Hard Rock Cafe, Dubai: A Review

Some people may have heard me say before that the only restaurant  that has good service in Dubai is Hard Rock Cafe, and that's without exaggeration. I ate there with work colleagues three years ago and was impressed by their service. What stuck in my mind, aside from the prompt service was how they remembered who ordered what and served the dishes to each one of us without asking.

That memory plus a few bad memories from other restaurants made me want to go back to Hard Rock so bad. And after what seemed like ages ago, I have finally come back! Three years waiting was oddly long for someone who declared it as the only restaurant with best service in the area. Nevertheless, there was I with best friends to enjoy good food and music.

I must also confess that because of my academic background, everytime I eat out or check in to a hotel, my brain automatically runs a SWOT analysis! And because of the many factors, (namely: 1. Three years since first visit 2. Difference in day and month of visit 3. Possible change of their staff, etc) my testimonial might change. Hence, I decided to make a restaurant review a la college paper, but a lighter version!😉 without the detailed background of the study and all.

Hard Rock Cafe, Dubai
SWOT Analysis

 Strengths
  • International reputation - well-known to other countries and a must visit for some frequent travelers for entertainment and souvenirs.
  • Its spacious floor area. The ground floor is a souvenir shop with fairly reasonable priced items and has a choice of an elevator or stairs going up to the dining floor.


Climbing up the stairs, you would be greeted with different music memorabilia from legendary music artists.

  • Menu and bar list - availability of alcoholic beverages.

Fish and Chips

Barbecued Chicken

Hickory smoke house duo of ribs and brisket
Hot fudge brownie aka birthday brownie
Berry press
Weaknesses

  • Waiting time between order taking and food serving - although it was a little bit forgivable because it was a friday night.
  • Loss of full service standards - again, it wasn't much an issue since it was busy and it was a just a bar after all (although I admit I would've been happier if it were like the last time I was there).

Opportunities 

  • Its proximity to key locations such as the airport, airport hotels, The Intercon and DFC.
  • Lack of strong competitors near the location.


    •  Threats
    • Distance from Sheik Zayed rd which makes it less accessible in some key corporate hubs.
    • Distance from some new expat communities and new hotels like The Palm Residences, Gardens, Burj etc.
    • Lack of competitors in the area which can uninclude them in the choices of bar hoppers.
    Final verdict:

    It was still a pleasant time. I cannot say it surpassed my first dining experience, but as I have said, there were factors. The first time I went there was a Sunday, which was not busy. This time I went on a Friday, thus changed the pace of their service and attentiveness understandably. When we approached the reception, we were first told that we'll have to wait 15 to 30 minutes for an available table, but we waited for 10 minutes only. Whatever they missed in the quality of service, they made up for their entertainment. Since it was a Friday, the band was expectedly better than on weekdays. The band that night, The Distillers played a variety of genre and in every set they sang their rock rendition of the happy birthday song to people celebrating their birthdays. In the end, I still declare Hard Rock as one with the best restaurant service in Dubai.



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