Hakkasan
Hakkasan Abu Dhabi operates inside the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, the landmark hotel at the western end of the Corniche Road. The concept is the same as the London and Dubai originals: Michelin-starred Cantonese cuisine with a bar and lounge area that functions independently from the restaurant after 10 PM. The Emirates Palace setting adds a layer of grandeur that even the Dubai branch can't match. The main dining room has the same high design standard as the other Hakkasan properties, with dark wood lattice screens, colored lighting, and an open kitchen with a visual focus on the Peking duck ceremony. The bar area, finished in the same materials at a lower volume, draws an upscale crowd of hotel guests and Abu Dhabi's financial and diplomatic community.
Where to stay near Hakkasan
Hotels close to Corniche, Abu Dhabi.
What to Expect
An internationally recognized fine-dining brand inside one of the world's most extravagant hotels. The bar area is a serious drinking environment with exceptional food available alongside it. Expect the highest prices on the Corniche.
Formal, theatrical, and exceptional by any standard. The Emirates Palace setting makes everything here feel significant.
Ambient electronic and Eastern-influenced lounge music. DJ on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Smart to formal. The Emirates Palace context means guests dress appropriately. Shorts, sandals, and casual sportswear are completely out of place here.
Special occasions. Business entertainment at the highest Abu Dhabi level. Visitors who want the Emirates Palace experience without a three-hour tasting menu commitment.
Cards accepted. Reservations strongly recommended for the restaurant.
Price Range
Cocktails AED 95-140, beer AED 70-95, dim sum AED 60-120 per basket, mains AED 180-450, Peking duck AED 550 (must pre-order)
Cocktails ~$26-38 / EUR 24-35; beer ~$19-26 / EUR 18-24; Peking duck ~$150 / EUR 138
Hours
Daily 12:00 PM-03:00 AM (bar area)
Insider Tip
Pre-order the Peking duck when booking. The bar takes walk-ins even when the restaurant is fully booked, and the lounge menu allows you to eat small plates at the bar. The Hakkatini cocktail series is the house signature and worth ordering once. Saturday brunch at Emirates Palace is an event in itself if you're combining the hotel visit.
Full Review
Arriving at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental requires its own adjustment period. The approach road through the palace grounds, the scale of the lobby, the 114-meter-high central dome: the building establishes that you are somewhere exceptional before you reach the restaurant. Hakkasan sits off the main corridor in its own dedicated space.
The entrance through the lattice screens drops you into the familiar Hakkasan aesthetic: dark, sculptural, lit in purple and blue with the kitchen visible at the back. The scale here is larger than the Dubai branch, with the dining room stretching back further into the palace structure. The private dining rooms along one wall are booked by Abu Dhabi's business elite for confidential meals.
The cocktail program runs the standard Hakkasan signatures: Hakkatini variations using lychee, ginger, and citrus, alongside a strong Asian whisky selection. Prices are the highest on the Corniche but not unreasonable for the context. A Hakkatini runs AED 115-130.
Food quality is consistent with the brand's global reputation. The dim sum is exceptional. The Peking duck ceremony, which requires advance ordering, is the correct answer to what to eat here. The preparation in the open kitchen, the carving tableside, and the quality of the bird justify the AED 550 price tag for groups of four sharing.
The bar's late-night programming on Thursday and Friday lifts the lounge area into one of Abu Dhabi's most attractive late-night environments. The crowd shifts from dining guests to deliberate bar visitors, and the atmosphere, already formal, becomes more animated. For the UAE capital, this is the benchmark.
The Neighborhood
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, West Corniche Road. The hotel is at the western end of the Corniche, approximately 6 kilometers from the Nation Towers end. The hotel's own grounds contain additional venues including Martabaan, Nolu's, and Le Café.
Getting There
Taxis and Careem to the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental main entrance on West Corniche Road. The hotel security conducts vehicle checks at the main gate.
Address
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, West Corniche Road
Other Venues in Corniche
Asia de Cuba
Cuban-Asian fusion restaurant and lounge inside the St. Regis Abu Dhabi. Ground floor of the hotel, known for strong cocktails and a social atmosphere that peaks Thursday to Saturday.
Crystal Lounge
The closest thing to a proper nightclub on the Corniche. Inside the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, with DJ nights on weekends, a dancefloor, and table service. Dress code is enforced strictly.
Stratos Anti-Gravity
Revolving rooftop bar at the Le Royal Meridien. Completes a full rotation roughly every 90 minutes, giving 360-degree views of the Corniche waterfront and Abu Dhabi skyline.
Tetsu
Japanese teppanyaki restaurant and sake bar at the St. Regis Abu Dhabi. The bar area operates semi-independently from the restaurant and is one of the Corniche's better late-night drinking spots.