Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant 竹園

Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant 竹園 has been around for a very long time, with a second branch in Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon side. My parents have been going to this restaurant for more than 20 years and I probably have been going since I was 5. This is a local seafood restaurant that serves great fish and seafood at reasonable prices and generous portions. Unlike Sun Tung Lok which has 3-Michelin stars, I believe Chuk Yuen deserves praise for the maintenance of its standard of seafood. There's nothing fancy in the decor of the restaurant, which holds about 100 people, but it serves good food, and I think that's what really counts and I believe it deserves more praise.

Upon entering the restaurant, you are ushered to the fish tanks to order your meal. Sure, you can order from the menu but for fish and seafood you get to point out what you want. There's a variety of seafood: the fish are in the top tank, then lobster, crayfish and shrimp, as well as clams, crabs and even frog. All of them still alive and ready to be cooked right away.

The fish we ordered, still swimming and jumping about...as fresh as it gets!

To start off...

Fried baby fish

Deep fried tofu with garlic

We ordered a bunch of seafood; all of them hot and steaming from the kitchen and with great taste!


Fried crayfish with garlic


The meat was succulent and there were a lot of eggs. Yum!

Clam with garlic and vermicelli noodle


The clam is steamed and served with minced garlic and scallions with vermicelli noodle and a little clam sauce. Simple and fresh. 

Whole Lobster with cheese and baked rice noodle


Yes, that's right I said Cheese. This is probably the only times you'll find cheese with a seafood, and Chuk Yuen is the place to serve it; at least it's the original place that started it all. A lot of people have come to this restaurant thinking it's a weird combination and refusing to try it, but to be honest, once they try a piece, they want more. True fact! I don't even like Cheese but this combination is THE BEST. 

Fresh pea sprouts 

Steamed fish in soya sauce with scallion and herbs


In every Chinese meal you have, you will order a fish dish, typically steamed fish in soya sauce. The meat was very sweet and tender and melted in your mouth.

We finish off with complimentary desserts. Typically, Cantonese restaurants end the meal with a fruit platter among other desserts.


Fresh fruit (Orange and Dragon fruit slices)

Mango Pudding (a very typical and popular dessert in Hong Kong. It consists of agar or gelatin, fresh mangoes, evaporated milk and sugar giving it a creamy texture. It is typically served cold). 

Za-za: stewed sweet mix beans (red and green) with milk. 

Steamed rice cake, Bak Tong Gou 

白糖糕 

- A typical Chinese sweet sugar sponge cake

Tofu Fa 豆腐花

- one of my favorite desserts (along with many locals) made from soya bean and sweetened with rock sugar; like a bean curd custard

Did I mention that along with dinner you get free beer, and soft drinks including orange juice and sugarcane juice. Not a bad bargain at all.


My parents bring a lot of their visiting friends to this restaurant for good Cantonese style seafood and so far all of them have enjoyed their time and their meal here.
For anyone coming to visit Hong Kong, I recommend this restaurant and especially the Lobster with the Cheese; it's definitely a dish worth trying for once in your life!


Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant 竹園
G/F, 7-9 Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley 
Tel: 2893 8293