Amman, Jordan — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Amman, Jordan
Restaurants
Expensive
Al Mukhtar
Enjoy Lebanese mezzas in traditional Andalusian surroundings at Al Mukhtar, located in Le Méridien Hotel. This authentic Lebanese restaurant, formerly known as Abdel Wahab Restaurant, employs Lebanese staff to ensure a truly authentic experience. Reservations are essential.
Le Méridien Hotel, Queen Noor Street, Shmeisani
Tel: (06) 569 6511.
Website: www.amman.lemeridien.com
Fakhr El-Din
Housed in a charming, old renovated house in a swanky section of Amman, this is one of the finest restaurants in the capital and popular with diplomats and business people. The food is Lebanese and as good as it gets in Amman: a great variety of mezzas, meat and chicken grills, as well as fish, imported freshly from the Arabian Gulf, and delicious Lebanese desserts. It's pricey but well worth the money. Reservations are essential.
Second Circle, behind the Iraqi Embassy on Taha Hussein Street
Tel: (06) 465 2399.
Website: www.fakhreldin.com
Moderate
Al Quds
This is a traditional Arabic restaurant and the menus are all in Arabic so ordering can be a bit of an adventure. But the food is first class and reasonably priced. The mansaff - a traditional, yogurt-based Jordanian dish - is particularly good.
King Hussein Street
Tel: (06) 463 0168.
Tannoureen Restaurant
Although expensive for Amman, the superb Lebanese food, extensive menu and first-class service mean great value for money. Booking is advisable.
Shatt Al-Arab Street, near Sixth Circle
Tel: (06) 551 5987.
Website: http://207.36.117.175/tannoureen.net
Cheap
Hashem
A long established cheap and cheerful diner with a very limited menu of tasty dishes, including felafel, hummus and fuul (fava bean paste). It is a very colorful establishment and although a definite contender for the title ‘the cheapest place to eat in Amman', it counts the Royal Family amongst its patrons.
Opposite the Cliff hotel on Alamir Mohamed Street
Tel: (06) 463 6440.
Nightlife
Amman bars and clubs range from ultra-trendy and ultra-expensive stomping grounds for Amman's rich to sleazy flesh-markets frequented by desperate men. There's plenty of the latter.
Information on nightlife in Amman may be difficult to find but The Jordan Times (www.jordantimes.com) has daily listings. Some of the top places don't serve alcohol and there is little or nothing staying open later than 0100 or 0200.
Bars
Big Fellow
The Big Fellow, in the Sheraton Entertainment Center off Abdoun Circle, is dedicated to the memory of Michael Collins and serves proper Irish traditional food and Guinness. There are also live screenings of international sports events.
Abdoun Circle, Abdoun
Tel: (06) 593 4766.
Saluté
Saluté, located opposite Fakhr El-Din restaurant behind the Iraqi Embassy, is a feisty, trendy bar popular with the young crowd who favor loud music. The view from the terrace is impressive.
Second Circle
Tel: (06) 465 1458.
The Irish Pub
The Irish Pub can be found in the basement of the Dove Hotel between the Fourth and Fifth Circles. It's not much like an Irish pub but is a popular dance venue, particularly on Thursday nights. It also serves a hearty food menu, including fish and chips and chicken quesadilla, and sometimes hosts dart tournaments and salsa nights.
Dove Hotel, 16 Qurtuba Street, Fifth Circle
Tel: (06) 569 7601.
Clubs
JJ's
JJ's, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel near Third Circle, has British DJs playing the latest music, attracting well off young Ammanis and expats.
Grand Hyatt Hotel, Al-Hussein bin Ali Street
Tel: (06) 465 1234, ext 6754.
Website: www.amman.grand.hyatt.com
Kanabayé
Kanabayé is a café-restaurant that metamorphoses into a packed nightspot with great salsa nights on Tuesdays. Wednesday is Ladies' Night, Thursday is clubbing nights, and Fridays and Saturdays have DJs.
Third Circle
Tel: (06) 464 2830.
Website: www.kanabaye.com
Live Music
Blue Fig
The Blue Fig has live music weekly as well as several bars, a movie room and outside terrace. Thursday nights are very busy.
Al-Amir Hashem bin Al-Hussein Street
Tel: (06) 592 8800.
Website: www.1stjordan.net/bluefig
Royal Cultural Center
For a more cultured musical experience, try the Royal Cultural Center which occasionally hosts concerts, usually in Arabic. It's located in the Shmeisani area not far from the Regency Palace Hotel at Interior Circle.
Al-Malekah Alia Street, Shmeisani
Tel: (06) 566 1026.
