The rooftop terrace overlooks Palm Jumeirah’s western edge, where the sunset marks more than just another Dubai evening this month. At THREE CUTS Steakhouse, perched atop Palm Jumeirah Mall, the holy month has prompted an unexpected fusion: chophouse cuisine reimagined for Ramadan’s nightly fast-breaking ritual.
It’s an unlikely pairing. Steakhouses don’t typically spring to mind when Dubai residents plan their iftar outings.
Yet that’s precisely what makes the offering intriguing. Whilst five-star hotels dominate the city’s Ramadan dining landscape with sprawling buffets and traditional Arabic spreads, this rooftop venue has taken a different approach—a four-course sharing menu that bridges Western culinary techniques with the communal spirit central to iftar gatherings.
The experience unfolds in stages designed for collective enjoyment. Diners begin with starters including Soup of the Day and Wood-Charred Caesar Salad, the latter bearing the kitchen’s signature fire-kissed preparation. That wood-charring technique—a steakhouse staple—threads through the menu, appearing again in one of three main course options: Wood-Charred Chicken Breast, presented alongside Beef Stroganoff and Organic Pan-Fried Salmon.
The mains arrive family-style, encouraging the passing of plates and shared conversation that defines iftar tradition. It’s a deliberate departure from individual plating, even as the cuisine itself leans contemporary rather than conventional.
Dessert brings the menu closer to Ramadan’s culinary heritage. Date Pudding and Rice Pudding arrive as shared finales, nodding toward flavours deeply associated with the holy month whilst maintaining the meal’s communal structure. Each setting includes a mocktail—the ‘Moonlit Floor’ or ‘Sippin Dates’—timed for that precise moment when the call to prayer signals the day’s fast has ended.
The pricing sits at AED 250 per person. In a city where Ramadan iftar options range from AED 150 budget offerings to AED 500-plus hotel extravaganzas, it positions THREE CUTS in the mid-to-upper bracket—a reflection, perhaps, of both the rooftop location and the steakhouse’s year-round positioning.
Availability runs daily until 8:00 PM throughout Ramadan, aligning with the narrow window between sunset prayers and evening activities. That timing matters in Dubai’s iftar economy, where restaurants compete not just on menu and ambience but on logistical convenience for families and corporate groups managing tight schedules.
The rooftop setting provides advantages beyond views. Open-air dining during Ramadan’s cooler evening temperatures—March and April this year—offers comfort that indoor venues struggle to match. The Palm Jumeirah backdrop doesn’t hurt either, particularly as natural light fades and the city’s illumination takes over.
What the offering represents, beyond its specific menu components, is Dubai’s evolving Ramadan dining landscape. A decade ago, hotel iftars dominated almost exclusively, their sprawling buffets and traditional setups the default choice for breaking fast outside the home. Independent restaurants largely sat out the holy month, either closing during daylight hours or operating at reduced capacity.
That’s shifted. Standalone venues increasingly craft Ramadan-specific programming, seeking to carve space in a competitive, high-stakes dining month. Some lean heavily into tradition; others, like THREE CUTS, bet on differentiation—the steakhouse that doesn’t abandon its identity but adapts it.
The sharing menu format matters here. Iftar is fundamentally communal, and whilst buffets technically allow group dining, the individual plate-filling experience dilutes the collective element. A sharing menu, by contrast, structurally enforces interaction. Dishes must be passed. Choices require consensus or at least conversation.
Whether that resonates with Dubai’s iftar-goers remains the open question. The city’s dining market is notoriously fickle, with new concepts rising and fading rapidly. Ramadan intensifies that dynamic—restaurants have roughly 30 days to make their mark, after which the opportunity vanishes for another year.
For THREE CUTS, the gamble isn’t small. Developing a Ramadan-specific menu requires ingredient planning, staff training, and marketing spend, all for a limited-window offering. The restaurant’s regular evening service continues alongside the iftar programme, adding operational complexity.
Yet the potential upside is significant. A successful Ramadan showing can introduce the venue to demographics who might not otherwise visit a steakhouse, building awareness that extends beyond the holy month. Corporate groups seeking distinctive iftar settings for clients or staff represent particularly valuable targets—repeat bookings that can fill multiple evenings.
The mocktails, playfully named ‘Moonlit Floor’ and ‘Sippin Dates’, hint at the balancing act in play. They’re whimsical, almost cheeky, yet the date reference grounds them in Ramadan tradition. It’s emblematic of the broader menu strategy: respect the occasion, but don’t pretend to be something you’re not.
Reservations are being accepted now, with the restaurant encouraging advance bookings—standard practice during Ramadan, when popular venues fill quickly, particularly on weekends and the final ten nights of the holy month. Walk-ins face uncertain prospects.
The Palm Jumeirah Mall location itself carries implications. It’s accessible but not central, requiring intentional travel rather than spontaneous visits. That geography favours destination dining—groups planning an evening out rather than individuals seeking convenient options near home or office.
As the holy month progresses, the rooftop will test its thesis nightly. Can a steakhouse create meaningful Ramadan moments? Can wood-charred techniques and sharing-style service hold their own against lavish hotel spreads and traditional Arabic restaurants?
The answers will emerge table by table, as families gather and colleagues reconnect over Beef Stroganoff and Date Pudding, the Palm Jumeirah skyline stretching beyond the terrace edge. For now, the menu is set, the mocktails are chilled, and the rooftop awaits its verdict.