Best Seafood Restaurants in Johor Bahru

The best seafood restaurants in Johor Bahru fall into three groups: waterfront kampung restaurants on the edge of the Strait of Johor, where you choose your crab from the tank; city zi char and curry fish head institutions that locals have eaten at for decades; and casual hawker-centre seafood stalls that come alive after dark. This guide covers all three, plus where to go if you are coming in through the Tuas Second Link.

Every restaurant here appears in at least two food guides from 2025 or 2026 and was open at time of writing. Seafood restaurants change their hours and rest days often, so check their map listing or social media before you go.

JB seafood restaurants at a glance

Restaurant / area	Setting	Known for
Restoran Todak, Teluk Jawa (Masai)	Waterfront, on stilts over the sea	Live seafood, crabs, prawns, steamed fish
Kampung Senibong (Masai)	Cluster of waterfront restaurants	Pick-your-own seafood with sea views
Ong Shun Seafood Restaurant, Kampung Bahru	Busy city restaurant	Halal-certified seafood and zi char
Restoran Sulam, Taman Sentosa	Old-school zi char	Curry fish head
Restoran Teck Sing, Taman Sentosa	Neighbourhood zi char	Long menu, curry fish head
Kam Long Ah Zai, Jalan Wong Ah Fook	Old town, near the checkpoint	Claypot curry fish head
Hai Kee Seafood, Taman Sri Tebrau	Hawker centre, outdoors	Slipper lobster, crayfish, sambal clams
Restoran Chua Kee, Gelang Patah	Kampung-style, Second Link side	Black pepper crab

Waterfront seafood on the east side

East of the city, around Permas Jaya and Masai, the coastline along the Strait of Johor is dotted with seafood restaurants built over or beside the water. This is where to go for a long, relaxed dinner with a sea breeze.

Restoran Todak, Kampung Teluk Jawa

Todak is probably the best-known of JB’s waterfront seafood restaurants. It sits on stilts in the fishing village of Teluk Jawa, and before you sit down you walk past live tanks of crabs, prawns, lobsters and fish. There is no fixed menu in the usual sense: you choose your seafood, then agree with staff how each item will be cooked. Go before sunset for the view and to beat the dinner rush.

Kampung Senibong

Nearby Kampung Senibong has a small cluster of seafood restaurants along the water, including Anjung Senibong, Selera Senibong Seafood and Senibong Bay Seafood. Most work the same way: fresh seafood on display, cooked to order in the style you pick, with indoor or open-air seating. Some describe themselves as Muslim-friendly or halal; if that matters, look for the certificate before you order.

City favourites for curry fish head and zi char

Locals don’t only eat seafood by the sea. Some of JB’s most loved fish dishes come from neighbourhood zi char kitchens.

Ong Shun Seafood Restaurant

On Jalan Abdul Samad in Kampung Bahru, Ong Shun is a busy, no-frills seafood restaurant that is halal-certified, which makes it one of the easiest choices for mixed groups. Red snapper, seabass and grouper can be cooked in a long list of styles, from steamed with ginger to fried with butter cream, and the clams come in several sauces too.

Restoran Sulam

Restoran Sulam on Jalan Sulam in Taman Sentosa has been cooking since 1987, and its curry fish head is the reason most people come. The curry is rich without being heavy, loaded with vegetables, and there are dry sambal and assam versions for anyone who wants something different. The turmeric squid is a good side.

Restoran Teck Sing

A few streets away in Taman Sentosa, Teck Sing has a menu of 70-plus zi char dishes. Its curry fish head, sambal kangkong and egg with salted turnip are good for sharing around a big table.

Kam Long Ah Zai Curry Fish Head

On Jalan Wong Ah Fook in the old town, Kam Long serves curry fish head in a claypot with vegetables and is one of the closest famous seafood names to the JB checkpoint. It also has a newer branch in Permas Jaya.

Hawker-centre seafood after dark: Hai Kee

For a casual, smoky evening, Hai Kee Seafood Restaurant operates from the hawker centre on Jalan Badik 1 in Taman Sri Tebrau. Expect simple open-air tables, smoke from the woks and a menu of slipper lobsters, crayfish, crabs and clams, much of it at market price. The same hawker centre has other stalls, so non-seafood eaters won’t go hungry. Our JB night markets guide has more ideas for an evening out.

Near the Second Link: Restoran Chua Kee

If you are crossing at Tuas, Restoran Chua Kee on Jalan Kacang Panjang in Gelang Patah is a long-running, kampung-style zi char restaurant. The black pepper crab is its signature, and cereal prawns and sambal cuttlefish are popular too. It pairs well with a day at Legoland or a stay in Iskandar Puteri.

Worth the drive: Kukup

For a seafood lunch in a fishing village built on stilts, Kukup in the south-west of Johor is about 1.5 to 2 hours from Singapore by car. It makes a full day out with a visit to Tanjung Piai, the southernmost tip of mainland Asia. Our Kukup seafood guide covers the floating restaurants, and the Singapore to Kukup private car page has the route and fares.

How market-price seafood works

Most JB seafood restaurants price crabs, prawns, lobsters and fish by weight, and prices change with the season and the catch. A few habits avoid surprises:

• Ask the price per 100 g or per kg before the seafood goes to the kitchen.
• Ask for the weight of the crab or fish you have chosen, and agree on it.
• Confirm the cooking style and portion for each dish, especially when staff suggest specials.
• Expect small extras such as wet towels, peanuts, rice and service tax on the bill.
• Order in rounds. Start with crab and a vegetable, then add more if the table is still hungry.

Practical tips

• Book or go early for dinner. Waterfront restaurants are busiest from around sunset, especially on weekends.
• Check halal status. Many seafood restaurants are not halal-certified even if they serve no pork. Ong Shun is certified.
• Bring cash and a card. Larger restaurants take cards, but hawker-centre stalls may prefer cash.
• Insect repellent helps at open-air tables by the water.
• Don’t plan to bring seafood home. Singapore has rules on bringing in food, including seafood and meat; read our customs allowance guide first.
• Time your return. Late-night crossings are usually smoother than Sunday evenings. Our Woodlands vs Tuas guide helps you choose.

Why a private car works for a seafood dinner

Teluk Jawa and Senibong are well outside the city centre, Gelang Patah is out by the Second Link, and after a long dinner nobody wants to wait for a ride home at 10pm. A private car solves both ends. With Luxway SGMY, your driver collects you anywhere in Singapore, you stay in the car through immigration at both checkpoints, and you are dropped right at the restaurant. Fares are per car and include tolls, checkpoint fees, fuel and parking, from SGD 100 one way in a Toyota Innova, with the same fare for the return. If you would like the car to wait while you eat, waiting time is SGD 40 per hour, or you can book our Day Trip Service by the hour.

Book your JB seafood night

Check fares and vehicles on our Singapore to Johor Bahru private car page, then Whatsapp us your date, pick-up point and group size, or book through our online booking page. No deposit needed; pay the driver on arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 14 October 2026