Kebaya Dining Room

We were there early and were seated in the bar for a drink. The colours of the decor is quite striking with red curtains and patterned floor tiles. Quality of the decor is very detailed and I like the wooden doors and window shutters. Staffs are very sincere. Even though we were there very early (I think not all staff started work yet) they came out immediately to serve us. Portion of the food is more than enough. Otah was very good. Can’t imagine Otah looks like a pastry but its taste gives me a surprise. The taste of the duck confit is a bit simple. Other dishes are good. Too bad I’m too full to try the dessert.

Recommend reservations! What a great gem this is. Food was really good. Atmosphere was really nice. Love the dishes and all the devour. Really a nice experience. The set menu choices were a great idea and we enjoyed each course.

You must first be aware, they only have a set menu where you need to choose a 2 course (without dessert) or 3 course (with dessert) menu. The set will consist of a starter, a protein and vegetables. There's no way to order a la carte. I find this restrictive. The portions are a lot, so the fixed number of dishes can be overwhelming if you are not hungry and are just looking for bites and taste. There were 4 in our group and we ended up with 4 proteins and 4 veggies. One thing I must tip my hat off to the chef is the variety in the taste. All 8 of them tastes different from each other. There's no noticeable or significant overlap in their flavours. For that, credit where it's due. However, I must warn you that they are not exactly fully authentic nyonya. There's a bit of fusion and tweak of taste. But food always evolves. Having said that, I still find their base taste using santan, spice and tamarind quite delicious which still reminds you of nyonya food that has a good balance of flavour overall. Of all of them, a special mention of their grilled brinjal. The skin is perfectly cooked, hint of bitterness while the brinjal itself has an incredible cooked just right texture that combines optimally with the accompanying sambal belacan. The otak otak is partially deconstructed, and interestingly more pastry than the conventional steamed version in banana leaf I am used to. It looks like a pie with baked pastry, the filling is a little dry and they use seabass as their fish. The accompanying sauce it the one that gives it the moisture, the smell and the taste you associate with otak otak. So, don't skip the sauce. It's an interesting interpretation of how a otak otak should be. Short mention of the incredibly fresh prawn, fish and clams, with their delicious curry and gravy, each one with a different taste profile. The chicken is also well seasoned and crispy. The kerabu was pretty average but the add on soft shell crab was yummy and I fully recommend you ask for it. The duck was an interesting dish. It's going to be polarizing to most diners. Its cooked with the confit method. To be honest I expected the meat to be a bit more tender than this. It still feels a little tough. As for the sauce, I didn't enjoy it, found it a little jarring with flavours not working well together. Finally, I must say I loved their decor. Heavily and expectedly influenced by their cuisine, you are left without a doubt of the peranakan heritage. My final thoughts? They should seriously consider an ala carte option as 3 dishes per person can be exceedingly filling. Unless they allow you to order a less number of sets than the dining group number. I didn't enquire about this. Sometimes we just want to test and taste their options. Not overeat. Their food is generally good, even though a twist of the original flavours, and the surroundings are unique and special.

Resplendent in old worldly charm, the set menu comprised of either 2 or 3 course meal with dishes intended for sharing. The otak otak puff was good, the rendang entree was ok. Duck was nicely done, however the veg was a little boring. Service was friendly.

It is worth it to come here. Remember to make a reservation in advance because it gets filled up fast. They have two seatings; 6pm and 8pm. Portions are huge, so do come on an empty stomach. It is also nice to explore the hotel area which is of Peranakan heritage. Overall food was super flavorful, with small flaws here and there, but worth the price. Can just do the 2 course per pax, and when you have stomach for desserts, then change it to a 3 course, so no stress over it. Starters Crispy Joo Hoo Char Roll (3.5/5) - Sambal was the saver for this, it was a good crispy "popiah", pretty decent. Kebaya Satay (4.6/5) - Super flavorful chicken satay. Cucumber helps to compliment the flavor bomb. Super enjoyable. Rendang Croque Monsieur (4.8/5) - I think this is one of the star appetizer, my mum who don't like blue cheese, could still eat this. Felt like a layer of beef rendang, mozzarella cheese, and small bits of blue cheese. Bread flatten and crisp to perfection. Super umami bomb. Mains Chef special's duck Itik Sio (4.8/5) - Amazing flavours as a whole, I wish I can keep eating this. Tangy (I assume from the assam) and umami rich fermented bean paste, sweet and soft shallots, duck had a crispy skin, meat was super flavorful roasted but it's a bit rough and dry, if not was done just nice it would have been a perfect 5/5. Confit Beef Buah Keluak Jam (4.9/5) - Beef oysterblade was super soft and tender, melts. The buah keluak chilli jam on top was superb, sweet, slight tangy, and umami filled. It is usually an acquired taste but I think this is a good introduction for people who have never tried it before, because the buah keluak flavor is there, but quite smooth and mild. The celery ribbons actually compliments it as well, I did not even realize it was celery until I ate it on its own. Hong Bak Lamb (4/5) - Flavourful sauce, Lamb Shank was a bit gamey, save the sambal from the other dishes as it covers the gameyness well. Greens Grilled Eggplant (4/5) - the sambal was the star. Amazing, goes well with anything and everything. The eggplant was grilled to perfection but had not much taste to it, so it compliments the sambal. Masak Lemak (4.6/5) - Super lemak, rich coconut milk with salty umami dried shrimp flavour. The sweet potato shoots were silky and nice, the crispy sweet potato chips. I am usually not a fan of sweet potato leaves but this shoots is easier to eat. Sambal Goreng (3.5/5) - The belacan coconut cream sauce was a great sauce as well. However the french bean and other veggies were a bit on the raw side this time, if cooked perfectly I would have given it a 4.

Kebaya Dining Room, nestled in a beautifully restored heritage mansion, is undeniably a visual delight. The Peranakan-themed decor, carefully arranged antique furnishings, and the overall ambiance transport you to a different era. It’s the kind of place that feels perfect for a birthday dinner or even an intimate wedding celebration — elegant, nostalgic, and Instagram-worthy. Unfortunately, the food doesn’t quite live up to the surroundings. The appetisers — otah puff pastries and chicken satay — while decent, failed to leave a lasting impression. They felt more like safe starters than flavour-packed openers. As for the mains, we tried the duck confit with plum sauce and Nyonya potato shoots, along with the Assam pomfret fish and achar. The duck was well-prepared and the potato shoots gravy paired nicely with white rice. The pomfret fish stood out with its bold yet approachable flavours, not overly spicy and quite enjoyable. But the meal faltered on other fronts. The achar was a disappointment — thick, clunky slices that were tough to chew, lacking the finesse and bite-sized crispness expected from this classic side. Desserts, sadly, were a letdown too. Overly sweet with a soggy biscuit base that lacked the satisfying crunch of a good graham crust. To add to the underwhelming culinary journey, the course-by-course service — while aiming for a fine dining experience — was painfully slow. With a strict two-hour dining window, the pacing felt mismatched and tested our patience. In short, Kebaya Dining Room is a feast for the eyes, but when it comes to the food, it’s more style than substance. Come for the ambiance, lower your expectations for the flavours.

Minus one star on food because it was amazing food but just not quite hit the spot as a nyonya cuisine. But other than that, everything we had was so so good. Service was great, atmosphere was great. We ordered the two course set meal, which comes with starters, greens and main course. We passed on a dessert because we thought we should try desserts outside of the restaurant. Favorite was their chicken satay 10/10 super tender, and the awesome fish 10/10 - this one probably tastes the closest to nyonya. The rest like the green beans, aubergine, sweet potato leaf seemed like just typical Malaysian food. Ordered their pandan longan tea, this one was definitely disappointing. Tasted like water with maybe one drop of pandan extract.

We found the restaurant to be overrated despite glowing reviews. We ordered from the CNY set menu and from what we ordered the taste really wasn’t anything special. Premium prices for below average food. Dishes took a while to be served. The restaurant itself feels dated and atmosphere stiff. We left after an hour. Better to eat at the hawker stalls with tastier food. Personally will not dine again.

This is one of those places where I take out-of-town guests when they visit Penang. It's a beautifully restored historic building, which makes for a great ambiance and cultural experience. The food is served family-style in courses and is plentiful. You choose from options for each course and the menu changes a couple of times per year, but the classics stay the same. I recommend the shrimp curry, it always seems to be the crowd favorite. They are making some of the better Nyonya food I've had, but they change the flavors a little bit too much for foreign palates. I'd like a little more spice/flavor in some of the dishes, but it's delicious none the less. Make sure to take some photos in the courtyard after dinner.

Nice place to eat. Mind relaxing environment set up. Food was delicious. Service was good.

Dinner at Kebaya Restaurant Penang Two years ago we had dinner here and the only dish that was good was the otah puff. So I was indeed surprised that the food was mostly good.

I found this place while I was doing my research for a nice restaurant in Penang. It just looked so unique, so I really wanted to take my siblings for a nice dinner during our Penang trip. It's quite an isolated location. Feels like it's at the back end of an alley. Parking is not the easiest and on a rainy night, it wasn't fun. Anyway, we made it to the gorgeous restaurant where live music was playing. It's a traditional Chinese instrument (the name escapes me). The atmosphere was inviting. Very vintage looking Chinese decor. From the moment you walked in, it was Instagram worthy. Down to the nice dinnerware. It's a prixe fix menu. We chose our sets but shared everything. The food was pretty good. To be perfectly honest, you could've gone to a mom and pop spot and had better. However, you wouldn't get this dining experience. So I'd say it was more for every other factor rather than the food. It was only around $30+USD per person for this meal. Which is considered a bargain for a fine dining experience.

Love the atmosphere. Beautiful antiques and very nicely appointed decor. We loved sitting at the bar, having a beer and chatting with the bartender.

Kebaya is somewhat hidden on a side street and is part of the fabulously rebuilt, restored, Anglo-Chinese Peranakan inspired Seven Terraces boutique hotel. The before and after photos are unbelievable. We were at the adjoining Baba Bar lounge earlier and decided to make reservations. The dining room is probably one of the nicest and most beautiful you'll encounter in Penang. Strait Indo-Chinese ambiance abounds. A pianist played on a baby grand during dinner. The Nyonya dinner was prix fixe with enough variety for 3 of us to share. Everything was delicious, particularly the Pork Man Tou mini-buns and Pai Tee (crispy top hats of prawns with julienned vegetables and sweet chili coriander sauce) appetizers. The Hong Bak Lamb entree was marinated for 48 hours and so moist and succulent. Prawn Geng in curry of tumeric and lemongrass exploded with spices. Even the side order of Cher Chai was almost like an entree, with leafy greens and a kind of Belanchan. The dessert selection was eclectic ranging from Pana cotta to Tang Yuen to Chocolate Fondant. The food, the service and especially the decor and ambiance were exceptionally on point. Kebaya is worthy of a dinner spot on your Malaysian journey.

Fantastic restaurant with Malay fusion eats. Dinner is a 4 course meal where you pick the appetizer, main, green and dessert. We picked 8 courses between the 2 of us and had a fantastic meal. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Each dish though was true to Malay cuisine while also being approachable and delicious to the uninitiated westerners Pair the meal to something delicious from the bar like a local or imported beer or a wine. Then fully enjoy the Enjoy

Very cool dishes. Not just the food, but literally: the dishes. They even have a shop next door where you can buy the flatware. Tried: - to begin: otak otak - to begin: miang khan of salmon roe - protein: kebaya tamarind beef - protein: chicken kapitan - greens: cher chai - greens: wing bean kerabu - dessert: pana cotta - dessert: toasted coconut ice cream (special) This place does a prix fixe style menu. For 120RM+tax per person, you pick out four courses: to begin, protein, greens and dessert. Drinks are a la carte . You can't really go wrong with the menu. Of the 8 items we ordered they were all fantastic--except the chicken. But even then, the sauce was amazing--it was just the chicken itself that was a miss. I'm of the opinion that when meat is served with bone and/or skin, certain rules should be followed. If with the bone: the meat should easily fall off the bone. If with the skin: the skin should be nice and crispy. Unfortunately this chicken here is served without either case being true :P The missing star was not for the chicken though, it was for the ambiance. It's kinda touted as a higher end place, but it's also attached to a hotel, so some guests use the place as a lounge and get rather comfortable (i.e. rather LOUD) and that doesn't make for the classiest of settings. For example: kids are running around, people are shouting and watching videos on their tablets/phones on full volume. Kind of a bummer.

Probably one of the most expensive restaurants in Penang, but given the quality of the food and service, very reasonably priced by US/European standards. It was RM370 for 4 courses for two people, plus 2 glasses of wine. Its a 4 course menu but you get to make your own choices from each section - appetite, main course, vegetable and dessert. They can accommodate vegetarians. Everything we had was delicious, flavorful, and amply sized portions. The service was very good, and the ambiance was nice. It was quiet enough to easily have a conversation, but the live pianist made for a nice environment. Definitely book ahead.

Unique dining experience housed in a beautifully decorated historical mansion. Instagram friendly!

Ground floor at the Seven Terraces Hotel, Bababar is adjacent. I dined with Thai friends, we ordered three different apps, greens, mains and deserts from the menu which has a set price for 4 courses (140 mr). All three meals were shared, rice was plentiful and more was offered. We dined on Chicken, Prawns and Fish which were expertly prepared and served. I was worried about satisfying my Thai friends and we quickly found all the entrées seasoned to their satisfaction. Deserts were devine! Perhaps our next meal will find us trying the beef, duck, pork and lamb which were amongst the alternative choices. Wine and cocktails are available, we enjoyed a bottle of wine with the meal, price a reasonable $25 usd.

My family dined at Kebaya when we visited Malaysia from San Francisco around the holidays. It was one of the best experiences of our trip! We loved the flavors of all the foods we tried. The atmosphere was stunning, don't miss out on visiting Kebaya!

This restaurant is beautifully decorated in a heritage building and the food is served on pretty, authentic antique china. The food is beyond excellent and the drinks are refreshing & artistic. I highly recommend dining here if you're looking for gourmet version of the authentic Penang cuisine from Perenakan colonial inspiration, in a cool setting. The place is gorgeous and the food is delicious and the staff people are super friendly and on point. The chef is a genuis. Try the delicious George Town Cooler if you fancy a cocktail!