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Bluewaters Dining GuideUpdated

The Best Restaurants in Bluewaters

We rated 10 spots. 1 earned an S.

The short answer

Bluewaters Island's best table is a Michelin-listed omakase counter at Banyan Tree, one of two Michelin-listed rooms on the island by Ain Dubai. See why

Bluewaters Island, the home of Ain Dubai off JBR, has reshaped its dining since Caesars Palace exited in 2023 and the hotel became Banyan Tree Dubai. The scene now runs across Banyan Tree, the new Delano Dubai, and The Wharf promenade, with one genuinely serious room anchoring it.

By the Cravd Editorial Team10 spots5 min read

2
Michelin-listed rooms (TakaHisa, Demon Duck)
0
Michelin stars on Bluewaters
The Best Restaurants in Bluewaters

This guide rates the Bluewaters spots S to C from real diner sentiment and verified recognition. The headline fact: the standout is TakaHisa, a Michelin-listed omakase counter at Banyan Tree, one of just two Michelin-listed rooms on the island.

No. 01 · The tiers and the prices

What you get for your money

No. 02 · The ranking

The picks, ranked

  1. S · Legendary

    TakaHisa

    Banyan Tree Dubai

    The standout, a Japanese omakase and kappo counter with A5 wagyu and fish flown from Toyosu. It is listed in the MICHELIN Guide, the only Michelin-listed omakase counter on the island, and its one serious destination table.

    Michelin-listed omakaseSplurge
  2. A · Excellent

    Demon Duck by Alvin Leung

    Banyan Tree Dubai

    Contemporary Chinese from chef Alvin Leung, who holds three Michelin stars at his Hong Kong restaurant, famous here for a 14-day-aged slow-roasted duck. Listed in the MICHELIN Guide, and the biggest celebrity-chef draw still standing on the island.

    The aged roast duckSplurge
  3. A · Excellent

    Alici

    The Wharf

    Southern-Italian and Amalfi Coast seafood on a sea-facing terrace overlooking JBR, doing crudo, red Mazara prawns and table-side lobster pasta. The waterfront standout for a serious seafood lunch.

    Amalfi seafood by the seaSplurge

The rest of the field

  1. B-tier: Maison Revka

    A baroque destination dinner

    Delano Dubai · Splurge

    Why it’s B: Maison Revka

    A Slavic and French room from the Paris Society team, built around a signature salmon coulibiac and caviar in a baroque dining room. A strong design-led destination among the Delano openings.

  2. B-tier: Clay

    Nikkei with a view

    The Wharf · Mid-price

    Why it’s B: Clay

    Nikkei cooking, Japanese and Peruvian, with sushi, ceviche and a flame grill on a terrace with Ain Dubai and Marina views. A reliable, scene-led room.

  3. B-tier: La Cantine Beach

    A beach-club day

    Delano Dubai · Mid-price

    Why it’s B: La Cantine Beach

    A Mediterranean beach club from the Rikas group extending the La Cantine legacy, with a DJ and pool. The island's beach-club-dining pick.

  4. B-tier: Gohan

    Waterfront Japanese

    Delano Dubai · Mid-price

    Why it’s B: Gohan

    A Japanese room inside La Cantine Beach doing robata, sushi, a beef sando and Chilean sea bass on a waterfront terrace. A solid Japanese option in the Delano cluster.

  5. B-tier: Din Tai Fung

    Dumplings and value

    The Wharf Mall · Value

    Why it’s B: Din Tai Fung

    The famous Taiwanese dumpling house, its first standalone licensed venue in the UAE, doing xiao long bao and noodles over two floors with a cocktail bar. The best accessible, family-friendly value pick.

  6. C-tier: Alizee

    A poolside resort meal

    Banyan Tree Dubai · Mid-price

    Why it’s C: Alizee

    A French and Mediterranean poolside room at Banyan Tree. A pleasant resort table, there for the setting.

  7. C-tier: The Pods

    A novelty group booking

    The Wharf · Mid-price

    Why it’s C: The Pods

    A Pan-Asian spot with novelty private-pod tables and marina views. A fun, scene-led booking for a group. Worth confirming the current status before a trip.

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Bluewaters reset its dining when Caesars left in 2023, so judge the island on what is open now.
No. 03 · Across Dubai

Where they are

No. 04

The honest shape of Bluewaters dining

Bluewaters reset its dining when Caesars Palace left in 2023 and the hotel became Banyan Tree Dubai, with Delano Dubai adding a cluster of new names in 2024. The scene now has one genuinely serious room, a couple of celebrity-chef draws, and a promenade of scene-led waterfront spots around Ain Dubai.

The useful thing to know is that a few of the old Caesars celebrity names have gone, so the island is worth judging on what is open now. TakaHisaS and Demon Duck at Banyan Tree are the credentialed picks, and the rest is a pleasant, view-led spread.

No. 05

The Michelin-listed rooms

Two Banyan Tree rooms carry a Michelin Guide listing. TakaHisaS is the standout, an omakase counter with fish flown from Toyosu, and the island's one serious destination table. Demon Duck by Alvin LeungA is the celebrity-chef draw, with its 14-day-aged roast duck, and the chef holds three Michelin stars at his Hong Kong restaurant.

Both are listed at the Selected level with no star, so read the listing as a strong signal. AliciA on The Wharf is the waterfront standout for Amalfi seafood.

No. 06

The Delano openings and The Wharf

The Delano cluster is the island's what-is-new: Maison RevkaB for a baroque Slavic-French dinner, La Cantine BeachB for a Mediterranean beach club, and GohanB for waterfront Japanese. On The Wharf promenade, ClayB does Nikkei with Ain Dubai views and Din Tai FungB brings crowd-pleasing dumplings at value prices.

For the mainland beach scene next door, our JBR and beachfront guides cover the field.

No. 07 · Head to head

The omakase, and the dumplings

STakaHisa

BDin Tai Fung

Recognition

MICHELIN Guide listing

None, a dumpling institution

The draw

Toyosu-sourced omakase

Xiao long bao

Price

Splurge

Value

The verdict

The destination

The everyday

TakaHisa is the island's standout, one of two Michelin-listed rooms.
No. 08 · Before you go

Frequently asked

What is the best restaurant on Bluewaters Island?

TakaHisa at Banyan Tree Dubai is the standout, a Michelin-listed omakase counter and the island's one serious destination table. Demon Duck by Alvin Leung and Alici are the next tier. All are rated in this guide.

Is there a Michelin restaurant on Bluewaters?

TakaHisa and Demon Duck are both listed in the MICHELIN Guide Dubai at the Selected level, with no star or Bib. TakaHisa is the island's standout, and the listing is a strong signal.

What happened to the Caesars restaurants on Bluewaters?

Caesars Palace Dubai exited in 2023 and the hotel became Banyan Tree Dubai. Some celebrity-chef venues closed with the change, including Hell's Kitchen, while TakaHisa and Demon Duck carried on, so judge the island on what is open now.

Where can I eat on Bluewaters without a splurge?

Din Tai Fung on The Wharf does crowd-pleasing dumplings at value prices, and Clay and the Delano beach-club rooms sit in the middle. The Banyan Tree Michelin-listed rooms are the splurge picks.

How are these rankings made?

These tiers synthesize real diner sentiment and verified recognition, including the MICHELIN Guide, weighed against value.

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No. 09 · Your Cravings

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On this list

  • S-tier: TakaHisaBanyan Tree Dubai
  • A-tier: Demon Duck by Alvin LeungBanyan Tree Dubai
  • A-tier: AliciThe Wharf
  • B-tier: Maison RevkaDelano Dubai
  • and 6 more