Guides
Iraqi Kebab: What Makes It Different, and the Varieties Worth Knowing
Kabab Erbil · August 30, 2026
Kabab Erbil · August 30, 2026
Iraqi kebab is minced by hand, pressed onto a wide flat skewer by hand, and grilled over live charcoal with no binder, no breadcrumb and no filler. That is the whole definition, and it is what separates it from Levantine kafta (finer, heavily parsleyed) and from Turkish adana (chilli-forward). Iraqi kebab is coarser and seasoned lightly, so the lamb and the smoke carry it.
Because it is minced rather than pastes. A machine-fine mince needs a binder to hold together on the skewer; a coarser hand-mince holds by fat and pressure alone. That texture is the point — you should be able to see the meat, not a smooth paste. It also means the fat renders through the meat while it cooks rather than dripping straight out.
The second difference is the skewer. Iraqi kebab uses a wide flat skewer, which spreads the meat thin enough to take real char on both faces in the short time it needs.
The house kebab and the reference point for everything else: hand-minced lamb, charcoal-grilled, lightly seasoned. If you have never eaten Iraqi kebab, order this one before any of the variations. AED 88.
The northern style, from the Erbil region. It keeps the same hand-minced structure with its own seasoning emphasis. AED 88.
Chelow means steamed rice — so chelow kabab is the kebab served over rice rather than with bread. It is the plated, sit-down version of the dish and travels from the Persian tradition into Iraqi kitchens. AED 88.
Kebab worked with pistachio, which gives a sweeter, richer bite against the charcoal. A variation rather than a starting point. AED 92.
Kebab layered or served with grilled aubergine, so the smoke runs through both. AED 92.
Kebab served over bread with yoghurt — a richer, softer plate, and the closest Iraqi cousin to the Turkish yoğurtlu style. AED 88.
The same technique with chicken. The reliable order for children, or for anyone avoiding lamb. AED 81.
| Kebab | Price (AED) |
|---|---|
| Kabab Erbil Al Iraqi | 88 |
| Kurdish kabab | 88 |
| Chelow kabab | 88 |
| Kabab khushash | 88 |
| Kabab baklava | 92 |
| Kabab pistachio | 92 |
| Kabab with eggplant | 92 |
| Kabab with yogurt | 88 |
| Chicken kabab | 81 |
| Mixed grill (kebab, tikka, chops) | 88 |
No. The mince is coarser, there is no binder, and the seasoning is lighter — Turkish adana leads with chilli, Iraqi kebab does not. Full comparison in Iraqi kebab vs Turkish kebab.
Lamb is the default for Iraqi kebab. Chicken is the common alternative.
Bread, grilled tomato and onion, and a sour salad. If you want rice, order chelow kabab rather than adding rice separately. For a first visit, the mixed grill at AED 88 gets you kebab, tikka and chops on one platter.
Yes — everything at Kabab Erbil is 100% halal, and no alcohol is served.
Charcoal-grilled daily at Al Muraqqabat Street in Deira and Al Taawun Street in Sharjah, 09:00–03:00. Order online for delivery across Dubai and Sharjah, or see what else to order alongside it.