Gastronomy

The Buffet With Ambitions

3.5 of 5

A hotel buffet is a promise that most kitchens break by the second tray. Gastronomy at Atlantis The Royal is a flagship all-day buffet with over thirty live cooking stations, and one reviewer who visited three times across 2025 and 2026 called it Dubai's most ambitious. That is a claim worth testing with a plate.

The stations tell you what to do. A sushi and sashimi counter with chefs working live. A lobster and prawn bar where whole lobsters and king prawns are grilled to order. Wagyu and prime rib carved at the board. A tandoor counter for lamb seekh kebabs and chicken tikka. Then a pastry hall with live crepes and waffles for the closing argument. The menus change daily, so what you get is a moving target.

The Friday brunch with house drinks runs AED 750 a person, which puts it in the upper middle of the Dubai brunch market. Breakfast is AED 395 and dinner AED 550. Children under six eat free. Walk the room once before you pick up a plate, go for the grill stations first, and save the pastries for the end. Plan, or the lobster will beat you.

Order this: Lobster and prawn bar, Sushi and sashimi counter, Wagyu and prime rib carving, Live tandoor counter
The damage: $$$$
Go: Friday brunch, with a plan
Find it: Atlantis The Royal, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai