Al Fanar Restaurant
Al Fanar Restaurant on the Al Majaz Waterfront recreates an Emirati 1960s café setting with wood furniture, dim lanterns, and a sandy-floored garden section. The menu focuses on traditional Emirati cuisine — machbous, harees, balaleet, luqaimat — plus Levantine grills for visitors. The waterfront terrace has roughly 80 outdoor seats facing the Khalid Lagoon. During Ramadan iftar covers run 110-160 AED per person; outside Ramadan, dinner mains sit in the 55-95 AED range. Late-night coffee and shisha service continues until 1 AM most nights, later on weekends.
Where to stay near Al Fanar Restaurant
Hotels close to Al Majaz Waterfront, Sharjah.
What to Expect
Wood-paneled interior arranged around small marble tables, sandstone walls, and faux-1960s decor. The garden has wicker chairs and shaded shisha pits. Service is in dishdasha. Background music is traditional Arabic.
Calm and traditional, family-friendly until late evening
Traditional Arabic, Khaleeji music at low volume
Modest casual. Shoulders covered, no shorts above the knee.
Visitors wanting an authentic Emirati food and shisha experience without alcohol
Cash and cards accepted; AED preferred
Price Range
Mains 55-95 AED, karak coffee 5 AED, shisha 75-95 AED, fresh juice 25-35 AED
Mains ~$15-26, shisha ~$20-26
Hours
08:00-01:00 Sun-Wed, 08:00-02:00 Thu-Sat
Insider Tip
Reserve a waterfront table on Thursday or Friday evenings — walk-ins get the indoor section. The chicken machbous is the local order. Service is friendly but not rushed; expect a long evening.
Full Review
Al Fanar's Sharjah location captures the Gulf café tradition more faithfully than most equivalents in Dubai. The garden, lit by hanging lanterns and small braziers, has the feel of a museum-cafe rather than a tourist spot, though tourists do come. The food is genuinely Emirati: machbous (spiced rice and chicken), harees (slow-cooked wheat and meat), and luqaimat for dessert are all properly executed. Shisha service is competent — flavors include double apple, mint, and grape, mostly Khaleeji-style. The crowd is mixed Emirati families, GCC visitors, and the occasional curious expat. There is no alcohol and no covert anything — this is the legal version of a long evening out in Sharjah, and it works.
The Neighborhood
Al Majaz Waterfront's southern end has several similar Emirati-style venues, but Al Fanar is the most polished. Within 200m there are dessert cafés, ice cream parlors, and the Musical Fountain show every evening at 8 PM. The Sharjah Aquarium is a 15-minute walk away.
Getting There
Taxi from Dubai's Marina or Downtown takes 35-50 minutes (60-85 AED). The Sharjah Bus Route 14 stops at Al Majaz 1 within a 5-minute walk. Parking is plentiful and free along the waterfront promenade after 9 PM.
Address
Al Majaz Waterfront, Sharjah
Other Venues in Al Majaz Waterfront
Shahrazad Cafe
Established Arabic café on the waterfront promenade. Wide shisha menu, extensive karak and Arabic coffee list, and Khalid Lagoon views from the outdoor seating terrace.
Layali Zaman
Traditional Arabic-style café and restaurant serving Lebanese and Gulf cuisine alongside a full shisha menu with around 25 tobacco blends. Indoor and outdoor seating, busy on weekends.
Operetta Cafe
Waterfront café with a large outdoor terrace directly facing the Musical Fountain. Strong mocktail selection, fresh juices, and shisha service until late.
Najjar Cafe
Specialist Arabic coffee and karak café with a more local and residential clientele. Inexpensive by UAE standards, with karak from AED 3. Shisha available in a small outdoor area.
Roastery Coffee House
Specialty coffee café with beans from Ethiopian and South American origins, pour-over and espresso equipment, and a food menu covering pastries and light meals. Non-smoking indoor section.