If you are wondering where to eat in Halong Bay, the best choices range from large seafood restaurants in Bai Chay to small local eateries in Hon Gai and modern restaurants around the marina. This Halong Bay restaurant guide covers 12 places to try, what to order, approximate prices, and which area is most convenient for your trip.
Restaurants in Bai Chay - Main tourist dining area
Bai Chay is the easiest area for most visitors because it is located close to the hotels, the beaches, Sun World and the Ha Long International Cruise Port. It has everything from casual BBQ and beach bars to large seafood restaurants, which makes it the most convenient place to find a restaurant Halong Bay visitors can walk to after checking in.
Hong Hanh 3
Address: 50 Ha Long Street, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Hong Hanh 3 is a large multi-level restaurant designed for group dining, which makes it suitable for families, tour groups and anyone who wants a broad selection rather than a small specialty menu. The menu includes crab, oysters, squid, mantis shrimp, hotpot and other northern Vietnamese dishes, and typical spending runs around 200,000 to 350,000 VND per person. For a classic Halong Bay restaurant menu, look for grilled oysters, stir-fried squid, steamed mantis shrimp and seafood hotpot, and confirm the price per kilogram before ordering anything sold live by weight.
Ngoc Phuong Nam
Address: Do Si Hoa Street, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Ngoc Phuong Nam is a very large seafood restaurant on several levels with spacious seating, so it can seat large groups easily. The menu focuses on Vietnamese seafood, including grilled oysters, fried prawns, crab and seafood fried rice, and spending falls somewhere between 200,000 and 700,000 VND per person depending on what you order. It is also known for its open views and comfortable setting, which works well when you want fresh seafood without a formal fine-dining restaurant.
Linh Dan
Address: 104 Bai Chay, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Linh Dan seats more than 300 guests and serves Vietnamese, Asian, Western and seafood dishes, which makes it a useful Halong Bay Vietnamese restaurant when one group wants four different things. Prices run from around 60,000 to 365,000 VND, and the most popular dishes are the squid cakes, the claypot fish and the fresh seafood.
Golden Ocean 9999
Address: E201, E402 and E404, Shophouse Plaza, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Golden Ocean 9999 is a larger seafood restaurant with an upscale setting, live seafood tanks and a wide selection of Vietnamese-style seafood dishes, including lobster, prawns, oysters, grilled squid and hotpot. Prices range widely, from around 120,000 to 1,500,000 VND depending almost entirely on which seafood you pick. This is a good choice for a more formal seafood dinner, where the live seafood is clearly displayed before you order.
Cua Vang
Address: 32 Phan Chu Trinh, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Cua Vang is one of Ha Long's well-known seafood restaurants, covering more than 350 square meters across three floors, and it is best known for crab hotpot cooked in a clay pot. A shared meal starts at around 1,000,000 VND for four people, and premium seafood such as lobster, king crab and abalone will increase the bill quickly. This is a restaurant to plan your evening around rather than a casual stop.
Papa's BBQ
Address: C346 and C347, Sun World area, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Papa's BBQ is a good choice when your group does not want seafood at every meal. It is casual and family-friendly, serving German-inspired BBQ, sausages, burgers, steaks and other international dishes, with typical spending around 200,000 to 300,000 VND per person and individual plates such as currywurst or grilled king prawns around 130,000 VND. It is especially useful for families with children and for travelers who want Western comfort food.
Chill Beach Bar
Address: Ky Quan, Bai Chay beach area, Ha Long.
Chill Beach Bar combines casual food, drinks and a beachfront setting, with burgers, noodles, grilled meats and international comfort food rather than local seafood. Set-menu spending starts from around 400,000 VND. Choose it when the setting matters as much as the food, for a relaxed afternoon, a sunset drink or an easy dinner by the water.
Restaurants in Hon Gai - Local families restaurant
Hon Gai, across Bai Chay Bridge, gives you a different side of Ha Long. Instead of tourist restaurants, this area has small local restaurants and street-food stalls where the dishes are simpler, cheaper and closer to what people here eat every day.
Banh cuon cha muc Goc Bang
Address: Ngo 1 Nha Hat, Bach Dang Ward, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
For a genuinely local breakfast, this is the best choice. The shop is small and is located down a narrow lane, serving steamed rice rolls with Ha Long's own grilled squid cake, and a typical serving costs around 40,000 VND with rice rolls and two pieces of squid cake, with extra cake sold separately. Go for breakfast, because it opens early and gets crowded.
Bun be be Huy Chien
Address: Thuc Thoai, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Huy Chien is a casual local restaurant specializing in one dish, bun be be, a noodle soup topped with mantis shrimp and other local seafood. It is a simple place rather than a large dining venue, which is exactly why it is worth a stop for anyone who wants everyday Halong Bay food. It opens from early morning until early afternoon and a bowl costs around 80,000 VND, with the menu displayed openly.
Restaurants around the Marina and Tuan Chau
The marina area suits travelers staying around Bai Chay, Hoang Quoc Viet Road or Citadines Marina. The restaurants here are more modern, with Asian fusion, seafood and Western dishes served in a setting closer to a city restaurant than a large seafood hall.
Soul Bowl at Citadines Marina
Address: Ground floor, Citadines Marina Ha Long, Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Ha Long.
Soul Bowl is a modern restaurant serving Asian comfort food, Vietnamese dishes, dim sum and lighter bowl-style meals, with a contemporary and relaxed setting. It works well for families and for anyone who wants something lighter than a full seafood feast, with the average spend around 200,000 to 800,000 VND.
May Corner
Address: Lot A6, Lot 10, Vo Nguyen Giap Street, Hong Hai, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
May Corner is a small cafe and bistro serving both Vietnamese and Western dishes, and the atmosphere is quieter than the large seafood restaurants, which suits couples, small families and anyone wanting a relaxed meal. Prices run from around 50,000 to 400,000 VND across pasta, salads, seafood soup and set meals.
Talata Seafood
Address: 87, Group 6, Area 8, Hai Dong Street, Hong Hai, Ha Long, Quang Ninh.
Talata is a modern Vietnamese seafood restaurant with spacious seating and a menu designed for family and group dining. The Quang Ninh branch opens from around 10:00 to 23:00 and prices run from approximately 70,000 to 800,000 VND. It is a practical choice when you want fresh seafood in a modern, well-organized restaurant rather than a busy traditional one.
Best places to dine on Halong Bay
Where you eat in Ha Long depends on whether you want convenience, local food or the experience of eating surrounded by limestone islands. For many visitors the most memorable meal is not at a land-based restaurant at all.
Dining on a cruise
Dining on a cruise combines Vietnamese and international dishes with views that change through the meal. Overnight cruises normally serve breakfast, lunch and dinner on board, and some also offer set menus, BBQs or private dining. For travelers who would rather combine sightseeing, accommodation and meals in one booking, the Halong Bay cruise options are the place to start.
Dining in a cave
Cave dining is arranged by selected cruises rather than offered as a regular restaurant service. Depending on the itinerary and the conditions on the day, private dinners can be arranged in or near caves such as Me Cung, and these are aimed at couples, honeymoons, anniversaries and private groups rather than general bookings.
Dining in a restaurant on shore
Shore dining is the most flexible option because you choose the cuisine, compare menus and control the budget. Bai Chay is convenient for tourists and Hon Gai suits travelers looking for smaller local places, and if you are only in Ha Long briefly, choose the restaurant that is closest to your hotel or your cruise transfer route.
What to eat in Halong Bay
The best Halong Bay food combines fresh Quang Ninh seafood with northern Vietnamese cooking. You do not need expensive seafood at every meal, and some of the most memorable dishes are inexpensive breakfast and street-food specialties.
Cha muc - The grilled squid cake of Halong
Cha muc is Ha Long's signature food and the first dish to try. Fresh squid is pounded by hand to give it a firm, slightly chewy texture, then shaped and fried until golden, and it usually arrives with sticky rice or banh cuon.
Banh cuon cha muc
Banh cuon cha muc combines soft steamed rice rolls with the crisp, savory squid cake. The contrast between the delicate rolls and the chewy squid makes it one of the easiest local dishes for a first-time visitor to enjoy.
Be be - The local mantis prawn
Be be is the Vietnamese name for mantis shrimp, and it comes steamed, grilled, stir-fried or in noodle soup. For an inexpensive introduction to local seafood, order bun be be rather than a full seafood platter.
Sa sung - The Quang Ninh sandworm
Sa sung is a marine worm harvested along the Quang Ninh coast, with a distinctive savory flavor, usually dried or used in soups and broths. Supply is limited and it is treated as a specialty, so expect prices well above everyday seafood.
Sam and ngan - Two shellfish found around the bay
Sam is horseshoe crab and ngan is a local bivalve with a rich, savory flavor, and both are served grilled, steamed, stir-fried or prepared in other Vietnamese styles. When ordering seafood you do not recognize, ask how it will be cooked and what it costs before confirming.
Tips before you eat in Halong Bay
When restaurants open and when a table needs booking?
Large seafood restaurants serve lunch and dinner, while local breakfast places often close before noon. Weekends, public holidays and the 18:00 to 20:00 dinner window are the busy periods, so book ahead for large groups and for the premium seafood restaurants.
Cash, cards and payment methods
Modern restaurants take Visa, Mastercard, QR payments and electronic wallets, but small local eateries often still prefer cash. Carry some Vietnamese dong, particularly for the banh cuon and bun be be shops.
How to avoid being overcharged
The most important rule with live seafood is to confirm the price per kilogram before anything is weighed or cooked, and to ask whether the quoted price includes cooking, sauce and service. A Halong Bay menu with prices printed clearly is more reliable than a verbal recommendation when you do not know local seafood pricing.
Vegetarian and family friendly options
Vegetarian food is available at most larger restaurants, although dedicated vegetarian menus are rare in seafood places. Modern restaurants such as Soul Bowl are the easier choice for vegetarian travelers and for families with children, and Golden Ocean 9999 and Ngoc Phuong Nam also list vegetarian-friendly dishes.
Eating before or after boarding a cruise
If your cruise leaves around midday, eat breakfast at the hotel or near the port rather than relying on a last-minute stop. For a late arrival, check whether dinner is included on board before booking a separate meal, since shore dining works best either before embarkation or after you return.
Frequently asked questions
Is seafood expensive in Halong Bay?
Prices range widely. A bowl of bun be be costs around 80,000 VND, while a seafood restaurant meal runs to several hundred thousand dong per person, and considerably more once lobster, crab or abalone are involved.
What is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Halong Bay?
There is no single answer. Hong Hanh 3 and Ngoc Phuong Nam are good choices for a large seafood meal, Linh Dan covers a broader Vietnamese and Asian menu, and for something more local, Goc Bang for banh cuon cha muc or Huy Chien for bun be be.
Can I find vegetarian food in Halong Bay?
Yes. Most larger restaurants offer vegetarian dishes and modern places such as Soul Bowl are more flexible. Mention dietary requirements when booking a cruise or a table so the kitchen can prepare suitable dishes in advance.
Do restaurants in Halong Bay accept credit cards?
Larger and more modern restaurants accept cards and electronic payments, but small local eateries may take cash only. If your plan includes local breakfast or street-food places, bring Vietnamese dong.
Is it better to eat on board or on shore?
Eat on board for convenience, the bay view and an all-in-one cruise experience. Eat on shore for more choice, local street food and more control over the budget.
How far are the restaurants from the cruise port?
The Bai Chay restaurants are the most convenient for travelers using the Ha Long International Cruise Port or staying in the tourist center. Transfer times vary by address, so check the location against your cruise pickup and drop-off point before reserving.
What is the most famous dish in Halong Bay?
Cha muc, the Ha Long grilled squid cake, is the most famous local specialty. It comes with sticky rice or banh cuon and is one of the easiest traditional dishes for international visitors to enjoy. Our Halong Bay travel guide covers what to do between meals, and current cruises and transfers are at bekatravel.com.
