At 94 Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Century, Johor Bahru, a Chinese family has been grilling stingray over charcoal every evening since before most of their regulars can remember — and on weekends, the queue starts forming before the 5PM opening.
Picture it: the sun is still up but the smell of charcoal and sambal hits you half a street away. Neighbours have given up trying to park anywhere near the junction. A row of plastic tables is already packed, the uncles are fanning the grill, and somewhere at the display counter a family of five is pointing at a live mud crab. Welcome to Ikan Bakar Tampin at 94 Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Century (Taman Abad), 80250 Johor Bahru — the kind of neighbourhood seafood spot that food writers like Johor Kaki's Tony drive across town for, and that most visitors only discover by asking a local.
What makes Ikan Bakar Tampin worth the queue?
The whole concept is refreshingly low-tech: there is no printed menu. You walk up to the seafood display counter, point at what looks good that evening — stingray, slipper prawns, flower crab, squid, lala — and the staff note it down. Then it goes onto the grill. The house preparation is sambal grilled on banana leaf, and that banana leaf is not just for plating; the slight char and fragrance of the leaf seeps into the fish as it cooks, giving the sambal gravy an extra edge you don't get in air-conditioned restaurants.
The sambal grilled stingray (ikan pari) is the dish that made the name. Reviewers and food bloggers consistently call it the reason to come, describing it as rich in flavour, sufficiently spicy without being punishing, and generous in portion. Next up in the regular order: slipper prawns (虾婆) — a sweeter, meatier alternative to tiger prawns that grill beautifully and are hard to find well-executed — and white pepper crab, which earns its own dedicated callout on the shop signboard among eight house specialties.
One insider tip from Rubbish Eat Rubbish Grow (a reliable JB food blog): avoid ordering too many sambal dishes in the same meal. The kitchen uses a single sambal base across preparations, so varying your selection — say, one sambal dish plus the white pepper crab plus a steamed lala — gives you a more interesting spread and better value.
Is Ikan Bakar Tampin halal?
No. Ikan Bakar Tampin is a non-halal establishment. It is a Chinese-operated seafood restaurant with no halal certification. Johor Kaki's Tony explicitly states this in his blog comments — twice, in response to direct reader questions — and Johor Foodie labels it a "Non-Halal eatery." Several aggregator websites (Burpple, Hungreats) have listed it as halal at various times, but those listings are incorrect. Muslim diners should not visit this restaurant.
What are the opening hours and closed days?
Ikan Bakar Tampin opens at 5:00PM daily, with last orders around 11:20PM and closing at approximately midnight (some sources note 12:30AM on busy nights). It is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday. That means it operates Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings only. If you are planning a visit on a public holiday, call ahead on +6016-743 1286 to confirm — family-run spots sometimes adjust for festive closures without much online notice.
How far is Ikan Bakar Tampin from KSL D'Esplanade?
Approximately 700–900 metres, which is genuinely close. Both KSL D'Esplanade on Jalan Seladang and Ikan Bakar Tampin on Jalan Dato Sulaiman sit within Taman Century. By Grab it is a 2–3 minute ride; on foot, allow 9–12 minutes in the evening heat. That said, arriving on foot is not the recommended strategy — not because of distance, but because of the next point.
What about parking?
Parking is, to put it mildly, a problem. Johor Kaki calls it "very limited"; Rubbish Eat Rubbish Grow is more direct: "parking is a problem as the venue sits in a residential area." Jalan Dato Sulaiman is a residential street, and on peak nights both sides of the road fill up long before 6PM. The practical solutions: come by Grab (drop off right outside, book a return when you're almost done), or park at KSL City Mall's covered carpark and walk the 700–900 metres. Either beats circling the block for 20 minutes.
When should you arrive to beat the queue?
Early. As in, embarrassingly early by dinner-out standards. Foodielicious documented arriving at 4:50PM on a Sunday — ten minutes before opening — and finding the restaurant nearly full. The consensus across food blogs: aim for 4:30–4:45PM to claim a table without waiting. On weekdays (Thursday or Monday) you have slightly more breathing room. Arrive at 6:30PM on a Saturday and you may be looking at a 1–2 hour wait. That is not an exaggeration.
What does it cost?
Budget roughly RM40–RM60 per person for a satisfying meal with drinks. As a reference point, a 2017 meal for five people at Ikan Bakar Tampin totalled RM211, covering sambal squid (RM37), sambal stingray (RM28), slipper prawns (RM88) and lala (RM24). Prices will have moved since then, and live seafood like slipper prawns and crab is priced by weight, so ask the staff before you order if you have a firm budget in mind.
Quick facts
- Full name: Ikan Bakar Tampin (Restoran Ikan Bakar Tampin)
- Address: 94, Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Century (Taman Abad), 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
- Opening hours: Thursday to Monday, 5:00PM – 12:00AM (last order approximately 11:20PM)
- Closed: Every Tuesday and Wednesday
- Halal status: Non-halal — no halal certification; Chinese-operated seafood restaurant
- Phone: +6016-743 1286
- Distance from KSL D'Esplanade: Approximately 700–900 metres (2–3 min by Grab / 9–12 min on foot)
- Google Maps: Get directions
- Price range: Approximately RM40–RM60 per person
- Tip: Arrive by 4:30–4:45PM and come by Grab — parking is nearly impossible on peak nights
If you are visiting on a public holiday, it is always worth a quick call to confirm they are open. And if you are doing a bigger seafood spread with five or more people, go early, let everyone pick one or two items from the counter, and mix your preparations — do not let the whole table order sambal everything.
Planning a trip to Johor Bahru? Book your stay at Southern Homestay — our studio and 2-bedroom units at KSL D'Esplanade are approximately 700–900 metres from Ikan Bakar Tampin on Jalan Dato Sulaiman. WhatsApp us at +60 12-708 8789 to check availability.