Before you confirm a table, check whether you are paying a deposit, authorising a card, or committing to spend a set amount. Dubai venues use all three—and the cancellation rules can change with the branch, time, group size and booking channel.
There is no single “Dubai restaurant deposit” rule. At Amaya, a group booking may require 50% upfront; Bahu also lists an AED600-per-person minimum spend for certain late weekend reservations, but its policy does not explain how that relates to the card authorisation or no-show fee. At Jass Lounge, the card is not charged for the minimum spend before you arrive. Those are different commitments, even when all three ask for card details.
| Booking example | What is due or held | What happens if plans change |
|---|---|---|
| Amaya, Dubai Mall — parties up to 10 | 50% prepayment to secure the reservation; the page does not say what amount the 50% is calculated from. Groups of 6+ also have AED330 per person minimum spend, excluding children aged 1–10. | Full refund if cancelled more than 48 hours ahead; non-refundable inside 48 hours. The published wording does not explain whether the deposit is credited to the final bill. |
| Bahu, Address Montgomerie — Fri/Sat from 9pm | Verified credit-card pre-authorisation; AED600 minimum spend per person Thu–Sat from 9pm. The page describes authorisation, not an upfront charge. | Table held 15 minutes; after that AED120 per person no-show charge applies. Ask whether the minimum spend and no-show fee stack, and what the authorisation covers. |
| Paros, Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers — groups of 6+ | The policy says “50% advance deposit” and “calculated at AED150 per person”; its arithmetic is unclear, so confirm the exact amount before paying. | It asks for 24 hours’ notice; cancellation fees may apply but no amount is stated. A deposited booking cancelled at least 24 hours ahead gets a 50% refund; a no-show is held for an hour, then released without refund. |
| Revelry — groups of 4+ | 100% advance deposit, calculated at AED50 per person; the policy does not say whether this is later deducted from the bill. | Deposit is non-refundable on cancellation. A deposited reservation is held for an hour for no-shows, then released without refund. The table is also described as held for 15 minutes, so confirm which timing applies to your booking. |
| HUQQA, Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue — indoor smoking area, 6pm–1am | AED300 minimum spend per person for this zone and time. The booking page says busy-period walk-ins may also face a minimum spend. | Cancel at least 24 hours ahead to avoid the listed AED200 late-cancellation or no-show fee. The page does not state the fee’s per-person or per-booking basis; check at checkout. |
| Jass Lounge | Card details secure the booking, but the venue says it does not charge the minimum spend in advance. The minimum varies by night and performance from AED260 to AED1,000 per person, paid at the venue. | Less than 24 hours’ notice or no-show: AED100 per person. Tables are held for 15 minutes. |
| The MAINE Beach House — groups/events | A deposit may be required for group reservations or special events; the team confirms the terms. | The FAQ asks for cancellations or changes at least 48 hours in advance but does not publish a late fee or refund rule. Get the terms in writing when the deposit is quoted. |
The word “deposit” can hide four different arrangements
A card pre-authorisation is a hold, not automatically a payment. Bahu says the card must be verified to confirm certain Friday and Saturday bookings; its policy separately publishes a no-show fee. Jass says card details secure the reservation while the minimum spend is paid at the venue. Before you tap “confirm”, look for the words charged now, held, pre-authorised or pay at venue—and ask how much can actually be taken from the card.
A deposit is an amount the venue asks you to pay in advance. It may be returned, partly returned or forfeited. Amaya promises a full refund only when the cancellation is more than 48 hours ahead. Revelry calls its AED50-per-person advance deposit non-refundable if cancelled. Neither page clearly says whether the deposit is also bill credit, so do not assume that it is.
A minimum spend is a bill commitment, not necessarily a booking fee. At Bahu it applies per person on named nights and times. HUQQA’s AED300 figure is also per person, but only for one specified indoor area and evening window. A minimum spend may be paid at the restaurant, or collected in advance through a booking route; the payment method does not change what it buys.
A prepaid platform booking can turn the minimum spend into wallet credit. Dorsia lists Dubai partner restaurants and says a member prepays a locked-in minimum spend, with the full amount going toward the meal bill. Its terms say that minimum excludes taxes and gratuity, which are settled on the final bill; they also allow a separate processing fee when the reservation is confirmed. Under Dorsia’s general policy, a cancellation at least eight hours before dining returns the amount as platform credit; inside eight hours, half is credited and half forfeited; a no-show forfeits all. Restaurant-specific terms can differ, and the credits are not the same as a cash refund. This is a Dorsia booking model, not a policy shared by the listed restaurants when booked directly.
Before you pay, get these details in writing
Ask what exact amount will be charged today, what will merely be authorised, whether either amount is deducted from the final bill, and whether the minimum spend is per guest or for the whole table. Then confirm the cancellation deadline and time zone, the fee for cancelling late or reducing headcount, the no-show amount, and the grace period if you arrive late. If you booked through an app, follow that app’s cancellation route and check the policy shown on the specific reservation—not just the restaurant’s general page.
The safest comparison is the confirmation screen for your exact date, time, party size, seating area and booking channel. Policies can change, and several venues above publish only part of the calculation. Save the terms before confirming; if the deposit basis or cancellation charge is unclear, ask the venue to state the amount and refund rule before you pay.
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