Restaurant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Spanish-sourced seafood, Four Seasons precision.
99 Sushi Bar at the Four Seasons Al Maryah Island is Abu Dhabi's strongest case for Japanese Contemporary at the $$$$ tier, built around a tasting menu that pairs Spanish-sourced seafood with precise Japanese technique. Best for two diners on a special evening. Book at least one to two weeks ahead; the intimate room fills quickly on Thursday and Friday nights.
If you have been to 99 Sushi Bar before, the question on a return visit is not whether the food holds up — the kitchen's commitment to Spanish-sourced seafood and technically precise Japanese cooking has remained consistent enough to earn continued recognition. The question is whether the tasting menu for two still justifies the $$$$ price point when Abu Dhabi's fine dining roster has expanded considerably. The short answer: yes, but specifically for diners who want a structured tasting experience rather than à la carte Japanese in a hotel setting. If that is not your format, [Hakkasan ($$$$ · Chinese)](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hakkasan-abu-dhabi-restaurant) on the same island offers a comparably priced experience with a different flavour profile and more flexible ordering.
Located on Level 1 of The Galleria at the Four Seasons Hotel on Al Maryah Island, 99 Sushi Bar is a Spanish-owned operation with a specific and deliberate sourcing model: most of the seafood comes from Spain, which is less common than it sounds in a city where Japanese restaurants typically source from Japan or source generically. That provenance decision shapes the menu in ways that make the cooking genuinely distinct from most Japanese Contemporary restaurants in Abu Dhabi. Dishes like flamed red mullet with kumquat tiger milk — balancing spice, fruit, and acidity , demonstrate how the kitchen applies Japanese technique to non-Japanese ingredients without the result feeling like a gimmick.
The tasting menu is the format the kitchen is built around, and first-timers should approach it as such. The progression moves through well-constructed dishes where presentation and ingredient quality are both high, with a wine selection described as classically minded rather than adventurous. For the food-and-wine enthusiast who wants context alongside the meal, that pairing approach delivers consistency over surprise. If you are looking for boundary-pushing pairings, [Trèsind Studio in Dubai](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/trsind-studio-dubai-restaurant) is worth the drive for a more experimental tasting arc , but 99 Sushi Bar is the cleaner, more refined choice for a genuinely intimate dinner on the island.
The room operates with the kind of service precision you expect from a Four Seasons address , it runs smoothly, and the intimacy of the space is a deliberate feature rather than a limitation. This is not a venue suited to large groups or casual drop-ins. It functions leading for two to four diners who want the meal to be the event. For context on what tasting-menu architecture at this level looks like elsewhere, compare the experience philosophically to [Atomix in New York City](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/atomix) or [Lazy Bear in San Francisco](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/lazy-bear) , venues where the progression of the meal carries the same weight as any individual dish.
Eco-friendly sourcing angle is not just branding. Importing Spanish seafood to the Gulf involves deliberate logistics, and the kitchen uses that supply chain as a quality filter rather than a cost-cutting exercise. The result is ingredient quality that the presentation then honours rather than obscures. For a comparable commitment to sourcing transparency at the fine dining level in Abu Dhabi, [Talea by Antonio Guida ($$$$ · Italian)](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/talea-by-antonio-guida-abu-dhabi-restaurant) takes a similarly rigorous approach to its Italian product base, making it the most direct peer comparison in the city for diners weighing one $$$$ tasting experience against another.
Reservations: Booking is rated Easy , walk-ins may be possible, but this is a Four Seasons property at the $$$$ tier, and the intimate room means availability can close quickly around weekends and Thursday evenings. Book at least a week out for weeknights; two weeks minimum for a Thursday or Friday dinner. Hours: Open daily, lunch 12 PM–3:30 PM and dinner 7 PM–midnight. Budget: $$$$ , the tasting menu for two is the recommended format; factor in wine pairing if you plan to use the full menu. Dress: Smart casual at minimum; the Four Seasons context and price point make this a jacket-or-equivalent room. Getting there: Level 1 of The Galleria, Four Seasons Hotel, Al Maryah Island , valet is available through the hotel, and the location is accessible by taxi or ride-share from central Abu Dhabi.
See the comparison section below for how 99 Sushi Bar sits against Abu Dhabi's wider fine dining options.
For more options across Abu Dhabi, browse our guides: [our full Abu Dhabi restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/abu-dhabi), [our full Abu Dhabi hotels guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/hotels/abu-dhabi), [our full Abu Dhabi bars guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/bars/abu-dhabi), [our full Abu Dhabi wineries guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/wineries/abu-dhabi), and [our full Abu Dhabi experiences guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/experiences/abu-dhabi). For other tasting-menu benchmarks internationally, see [Le Bernardin in New York City](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/le-bernardin), [Alain Ducasse- Louis XV in Monte Carlo](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/alain-ducasse-louis-xv-monte-carlo-restaurant), [Alinea in Chicago](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/alinea), and [Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/allno-paris-au-pavillon-ledoyen-paris-restaurant). Other Abu Dhabi options worth comparing: [Erth (Modern Cuisine)](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/erth-abu-dhabi-restaurant), [LPM Abu Dhabi](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/lpm-abu-dhabi-abu-dhabi-restaurant), and [Marmellata Bakery](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/marmellata-bakery-abu-dhabi-restaurant). For Chicago-style tasting menu architecture, [Emeril's in New Orleans](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/emerils-new-orleans-restaurant) offers a useful counterpoint at a lower price tier.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99 Sushi Bar | Entering 99 Sushi is like stepping into a foodie heaven, where old meets new in every sip of a classically-minded wine selection. From fancy Japanese eats to eco-friendly sourcing, there is an array o...; The well-constructed and beautifully presented dishes at this chic Japanese restaurant underline the quality of the ingredients used. The Spanish owners import most of the seafood from their native country; the flamed red mullet with kumquat tiger milk balances spice, fruit and acidity to deliver well-judged flavours. It’s all run as smoothly as silk and is the ideal venue for an intimate experience. The tasting menu for two is always worth trying. | — | |
| Talea by Antonio Guida | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Al Mrzab | $ | — | |
| Almayass | $$ | — | |
| Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard | $$$$ | — | |
| Mika | $$ | — |
How 99 Sushi Bar stacks up against the competition.
Bar seating availability is not confirmed in the venue record, and given the intimate room format at this $$$$ Four Seasons property, counter or bar spots are likely limited. Your safest move is to book a table in advance rather than arriving and hoping for a bar seat. Call or contact The Galleria Four Seasons directly to ask about counter options before you show up.
No specific dietary policy is documented, but the kitchen's emphasis on Spanish-imported seafood and carefully constructed dishes suggests a kitchen that is ingredient-focused rather than menu-flexible. If you have serious dietary restrictions — particularly shellfish allergies or pescatarian requirements — contact the restaurant ahead of booking. At the $$$$ price point and with a tasting menu format on offer, advance communication is standard practice.
The concept is Japanese contemporary with Spanish ownership, and most of the seafood is imported from Spain — this is not a traditional Japanese omakase. The tasting menu for two is the format the kitchen is built around, so first-timers should lean into that rather than ordering à la carte. The room is described as intimate, which means a loud group dinner is not the right fit. Book early: it sits inside the Four Seasons on Al Maryah Island and availability at this tier moves faster than you'd expect.
Yes, with conditions. The intimate setting, $$$$ pricing, and a tasting menu designed for two make it well-suited to a dinner for a couple marking an anniversary or a significant birthday. Editorial recognition specifically calls out the tasting menu for two and describes the room as ideal for an intimate experience. It is less appropriate for large group celebrations where the format would feel constrained.
For French fine dining at a comparable price point, Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard is the main comparison. Talea by Antonio Guida offers Italian fine dining with a similarly polished room. If you want a shorter, more casual meal, Almayass covers Armenian-Lebanese at a lower price tier. 99 Sushi Bar is the most specific option in Abu Dhabi if Spanish-sourced Japanese seafood is the brief.
Dinner is the stronger call. The kitchen runs until midnight and the intimate room is built for a longer, occasion-style experience that dinner supports better than a 90-minute lunch window. Lunch runs 12 PM to 3:30 PM and is likely a shorter format. If budget is a factor, lunch at this tier sometimes carries a more accessible prix-fixe — but no lunch pricing is confirmed in the venue record, so verify before booking.
The intimate room format described in editorial coverage suggests this is not a venue built for large groups. Parties of two to four are the natural fit, particularly for the tasting menu. For groups of six or more, availability will be tight and the format may not translate well. If you are planning a group dinner, contact the Four Seasons directly to ask whether a private arrangement is possible before committing.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
