New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES

Verdict: The Late-Night Zi Char Play in Singapore That Earns Its Reputation

The common assumption is that CHIJMES is tourist territory — a pretty colonial courtyard where the food plays second fiddle to the setting. New Ubin Seafood corrects that quickly. This is a legitimately ranked zi char restaurant operating inside one of Singapore's more photographed venues, and the two facts coexist without apology. If you have been once and left satisfied, you should go back specifically for the late-night window. The kitchen runs until 1 am on most nights, which makes it one of the few OAD-ranked casual venues in Singapore where you can eat well after 11 pm.

New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES has appeared in Opinionated About Dining's Casual Asia rankings three years running: #83 in 2023, #96 in 2024, and #119 in 2025. The slight drift down the list does not change the practical verdict — this is a zi char kitchen that holds consistent external recognition, which is more than most restaurants on Orchard Road can say. The Google rating sits at 4.4 across more than 2,200 reviews, a signal that performance is steady rather than polarising.

What to Know Before You Go Back

If your first visit was a dinner with the full group-order chaos of pepper crab and shared plates, consider a return on a Tuesday through Friday lunch slot, when the room is calmer and the pacing is easier to control. The restaurant opens at 11 am Tuesday through Sunday, with Monday service beginning at 5:30 pm only , worth noting if you are planning around a Monday evening.

The late-night angle is the stronger draw for repeat visitors. Post-10 pm, most of Singapore's better restaurants have called last orders. New Ubin runs to 1 am Sunday through Friday and until midnight on Saturdays, which gives you a genuine option after a show, a conference dinner, or a night that started somewhere else. The CHIJMES location , at 30 Victoria St, #02-01B C , puts you close to the Esplanade and the Civic District, so the positioning makes practical sense if you are already in that part of town.

Chef Pang Seng Meng leads the kitchen. The cuisine is zi char with a pepper crab focus, which means the format is sharing plates rather than individual courses. This is not the venue for a quiet dinner for two with wine pairings , it is the venue for four or more people who want to eat seriously and stay late. For that specific use case, it is one of the better answers in Singapore right now.

Know Before You Go

• Address: 30 Victoria St, #02-01B C, Singapore 187996 (CHIJMES, second floor)
• Hours: Monday 5:30 pm–1 am; Tuesday–Friday 11 am–1 am; Saturday 11 am–12 am; Sunday 11 am–1 am
• Cuisine: Zi Char, Pepper Crab , shared plates format
• Booking difficulty: Easy , walk-ins are generally manageable, though groups should reserve ahead
• Price range: Not published; zi char pricing in Singapore at this level typically runs mid-range per head before drinks
• Dress code: Smart casual is appropriate given the CHIJMES setting; the restaurant itself is relaxed
• Awards: OAD Casual Asia #119 (2025), #96 (2024), #83 (2023)
• Google rating: 4.4 (2,215 reviews)

Frequently Asked Questions

• How far ahead should I book New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES? Booking difficulty is easy , you do not need to plan weeks out. For groups of six or more, reserve a few days ahead to secure a table at your preferred time. Walk-ins are workable for smaller parties, particularly at lunch on weekdays.
• Can New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES accommodate groups? Yes, and the shared-plate zi char format is actually better suited to groups than to couples. Tables of four to eight will get the most out of the menu. Call ahead for larger parties , no phone number is listed publicly, so reservations via the venue directly or a booking platform are advised.
• Is New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES good for a special occasion? It depends on what the occasion calls for. For a celebration that wants atmosphere and serious food without a tasting-menu price tag, yes. For a formal anniversary dinner, consider Odette or Les Amis instead. New Ubin is the right call for a group birthday or a post-event dinner that runs late.
• What should I wear to New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES? Smart casual. The CHIJMES courtyard setting reads slightly more polished than a hawker centre, but the restaurant itself is relaxed. Shorts and sandals are fine; you do not need to dress for a fine-dining room.
• What are alternatives to New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES in Singapore? For zi char specifically, you are choosing between OAD-recognised venues and neighbourhood stalwarts. For a step up in formality with Singaporean and regional cooking, Seroja is worth comparing. For fire-driven sharing plates with a similar group energy, Burnt Ends serves a different cuisine but scratches a comparable itch. See our full Singapore restaurants guide for broader options.
• Is lunch or dinner better at New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES? Dinner, particularly late dinner, is the stronger use case. The late-night hours are rare for a venue of this calibre in Singapore. Lunch works well if you want a quieter room and more relaxed pacing, but the venue's differentiated value is that it is open until 1 am when most alternatives have closed.
• Can I eat at the bar at New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES? No bar seating information is available in the venue's published details. The zi char format means most dining happens at shared tables rather than a counter. Check directly with the venue if bar-adjacent seating matters to your visit.
• Does New Ubin Seafood at CHIJMES handle dietary restrictions? No specific dietary accommodation policy is published. Zi char menus are typically seafood and meat-forward, which limits options for vegetarians and those avoiding shellfish. If restrictions are significant, contact the venue before booking. No phone number is listed publicly, so reach out through their reservation channel.

Explore More of Singapore

New Ubin Seafood sits in the casual-but-credentialed tier of Singapore dining. If you are building a longer itinerary, our guides cover the full range: Singapore restaurants, Singapore hotels, Singapore bars, Singapore wineries, and Singapore experiences. For fine dining in the same city, Meta and Jaan by Kirk Westaway are worth considering alongside Zén for a higher-spend evening.