Story & history.
My Khe seafood is a dining experience inextricably linked to Da Nang's most famous coastline — My Khe Beach, which extends for 30 kilometres and was named by Forbes magazine as one of the six most beautiful beaches in Asia. Fishermen from the My Khe, Tho Quang and An Hai areas have fished in these near-shore East Sea waters for centuries — the short distance from sea to restaurant (often only a few hundred metres) creates freshness standards that few coastal cities in Vietnam can match. Da Nang spiny lobster, cuttlefish and squid, fresh grouper, blood cockles and various sea snails are the most common seafood here, with prices varying by season but consistently significantly lower than in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Summer from April to August is when Da Nang's sea is at its most beautiful and seafood most abundant.
The defining characteristic of My Khe seafood is not a specific dish but a way of eating: customers select live seafood from glass tanks or styrofoam containers right at the restaurant, then choose the preparation method — salt-and-chili grilling, ginger-lemongrass steaming, deep frying, sweet-and-sour stir frying or cheese-grilling. This "eat by the sea" style of selecting live seafood and ordering immediate preparation is a culinary culture unique to Da Nang and Central Vietnamese coastal cities, different from the standard kitchen-to-table restaurant approach. The most famous seafood concentrations include Pham Van Dong Street (along My Khe Beach), the Son Tra area and especially Tho Quang Seafood Market — where fishing boats dock directly and visitors can buy seafood at source prices from 4-5 AM.
Eating My Khe seafood on a summer evening with cool sea breezes, sitting outdoors overlooking white sand under coloured lights — this is an experience that synthesises everything most characteristic of Da Nang: beautiful sea, fresh seafood, relaxed atmosphere and hospitable people. The city is growing rapidly with many luxury resorts and upscale restaurants, but the modest open-air seafood restaurants along My Khe Beach with plastic tables and hanging light bulbs remain where knowledgeable locals and visitors gather — because here the seafood is freshest, the atmosphere most authentic and the memories most deeply linked to Da Nang.
Da Nang seafood needs little seasoning — the sea has already done it.
— Olivier Corti, đầu bếp Pháp tại Đà Nẵng (VnExpress, 2024)
Ingredients — what makes the flavour.
Restaurants with giant photo-menu banners outside and staff who approach tourists on the street are often tourist traps — prices above market rate and quality not guaranteed. Choose wherever you see the most Da Nang locals already seated.
How to enjoy it properly.
How to select seafood correctly
Always choose live seafood from the tank — never accept iced seafood at a proper seafood restaurant. Ask prices before selecting (charged by weight or by piece) to avoid bill surprises. Negotiate if ordering large quantities.
How to eat each type
Lobster: break off the head and use a fork to scoop the roe first. Crab: use the crab cracker for the claws — never your teeth. Grilled squid: slice across into rings, dip quickly in salt-chili-lime — do not let it cool. Eat with the fresh herb salad alongside, and toasted bread to mop up remaining sauce from the plate.
Editor-recommended eateries.
ⓘ Addresses and prices may change. Please verify before visiting.