2026 Guide ยท Sabah
Updated October 2026 ยท 12 spots
โก Quick answer
Top of the list in Sandakan: Sim-Sim 88 Seafood Restaurant for Ikan Bakar, Nam Chai Bak Kut Teh for Bak Kut Teh and D72 Sim-Sim Seafood Restaurant for Seafood Restaurant.
๐ Ikan Bakar ยท Kampung Sim-Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Steamed grouper, big oysters, butter prawns, crispy seafood noodle
The classic Sandakan seafood experience: a stilt restaurant out over the Sim-Sim water village with live tanks and sea breezes. Pork-free, though not certified halal.
๐ซ Bak Kut Teh ยท Bandar Nam Tung, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Seafood bak kut teh
Sandakan's twist on the classic: a herbal broth loaded with prawns, fish and shellfish alongside the pork. Some Sabahans rate it above anything in KK.
๐ฆ Seafood Restaurant ยท Kampung Sim Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
over the watersea view
Order: Fresh catch cooked over the water
A stilt-village seafood restaurant at Sim Sim with the best rating on Sandakan's waterfront.
๐ Rooftop & View Dining ยท Pusat Bandar, Sandakan, Sabah
rooftopbay view
Order: Bistro plates on a rooftop garden
Sandakan's rooftop: a garden bistro over the old town and bay, with strong ratings.
๐ฆ Seafood Restaurant ยท Bandar Utama, Sandakan, Sabah
large groupsCantonese
Order: Big shellfish dishes; Cantonese-style seafood
Sandakan is Sabah's seafood port, and this big Chinese restaurant is where locals go for celebration seafood. Generous portions, classic Cantonese cooking.
โ ๏ธ Last confirmed before 2025 โ check it is open before you go.
๐ Ikan Bakar ยท Jalan Sim-Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Charcoal-grilled fish with sambal and air asam
Sandakan's go-to Muslim ikan bakar spot by the water village โ pick fresh fish, have it grilled over charcoal and drowned in sambal. Simple, smoky and cheap.
๐ฆ Seafood Restaurant ยท Jalan Airport, Sandakan, Sabah
seafood
Order: Steamed fish and Sandakan crabs
One of Sandakan's best-rated seafood restaurants, a solid alternative to the busy Sim Sim stilt houses.
๐ฒ Curry Laksa ยท Sandakan Town, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Traditional Sandakan laksa and UFO tarts
A heritage-style kopitiam in old Sandakan that's become a must-stop for its UFO tarts and traditional laksa. Old-town atmosphere, breakfast crowds, and a laksa that lives up to the hype.
๐ Ikan Bakar ยท Sandakan Waterfront, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Live crab, prawns and lobster cooked to order
A big seafront restaurant built out on the water, long one of Sandakan's top names for choose-your-own seafood dinners. Pork-free.
โ ๏ธ Last confirmed before 2025 โ check it is open before you go.
๐ฅ Dim Sum ยท Sandakan, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Morning dim sum baskets
One of Sandakan's best-known dim sum kopitiams, a classic local breakfast stop in a town with deep Cantonese roots.
โ ๏ธ Last confirmed before 2025 โ check it is open before you go.
๐ Kolo Mee ยท Kampung Buli Sim-Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
Order: Sandakan kon lo mee โ dry-tossed noodles with fried pork
A water-village shop on the Sim-Sim jetties serving Sandakan's own take on dry-tossed pork noodles. Springy noodles, crispy pork, and a breakfast view over the sea.
โ ๏ธ Last confirmed before 2025 โ check it is open before you go.
๐ฆ Seafood Restaurant ยท Kampung Sim Sim, Sandakan, Sabah
over the waterno pork
Order: Steamed grouper and Cantonese seafood
Sandakan's best-known over-water seafood house; it serves no pork, so mixed groups often pick it.
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