What’s the dining experience like at Salt Bae’s Abu Dhabi restaurant?

If you’re heading to one of Salt Bae’s viral restaurants, don’t expect to have control over how your meat is cooked.

Forget the usual choices like medium, rare, or Cajun-spiced. At Salt Bae’s, it’s all about cooking it one way: Sexy.

Nusret Gokce, also known as Salt Bae, became an internet sensation thanks to his seductive salting style in viral Instagram videos.

His iconic move, where he bends his elbow and sprinkles salt from his sculpted forearm, has turned into countless internet memes.

Singer Bruno Mars even shared a frame of Salt Bae performing his signature salty move on Twitter, captioning it with “Annndddd I’m out.”

Behind the flashy salting technique is an inspiring tale of a young boy from a working-class family with dreams of becoming a world-class chef.

Staff at his latest restaurant, Nusr-et Steakhouse in Abu Dhabi’s luxurious Galleria Mall—home to high-end brands like Boss and Ermenegildo Zegna—declined to comment on the record.

It wasn’t due to a gag order, but rather because the constant stream of customers, including members of Emirati royalty, kept them busy tending to tables.

From dishwasher to culinary superstar.

Gokce is said to have been born into a mining family in rural Turkey. A friend recalls that he started out as a dishwasher, working long hours while never losing sight of his dream to one day open his own restaurant.

He began bonding with regular customers and experimenting with his own recipes. As word of his culinary skills spread, patrons would specifically request his special creations.

The buzz grew, and gradually, the legend of Salt Bae started to take shape.

Today, Gokce owns six restaurants across Turkey and the UAE, where everyday diners enjoy meals alongside celebrities and members of the Emirati royal family.

Plans are already underway to open locations in major European cities, with rumors that he’s scouting spots in London.

A typical evening at his latest restaurant reveals just how much more passionate Gokce is about meat in person than in his viral videos.

Dressed in his signature tight black-and-white T-shirts – and arguably even tighter pants – he personally welcomes guests, often carving and serving their meals right at the table.

Many of the videos circulating online are taken by diners themselves, who capture the experience on their smartphones and share it on social media.

When not mingling with customers, Gokce is busy engaging with his fan base on social media, with his phone always in hand. His Instagram alone boasts an impressive 2.4 million followers.

The flavors at his restaurants are nothing short of explosive, leaving a lasting impression on every guest.

Gokce is known to put in 18-hour workdays, meticulously inspecting and carving each cut of beef that is flown in from slaughterhouses he personally visits.

Even the sweet baklava, which is plated with impressive knife skills, is flown in fresh from Turkey every day.

As a team of waiters, many sporting mustaches reminiscent of early 20th-century Turkey's Ataturk era, hustle through the restaurant, the air is filled with bold, meat-laden aromas coming from the open kitchen.

One of his signature dishes, beef 'sushi,' is prepared at the table with a blowtorch, the flames leaping from wooden boards and shooting up several feet in the air.

The result is a unique dish that delivers a taste like no other.

Tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth meat is paired perfectly with crispy fried shavings and subtle notes of traditional Japanese sushi fillings.

Meant to be eaten by hand, this dish is soft, warm, and moist, leaving both your hands and lips deliciously damp—just part of the full experience.

It’s an intense bite, revealing layers of contrasting textures and bold, unexpected flavors that explode in your mouth.

‘Steak spaghetti’

Another highlight is the 'steak spaghetti,' where long, thin slices of steak are flash-grilled and served table-side, with each piece carefully twirled around a fork by the waiter.

The meat is succulent, fresh, perfectly seasoned, and nearly melts in your mouth—just shy of being too tender to believe.

Gokce’s dedication to perfection is evident in every dish, with each course outdoing the one before it.

The portions are just the right size to appreciate the flavors without overwhelming guests with too much meat.

Ultimately, the true star of the menu is Gokce himself.

And yes, despite his fame, he’s married—though not in the way you might expect.

"His work is his spouse," shares one staff member. "He rarely leaves unless it's to explore potential new locations."