Practical information : Eating out Île D'Abu Dhabi
Timetable
In general, nothing opens before midday and lunch is usually served around 1pm, dinner around 9pm. Restaurants rarely close during the week, and the busiest time is between Thursday evening and Saturday night.
Budget & Tips
To eat out on a budget, head to the old Abu Dhabi neighborhoods or to Al Ain or Liwa where you will find many kebabs and shawarmas. Alternatively, in the different areas of Abu Dhabi city and its malls you will also manage to find some food trucks and restaurants that are not too expensive. The best thing to do is to go for non-alcoholic meals, as the price can double. If you want to experience all the delights of Abu Dhabi's gastronomy, choose restaurants at lunchtime rather than in the evening: gourmet lunch menus are available for around 30 euros. Between 4pm and 6pm, it's often happy hour with two-for-one drinks! The range of great restaurants in Abu Dhabi is stratospheric but so are the prices in the evening!
What costs extra
Normally, all menus indicate at the bottom of the page a 5% tax surcharge on all meals, and tips are optional and at the discretion of the customer. There are no water carafes in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, so you have to pay for water, but not for bread.
The local way
When you sit down, you're always asked whether you'd like sparkling or still water, cold or room temperature, with or without a lemon. The cuisine is naturally spicy. Even if you like chillies, don't take on the Indians, who are plentiful here: "Little spicy" in Abu Dhabi could be translated as "very spicy" in French!
To be avoided
If you drink Arabic coffee, take it with your right hand, not your left. The left hand is considered impure. If you are unhappy with the service or quality, avoid raising your voice at all costs. Insults are reprehensible. For Emiratis, it's important to remain calm in all situations.
Kids
Children are king in Abu Dhabi and families are welcome in most restaurants. However, up to the age of 21, the consumption of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited.
Smokers
Smoking and non-smoking areas are generally available in the vast majority of restaurants, and smoking is permitted on the terrace and outside.
Tourist traps
There aren't many tourist catchers in Abu Dhabi. If sometimes the touts are in the middle of the street, they never insist much. On the other hand, cruise ships generally offer buffets of more than average quality by Abu Dhabi standards.