Sichuan and Chongqing dishes have changed the Chinese food landscape in Singapore. In fact, I find that many Singaporeans—myself included— have completely embraced mala xiang guo and Chongqing grilled fish as part of our everyday fare. Just think about how these dishes often come to the top of our minds when planning a meal with our friends. With our list of the best places for Chongqing grilled fish in Singapore, you can easily impress your dining companions during the next hangout!
Image credit: @jfoodiediary
First on the list is the most obvious, but also one of the most popular choices: Tanyu. This is the go-to place for consistently delicious grilled fish no matter which outlet you visit. My personal favourite is the Garlic Limbo Fish ($55.50++), primarily for its tender texture. I also like that the dish comes sprinkled with copious amounts of fried garlic, making the dish super fragrant.
The Tanyu Cheese Spring Roll ($6.80++) is a great accompaniment to the grilled fish. This deep-fried egg roll is stuffed with cheese, spring onions, and minced pork. The fragrant oniony aroma and satisfying crunch are quite addicting.
Website | Full list of locations
Tanyu is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Wei Ying Phua
Grilled fish from Riverside Grilled Fish comes with a choice of Sea Bass ($39.90++), Golden Pomfret ($41.90++), Patin ($39.90++) or Qing Jiang ($46.90++). You can choose different flavours too, including Signature Fragrant Spicy Sauce, Green Pepper Sauce, and Homemade Fragrant Sauce. While each fish varies in firmness and taste, I especially like to get sea bass as it reminds me of the Cantonese steamed fish from atas restaurants.
Website | Full list of locations
Riverside Grilled Fish is not a halal-certified eatery.
Grilled fish doesn’t always have to be a shared dish. At What The Fish, they serve grilled fish on individual hotplates! The Spicy Fragrant Fillet Set costs only $8.30 and comes with a piece of limbo fish fillet, enoki mushrooms, beancurd, and Chinese cabbage. This set is served with a bowl of rice too.
During our visit, we liked the Fresh Green Pepper Half Limbo Fish With Pearl Rice ($10.30) as the green chillies paired well with the rich broth, and balanced our palates with a tangy aftertaste.
Read our What The Fish review.
Website | Full list of locations
What The Fish is not a halal-certified eatery.
For delicious and wallet-friendly hawker fare, check out Niu Xiao Er Dong Bei BBQ. Besides their mala stir-fry and BBQ skewers, we found the Chong Qing Grilled Fish ($25) tasty. This comes with four complimentary side dishes, making it a value-for-money meal! The side dishes change based on availability, so check with the staff to find out what is available during your visit.
Address: 421 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-1149, Food Haus, Singapore 560421
Opening hours: Daily 11:20am to 8:50pm
Niu Xiao Er Dong Bei BBQ is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @beautifullai_sg
Opened by the team behind TAI ER, a famous sauerkraut fish restaurant, Beautiful Lai Grilled Fish is a great place to have dinner with your colleagues thanks to its central location. They are best known for their Green Pepper Grilled Fish ($55++), which is said to exclusively use leiocassis fish straight from the Yangtze River in China. In case you didn’t know, leiocassis is a kind of catfish known for not having any pin bones, so it is much easier to eat.
For the adventurous, try their Cheese Tomato Grilled Fish ($58++), which has the fish drenched in your regular tomato hotpot base, and then blanketed in mozzarella cheese.
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #B1-111, Singapore 038983
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 9pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am to 9pm
Tel: 6322 4396
Website
Beautiful Lai Grilled Fish is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Daniel Ling
Westies, listen up: A Kitchen is one of the most famous grilled fish spots in the area that shouldn’t be missed. They offer both Chong Qing Grilled Fish ($42.19+) and Mala Grilled Fish ($40.77+). The former comes with the classic spicy broth, while the latter is covered in Sichuan peppercorns and green chilli. Mala grilled fish is the more popular one as people like the combination of a numbing spice and the tang of green chilli.
Jurong outlet
Address: 2 Venture Drive, #01-37/38, Vision Exchange, Singapore 608526
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 12am
Tel: 8716 2018
Novena outlet
Address: 187 Thomson Road, Goldhill Centre, Singapore 307630
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
Tel: 9866 5533
Website
A Kitchen is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: 6ix 6ix 六六 – 小龙虾.烤鱼.烧烤.啤酒
If you’re in town, 6ix 6ix is the place for you. Their Grilled Fish ($42++) has five different flavours: Mala, Chilli Oil, Garlic, Tomato, and Pickled Cabbage. Regulars here like to pair the chilli oil with hotpot toppings such as Instant Noodles ($3++), Beancurd Skin ($5++), and Potato Slices ($3++) which act as vessels that absorb the flavours of the broth. FYI, they are open 24 hours too, making for a great supper spot.
Address: 23 Cuppage Road, Cuppage Terrace, Singapore 229453
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours
Tel: 8878 8866
6ix 6ix is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Daneal Hon
Chongqing Premium Grilled Fish is where the dishes take a smoky twist. Each fish, whether it is Sea Bass (from $35.80++), Patin Fish (from $42.80++), or Red Snapper (from $45.80++), is charcoal-grilled before being submerged in a flavoured broth of your choice, including Signature Mala, Golden Fragrance Garlic and Sauerkraut. The garlic flavour is the most famous as it complements the charred grilled fish really well.
The restaurant becomes extra lively on Fridays and Saturdays as there’s a live band playing. If you are looking to throw a party, you can also book a private room equipped with a KTV system.
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #01-60/61/62, KINEX Mall, Singapore 437157
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 11pm
Tel: 6977 7333
Website
Chongqing Premium Grilled Fish is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Aram Pan (Singapore360)
Baguo Grilled Fish touts their Signature Mala Grilled Fish ($32.80++) as their best dish. With the house-made combination of spices, every dish here gives patrons a satisfying numbing spiciness that keeps them going for more. The Fei Cui Grilled Fish ($38.80++) is another crowd-favourite: this dish has a grilled fish covered in shrimp and clams, then seasoned with garlic, limes and coriander. The broth is also said to be simmered with kampong chicken overnight, so you get a flavourful surf and turf in a single dish.
Website | Full list of locations
Baguo Grilled Fish is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: Noorzidah M N
Monster Chilli Grilled Fish & Mala Hotpot is the most affordable option on this list as their Half Limbo Without Tail grilled fish is only priced at $8.80! Even better, besides the familiar flavours, you can even choose flavours that we don’t see as commonly such as Sambal and Asam Pedas. The fish here is said to be super fresh, with just the right kick no matter the flavour. If the grilled fish alone is not enough for you, the stall also offers fresh Japanese Hyogo Oysters ($3.90 per piece) to slurp on.
Website | Full list of locations
Monster Chilli Grilled Fish & Mala Hotpot is a halal-certified eatery.
This list proves that Chongqing grilled fish has become a prominent dish in Singapore. Whether you’re having a meal with your loved ones or just trying to have an affordable solo meal, this dish will always be a great option.
For more mala goodness, check out our guide to the best Sichuan mala hotpot places in Singapore. Or if you like seafood, read our guide to the best seafood restaurants in Singapore.
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