It’s a versatile venue, appealing to sports fans, young families (with kid-friendly options and even a play area in the outdoor beer garden during cooler months
The Keg Room excels in creating an inviting and unpretentious environment. It’s designed to feel like a comfortable neighbourhood pub, complete with warm lighting, friendly service, and multiple screens for sports enthusiasts.
The Ambiance
Despite its Australian roots, it avoids clichés, opting instead for subtle nods to its heritage through a well-curated international beer selection (including Aussie favorites) and contemporary Aboriginal art. Whether you’re a regular or a first-time visitor, you’ll likely feel right at home.
It’s a versatile venue, appealing to sports fans, young families (with kid-friendly options and even a play area in the outdoor beer garden during cooler months), and groups looking for a relaxed catch-up.
The Food
The menu at The Keg Room is far from typical pub grub. It offers gastro-pub quality dishes with generous portions, presented beautifully and packed with flavour. While leaning into Australian pub classics, the execution is refined.
- Standout Starters: The Battered Dynamite Shrimps are frequently highlighted as a must-try – golden, crispy, and coated in a perfectly balanced tangy, spicy sauce. The Meat Pie is another popular choice, a hearty, comforting dish.
- Mains: Options like the Grilled Chicken Breast served with hand-cut fries are satisfying and well-balanced. Their Fish & Chips are noted for thick flakes and homemade tartar sauce. They also offer a variety of burgers, schnitzels, and salads.
- Desserts: The Broken Cheesecake offers a playful and satisfying end to the meal.
- Kid-Friendly: They cater well to families, with quality kid-friendly options like Schnitzel and Chips, and Cheesy Macs
The Drinks
The Keg Room truly shines with its beverage offerings, especially for hop lovers. They boast a generous selection of hops, including IPAs, lagers, stouts, and seasonal craft brews. The staff are knowledgeable and happy to assist with recommendations.
Prices are considered reasonable for Abu Dhabi, particularly given the portion sizes and quality of food. They offer a daily Happy Hour from 12 pm to 7 pm, providing 30% off a selection of beer, wine, and spirits, making it an excellent spot for affordable drinks.
The Service
The attentive staff consistently receive praise for striking the right balance – always present and helpful, but never intrusive. This contributes significantly to the welcoming and laid-back atmosphere.
The Specials
Events & Specials (Beyond Surf n Turf): The Keg Room keeps things lively with a rotation of themed nights throughout the week:
- Curry Mondays
- Burger Tuesdays & Bingo Night
- Schnitzel & Parmi Night Wednesdays & Quiz Night
- Surf n Turf Thursdays
- Sunday Roast
- Daily Business Lunch & Happy Hour
The Thursday Surf n Turf Night (A Deep Dive):
The Thursday Surf n Turf Night is a highlight on The Keg Room’s weekly calendar and is highly recommended for those looking for a satisfying and indulgent meal.
- The Offering: This special typically features a juicy, perfectly flame-grilled striploin paired with succulent tiger prawns. It’s served with “all the right trimmings” and includes a cold house beverage, making it a complete meal deal.
- Quality: The steak was well-cooked, and the prawns super flavorful, creating a classic and appealing combination. The emphasis is on quality ingredients prepared well, living up to the gastro-pub standard.
- Ambiance on Thursdays: Thursdays are made even more appealing with live music, featuring artists like Rusty Marshall performing popular acoustic favourites. This adds a vibrant, yet still relaxed, atmosphere, perfect for winding down after the work week or gearing up for the weekend. The combination of great food, a dedicated deal, and live entertainment makes Thursday nights at The Keg Room particularly popular.
- Value: Given the inclusion of steak, prawns, trimmings, and a house beverage, the Surf n Turf night generally offers excellent value for money.
We also tried their Combo starter platter for two and loved it, the shrimp tempura was stunning, fresh shrimp crunchy tempura and a decadent dipping sauce made it outstanding and so were teh chicken wings and spiced wedges each a masterpiece plated in true Michelin star worthy style, loved it.
The Verdict
The Keg Room in Al Zeina has successfully carved out a niche as a reliable, high-quality, and genuinely welcoming establishment. Its blend of excellent food, diverse drinks, and a consistent schedule of engaging themed nights makes it a go-to choice.
The Thursday Surf n Turf Night, complemented by live music, stands out as a particularly attractive offering, providing a delicious and entertaining experience at a good value. It’s the kind of place that many visitors find themselves adding to their regular rotation.
The friendly atmosphere, the PAC man machine with over 2,000 games and the board games lying around all make you want to stay longer and have a great time, we got the feel that everyone knew everyone and were happy to welcome new diners with open arms, a great feeling.
The Details
Tucked away in the quiet Al Zeina community at Al Raha Beach, The Keg Room is described as a “hidden gem.” It’s conveniently located in Block A, Al Zeina (opposite Carrefour), making it easily accessible for residents in the area and beyond.
The outdoor beer garden provides additional space, especially enjoyable in cooler weather.
Kudos to Marchand he manager for his efficient management and pleasing personality, we loved how he took car eof all his guest equally, spending time with all of them in turns. Jahed our servewr need s a pat on hi sbakc and a raise, exceptional service and he plays great chess, his tips vere invaluable helping me win my game.
For more info please call + 874 2511
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