In a city where culinary ambition is increasingly matched by execution, the arrival of 3 Fils in Abu Dhabi marks a quiet yet confident shift in the capital’s dining landscape.
The homegrown, Dubai-born restaurant has been long revered for its modern Asian cuisine and harbour-side charm in Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, now opens its second outpost within the Abu Dhabi EDITION, a luxury waterfront destination in Al Bateen Marina.
This location feels tailor-made for 3 FIls next chapter.
You Might Also Like: Read our full restaurant review of 3 Fils here
Founded in 2016 by two Emiratis and the original chef being the renowned Singaporean Chef Akmal Anuar, 3 Fils was never about grandeur. It was and is about precision, flavour, and a kind of casual excellence that quickly earned it cult status. The restaurant’s name, an homage to the Arabic or UAE phrase for “two cents”, reflects its ethos: humble, honest, and quietly opinionated. Even from its early days, 3 Fils has built a reputation on Japanese-inspired small plates, premium seafood and indulgent meats, and a menu that reads like a love letter to umami. Think Otoro Nigiri, Wagyu Sando, and the now-iconic Truffle Burger, each dish crafted with the kind of detail that turns a meal into memory.
And now, the cult-status restaurants has a new location in the capital of Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi EDITION, with its layered architecture and marina views, offers a fitting canvas for the brand’s expansion. The new space spans three levels, including two terraces that overlook the Arabian Gulf, an echo of the original’s waterside intimacy, now elevated with the EDITION’s signature polish. The interiors are expected to mirror the brand’s understated aesthetic: clean lines, warm woods, and a layout that prioritises flow over formality.
While the kitchen is no longer helmed by Chef Anuar — who is now at the helm of new concepts such as Funkcoolio and Harummanis Dubai, and the institutional dining destinations including Goldfish and 11 Woodfire — the culinary direction of 3Fils remains sharp under the tutelage Chef Freddy Kazadi, whose stewardship has preserved the restaurant’s DNA while allowing for subtle evolution.
The Abu Dhabi menu will retain many of the Dubai favourites, but with additions tailored to the capital’s palate and pace. Guests can expect the same commitment to ingredient integrity, with sourcing that spans Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market to local Emirati producers.
What sets 3 Fils apart, beyond its accolades (including the No.1 spot on MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants and a Michelin Bib Gourmand), is its ability to feel both familiar and fine-dining at the same time. It’s a place where laid back garbs are welcome, walk ins are encourages but it is also a place where the food is anything but casual. At 3 Fils the service is warm, knowledgeable, intuitive, and unobtrusive: this is the ultimate relaxed, fine-dining experience.
3 Fils skips the expected theatrics of dining in Dubai and the UAE, in favour of longevity and flavour.
As founder Ahmed Abdul Hakim puts it, “Expanding to Abu Dhabi is a natural progression for us, given the tremendous support and love we’ve received in Dubai.” And while the capital’s dining scene is no stranger to ambition, 3 Fils brings something different: a sense of culinary clarity, a refusal to overcomplicate, and a belief that excellence can be both approachable and profound. "Our goal is to redefine the culinary landscape in Abu Dhabi, just as we have in Dubai,” said Ahmed Abdul Hakim when the expansion news was announced in 2024.
In a city that’s constantly chasing the next big thing, 3 Fils arrives with quiet confidence — and a menu that speaks louder than any headline.
3Fils at Abu Dhabi EDITION, open daily from 6pm - 11.30pm
No reservations required
Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi
