Last updated 7 August 2026. This page was reviewed on that date. Prices, rates and opening hours change often in Singapore — confirm anything that matters directly with the business before you travel or spend.
Quick answer: Man Man on Keong Saik grills live eels over binchōtan charcoal and has held a Bib Gourmand since 2017. Unagiya Ichinoji offers two sauce choices at Robertson Quay. For happy-hour cocktails with your hitsumabushi, head to Uya at Wheelock Place. If you want a double-portion hit for under twenty dollars, Una Una is the one. And when a hawker-centre craving hits, Kazan at Chinatown Complex does a $9 unagi don that punches well above its weight.
There was a time when a proper unagi meal felt like a special-occasion secret, shared only among kakis who knew where to go. That has changed, but the memory of that first smoky, glaze-lacquered bite still stays with you. Today, the decision isn’t about finding unagi—it’s about choosing the kind of moment you want to remember.
For the full picture, Best Japanese Food in Singapore collects 23 guides on this subject.
Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant
On a shophouse row in Keong Saik, Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant has been the unagi benchmark for years, earning a Bib Gourmand every year since 2017. The eels come live from Japan’s Mikawa region, and the kitchen hand-debones each one before grilling over binchōtan charcoal. The tare sauce is a recipe that has been passed down for generations—sticky, deep, and applied with precision.
Most people order the hitsumabushi, which lets you eat the eel three ways: straight with rice, mixed with condiments like wasabi and nori, and finally with a pour of dashi broth. A regular portion is 300g at $29.50, a large 400g at $39.40. If you are here for lunch, the unaju don with 250g of eel is $22 and comes with the same careful char.
Address: 1 Keong Saik Road #01-01, Singapore 089109
Phone: +65 6222 0678
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11:30 AM–3 PM, 6–10 PM (Closed Mondays)
Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant
Come here when you want the full unagi ritual, not just a quick bowl. Worth the queue, especially if you bring a kaki who really appreciates a good char.
The shophouse setting in Keong Saik feels like a quiet stage for a performance. You watch the chef work in silence, the only sound the hiss of charcoal. It suits a slow lunch with someone who notices the details—the lacquerware, the way the tare catches the light. It’s a meal you’ll talk about days later.
Unagiya Ichinoji
At Robertson Quay, Unagiya Ichinoji brings a 125-year-old Tokyo unagi tradition to Singapore, complete with its own Bib Gourmand nod. What sets them apart is the sauce situation: they do a classic Japanese tare, and a slightly sweeter version adjusted for the local palate. The eel is grilled over temperature-controlled charcoal, so the skin crisps and the flesh stays soft and meaty.
The medium hitsumabushi (350g) is $32.80, and there is an XL sharing platter at $84.80 that feeds a whole table. If you want to try something different, the seiro mushi ($19.80) and mamushi donburi ($18.80) are solid picks. Everything sits on premium pearl grain rice that holds up to the sauce.
Address: 30 Robertson Quay, #01-05, Riverside View, Singapore 238251
Phone: +65 6732 1970
Hours: Daily 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5:30–10 PM
Also at 3 Temasek Boulevard #03-307, Suntec City, Singapore 038983 (Phone: +65 6268 8043)
Unagiya Ichinoji
Ideal for groups and families because the sharing platter lets everyone dig in, and the two-sauce option means no one at the table is stuck with a flavour they do not fancy.
On a lazy afternoon by the river, Unagiya Ichinoji gives you a gentle reason to linger. The dual-sauce option lets your table try both and compare notes—a small conversation starter. It feels unhurried, like a weekend meal that stretches into a second pot of tea.
Uya 四代目菊川 Japanese Unagi Restaurant
Up on Orchard Road at Wheelock Place, Uya channels Kyoto’s unhurried elegance with a secret family tare recipe that has been passed down four generations. The eels are premium imports, and they are grilled over binchōtan charcoal to a lighter char than some other spots, which lets the natural tenderness and plumper texture of the eel come through.
The large hitsumabushi at $48 arrives in a lacquered box with four condiments, so you can work through the traditional three stages. They also run seasonal unagi rolls. The big draw for an evening out is the happy hour from 3 PM to 6 PM, with 1-for-1 cocktails that pair surprisingly well with the smoky-sweet eel.
Address: 501 Orchard Road #02-15/16, Wheelock Place, Singapore 238880
Phone: +65 6732 1096
Hours: Lunch 12 PM–3 PM; Dinner 6 PM–9:30 PM (Sun–Thu), 6 PM–10 PM (Fri–Sat)
Uya 四代目菊川
Date-night material. You get a proper sit-down meal, a beautifully presented box, and cocktails that turn it into an occasion.
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Uya is where you go when you want the meal to feel like a quiet ceremony. The lighter char lets the eel’s own richness speak, and the Orchard Road setting makes it an easy stop after shopping. Book ahead—the lunch crowd knows a good thing.
Una Una
Una Una makes unagi feel like an everyday luxury, not a once-in-a-while splurge. You will spot live eel tanks in the outlets, and the price tags let you double your portion without second-guessing. The double-portion hitsumabushi (400g) is $19.80, and there is a kaisen hitsumabushi that throws in some seafood. For groups, the XL sharing set feeds three to four people at $54.80.
Lunch specials before 3 PM come with free miso soup and a 10% discount, so if you are going for value, time your visit accordingly.
Multiple outlets across Singapore; check their Facebook for the nearest one.
Hours: Varies by location, generally daily 11 AM–10 PM.
Una Una
This is the answer when you just want a lot of good unagi, no ceremony, no fuss. Bring the whole family or a group of friends and order a few sharing sets.
Una Una is for the days you want abundance without fuss. The portions are generous, the vibe is casual, and there is no need to dress up. It’s the kind of place where a spontaneous family dinner turns into a feast, and everyone leaves planning the next visit.
Kazan Japanese Cuisine
Inside Chinatown Complex, Kazan Japanese Cuisine is a hawker stall doing one thing really well: unagi don at $9. The glazed eel is grilled until the edges crisp, served on a bed of iceberg lettuce with pickles and Japanese short-grain rice. The sticky sauce is the star—sweet, savoury, and enough to coat every grain.
No frills, just a quick, hearty bowl. For under ten dollars, it is a damn shiok fix when the craving hits and you do not want to think too hard about where to go.
Address: 335 Smith Street #02-001, Chinatown Complex Market Food Centre, Singapore 081006
Phone: +65 8455 5229
Hours: Sunday–Friday 12 PM–3 PM, 5:30 PM–8:30 PM (Closed Saturdays)
Kazan Japanese Cuisine
Perfect for a solo lunch around the Chinatown area or a quick bite before heading off. Cash-only, hawker-style, leave your atas expectations at the door.
In the thick of Chinatown Complex, Kazan is the stall you stumble upon and remember. The don comes together fast, the eel still steaming, and you find a corner table near the old shophouses. It’s ten minutes of pure comfort, and the kind of lunch that makes the rest of the day feel settled.
Katanashi An
Near the financial district on Boon Tat Street, Katanashi An is a small restaurant that draws the weekday lunch crowd with an unatama don lunch set at $12. The grilled eel sits on a fluffy omelette, both draped in that same sticky-sweet glaze, and it all goes over a bowl of rice. It is a layered, comforting plate that feels a little more indulgent than a plain unagi don.
The space is polished enough for a business chat but relaxed enough that you can eat solo without feeling out of place.
Address: 1 Boon Tat Street, Singapore 069611
Phone: +65 6221 5101
Hours: Monday–Friday 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5 PM–10:30 PM; Saturday 5 PM–10:30 PM (Closed Sundays)
Katanashi An
Office workers, this is your weekday lunch reset. The omelette-and-eel combination gives you a bit of variety, and the price means you can make it a regular thing without feeling the pinch.
If you work nearby, Katanashi An is the midday secret you keep from colleagues just long enough to get a table. The omelette adds a soft layer that turns a simple don into something special, and the service is quick enough for a lunch hour. It feels like a small reward for a morning well-spent.
Genki Sushi
Genki Sushi is the tech-friendly chain that needs no introduction: iPad ordering, conveyor-belt delivery, and an unagi don for under $10. The grilled eel bowl might not have the deep char of the specialty shops, but it is consistent, fast, and hits the spot when you are already in a mall and need a dependable unagi fix.
There are outlets island-wide, including Orchard Central at 181 Orchard Road #06-05/06, Singapore 238896.
Phone (Orchard Central): +65 6224 3456
Hours: Typically daily 11 AM–10 PM, varies by outlet.
Genki Sushi
For a quick, no-brainer unagi bowl in between shopping or before a movie, this is the most convenient option. It is unagi on conveyor-belt terms—fast, consistent, and surprisingly good for the price.
How to choose
The right unagi place depends on what you are actually hungry for. If it is the ceremonial depth of a fourth-generation tare sauce and a proper binchōtan grill, Man Man and Uya are the obvious calls—both use charcoal, and both lean into the ritual, with hitsumabushi served in stages. If you prefer your eel with a choice of sauces—one classic Japanese, one adjusted sweeter for the local palate—Unagiya Ichinoji is the only name here that offers that. For a quick, no-regrets lunch near Raffles Place, Katanashi An does a $12 unatama don that includes an omelette.
And when you just want a solid bowl without spending restaurant money, Kazan and Una Una are the value plays. Kazan’s $9 hawker don is hard to beat for price, while Una Una’s double-portion hitsumabushi at $19.80 gives you more eel for your dollar and works for solo eaters and groups. Genki Sushi delivers speed and convenience at malls across the island—useful when you need an unagi bowl and you need it now.
Expect to pay anywhere from $9 for a hawker-centre don to around $48 for a full hitsumabushi set. Most places hover between $20 and $40 for a proper portion. Lunch sets are often cheaper, and a few spots run weekday-only hours or are closed certain days, so check before you go. If you are bringing a group, look for the sharing platters at Unagiya Ichinoji and Una Una. If you want a quiet table and a drink, Uya’s happy hour is a smooth add-on. The charcoal-versus-electric grill distinction matters mostly if you are chasing that extra smoky edge; otherwise, almost everyone here can satisfy a serious unagi craving.
| Place | Vibe | Signature & price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man Man | Keong Saik cool, serious grill | Hitsumabushi from $29.50 | A proper unagi night out |
| Unagiya Ichinoji | Comfortable, two-sauce twist | Hitsumabushi from $32.80 | Groups who want choice |
| Uya | Orchard Road, Kyoto-style | Large hitsumabushi $48 | Date night with cocktails |
| Una Una | Casual chain, live eel tanks | Double hitsumabushi $19.80 | Value without fuss |
| Kazan | Hawker centre, unpretentious | Unagi don $9 | Quick, cheap, hearty fix |
| Katanashi An | CBD escape, lunch-focused | Unatama don lunch set $12 | Weekday lunch reset |
| Genki Sushi | Tech-driven, conveyor belt | Unagi don under $10 | Grab-and-go convenience |
Summary
Unagi in Singapore runs the whole gamut, from a $9 hawker don that still has that sticky glaze and crisp char, to a $48 lacquered box with four condiments and a binchōtan-fired eel. Which one is right depends on whether tonight is about the ritual or just the craving. Either way, you have options that take the eel seriously, no matter the price tag.
Disclaimer: Details like opening hours and menu prices can change. Confirm directly with the business before you head down.
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None of these are sponsored placements. If you belong on this list, tell us what you do.
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Frequently asked questions
When the craving hits and you are already in a mall, Genki Sushi has your back. The unagi don arrives on the conveyor belt like a friendly hello, and the iPad system means even the kids can order their own. It is fuss-free, familiar, and reliably good—a dependable choice on a busy day.
What makes good unagi in Singapore?
It usually starts with live eels, sourced from Japan, grilled over binchōtan charcoal so the skin crisps while the flesh stays soft. The tare sauce matters just as much—some places use recipes passed down over generations. You will know it when the glaze is sticky, savoury, and slightly sweet, without overwhelming the eel.
Is hitsumabushi the same as unagi don?
Not quite. Unagi don is grilled eel over rice, straightforward. Hitsumabushi is served in a lacquered box and meant to be eaten in stages—first as is, then with condiments like wasabi and nori, and finally with dashi broth poured over. A few places on this list specialise in hitsumabushi, and it is a more ritualistic way to eat.
Where can I get cheap unagi in Singapore?
Kazan Japanese Cuisine at Chinatown Complex does an unagi don for $9, and Genki Sushi has one under $10. Una Una offers a double-portion hitsumabushi for $19.80, which is solid value for the amount of eel you get.
Which unagi spot is best for a special occasion?
Uya at Wheelock Place or Man Man on Keong Saik. Both grill over binchōtan charcoal and use traditional tare. Uya has a happy hour with 1-for-1 cocktails from 3–6 PM, so you can make an evening of it.
Do any of these places do lunch-only unagi deals?
Yes. Katanashi An runs a weekday unatama don lunch set at $12, and Man Man has an unaju don for $22 during lunch service. Una Una includes free miso soup with lunch sets before 3 PM plus a 10% discount.
Can I order unagi for a group or sharing?
Absolutely. Unagiya Ichinoji has an XL sharing platter at $84.80, and Una Una does an XL sharing set for three to four people at $54.80. Both are designed for a table to dig in together.
