Restaurant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Michelin-plated steakhouse. Book well ahead.

A Michelin Plate steakhouse on Al Maryah Island, Butcher & Still is Abu Dhabi's most credentialed option in the meats and grills category — rated 4.5 across 513 reviews and recognised by Michelin in both 2024 and 2025. Book well in advance; this is a Hard reservation at $$$$ pricing. Best for occasion dinners and serious steak rather than casual drop-in dining.
If you are arriving at Butcher & Still without a reservation, your leading move is to ask specifically about bar availability. The dining room at this Al Maryah Island steakhouse fills up quickly, but the bar area tends to have more flexibility on the night. That said, do not count on walk-in luck for a weekend dinner. Booking well in advance is the practical approach for anyone serious about securing a table — more on that below.
Butcher & Still is a $$$$ steakhouse on Al Maryah Island, positioned within Abu Dhabi Global Market Square. It has earned a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025 , not a Michelin star, but recognition that the quality of cooking clears a meaningful bar. A Michelin Plate signals food worth seeking out, which at this price tier means the kitchen is delivering at a level that justifies the spend. With 513 Google reviews averaging 4.5 stars, the volume of feedback suggests consistent execution rather than a single exceptional night being over-indexed.
The cuisine is Meats and Grills, which means this is a place built around prime cuts, fire, and everything that supports them. In Abu Dhabi's dining scene, that positions Butcher & Still alongside a short list of venues serious about steak at the leading end of the market. For comparable steak-focused dining in the region, Ray's Grill is the obvious local reference point, while internationally, operations like Damini Macelleria & Affini in Arzignano, AuGust in Zurich, and Carcasse in Sint-Idesbald show what the category can reach at its ceiling. Butcher & Still is playing in serious company.
Visually, Butcher & Still draws from classic American steakhouse references , dark timbers, leather, warm lighting, and a design vocabulary that signals occasion dining without feeling clinical. The room reads formal enough for a business dinner but not so stiff that a celebratory group would feel out of place. It is the kind of setting where the physicality of the space does part of the work before the food arrives.
The bar program deserves specific attention, particularly for anyone weighing whether to arrive early or treat the bar as a destination in its own right. A steakhouse at this price point typically anchors its drinks list around classic American cocktails , Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and the kind of spirit-forward builds that hold up against a heavy menu. Butcher & Still's bar area gives you the option to eat and drink without committing to a full dining room experience, which is relevant if you want to test the kitchen at lower commitment, or if you are two people and prefer counter seating to a table. For cocktail-led dining in Abu Dhabi more broadly, see our full Abu Dhabi bars guide.
At the $$$$ price tier, Butcher & Still is asking you to spend at the leading of Abu Dhabi's restaurant market. The question is whether the Michelin Plate recognition, the 4.5-star rating across a meaningful sample size, and the Al Maryah Island address add up to a justified spend. The honest answer: if prime cuts and a serious steakhouse environment are what you want, this is one of the more credentialed options in the city at that price point. If you are open to other cuisines at the same spend, Talea by Antonio Guida and Hakkasan offer Michelin-recognised alternatives. If budget matters, Erth delivers a strong experience at a lower price tier. See our full Abu Dhabi restaurants guide for a broader view of where your money goes across the city.
For a special occasion with someone who genuinely cares about steak, Butcher & Still clears the bar. For a casual night out, the price-to-casualness ratio does not work in its favour , there are better-value options across the city, including LPM Abu Dhabi for a more relaxed $$$$ experience.
Booking difficulty here is rated Hard. That means you should not arrive expecting availability, and you should plan at least several days ahead for a weekday booking, longer for weekends or public holidays. The bar area remains your leading option if you are trying to get in without a pre-booked table. If a specific date matters , an anniversary, a business dinner , book as early as the reservation system allows.
For context on other similarly credentialed venues that are easier to access, Trèsind Studio in Dubai is a reference point for how competitive the wider UAE fine dining booking environment has become. Within the meats and grills category globally, venues like Bistro Strong in Beijing, Bistro Tribunal in Leuven, Bachten De Leie in Zulte, and Antica Macelleria Cecchini in Panzano show a range of booking cultures and price points. Butcher & Still sits at the more formal, planned-in-advance end of that spectrum.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butcher & Still | $$$$ | Hard | — |
| Talea by Antonio Guida | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Al Mrzab | $ | Unknown | — |
| Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Otoro | $$ | Unknown | — |
| Mika | $$ | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Butcher & Still measures up.
For a $$$$ steakhouse on Al Maryah Island, the back-to-back Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) confirm this is operating at a level that justifies the spend — but only if premium beef and a classic American steakhouse format are what you are after. If you want a broader protein range or a tasting-menu structure, Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard is the more versatile $$$$ option in Abu Dhabi.
Bar seating is your best option if you have not booked ahead, and it is worth requesting specifically when you arrive. The dining room at this price tier and booking difficulty fills fast, so treating the bar as your primary plan rather than a fallback is the smarter move. Call or walk in early in the evening to check availability.
The kitchen is classified as Meats and Grills, so the steak program is the reason to come. Beyond that, the menu specifics are not available here — ask the team on arrival what cuts are currently on. At $$$$ pricing, do not leave without ordering from the main grill section; that is what the Michelin Plate recognises.
Yes, with caveats. The $$$$ price point, Michelin Plate recognition, and Al Maryah Island address make it a credible special-occasion choice in Abu Dhabi. Book several days out at minimum — booking difficulty is rated Hard — and if your group is four or more, request the dining room rather than relying on bar seats.
Tasting menu availability and pricing are not confirmed in current venue data, so committing to that format without checking directly with the restaurant first is not advised. Butcher & Still's Michelin Plate credentials are built around its grill-focused à la carte offer; if a structured tasting progression is your priority, Otoro or Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard may be better fits.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.