Two Reasons to Visit Grand Hyatt Dubai Right Now

Grand Hyatt Dubai is home to more than a dozen restaurants and bars, so deciding where to eat can feel overwhelming if you're visiting for the first time.

Two venues consistently stand out for very different reasons.

If you're looking for an evening that combines authentic Lebanese food with live music and belly dancing, Awtar delivers one of Dubai's most established dinner-and-entertainment experiences.

If you'd rather explore refined North Indian cuisine prepared in open tandoor kitchens, iZ offers a completely different atmosphere with one of the city's better-value Friday brunches.

Although both restaurants sit within the same hotel, they offer completely different experiences. One is lively and performance-led. The other is elegant, contemporary and centred on the food itself.

Here's everything you need to know before deciding which one suits your evening.

Why Grand Hyatt Dubai is worth visiting for food

Located on Sheikh Rashid Road in Umm Hurair, close to Dubai Creek and Dubai Healthcare City, Grand Hyatt Dubai is one of the city's longest-established luxury hotels.

The hotel brings together more than 12 restaurants and bars covering cuisines from around the world. This makes it easy to spend an entire evening without leaving the property.

Among that collection, Awtar and iZ represent two of the strongest dining experiences, each offering a distinct concept. Here's everything you need to know.

Awtar: Lebanese Dining

If you're planning a celebration or simply want dinner with entertainment, Awtar is the obvious choice.

This adults-only Lebanese restaurant combines traditional food with live performances, creating an evening that gradually shifts from dinner into nightlife.

Here, you're encouraged to settle in and enjoy the changing atmosphere as the night unfolds. That combination has made Awtar one of Dubai's most popular Lebanese dining destinations for years.

Inside Awtar's dining space

The restaurant offers two very different settings.

Inside, the dining room draws inspiration from traditional Lebanese tents, creating a warm and immersive atmosphere with rich fabrics, patterned details and intimate lighting.

Outside, the terrace provides a more relaxed setting during Dubai's cooler months.

If you're visiting between October and April, the outdoor seating is particularly enjoyable. During the hotter summer months, the indoor dining room is naturally the more comfortable option.

Both spaces share the same menu and entertainment programme, so your choice depends mainly on the atmosphere you're looking for.

What to eat at Awtar

Lebanese cuisine is built around sharing, and Awtar follows that tradition. Here’s what you can expect when you order:

Your meal typically begins with a selection of hot and cold mezze designed for sharing. Classic starters include:

• Creamy hummus
• Smoky mutabbel
• Fresh tabbouleh
• Fattoush salad
• Kibbeh and other traditional mezze dishes

The main focus then moves to charcoal-grilled specialities, including:

• Mixed grills
• Kafta
• Shish taouk
• Lamb dishes
• Traditional Lebanese kebabs

You’ll also find fresh seafood dishes, prepared with classic Lebanese flavours and grilling techniques. To finish, traditional desserts include:

• Knafeh
• Baklawa
• Muhallabia

If you don’t want to choose individually, you can opt for set menus:

• Balbak set menu: AED 200 per person
• Beirut set menu: AED 250 per person
• Both include a wide selection of Lebanese favourites and are often better value for a full mezze experience

À la carte dining is also available if you prefer to build your own meal.

Live entertainment at Awtar

From Tuesday through Saturday, Awtar transforms into one of Dubai's most entertaining Lebanese nightlife venues.

• A live band performs nightly from 10:00 PM until 2:00 AM, filling the restaurant with Arabic music throughout the evening.
• Belly dancing performances take place twice each night, first from 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM and again from midnight until 12:30 AM.

Many guests intentionally arrive around 9:30 PM so they can enjoy dinner before the performances begin.

If you're looking for a quiet meal, Awtar probably isn't the right choice. But if you're in the moof for an energetic evening where dinner becomes part of the entertainment, it's difficult to beat.

iZ: Contemporary North Indian Dining

While Awtar focuses on celebration and performance, iZ offers a completely different experience.

The restaurant is dedicated to contemporary North Indian cuisine prepared with traditional techniques but presented in a more modern style.

The focus at iZ remains firmly on the kitchen.

From the dining room, you can watch chefs working around live tandoor ovens and open cooking stations as your meal is prepared. That open-kitchen design creates an atmosphere without distraction and makes the restaurant more interactive than many fine-dining Indian restaurants.

The dining room at iZ

The restaurant seats 116 guests across a spacious contemporary dining room.

Warm lighting, elegant furnishings and clean design create an environment that feels polished without becoming overly formal. An outdoor terrace opens during cooler weather, giving you another dining option during Dubai's winter months.

Private dining is available for celebrations, family gatherings and business dinners, while valet parking makes arrival particularly convenient if you're driving.

iZ also welcomes families and offers a dedicated children's menu.

What to eat at iZ

The menu at iZ focuses on refined North Indian cooking, with every plate built around traditional recipes, premium ingredients and careful preparation.

One of the biggest highlights is the tandoor section, where watching chefs work with the clay ovens is part of the experience and many signature dishes come straight from these live cooking stations. Starters include:

• Grouper with yellow chilli, lemon and yoghurt, offering a lighter seafood option.
• Salmon Tikka, prepared with coriander, garlic, cream and yoghurt before being cooked in the tandoor.

If you're only ordering one seafood dish, the Prawn Masala is often recommended, consistently praised for its balanced spices and rich flavour.

The mains continue the North Indian theme with a strong focus on depth and comfort.

Vegetarian diners can go for the Red Lentil Dal, cooked with onion, tomato and cumin for a classic, comforting dish.

For something richer, the tandoor-cooked chicken finished with cashews, fenugreek and a creamy tomato sauce is one of the restaurant's signature plates.

Alongside these, you'll find a wider selection of North Indian curries featuring chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian options.

The menu is not overly elaborate, as iZ focuses on doing familiar dishes exceptionally well.

The Friday iZFINITY brunch

If you're planning your visit around the weekend, Friday is the day to consider.

Every Friday from 12:30 PM until 4:00 PM, iZ hosts its iZFINITY brunch.

This experience follows an à la carte format, allowing you to order freshly prepared dishes while enjoying DJ entertainment throughout the afternoon.

For many diners, this creates a more relaxed and refined experience than walking around a buffet.

Combined with the restaurant's average spend of around AED 110 per person, it also represents one of the better-value Friday brunches available within a five-star hotel in this part of Dubai.

Saturday lunch and dinner service

Beyond the Friday brunch, iZ also offers a dedicated Saturday lunch service from 12:30 PM until 3:00 PM.

Dinner is available from Saturday through Wednesday between 7:00 PM and 11:30 PM.

On Thursdays and Fridays, dinner service extends until midnight, giving you a little more flexibility if you're planning a later evening meal. If you're hoping to watch the tandoor stations at their busiest, arriving around 7:30 PM generally offers the liveliest atmosphere.

Which restaurant should you choose?

For entertainment-led evenings: Awtar — Lebanese cuisine with live Arabic music and belly dancing, ideal for celebrations, birthdays and group dinners.

For food-focused dining: iZ — refined North Indian menu with an open kitchen and relaxed dining room, ideal for family meals, business dinners or thoughtfully prepared Indian cuisine.

The two restaurants complement each other. One celebrates performance and nightlife. The other celebrates craftsmanship and cooking.

How to get to Grand Hyatt Dubai

Grand Hyatt Dubai is located on Sheikh Rashid Road in Umm Hurair 2.

• By Metro: Green Line - Dubai Healthcare City Station (short 3–5 minute walk to the hotel)
• By Taxi / Ride-hailing (Uber / Careem): Simply set destination as Grand Hyatt Dubai, Sheikh Rashid Road — widely recognised by all drivers
• By Car: Accessible via Sheikh Rashid Road, Oud Metha Interchange, and Al Khail Road network; on-site valet parking available
• From Downtown Dubai / Dubai Mall: Around 10–15 minutes via Sheikh Zayed Road and Creek crossings (traffic dependent)
• From Deira: Approximately 10 minutes via Al Maktoum Bridge
• On Foot (from Metro): Exit Dubai Healthcare City Station and follow the clearly marked pedestrian walkway directly into the Grand Hyatt complex

Practical tips before you make your reservations

A few simple tips can make your visit smoother:

• For Awtar, reservations are strongly recommended, particularly between Tuesday and Saturday when the live entertainment programme is running.

• Arriving around 9:30 PM gives you enough time to enjoy dinner before the live band begins at 10:00 PM.

• If you're dining as a group, the Balbak and Beirut set menus offer excellent value and remove the guesswork from ordering.

• For iZ, Friday brunch reservations are advisable because the iZFINITY experience remains one of the restaurant's biggest draws.

• If you're visiting for dinner, don't miss the Prawn Masala.

• If you're celebrating a special occasion or hosting clients, ask about the private dining room when making your reservation.

Quick information

Grand Hyatt Dubai

• Address: Sheikh Rashid Road, Umm Hurair 2, Dubai
• Phone: 04 317 2222
• Website: Grand Hyatt Dubai
• Nearest Metro: Dubai Healthcare City Station

Awtar

• Cuisine: Lebanese
• Age Requirement: 18+
• Set Menus: Balbak AED 200, Beirut AED 250
• Live Band: 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM
• Belly Dancing: 10:30 PM and 12:00 AM
• Reservations: Click here to book your table

iZ

• Cuisine: Contemporary North Indian
• Saturday Lunch: 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
• Friday iZFINITY Brunch: 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM
• Dinner: 7:00 PM onwards
• Average Spend: Around AED 110 per person
• Reservations: Click here to book your table

What makes Grand Hyatt Dubai stand out is the variety of experiences available within a single property.

If you want an evening filled with music, dancing and generous Lebanese food, Awtar delivers one of Dubai's most established dinner experiences.

If you'd rather focus on beautifully prepared North Indian cuisine with live tandoor cooking and a polished dining room, iZ is equally rewarding.

Instead of choosing the hotel because you're staying there, these are restaurants worth visiting in their own right. Whether you're planning a celebration, a family dinner or simply looking to try somewhere new, Grand Hyatt Dubai gives you two excellent reasons to make the trip.