Location: Semporna
Top Restaurants in Semporna
Top 10 restaurants in Semporna, Malaysia
Semporna (Malay: Pekan Semporna) is the capital of the Semporna District in the Tawau Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 35,301 in 2010.
Things to do in Semporna
1. Ocean Treasure Live Seafood Restaurant
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 48 reviews
Located just beside Sipadan Inn II, in a relatively new development area of Semporna.We offer an Al Fresco dining environment with a superb seaview just outside our premises. Suitable for families, couples and groups of all ages.
Reviewed By Max L
Went to this place as recommended by TA but during dinner time that place is so quiet and without a soul. The tank for the fresh seafood is also not appealing and we ended up a few stall next to them for seafood instead . Am wondering if they are still focusing on the seafood business or have already change owner
2. Mabul Cafe
Overall Ratings
3 based on 52 reviews
Reviewed By Daron J - Newcastle, Australia
Shy at first, but once you start talking to the staff in the Mabul Cafe, they are very friendly and accommodating. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are HUGE. The juices are amazing and the seafood is as fresh as it gets. And if you have room after dinner, attempt to finish a Mabul Cafe bowl of ice-cream. Thanks to all the staff for looking after my friends and i so well over the two weeks that we ate in your establishment.
3. Restoran bismillah
Overall Ratings
4 based on 40 reviews
Reviewed By paulbuxton108 - Seattle, Washington
Definitely serves up a damn fine Roti with tasty dal and chilli sauce. The place is kind of grubby and greasy though! It is staffed by a bunch of inattentive twenty something's which is moderately annoying.
Not a bad option though in a town of limited restaurants.
4. Dragon Inn
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By Tyler S - Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Really great grilled food and they were very accommodating to change sauces on their amazing fresh seafood! Slipper lobsters, crabs and mantis shrimp are all must tries! Slow service and bad smell from the sea brought it down a bit.. Also, there is a great massage spot nearby on the second floor of the hotel that my group all went to. If you get a massage, you can use their cinema for free all night, great for a night off from drinking at the dive shop!
5. Restoran Thien Wang
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Almyhappy - Singapore, Singapore
After our disappointed meal at Fat Mother yesterday, we went Thien Wang as it was recommended by the dive shop. The restaurant here all have the freshest ingredients and live seafood, but in terms of culinary skill, I give Thien Wang 3 thumbs up!! Great...
Buttery Crayfish - out of this world
Steam Grouper - perfectly steam and tasty
Lady's finger's - crunchy and tasty
tomato egg - yummy
6. Fat Mother Semporna
Overall Ratings
4 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By brommie-diver - Penang Island, Malaysia
Sumptuous fresh seafood, not to mention its beautifully-cooked silky egg tofu with crispy skin. Yummmmmm... Its servings of rice and vegs are quite a lot for 1-2 people, more meant for 4 people sharing. If you're in Semporna, don't miss this eating place.
7. Fish Village Seafood Restaurant
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By wannatravel12 - Minnedosa
We have eaten here 3 times over the last 2 days. Menu has a great variety, delicious food. Mostly locals eating here & on sea side. Overall good service, excellent food.
8. Seafood Restaurant Semporna
Overall Ratings
5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By annamarie Y - Dalian, China
i'm not sure if this is a newly opened restaurant or the owner hasn't done much advertising, i'm so astonished that its name was not on trip advisor!
while this is really an excellent restaurant
we came here just by chance, of course our local friends had recommended Fat Mother and Tian Wang and some other restaurants in the seafront area, including this one. they were all good restaurants. but how to choose?
we were here just because it's already open at 2 pm (after we had just settled down after long flights and connections). we had planned to take something simple and enjoy a feast in the evening. but after checking the menu we found the portions were big (for example the small noodles were for at least 2-3 persons) so we decided to order different dishes to share. Then one guy in our group (who is a boss :)) lost control and it seemed he'd like to try more things than fast foods. then finally we were already enjoying a big feast in the late afternoon :D.
the prices of sea foods in southeast asia are cheaper than in the other places, that was something known to everybody. But generally speaking we think the taste of them is not so competitive with those from our hometown (we're from Dalian, China which is also a very famous sea city) since the water temperature here is higher, while we believe that the lower the seawater's temperature is , the delicious the sea foods are. when i was in Thailand and Indonesia i always found the sea foods tasteless, but here in A Zhang it was different!
yes i'm vegetarian and used not, but i do try things for purpose of comparison. Fat mother was good, but we were there once and my friends found the steamed fish was under-cooked. so they asked the kitchen to steam it more, unfortunately after which the fish became bitter, we didn't know why. Fat mother has good reputation and we found it was crowded with guests (after 2 days of closing, donnot know why). maybe the kitchen was too busy to keep things perfect. But A Zhang's chef always cooked things in a flavorous way. i guess it changed my idea about the sea foods in southeast asia.
besides the foods, the boss and the staff here were all very nice people. The boss took my friends to the may bank on his own motorcycle, and when we had no enough ringgit to pay the bill (how could we? we'd spent it all here :D), we could just put some dollars here and change back when we had ringgit on the next day! in the end the boss accepted that we could settle in dollar, although they didn't accept it on routine
in the 1st evening my friends tried another restaurant in the neighborhood, i was not there, but they said that put aside the taste the portion there was smaller. and then we tried fat mother on the 3rd day, as i mentioned above, but we all agreed that A Zhang prevailed over all, that's why we were there every day afterwards during our whole stay in Semporna
when we were there, every time when the foods were ready the boss asked for our permission to take a pic of the table. we asked why? it was said that he was trying to put the pics on a chinese app (sth similar to trip advisor). we were very glad to do so since we believed it was worthy. And it was also why i'm willing to add a name of it here too to help the restaurant known by more people, it just deserves it!
9. Zanah Food Truck
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By EthanHuntNeo - Hong Kong, China
Zanah Food Truck is the first food truck in Semporna. I've never seen a food truck in Semporna before and suddenly these guys showed up! Boom!
I came to their food truck parked near BSN Semporna one night, ordered two burgers and my order served just two minutes later! I'm so happy.
I don't know how they did it but Zanah Food Truck staffs amazed me with their friendly attitude, passionate showmanship and pure enthusiasm on what they are doing.
I bet they do love burgers and burritos because from my point of view, they love cooking and preparing it!
Seems like I saw 'Chef' hollywood movie comes to real life when Favreau is the main star in his food truck.
They are happy doing what they do - cooking, selling, serving burgers.
I really satisfied with the menu - they cooked it professionally.
These guys are so friendly with their customers and with any buyers who came to their food truck.They wear their trademark uniform - a black round neck t shirt with large 'Zanah Food Truck' logo in the front.
You can recognize Zanah Food Truck easily in Semporna town because their truck is painted with bright yellow color and they parked in the same place every night, that is in front of Bank Simpanan Nasional.
The place they parked is also clean. There is covered place right there. They also bring along some stools and tables for you to sit and eat, or just sit while waiting.
The night is new, fresh and totally clean so you have no doubt about the cleanliness and the quality of the food they prepare.
Personally, I highly recommend Zanah Food Truck to any tourist, travellers and local people in Semporna. They maybe look small from the inside but actually they will make you happy.
Trust me. I've been there!
10. Amazing Island Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
Serving tasty healthy snacks and beverages, Amazing Island cafe mainly serves fresh juices and smoothies. We also serve our popular snack; banana fritters with cheese and molasses, which is so delicious and addicting! Other menus are also available!
Reviewed By Spagetti68 - Leeds, United Kingdom
We went here everyday after diving for smoothies as its just where the boat drops you off. Coconut flavour was my kriptonite and has made me seriously consider how I can incubate my own cocopalm when I return to the UK.
