🔄 Last checked 2 Jul 2026 · details and hours can change — check the venue before you go
If you ask serious eaters in Bangkok to name a top fish congee spot, one name keeps coming up decade after decade: Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla, on Chan Road near Saphan 2 on the Thung Wat Don side of Sathorn. It's an ordinary shophouse at No. 816, no air-con, no styling to speak of, but the reason people drive across town to eat here again and again comes down to one simple idea — good fish congee starts with good fish. So instead of using ordinary fish, the kitchen sources the grades you'd normally find in a Chinese restaurant — tao tia, pomfret, and red grouper — and serves them at shophouse prices. That straightforwardness is exactly what earned it a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 guide, an award for places that deliver real flavor at a real bargain, and reviews as recent as December 2025 confirm it's still open and running as usual.
The dish to talk about first is the tao tia fish congee — soft, sweet white fish in a hot, rice-porridge broth that makes it obvious right away why this place has lasted so long. Anyone who wants to trade up has the pomfret fish congee or pomfret simmered with pickled plum to choose from. Pricing follows the fish — standard fish congee starts at THB 90-160, the grouper version runs THB 160, the tao tia and pickled-plum pomfret dishes climb to THB 350, and the top-tier pomfret fish congee tops out at THB 500. Given the quality of the fish, that's a price you won't easily find elsewhere. While you wait for the fish, there are good sides to snack on too — braised pork belly (mu ba-teng) at THB 80-90 and glass noodles baked with prawns at THB 235 a pot. Real spend per person averages around THB 150-400, depending on how big a fish dish you order.
One thing first-timers should know: the restaurant only opens for dinner, starting around 16:30 daily, and 18:00-20:00 is the busiest stretch. Reviews also agree on another point — the pomfret dishes take longer to cook than everything else. Regulars' trick is to order the fish dish the moment they sit down, then follow up with the pork belly and glass noodles to snack on while waiting, so the timing lines up and nobody sits there hungry waiting on the fish. Closing time varies by source, somewhere between 21:00-23:00, so if you're planning a late visit, calling ahead at 081-827-2381 is the safer move. Not many places like this are left in Bangkok — a shophouse that genuinely invests in its ingredients and lets the fish be the real star of the table.
Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla
Real spend per person runs around THB 150-400, depending on which grade of fish you order — fish congee starts at THB 90-160, the tao tia and pickled-plum pomfret dishes are THB 350, and the pomfret fish congee is THB 500. There's no online booking — just walk in, or call ahead at 081-827-2381 / 02-211-0829. Open for dinner only, every day, from around 16:30; closing time varies by source, somewhere between 21:00-23:00, so call ahead if you're heading in late. The busiest stretch is 18:00-20:00 — go before 6pm or after 8pm if you'd rather skip the wait.
It's located on Chan Road near Saphan 2 (Thung Wat Don, Sathorn), which has no train station in walking distance — the BRT Chan Road stop is around 1.5km away. The most convenient option is a taxi from BTS Surasak or Chong Nonsi. If you're driving, park along the street or in the lot behind the restaurant. It's a shophouse with no air-con, so dress casual. One key tip: the pomfret dishes take a while to cook, so order that one first as soon as you sit down, then order the pork belly and glass noodles to snack on while you wait. If you'd rather stay in, you can order delivery through LINE MAN.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| MICHELIN award 2026 | 🍽️ Bib Gourmand |
| Cuisine | Fish congee, Thai-Chinese |
| Approx. price | Fish congee from THB 90-160 (grouper congee THB 160), pork belly THB 80-90, glass noodles with prawns THB 235, pickled-plum pomfret/tao tia congee THB 35 |
| Booking | walk-in / phone ahead |
| Hours | Dinner only, every day, from ~16:30 (closing varies by source, 21:00-23:00; Wongnai lists 16:30-23:00) — call ahead 081-827- |
| Neighbourhood | Chan Road near Saphan 2 (Thung Wat Don, Sathorn) |
| Dress code | Casual |
Queue tips
No online booking — call 081-827-2381 / 02-211-0829; it's a shophouse on Chan Road (No. 816), no air-con, park on the street or in the lot behind the restaurant; no train station in walking distance — the BRT Chan Road stop is ~1.5km away, easiest is a taxi from BTS Surasak/Chong Nonsi; delivery available via LINE MAN · Busiest in the early evening 18:00-20:00; the pomfret dishes take a while to cook (reviews mention the wait) — order that one first
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