🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The first thing to know about Koh Kood is that the restaurants are really far apart. Klong Chao beach is on one side of the island, while the Ao Yai and Ao Salad fishing villages are on the other. A scooter or a resort shuttle is far easier than trying to walk anywhere, which is why a lot of resorts run their own restaurants so you can just eat where you stay. If you want fresh seafood at a good price, though, you'll need to make the drive over to the fishing-village side.
Fishing-village seafood — straight off the boat
The Ao Yai and Ao Salad fishing villages are where you'll find the freshest seafood and the friendliest prices on the island. The restaurants are built out over the water, and the catch comes straight off the local boats. The best time to go is late afternoon into the evening, when the boats come in and the fresh haul has just landed.
Noochy Seafood — Ao Yai
The most talked-about seafood place on the island, out at the end of the pier in the Ao Yai fishing village. You eat right over the water with the sea breeze coming through, and the catch comes straight off the local boats. Regulars order the fish fried with fish sauce, blanched shellfish, grilled prawns and steamed crab.
Chonthicha Seafood — Ao Yai
On the north side of the Ao Yai fishing village, with a sala where you can sit and look out over the bay. The seafood menu is the full spread — crab, fish, squid. Order crab by the kilo and have it stir-fried with black pepper or done as a yellow curry. The setting is a genuine working fishing pier.
Captain Nhong Seafood — Ao Salad
Over by the Ao Salad pier, where you eat fresh seafood while watching the busy fishing harbor go about its day. It's a corner that still doesn't see many tourists, so it's good if you want to catch a glimpse of real fishing-village life.
Tidkoh Seafood — Klong Chao
On the Klong Chao side, so it's easier to reach than the fishing-village restaurants. There's cockles, fresh oysters, lobster, crab and fish to pick from and have cooked however you like. Open all day from late morning until late at night.
Nuch Leuang Seafood — Klong Chao Beach
A seafood spot up on the rise above Klong Chao beach, with a full run of familiar Thai-style seafood dishes. Thai travelers like it because it's close to the main accommodation zone, so you don't have to drive all the way out to the fishing villages.
Ordering seafood the smart way
The fishing-village restaurants charge by the weight of the fresh catch, so ask the price per kilo before you order and you'll feel a lot more relaxed about the bill. It's also worth calling ahead in high season, since a lot of these places don't have many seats and the fresh stuff sells out fast.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Trat food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Beachfront resort restaurants — eat slow, enjoy the view
Over on Klong Chao beach, Klong Hin beach and Ao Phrao, there are resort restaurants that let non-guests come in and sit down. The draw is the beachfront setting and the sunset view, and the menus run from Thai food and seafood to Western dishes for longer-stay guests who'd rather not drive far for a meal.
House of Kood — Klong Hin
A Thai-fusion spot on Klong Hin beach with the grilled fish of the day, fresh prawns, pad thai and Thai curries. An easy, relaxed place to sit and look out at the sea.
The Deck Bar & Restaurant — Ao Bang Bao
A beach spot at Ao Bang Bao that leans into cocktails, light bites and the sunset view — a good place to sit with a drink in the early evening.
The Fisherman Hut — Hin Dam / Ao Taphao
Seafood barbecue, a full menu, cocktails, and live music on some nights — a good one for a group of friends to settle in for a long evening.
Snacks, cafes and the non-seafood options
Koh Kood isn't all seafood. If you've had your fill of it or just want something easy, there's mookata (Thai BBQ hotpot), wood-fired pizza and a sea-view cafe or two to stop in at.
- Saeng Chan Mookata (on the road to Klong Chao Waterfall) — Thai BBQ hotpot with marinated pork and seafood and a punchy dipping sauce, good for a group dinner.
- Pizza & Pasta Koh Kood (Klong Mad) — wood-fired pizza and fresh pasta, for longer stays when you want a change of flavor.
- View Point Cafe (Ao Taphao) — coffee, homemade cake and smoothies with a wide sea view, a nice stop while you're driving around the island.
- Baan Suan Koh Kood (Baan Salak Phet) — homey Thai cooking in a warm setting, like eating at a friend's place.
A few things to plan around
Koh Kood is a quiet island. A lot of places close early, and some shut for a long stretch in the low season (May to October). Some ingredients have to be brought over from the mainland, so they cost more than they would in town. Bring cash too, since plenty of places only take cash.
Plan a full Koh Kood trip — where to eat and where to stay
See the Trat travel guide →