Balin Roofgarden Bistro & Bar

Had a lovely time at Balin. The food, drinks and the staff are so lovely. Big thank you to both Z and nai. They went above and beyond to make sure everything was right. Lovely views from the top, it’s also nice to sit inside and enjoy the chill vibes. Went twice while I was staying in sandakan and the last visit was for my birthday. Staff came out with a cake and sang for me. It made my day.

Last month during the Christmas season, I invited my family and friends to celebrate at this Restaurant after seeing their advertisements on social media. The menu names looked impressive and, considering the high prices in SDK, I honestly expected a quality dining experience—especially for a festive occasion. I made a reservation in advance, and everything seemed fine until the food arrived. OMG, we were extremely disappointed. The food tasted awful and, worse, most of it was served cold. I understand making a reservation, but that doesn’t mean the food should be cooked early and served cold to customers. That is simply unacceptable. As compensation, they offered us a chocolate cake, which honestly felt insulting considering we spent around RM7++ for this meal. On top of that, the restaurant itself looks very old and poorly maintained. The ambience was dull, dark, and not suitable at all for a celebration—definitely not what their advertisements portray. Overall, this was a huge letdown. We trusted their menu and promotions for a special occasion, and it completely failed to deliver. I will not be coming back and will not recommend this place to anyone. Please don’t be fooled by their menu or festive promotions—they are far from reality.

The staff were very accommodating and welcoming. They speak english as well so it’s very helpful specially for tourists like me. Food was really good too. Serving was good for 2 to 3pax. Accepts card payments. Maybe could put a lamp on the tables on the roof top to make the ambiance and eating experience better. Nonetheless would definitely recommend 👌

A true hidden gem in the heart of Sandakan. Atiqah looked after us from the moment we arrived until we departed after watching the stunning sunset. Thank you for taking great care of us! We ordered the popcorn mushrooms, the margarita sourdough pizza and the seafood linguine. The food was delivered in good time and was outstanding! We’re only staying in sandakan for one night, otherwise we’d 100% be back. If you’re wondering whether to visit, just go!

Big portion of savouring food which enhance the taste buds.. Must try lamb ribs! Superb hospitality with attentive crew leads by Zai, absolute satisfaction in dining experience. Definitely coming back for other dishes.

I think this is the nicest rooftop bar and restaurant in Sabah! Excellent and attentive staff to serve you an eclectic mix of european and Malaysian dishes which will tentalise your taste buds! They also have a full bar serving wine, beer and cocktails I think? The best thing about this place is the roof top offering a 360 view of Sandakan ‘s old town. Come early to chill out on the Windy and relaxed rooftop. Highly recommended.

My visit to Balin Roofgarden Bistro & Bar was nothing short of amazing. Even though the restaurant was already fully booked, the team went out of their way to find me a place – and I was so grateful for that gesture. From the moment I sat down, I felt genuinely welcomed and comfortable – thanks in large part to the outstanding service of Ezairil. His warm conversation and attentiveness made me feel right at home, and his recommendation of the drink Uinah Ginger Land (with passionfruit purée) was absolutely perfect – refreshing, unique, and one-of-a-kind. I came here because I wanted to finally try lobster, and the Slipper Lobster with pesto spaghetti completely exceeded my expectations. The lobster was perfectly cooked, paired beautifully with the flavorful pesto, and complemented by thoughtful details like cherry tomatoes and egg. Considering the price, the quality and taste of the dish were beyond impressive – truly excellent value for such a memorable meal. Overall, this wasn’t just dinner, it was an experience filled with warmth, flavor, and genuine hospitality. Even the background music was well balanced and added to the great atmosphere. I left feeling more than satisfied and would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Sandakan.

If you find yourself in Sandakan on the way to to the jungle, this is a the best spot for cocktails, beers, wine, Western food and a chilled ambienece. Rooftop location is cool. Staff are friendly and attentive. Music is relaxed jazz sounds. Outdoor environment is green and tasteful, if a little scruffy (like everything in Sandakan unfortunately). We had cocktails and they were OK. Food also decent for Western food in Malaysia. Not the cheapest, but accpeptable for the good experience. One gripe. Don't show specila meals on the board, then say it isnt available - you're just disappointing your guests for the sake of erasing or covering over the menu item on your board.

If the potential is matched by there ambitions then this could be another star up. Food was ok for what we had. Pizza and Fries were nice as was the chicken meal my partner had. Main issue was the service which whilst it was slow that was not the biggest disappointment. My partners food came out and after 5 minutes or more I insisted she start eating it. After asking one of the servers about my meal, I was informed the kitchen has an issue. She left and then returned with my fries, in the meantime my wife had finished her meal and I was still waiting for my pizza. Some 10 minutes later it arrived at which point I'd eaten the fries. Drink service also sluggish but this place could be fantastic.

Second night in a row and we already booked a table for tommorrow evening. Great ambiance and wonderfull food. One of a kind restaurant for this town with a big city attitude. Be sure to make a reservation if you want a table on the roof or accept to spend some time sitting in the lounge part on the roof of the restaurant. The food is great and the infamous crab cakes are awesome. Although you might have to wait a little for some of your orders, the waiters and waitresses are very nice anpolite

BaLin Roofgarden Bar & Bistro is one of the bistro that Sandakan people and travelers would like to go for. It serves western food and various type of drinks. BaLin Roofgarden is located at the uppermost roof of Nak Hotel. Before BaLin was opening, it seems like a rubbish field. In 2008, they transformed this abandoned space into bar and bistro, and soon, it attracted the crowd. The design was very western-styled. It was cosy and stress-free. There were fluffy pillows on most of the seats. If you are here during evening, you can watch the sunset from BaLin. It seems you are laying on your little garden, enjoying your precious sunset view. At night, you can watch the night view from the top of BaLin. It was attractive and beautiful to watch the town of Sandakan from such high position. However, if BaLin was crowded, expect delays when you ordered food. I experienced more than one-hour delay of food delivery. Luckily, it was just snacks. We just wanted to bite something while chit-chatting. Overall, the view from BaLin was the reason why people love to visit here. It was truly comfortable and relaxing. You can enjoy your time here with your friends and family.