Food guide
Best Seafood in Kota Kinabalu
How to order seafood by weight in KK, which styles to choose, and when the night market is the better deal.
Updated
Sabah's seafood is a big reason people visit, and Kota Kinabalu has every level of it, from charcoal stalls to restaurants with tanks of live lobster.
The rule that matters most: everything is priced by weight, so always confirm the price per kilo before the kitchen starts.
Quick recommendations
- Big night out
- Steamed fish, butter prawns and crab at a tank restaurant
- On a budget
- Grilled squid and fish at the waterfront night market
- Something different
- Latok (sea grapes) with lime
How to order seafood by weight
Choose your seafood from the tank or ice, have it weighed, confirm the price per kilo, then pick a cooking style for each item.
Popular styles include steamed with ginger and soy, butter, salted egg, sweet and sour, and grilled. One fish cooked two ways is a common request.
The night market alternative
The waterfront night market grills seafood over charcoal for far less than restaurants, with rice and sambal on the side.
It is crowded, smoky and casual. Bring cash and eat at shared tables.
Bajau
Latok
Latok is an edible seaweed (Caulerpa lentillifera) made of tiny green bead-like bubbles that pop in the mouth. On Sabah's coasts it is eaten raw with lime, chilli and shallot as a salad.
Map
Schematic map, not to scale. Select a town to see where to eat.
Frequently asked questions
Is seafood cheap in Kota Kinabalu?
Fish and squid are affordable, especially at the night market. Lobster, large crabs and premium fish such as grouper cost much more and are priced by weight.
Are seafood restaurants in KK halal?
Some are halal certified and many are pork-free, but pork-free does not mean halal. Check the listing or ask for the certificate.
Dishes to know
Kadazan-Dusun
Hinava
Hinava is a Kadazan-Dusun dish of raw fish cured in lime juice and tossed with chilli, shallot, ginger and grated bambangan seed. It is fresh, sour and sharp, and it's served as a side with rice.
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