Hakkasan

Who Should Book Hakkasan Abu Dhabi

Hakkasan at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental is the right call for a special-occasion dinner where the setting needs to match the occasion — a milestone birthday, a business dinner with someone worth impressing, or a date where atmosphere matters as much as what's on the plate. The Michelin star (2026) and the Star Wine List No. 1 ranking for 2024 mean this is not a venue you need to take on faith. The credentials are documented, the experience is consistent with the global Hakkasan brand, and the price tier ($$$$) is what you'd expect for that combination of address and recognition.

The Venue

Located inside Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental on the Corniche, Hakkasan Abu Dhabi carries the brand's signature aesthetic: low lighting, dark latticed screens, and the kind of quiet drama that makes the room feel like it was designed for conversations that matter. Regulars of the Hakkasan group will find the atmosphere immediately familiar — chic, unhurried, and deliberately theatrical without being loud about it.

The kitchen is led by Chef Toh Chye Siong, and the menu follows the Hakkasan formula that earned the brand its global reputation: Cantonese cooking built on classical technique, with enough refinement to justify fine-dining pricing. Peking duck and Chilean sea bass with honey are confirmed signature dishes. Saturday lunch adds a dim sum service , the one occasion per week Hakkasan opens at midday , and the premium dim sum selection is worth targeting specifically. For the rest of the week, dinner runs from 6 PM to 11:30 PM, seven days a week.

The Drinks Program

The wine list here carries more weight than you'd typically expect at a restaurant of this type in the region. Wine Director Gordana Josovic and Sommelier Natan Yehuda oversee a list of 325 selections across 960 inventory positions, with particular depth in France and pricing at the $$$ tier , meaning plenty of bottles above $100, with enough range to work across different budgets. The sommelier team runs weekly blind tastings paired with current menu dishes, which matters in practice: staff recommendations here are based on actual food-pairing work, not generic rotation. For a Chinese fine-dining context, that level of wine program investment is worth noting. If wine is a priority for your evening, this list will hold up. For comparable wine depth in the fine-dining category, Le Bernardin in New York City and Alain Ducasse Louis XV in Monte Carlo operate at a similar level of sommelier seriousness.

Booking and Practicalities

Booking difficulty is rated Hard. With a Michelin star at a hotel of this profile, weekend tables , particularly Saturday lunch dim sum , will require advance planning. Book at least three to four weeks out for a Saturday lunch reservation. Weeknight dinners may have more availability, but don't assume you can book last-minute for a Friday or Saturday evening. The restaurant operates exclusively for dinner on all days except Saturday, when lunch service (12 PM–3:30 PM) is also available.

Dress code is not confirmed in available data, but the price tier, hotel setting, and brand positioning all point clearly toward smart-casual at minimum. Arriving in resort wear would be conspicuous. For business dinners or celebrations, dress as you would for any $$$$-tier hotel restaurant in the Gulf.

General Manager Andrew Lewis heads operations. Service is documented as knowledgeable and engaged , consistent with what the Michelin evaluation process would require for a starred kitchen at this price point.

Context and Comparisons

For Abu Dhabi's wider fine-dining scene, see our full Abu Dhabi restaurants guide. If you're building an itinerary around the city, our Abu Dhabi hotels guide and bars guide cover the full picture. For a different register of Cantonese cooking at the fine-dining tier, iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House in Vancouver and Chang'An in Vancouver offer useful reference points for the category globally. In the UAE region, Trèsind Studio in Dubai represents what a similarly ambitious tasting-menu format looks like in a different cuisine tradition.

Other Abu Dhabi options worth knowing: Talea by Antonio Guida for Italian at the same price tier, NIRI for Japanese contemporary, LPM Abu Dhabi for a more social French-Mediterranean format, and Erth for modern Emirati cuisine. For something lower-key, Marmellata Bakery offers a complete change of pace. For high-ambition tasting menus as a global benchmark, Atomix in New York City and Lazy Bear in San Francisco sit in the same tier of intent.

Quick reference: Michelin 1 Star (2026) · Star Wine List No. 1 (2024) · Dinner nightly 6 PM–11:30 PM · Saturday lunch 12 PM–3:30 PM · $$$$ cuisine · $$$ wine list · 325 selections · Book 3–4 weeks ahead minimum.

FAQ

• How far ahead should I book Hakkasan? Three to four weeks minimum for weekend tables, and longer for Saturday lunch dim sum, which is the most-requested slot. A Michelin-starred restaurant inside Emirates Palace does not hold last-minute availability reliably on high-demand evenings. Weeknight dinners are more forgiving, but still book at least one to two weeks out to be safe.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Hakkasan? Saturday lunch is the stronger choice if dim sum is your format , it's the only midday service, and the premium dim sum is one of the kitchen's documented strengths. If you want the full Cantonese à la carte experience with the full wine program and the atmospheric low-lit room at its leading, dinner works better. The room reads differently in the evening.
• Is Hakkasan good for a special occasion? Yes, this is one of the cleaner choices in Abu Dhabi for a milestone dinner. The Michelin star, the hotel setting, and a wine program that can hold its own all contribute to an experience that justifies the $$$$ price point for occasions where you need the evening to deliver on multiple levels simultaneously.
• What should I wear to Hakkasan? Smart-casual at minimum, and leaning toward smart. The $$$$ price tier, the Emirates Palace address, and the Hakkasan brand's globally consistent positioning all signal that the room expects guests to dress accordingly. Business attire is appropriate; resort wear is not.
• What are alternatives to Hakkasan in Abu Dhabi? For a different cuisine at the same $$$$ price tier, Talea by Antonio Guida (Italian) and Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard (French) are the closest comparisons. For more accessible pricing with a social format, Almayass (Lebanese, $$) covers a different style of Middle Eastern dining entirely. If budget is the priority, Al Mrzab ($, Emirati) is a completely different kind of meal but worth knowing.
• Does Hakkasan handle dietary restrictions? No specific dietary accommodation policy is available in confirmed data. Given the price tier and service standard, the kitchen is likely equipped to handle common restrictions, but you should contact the restaurant directly before booking to confirm , particularly for more complex requirements in a Cantonese menu built around shared dishes.
• Can I eat at the bar at Hakkasan? Bar seating availability is not confirmed in available data. Given the Hakkasan brand's bar-forward design across its global locations, there is likely a bar area, but whether food is served there in the Abu Dhabi location should be confirmed when booking, especially if your preference is for a more informal counter experience.
• Is Hakkasan good for solo dining? Possible but not the natural format. Cantonese dining at this level is built around sharing multiple dishes across a table , the Peking duck, the sea bass, the dim sum selection all work better with two or more people. Solo diners will get full service and access to the wine program, but you'll be navigating a sharing-oriented menu on your own. For solo dining at the $$$$ tier in Abu Dhabi, a counter-format Japanese restaurant like NIRI may suit the occasion better.