Hai You Herbal Pork Ribs

Review

Hai You Herbal Pork Ribs is at No. 49 Dadong Road in Shilin Night Market, a stall in business for more than forty years; one report says over 43. It has been a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick for several years running since 2018 and is the herbal soup people mention most at Shilin. The elderly owner still tends the stall, and regulars are many.

The signature is the ten-tonic pork rib soup, simmered for over ten hours with about fifteen Chinese herbs. The broth is deep brown and richly herbal, yet sweet rather than salty, with a lingering finish. Besides pork ribs you can choose spare ribs, lamb chops, chicken leg or milkfish, with sesame-oil thin noodles or braised pork rice as the staple, plus blanched greens. None of the sources list item prices; one travel site estimates about NT$150 to 200 for soup with rice, so check on site.

Most diners love the rich, layered broth that warms you through, and the chicken leg is praised as tender. Complaints focus on ribs that are mostly bone and sparse toppings on the noodles; some also report staff limiting shared bowls or extra bowls in a way that felt unfriendly.

Hours are roughly 3 p.m. to midnight, closed Tuesdays, though sources vary slightly (some say until 1 a.m.), so check before going. The stall has seating; expect a queue at dinner and peak market hours, but tables turn quickly. Parking nearby is hard, so take the MRT to Jiantan Station and walk.

It suits anyone wanting a warming soup on a cold night or who doesn't mind herbal flavors. The classic order is one bowl of rib soup with sesame-oil noodles; for more meat, switch to chicken leg or lamb. Groups can order different proteins to share, but order at least one portion per person to avoid being refused when sharing.