15 best fishball noodles that will make you feel like you’re ballin’ in life
Fishball noodles are such an Asian thing, especially so in Singapore. Fishballs themselves can be a delicious snack, either boiled or fried. They are great accompaniments to soup and noodles as well. However, different people have varying preferences for their fishball noodles.
Some like handmade fishballs while others prefer the machine-made ones, and some rather have their noodles soupy than dry. Even the choice of noodles can make a huge difference. Nonetheless, high-quality ingredients are the most important factor that sets the basis for a good bowl.
With that in mind, I decided to collate 15 fishball noodles dishes that will make you feel like you’re ballin’ in life. After all, you only live once. If you are craving some fishball noodles, do yourself a favour and indulge in a good one.
1. Ru Ji Kitchen
The early bird catches the worm at Ru Ji Kitchen— this popular stall in Holland Drive Market & Food Centre only opens from 7am to 1pm, meaning that you’ll only be able to savour their dishes if you head down in the morning.
The bowl of Fishball Noodles (S$3.50/S$4/S$5) comes with inconsistently-shaped fishballs, which are exceptionally bouncy. The mee pok noodles, on the other hand, are delightfully al dente, with bits of satisfying, crunchy pork lard scattered throughout.
The highlights here are undoubtedly the soup as well as hand-made fish and meat balls, so if you’re not put off by queuing purely for those alone, it’s definitely worth a visit.
44 Holland Drive, Holland Drive Market and Food Centre, #02-28/29, Singapore 270044
+65 9435 0820
Tue to Sun: 7am – 1pm
Closed on Mon
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2. Song Heng Fishball Minced Meat Noodle
Song Heng Fishball Minced Meat Noodle is characterised by its 40-minute queues, with many of its loyal patrons touting it as the best fishball noodles in Singapore. Perhaps another reason as to why its lines are always so long are due to the fact that it only opens until 12pm— get ready to compete with the breakfast crowd for this one.
The Dry Mee Pok costs just S$3.50, and consists of ultra chewy, QQ noodles topped with bouncy fishballs, fishcakes and minced pork. Give the noodles a good stir to incorporate the chilli and vinegar beneath before you take a bite. The chilli and vinegar do not overpower the other elements of the dish, but instead balance each other out.
The fishballs here are bouncier and springier than average ones, while the massive amount of minced pork is fresh and porky, adding a bit of protein to each bite.
628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, #01-75, Singapore 560628
Tue to Sat: 5.30am – 12pm
Closed on Sun & Mon
3. Song Kee Fishball Noodle
The original Song Kee Fishball Noodle, that used to be located at Upper Serangoon Road, initially moved to Tembeling Road. They’ve since relocated to Yio Chu Kang, bringing their famous fishball noodles to the North.
This new place has more seating, but the wait for your food is still about an hour. When my Fishball Noodles (S$5) arrived, the aroma wafted up to my nose and the wait immediately felt worthwhile. It comes with three firm fishballs, as well as one tau pok and a fish dumpling. A pretty average portion, but big in taste.
Although I prefer vinegar-based noodles, this sauce still won my heart. A mixture of sambal and buah keluak paste, fried shrimp and lard — this was so flavourful!
But of course, the fishball is the main reason they made it to this list. Each fishball is moulded by hand, and it makes all the difference. They were bouncy with a nice bite to it. Made of yellowtail fish, they had a more distinctive fishy taste. But come on, they are fishballs after all!
100 Yio Chu Kang Road, Singapore 545576
+65 9336 2745
Fri to Wed: 11.30am – 8.45pm
Thu: 11.30am – 3pm
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4. Ming Fa Fishball
With several locations located across Singapore, the Mingfa Fishball at Upper Thomson is the one I frequent the most. I have been eating their noodles since I was young so it’s quite nostalgic to me, and they do serve up really yummy bowls of food.
This satisfying bowl of Fishball Noodles (S$5.50) always hits all the right spots. Usually, it comes with a mixture of fishcakes and minced meat. However, you can always ask for all fishballs instead. Their fishballs are pretty subtle in flavour, but I do like its bouncy texture. Their noodles stand out from the rest. They are springy, laced with flavour from the chilli and vinegar.
The wait may get a little long when it’s crowded but it’s totally worth it. They just renovated their space, so it’s cleaner and more comfortable now!
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
5. Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodle
Located at the Hainanese Village Centre, Hougang residents y’all are lucky people! Yong Seng Teochew Fishball Noodle is pretty popular, with snaking queues from early in the morning.
I would highly recommend their Minced Meat Fishball Noodles (S$4.50). You get a decent portion of fishballs, meatballs, minced meat, liver slices, fish cake slices, and braised mushrooms to fill you up. The noodles are well-flavoured with the lard oil and vinegar, without being overly salty. The fishballs here are handsome, with a nice bite.
105 Hougang Avenue 1, Hougang Hainanese Village Centre, #02-47, Singapore 530105
+65 8368 9839
Thu to Tue: 6.30am – 3.30pm
Closed on Wed
6. Joo Chiat Chiap Kee
Located at Block 216 Bedok Market and Food Centre, Joo Chiat Chiap Kee is well-known for their fishball noodles. They are so good, people are willing to queue up to an hour for them.
My Mee Pok Dry (S$4 for small, S$5 for large) came with a bowl of soup containing fishballs, one fish dumpling and a pork ball. The noodles were perfectly cooked to al dente, and absorbed all the flavour from its accompanying ingredients such as the pork lard and shallots. The chilli, which is homemade, packed a punch and it was delicious.
The fishballs here may not be the prettiest as they are handmade, but they taste really good. They had a very fresh taste to it, with a nice chewy texture. They are so popular the stall even sells them raw!
216 Bedok North Street 1, Blk 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market, #01-31, Singapore 460216
Thu to Tue: 7am – 1.30pm
Closed on Wed
7. KL Traditional Chilli Ban Mee
I love ban mee, albeit being less commonly paired with fishballs, which makes this all the more special. KL Traditional Chilli Ban Mee is located at Macpherson Road.
The Signature Hand-made Fishball Noodle (S$5.90) doesn’t get enough credit. The noodles themselves are springy and thoroughly flavoured in the chilli sauce. True to its name, the chilli does pack a punch, with a tingling sweetness at the end.
The fishball itself was huge, and it did not compromise on quality. It was slightly firm on the outside but that gave a nice bite.
534 MacPherson Road, Singapore 368220
+65 9052 0555
Daily: 11am – 9pm
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8. Mei Ji Fishball Noodle
Mei Ji Fishball Noodle is yet another stall that attracts long, snaking queues. This humble stall is run by a middle-aged couple and their son, and can be found within Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre.
A bowl of Fishball Noodles comes in at S$3/S$4, with the option of either a dry or soup version. The dry version is topped in a rich gravy that is bursting with flavour, while the fishballs on top are delightfully light and springy.
The soup version, on the other hand, unfortunately dilutes the taste of the gravy quite a bit, though the generous portions and great taste still make it worth the cheap price.
69 Geylang Bahru, Geylang Bahru Market and Food Centre, #01-70, Singapore 330069
Tue: 7am – 9pm
Sat & Sun: 7am – 2pm
Closed on Mon & Wed to Fri
9. Xin Lu Fishball Noodle
Mei Ling Food Centre is one of the more popular areas in the heartlands of Queenstown. Xin Lu Fishball Noodle is one of the decent stalls there, with a very nostalgic vibe.
This portion of Fishball Noodles (S$4.50) is generous for its price. It comes with a massive serving of noodles and five fishballs. The noodles themselves were well-seasoned and al dente.
Admittedly, the fishballs may not be the tastiest that I’ve had but I like the texture of them. They are handmade and pretty large with great elasticity in every bite.
159 Mei Ling Street, Mei Ling Market & Food Centre, #02-05, Singapore 140159
+65 9771 8675
Fri to Wed: 5.45am – 3pm
Closed on Thu
10. Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles
Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles is my personal favourite out of the lot, with various outlets in Singapore. It’s nice to know that their standards are pretty consistent across all outlets. So for those who love to shop and hang out around town during the weekends, ION’s Food Opera got you covered. Most of us don’t go to Orchard for hawker food, but if you are craving for some or working with a budget, this is a perfect place to satisfy your stomach.
This bowl of Fishball Noodles (S$6.50) is admittedly on the higher-end of the spectrum in terms of its price point. However, the location makes up for it a little, and the food quality substantiates it.
The six signature yellowtail fishballs were very fresh, soft and bouncy. They are made from scratch then kept chilled, never frozen. That’s hard to come by especially in food courts these days. The noodles are generously coated in the flavourful sauce as well, made with ketchup, homemade chilli and crispy pork lard.
For a list of locations, opening hours and contact numbers, click here.
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11. 254 Fishball Minced Meat Noodle
Here’s one for all the Westies. Hailing from Yuhua Village Market And Food Centre, 254 Fishball Minced Meat Noodle is one, if not the best, in Jurong. There are a plethora of stalls here, and it takes quite a bit to be able to stand out.
This stall has insanely quick service; even with long queues, they moved pretty quickly. I got the Fishball Minced Meat Noodles ($3), which seemed to be one of the more popular options.
It was a pretty big portion for its price, which can only be found in such hidden gems. The noodles were nicely coated with the sauce with a silky texture. Although there were only three fishballs, they were huge with actual bits of fish in them. I could taste its freshness and was satisfied.
254 Jurong East Street 24, Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre, #01-32, Singapore 600254
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 9pm
Sat & Sun: 8.30am – 6pm
12. Nan Yuan
I don’t visit Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre often, but when I do I will always choose to go for the fishball noodles at Nan Yuan. There’s always a queue, so be prepared to wait for your food, but trust me, it’s worth it.
A bowl of Fishball Noodles here will set you back S$4. The fishballs are on the smaller side but they are very springy. It also comes with other ingredients like minced meat, meatballs and fishcakes. The clear soup is very flavourful, making this a wholesome meal.
38A Beo Crescent, #01-68, Singapore 169982
Wed to Mon: 5am – 2pm
Closed on Tue
13. Chao Yang Fishball Noodle
At Chao Yang Fishball Noodle, queues are often crazy long, with the stall’s dishes selling out very fast. Plus, it only opens until 11.30am, making the rush for their food all the more competitive. According to a signboard displayed at Chao Yang Fishball Noodle, the stall uses “healthier salt” and “healthier oil”.
Diners can select from mee kia, mee pok, kway teow, yellow noodles and bee hoon. The Dry Mee Pok costs S$4.50 for a medium bowl, and comes topped with a substantial amount of fried pork lard, fried shallots and sambal chilli. The soup is served in a separate bowl, and contains herh kiao, fishcake, 2 fishballs and 1 tau pok stuffed with fishpaste.
For something lighter, the Kway Teow Soup (S$3.50 for small) is a great option, containing 3 fishballs, fishcake and tau pok submerged within a clear and refreshing soup.
4A Eunos Crescent, Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre, #01-24, Singapore 402004
Sat to Tue: 5.30am – 11.30am
Closed from Wed to Fri
14. Ng Kee Teochew Fishball Kuay Teow Mee
Even if you don’t see any physical queues at Ng Kee Teochew Fishball Kuay Teow Mee, don’t be fooled— the patrons seated down near the stall are waiting for their food too! You may have to wait up to an hour for your order to be served.
The Fishball Noodles cost S$3.50, S$4.50 or S$5.50, depending on the size that you opt for.
A S$4.50 portion of Fishball Noodles comes topped with 3 fishballs, shrimps, fishcakes, fish dumplings and pork liver. The star of the dish is undoubtedly the juicy fishballs, closely followed by the al dente mee pok noodles.
Though the shrimps are small, they are very fresh. The fish dumplings are pretty delectable too, as they burst in your mouth when bitten into.
3 Yung Sheng Road, Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre, #02-64, Singapore 618499
Tue to Fri: 6am – 2pm
Closed from Sat to Mon
15. Finest Song Kee
Located along Upper Serangoon Road, Finest Song Kee‘s emergence was a slight confusion to many Song Kee fans, which is now located in Yio Chu Kang.
We got the Mee Pok Dry (S$5.50/S$7.50/S$9.50) which is pretty delicious. The sauce had a vinegar tinge to it that I really liked.
The fishballs were plump and juicy, an essential quality of good fishballs in my books. My gripe about this place is their pricing. The small portion is really an extremely tiny portion, so do size up if you are a regular or huge eater.
532 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534547
+65 8838 3532
Mon to Fri: 11am – 2pm & 6.30pm – 1.30am
Sat: 11am – 2pm & 5.30pm – 1.30am
Sun: 11am – 2pm & 5.30pm – 12am
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