Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab opened in late 2025 as the group's most ambitious Dubai property in two decades — and The Cullinan is its dining headliner. Named after the world's largest gem-quality diamond, the restaurant sets out a brief that's both clear and arrogant: this will be Dubai's most prestigious steakhouse.
Six months in, with three of our visits behind us, the verdict is more nuanced than that. The dining room is cinematic. The 25-cut beef program is one of the deepest in the city. The Japanese A5 Hokkaido Wagyu is, top-three in Dubai, properly excellent. But pricing is sharp, the side dishes are inconsistent, and the value proposition only really lands if you order the right cuts.
Here is how to do exactly that.
The Setting: Marsa Al Arab's Headline Room
The Cullinan occupies a curved 100-seat dining room that wraps around the resort's seafront, with floor-to-ceiling glass facing the Burj Al Arab silhouette in the middle distance. Walnut, brass, and deep navy run through the fit-out — closer to a London Mayfair grill than a Vegas steakhouse. The acoustics are tuned for an adult conversation rather than a buzz.
The meat-aging cabinet is the room's centrepiece — a glass-walled cold room with cuts hung at varying ages (28, 45, 60, 90 days) — visible as you walk in. Front of house knowledge of the program is genuine; the senior team can talk through aging specifics, breed lines, and farm provenance with the kind of detail you'd expect at Hawksmoor London or CUT London.
There is a 14-seat Chef's Counter facing the open grill. This is the seat to ask for if you can — the front-of-house team don't volunteer it, you have to request it at booking.
The Food: A 25-Cut Beef Program
The menu is structured for clarity rather than novelty. Eight starters, six fish mains, twenty-five steaks, eight sides, four desserts. The Wagyu and dry-aged sections are where the kitchen shines; some of the supporting cuts are inconsistent. Order strategically.
The Five Must-Orders
A5 Hokkaido Wagyu Ribeye (100g)
Hundred grams is the right portion size — A5 Wagyu's marbling is intense and a larger cut becomes overwhelming. Cooked to medium-rare on the binchotan grill, sliced thin, served with maldon and grated daikon. The benchmark Wagyu experience in Dubai right now.
60-Day Dry-Aged Tomahawk (1kg)
USDA prime tomahawk aged 60 days in-house, grilled bone-in, sliced tableside, served with chimichurri and red wine reduction. Order to share between three. The crust is the entire reason — funky, mineral, deeply caramelised.
Steak Tartare with Bone Marrow
Classical preparation with capers, shallot, gherkin, raw egg yolk, and a slick of bone marrow folded through. Served with thin charred sourdough. Best opener on the menu.
Sea Bass en Croûte
For non-meat eaters or those who want lightness. Whole sea bass wrapped in herbed pastry, baked, sliced tableside. Beurre blanc on the side. Classical technique done well.
Béarnaise + Pommes Soufflées
Pommes soufflées are puffed potatoes deep-fried twice — almost extinct on Dubai menus and the kitchen does them properly. The béarnaise is classical, lemon-bright. Mandatory accompaniment to any cut.
The Menu — What to Order, What to Skip
| Dish | Category | Price (AED) | Order? |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5 Hokkaido Wagyu Ribeye (100g) | Steak | 595 | SIGNATURE |
| 60-Day Dry-Aged Tomahawk (1kg) | Steak | 1,150 | FOR GROUPS |
| Steak Tartare + Marrow | Starter | 145 | MUST |
| Beef Carpaccio | Starter | 125 | Excellent |
| Sea Bass en Croûte | Fish | 285 | Order |
| Lamb Chops Provençale | Non-beef | 285 | Very good |
| Pommes Soufflées | Side | 75 | ORDER |
| Béarnaise Sauce | Sauce | 35 | Order |
| Mac & Cheese | Side | 85 | Skip |
| Tarte Tatin (per 2) | Dessert | 165 | Order to share |
The Verdict
The Cullinan is what happens when a hotel group invests in a restaurant rather than imports one. The kitchen's beef program is genuinely deep, the sourcing is clean (most cuts come with breed and farm specified on the menu), and on the right order — Wagyu ribeye, dry-aged tomahawk, classical sides — it competes with any Dubai steakhouse in the AED 500-plus per-person bracket.
Our Scorecard
Why It's Worth It
- 25-cut beef program — deepest in Dubai
- A5 Hokkaido Wagyu is top-3 in city
- Cinematic Marsa Al Arab dining room
- Service knowledge of the program is genuine
- Pommes soufflées — almost extinct elsewhere
- Wine list 400+, properly built
Things to Know
- Pricing sharp — entry steaks underwhelm
- Side dishes inconsistent — stick to potato
- Books 10–14 days for Fri/Sat
- Not great for vegetarians beyond a starter
- Dessert program weakest part of the menu
- Marsa Al Arab parking can be tight at peak
If you're going once, go for the dry-aged tomahawk to share between three — that's Cullinan at its peak. If you're going for an anniversary, the A5 Hokkaido ribeye + a bottle of Brunello is the move. If you're testing the kitchen, the lunch sea bass + tartare gives you the room without committing to AED 1,000 of beef.
Compare against: Leña on the Palm is the head-to-head Spanish-versus-classical-grill — Leña wins on technique, Cullinan wins on pure Wagyu sourcing. CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the Address Downtown is the obvious DIFC-aligned competitor; Cullinan edges it on dry-aging program.
How to Book / Get There
The Cullinan uses Jumeirah's central reservation system + SevenRooms.
Friday/Saturday dinner: 10–14 days ahead.
Weekday dinner: 5–7 days.
Chef's Counter: Request explicitly at booking — only 14 seats.
Best tables: 7 and 8 by the seafront window. Avoid the centre row — it sits under the chandelier and is loud at peak.
Parking: Marsa Al Arab valet — complimentary for hotel guests, 4 hours for diners.
Reserve a Table at The Cullinan →
Your Questions Answered
How much does The Cullinan cost?
Budget AED 450–800 per person depending on the cut. Two people sharing the dry-aged tomahawk with starters and a bottle of wine usually lands around AED 1,800–2,400. The A5 Hokkaido Wagyu (AED 595 per 100g) is the high-end.
What should I order at The Cullinan?
Steak tartare with marrow (AED 145), the 60-day dry-aged tomahawk to share (AED 1,150 per kg), pommes soufflées + béarnaise. For one person eating alone, the 100g A5 Hokkaido ribeye (AED 595) is the canonical order.
Is The Cullinan worth it?
Yes — but only if you order the dry-aged or Wagyu cuts. The entry-level steaks are the kitchen's weakest. Order strategically and the room competes with any Dubai steakhouse.
How does The Cullinan compare to other Dubai steakhouses?
The Cullinan has the deepest dry-aging program in Dubai. Leña on the Palm is more refined Spanish technique. CUT Downtown is the head-to-head premium-Vegas peer. Beefbar DIFC is more contemporary; Gaucho more Argentinian-classical.
What's the dress code at The Cullinan?
Smart casual to smart at dinner. No shorts, beachwear, or flip-flops. Lunch slightly more relaxed.
Is there a lunch service?
Currently dinner only (6:30–11pm). Lunch service is launching summer 2026 per the resort.
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