Finding good tapas in Abu Dhabi is harder than it should be. The word gets applied loosely: to any small plate, any vaguely Spanish-sounding menu, any restaurant that wants to suggest a sharing format without committing to the craft behind it. Real tapas have a specific logic to them. They are built around boldness in small formats, designed to be ordered in succession, and intended to carry a table through an entire evening rather than serve as a prelude to something else.
Marcella at Yas Bay is, at its core, a tapas restaurant in the truest sense. The small plates here are not starters dressed up with a different label. They are the main event.
The Tapas Menu at Marcella
The tapas and snacks section of the Marcella menu is the best place to begin, and for many tables, it is where most of the evening stays.
Dishes like the potato and egg tortilla and the pan con tomate are the benchmarks: straightforward on paper, demanding in execution, and revealing in what they say about a kitchen’s standards. Get these right, and everything else follows. At Marcella, both are exactly what they should be.
The snapper carpaccio arrives on tostadas with yellow chilli, pistachio, and candied lemon: clean and sharp, with the acidity doing the work. The salt cod brandade on potato rosti with trout roe is richer and more settled, the kind of plate that rewards a second piece of bread for the sauce.
The chorizo and manchego croquetas are a consistent favourite at the bar: a crunchy shell giving way to a molten interior with the smokiness of the chorizo balanced cleanly by the herb mayo. The lamb ribs with smoked hazelnut and sherry glaze are the most ambitious plate in this section: slow-cooked, collapsing, and carrying enough sweetness from the glaze to work against the richness of the meat.
For those who want to go further, the grilled octopus with roasted red pepper, tomato, and beef fat crouton is the standout from the larger section for anyone eating without a group. The seafood rice with calamari, red prawns, and crab bisque is the obvious choice for the table to share.
Eating at the Bar
One of the things that distinguishes Marcella as a tapas bar rather than simply a Spanish restaurant is the bar itself. The 30-seater zinc-topped bar at the centre of the room was designed for exactly the kind of eating the menu demands: a glass of something from Spain or Portugal, a sequence of small plates arriving in whatever order the kitchen sends them, and an evening that moves at its own pace.
Pintxo Hour runs daily from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with drinks at 50% off and tapas at 10% off. It is the right time to settle in before the full evening service begins.
The Setting on Yas Bay
Marcella’s position on the Yas Bay waterfront gives the dining experience a backdrop that matters. The open views across the bay, the natural movement of people through the promenade, and the warmth of the interior all contribute to the atmosphere that tapas, specifically, benefits from.
This is not food that benefits from silence or from the kind of hushed formality some Abu Dhabi restaurants impose. It benefits from noise, from conversation, from plates passing across the table and glasses being topped up without ceremony. Marcella provides exactly that environment.
Planning Your Visit
Marcella is open from 12:00 PM through to midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar throughout service, but table reservations are recommended in the evenings, particularly on weekends.
Have Any Questions?
Does Marcella serve tapas as a full meal or just as starters?
Tapas at Marcella are designed as a full dining experience. The menu is built around ordering multiple small plates across the evening, not as a prelude to a main course.
What are the most popular tapas dishes at Marcella?
The chorizo and manchego croquetas, patatas bravas, and lamb ribs with sherry glaze are consistent favourites. The snapper carpaccio and seafood rice are strong choices for the table to share.
Is there a happy hour for tapas at Marcella?
Yes. Pintxo Hour runs daily from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with drinks at 50% off and tapas at 10% off.
Can I sit at the bar and order tapas at Marcella?
Yes. The 30-seater zinc-topped bar is open for full food and drinks service throughout the evening. Walk-ins at the bar are welcome based on availability.
What time does Marcella open for dinner?
Marcella is open from 12:00 PM daily. The kitchen runs until midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.