Marrakech restaurants: the best + where to eat (selections & reservations)

When we talk about restaurants in Marrakech, we're talking about much more than just a place to eat. Depending on the evening, it could be a quiet tajine on a terrace overlooking the rooftops of the medina, a grand dinner with music and dancing, a simple neighborhood table or a lively rooftop with cocktails and a DJ. The city is big, the atmosphere changes from one street to the next, and this is often where travelers get a little lost: where to go, how much to expect, which neighborhood to choose so as not to get into the wrong party.

To give you some pointers, keep in mind three broad budget ranges. For a snack or small local eatery, you're often looking at around 60-120 MAD per person (≈ €6-11). For a more sedate sit-down restaurant - good Moroccan, simple rooftop, decent international cuisine - count more like 150-300 MAD (≈ 14-28 €) excluding alcohol. As soon as you move on to larger tables, festive venues or dinners with live entertainment, the bill quickly climbs towards 400-900 MAD per person (≈ 37-80 €), especially if you add cocktails and bottles.

The main dining areas are the Medina (riads, small terraces, lively alleyways), Guéliz (the modern city, lots of neighborhood restaurants, cafés and bistros), Hivernage (hotels, festive restaurants, trendy addresses) and the Palmeraie (houses and gardens a little further out, often very beautiful, but requiring cab or VTC). This page doesn't list all the establishments in Marrakech: it classifies the restaurants by type of experience to help you quickly choose the atmosphere that suits your trip, then lets you click to the cards that speak to you most.

And since we often get the question “and where should I sleep to be close to all this?”, we've prepared the following for you a complete guide to where to stay in Marrakech Medina, Guéliz, Hivernage, Palmeraie... all with their own advantages and limitations, depending on your travel style.

Show & Dinner Show Restaurants

Dinner shows in Marrakech, Here, it's a bit like the big show of the holiday. You don't just come to eat: you come to spend an entire evening with dancers, singers, musicians, sometimes acrobatics or more modern tableaux. The room fills up, the lights go down, the food arrives, the music goes up... and you spend the evening alternating between your plate and the stage. It's typically the kind of evening you'd book for a birthday, an EVJF, a large group of friends or a couple looking for a memorable souvenir.

As for the budget, you'll need to plan ahead: depending on the address and the formula, you're often looking at between 500 and 900 MAD per person (≈ 45-80 €), excluding very high-end bottles. The heart of the season, and of the evenings, is played out from Thursday to Sunday, with a real ramp-up on Fridays and Saturdays. It's best to book, sometimes several days in advance, if you want a good table with a view of the stage. Arrive around 8:30-9pm, so you can enjoy a quiet meal before the show really begins.

There are a couple of practical points to bear in mind. The music is loud: not the right format if you have a big conversation to finish. Dress neatly but relaxed rather than in flip-flops and beach shorts. And if the restaurant is out of the way - in the Palmeraie, on the Ourika or Fès road - it's best to arrange return transport in advance, so you don't end up negotiating for a cab at the exit at 1am.

Festive restaurants & atmosphere

Festive restaurants are a bit like the softer little sister of the dinner and show. You come first for dinner, but you know that as the evening progresses, the music will rise, the lights will change, some people will dance between the tables, and the place will slowly slip from restaurant mode into something very much like a party. Sometimes there's a DJ, sometimes a live band, sometimes just a good playlist and a front-of-house team who like to get customers involved.

The difference is that there doesn't have to be a big, structured show, but rather an overall atmosphere. It's perfect for a group of friends, a couple who like music and energy, or a pre-party before hitting the club. Services often start around 8-8.30pm and can last until 1am-2am, especially on weekends. You can come early for a quiet meal, or aim for the second half of the evening if you're looking for a higher sound level.

In terms of budget, generally allow 300-600 MAD per person (≈ 28-55 €) depending on standing, number of courses and cocktails. The public is a mix of travelers, locals and expatriates, with a fairly international atmosphere. Remember to check whether the establishment serves alcohol (it's not automatic everywhere) and whether there are minimum consumption limits for certain tables. And here again, it's better to book on Thursday, Friday and Saturday rather than taking chances by arriving unannounced at 9.30pm.

Rooftop restaurants & view terraces

Rooftops and terraces are something of a rite of passage in Marrakech. You climb a few steps, come out on to a terrace, and suddenly the city calms down: roofs of the medina, minarets in the distance, sometimes the Atlas Mountains in the background when the sky is clear. We come here to watch the sun fall, to see the lights come on little by little, to take in the city without being in the middle of the noise. Some places are very chill, almost like an open-air lounge, while others have more of a cocktail bar atmosphere, with DJs and dimmed lights.

The best time is often the famous golden hour, between late afternoon and early evening, then early night. You can nibble a few mezzés, share a tajine, or choose a more international menu. For a full rooftop dinner, frequently count 200-350 MAD per person (≈ 18-32 €) excluding drinks, and 80-150 MAD (≈ 7-14 €) for a cocktail depending on the venue. Some are perfect for a simple sunset drink before dinner elsewhere, others are real tables where you stay all evening.

Two or three reflexes to keep in mind. Book in advance if you want a table on the edge of the terrace - it's the first thing to go. From November to March, don't be fooled by the 20-degree daytime temperatures: a jacket or scarf is never too much once the sun goes down. And if you're traveling with young children or people with reduced mobility, check access: not all terraces have elevators, and some staircases are narrow.

Moroccan restaurants (traditional)

A traditional Moroccan restaurant in Marrakech is often the image one has before arriving: a patio with zelliges, lanterns, a few palm trees, tables set around a fountain, the smell of hot bread and spices wafting through the air. On the plate, you'll find the great classics: Moroccan salads, briouates, harira, chicken or lamb tagines, Friday couscous, pastilla, brochettes, honey pastries and mint tea served piping hot. Some places are very simple, others emphasize decor and experience.

It's often the best gateway to a first evening: you suddenly understand the logic behind the dishes, you see what everyone calls a good tajine, and you have time to settle down after the day's travel. On the budget side, a full meal generally runs around 150-250 MAD per person (≈ 14-23 €) excluding alcohol, more if you're in a very well-known riad or a very central address. But you can still find very decent family restaurants in the medina or in the new town.

On the spot, give the meal time to unfold. Don't hesitate to ask for the daily specials or the house specialty, to share several starters and one or two tagines in the middle of the table. In the medina, it's a good idea to plan ahead to find the address in the alleyways, especially on the first few nights: it would be a shame to arrive stressed when the whole point is to slow down.

Restaurants for (romantic) couples

For a dinner for two, Marrakech knows how to be very sweet. A romantic restaurant here doesn't have to be an overpriced address, but rather a series of small details: subdued lighting, a few candles, a terrace or garden a little out of the way, music playing in the background, discreet service that's there when you need it. Some tables offer a view of the city, others an intimate patio, still others a secret garden.

We come here to celebrate something - a romantic weekend, a wedding anniversary, a proposal, or simply the desire for an evening all to ourselves. Depending on the level of refinement, expect to pay 300-600 MAD per person (≈ 28-55 €) for a candlelit dinner, more if you opt for a very gastronomic menu or a wine and food pairing. Simpler, but well-chosen addresses can offer an equally pleasant setting for a gentler budget.

Two tips that change everything. First, when booking, ask for a particular area: terrace, view, quieter corner, secluded table. Secondly, if you're celebrating a special occasion, say so: some places like to mark the occasion with a little attention. Arriving a little before sunset allows you to enjoy first the colors of the sky, then the night as it settles in. And if you prefer peace and quiet, avoid long weekends and opt for weekday evenings instead.

Family & group restaurants

When you're traveling to Marrakech with a family or large group, you're not looking for the same things as when you're dining one-on-one. You need tables that can be joined together, children's menus that don't just consist of French fries, patient service, space for strollers or for a child to stand up without getting in everyone's way. Some restaurants are used to dealing with groups, with dishes to share and fixed menus, and this changes everything about the way the evening unfolds.

For a family or group meal in a classic restaurant, expect to pay 120-220 MAD per adult (≈ 11-20 €) excluding drinks, and around 60-100 MAD for a simple children's menu. For very large groups, some addresses offer negotiated starter - main course - dessert menus, which help to avoid unpleasant surprises on the final bill. The most important thing is to let us know in advance: here, we'd rather know that there are ten or twelve of you than to discover the group at the restaurant door at 8.30pm.

Before booking, ask three questions: are there high chairs or a quieter area to sit with little ones? Does the music get loud after a certain hour? Does the restaurant agree to take the children's dishes out earlier? By aiming for the first services (7:30-8:30 p.m.) and avoiding very festive places, you can enjoy a real family dinner without feeling that you're intruding.

Good restaurants in Marrakech

Marrakech may give the image of a city where everything is concept and experience, but on a day-to-day basis, for those who live here, you can also eat very well without breaking the bank. Between snack bars, neighborhood gargotes, small riads serving a simple menu and canteens frequented by locals, it's entirely possible to indulge on a reasonable budget. We often eat on the go at lunchtime, then save a little more for one or two dressier evenings.

For a quick snack (sandwich, panini, brochettes, crêpe, French fries), we're often in the 30-60 MAD range (≈ 3-6 €). In a small local restaurant with a dish of the day or homemade tagine, 80-120 MAD per person (≈ 7-11 €) is usually enough, especially if you drink water or a soda. A simple starter + main course lunch is still affordable at many addresses as soon as you move away from the main square or the places heavily promoted on the networks.

The idea is not to chase the lowest price, but to aim for good value for money. Look at the menu before you sit down, check that the prices are clearly displayed, and clearly ask the price for anything that isn't indicated (fish, seafood, fresh juice). In the big tourist spots, prices are automatically higher, especially in the evening and at peak times. A few streets away, you'll often find simpler but very honest eateries, where you can eat well on a budget that's still comfortable.

FAQ - Restaurants Marrakech

What's the budget for a restaurant in Marrakech?

It all depends on the type of evening you're looking for. For a snack bar or small local eatery, expect to pay around 60-120 MAD per person (≈ 6-11 €). A decent Moroccan restaurant, a quiet rooftop or a brasserie often run around 150-300 MAD (≈ 14-28 €) excluding alcohol. Festive addresses and dinner shows, on the other hand, can easily climb to 400-900 MAD (≈ 37-80 €) depending on the venue and drinks. Before booking, a glance at the online menu or a message to ask for a price range helps avoid unpleasant surprises.

Do I need to book restaurants in Marrakech in advance?

For some places, yes, clearly. Anything that's a well-known rooftop, a festive restaurant, a dinner and show or a large romantic table is often booked several days in advance, especially from Thursday to Saturday and during school vacations. For smaller neighborhood addresses or simpler medina restaurants, you can often get there without a reservation if you arrive early, around 7:30-8pm. What to avoid: arriving at 9:30 pm on a Friday evening at a popular restaurant without having given advance notice, you're likely to be kept waiting, or even turned away.

Where to eat out in Marrakech?

If you're staying in the medina, you'll already have plenty of choice on foot: riads, terraces, little addresses hidden away in the alleyways. Guéliz, the modern city, offers a more local atmosphere, with brasseries, snack bars, bistros and world cuisine. Hivernage is home to numerous hotels, rooftops and festive restaurants, ideal if you're looking for a lively evening out. La Palmeraie, meanwhile, is home to a number of attractive addresses, often in gardens or houses, but almost always requiring a cab or VTC. The idea is to choose a district according to your accommodation and the type of evening you're looking for.

Where to eat in Marrakech on your first evening if you don't know the city?

For a first evening, it's easiest to choose a traditional Moroccan restaurant close to your accommodation, or a quiet rooftop if you like the views. You'll discover the local cuisine without being rushed, you'll get your bearings, and you'll save the big party nights for later in your stay. In the medina, a riad-restaurant or terrace just a few minutes' walk away means you won't get lost in the alleyways at night. In the new town, a restaurant in Guéliz gets you gently into the mood before, perhaps, a dinner show or a big party another evening.

Can you eat well in Marrakech on a budget?

Yes, and many locals live like this every day. Aiming for snack bars, small neighborhood canteens and simple restaurants where you see a lot of people pass by, you can eat well for 60-120 MAD per person (≈ 6-11 €), sometimes less for a very basic meal. Look at the general hygiene, the rotation of dishes, recent reviews if you're hesitating. And above all, don't choose on price alone: a good small restaurant, a little away from the most touristy spots, will often be barely more expensive but much more pleasant.

Are Marrakech restaurants child-friendly?

Many places welcome families, especially in the early evening. Moroccan restaurants, large terraces and some quiet rooftops are very suitable, with simple dishes that children can share (tajines, kebabs, French fries, pasta in some places). On the other hand, festive restaurants and late-night dinner-shows are not always suitable for little ones, due to noise and timetables. The right thing to do: book early, ask if high chairs or children's dishes are available, and avoid busy periods if you want a really quiet dinner with the family.