🔄 Updated 4 Jun 2026
Pattaya restaurants split easily into two camps: fresh seafood built around the catch from the water out front, and bold Thai places where the people who work nearby eat every day. We ranked these by looking at steady reviews, how fresh the ingredients are, and whether Pattaya locals themselves actually go — not just by the size of the sign or check-in counts. A spot near the bottom of the list isn't worse, it just suits a different occasion, so we've spelled out what each place does best.
How to read the ranking
The prices we give are rough ranges per person when you order seafood by the kilo. The real bill depends on the size and weight of what you pick that day. Most seafood places weigh your order and charge by the kilo, so ask the price per kilo before you order — it makes keeping to a budget much easier.
The 10 Best Pattaya Restaurants, Ranked
Mum Aroi, Naklua
Ask a Pattaya local where to go for seafood and this name usually comes up first. It's an open-air spot right on the water in the Naklua fishing village, so the ingredients are fresh straight from the sea, and the cooking is proper Thai that isn't toned down for tourists. The dishes people order most are crab fried in curry powder, deep-fried sea bass with fish sauce, and the various spicy salads. With a view of the fishing boats, it's a great first meal if you've just arrived in Pattaya.
Lung Sawai Seafood, Jomtien
An old-school seafood spot on Jomtien Beach that's been going for over 30 years — plain, easygoing Thai surroundings with the sea breeze coming through. It's known for steamed mud crab, crab fried in curry powder, and sour curry with fish roe, and it's good value for how fresh everything is. Great for a long, lazy evening catching the breeze. It's right on the Jomtien beachfront road, with parking available.
Poo Pen Seafood
A homestyle seafood spot that's been part of Pattaya for over 35 years. It's an outdoor place focused on fresh ingredients at friendly prices. The dishes reviewers keep mentioning are steamed blue crab, prawns in tamarind sauce, steamed curry fish cake with mackerel, and fresh oysters. This is an everyday eating spot more than a photo spot, and it's good value for money.
Srinuan Seafood
A seafood spot right on the water in the Na Jomtien area, with comfy seating and the sea breeze. The dishes people order often are blue crab stir-fried with ginger and spring onion, grouper topped with chilli, and tom yum goong. It's a good fit for families or groups of friends, and prices are mid-range — not too steep for a place by the sea.
Nang Nual, Walking Street
One of the oldest seafood restaurants in Pattaya, sitting at the far end of Walking Street right on the water. The draw is the ice boxes out front displaying fresh fish and seafood — you point at what you want and tell them how to cook it. The quality and service are good, but prices run higher than the soi spots. It's a good pick if you want a special meal in a central Pattaya location that's easy to walk to.
Rimpa Lapin, Na Jomtien
A restaurant on a clifftop above the sea at Na Jomtien, with the wide Gulf of Thailand as the backdrop. It's one of the spots people credit with the best sunset view in Pattaya. The food is Thai and seafood, and the dishes people talk about are mantis prawn or lobster stir-fried with salted egg, and crab curry. Prices run higher than usual, but you're paying for the view and the setting — best saved for a special occasion. Book a table along the edge.
The Glass House, Na Jomtien
A chilled-out beachfront spot at Na Jomtien with both an outdoor zone under the palms and a cool air-conditioned glass house. The menu runs around 170 items, mostly seafood and Thai food with a few Western dishes mixed in. It's a good place to settle in for the afternoon into the evening and watch the sunset, and both Thais and foreigners like coming here to relax.
Cabbages & Condoms Pattaya
A Thai restaurant inside the Birds & Bees Resort on a hillside above the sea. The draw is the garden setting by the beach and the resort's signature health-awareness concept. The food is a range of Thai dishes from seafood to local cooking, with solid, consistent flavours, at mid-range prices plus a service charge. It's a good fit for a relaxed dinner when you want atmosphere more than a typical roadside spot.
Som Tam Amara Pattaya
A som tam and Isan food spot Pattaya locals eat at often. The strength is the many styles of som tam — Thai-style, blue crab, cucumber — eaten with grilled chicken and sticky rice, and seasoned bold and proper Isan-style. Prices are friendly, and it's a good change of pace when you've had a few seafood meals and want something punchy. An easy, budget-friendly place to eat.
Jay To Noodles, Pattaya
A well-known beef noodle spot in Pattaya — fragrant, deep broth and tender beef, around 60 THB a bowl. Beyond the noodles there's chicken rice and som tam to add on. It's a quick, cheap meal that the people working nearby eat regularly, and a good fit for breakfast or lunch when you don't want anything heavy.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Chonburi 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.
How to Pick the Right Spot for the Occasion
The easiest approach is to pick by the occasion and where you're staying first, then choose the restaurant. Pattaya is long — it's a 10-kilometre-plus drive from Naklua to Na Jomtien — so there's no need to cross the whole city for one place.
- Want fresh seafood the way locals eat it — Mum Aroi in Naklua, Lung Sawai, or Poo Pen
- After a sunset view or a special meal — Rimpa Lapin or The Glass House in Na Jomtien
- Staying central / South Pattaya, easy to walk to — Nang Nual at the end of Walking Street
- Want a seaside garden setting and Thai food — Cabbages & Condoms
- Switching from seafood to something punchy / budget — Som Tam Amara or Jay To Noodles
Order seafood without the bill blowing up
Most seafood places charge by weight per kilo. Before you order, ask the price per kilo for the prawns, crab, and fish, and have them weigh it in front of you when you order. It keeps your budget in check and there are no surprises when the bill arrives.
Prices, Hours, and Things to Know
- Budget per person — a typical seafood place runs around 300–500 THB, while view spots like Rimpa Lapin or Nang Nual climb to 500–800 THB. Isan and noodle spots are in the low hundreds.
- Timing — beachfront spots get packed from evening into the night, especially on weekends. If you want a table by the water or a sunset view, call ahead to book.
- Service charge / tax — many sit-down spots and resort restaurants add a 10% service charge plus tax, so leave room in the budget for that.
- Getting around — Naklua and Na Jomtien are on opposite sides of the city, so Grab or your own car is easier than the shared songthaew lines.
- Long weekends — popular spots get very busy, so allow time to wait for a table, or go before the peak (before 18:00) to sit more comfortably.
Eaten your fill of Pattaya seafood? Round out the Chonburi trip
See the Chonburi travel guide →