The best chilli crab in Singapore comes from seafood institutions such as JUMBO Seafood, Long Beach, Roland Restaurant and Palm Beach, and from neighbourhood zi char favourites like Keng Eng Kee, Mellben and Hua Yu Wee. Crab is sold by weight, at roughly $10-$15++ per 100g for mud crab at the big restaurants in 2026, so a typical 1kg crab costs around $110-$150 before rice, buns and sides; black pepper, white pepper and salted egg crab are the main alternatives. With the East Coast Seafood Centre emptied for redevelopment in September 2026, the big names now cluster along the Singapore River (Clarke Quay, Riverside Point), at Dempsey and Marina Bay, while Geylang, Marine Parade, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio hold the value spots. Confirm the day's per-100g rate when you order, and book ahead for weekend dinners.
Last verified: October 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
- JUMBO Seafood (Riverside Point)
- Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey)
- Roland Restaurant
- Red House Seafood Nanyang (Clarke Quay)
- Palm Beach Seafood
- Keng Eng Kee Seafood (Alexandra Village)
- No Signboard Seafood (Geylang)
- JB Ah Meng
- Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant
- Kelly Jie Seafood
- Mellben Seafood (Ang Mo Kio)
- Seafood Paradise (Scotts Square)
- New Ubin Seafood (CHIJMES)
- Sin Hoi Sai Eating House
- Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood
- Long Ji Zi Char
- Kok Sen Restaurant
- Eng Seng Restaurant
- Home of Seafood
- Mutiara Seafood
The list
JUMBO Seafood (Riverside Point) Chinese seafood · $$$
Singapore's best-known chilli crab chain, founded in 1987. Its original East Coast Seafood Centre flagship closed on 30 September 2026 when NParks redeveloped the site, but the riverside Riverside Point outlet carries on alongside branches at Dempsey Hill, ION Orchard, Jewel Changi Airport, The Riverwalk and Resorts World Sentosa.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Mud crab from around $10.80++ per 100g (under 1kg); Alaskan king crab $29.80++ per 100g
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Black pepper crab, Salted egg crab
- Where: 30 Merchant Road, #01-01/02, Riverside Point, Singapore 058282
- Area: Clarke Quay
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay
- Hours: Daily 11:30am-11pm (last order 10:15pm)
- Halal: No
Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey) Chinese seafood · $$$
A long-running seafood name that claims to have created Singapore-style black pepper crab. Besides Dempsey it runs Robertson Quay and a new East Coast outlet at Coastal PlayGrove (902 East Coast Parkway, #01-01/02), which replaced its former East Coast Seafood Centre restaurant in 2026.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · XL mud crab from around $11.80++ per 100g; Dungeness $11.80++ per 100g
- Must-try: Black pepper crab, Chilli crab, Alaskan king crab
- Where: 25 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249670
- Area: Dempsey Hill
- Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 5pm-11:30pm; Sat-Sun & PH 11am-11:30pm
- Halal: No
Roland Restaurant Chinese seafood · $$
A Marine Parade restaurant on the sixth floor of a multi-storey carpark block, run by the family that traces its roots to the creators of chilli crab; its gravy is an eggless, old-school version.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Promo of 2 crabs for $88++ in one style (Oct 2026, while stocks last); yellow roe crab $68++ each
- Must-try: Roland chilli crab, White pepper crab, Chilli crab sauce with fried buns
- Where: 89 Marine Parade Central, #06-750, Singapore 440089
- Area: Marine Parade
- Nearest MRT: Marine Parade
- Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, Sun & PH 11am-2:30pm; dinner daily 6pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Red House Seafood Nanyang (Clarke Quay) Chinese seafood · $$$
A seafood stalwart established in 1976, now at CQ @ Clarke Quay with sister outlets at Esplanade and Grand Copthorne Waterfront.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Prawn rolls, Stir-fried lobster with custard sauce
- Where: 3C River Valley Road, #01-02/03, CQ @ Clarke Quay, Singapore 179022
- Area: Clarke Quay
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay
- Hours: Daily 12pm-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm
- Halal: No
Palm Beach Seafood Chinese seafood · $$$
A veteran seafood restaurant that claims to have served the original chilli crab, now at One Fullerton with Marina Bay views.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price; set menus from $1,988 for a table
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Black pepper crab
- Where: 1 Fullerton Road, #01-09, One Fullerton, Singapore 049213
- Area: Marina Bay
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place
- Hours: Daily 12pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Keng Eng Kee Seafood (Alexandra Village) Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
A Michelin-recognised family zi char known for old-school crab and wok dishes; the Alexandra Village flagship is joined by SAFRA Tampines and SAFRA Punggol outlets.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Whole crab (about 900g) around $93 in any of nine styles
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Moonlight hor fun, Coffee pork ribs
- Where: 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136, Alexandra Village, Singapore 150124
- Area: Alexandra / Bukit Merah
- Nearest MRT: Redhill
- Halal: No
No Signboard Seafood (Geylang) Chinese seafood · $$$
The Geylang flagship of a chain that started as a hawker stall with no signboard, best known for its white pepper crab.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at seasonal price; fried buns $3 for 4
- Must-try: White pepper crab, Chilli crab, Black pepper crab
- Where: 414 Geylang Road, Singapore 389392
- Area: Geylang
- Nearest MRT: Aljunied
- Halal: No
JB Ah Meng Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
A Geylang zi char that has become a supper standard for its white pepper crab and wok-fried dishes, open until 2am Tuesday to Saturday.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: White pepper crab, San lou bee hoon
- Where: 534 Geylang Road, Singapore 389490
- Area: Geylang
- Nearest MRT: Aljunied
- Hours: Tue-Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 5pm-1:30am
- Halal: No
Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant Chinese seafood · $$
An old-school East Coast seafood house in a 1950s bungalow on Upper East Coast Road, known for a spicier, eggier chilli crab.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Black pepper crab, Olive fried rice
- Where: 462 Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 466508
- Area: Upper East Coast
- Nearest MRT: Bayshore
- Hours: Dinner daily from 5pm
- Halal: No
Kelly Jie Seafood Zi char / crab specialist · $$
A Toa Payoh crab specialist (formerly Mellben's Toa Payoh outlet) known for claypot crab bee hoon soup and a thick, eggy, sweet-spicy chilli crab.
- Cuisine: Zi char / crab specialist
- Price: $$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Claypot crab bee hoon soup, Chilli crab
- Where: 211 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, #01-11/15, Singapore 310211
- Area: Toa Payoh
- Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh
- Hours: Daily 12pm-2:30pm, 4:30pm-10pm (last orders 2pm, 9:30pm)
- Halal: No
Mellben Seafood (Ang Mo Kio) Zi char / crab specialist · $$
A family-run crab specialist founded in 1993, famous for its rich claypot crab bee hoon soup, under an HDB block in Ang Mo Kio.
- Cuisine: Zi char / crab specialist
- Price: $$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Claypot crab bee hoon soup, Butter crab, Chilli crab
- Where: 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-1222, Singapore 560232
- Area: Ang Mo Kio
- Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio
- Hours: Daily 5pm-10pm
- Halal: No
Seafood Paradise (Scotts Square) Chinese seafood · $$$
Paradise Group's seafood restaurant, which moved its flagship from VivoCity to Scotts Square in August 2026, with a 60-seat dining hall, eight private rooms and dim sum at lunch.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Singapore-style chilli crab, Butter crab, Poached tiger prawn with Chinese herbs
- Where: 6 Scotts Road, #03-04, Scotts Square, Singapore 228209
- Area: Orchard
- Nearest MRT: Orchard
- Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun & PH 10:30am-3:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
New Ubin Seafood (CHIJMES) Singaporean zi char · $$$
The CHIJMES branch of the zi char brand that began on Pulau Ubin, serving chilli crab with mantou alongside its signature rib-eye, with last orders at 11:30pm.
- Cuisine: Singaporean zi char
- Price: $$$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Chilli crab with mantou, US Black Angus rib-eye with Heart Attack Fried Rice
- Where: 30 Victoria Street, #02-01B/01C, CHIJMES, Singapore 187996
- Area: City Hall
- Nearest MRT: City Hall
- Hours: Daily 11am-1am (closed Mon lunch except PH)
Sin Hoi Sai Eating House Zi char / seafood · $$
A veteran East Coast Road zi char where crab, stingray and cold beer are served until 3am every night.
- Cuisine: Zi char / seafood
- Price: $$ · Prawn paste chicken wings around $9; BBQ stingray around $16; crab by weight
- Must-try: Black pepper crab, Chilli crab, Barbecue stingray
- Where: 187 East Coast Road, Singapore 428893
- Area: Katong
- Nearest MRT: Marine Parade
- Hours: Daily 4pm-3am
- Halal: No
Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood Chinese seafood · $$
A long-standing neighbourhood seafood restaurant off Upper Thomson, praised for a thick chilli crab gravy cooked directly with the crab.
- Cuisine: Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Crab at market price
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Black pepper crab, Prawn paste chicken
- Where: 122 Casuarina Road, Singapore 579510
- Area: Casuarina Road / Upper Thomson
- Hours: Mon 4:30pm-10:30pm; Tue-Sun 11:30am-2pm, 4:30pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Long Ji Zi Char Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
An Outram Road zi char with back-alley seating, best known for a rich, savoury crab bee hoon.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Zi char dishes from around $15; crab bee hoon at seasonal price
- Must-try: Signature crab bee hoon, Shrimp paste chicken, Fermented pork belly
- Where: 253 Outram Road, Singapore 169049
- Area: Outram
- Hours: Daily 5pm-10:30pm
- Halal: No
Kok Sen Restaurant Zi char / Chinese seafood · $$
A corner zi char on Keong Saik Road, a Chinatown favourite for its soupy big-prawn hor fun and seafood wok dishes.
- Cuisine: Zi char / Chinese seafood
- Price: $$ · Big prawn hor fun from around $16
- Must-try: Big prawn hor fun, Bittergourd black bean fish, Claypot yong tau foo
- Where: 4 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089110
- Area: Keong Saik / Chinatown
- Nearest MRT: Outram Park
- Hours: Tue-Sun 12pm-2:15pm, 5pm-9:15pm (closed Mon)
- Halal: No
Eng Seng Restaurant Zi char / crab specialist · $$
A family zi char famous for its sticky, sweet black pepper crab, which moved from Joo Chiat to Tampines; crabs are served at dinner only and are best pre-ordered.
- Cuisine: Zi char / crab specialist
- Price: $$ · Crab at market price; pre-order via WhatsApp
- Must-try: Black pepper crab
- Where: 9007 Tampines Street 93, Singapore 528841
- Area: Tampines
- Hours: About 11am-10pm, closed Mon (crabs at dinner only)
- Halal: No
Home of Seafood Chinese-style halal seafood · $$$
A Joo Chiat restaurant, established in 2009, serving Chinese-style halal seafood, including live crab and lobster cooked in classic zi char styles such as chilli, black pepper and salted egg.
- Cuisine: Chinese-style halal seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab priced seasonally
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Black pepper crab, Salted egg crab, Crab bee hoon soup
- Where: 1 Joo Chiat Place, #01, Singapore 427739
- Area: Joo Chiat / Eunos
- Nearest MRT: Eunos
- Hours: Daily 10:30am-10:30pm
- Halal: MUIS-certified
Mutiara Seafood Halal Chinese and Malay seafood · $$$
JUMBO Group's first halal seafood restaurant, opened in 2023 at Wisma Geylang Serai, bringing JUMBO-style chilli and black pepper crab to a halal-certified kitchen alongside Malay-style grilled seafood such as udang bakar Jimbaran.
- Cuisine: Halal Chinese and Malay seafood
- Price: $$$ · Crab priced by weight
- Must-try: Chilli crab, Black pepper crab, Udang bakar Jimbaran
- Where: 1 Engku Aman Turn, #01-02 & #02-02/03, Wisma Geylang Serai, Singapore 408528
- Area: Geylang Serai
- Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar
- Halal: MUIS-certified
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JUMBO Seafood (Riverside Point) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Clarke Quay | No |
| Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Dempsey Hill | No |
| Roland Restaurant | Chinese seafood | $$ | Marine Parade | No |
| Red House Seafood Nanyang (Clarke Quay) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Clarke Quay | No |
| Palm Beach Seafood | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Marina Bay | No |
| Keng Eng Kee Seafood (Alexandra Village) | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Alexandra / Bukit Merah | No |
| No Signboard Seafood (Geylang) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Geylang | No |
| JB Ah Meng | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Geylang | No |
| Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant | Chinese seafood | $$ | Upper East Coast | No |
| Kelly Jie Seafood | Zi char / crab specialist | $$ | Toa Payoh | No |
| Mellben Seafood (Ang Mo Kio) | Zi char / crab specialist | $$ | Ang Mo Kio | No |
| Seafood Paradise (Scotts Square) | Chinese seafood | $$$ | Orchard | No |
| New Ubin Seafood (CHIJMES) | Singaporean zi char | $$$ | City Hall | — |
| Sin Hoi Sai Eating House | Zi char / seafood | $$ | Katong | No |
| Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood | Chinese seafood | $$ | Casuarina Road / Upper Thomson | No |
| Long Ji Zi Char | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Outram | No |
| Kok Sen Restaurant | Zi char / Chinese seafood | $$ | Keong Saik / Chinatown | No |
| Eng Seng Restaurant | Zi char / crab specialist | $$ | Tampines | No |
| Home of Seafood | Chinese-style halal seafood | $$$ | Joo Chiat / Eunos | MUIS-certified |
| Mutiara Seafood | Halal Chinese and Malay seafood | $$$ | Geylang Serai | MUIS-certified |
Your questions answered
Where is the best chilli crab in Singapore?
The most-recommended names are JUMBO Seafood (Riverside Point and other outlets), Long Beach Seafood (Dempsey), Roland Restaurant (Marine Parade), Palm Beach Seafood (One Fullerton) and Red House Seafood (Clarke Quay). For zi char-style crab, Keng Eng Kee at Alexandra Village, Mellben Seafood in Ang Mo Kio and Kelly Jie Seafood in Toa Payoh are popular choices.
How much does chilli crab cost in Singapore?
Crab is priced by weight. In 2026 JUMBO charges from around $10.80++ per 100g for mud crab under 1kg and Long Beach from around $11.80++ per 100g, so a 1kg crab is roughly $110-$130 before service charge and GST. Zi char spots can be cheaper: Keng Eng Kee lists a whole crab of about 900g at around $93, and Roland ran a promotion of two crabs for $88++ in October 2026.
Is JUMBO Seafood at East Coast still open?
No. JUMBO's original East Coast Seafood Centre flagship closed on 30 September 2026 because NParks is redeveloping the site. JUMBO continues at Riverside Point, Dempsey Hill, ION Orchard, Jewel Changi Airport, The Riverwalk and Resorts World Sentosa, while Long Beach moved its East Coast restaurant to Coastal PlayGrove in East Coast Park.
Where can I find halal chilli crab in Singapore?
Halal-certified options include Home of Seafood (Joo Chiat) and Mutiara Seafood (Wisma Geylang Serai, run by JUMBO Group), both of which serve chilli and black pepper crab. Certification is renewed yearly, so check the MUIS halal directory before visiting. The big Chinese seafood restaurants such as JUMBO, Long Beach and Red House are not halal-certified.
Which seafood restaurants in Singapore are open late?
Sin Hoi Sai Eating House on East Coast Road serves until 3am daily, JB Ah Meng in Geylang until 2am from Tuesday to Saturday, and New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES until 1am. Most of the bigger seafood restaurants take last orders around 9:15pm-10:15pm.
What is the difference between chilli crab and black pepper crab?
Chilli crab is cooked in a sweet, tangy and mildly spicy tomato-chilli gravy, usually thickened with egg and eaten with fried or steamed mantou buns. Black pepper crab is dry-fried with crushed black pepper and butter for a sharper heat; Long Beach claims to have created it, and Eng Seng is known for its sticky version.
Do I need to book a chilli crab restaurant?
For JUMBO, Long Beach, Palm Beach, Red House and Seafood Paradise, booking is recommended for dinner and weekends. Some neighbourhood spots sell out of crab, so call ahead or pre-order: Eng Seng takes crab pre-orders via WhatsApp and serves crab at dinner only.
How many people does one chilli crab feed?
A crab of about 800g-1.2kg is generally shared between two people, with buns, fried rice and one or two other dishes. For four people, most diners order two crabs or one crab in a different style, such as chilli plus black pepper.
Related guides