Chef's Burger

The name says burger, but that undersells it. Chef's Homemade Burger Gourmet is really a smoked meat restaurant that also does burgers — and the smoked meat is the reason to go. The brisket is properly smoked, the ribs have actual bark on them, and the portions are built for people who arrived hungry and plan to leave defeated.

Three Makkah locations means there's usually one within reasonable driving distance of wherever you're staying. None are walking distance from the Haram, so this is a deliberate outing — not a quick bite between prayers.

What to order

Brisket Slices (89 SAR) — The star of the menu. Slow-smoked brisket, sliced and served with sides. When it's good, the meat pulls apart with zero effort and has a proper smoke ring. When it's average, it's still better than what most hotel restaurants attempt.

Smoked Big Ribs (155 SAR) — Substantial bark, decent tenderness. Not competition-level BBQ, but for Makkah it's as close as you'll get. Messy to eat. Don't wear white. Bring wet wipes.

Chef's Brisket Burger (37 SAR) — The crossover pick. Smoked brisket in burger format — the flavour carries through better than you'd expect. At 37 SAR, it's also the cheapest way to try their brisket.

Basic Box (60 SAR) — Two beef burgers, fries, and cherry sauce. The most practical order for a quick, satisfying meal. Good for pairs or a solo with leftovers.

Smoked Cheeks (157 SAR) — Beef cheeks, slow-smoked until they melt. The richest thing on the menu.

Our take

Chef's fills a gap that Makkah didn't know it had. Before this, if you wanted proper smoked meat — not grilled, not rotisserie, actually smoked low-and-slow — your options were essentially zero. Now there's a place that does it properly, in three locations, open late.

The consistency across branches isn't perfect, though. We've heard the Al Awali branch is the most reliable. The other two locations can vary — some visits are spot on, others have slightly dry brisket or underwhelming sides. That's the reality of a growing chain. When it hits, it really hits. When it doesn't, you still have a decent meal, just not the one the menu promised.

The three locations

Branch	Location	Distance from Haram	Google Rating
Al Shoqiyah	Google Maps	~15 min drive	4.1
Al Zaidy	Google Maps	~20 min drive	4.3
Al Awali	Google Maps	~25 min drive	4.1

Al Zaidy is the highest-rated branch. Al Awali is the original and generally considered the most reliable.

Taxi/Uber each way: roughly 30-50 SAR depending on traffic and branch.

Good to know

• Open 1 PM to 3 AM daily, all three branches
• Available on HungerStation and Jahez for delivery
• Portions are large — one smoked plate can be enough for two lighter eaters
• The sauces are made in-house. The smoked cherry sauce and maple sauce (7 SAR each) are worth adding
• There can be a wait on Thursday/Friday evenings — 20-30 minutes at peak times
• No reservations. Walk-in only.
• They started in Makkah in 2016 and have since expanded to Jeddah, Riyadh, Taif, and Dubai
• Instagram: @chefs_sa