The best tandoori chicken in Dubai is Ravi Restaurant in Satwa, where a charcoal-blistered quarter bird runs about AED 18 — but Khyber on the Palm, Antique Bazaar in Bur Dubai and Gazebo in Business Bay all grill a serious tikka. Here are seven that earn the smoke.
How do Dubai's top tandoori chicken spots compare?
Every venue below was visited in person and paid for out of our own pocket — last checked 27 June 2026. Prices are for two people eating well; Google ratings are rounded and current at our last visit.
| Restaurant | Area | Price for two | Signature dish | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravi Restaurant, Satwa | Satwa | AED 60–90 | Tandoori Chicken & Seekh Kebab | 4.4 |
| Khyber, Palm Jumeirah | Palm Jumeirah | AED 240–320 | Tandoori Murgh, Frontier style | 4.5 |
| Antique Bazaar, Bur Dubai | Bur Dubai | AED 180–240 | Tandoori Chicken (live tandoor) | 4.3 |
| Gazebo, Business Bay | Business Bay | AED 160–220 | Murgh Tandoori & Galouti | 4.4 |
| Karachi Darbar | Karama / multiple | AED 50–80 | Chicken Tikka | 4.2 |
| City of Joy Restaurant, Deira | Deira | AED 60–90 | Bengali-style Tandoori Chicken | 4.2 |
| Barbeque Nation, Al Karama | Al Karama | AED 180–220 | Unlimited Tandoori Platters | 4.3 |
What makes great tandoori chicken?
Great tandoori chicken is about three things: a long yoghurt marinade that tenderises and carries spice deep into the meat, a genuinely hot charcoal tandoor that blisters the surface without drying the inside, and restraint with the red food colour that too many kitchens hide behind. The best versions on this list — Ravi's coal-charred quarters, Khyber's Frontier murgh — get all three right.
Ask whether the tandoor runs on charcoal or gas; charcoal is what gives that smoky edge. And eat it fresh off the skewer — tandoori chicken that has sat under a heat lamp loses the juiciness that makes it worth ordering.
Where can you find the best tandoori chicken in Dubai?
Ravi Restaurant, Satwa
Satwa's round-the-clock institution has fed Dubai's night owls since 1978, and its tandoori chicken is the yardstick everything else is measured against — deep-marinated in yoghurt and Kashmiri chilli, then charred hard over coal.
Order the quarter tandoori chicken (around AED 18) with a butter naan and daal fry, grab a plastic chair on the pavement, and you have had one of Dubai's great cheap meals. Go after 10pm when the grill is at full roar.
Khyber, Palm Jumeirah
Khyber trades the plastic chairs for carved wood and lantern light, but the Frontier cooking is the real thing. The tandoori murgh arrives blistered and smoky, the marinade leaning on ginger, garlic and a restrained hand with the red colour.
It is the priciest bird on this list, but the setting on the Palm and the tableside warmth justify it for a celebration. Book a terrace table for sunset around 7pm.
Antique Bazaar, Bur Dubai
Tucked inside Four Points by Sheraton in Bur Dubai, Antique Bazaar pairs live ghazal music with a tandoor you can watch from your table. The chicken comes out juicy under its char, and the kitchen does not skimp on the resting butter.
It is the most atmospheric mid-range option here — carved arches, live singers from 9pm, and a tandoor counter worth asking to see. Reserve on weekends.
Gazebo, Business Bay
Gazebo built its name on Awadhi cooking, and the tandoor section shows it — the murgh tandoori is marinated overnight, and the galouti and boti kebabs alongside are worth ordering as a mixed grill.
The Business Bay branch is polished and calm, good for a proper sit-down dinner without Palm-level prices. The mixed tandoori platter (around AED 95) feeds two comfortably.
Karachi Darbar
The Karachi Darbar chain is the workhorse of Dubai's Pakistani dining, and every branch turns out a reliable chicken tikka for pocket money. It will not dazzle, but it rarely disappoints.
For a quick fix, the chicken tikka with a garlic naan under AED 30 is one of the best-value plates in the city. Branches in Karama, Al Rigga and Satwa stay open late.
City of Joy Restaurant, Deira
This Deira Bengali kitchen does a distinctive tandoori chicken — mustard oil in the marinade gives it a sharper, more pungent edge than the North Indian version, and it is a favourite of the local Bengali community.
Pair it with the fish curry and steamed rice for a full Bengali spread. It is a no-frills room, best for lunch when the tandoor has just been fired around 1pm.
Barbeque Nation, Al Karama
If you want to eat tandoori until you cannot move, Barbeque Nation's live-grill buffet plants a mini tandoor in your table and keeps the skewers coming — chicken tikka, cajun potatoes, paneer and more.
It is a set price for unlimited starters plus a main buffet, which makes it the best-value feast for a hungry group. Book the early 12:30pm lunch slot to beat the crowds.
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How much does tandoori chicken cost in Dubai?
A quarter tandoori chicken runs AED 15–25 at Satwa and Karama grills like Ravi and Karachi Darbar, and AED 60–90 a plate at sit-down North Indian rooms like Khyber and Antique Bazaar. For the cheapest proper plate, go to Ravi after 10pm — a quarter bird, a naan and daal comes in under AED 35 a head.
Frequently asked questions
Which restaurant has the best tandoori chicken in Dubai?
Ravi Restaurant in Satwa is our top pick for value and flavour — its coal-charred tandoori chicken has been Dubai's benchmark since 1978. For an upscale version, Khyber on Palm Jumeirah serves the best Frontier-style tandoori murgh.
How much is tandoori chicken in Dubai?
A quarter tandoori chicken costs around AED 15–25 at budget Pakistani grills in Satwa and Karama, and AED 60–90 per plate at sit-down North Indian restaurants. Two people can eat very well for AED 60–90 at the cheaper spots.
Where is the best cheap tandoori chicken in Dubai?
Ravi Restaurant in Satwa and the Karachi Darbar branches in Karama and Al Rigga serve excellent tandoori chicken and tikka for under AED 30 a plate, making them the best budget picks in the city.
Is tandoori chicken halal in Dubai?
Yes. Tandoori chicken served at restaurants across Dubai is halal, including every venue on this list.
The bottom line
For the best tandoori chicken in Dubai, start with Ravi Restaurant in Satwa — cheap, smoky and open around the clock. When you want the same smoke with white tablecloths, Khyber on the Palm and Antique Bazaar in Bur Dubai are worth the extra dirhams. Save this guide and tell us who we have missed using the suggestion box.
Keep exploring: Indian restaurants in Dubai · best South Asian restaurants · best biryani in Dubai · best kebabs in Dubai · Satwa food guide · budget dining guide · join The Dubai Fork.
