Novel microbubble air flotation (MAF) and traditional dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems were compared based on the separation ability of pollutants from oil-containing restaurant wastewater, which was used to verify the strengths of MAF system. The results showed that, when the operational parameters were a PAC dosage of 20 mg/L, reaction time of 15 min, operational pressure of 0.35 MPa, and reflux ratio of 25%, the removal efficiencies of oil, CODcr, and turbidity in MAF were 10.3%, 22.6%, and 15.0% higher than that in DAF, respectively. The maximum removal efficiencies of oil and turbidity in the MAF system were 98.0% and 97.5%. In addition, the minimum microbubble diameter in the MAF system was 20 mu m under the operational pressure of 0.9 MPa, which could be successively and steadily produced. The maximum oil removal efficiency was achieved in the MAF system when the microbubbles and oil-droplets were similar sizes. Therefore, the application of the MAF technology could alleviate the pressure of downstream treatment of oil-containing wastewater.