The Nice Guy

Good food ( carpaccio was great!) Great music and nice atmosphere. Steak was average for its price, other dishes were ok.

Loses a couple of points for the pretentious “no group photos or selfies” rule. Come on guys, We’re not in the Sistine Chapel :)

Overall good place, but cannot be compared to other DIFC places.

If you’re Looking for a restaurant that offers an intimate atmosphere and a sense of privacy, The Nice Guy is where you need to be. With its mellow and dark ambiance, this Italian eatery creates an atmosphere of anonymity, allowing you to enjoy a truly private dining experience. What sets The Nice Guy apart is its exceptional policy of not allowing photography inside, except for capturing the mouthwatering dishes that will grace your table.

When it comes to dining, service holds utmost importance for me, as it sets the tone for the entire experience. The Nice Guy not only understands this but excels in providing top-notch hospitality. As we arrived, Shaka warmly welcomed us and guided us through the drink options. As the restaurant became livelier, our attentive server, Phylis, took over. Her sweet and patient demeanor made us feel right at home. She went above and beyond, answering our questions, offering recommendations, and ensuring we had everything we needed. Phylis even surprised us with the suggestion of chili oil for our pizza, which turned out to be a splendid addition. The exceptional service truly elevated our mood and heightened our enjoyment the entire time.

Our evening kicked off with an array of delightful mocktails. The Blushing Kiss, infused with hibiscus, grapefruit, and citrus, was a refreshing choice. Its cleansing effect on the palate left a subtle, bitter aftertaste, reminiscent of alcoholic beverages.

If you prefer a kick of acidity, the Dusk 'Till Dawn mocktail, featuring passion fruit, lychee, grenadine, and ginger beer, provided a refreshing and stress-relieving sensation, perfect for a warm day.

The Coffee and Dates mocktail, a blend of cold brew concentrate, dates, and shaken cream, stole the show with its perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness. Each sip left me longing for more.

While I did not indulge in the cocktails, my friend thoroughly enjoyed the Spicy Sienna Cocktail a tantalizing blend of 1800 Blanco Tequila, lime fresno agave, Cointreau, served on the rocks with a tajin rim. Its perfect balance of spice, heat, and acidity made it an instant favorite.

On the other hand, The Good Fella is a great option if you want to start with a light, delicate drink. It’s a highball with J.W. Black Label and J.W. Double Black Scotch whiskies, mango, and tonic water.

Moving on to the food, we started with the Fried Calamari, served with marinara sauce. The Middle Eastern-inspired spices in the batter took our taste buds on a delightful journey. The calamari remained crunchy even after an hour, a testament to the restaurant's commitment to quality.

The Kale Salad, with pomegranate, shaved Parmesan, pumpkin seeds, and lemon vinaigrette, provided a refreshing and tangy experience. The layers of flavors and textures in this well-composed dish were truly palatable.

Finally, it’s time to taste their pizza. They recently won a What’s On Award for having the best pizza in town and for good reason. We had their Margherita Pizza and while the simplicity of flavors were expertly executed, I now understand why they coveted the award. The secret is in their dough. It was incredibly soft even as it got cold. The airiness was maintained while still being chewy at the same time. Simply delightful!

For desserts, the signature Tiramisu instantly became a favorite, with its perfectly balanced bitterness of coffee and sweetness. Pair it with the Dates and Coffee mocktail for an unforgettable combination.

The Lemon Tart was adorned with a silky-smooth meringue, raspberry, and a basil leaf. The interplay of textures and flavors in this dessert was like a firework display in our mouths. From the fruitiness of the raspberry to the tanginess of the lemon filling, every bite was a delightful surprise.

I was planning to give this place 5 stars. Great food great ambience, great service, until I had to go to the washroom that’s located outside the restaurant. The bouncer refused to let me back into the club to enter the restaurant, rude and disrespectful, asking you to take the full circle to go back in. Work on manners! Takes you a much longer way

The Nice Guy, Trade Centre

This LA import has created a refuge for the A-listers during their Dubai sessions. With a firm “no photos” rule, and a menu telling tales of upscale comfort food, it’s easy to see why - it feels like home. The venue is (very) dimly lit, but that's also what gives the place its vibe - a 1960s west coast bolthole, with live music gigs and classic cocktails filling your senses.

???? 6/8: While it's a stretch to call this the perfect bar setup, it’s the perfect spot for people watching. With one eye on the bar, and the other one to the restaurant floor, you’re bound to get your weekly dose of “isn’t that”s filled in no time.
???? 6/8: The cocktail menu is following the theme, with names on cocktails like “The Goodfella”, “Godfather Sour” and “Handsome Johnny” - brave takes on classics that mostly turn out on the well. Perhaps Dubai isn’t mature yet, but the mothership in LA has both a number of more cocktails, and also some more advanced libations, e.g. the “Mickey” sounds just about right: Stranahan’s single malt whisky, lemon, turmeric, ginger, honey, Fernet Branca.
????u200d???? 6/8: With the dusky light and booming music, conversations with the bartender is a forlorn attempt - then again, with the place serving up to 1,000 covers (@chefroblar is a machine!), the bartenders are probably needed elsewhere (mixing cocktails) rather than chit chatting with yours truly.
???? 7/8: Big, clear ice, ice stamp. Boom.

As can be seen, with the "no photos" rule it's difficult to do the place justice - with a little imagination though, it's possible to see why this is the best kept secret of celebrities on the look for a hideout - dark wooden panels, intimate dinner booths and a toned down lighting scheme. Most of their cocktails are spot on, albeit served in small glasses. With a more elaborated cocktail menu, they'll be on to something. Meanwhile, take a sip, close your eyes and listen to the live music - and all of a sudden you’ll find yourself waking up in Los Angeles.

Cocktail: Negroni

Everything was perfect, the atmosphere, food and service.
Food was very good, we had appetizers and main courses.
We also enjoyed the classic tiramisu for the dessert.

Lovely new place near difc. The food is fantasic, loved the fish and shrimp starters, the sauces which it comes in are delicious. Cocktails are perfect, and ambience feels very exclusive and chic. Definitely try it out for amazing Italian fare.

From LA to Dubai, The Nice Guy definitely gives you the same mafia style ambiance. The restaurant serves Italian cuisine while sitting in dimmed theme rooms. They play live classical music and the service was great!

I booked outdoor seating however I was surprised to be seated indoors according to the host it was a bit chilly, however, the weather couldn’t better, the temperature was 21 degree Celsius. Additionally, the restaurant should’ve notified me in advance.

From my research I ordered the most recommended dishes and they all were delicious. I recommend all the below however note that the Burrata Salad was average.

We had:

- Burrata Salad (Average)
- Pepperoni Pizza (Nice but a bit salty)
- Strozzapreti Pesto (Pesto Pasta - very creamy!)
- Tiramisu (One of the best I’ve had)
- Dusk till dawn drink (Nice Mocktail)

Was extremely excited to learn this place is opening in Dubai. Upon entrance, the dimly lit interior immediately gave the place an exclusive and intimate vibe. Needless to say, I was immediately won over by the aesthetics and ambience. The staff were extremely nice and helpful from start to finish. Food wise I would recommend the chicken parmigiana (huge portion, easily shareable) and burrata. The pizza was a bit on the small side but tasty nonetheless. Will be back to try more!