For the best BBQ in Karachi, start with Waheed Kabab House on Burns Road for fry and dhaga kabab, Zameer Ansari in Delhi Mercantile Society for Delhi-style reshmi kabab and malai boti, and Shaikh Abdul Ghaffar Kabab House for gola kabab and behari chicken. For a sit-down dinner, Bar.B.Q Tonight at Boat Basin and Kolachi and Kababjees at Do Darya are the big names, and Hussainabad is where to go for Balochi tikka. Most grills are busiest from 8 pm, and in 2026 dine-in has to finish by around 11 pm.
This guide explains what Karachi barbecue is, then goes area by area through the grills the city itself rates, with what to order at each and how late you can eat.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Old-city grills | Waheed Kabab House, Café Laziz (Burns Road) |
| Kabab houses | Zameer Ansari, Shaikh Abdul Ghaffar (Delhi Mercantile Society and nearby) |
| Big sit-down restaurants | Bar.B.Q Tonight (Boat Basin), Kolachi and Kababjees (Do Darya), Lal Qila (Shahrah-e-Faisal) |
| Food street grills | Hussainabad, Boat Basin |
| Busiest | 8 pm onwards, Thursday to Sunday |
| Closing time | Dine-in capped at around 11 pm to 11:30 pm in 2026; takeaway exempt |
What makes Karachi BBQ different?
Karachi's barbecue owes a lot to the families who came from Delhi and Bihar after 1947, which is why so many of its dishes carry names like behari kabab and Delhi-style dhaga kabab. A few you will not find done the same way elsewhere:
- Behari boti and behari kabab. Thin strips of beef marinated in spices and raw papaya, which makes them very soft, then grilled over charcoal. This is the Karachi barbecue dish.
- Dhaga kabab. Minced meat so soft it is tied to the skewer with thread (dhaga) to stop it falling into the coals.
- Gola kabab. Round, soft, heavily spiced mince kababs.
- Fry kabab. Mince kababs finished in butter or ghee on a pan, a Burns Road speciality.
- Malai boti and reshmi kabab. Chicken marinated in cream and mild spices, the gentler choice for children.
- Balochi tikka. Barbecued meat that is then deep-fried and served with a thick gravy, a speciality of Hussainabad.
Most places serve barbecue with naan, paratha or puri paratha, a thin, crisp, deep-fried bread, plus raita and green chutney.
Burns Road: the old-city grills
Waheed Kabab House, off Burns Road, is famous for its fry kabab sautéed in butter. Many Karachi families buy them to take home. The dhaga kabab is just as good, and the menu also runs to beef boti and chicken tikka. It is a basic, busy place: you come for the kababs, not the seating.
Café Laziz, on the same street, is the other name people mention for barbecue on Burns Road. Our Burns Road food street guide covers the rest of the street.
Delhi Mercantile Society and Tariq Road: the kabab houses
Zameer Ansari is known for Delhi-style barbecue. Its original branch is in Delhi Mercantile Society near Alamgir Masjid, and there is another on the Sher Shah Suri Road service road in North Nazimabad. Order the dhaga kabab, reshmi kabab and chicken malai boti with freshly fried puri paratha. Seating at the original branch is limited, and many people eat in their cars.
Shaikh Abdul Ghaffar Kabab House began off Tariq Road and has a branch near Riaz Masjid in Delhi Mercantile Society. It is known for gola kabab, behari chicken, dhaga kabab and malai boti, and for finishing the meal with sooji ka halwa. Dawn described the original as a multi-storey place with a family hall and rooftop seating, which makes it a good choice with children or older parents.
These are evening places. They are busiest after 8 pm and do a lot of takeaway.
Boat Basin: Bar.B.Q Tonight and the food street
Bar.B.Q Tonight, in Block 5 Clifton at the Boat Basin end, has been running for more than two decades and is one of Karachi's best-known barbecue restaurants. It is a large building with several floors and rooftop seating, which matters on a busy weekend night. Order the mutton chops, seekh kabab, behari kabab and Afghani tikka.
Around it, the Boat Basin food street has smaller grills such as Tandoori Hut, known for tikka and behari kabab, along with paratha rolls, biryani and ice cream. It is the easiest barbecue night out for a family that wants a choice of dishes. Our Boat Basin food street guide covers parking and the best hours.
Do Darya and Shahrah-e-Faisal: barbecue with a view
Do Darya, on Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue in DHA Phase 8, has restaurants on the seafront. Kolachi, on a terraced site above the water, is known for its setting and for gola kabab, chapli kabab, reshmi kabab, malai tikka and fried fish. Kababjees, also at Do Darya, has branches on Shaheed-e-Millat Road and in North Nazimabad, and is known for malai boti, beef seekh kabab, mutton chops and beef behari boti. Our Do Darya guide covers the area.
Lal Qila, on Shahrah-e-Faisal, is a large Mughal-style restaurant with a big courtyard, known for chatpata tikka and pencil kabab, and for its buffet.
Expect to pay more at these restaurants than at a kabab house, because you are paying for the setting and the table service as well. They suit a special family dinner or a group celebration more than a quick meal.
Hussainabad: Balochi tikka and chargha
Hussainabad, in Federal B Area, is a food street rather than a single grill, with more than 50 stalls and restaurants. Two dishes stand out for barbecue lovers:
- Balochi tikka at Bolan Restaurant and Tayyabi'z, a restaurant that dates from 1967. Both also do kata-kat, offal and meat chopped and fried on a griddle.
- Chargha at Ghousia Fast Food, a whole chicken marinated and deep-fried, which is a takeaway-only counter.
Our Hussainabad food street guide covers the rest of the street and the best evenings to go.
How late can you eat barbecue in Karachi in 2026?
Karachi's barbecue used to run until the early hours, but 2026 has been different. Sindh's fuel-saving order of April 2026 allowed restaurants to serve dinner between 7 pm and 11:30 pm, and the federal timings retained in June 2026 have restaurants, cafés and eateries closing by 11 pm. Takeaway and home delivery are exempt in both.
So if you want a late night, order takeaway or delivery, which most of the places above offer. Treat any opening hours you find online from before 2026 as out of date, and check the current rule in the news before you go.
What does barbecue cost in Karachi?
We don't quote prices, because we could not find reliable 2026 menus for these restaurants and prices have risen sharply with the cost of meat and fuel. As a guide, the kabab houses and food-street grills are much cheaper than the big seafront and sit-down restaurants. Most of the larger restaurants publish their menus on their own apps or on delivery apps, so check there before you go if you are on a budget.
Which BBQ place suits you?
- For one classic Karachi dish: fry kabab at Waheed on Burns Road.
- For the best kababs with no fuss: Zameer Ansari, eaten in the car with puri paratha.
- For a family dinner with seating: Shaikh Abdul Ghaffar's family hall, or Bar.B.Q Tonight.
- For a view of the sea: Kolachi or Kababjees at Do Darya.
- For something different: Balochi tikka and chargha at Hussainabad.
If you only have one evening, combine barbecue with other food: our Karachi food tour links Burns Road, Saddar and Boat Basin in one route. For barbecue elsewhere in the country, see our best BBQ in Lahore guide, and for more ideas in the city, our experiences page.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best BBQ restaurant in Karachi?
There is no single answer, but the names Karachi people mention most are Waheed Kabab House, Zameer Ansari, Shaikh Abdul Ghaffar, Bar.B.Q Tonight, Kolachi and Kababjees. For classic kababs, the smaller kabab houses are usually better than the big restaurants.
What is behari boti?
Thin strips of beef marinated in spices and raw papaya, then grilled over charcoal until very soft. It is Karachi's signature barbecue dish.
Which BBQ places in Karachi have a sea view?
Kolachi and Kababjees at Do Darya, on Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue in DHA Phase 8, sit on the seafront.
Are Karachi BBQ restaurants open late at night?
Less than before. Under the 2026 fuel-saving timings, dine-in service has been limited to around 11 pm or 11:30 pm, but takeaway and delivery are exempt.
Where can I find Balochi tikka in Karachi?
Hussainabad food street in Federal B Area, where Bolan Restaurant and Tayyabi'z are known for it.
