KeelungEat Recommendations

Rong Sashimi hides in the alleys next to Keelung's Chenggong Market and is a budget-friendly seafood spot locals quietly rave about. Its signature is thickly cut sashimi and a wide range of seafood stir-fries: 27 slices of sashimi cost just NT$450, with options including salmon, tuna, swordfish, oilfish, and red snapper — fresh and varied. Stir-fry dishes mostly fall between NT$200 and NT$300, with solid portions and balanced flavors. Queues form on weekday lunches and the place is packed on weekends. Fish is sliced to order and restocked constantly to ensure freshness, and there is parking right next door, making it an easy pick for drivers.

Rou-Duo-Duo Hot Pot Keelung Ai-2nd Branch sits on the second floor of No. 2, Ai 2nd Road in Keelung's Ren'ai District. It is a chain hot-pot restaurant with all-day service and no time limit on weekdays or holidays. The signature 'lightweight set' starts at NT$299 and pairs with a self-serve vegetable bar of more than 70 items so diners can load up on fresh produce. Broth options are extensive, with kelp, spicy, signature pickled cabbage, stir-fried stone-pot, and more than ten other varieties. Meat portions are generous, prices stay friendly, and the chain is popular with locals and night owls alike. The dining room is roomy, with white-brick feature walls and greenery for a modern, design-forward vibe — well-suited to group meals and queuing crowds.

Aka-Fuji Japanese Smokeless Yakiniku & Hot Pot — Keelung Branch sits at No. 23, Lane 2, Yi 2nd Road in Keelung's Zhongzheng District, right next to the Xin-Er parking garage, making access and parking easy. The restaurant uses smokeless grills and runs a dual yakiniku-and-hot-pot all-you-can-eat concept, anchored by high-end land-and-sea ingredients like wagyu, wagyu skirt steak, sashimi-grade Japanese scallops, and Thai shrimp. The self-serve bar covers ready-to-eat dishes, drinks, vegetables, and ice cream, with a wide sauce station so diners can mix their own. For NT$998 you get unlimited beer and a range of beverages, making it ideal for families, couples, and friends. The room is spacious and the Japanese-style decor is rich — one of the best-value yakiniku-and-hot-pot all-you-can-eat options in Keelung.

Lian-Zhen Pastry Shop is a century-old traditional bakery next to Keelung's Miaokou Night Market, founded in the 1950s. Its hand-made taro balls are the most famous item, sold for just NT$15 apiece and beloved by locals and tourists alike. Alongside the signature taro balls, the shop also sells taro-bubble-sago, taro 'bao-bao', royal-butter cake, and other old-fashioned sweets and birthday cakes. Souvenir choices are abundant, and long queues form regularly. The storefront is modest, but its reputation and high volume have turned it into a must-visit dessert landmark in Keelung — perfect for travelers who want to sample traditional local sweets and stock up on gifts.

A-Ben Pork Ribs & Shumai is a long-standing snack spot on Zhong 2nd Road in Keelung, with more than seventy years of history. It is famous for its jumbo shumai paired with a rich pork-rib soup, the broth slow-simmered from pork bones until it turns deep and savory. Diners can pick their own carb — noodles, rice cakes, rice vermicelli — and add fish balls or wontons for a hearty bowl with a real sense of place. Located behind Keelung Station, the shop is a go-to for breakfast or late-night eats, beloved by harbor workers and tourists alike.

Xiang-Xiang Scallion Pancake is at No. 32, Fuxing Road in Keelung's Zhongshan District, a hidden-gem breakfast spot that locals love. The dining room is roomy and clean, and the menu centers on golden, crisp scallion pancakes, hand-made wonton soup, and Taiwanese classics like dry noodles and soy milk. The pancakes come out crisp on the outside and tender within, packed with scallion aroma, while the wontons wrap a thin skin around a generous filling in a clear, light broth. The two together are a frequently recommended breakfast combo, beloved by both residents and visitors.