The Stage Cinematic Dinner Buffet in Dubai

The Cinematic Dinner Buffet at The Stage Restaurant brings a Hollywood-inspired evening to Paramount Hotel Dubai in Business Bay, with an international buffet and live cooking stations where chefs prepare dishes in front of you. It runs from Tuesday to Saturday, between 6.30pm and 10.30pm, which makes it an easy midweek dinner as well as a weekend plan.

The idea is simple: take a generous hotel buffet and set it inside a hotel built around the films of Paramount Pictures, so the room itself becomes part of the night.

Paramount Hotel Dubai: the setting

Paramount Hotel Dubai opened in Business Bay in November 2019, developed by Paramount Hotels & Resorts in partnership with DAMAC Properties. It sits in a complex of four 270-metre towers, each 68 storeys high, and has 823 rooms. Film runs through the whole building: some suites are themed on Paramount classics such as The Godfather and The Great Gatsby, and the hotel even has its own 55-seat screening room.

The brand behind it is Paramount Pictures, founded in 1912 and one of the oldest surviving Hollywood studios, the home of films from The Godfather to Top Gun. The hotel leans on that heritage everywhere, from the lobby to the dining rooms.

The Stage carries that theme into the dining room with a movie-inspired setting. It also hosts the hotel’s seasonal feasts through the year, from Iftar evenings in Ramadan to festive brunches, while the Cinematic Dinner Buffet is its regular evening offer.

What is on the buffet

The spread is billed as a tour of global culinary classics, so expect an international mix rather than a single cuisine. The highlight is the set of interactive live cooking stations, where chefs cook fresh dishes to order in view of the room. That part of the evening suits a slow dinner: you can graze from the main buffet, then go back to the stations for something hot and freshly made.

The restaurant does not publish a dish list for the buffet, and the selection can vary from night to night. If you have dietary needs, mention them when you book so the team can point you towards suitable stations.

Drinks

Drinks are not included in the base buffet ticket. Beverage upgrade packages, including alcoholic and premium drinks, are available to add at the restaurant. Shisha, tobacco and any speciality items not part of the buffet spread are also extra.

Before or after dinner

If you want to make more of the evening, Paramount Hotel Dubai has a cluster of other venues under the same roof. Over the years these have included the Flash Back speakeasy bar and lounge, the Malibu pool deck and lounge, and The Cheat, a chocolate lab. Check what is open on the night, but a drink before dinner or a stroll through the film-themed lobby is an easy way to stretch out the outing.

Who it suits

• Families: the ticket bands are adult (13 and over) and child (6 to 12), and children aged five and under do not need a ticket, so it is a straightforward family dinner out.
• Groups of friends: a buffet removes the back-and-forth of ordering, and advance booking is recommended for larger groups.
• Film fans: the Paramount theme adds a playful layer to an ordinary dinner, especially if you take a look around the hotel before or after.
• Business Bay residents and visitors: a dependable midweek option on the nights you do not want to cook.

Dress code and booking rules

The dress code is smart casual. Swimwear and overly casual beachwear are not allowed, which is worth remembering if you are staying at the hotel and coming straight from the pool deck.

• Advance booking is recommended, particularly for groups.
• Tickets are non-cancellable and cannot be changed once booked.
• Service runs from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, so arriving earlier gives you more time at the live stations.

Getting there

• By car: take Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) or Ras Al Khor Road (E44), then follow signs into Business Bay. Valet and self-parking are both available at the hotel.
• By Metro: take the Red Line to Business Bay or Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station, then a 5 to 10 minute taxi ride. RTA buses also run through the Business Bay loop nearby.
• By taxi or app: set “Paramount Hotel Dubai, Business Bay” as your destination in Uber, Careem or Yango.

Not to be confused with Paramount Hotel Midtown

Dubai has two Paramount hotels, both in Business Bay. The Stage is at the original Paramount Hotel Dubai, which opened in 2019. The newer Paramount Hotel Midtown, opened in 2022, is home to the Paparazzi Tuscan restaurant. Double-check the hotel name when you set your destination so you arrive at the right tower.

For more ideas, see our dinner and brunch guide, family-friendly kids’ events in Dubai, plans for this weekend and the full list of things to do in Dubai.