Almayass

The Verdict

Almayass has earned back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition in 2024 and 2025, which in Abu Dhabi's competitive dining environment is a clear signal: this is Lebanese cooking that punches above its price point. At $$, it sits in a tier where value is the whole argument, and the Michelin committee agrees that the value holds. If you have been once and are deciding whether to return, the answer is yes. If you are comparing it to other Lebanese options in the city, Almayass is the one with the credential to back up the price.

About Almayass

Almayass sits on Level 1 of The Galleria Mall on Maryah Island, which means it is easy to find, easy to reach, and operates within a well-trafficked retail environment. That context matters for the mood: this is not a candlelit room tucked away from the world. The energy here comes from the mall's natural footfall rhythm — lively at peak hours, more settled mid-afternoon. If you are after a quiet, contemplative dinner, go early in the week. If you want the room at full energy, Friday or Saturday evening delivers that without the wait anxiety you would face at harder-to-book venues.

Lebanese cuisine at this level is defined by sourcing discipline. The meze format that anchors Armenian-Lebanese cooking like Almayass's depends on the integrity of its ingredients more than almost any other cuisine — a fattoush is only as good as its tomatoes, a hummus only as good as its chickpeas and tahini. The Bib Gourmand designation, which specifically recognises good cooking at moderate prices rather than technical ambition for its own sake, implies that Almayass is getting these fundamentals right rather than papering over them with presentation. For the returning diner, the cold meze section is the most reliable indicator of a kitchen's sourcing rigour on any given visit: start there and you will know quickly whether the kitchen is on form.

Chef Damián Giammarino González leads the kitchen. The combination of a Spanish-Argentine name and a Lebanese-Armenian menu in Abu Dhabi is not accidental , it is the kind of cross-cultural appointment that works when technique travels but the recipes stay grounded. What matters more than the chef's biography, though, is what the Bib Gourmand tells you about consistency: Michelin inspectors return unannounced, and two consecutive years of recognition means the kitchen performs reliably, not just on a good night.

For the regular returning diner, the practical question is less about whether to book and more about what to push into. The meze spread is the format that rewards exploration most , ordering broadly across cold and hot meze rather than anchoring on a single main gives you a more complete read on the kitchen. Armenian-Lebanese cooking has a distinct register from purely Lebanese menus: expect dishes informed by the Armenian diaspora's culinary history alongside the standard Lebanese canon. That distinction is worth paying attention to if you are comparing Almayass against Beirut Sur Mer, Grand Beirut, or Li Beirut in the same city. Those venues serve strong Lebanese menus; Almayass's Armenian-Lebanese identity gives it a slightly different character worth exploring if you know the category.

The Google rating of 4.6 across 1,062 reviews is a useful cross-check on the Michelin signal. That volume of reviews at that score tells you the experience is consistent for a wide range of diners, not just the food-focused minority who drive critical recognition. It also tells you this is not an undiscovered room , Almayass has a real following, and the Galleria location makes it accessible enough to generate genuine crowd data rather than the artificially inflated scores that sometimes appear at remote or novelty venues.

For context on how Almayass fits into Lebanese dining more broadly: if you are travelling and want a reference point, Al Mandaloun in Dubai operates in a similar price register with a comparable Lebanese focus. Further afield, Amal in Toronto, Beity in Chicago, and Byblos in Miami represent the global spread of serious Lebanese cooking at different price points. Within the Gulf, Trèsind Studio in Dubai shows what happens when the regional dining budget goes toward innovation , useful context if you are deciding how to allocate spend across a trip.

For the full picture of what Abu Dhabi's dining scene offers alongside Almayass, see our full Abu Dhabi restaurants guide. If you are building a longer itinerary, our Abu Dhabi hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest.

How It Compares

See the full comparison below.

Related Lebanese Dining

If Almayass is your base reference for Lebanese in Abu Dhabi, worth knowing: Byblos Sur Mer and Em Sherif Sea Café both operate in the city with different positioning. Em Sherif brings a higher-end Lebanese format; Em Sherif's Monte Carlo location shows what the brand does at full ambition. For Armenian-Lebanese cooking with a European postcode, Base Kamp by Aïnata in Courchevel is an interesting reference point. In South America, Brasserie Victória in São Paulo represents the Lebanese diaspora's reach across a very different culinary context.

FAQ

• How far ahead should I book Almayass? Booking difficulty is rated easy. For a weekday lunch or mid-week dinner, a few days' notice is likely sufficient. For Friday or Saturday evening, book at least a week out to avoid finding the room full. The Galleria location and the Bib Gourmand profile mean it draws a consistent crowd, so same-day walk-ins on weekends carry some risk.
• Can Almayass accommodate groups? The Lebanese meze format is inherently group-friendly , sharing across a broad spread is the natural way to eat here. The Galleria setting typically includes venues with flexible configurations. Contact the restaurant directly to confirm private dining or large-group arrangements; specific capacity data is not confirmed in Pearl's records.
• Does Almayass handle dietary restrictions? Lebanese and Armenian-Lebanese menus generally include a strong range of vegetable-forward meze dishes, making vegetarian accommodation relatively manageable. For specific allergen or dietary requirements, contact the restaurant directly before booking. No formal dietary policy is confirmed in Pearl's records.
• Is the tasting menu worth it at Almayass? No tasting menu is confirmed in Pearl's records for Almayass. The meze format functions as a de facto tasting experience when ordered broadly , cold meze, hot meze, and a main or two across a group is the natural structure. At the $$ price point, ordering widely across the menu remains good value relative to set-menu formats at comparable Abu Dhabi venues.
• Is Almayass worth the price? Yes. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025) at the $$ price point is about as clear a value signal as Abu Dhabi dining offers. The Bib Gourmand specifically rewards good food at moderate prices , it is a more useful credential for value assessment than a star, which tracks ambition and technical complexity. At this price tier, Almayass competes with Beirut Sur Mer for the Lebanese-in-Abu-Dhabi budget; the Michelin recognition tips the balance toward Almayass if that credential matters to you.
• What should I order at Almayass? No specific menu data is confirmed in Pearl's records. As a general principle with Armenian-Lebanese kitchens at this level, the cold meze section (typically including hummus, mutabal, fattoush, and kibbeh variations) is where sourcing quality shows most clearly. Start broad across cold meze, add two or three hot meze, and let the table's appetite drive whether a main is needed. The returning diner should use the cold meze as the quality benchmark on each visit.
• What should a first-timer know about Almayass? Almayass is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant at a $$ price point in a mall setting on Maryah Island , that combination can set the wrong expectations. The mall location does not diminish the food; the Bib Gourmand is earned in the kitchen, not the lobby. Come expecting a lively, accessible room rather than a hushed fine-dining atmosphere. Order widely across the meze format rather than a single main. If you are new to the Armenian-Lebanese culinary tradition, expect a menu that overlaps with Lebanese cooking but includes dishes shaped by a distinct diaspora history.