A month after reopening its Dubai Festival City restaurant following a major refresh, Off The Hook Seafood Restaurant is marking the transformation as part of a wider evolution of the homegrown brand as it celebrates its 10th year in the UAE.
Reopened in August, the Dubai Festival City location introduces an updated look and refreshed brand identity while retaining the communal seafood dining experience that has been central to Off The Hook since its first restaurant opened in Abu Dhabi in 2016.
For OTH Group Managing Director and co owner Rolly Brucales, the changes reflect how the business itself has developed over the past decade.
“After ten years, we felt it was the right time to refresh the brand and make sure the experience reflects where Off The Hook is today,” Brucales said. “The look has evolved, but the essence remains the same. It is still about sharing food, bringing people together and creating a relaxed dining experience.”
The Dubai Festival City branch is one of the group’s established locations, and its renovation reflects OTH Group’s strategy of strengthening existing operations alongside opening new ones.
“We do not believe growth is only about adding more branches,” Brucales said. “You also have to look at the restaurants you already have and ask whether the customer experience can be improved. Existing locations are just as important as new openings.”
From one restaurant to a wider F&B business
Off The Hook was established in Abu Dhabi in 2016 by a group of Filipino professionals who pooled their resources to enter the restaurant business.
What began as a single seafood concept has since expanded across the UAE and into Qatar, while OTH Group has developed a broader portfolio that now includes Off The Hook Seafood Restaurant, Zutto Suki Ramen and Potato Corner UAE.
The group’s growth has been shaped by what Brucales describes as a measured approach to expansion.
“We look at whether a location makes sense commercially and operationally, whether the customer base is there and whether the business is ready to support the next step,” he said. “Expansion has to be sustainable.”
That approach has become increasingly important as the food and beverage sector continues to face shifting consumer behaviour, rising operating costs and wider regional uncertainty.
Rather than pursuing growth for scale alone, OTH Group has continued to focus on location quality, operational readiness, customer demand and long term viability.
A brand evolving with its customers
The Dubai Festival City renovation also reflects changes in how OTH Group wants the Off The Hook brand to be experienced.
Over the past decade, the restaurant has grown from a concept with strong Filipino community roots into a broader family dining brand serving a multicultural customer base across the UAE.
The refreshed branch aims to reflect that wider audience while preserving the sharing style dining and approachable atmosphere that helped build the brand.
For Brucales, the challenge was to update the restaurant without losing the identity customers already recognised.
“We wanted the branch to feel more current, but still familiar,” he said. “When people walk in, it should still feel like Off The Hook. The goal was not to change who we are, but to make the experience stronger.”
Growth beyond new locations
As OTH Group expanded, the company also increased its focus on employee development and welfare.
Brucales, who built his professional career in accounting and is also a registered financial planner, has promoted financial literacy among employees, including practical guidance on budgeting, saving and longer term financial planning.
The group has also developed an education support initiative for qualified children of employees in the Philippines as part of its broader employee welfare programmes.
Its community engagement has included support for Senses Residential and Day Care for Special Needs in Dubai, alongside other CSR initiatives.
Brucales said the group’s growth strategy is closely linked to creating opportunities for the people behind the business.
“Growth should mean more than opening another restaurant,” he said. “It should also create jobs, develop people and give employees the opportunity to grow with the company.”
Next phase of expansion
The Dubai Festival City refresh comes during an active second half of 2026 for OTH Group.
The group has continued expanding Potato Corner UAE, including its latest Dubai location at BurJuman Mall, while preparing further developments across its restaurant portfolio.
In October 2026, Off The Hook and Zutto Suki Ramen are scheduled to open their first dual brand concept at Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi.
The project will bring both restaurant brands into one destination while retaining separate identities, menus and dining experiences. It will also mark Zutto Suki Ramen’s entry into Abu Dhabi.
The development forms part of OTH Group’s broader strategy of building brands that serve different customer segments while benefiting from the group’s operational experience.
Brucales said the group remains focused on selective expansion rather than rapid growth.
“The business is much bigger than it was when we started, but the fundamentals are still the same,” he said. “We have to manage the business properly, understand our customers and make sure every step we take has a strong reason behind it.”
Ten years after the first restaurant opened in Abu Dhabi, Off The Hook is entering its second decade with a broader portfolio, a more diverse customer base and renewed investment in the locations and experiences that have shaped its growth.