Sung Chu Yuan

Review

Sung Chu Yuan is at No. 546 Yonggong Road in Shilin District, a free-range chicken restaurant on Yangmingshan about a 20-minute drive from Xiaoyoukeng and Zhuzihu. It became famous after years on the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand list and appears on the 2026 Taipei list too; Supertaste and bloggers note that it has its own chicken farm, with coops visible across from the entrance.

The signature is the golden crispy-skin chicken, priced by Supertaste in 2023 at NT$450 for a half and NT$900 for a whole bird, with limited numbers each day. It is marinated with Chinese herbs, brushed with malt syrup and roasted at around 150°C for about an hour, giving crisp skin and meat that stays moist, even better with a sprinkle of pepper. The fried taro roll dessert wraps taro paste in toast sealed with sesame, crisp outside and fluffy inside. Diners also often order white-cut chicken, braised pork belly, stir-fried green beans and seasonal bamboo shoots, and the steamed buns are recommended with the chicken.

Praise centres on tender, juicy chicken with crisp skin, family-style dishes that are reasonably priced for a Michelin-listed spot, and fast service. Complaints are mainly about crowds: one blogger says it is full every day, and without a booking weekend waits can run from 30 minutes to an hour. Some also find a few dishes ordinary, with not everything beyond the chicken standing out.

Online listings show hours of roughly 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at weekends, and recent data suggests a short afternoon break, so check before you go. There is a large car park, so driving up the mountain is convenient. Booking online or by phone is strongly advised for weekend meals, while weekday lunches usually mean less waiting.

Good for families and friends wanting a shared feast after flower viewing, hot springs or a hike on Yangmingshan. A group of about four can order a half or whole golden crispy-skin chicken plus braised pork, a stir-fried vegetable or seasonal bamboo shoots, and finish with the taro roll; smaller groups will be fine with half a chicken and two or three side dishes. The signature chicken is limited, so arrive early or ask when you book.