tomatoes and Onion
Shish TaoukAED 105.00
Grilled Chicken Breast marinated with Garlic, Lemon Juice, served with Garlic Cream and French Fries
Lebanese Kofta KebabAED 110.00
Grilled Minced Lamb with Parsley, Onion and Arabic Spices
Kebab KhashkhachAED 110.00
Grilled Minced Lamb, Spicy Tomato Sauces, served with White Rice
ArayesAED 70.00
Grilled Arabic Bread stuffed with Minced Lamb, Tomato, Parsley and Pine Seeds
Grilled Baby ChickenAED 125.00
Grilled Baby Chicken served with Garlic Cream and French Fries
Lamb BrochettesAED 145.00
On Chilli Vegetables Pitas & Fries
Chicken MusakhanAED 105.00
Palastinian Roasted Chicken Marinated with Sumac, Spices and Taboon Bread, Saffron Rice
Moroccan Lamb with PrunesAED 125.00
Slow Cooked Lamb Tajine With Saffron Ginger, Prunes, Almonds
Jumbo Prawns Grilled or PaneAED 165.00
Tartar/ Cocktail Sauce
Iranian Chelow KebabAED 110.00
Minced Beef Kebab with Turmeric, Saffron and Steamed Basmati
Fresh Hammour FilletAED 145.00
Grilled Hammour Fillet with Potato Harra and Arabic Salad
Samki Harra BeirutiehAED 120.00
Grilled Seabass Fillet with Harra Sauce

Kids Favourites

Fish FingersAED 50.00
Chicken NuggetsAED 50.00
Pasta BologneseAED 50.00
Mini BurgerAED 50.00

Chef Signature

Charcoal Baked Pistachio BaklawaAED 85.00
Gold 24 Karat, Emirati Honey, Camel Ice Cream

Dessert Menu

Um AliAED 60.00
Puff Pastry, Nuts, Raisins, Coconut, Sweetened Milk, Cream
Mixed BaklawaAED 60.00
With Emirati Honey
Cheese KunafaAED 60.00
Served with Camel Ice Cream
Oriental Ice CreamAED 60.00
With Cotton Candy
Creme CaramelAED 60.00
Exotic Fruits SlicesAED 60.00
Halwa Bil JebenAED 60.00
KashtaliahAED 60.00

Mocktails

Hocus PocusAED 50.00
Guava Juice, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Maracuja
Berry Bla BlaAED 50.00
Raspberries, Lime Juice, Mint Leaves, Honey, Ginger Ale
Basil LemonadeAED 50.00
Fresh Basil, Lemon Juice, Orgeat, Ginger Ale
Pink ColadaAED 50.00
Pineapple Juice, Coconut Cream, Grenadine

Milkshakes

Mars Salted CaramelAED 50.00
Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream, Milk, Salted Caramel
Almond TiramisuAED 50.00
Almond Milk, Fresh Brew, Condensed Milk, Vanilla Ice Cream, Cacao

Non-Alcoholic

Fresh Fruit JuicesAED 50.00
SodaAED 32.00
Fresh CoconutAED 56.00
Red Bull Regular / Red Bull Sugar FreeAED 40.00
Bateel Date / Pomegranate
- 0.75LAED 155.00

Water

Still
Acqua Panna
- 0.50LAED 29.00
- 1.0LAED 45.00
Sparkling
San Pellegrino
- 0.50LAED 29.00
- 1.0LAED 45.00

Hot Beverages

Tea

Green TeaAED 42.00
Black TeaAED 42.00
Herbal TeaAED 42.00
Signature Moroccan TeaAED 50.00

Coffee

Emirates Palace CappuccinoAED 75.00
American CoffeeAED 45.00
CappuccinoAED 45.00
Café LatteAED 45.00
Turkish CoffeeAED 45.00
EspressoAED 35.00

What 47 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on all time ratings

4.3Food
4.4Service
4.5Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Quiet

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Filters

r
riccardob
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on June 1, 2022
overall3food4service1ambience5
Food and value for money is awesome, however the service is not in line with a 5 star restaurant. Poor attention and very quick to kick you out.
GK
GlennKo
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very beautiful restaurant with good service and excellent food. A little pricey, but to be expected in light of the location in Emirates Palace.
PB
PeteBranko
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 19, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
A wonderful place to dine! Special request for celiac guest that was attending. They made fresh gluten free bread and altered the falafel. You can’t beat the service and get what you pay for. Hope to visit again in the future. Thanks for everything, much appreciated, from your Canadian friends!
ED
ElDoctorMancini
Atlanta
34 reviews
vip
5.0
34 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful atmosphere amazing service and delicious food. Definitely a must go to place when you are in Abu Dhabi.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely place, fantastic service and delicious food!
FB
FernB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 24, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful place Lovely service Food was perfect
T
Trevisani
Chicago
24 reviews
vip
4.0
24 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
Nice place to visit, excellent service, very good food and pricey.
NC
NinaC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 18, 2022
overall5food5service3ambience5
Serving at first the woman would be appreciated. Food and location are great.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Dubai
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 2, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience3
High quality food in the emirates palace. Excellent service.
HB
HarshButFair
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2022
overall2food3service2ambience4
Ordered the halloumi & tomato with pomegranate & basil. When it arrived without the pomegranate and basil, the waiter tried to tell us that it wasn't on the menu. After we looked at the menu together (and it showed the dish per above), he went away and delivered us a pomegranate drizzle which wasn't included at the start because "other customers didn't like it". Still no sign of the basil, or an apology for that matter.
NK
NerinaK
New York Area
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on December 25, 2021
overall4food4service3ambience5
Go definitely for the outdoors seating. Portions are huge, better share. Drinks are very expensive as almost everywhere in Abu Dhabi. Make clear you want the firsts first. They brought us first and seconds all together. Bread is exquisite. Leave plenty of time for a walk around the palace (indoors and outdoors).
JR
JosephR
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 11, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was the best dining experience we had in Abu Dhabi. The hotel is incredible.
JB
JoseBlas
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 10, 2021
overall5food3service5ambience5
Good place into a beautiful hotel, good service, but the food is not at the level of that.
NN
NoreenN
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on December 1, 2021
overall2food3service1ambience3
The service was very bad. The waiters were rude and not hospitable. The place is very dirty and deserves more attention.
MZ
MarcoZ
Dubai
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 28, 2021
overall4food4service4ambience3
Very interesting place, good characterization of interns, good choice of food, nice service, good money value.
RT
RTsujioka
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 13, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
The whole experience was incredible! The view on outside table, the food and the reception was awesome! Thanks to all Mezlai team that welcomed us so well!
BL
BillL
Hong Kong
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on October 26, 2021
overall1food2service1ambience1
You booked us in when the resturant was closed. Made us drive all the way there for nothing
J
Juliana
Bristol
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience3
beautiful setting, excellent food and personable service
LC
LaviniaC
Miami
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on January 24, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic Emirati food, ambiance and service. Superior food quality!!! So glad we chose to come here. Highly recommend.
LU
LUIZP
Key West
13 reviews
3.0
13 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2020
overall3food5service1ambience5
The ambience and the food are great but the service is terrible. They Betinho the food and forget is. I need to left my table 3 times for asked for salt server the wine and asked for the check
OT
OpenTable Diner
Miami
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 3, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was amazing! The Emirates palace is one of a kind, a place where you can actually experience the middle east at its finest. Service was very good as well. A bit pricey.
G
Gisella
London
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on December 30, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very nice atmosphere and food, which we enjoyed in what looked like a private dining area. We were pampered by our waiter, Noel, who was really kind and knowledgeable. A unique experience you don’t want to miss!
WV
WilliamV
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 20, 2019
overall4food5service5ambience4
Good choice for those who are looking for some authentic Emirati dishes. Music was aa little loud, but service was very friendly and food absolutely delicious. But those things do not come cheap generally.
KS
KateS
Washington DC
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 6, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Cannot recommend Mezlai enough. The atmosphere is beautiful, relaxing and comfortable. The staff are extremely welcoming and attentive. The food was delicious - and reasonable portions. We spent about three hours enjoying our meal and never felt rushed. In addition to the restaurant, they have a shisha lounge upstairs.
AN
AhceneNasri
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on June 14, 2019
overall1food1service3ambience2
One of the worst restaurant experiences ever, the chicken was expired and get sick after dinner, the rice was terrible. Avoid this restaurant definitely not worst it!
A
Andi
New York Area
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2019
overall3food5service3ambience5
Mezlai's food was very nice and I would definitely recommend going for an early dinner. We made a later reservation and our order was rushed and the check was dropped before we were finished eating. We were told we couldn't order Shisha as we were a later reservation and the music was completely turned off. The server told us everyone had left for the night except for him and he removed a plate from my guest who was still eating.
NS
NasirS
Dubai
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 8, 2019
overall3food1service5ambience3
To be located in a hotel like the Emirates Palace, to charge the amount that they charge, it is a shame the food was so disappointing. Ordered a starter, main course and a dessert. Couldnt finish half of any of those things.
A
Astrid
Phoenix
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere, service and food. We couldn't ask for more. The manager even made time to show us around. We walked to the waterfront for pictures.
GG
GuillermoG
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on February 20, 2019
overall2food2service4ambience4
Food very dry, a lot of noise due to wedding in the garden
NG
NicolasG
London
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2019
overall4food3service4ambience3
Nice atmosphere! Decent food but nothing amazing! Reasonable prices.
TN
ThomasN
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2019
overall4food5service4ambience2
Excellent Diner but a bit expensive and the place is not much cosy.
HC
HollyC
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was the best meal I had in Abu Dhabi. The emirate experience was amazing and every bite was spectacular. Our server Noel was a gem too helping us pick the best tastes and flavors. I will go back again if I ever find myself in Abu Dhabi again.
PM
PierreM
Dubai
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 6, 2019
overall5food4service5ambience5
Un contexte magnifique, ce sont les mille et une nuits. Côte repas, le choix est difficile car on ne comprend rien dans les propositions sur les spécialités emirates mais c'est tellement féerique que l'on pardonne . A faire ou à refaire .
AL
ALM913
West Palm Beach
52 reviews
5.0
52 reviews
Dined on December 30, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was truly a special restaurants. If you want to visit the Emirates Palace Hotel, you need a reservation somewhere. This totally fit the bill for me as I was looking for authentic cuisine. The waiter advised me to get the special lamb cooked in the old fashioned way. It was totally amazing!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Hamburg Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 29, 2018
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastisches Ambiente und essen ! Service top und dem Preis entsprechend gehoben!
SI
SahrishI
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 29, 2018
overall5food3service3ambience5
Outstanding ambiance, good food (def not worth the price) but pretty slow service. You’re mainly paying for the experience of dining in such an opulent setting if that’s what you’re looking for.
H
Hussain
Dubai
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on December 18, 2018
overall2food2service1ambience3
The restaurant was a fair representation of Emirati cusine, the food description was not precise !
l
lunchinglady
Pittsburgh
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2018
overall4food5service3ambience3
Excellent food but service was very slow. Also, some dismantling of equipment was happening on an adjacent terrace whilst we were there, and this negatively impacted the ambience.
GS
GSJR
London
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2018
overall4food3service4ambience5
Beautiful location in the Emirates palace, Abu Dhabi, with access to the gardens. Outdoor and Indoor seating. Food a little pricey, but good venue for a special occasion.
BK
BenK
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on October 11, 2018
overall3food3service5ambience5
Pretty disappointed to be honest - the palace itself is amazing. The staff were great but my meal was very very dry as was my wife’s . Very expensive which I’m happy to pay but I couldn’t eat all my meal because it had no sauce at all - couldn’t swallow it due to the dryness . Was expecting amazing - got a dud

FAQs

Mezlai is rated 4.4 stars by 47 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jul 2, 2022

7:00 PM

Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi West Corniche Road Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi PO BOX 39999

Additional information

Neighborhood
Abu Dhabi
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 1:00 pm–11:00 pm
Cuisines
Middle Eastern
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Hotel Parking
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Additional
Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Website
http://www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/emirates-palace/dining/restaurants/mezlai/
Phone number
02 690 7999

Mezlai

Make a reservation

Additional information

Arabic Salad

Tabouleh SaladAED 50.00

FattoushAED 50.00

Zaatar with Rocca SaladAED 42.00

Sautéed Green ChicoreeAED 42.00

Olives Salad and TomatoAED 46.00

Potato SaladAED 45.00

Cold Mezzeh

Hummus with TahiniAED 45.00

Hummus BeirutiAED 50.00

Eggplant MutableAED 42.00

Baba GhanoujAED 45.00

Labneh with GarlicAED 40.00

Labneh with ThymeAED 44.00

Baladiya CheeseAED 42.00

MouhamaraAED 42.00

Vine LeavesAED 45.00

Fresh ArtichokeAED 55.00

Kebbeh NayehAED 62.00

Soup

Lentil SoupAED 40.00

Moroccan Harira SoupAED 50.00

Hot Mezzeh

Hummus Bill LahmiAED 55.00

MakanekAED 45.00

Soujok with Tomato SauceAED 45.00

Kelayet LahmiAED 60.00

FalafelAED 45.00

Fried AsafeeAED 150.00

Potato HarraAED 45.00

Chicken LiverAED 55.00

Fatteh EggplantAED 42.00

Grilled Halloumi CheeseAED 50.00

Grilled KebbehAED 65.00

Mixed MouajanatAED 55.00

Chicken or Beef ShawarmaAED 85.00

Chef Signature

Hummus BlendAED 85.00

Shanklesh, Avocado SaladAED 85.00

Falafel BurgerAED 95.00

Fire Prawn TajineAED 145.00

Syrian Kebab KarazAED 125.00

Seafood BBQAED 185.00

The Charcoal & Grill

Mixed Grill PlatterAED 155.00

Lamb ChopsAED 155.00

Shish TaoukAED 105.00

Lebanese Kofta KebabAED 110.00

Kebab KhashkhachAED 110.00

ArayesAED 70.00

Grilled Baby ChickenAED 125.00

Lamb BrochettesAED 145.00

Chicken MusakhanAED 105.00

Moroccan Lamb with PrunesAED 125.00

Jumbo Prawns Grilled or PaneAED 165.00

Iranian Chelow KebabAED 110.00

Fresh Hammour FilletAED 145.00

Samki Harra BeirutiehAED 120.00

Kids Favourites

Fish FingersAED 50.00

Chicken NuggetsAED 50.00

Pasta BologneseAED 50.00

Mini BurgerAED 50.00

Chef Signature

Charcoal Baked Pistachio BaklawaAED 85.00

Dessert Menu

Um AliAED 60.00

Mixed BaklawaAED 60.00

Cheese KunafaAED 60.00

Oriental Ice CreamAED 60.00

Creme CaramelAED 60.00

Exotic Fruits SlicesAED 60.00

Halwa Bil JebenAED 60.00

KashtaliahAED 60.00

Mocktails

Hocus PocusAED 50.00

Berry Bla BlaAED 50.00