Kaohsiung eats well at every price. These are 20 restaurants worth planning a meal around, five at each price: fine dining, a special dinner, sit-down favourites and small eats. Each one has its price, hours, how to book and the nearest station.
- $$$$ NT$3,000 and up a head
- $$$ NT$1,000 to 3,000
- $$ NT$300 to 1,000
- $ Under NT$300
How we picked: we started from the places Kaohsiung diners rate highly, then cross-checked each one in November 2026 on Google reviews (reading the Chinese-language reviews from local diners, not only visitors' reviews in English), TripAdvisor, Taiwanese food media and the MICHELIN Guide. Hours, prices and booking come from each restaurant's own pages where it has them. They change, so check before you go.
$$$$: fine dining, NT$3,000 and up
the FRONT HOUSE
the FRONT HOUSE (方蒔), seasonal tasting menu, Lingya. A seasonal tasting menu built on Taiwanese produce, especially fish from Penghu, and attentive service: its front-of-house manager won MICHELIN's 2025 Service Award. One MICHELIN star.
- Price Nine-course menu about NT$3,580 (reported in 2026); wine pairing extra
- Hours Tue to Sat 17:30 to 22:30; closed Sun and Mon
- Book Online through inline (linked from its Facebook page), or 07-223-1768
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station MRT Wukuaicuo (O8), 16 min walk
Sho
Sho (承), Japanese, Qianzhen. A calm Japanese counter dinner built on Taiwanese vegetables and rice; the rice-pot (kamameshi) course is the one local diners talk about. One MICHELIN star.
- Price NT$3,500 plus 10% service; wine or tea pairing NT$1,500
- Hours Dinner Wed to Sun 18:30 to 22:00 (last seating 19:00); lunch Sat and Sun (last seating 12:30); closed Mon and Tue
- Book On its website, sho.com.tw
- Payment Cards accepted
- Address 2F, 806 Zhonghua 5th Rd. (entrance on Jiansheng St.)
- Station MRT Shihjia (R7), 5 min walk
HAILI
HAILI, modern Japanese-French, Qianjin. A counter-side seasonal menu that blends Japanese and French cooking, and each season includes one course inspired by Kaohsiung. One MICHELIN star.
- Price NT$3,950 plus 10% service; pairings NT$1,200 to 2,380; water NT$200 a bottle
- Hours Dinner Tue to Sun 17:30 to 22:00; lunch Fri to Sun 12:00 to 15:00; closed Mon
- Book Online through inline (linked from hai-li.tw), or 07-215-0559
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station Light rail Glory Pier (C10), 9 min walk
Hābu
Hābu (Hābu小餐館), herbal fine dining, Qianzhen. Creative cooking built on Chinese herbal ingredients (漢方), which add depth without tasting medicinal; the tea-based alcohol-free pairing is a highlight. Starred in its first year in the guide, 2026.
- Price Dinner menu from about NT$3,200 (reported in 2026)
- Hours Tue to Sat 18:00 to 21:00; closed Sun and Mon
- Book Online through inline, or 07-241-3100
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station Light rail Commerce and Trade Park (C6), 3 min walk
THOMAS CHIEN Restaurant
THOMAS CHIEN Restaurant, French, Qianzhen. French cooking built on southern Taiwan's farms, with regular wine dinners and guest chefs; a Kaohsiung fine-dining pioneer that holds MICHELIN's Green Star for sustainable cooking.
- Price Dinner sets NT$3,850 to 4,200 (vegetarian NT$3,000); lunch from NT$1,650; plus 10% service
- Hours Lunch 11:30 to 14:30, dinner 18:00 to 22:30
- Book Online through inline (linked from thomaschien.com), or 07-536-9436
- Station Light rail Software Technology Park (C7), 1 min walk
$$$: a special dinner, NT$1,000 to 3,000
Old New Taiwanese Cuisine
Old New Taiwanese Cuisine (老新台菜), Taiwanese banquet, Sanmin. The easiest way to eat a full Taiwanese banquet: there's no menu to order from, just a set of seven to nine dishes per person, with fresh seafood, crab sticky rice and taro sago. This is the original shop on Jiuru 2nd Road. MICHELIN Selected.
- Price Set menus at three levels, priced per person
- Hours Daily 11:30 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 21:30
- Book By phone, 07-313-3077
- Station MRT Kaohsiung Main Station (R11), 10 min walk
Cho
Cho (秋), French tasting menu, Sanmin. A polished, good-value tasting menu that plays French technique against Taiwanese flavours, with an English menu. On the second floor of the YUIMOM Residence. MICHELIN Selected.
- Price Discovery menu NT$1,880 to 2,480; Gourmet menu NT$2,980 to 3,580; wine pairing from NT$1,280 (September 2026 menu)
- Hours 12:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:30; closed Tue
- Book Online through inline, or 07-974-1218
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station Light rail Science and Technology Museum (C30), 4 min walk
GEN
GEN (雋), Cantonese, Qianzhen. Refined Cantonese cooking with set menus and à la carte; the crispy local pigeon and roast duck are the dishes to order. One MICHELIN star.
- Price Set menus from about NT$2,680 plus 10% service (reported in 2026); pairings NT$1,280 to 1,880
- Hours Tue to Sun 12:00 to 14:30 and 18:00 to 22:00; closed Mon
- Book Online through inline or 07-338-4885, up to 30 days ahead, with a NT$1,000 deposit per person; smart casual; the main room is for ages 12 and up
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station Light rail Software Technology Park (C7), 3 min walk
Crab's House
Crab's House (蟳之屋), Penghu seafood, Xinxing. Open since 1976 and known as Kaohsiung's first Penghu-style seafood house; go with a group for salt-and-pepper crab, crab sticky rice and shrimp rolls. Private rooms and parking. MICHELIN Selected.
- Price Seafood at market price; recent diners paid about NT$1,000 a head
- Hours Daily 11:30 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 21:00
- Book By phone, 07-226-6127
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station MRT Sinyi Elementary School (O6), 7 min walk
Kuca Seafood
Kuca Seafood (古家海鮮), seafood, Zuoying. A father-and-son seafood house with a playful streak: truffle squid-ink fried rice, sea urchin scrambled eggs and soft-shell crab curry, best shared. MICHELIN Selected.
- Price Dishes about NT$300 to 480 each, for sharing
- Hours Tue to Sun 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 22:00; closed Mon
- Book By phone, 07-550-8687; book ahead at weekends
- Station MRT Kaohsiung Arena (R14), 9 min walk
$$: sit-down favourites, NT$300 to 1,000
Yung Yen
Yung Yen (永筵小館), Taiwanese home cooking, Qianjin. Careful Taiwanese home cooking, such as shrimp with scrambled egg and braised pork knuckle; its chef won MICHELIN's Young Chef Award in 2025. It fills weeks ahead and the owners run it by strict rules: be on time. Bib Gourmand.
- Price About NT$600 to 800 a head (recent diners); dishes NT$200 to 500
- Hours Tue to Sat, seatings 11:00 to 12:30 and 17:00 to 18:30; closed Sun and Mon
- Book Online through inline, or 0966-205-757
- Payment Cash only
- Station MRT Cianjin (O4), 10 min walk
Erge Shih Tang
Erge Shih Tang (貳哥食堂), Taiwanese, Gushan. Light, everyday Taiwanese cooking near the Museum of Fine Arts; locals order the pan-fried pork liver and honey-braised saury. No service charge, and the tea is free. Bib Gourmand.
- Price About NT$400 to 600 a head (recent diners)
- Hours Wed to Sun 11:30 to 13:30 and 17:00 to 20:30; closed Mon and Tue
- Book By phone, 07-554-1123; booking advised
- Payment Cash only
- Station Light rail Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (C21), 10 min walk
NIU LAO DA
NIU LAO DA (牛老大涮牛肉), beef hot pot, Qianjin. The Kaohsiung original of Tainan-style warm-beef hot pot, open since 1996, with beef brought in daily from Tainan and stir-fries with real wok fire. Open until midnight. This is the main shop; there are now branches around Taiwan. Bib Gourmand.
- Price Beef plates NT$230 to 480; about NT$600 to 900 a head
- Hours Dinner Tue to Sun 16:00 to 24:00; lunch Wed to Sun 11:30 to 14:00; closed Mon
- Book By phone, 07-281-9196; weekday walk-ins usually work
- Payment Cards accepted
- Station MRT Central Park (R9), 8 min walk
Shantou Quancheng Shacha Hot Pot
Shantou Quancheng Shacha Hot Pot (汕頭泉成沙茶火鍋), shacha hot pot, Xinxing. Shacha (satay) hot pot in a busy, friendly room right by Formosa Boulevard Station. Its own page dates the business to 1943 and calls it Taiwan's first shacha hot pot; this is the main shop, and there are branches around the city.
- Price Personal pots from NT$398 (2024 prices)
- Hours From 11:00 daily; check the closing time before a late visit
- Book By phone, 07-288-5599
- Station MRT Formosa Boulevard (R10/O5), 1 min walk
Thai Yuan
Thai Yuan (泰元), Thai, Lingya. Thai cooking that local diners call the real thing, at close to street prices; the pad thai is the star. Expect a wait without a booking. Bib Gourmand five years running.
- Price About NT$200 to 600 a head; pad thai NT$160
- Hours Lunch and dinner; days off are posted on its Facebook page
- Book By phone only, 07-221-0662
- Payment Cash only
- Station MRT Sanduo Shopping District (R8), 8 min walk
$: small eats, under NT$300
Cianjin Braised Pork Rice
Cianjin Braised Pork Rice (前金肉燥飯), braised pork rice, Qianjin. Third-generation braised pork rice topped with fish floss, in the middle of town since 1959: rich, sweet and salty. Add a half-cooked fried duck egg. Bib Gourmand.
- Price About NT$100 to 150; pork rice NT$50
- Hours Mon to Fri 07:15 to 17:30, Sat 07:15 to 14:00; closed Sun; may close early when sold out
- Book Walk in; expect a queue at peak times
- Station MRT Cianjin (O4), 4 min walk
Hung Chi Rice Shop
Hung Chi Rice Shop (弘記肉燥飯舖), braised pork rice, Zuoying. A bright, comfortable braised pork rice shop by the Arena, open every day and into the evening; side dishes add up. Bib Gourmand three years running.
- Price Under NT$200 a head
- Hours Daily 11:30 to 15:00 and 16:30 to 22:00
- Book Walk in
- Station MRT Kaohsiung Arena (R14), 3 min walk
Mi Yuan Tzu
Mi Yuan Tzu (米院子油飯), sticky rice, Xinxing. Sesame-oil duck sticky rice and clam-rich soups in a small, pretty room; one of the newer Bib Gourmand shops, listed since 2023.
- Price Under NT$200 a head
- Hours Tue to Sat 11:00 to 17:00; closed Sun and Mon
- Book Walk in
- Station MRT Sinyi Elementary School (O6), 5 min walk
Bei Gang Tsai Rice Tube
Bei Gang Tsai Rice Tube (北港蔡三代筒仔米糕), rice tubes, Yancheng. Rice tubes with pickled ginger and steamed-egg soup by the Love River since 1956, with plenty of seats; a good stop on a riverside walk. Bib Gourmand.
- Price About NT$100 to 150
- Hours 13:30 to 21:30; closed Wed (sources differ, so check before you go)
- Book Walk in
- Address 167 Hexi Rd.
- Station MRT Yanchengpu (O2), 13 min walk
Gang Yuan Beef Noodles
Gang Yuan Beef Noodles (港園牛肉麵), beef noodles, Yancheng. Kaohsiung's best-known beef noodles, a short walk from Pier-2; locals order the noodles dry-mixed. Pay at the counter first, then queue for a seat. This is the original Yancheng shop; other shops use the 港園 name.
- Price Beef noodle soup NT$150
- Hours Daily 10:30 to 20:00
- Book Walk in
- Station Light rail Dayi Pier-2 (C12), 9 min walk
Good to know: many of the smaller places are cash only, and the popular ones have queues at lunch. Fine-dining places book up weeks ahead, and some take a deposit.
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Sources: each restaurant's own website, Facebook page or booking page where it has one; the MICHELIN Guide Kaohsiung 2026 selection and TVBS on the 2026 Bib Gourmand list; Google reviews and TripAdvisor, read on 2 and 3 November 2026; walking times from Google Maps. Prices marked “reported” are from the press, not the restaurant. Checked November 2026.