5 Chinese Restaurants You Should Have On Your Johor Bahru Itinerary
My love for Chinese food started with a fascination with dim sum. These bite-sized pockets of goodness immediately climbed to the top of my list of favourite dishes, eventually leading me to go on a city-wide search for the best dim sum spots in Johor Bahru.
What I didn’t realise was that I was unknowingly stepping into some of the best Chinese restaurants in JB, which started my love for the entire cuisine! I’m not calling myself an expert, but I have been to enough to say that I know which ones are levels above.
If this has piqued your foodie heart, then continue reading! Whether you’re looking for traditional chow mein, different types of dim sum, roasted meat, or something else, you’ll find something here for your cravings!
What is the average cost of Chinese restaurants in Johor Bahru?
The cost of dining at Chinese restaurants varies between RM20 and RM80, with the former being hawker stalls and the latter being mid-range options like hot pot spots. Meanwhile, upscale dining can feature specialty dishes that cost RM100 or more.
1. 小龙行江湖新山旗舰店 Dragon’s Journey Hotpot JB
Highlights: Hotpot, Australian beef, scallops, oysters, prawns, balls
Location: 25D, Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir
Contact: +60 10-888 8755
Business hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 12:00 PM to 3:00 AM
- Friday to Sunday: 12:00 PM to 4:00 AM
You can’t have a list of the best Chinese restaurants without a hotpot spot, and we couldn’t think of a better option than Dragon’s Journey. It’s a reasonably-priced restaurant that doesn’t fall short on variety, whether with its sauces, balls, meat, etc.
Their meat selection is the star, as it’s varied and delivered fresh daily. They offer beef, lamb, and pork to cater to different tastes. Furthermore, they also provide a wide variety of seafood offerings, like oysters, scallops, and clams.
The great thing about this specific hotpot spot is that it doesn’t force you to pay its all-you-can-eat rates; you can order your ingredients a la carte.
Eating here is always a treat, thanks to the beautiful oriental interior decor, complete with red lanterns, awnings, stone walls, and Chinese paintings.
Our only gripe with this spot is that it’s almost always packed, but we can’t blame them. Fortunately, they make up for this by featuring speedy customer service!
Their staff members are always attentive, and whenever we request replenishments, we can expect our orders to arrive within five minutes.
The food was excellent
“Great dining experience, walked in, and there was 变脸 performance!! The food was excellent, with a choice of mala without beef, which is not offered at other steamboat places. The staff service is very good too.
Would like to compliment CoCo, who was super attentive and patient with our multiple requests, as it was our 1st time here. She even took a mini fan to blow away the steam that was heading straight into my face. How thoughtful! Great to come for couples and friend’s gatherings.”
– Peiying Chen, Google Review
The staff are warm, attentive & efficient
“This restaurant features a hotpot buffet with a wide selection of fresh meats, seafood, vegetables, and rich, flavorful broths. The food is delicious and replenished quickly—usually within five minutes of ordering.
Various sauces are also available to complement your meal, and it all ends on a sweet note with fresh-cut fruits & ice cream. The staff are warm, attentive & efficient, ensuring a pleasant dining experience. Strongly recommended!”
– Wei Meng Lim, Google Review
2. Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant
Highlights: Lamian, dry noodles, rice dishes, Shanghainese dumplings, wontons, Peking duck
Location: City Square, Lot No. J3-36 Level 3 106-108
Contact: +60 7-222 1288
Business hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM
- Friday to Sunday: 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant offers one of JB’s most varied Chinese menus. They serve various “lamian” (pulled noodles), ranging from Szechuan to dry fried.
They’re also beloved for their Shanghainese dumplings, which are handmade daily and packed with delicious meat fillings. We’ve interviewed regulars, and they highly praised the wrapper’s texture, which has just the right amount of firmness.
Another constant highlight from our interviews was the restaurant’s generous portions. Several customers prefer to dine in this restaurant with groups because their dishes can satisfy two to three people, depending on their appetite.
Other Chinese staples from their menu include chow mein, wontons, and the titular Peking duck. We’ve tried this and loved its perfectly roasted skin and juicy dark meat.
It’s also a reliable dining spot since it’s open from morning until dinnertime. Plus, it helps that they’re easy to find, as they’re in one of JB’s premier shopping malls.
The only downside here is the pricey rates. However, they make a justifiable case because of their good-quality dishes and generous portions.
Great experience overall!
“We recently dined at Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant at Johor Bahru City Square, and it was a great experience overall!
The Duck was the highlight—crispy skin, tender meat, and well-paired with the thin pancakes and sauces. The portion was generous, making it a great dish for sharing. Other dishes, like the stir-fried vegetables, were also well-prepared and flavorful.
The ambience was pleasant, with a comfortable dining environment and a clean setting. Service was generally good, though a bit slow during peak hours, which is understandable given the crowd.
One area for improvement would be the discount can give to those who celebrate birthday here, as it will attract many loyalty customer.
Overall, a good experience.”
– KOH, Google Review
Definitely be back for more
“With all due respect, compliments to the chef! We were attracted to the aesthetics of the restaurant and very quickly decided to give it a try.
We ordered five dishes in total and were slightly worried that it would be too much for three pax servings! The portion is generous, and because the dishes are so delicious, we finished it all!
My personal favorites will be the salted egg mushrooms and Sautéed Cabbage! I will definitely be back for more next time!”
– Cindy Chua, Google Review
3. Souper Tang @ City Square
Highlights: Peanut root soup, herb soup, fish maw soup, eight treasure nourishing soup
Location: J4-21, City Square, 106-108
Contact: +60 7-706 6251
Business hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Souper Tang is a famous Chinese chain with multiple branches across the country. It’s mostly known for its hearty soup bowls with flavourful broths made from a distinct collection of local Chinese ingredients.
Their chicken ginseng soup is a prime example of what you can expect from their menu. We sat down with their regulars, who praised this dish for having a flavourful broth, albeit slightly MSG-y.
The pork tripe soup is another bestseller, and it’s our go-to because of its rich and nourishing broth. It’s not hard to get over the fact that you’re eating stomach because they’re perfectly cooked—plus, the fish maw helps balance out the strong flavour.
Souper Tang’s interior decor also doesn’t disappoint. It features elegant light fixtures, comfy couches, and golden accents, making the overall dining experience feel extra fancy without the added cost.
The only thing we’d change is the rather small serving sizes. Granted that it’s what you’d expect from its price point, it can sometimes leave you feeling unsatisfied, depending on what you ordered.
A haven for soup lovers
“Souper Tang is a haven for soup lovers and anyone craving wholesome, flavorful Chinese cuisine. While the prices are on the higher side, the quality and comfort make it worth it. Great when you need a little TLC for your tummy!
Pepper Pork Tribe Soup Ramen (RM33.90): The soup is rich, peppery, and deeply warming—perfect for a chilly evening. The ramen soaked up all that delicious broth.
Mee Suah with Dried Scallop and Abalone Slice (RM29.90): The mee suah was silky smooth, and the dried scallop and abalone added a luxurious umami touch. Light but satisfying.
American Ginseng Black Chicken Soup with Aged Black Garlic (RM33.90): The ginseng and black garlic combo was aromatic and soothing, while the black chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender. Perfect for replenishing your energy.
Paper Wrapped Chicken with Rice (RM29.90): Juicy, flavorful chicken wrapped and steamed to perfection.
Mulberry Enzyme Tea (RM13.90): A refreshing, slightly tangy drink that cleansed the palate and added a bright finish to the meal.”
– Larktiss, Google Review
The service was amazing
“A peaceful and nourishing lunch. The tonic soup, made with fresh meat and herbs, was rich in flavour and packed with health benefits. The herbal chicken was cooked to perfect tenderness, with the meat falling off the bone effortlessly.
Its gravy was deeply infused with the essence of chicken and herbs, enhancing both taste and nutrition. The monkey head mushrooms remain my all-time favourite, offering great texture and health benefits.
To top it off, the sour plum drink aided digestion, making the meal both satisfying and good for overall well-being.”
– Anna Kee, Google Review
4. Restaurant Teck Sing
Highlights: Steamed fish, curry fish head, shark’s fin crab soup, stewed pork, deep-fried fish
Location: 3&5, Jalan Sutera 1
Contact: +60 7-334 7025
Business hours: Thursday to Sunday: 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM
Restaurant Teck Sing is a great option if you’re looking to try affordable but authentic and high-quality Chinese dishes.
One of their bestsellers is the Cantonese-style steamed fish, which can feature cod or seabass—both meaty and flavourful. We’re also huge fans of the texture of the meat, as it’s delicate to the point where you can easily separate it with your fork.
Another Chinese classic is the herbal chicken, which regulars have praised for its tender and juicy meat. We love how the herbal flavour isn’t too overpowering like the ones in other restaurants.
We also want to give props to their staff members because they work like a well-oiled machine. The restaurant almost never runs out of a queue, but with the efficient customer service, it doesn’t take long for customers to get their food.
We hope they can improve the interior decor, as there isn’t much to offer regarding ambience. We do appreciate that they feature wall fans and air conditioning to help keep diners cool and comfy while eating.
Moreover, we wish they could extend their operating hours throughout the week because they’re only open four days a week.
All were well-cooked and delicious!
“Good dinner experience at Restaurant Teck Sing! We arrived on a Saturday evening around 7:30 pm and were prepared for a wait, which was around 30 minutes, and it was well worth it!
The herbal chicken was a standout dish – tender, juicy, and with a perfectly balanced herbal flavour that wasn’t overpowering.
We also thoroughly enjoyed the hotplate tofu, deep-fried squid, and deep-fried pork belly – all were well-cooked and delicious! The queue may be long, but the service was efficient and friendly once we were seated.”
– Derek Neo, Google Review
The food is super delicious
“Omg!!!! The reviews I read were definitely true. I wish I had visited this place earlier. The food is super delicious. None of the dishes we ordered failed us. All was amazing. Don’t hesitate anymore, come try and be wowed yourself.”
– Evelyn Bok, Google Review
5. Restaurant Pekin
Highlights: Seafood pot, crayfish with salted egg, Pekin duck, roasted pig
Location: 38, Jalan Baldu 5
Contact: +60 7-220 0310
Business hours: Daily from 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM
When it comes to seafood variety, Restaurant Pekin is among the top choices. Their vast selection features prawns, crabs, fresh oysters, sea cucumbers, and scallops.
Moreover, we’re huge fans of how they prepare these seafood delicacies. For instance, their prawns can be made traditionally boiled, deep-fried, or as toppings for their green leafy salad.
We’ve also interviewed their loyal customers to find out what makes them return, and we weren’t surprised that it was the crabs.
They offer whole crabs drenched in different types of sauce, such as black pepper, salted egg yolk, sweet, and sour. The salted egg yolk is our favourite because it perfectly contrasts with the already sweet crab meat.
Seafood aside, they offer other Chinese cuisine staples like smooth-suckling roasted pig and Peking duck. We love how both dishes feature the right amount of crispness on their skin while maintaining the tender meat.
Our only issue with this restaurant is its pricey menu. It doesn’t help that their serving sizes aren’t the most generous compared to other restaurants.
Absolutely impressed!
“Had a great dining experience at Pekin Restaurant (Taman Sentosa)! I made a reservation online and received a confirmation via WhatsApp — very efficient. I booked for 6 pm but arrived earlier, around 5 pm.
Since it wasn’t crowded yet, they kindly allowed us to be seated early. The place was clean and comfortable.
I noticed their VIP rooms during my visit — very nice setup! The minimum spending is RM600 (for food) plus an additional 3% to use a private room.
There are three VIP rooms in different sizes (small, medium, large), but it’s best to call and check for details as I didn’t get all the information. Definitely considering booking a VIP room next time!
As for the food — absolutely impressed! Every dish we ordered was delicious, especially the fried fish and the two-style kailan. Everything tasted fresh and well-prepared. Special mention to the friendly female manager who assisted us (sorry I didn’t get her name).
Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I will definitely be back again!”
– Pauline Wee, Google Review
The experience is exceptional
“Been to this restaurant in Johor Bahru several times, and as always, the experience is exceptional. Every dish on their menu has never disappointed—consistently delicious and of top quality.
The only thing to note is that the price is on the higher side; every visit easily costs RM1000+ for a meal. However, the quality, service, and overall experience make it totally worth it, especially for special occasions. Highly recommended!”
– Farida Emily, Google Review