How to judge seafood quality here
Cox's Bazar fishing fleet operates daily, so truly fresh seafood is available if you know where to look. The best restaurants buy directly from fishermen at the morning market rather than from distributors. Check three things: does the restaurant have a display case where you select your fish? Are the prawns lively in the tank or limp? Does the menu change daily based on the catch? If all three are yes, you are in the right place. Expect to pay $8-15 for grilled pomfret or hilsa, $15-25 for lobster, $10-18 for a kilo of prawns.
Preparation styles are limited: grilled, fried, or curried. The best spots keep it simple with charcoal grills, lemon, and minimal spice so the fish flavor comes through. Avoid elaborate sauces, which usually hide poor-quality seafood. The eight below are ranked by consistency; even the top-tier places have off nights, but these deliver most reliably.
The top 8 ranked
One: Jhawban at Sayeman Beach Resort. Most expensive on the list but the lobster thermidor and prawn moilee are flawless. They fly in some items from Dhaka when local catch is weak. Two: Mermaid Café, especially the crab cutlet and the grilled rupchanda (pomfret) with garlic butter. Three: EFC on Marine Drive. Wildly inconsistent but the prawn malai curry on a good day is the best in town; call ahead and ask what is fresh. Four: Niribili on Kalatoli Road, hole-in-the-wall run by a fisherman's family. The fried hilsa and shutki dishes are outstanding.
Five: Salt at Long Beach Hotel, competent European-style seafood with a wood-fired grill. The grilled barramundi is solid. Six: Poushee near Sugandha, modern plating and good technique but sometimes overthinks dishes. Seven: Panshi Restaurant, local favorite for massive portions of fish curry and rice. Eight: the beachfront shacks between Laboni and Kolatoli. Quality varies wildly; look for the one with the longest queue and point at the freshest-looking fish in the case. Expect basic grilling but dirt-cheap prices.
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