What's It Like Eating At The Highest Restaurant In The World?
At 2,717 feet, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world's tallest building. And guess what? That's where you'll find At.mosphere, the world's highest restaurant, which stands at 1,450 feet, on the 122nd floor of the building. If you're afraid of heights, maybe don't opt for the window seat.
It is open for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea — and it certainly puts a spin on "high tea." There is also lounge seating available for people who just want to enjoy the view with a few drinks rather than a sit-down meal. In the lounge area, you can enjoy items like lobster tacos or the ATM burger, composed of Waygu beef, foie gras, and braised onions.
Be prepared to spend some money, though; the prices are as high as the restaurant's elevation. A slice of cheesecake will set you back 120 UAE dirhams ($32). If you want Champagne, you'd better be able to pay for it; a bottle can cost up to 30,000 UAE dirhams ($8,167). Afternoon tea costs 580 UAE dirhams ($157) per person, and a prix fixe dinner with wine costs 17,000 UAE dirhams ($462) per person. Go big or go home, right?[pullquote:left]
As for the experience, we selected a few TripAdvisor reviews from the past year to get some insight. It scored an average of four stars and has received 1,345 reviews. Daniel L. from Sydney, Australia, writes: "By far, the best restaurant I have been too [sic]. The food and service were amazing. We dined for my wife's birthday. We had a window view which, at first, can be nerve-racking looking down 122 floors but after 5 minutes, you become used to it." Here's another good review: "I have to be honest I was fully expecting a bit of a tourist trap, overpriced and riding on its location. I was delighted to be put wrong, so wrong. This small selective menu was talked about with passion by our waiting staff and the food was delicious – the location and views are actually just an additional benefit," writes Blue T of Dubai, UAE.
Not all the reviews are good, though. "Well worth missing the place as food and service is poor and there is no atmosphere pardon the pun so miss it out [sic]," writes Harry M. of Glasgow, United Kingdom. "Ridiculous pricing," writes 46Peter46 from Doha, Qatar, "but a must do at least once, for the view if not the taste of the cuisine."
Here's the review that seems most true, from FreeNomadicSoul of Mumbai, India: "Expensive but does give you a high."