Eat · Fountains Square & Nizami Street
Sumakh Bar & Grill
Book ahead for dinner: a modern take on Azerbaijani grill and mezze near Fountains Square, popular with visitors and locals for a nicer night out.
- Modern Azerbaijani menu
- Good for a group sharing several plates
- Book ahead for weekend dinners
- Order: Modern Azerbaijani tasting menu
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: lunch, weekdays
- Queue risk: dinner, no booking
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8The Armenia–Azerbaijan and Armenia–Türkiye land borders a…Georgia treats entry to Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Ru…Apply for the e-visa only on the official portal (ASAN Visa)Azerbaijan's land border with Armenia is closed to ordina…Old City lanes are cobbled, stepped and mostly closed to …
- Caucasus ↗The Armenia–Azerbaijan and Armenia–Türkiye land borders are closed; any route that crosses them is not a route, however short it looks.
- Caucasus ↗Georgia treats entry to Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Russia as illegal; entering that way can mean arrest or a ban when you next reach Georgia proper.
- Azerbaijan ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official portal (ASAN Visa); lookalike sites charge extra.
- Azerbaijan ↗Azerbaijan's land border with Armenia is closed to ordinary travellers, and several governments advise against travel near it and in the former conflict areas because of mines and military zones. Read your own government's current advice before you book anything outside Baku and Absheron.
- Azerbaijan ↗Do not photograph military sites, government buildings or oil and gas installations; drones need a permit.
- Absheron ↗Baku is exposed to strong northerly winds (Khazri): cliff paths and viewpoints can be closed, and hats and light bags blow away.
- Baku ↗Old City lanes are cobbled, stepped and mostly closed to cars: large suitcases go from the car to the door and never on a walk.
- Baku ↗Use a ride-hailing app or your hotel's taxi: street taxis quote high fares to visitors, and the app fare is shown upfront.
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Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Easiest walk-in
lunch, weekdays
Reservations
Reserve ahead
Per person
AZN 25–402026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- Not on fileVegetarian · The mezze plate and several sides are vegetarian; mains are largely meat and fish. · say: “Mən ət yemirəm.”
- AskHalal
- AskGluten · Grilled meat and vegetable dishes without bread are the safest options; ask staff to confirm sauces. · say: “Mən qlütensiz yeməyə ehtiyacım var.”
Paying
- Check the menu for a service charge line before adding your own tip.
Booking
- Booking
- Reserve ahead
- Reservations
- Taken
- Note
- Recommended for dinner and weekends (field-verify).
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Bu neçəyədir? | boo NEH-cheh-yeh-deer |
| Not spicy, please | Acı olmasın | AH-juh ol-mah-SUHN |
| The bill, please | Hesabı, zəhmət olmasa | heh-sah-BUH zeh-MEHT ol-mah-SAH |
| Hello | Salam | sah-LAHM |
| Thank you | Sağ olun | sah oh-LOON |
| Delicious! | Çox dadlıdır! | chokh DAHD-luh-duhr |
Portions and sharing
- Start with the mezze plate, then share a saç kabab for the table.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Check the menu for a service charge line before adding your own tip.
- Tipping: Not automatic; round up or add 5–10% in restaurants without a service charge already on the bill.
Paying, diet and allergies
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetariannot on file
The mezze plate and several sides are vegetarian; mains are largely meat and fish.
Show: Mən ət yemirəm.
- Halalask
- Glutenask
Grilled meat and vegetable dishes without bread are the safest options; ask staff to confirm sauces.
Show: Mən qlütensiz yeməyə ehtiyacım var.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: ask · stroller: ok · More of an evening-out venue than a family-first spot, but welcoming to well-behaved children at lunch
- Access
- step-free: ok · Modern restaurant fit-out; confirm step-free access at the door
Hygiene
- Modern kitchen with table service; standard hygiene expectations for a mid-to-upper restaurant.
Facts
- Reservations
- Taken — Recommended for dinner and weekends (field-verify).
- Capabilities
- food · toilet
- Diet
- vegetarian: some · gluten free: ask · halal: some
- Getting there
- Near Fountains Square / the Boulevard side of the centre · ~10 min walk
Cons
- Higher prices than a typical local grill house.
- Weekend evenings need a reservation.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Mezze plate | A shared starter spread of small dishes: dips, herbs, cheese and pickles. | Order one for the table to start, even for two people. |
| Sumakh (sumac) | A tart, dark-red ground spice used across the region, the venue's namesake. | Often sprinkled over grilled meat and salads here. |
| Saç kabab | Mixed grilled meat and vegetables served sizzling on a metal saç plate. | A shareable main for two or more. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A mid-range restaurant meal with a main and a drink runs about ₼25–40 (2026 estimate).
- tourist price
- Similar for locals and visitors here; prices are set on the printed menu.
- rule
- Check the menu for a service charge line before adding your own tip.
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
What should I order?
Start with the mezze plate, then share a saç kabab for the table.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Is it good value?
Mid-to-upper for Baku; a step up from a local grill house in both price and presentation.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Mangal House5 min walkWalk-in grill house near Fountains Square: lamb and chicken kebab off the mangal (charcoal grill), fast turnover, no booking needed most nights.
- Boulevard Teahouse14 min walkA shaded seafront tea house along the Boulevard: armudu glasses of black tea, pakhlava and other sweets, walk-in seating with a sea view.
- Firuze14 min walkSit-down Azerbaijani home cooking inside the Old City: plov, dolma and piti; go before 13:00 or book ahead for dinner, when tour groups fill the room.Sit-down Azerbaijani home cooking inside the Old City: plov, dolma and piti; go before 1:00 PM or book ahead for dinner, when tour groups fill the room.Reserve ahead
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Baku, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Baku in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Baku (eat)
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.