Zuma Abu Dhabi is the choice for a Japanese sharing meal at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island. Choose the main restaurant for the table booking, a counter when the sushi or robata setting interests you, or the lounge when that suits the evening. The best starting point is the service: an à la carte…
Key Takeaways
- Zuma Abu Dhabi brings contemporary Japanese cuisine and maintains high standards in dining experiences.
- Located in Abu Dhabi Global Market, Zuma is great for special occasions and pairs well with nearby shopping trips.
- The atmosphere is sleek, with a lively open kitchen, making it ideal for business and social gatherings.
- The menu focuses on shared plates; must-try dishes include miso black cod, lamb cutlets, and yellowtail sashimi.
- Choose the service and seating you want, then confirm availability, dress requirements and group terms with the reservation team instead of relying on a universal booking rule.
Zuma Abu Dhabi is the choice for a Japanese sharing meal at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island. Choose the main restaurant for the table booking, a counter when the sushi or robata setting interests you, or the lounge when that suits the evening. The best starting point is the service: an à la carte order, weekday Ebisu lunch, Saturday Baikingu brunch or Wednesday Yashoku night brunch. Decide that before comparing costs. The same venue can produce a different meal and bill under each arrangement.
The izakaya-inspired format gives the table room to combine sushi, robata and signature dishes. Our preference for a first visit is a sharing order that starts modestly, with another round only if needed. A set menu makes sense when everyone wants the same progression; individual dishes give mixed preferences more room. Use the menu for the booked service and agree a budget before choosing premium items. The meal should fit the group, rather than turn into a checklist of every signature dish.
Location and Getting There
The restaurant’s official location page places it at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island and lists Abu Dhabi Global Market in its address. It should not be described as a Corniche restaurant or identified with Landmark Tower. Use “Zuma Abu Dhabi, The Galleria, Al Maryah Island” for transport, then confirm the correct entrance and any valet arrangements with the restaurant. Coming from Dubai, allow a traffic-dependent journey rather than treat a fixed drive time as guaranteed. The location can be combined with shopping or a walk along the island’s waterfront.
Al Maryah Island itself has become one of Abu Dhabi’s more polished dining and retail pockets over the past few years, so it’s worth building an evening around the visit rather than treating it as a single stop, a walk along the waterfront promenade before or after dinner is a pleasant way to bookend the meal, particularly in the cooler months.
The Atmosphere
The official location page identifies a main restaurant, sushi and robata counters, wine/sake cellar and bar/lounge. These are useful seating choices rather than a rating of the room from a personal visit. The restaurant describes the counters as interactive and says they do not require reservations; the bar/lounge serves the main menu from noon and has a resident DJ in the evening. If one of those arrangements is central to your plans, ask whether it applies on your date and whether your preferred seat is available. A table suitable for a business discussion can be a different request from one close to the evening entertainment, and a group needing a specific arrangement should identify it before arriving.
Treat the lounge as a different setting, not automatically a cheaper menu. The venue’s published information says the main menu is served there from noon, so choosing a smaller food order changes the budget more clearly than assuming the same dish costs less in another room. Check the current service window and table terms if you intend to stay for evening drinks or entertainment. The official hours distinguish restaurant and bar closing times.
Signature Dishes and Menu Highlights
The published sample menu separates signature dishes from robata seafood, meat, skewers and vegetables. Miso-marinated black cod belongs among the signatures; it should not be automatically grouped with every robata item. Choose across the sections according to your appetite and dietary requirements. Ask which dishes are available for the service you book, because a sample menu is not a promise that every item will be served on every date.
For a shared meal, agree on the approximate number of dishes and a budget before ordering. Ask staff how they recommend pacing the food for your table rather than claim that the kitchen follows one fixed sequence on every visit. You can start with a smaller selection and add dishes after seeing portion sizes, or choose an eligible tasting menu if the whole group prefers the same format. The important point is to understand the arrangement before committing, not to infer portion size or service timing from a generic guide.
Pricing Tier
To judge the budget, compare the actual dishes or set menu you intend to order. A price per person, an à la carte food basket and an evening with drinks describe different spends. The example below uses four entries from the published sample menu so readers can reproduce the arithmetic. It is not a minimum spend or an assurance of portion size. For business lunch, brunch or a tasting format, ask which food and beverage choices the quoted price includes. The restaurant notes that online menus are samples, so obtain the applicable menu and final booking terms for your date.
Dress Code
For a fixed-time dinner, settle the restaurant’s current dress and entry requirements when confirming the table. Plan an outfit suited to the reservation, then check any specific clothing or footwear restriction that affects your group. Do the same for children’s access and event-specific terms. The useful result is a confirmed booking the whole party can use, particularly when dinner is one part of a celebration or a journey from another emirate. Keep the confirmation with your arrival details and contact number.
Booking Tips and Best Time to Go
Book through the restaurant’s official reservation link or call +971 2 401 5900. Its current dinner listing runs later on Friday and Saturday; do not treat a two-to-three-week booking lead as an established rule. Availability depends on the exact date, table and group. Ask about deposits, cancellation terms and the space you are reserving. The official page says counter reservations are not necessary, but that does not guarantee an available counter seat at the time you arrive.
Choose your date around the service you actually want. The official page lists Ebisu business lunch on weekdays, Saturday Baikingu brunch and Wednesday Yashoku night brunch from 9pm. A midweek visit is not proof of empty tables or a particular level of service. Confirm the current programme, menu and reservation conditions for your date, especially when booking around a celebration or work schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zuma Abu Dhabi expensive?
Yes, it sits in the premium dining bracket in Abu Dhabi. Sharing plates, sake and cocktails add up quickly, so it suits special occasions or business dinners more than a casual night out. Always check current menu pricing when booking, as it can shift.
Do I need to book in advance?
Reserve for a particular table or group arrangement. Zuma’s operator says counter reservations are not necessary; that makes a counter an option for a flexible visit. For a celebration with a fixed start, book the required seating instead. The reservation link and +971 2 401 5900 provide the direct route to arranging the visit.
What should I order at Zuma Abu Dhabi?
Our menu-based starting point is a signature dish such as miso-marinated black cod, a sushi or sashimi choice, and a vegetable side. Choose portions for the table and add another dish if needed. The published sample includes black cod and yellowtail sashimi; use the current service menu for the actual order.
What’s the dress code at Zuma Abu Dhabi?
Settle the current entry requirements with the reservation team, especially for an event or a group with specific clothing plans. Dress for the service you booked and use the venue’s confirmed policy for any admission restriction.
Compare the Service Before You Book
| Service | Published window | Planning distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday lunch | Monday–Friday, noon–3:30pm | Check the Ebisu menu and its inclusions |
| Weekend lunch | Saturday–Sunday, noon–4pm | Distinguish lunch from a brunch package |
| Saturday brunch | 12:30pm–4pm | Ask which package and table terms apply |
| Dinner | 6:30pm–midnight; Friday/Saturday to 1am | Choose à la carte or an eligible whole-table tasting menu |
The official hours and sample menus should be reconfirmed for your date. The venue says sample menus can change.
An Illustrative Food-Only Budget
One example from the published à la carte prices is miso-marinated black cod at AED 236, sliced yellowtail with green-chilli relish at AED 104, edamame at AED 36 and a soft-shell-crab maki at AED 99. Together they total AED 475. This is our arithmetic for those four menu entries, not a set menu, a recommendation that it feeds every couple or a quotation for a booking. Drinks, dessert, additional dishes and any applicable extra charges would change the total. The menu states that its listed prices include 5% VAT; ask the restaurant for the final terms.
Our choice for different evenings
For a meal around shopping, weekday lunch gives the trip a clear stopping point. For a group celebrating on Saturday, compare the brunch package before choosing an ordinary lunch reservation. For a Wednesday night out, the listed Yashoku start at 9pm makes it a later plan. For a shorter visit, use the counter or lounge format that fits your timing and build a smaller order. The full main menu is served in the lounge from noon, so the saving comes from what you order.
The AED 475 four-dish example below is a food subtotal, not a compulsory spend. Adding another black cod at the listed AED 236 would take that example to AED 711 before additional drinks or other charges. That is the reason we would decide the premium dishes before ordering, rather than discover the bill after everyone has chosen separately. Facts checked on 9 October 2026.
