This JB Restaurant With $0.80 Dim Sum Has Been Around For 40 Years

Restoran Kak Kak has cheap dim sum in JB

If you’re crossing the causeway anytime soon and looking for an affordable dim sum, put Restoran Kak Kak on your list. Located near Plaza Pelangi, the casual dim sum restaurant is known for its affordable dim sum, all made by hand and served from a roving dim sum cart.

The exchange rate is RM1 = ~S$0.30 as of 17 November 2025.

The eatery is popular with tourists and locals alike, especially because their dim sum is affordable, with prices starting from just RM2.50+. Don’t sweat it if you don’t know what the different dishes are called—simply point at what you want on the roving tray when the staff comes to your table.

They don’t have a menu here, so the prices of each item are split into four categories, indicated by plate type: RM2.50+, RM5+, RM5.50+, and RM11+. To give you a visual of what this means, the small purple plates are priced the lowest, the small black and white plates are in the middle tier, and the large beige plates are the most expensive.

For starters, go for their Lotus Bao (RM2.50+) and Char Siew Bao (RM2.50+) to get the best of both worlds: sweet and savoury. The former contains a rich and smooth lotus paste that was not overly sweet or gritty, which was a major plus in my books. 

The Char Siew Bao, however, reigned superior, offering a perfect balance between savoury and sweet flavours. My only gripe with the bun was that I wished it were packed with more char siew chunks.

Next in the spread was the Har Gao (RM5.50+), a silky, paper-thin dumpling filled with prawns and chives. This was a lot more light-tasting than the other punchier flavours in the spread, offering a good contrast in the meal.

I am a firm believer that no dim sum spread is complete without getting a share of Siu Mai (RM5.50+). The one at Restoran Kak Kak was pretty solid, packed with juicy minced pork and ground shrimp.

We can also strongly vouch for these Stuffed Eggplants (RM5.50+). These featured a well-marinated ground pork mix encased in a slice of eggplant. We liked how the earthy yet sweet eggplant paired well with the meaty flavours.

Steamed stuff aside, don’t forget to get a side of Egg Tarts (RM5.50+). The custard was nice and silky, but I felt that it was lacking the caramelised char Portuguese egg tarts are known for. They weren’t the personal best egg tarts I have tried, but they provided a great end to the meal nonetheless.

They also do a pretty solid Teh Ais (RM2.50+) and Kopi Ais (RM2.50+), which are great for beating the heat.

FYI, they’re only open till 1pm every day except Tuesday, so head down early to eat your fill. FYI, they also do takeaways.

Check out our Instagram reel below for the full review.

For more good eats in Malaysia, read our guide to the best breakfast spots in JB. Alternatively, check out our guide to the best Johor Bahru cafes.

Address: 9, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 6am to 1pm
Website
Restoran Kak Kak is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.