Reviews of ‪big Easy Bar & Grill‬

This place used to be our Favorite restaurant in Dubai. Our go to for steak and good South African food. <br/><br/>Used to be the best family friendly fine dining restaurant. <br/><br/>The manager, Gaurish, was very attentive to our feedback. AND DID NOT CHARGE US FOR THE STEAKS 🥩 <br/>Which was kind and fare of him. <br/><br/>And full credit to him for trying to make the best out of a difficult situation. <br/><br/>The management of this place has not taken ownership of the below points. We understand the situation. If senior management were honest about the changes, temporary or permanent, we would be tolerant of the challenges. However, this is deceptive, which leaves a sour taste in one’s mouth. <br/><br/>(I will change my review once, or if, the senior fixes the below)<br/><br/>Here’s its current state:<br/>- Kitchen is actually closed. When you walk in, check it out. This is not Big Easy. This is 261 (downstairs) charging the same prices as Big Easy when the quality is far from the same.<br/>- The fine dining chefs are gone. Again, take a look at the kitchen. <br/>- Cockroaches in the bathroom. <br/>- 16oz (450 gram) steak at AED 225 a pop is no more than 7-8oz streak (200 grams). <br/>- Vegan restaurants serve better steaks 😂<br/>- Ask for 2 medium rare you get one as well done and the other blue. Send one back and get medium. 🤦‍♂️ Waitress tells you that’s what you ordered. <br/> - Bread basket is stale and fridge-cold bread (four buns on a plate) and because the steak is smaller than expected, you’ve got to eat stale bread to fill up.<br/>- Restaurant has rebranded as 261 but not disclosed and is still charging what Big Easy. Look at the top right of the menu and on the point-of-sale system. <br/>- Ambiance is terrible. The lighting used to dim and cosy. Now the lightning is too bright and the cosy vibe is gone. <br/>- A service trolley, fully of dirty dishes being dragged across with restaurant.

Big Easy says it all in the name. Located on the golf course that world famous golf player Ernie Els designed. It has stunning views and is the best place to enjoy a nice glass of South African wine, while the sun sets over the golf course. The food is absolutely amazing, especially the Lamb Shank Bunny-chow. ‘Easy’ yet elegant atmosphere, great food and great service.

Had drinks with friends. The place is a hidden gem. Whoever has put the pics about the ambience of the place has not done a good job coz the place is really classy and drinks are great. The craft beers are worth trying and worth all the drive too. Loved it! My friends at Sports City who never knew about the place were giving me the Grammy's for choosing it and wondering how I always come up with awesome places like these. Oh, the best part was the Zomato Gold😁 Gotta try their food some day!

We just love Big Easy at the Els Club in Sports City. Our go to place If we fancy a nice meal with a glass of vino! If you can’t be bothered to cook at home and had one of those long days at work, this is the place to come to! Their ambiance is like walking into this lovely contemporary decor where you hear the light sound of cutlery, wine glasses toasting lightly and people chit chatting in moderate tone. The moment you walk in, you are welcomed with a smile and the staff try their very best to provide you with what you request for, be it seating or view and of course how would you like your food done! The complimentary corn bread they provide you as you are sat down is amazing! And we love it with just more butter on the side. We love coming to Big Easy, they never disappoint! We have also dined with a large group of friends and everyone was and leaves happily satisfied with everything! Their menu options are vast and I’m sure they can always tweek it here and there to satisfy their diners! I’ excited to try The Big Easy Carvery and hopefully soon! If you crave proper South African food and ambiance, please take may recommedation and book your table with them now! #bigeasy #theelsclub #southafrican #meatlovers #steak #brisket #chicken #grilled #wine #thebigeasy #greatservice #greatfood #bigeasybarandgrill #carvery #dubai #sportscity

A lovely relaxed evening before the weekend night is just what you need to unwind. 🍹🍹The relaxed ambience, the African comfort food and the warm service... few things that add that cherry 🍒 to the experience... African food is totally unexplored and underrated, apart from grills ... At the Big Easy @the_els_club_dubai the Spicy Lamb Shank Bunny Chow was a warm cinnamon flavored stew cooked in aromatic spices and served in a hallow bread bowl. Swipe to check it out ... 🙇🏻‍♀️Mouth melting delicious 😋

When we went on a Friday afternoon, there was a big event downstairs with a bouncy castle and food stalls - perfect for my toddler! Come dinner time, we were welcomed warmly by The Big Easy team. Our server was attentive and even suggested some items on the menu. I ended up having the Big Easy red as a beverage. Not a vino expert but I can say it was very drinkable. Lol. For my main, I went for the brisket with apple chutney. Braised for six hours. Heavenly. Especially liked the fatty bits - packed with melt-in-your-mouth flavor. The staff were especially friendly to my daughter, and I can't thank them enough for that. We're already planning our next dinne@r there. 😀

This weekend we visited the Big Easy for the Saturday carvery. Aside from the stunning view of the golf course, the ambiance, food and service was impeccable. Verah showed us to our table and the drinks service was extremely attentive. The beef Wellington and chocolate cake were absolute winners, the live music really added to the atmosphere too. I wish I could go every Saturday!

For that price i was disappointed with couple of things such as there was no presentation of steak it was as if they didn't even try decorating it, service was average.1.5/5<br/><br/>I like the ambiance of this place, it looks and feels exactly the same with the name of the place. 5/5<br/><br/>Steak was cooked just the way i wanted and tested even better so 4/5<br/><br/>

Memorable evening with friends made special by the staff.<br/><br/>This was our first time to dine at the big easy and it's an experience to be repeated. <br/><br/>Wonderful food and exceptional service provided at every opportunity<br/><br/>The staff made a big effort to acknowledge our special occasions and were accommodating and friendly. <br/><br/>Prices are reasonable and the food was of a very high standard. (Entertainer voucher accepted)<br/><br/>Well done.<br/><br/>Great for: date night and celebrations with friends...or even a nice last drink before bedtime.Bart Daems<br/><br/>

Dinner with friends at The Big Easy did not live up to expectation. We had to ask for bread which was Devine. Corn bread in a warm skillet. We shared a platter as a starter consisting of cured meats, lettuce, a few pieces of biltong etc. The few items were tasty but lacked produce. The ostrich was poor and we had these meals removed from the bill. My Game meat did not taste like game at all (being from SA I know what Eiland tastes like). Only good meal was the brisket. Wine was excellent, namely a Fish Hoek Chenin Blanc followed by the Big Easy blended red (was to pair with our meal). The Service was good contrary to other reviews I have read however I have to agree with the other foodies re the food. Just not up to par with some of the other restaurants in Dubai. Value for money not here unfortunately.

I can say that I have some kind of mixed feelings for this restaurant and the majority of these feelings are bad ones.<br/><br/>We went to this restaurant in the first day of Ramadan and at first we decided to just have some drinks. After some time, we were 8 hungry people and we were looking to the iftar menu that has been served to other table of 2 people next to us. The quantity of food they served to the couple was amazing and the smell of the food was very appealing.<br/><br/>Let's Resume it a bit!<br/><br/>The food:<br/><br/>We decided to order 8 iftar menu (one for each person) and the quantity of food was not even near to what was expected. It came two VERY SMALL plates of humus and only one plate with 8 SMALL pieces of bread. Most of the people could not taste all the food. It was definitely a shame.<br/>We complained to the waiter and he was not capable to explain why the food was in a good size for one couple and for us (8 hungry people) was that shame of small sized portions plates.(not even similar to the started plate offered for the couple)<br/>In the end he promised to make the service better, gave another small plate of humus and the same small amount of pieces of bread. It was a bit disturbing and disappointing for us. The rest of the journey was pretty much average! The lentil soup was a very positive point but in general this place is perfect for drinks and to chill. If you have a big group of friends go for drinks but don't try to eat there.<br/><br/>The environment:<br/><br/>The environment is great, there is a nice music, nice tables and chairs. The restaurant is well decorated, calm and brings you a relaxing environment. You continue feeling it until you order the iftar menu and after that all the relax sensation goes down and it become kind of messy. (I just hope it was an isolated case.)<br/><br/>The staff:<br/><br/>They are polite but they seemed to be a bit lost. They DEFINITELY don't know how to handle problems and correct them, so they gave the clients two options to think: they are new and learning the new menu or they are just an ok staff with a poor training and management. (I also wish that this was an isolated case.)<br/><br/>In sum, it is a nice restaurant but in the end what really counts is the food and the experience you had in the place and mine was not ok. I think they need to improve much more in some aspects such as the relationship with the client and the portions of the food.<br/>Should I recommend this place? Well, if it is just for a drink after the work yes but definitely not for dinner.<br/>

Visited for brunch and have to say even with the entertainer (food only) is poor value. Seems like they have dumbed down the brunch to cover the discounts which in my opinion is not uncommon here. All s the same food was sparce, quality was adequate nothing more and even if you order a steak you have to send it back to get a medium rare steak. Disappointing and poor value. Only positive was the music and the band ... nice vibe !

Ernie Els, aka Big Easy, has an absolutely wonderful winery in Stellenbosch ZA, it's so pristine that to call it a farm would be like calling the Place of Versailles a shack. I was very much hoping that the Big Easy would have a similar level of class and sophistication, and ideally gallons of the wonderful Erie Els branded wine which is made there.<br/>The service was great, however the venue was a bit atmosphere-less, with the feel of a hotel-lobby-type restaurant. The entertainer wine was a Hardy's which is supermarket fodder quality and nothing to do with the famous golfer. Peri Peri chicken liver had a sauce that resembled Campbells Concentrated Soup, however the baked Brie and Chacuterie board were fine if  unremarkable. Some people rave about this venue, I can only imagine they're the ones living in Sports City who are sick of having to come visit their buddies in the Marina.

Heard there was an accident on MBZ Road so dropped in to Big Easy for a few drinks until the traffic cleared. Don't worry, I had a non-drinking family member who was driving for me. The place was empty as it was still before sunset but a good evening in. Special mention to their upmarket interiors which lifted the otherwise dead place. <br/><br/>--A drop of ink may make a million think. <br/>@AyaashPaw

I heard the food here is divine. And the South Africans do make great meats, and so when the opportunity came up to try it out, I was super excited.<br/><br/>Two words, one dish: Bunny Chow. Try it. It's a "street food" item from Durban, but with a twist at the Big Easy. Traditionally it's of Indian origin- a meat curry served in a loaf of bread. Simple. At the Big Easy, it's a moist, tender, flavorful, delectable, succulent, lamb shank.. Served in a loaf of perfectly baked bread. Pair it up with one of their South African reds and you've got heaven on earth and a very full tummy. <br/><br/>I'm yet to try the dessert and apologies for not having pictures. I was too excited to eat. But I will definitely be going back so stay tuned!

This South African place needs more marketing!! We had a bottle of Dom Perignon, a baked brie, pinenut bruschetta for starters and Mushroom risotto, Seabass, Artichokes for main course. The champagne and baked brie were heavenly. All other food items were really good too. It has a really good view as well. Perhaps the only thing I would fault the place for is its accessibility.

If you live in the Arabian Ranches, Motor City, Victory Heights part of town the Big Easy Bar & Grill offers a borderline, fine dining experience on par with Palermo – Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Ranches Restaurant & Terrace – Arabian Ranches Golf Club and Maison Mathis – Arabian Ranches, although the three latter establishments are actually listed as ‘casual dining’ on Zomato. Having dined at all four restaurants I found immediate similarities between the Big Easy and the other EMAAR restaurants, Palermo and Ranches.<br/><br/>My wife ordered the 8 oz. Grilled Beef Tenderloin and I had the live Boston Lobster, cooked as a Thermidor (to hell with the diet). I was surprised to find that neither dish came with a side, the steak in particular which is offered with a sauce only. So we ordered Creamed Spinach and a Potato Gratin – both of which were marvellous. My wife’s steak came cooked to her ‘medium’ preference which personally I feel is such a waste of meat – steak needs to be a little bloody, but hey, this was her party. I loved my little lobster (emphasis on little).<br/><br/>The restaurant serves a complimentary sponge cakey corn bread which is alright but does have a peculiar taste. We were told it’s an African thing – hmm. My wife really liked the house red which was recommended with her steak – apparently it’s an Ernie Els wine which I am told is a pretty big deal: http://www.ernieelswines.com/. I’m not a wine person and stuck with my pint of Stella. I didn’t find anything overtly African about the Big Easy other than the genuine warmth of the excellent service. We will most definitely revisit. Perhaps this time for their famous brunch.<br/><br/>Eyewateringly pricy but recommended nonetheless especially if you live out in the Arabian Ranches, Motor/Sports City, Victory Heights part of the desert.

Big Easy is housed in a very modern, homely and airy space with a terrace overlooking the breathtaking golf course. The natural overtones, brick walls and wooden flooring all come together to reflect the warmth that Big Easy has to offer. We were welcomed by a very friendly hostess who guided us to our table and server for the day – Ashwin.<br/><br/>The buffet was, without exaggeration, enormous! We loved how different stations were spaciously set with open kitchens so we could watch the culinary team as they create they own gastronomical masterpieces. The extensive menu has a lot to offer, however the specialty of this place is the freshness of the food. Our server, Ashwin, was interning at Big Easy and we loved how he made us feel welcomed, chatted us up every once in a while and continuously checked if we were comfortable and enjoying the food.<br/><br/>We started off the salad station with over 30+ varieties of salads. This doesn’t happen very often, but the salad station seemed to be one of our favorite stations in the entire buffet. We noticed that the chefs liked to incorporate feta in most of the dishes (not that we’re complaining) and they kept the dressings very minimal in an effort to appreciate the freshness of the produce they use.<br/><br/>Must Try: Pear with feta cheese, Stuffed Mushrooms, Norwegian Smoked Salmon with Horseradish sauce and the Thai Chili Prawn Salad (we went for seconds for these).<br/><br/>They had separate LIVE stations for Pasta, Scallops and Foie Gras, Japanese Teriyaki and the Grills. At the Scallops and Foie Gras counter the chef was very precise with the cooking time and this is what makes the scallops melt in your mouth.<br/><br/>The Grills counter had a display of Tiger Prawns, Salmon, Sea-bass, Rib-eye and Lamb Chops. All you got to do is specify, if necessary, how you want your meat cooked and the flavor/sauce you prefer.<br/><br/>Little did we know that what we had seen was only half of it, after noticing another room adjacent to kitchen we quickly scrambled to have a look only to discover a whole lot more of personalized stations.<br/><br/>A station that immediately caught our eyes with its unique set up was the Ceaser Salad station where the salad was prepared in a giant cheese wheel.<br/><br/>There was also a Thai station where you can get your own Tom Yum soup as per your liking with the various condiments, An Indian station serving Biryani and authentic Indian gravies, a South African dish serving Babootie and Boerewors which were really flavorful, and last but not least, a Prime Rib station served with Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy (I know right?).<br/><br/>The Dessert station was without a doubt the most perfect end to the entire meal, we were unfortunately too late to try out the Crème Brule since they ran out of it, but the Mango Charlotte totally made up for it!<br/><br/>We don’t see why you shouldn’t visit this place at least once; Big Easy comprises perfect food, ambience, music and service. We even enjoyed lounging on the terrace after brunch, taking in the beautiful view and enjoying the peaceful aura that Big Easy offers. It is truly an escape, something that would definitely make your weekend.<br/><br/>The Bill (pp):<br/><br/>Bubbly Brunch : AED 475 inclusive of selected French bubbly<br/><br/>House Beverage Brunch: AED 375 inclusive of house beverages<br/><br/>Soft Beverage Brunch: AED 275 inclusive of mocktails and selected soft drinks.<br/><br/>Ratings:<br/><br/>Ambience: 3/5<br/><br/>Food: 4.5/5<br/><br/>Service : 4.5/ 5<br/><br/>Value: 3/5

Nice atmosphere in the place, we were greeted by Danielle who had also taken our phone booking, sat immediately and brought a nice corn bread snack, we shared the Peri peri chicken livers which were nice, spicy and not very generous. I had a tenderloin which was ok but not meat co. Or butcher shop quality but nice. The wine was nice, prestige merlot(Ernie's own) good choice. I would recommend for a nice South African dinner.