Singapore's seafood restaurants cover an impressive range: chilli crab institutions along the river, black pepper crab specialists in Dempsey, live seafood restaurants in the heartlands, curry fish head zi char joints that feed whole families, and crab bee hoon spots that have built loyal followings plate by comforting plate. Finding the best seafood restaurant in Singapore really depends on what kind of meal you're after, which is exactly why this guide exists.
We've put together nine seafood restaurants in Singapore, each earning its place for a distinct reason. Some sit in polished waterfront locations; others are neighbourhood institutions where the seafood dishes do all the talking. If you want to eat chilli crab with the city skyline on display behind you, you'll find that here. If you'd rather spend a weeknight at a table surrounded by families ordering round after round of tiger prawns, this list covers that too. So let's get straight into it.
1. JUMBO Seafood: A Singapore Chilli Crab Institution
Riverside Point | 30 Merchant Road, #01-01/02 | Daily, 11:30am–11pm
When someone asks where to find Singapore chilli crab, JUMBO Seafood comes up quickly and for good reason. Its Riverside Point location sits in the Central Business District along the Singapore River, making it one of the most recognisable seafood restaurants in Singapore for locals and visitors alike. The restaurant's Award-Winning Chilli Crab with Man Tou is its signature dish: a rich, tangy, egg-laced gravy enjoyed alongside fried buns for mopping up every last drop.
The riverside setting gives the meal a sense of occasion without demanding formal attire, and the private dining rooms make it a workable choice for groups who want some separation from the main dining experience. We'd point first-time visitors here if they have one seafood meal in Singapore and want the chilli crab experience done in a setting that feels properly Singaporean.
2. Long Beach Seafood: The Home of Black Pepper Crab
Dempsey | 25 Dempsey Road | Mon–Fri, 11am–3pm, 5pm–11pm; Sat–Sun, 11am–11pm
Long Beach Seafood is the restaurant most closely associated with black pepper crab in Singapore, and it identifies The Original Best Black Pepper Crab (S$95 for approx. 800g) as one of its founding signature dishes. The Dempsey location, set in the leafier, quieter part of town, suits the dish: black pepper crab rewards a slower pace, its bold peppery crust and deep, fragrant, wok-fried aroma meant to be savoured bite by bite.
Beyond the black pepper preparation, Long Beach specialises in premium live seafood, with mud crab (from S$11.80++ per 100g), Dungeness crab (S$11.80++ per 100g), Alaskan King Crab, Alaskan Princess Crab (S$16.80++ per 100g), live prawns, razor clams and oysters all available subject to seasonal availability. Crab is priced per 100g for most varieties, and live seafood prices fluctuate with the market, so it's worth confirming current rates before ordering. For diners who want a wide live seafood selection alongside a restaurant with a clear signature dish, this is the best seafood restaurant in Singapore for that particular brief.
3. Palm Beach Seafood: Fresh Seafood Dishes by Marina Bay
One Fullerton | 1 Fullerton Road, #01-09 | Daily 12pm–2:30pm, 5:30pm–10:30pm
Palm Beach Seafood's position at One Fullerton places it in the Marina Bay waterfront precinct, with a combination of indoor air-conditioned dining and alfresco seating overlooking the bay. The restaurant traces its history to 1956, and the menu reflects a seafood approach built on long-standing preparations: Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Golden Milk Prawns, Creamy Crab, Honey Tangy Fish, Double Baked Crab A La Singapura, and the Coco-Lobo, a live lobster with vermicelli in superior stock.
For diners exploring beyond crab, the broader menu also gives fish dishes and other seafood preparations room to share the table, keeping the meal varied rather than centred on a single signature. Paired with the bayfront setting and the restaurant's emphasis on live seafood, it creates a more complete dining experience for groups looking to linger over seafood with a city view.
4. Red House Seafood: Nanyang-Style Seafood With Heritage at its Core
Esplanade | 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-14/16 | Daily 12pm–2:30pm, 5pm–10pm
Established in 1976, Red House Seafood has built its identity around Singapore Nanyang-style seafood dishes, and its Esplanade location on the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade makes it one of the more scenic best seafood restaurants in Singapore for a central dinner. The Red House Chilli Crab and the Classic Grilled Lobster are among its well-known offerings, and the menu also extends to dishes like Lobster in Signature Creamy Custard Sauce, Crab Meat Pao Fan, and Braised Fish Meat Noodles.
Two private rooms are available at the Esplanade outlet, making it a sweet option for groups searching for a more contained dining space. Red House also operates at Grand Copthorne and Clarke Quay, giving it good coverage across the central part of Singapore.
If you’re exploring seafood beyond Singapore’s Nanyang-style preparations, Japanese cuisine offers a whole different way to approach the same ingredient. Our guide to the best sushi spots in Singapore is a natural next stop for continuing your exploration.
5. Uncle Leong Seafood: Crab Specialities With Neighbourhood Roots
Punggol | 6 Tebing Lane, #01-03 | Check directly for current hours
Uncle Leong Seafood began in a neighbourhood coffeeshop in Ang Mo Kio and now operates across Punggol, Toa Payoh, and Techview/Kaki Bukit. Its Punggol location is a good illustration of what this restaurant represents: quality crab dishes without the need to head into town. The Shimmering Sand Crab Delight, introduced by the restaurant in 2002 and prepared with its signature sauce and topped with oat, is one of its most distinctive offerings. They have a world of crab offerings on their menu, which covers Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup, Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Creamy Butter Crab, Salted Egg Crab, White Pepper Crab, and Claypot Curry Crab.
The Gold Coast Prawn and Fortune Chicken give larger groups more variety beyond the crab dishes, making it easier to build out a fuller sharing-style meal. Set menus are also available for groups of four and above, while crab and other seafood prices can vary depending on selection and availability.
6. Mellben Seafood: Singapore's Go-To for Crab Bee Hoon
Ang Mo Kio | 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, Street 22, #01-1222 | Daily 5pm–11pm
Among Singapore's seafood restaurants, Mellben Seafood has built its name almost entirely on one famous dish: the Claypot Crab Vermicelli Soup, better known as crab bee hoon. The restaurant describes its superior broth as built from cooking numerous crab shells together to develop richness and bring out the crab's natural sweetness over time, and the result is a soupy, deeply flavoured dish that has kept diners returning to its Ang Mo Kio location since 1993.
Alongside the bee hoon, it serves Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Creamy Butter Crab, Salted Egg Crab, and White Pepper Crab, plus a full menu of fish, prawns, vegetables and rice. Crab dishes are listed at seasonal price, so current rates should be confirmed with the restaurant. For a meal where crab bee hoon takes centre stage, Mellben is the clearest catch on this list.
7. Keng Eng Kee Seafood: Bold Flavours, Curry Fish Head, and Wok-Fried Zi Char
Alexandra Village / Bukit Merah | 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136 | Check directly for current hours
Keng Eng Kee Seafood, or KEK, is the seafood restaurant on this list that pushes furthest into zi char territory. Originating as a hawker stall at Old Havelock Road in the 1970s, it's now a three-generation family business, and its menu reflects that background: the KEK Curry Fish Head (S$38+) is one of its best-known dishes, and the wok-fried Signature Moonlight Hor Fun (from S$12+) brings the kind of bold, smoky wok hei that's harder to find at more polished seafood restaurants. Signature Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab are both on the menu at S$93+ for approximately 900g, while Butter Cereal Prawns (from S$32+, deshelled) and Coffee Pork Ribs (from S$22+) give the table plenty of variety.
If you’re looking to build a proper seafood feast around a shareable zi char spread, KEK is the standout on this list. Prices reflect those published online at the time of writing and are subject to change.
8. Chin Huat Live Seafood: Where Live Seafood Takes Centre Stage
Sunset Way, Clementi | Blk 105 Clementi Street 12, #01-30 | Lunch 11am–2:30pm, Dinner 5pm–10:30pm | Closed Tuesdays (except public holidays)
Chin Huat Live Seafood has positioned itself around live seafood since 1982, and its Sunset Way location in Clementi draws diners from across the island who want their seafood chosen and cooked to order. The restaurant's Live Golden Sauce Crab is one of its most distinctive preparations, with a creamy pumpkin-based sauce featuring curry leaves and chilli. The Live Alaskan King Crab Wok Hei Bee Hoon brings wok-fried bee hoon served with Alaskan King Crab, while the Teochew-Style Cold Crab offers a different approach for diners who want to taste the freshness of seafood without heavy sauce. Prawn preparations include Poached Live Prawns in Chinese Wine (S$25), Live Prawns "Intoxicated" in Chinese Wine (S$30), Garlic Steamed Prawns with Vermicelli (S$25), and Crispy Cereal Prawns (S$25 with shell; S$20 deshelled).
The restaurant also works with live Alaskan King Crab, Dungeness crab, and Australian Southern Rock Lobster, with live seafood pricing subject to availability. For diners specifically seeking peak freshness for seafood chosen and prepared on the day, Chin Huat Live Seafood is the most dedicated option on this list. And for readers whose seafood interests extend to raw preparations, our guide to fresh sashimi in Singapore is worth a read alongside this one.
9. Roland Restaurant: Chilli Crab and a Direct Link to Singapore's Seafood Story
Marine Parade Central | Block 89, #06-750 | Check directly for current hours
Roland Restaurant's connection to Singapore's chilli crab story is part of what makes it a meaningful stop on any list of best seafood restaurants in Singapore. The restaurant traces its heritage to Cher Yam Tian and Lim Choo Ngee, who developed the chilli crab preparation in the 1950s before establishing Palm Beach Seafood. Roland Lim later continued the family's restaurant legacy through Roland Restaurant.
Today, the menu covers Chilli Crab (S$88, with cooking style selected at ordering), Seafood Hor Fun, Black Sauce Prawns, Baby Squid, Chilli Cockles, freshly steamed pomfret, Pomfret in Two Ways (S$138), and Roland's Specialty Fried Rice (from S$16). The restaurant's chilli crab pairs the natural sweetness of Sri Lankan crab with a tangy, spicy gravy. Its Marine Parade Central location makes it a neighbourhood destination rather than a tourist landmark, which is part of its appeal for diners who want to eat chilli crab in a more local setting and head home with a memorable dining experience.
Your Must-Try Seafood Restaurant is the One You Want to Try
Dining experience perfection is only as good as picking the right restaurant for the occasion. Singapore's seafood restaurants don't all look or feel the same, and that's precisely the point. The best seafood restaurant in Singapore for a milestone dinner by the bay is a different place from the best one for a Tuesday-night crab bee hoon craving with the family.
We hope this guide helps you match the right restaurant to the right occasion.
