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Best Seafood Restaurants in Phuket

Phuket's top-rated seafood restaurants — from beachside grills to upscale dining.

13 places$ to $$ price levelAvg 4.6 on GoogleUpdated Mar 2026

If you only read one line

The best seafood in Phuket is rarely on the tourist strips — it's over the water. The island's classic seafood houses line the calmer east coast: Kan Eang has served whole fish beside Chalong pier since 1973, and Laem Hin's restaurants sit on stilts with the boats that supplied them tied up alongside. Patong's beachfront contributes the show — pick-your-lobster tanks and torch-lit tables on the sand at Baan Thai — while a newer generation like Ocean Rhyme adds polish and proper cocktails to pristine catch. This list ranks 13 with ratings and what each kitchen does best.

Order like a local: whole fish steamed with lime and chili (pla neung manao), crab in yellow curry, mantis prawns when the board offers them, and morning glory to cut the richness. Seafood prices by weight at market rates, so ask the per-kilo price before the kitchen weighs your fish — a generous dinner for two at the east-coast houses runs ฿1,000–2,000, roughly half of what the same meal costs with Patong sand under the table.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best seafood restaurant in Phuket?

For the classic experience, Kan Eang at Chalong pier — half a century of whole fish and curry crab at the water's edge. For local credibility, the stilt-house restaurants at Laem Hin on the east coast, where seafood comes off boats moored alongside. For a beachfront occasion in Patong, Baan Thai puts torch-lit tables on the sand, and Ocean Rhyme is the polished newer favorite.

How much does a seafood dinner cost in Phuket?

At the east-coast local houses, a full spread for two — whole fish, curry crab, vegetables, rice — typically runs ฿1,000–2,000. Patong beachfront settings charge a premium for the location: expect ฿2,000–4,000 for a comparable meal, more if the lobster tank gets involved. Everything prices by weight at market rates, so confirm the per-kilo price before ordering large shellfish.

What seafood dishes should I order in Phuket?

Whole steamed fish with lime, garlic, and chili (pla neung manao) is the island benchmark. Curry crab, grilled river or tiger prawns, and stir-fried crab with black pepper are the crowd-pleasers, and mantis prawns are the local delicacy worth ordering whenever a restaurant's board lists them. Phuket lobster is spectacular and priced accordingly — split one as a course rather than building the meal on it.

Where do locals eat seafood in Phuket?

The east coast. Laem Hin's stilt restaurants and the Bang Pae area in the northeast fill with Thai families on weekends, at prices and freshness the west-coast strips can't match. Phuket Town's evening markets add the street-level version. As a rule, the further from a tourist beach, the better the per-baht seafood — the fifteen-minute drive east is the island's best-kept dining secret.