Eat · Sukhbaatar Square & Choijin Temple
Guanz (canteen) lunch — buuz and khuushuur
Walk-in canteen lunch of steamed buuz, fried khuushuur or tsuivan; go before 12:00 or after 14:00; cash only in most places.
- Buuz and khuushuur
- ₮ 8,000–20,000
- Cash or QPay
- Order: Buuz, khuushuur or tsuivan at a guanz
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: before 12:00
- Queue risk: 12:00–13:30
- Menu with prices on Voykit
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8From Nov to Mar pavements are icy and taxis are slow
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Mongolia ↗Check entry rules for your passport on the official government e-visa portal; some nationalities enter visa-free for a limited stay, others need an e-visa.
- Mongolia ↗In a ger: step over the threshold (never on it), move clockwise, receive food and drink with the right hand, and do not point your feet at the stove or the altar.
- Mongolia ↗Plan road trips by hours, not kilometres: paved roads are few, and 100 km of dirt track can take three hours.
- Central Mongolia ↗Ger camps in the countryside run mainly June–September; outside that window, ask what is open before you book.
- Ulaanbaatar ↗From Nov to Mar pavements are icy and taxis are slow: use grip footwear, allow double time and do not plan long walks.
- Ulaanbaatar ↗Traffic is gridlocked roughly 07:30–09:30 and 17:00–20:00: cross-town rides can take three times as long.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Usually 09:00–20:00Usually 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
Typical hours: check on the day.
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
before 12:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
MNT 8,000–20,0002026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Your first order
- Steamed dumplings (per piece)бууз buuzThe standard order.MNT 1,500–2,500
- Fried meat pastryхуушуур khuushuurHot and filling.MNT 2,500–3,500
Menus and prices change; the board on the day wins.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Walk in, look at the board or the counter and point; menus are in Mongolian.
- Order by the piece: 'gurav buuz' is three buuz, 'dörav buuz' is four.
- Say 'suutei tsai' for milk tea, which is salty.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- NoVegetarian · Meat is in almost every dish. · say: “Би мах иддэггүй. (Bi makh iddeggüi.)”
- NoVegan · Meat and dairy everywhere.
- AskHalal · Mostly mutton and beef; halal status unknown (check). · say: “Би гахайн мах иддэггүй. (Bi gakhain makh iddeggüi.)”
- AskGluten-free · Dumplings and noodles contain wheat.
- AskNut allergy · Show a card.
- AskAllergy · Show a written card; kitchens rarely handle allergies. · say: “Надад ___ харшилтай. (Nadad ___ kharshiltai.)”
Paying
Bring cash
- Pay at the counter or to the server; keep the slip.
- No tipping expected in a guanz; a small tip is fine in restaurants.
- Cash tugrik at most; some take QPay or cards (check). Carry ₮ 20,000 in small notes.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Walk in, look at the board or the counter and point; menus are in Mongolian.
- 2Order by the piece: 'gurav buuz' is three buuz, 'dörav buuz' is four.
- 3Say 'suutei tsai' for milk tea, which is salty.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Энэ хэд вэ? | en-e khed ve |
| I do not eat meat | Би мах иддэггүй | bi makh id-deg-gui |
| The bill, please | Тооцоо хийе | tot-soh kee-ye |
| Hello | Сайн байна уу | sain bain oo |
| Thank you | Баярлалаа | bayar-la-laa |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Per-piece pricing: A plate of buuz can add up quickly — Count the pieces and ask the total before you eat.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Pay at the counter or to the server; keep the slip.
- No tipping expected in a guanz; a small tip is fine in restaurants.
- Cash tugrik at most; some take QPay or cards (check). Carry ₮ 20,000 in small notes.
- Many cheap places take cash only; carry small notes.
At the table
- If you are offered a drink or food, accept the first round even if you only touch it to your lips.
- Eat where the turnover is quick and the food is hot.
- Vegetarian options exist but are limited; Korean and international cafés are the easiest, and you can ask the kitchen for a dish without meat.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- ₮ 8,000–20,000 per person (2026 estimate)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Accepted everywhere.
Some take cards (check).
No transit card needed for a meal.
QPay is widely used by locals (check).
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianno
Meat is in almost every dish.
Show: Би мах иддэггүй. (Bi makh iddeggüi.)
- Veganno
Meat and dairy everywhere.
- Halalask
Mostly mutton and beef; halal status unknown (check).
Show: Би гахайн мах иддэггүй. (Bi gakhain makh iddeggüi.)
- Gluten-freeask
Dumplings and noodles contain wheat.
- Nut allergyask
Show a card.
- Allergyask
Show a written card; kitchens rarely handle allergies.
Show: Надад ___ харшилтай. (Nadad ___ kharshiltai.)
What is in the dishes
- Fried meat pastryхуушуур khuushuurwheat
- Salty milk teaсүүтэй цайdairy
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- No reservations; walk in.
- How far ahead
- Not needed
- No-show / cancel fee
- Not applicable
- Dress code
- None; a coat rack is common.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tsagaan Sar (Feb) | check before you go | Many canteens close for the holiday. |
| Sundays | check before you go | Some office-area canteens close. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 11:00 (light).
- 11:00lightlittle or no wait
- 12:00heavyexpect a lineOffice lunch rush
- 13:00packedexpect a long lineBusiest
- 14:00heavyexpect a line
- 15:00lightlittle or no wait
- 16:00lightlittle or no wait
- 17:00lightlittle or no wait
Desk estimate on a weekday; weekends run one level higher. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: caution · Plain dumplings suit children
- Access
- step-free: partial · Small rooms, sometimes a step
Hygiene
- Choose a busy canteen with fast turnover.
- Eat dishes hot; avoid cold salads if unsure.
- Use bottled water and wipe your hands.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in.
- Capabilities
- food
- Getting there
- Side streets around Sukhbaatar Square · ~10 min walk
Cons
- Menus are mostly meat and in Mongolian.
- Cash only is common: carry ₮ in small notes.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Buuz (бууз) | Steamed dumpling with meat. | Say the number and 'buuz'. |
| Khuushuur (хуушуур) | Fried meat pastry. | Ask for it hot; eat it with your hands. |
| Tsuivan (цуйван) | Stir-fried noodles with meat. | Point to the photo. |
| Guriltai shol (гурилтай шөл) | Noodle soup with meat. | A good cold-weather dish. |
| Suutei tsai (сүүтэй цай) | Milk tea with salt. | Ask for less salt if you want it milder. |
| Bansh (банш) | Small boiled dumplings, often in soup. | Ask for a bowl with broth. |
Price check
- locals pay
- Buuz, khuushuur and noodles cost ₮ 1,500–12,000 a dish at a canteen (2026 estimate).
- tourist price
- Restaurants with English menus charge two to three times as much for the same dishes.
- rule
- No tipping expected in a guanz; a small tip is fine in restaurants.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Per-piece pricing | A plate of buuz can add up quickly | Count the pieces and ask the total before you eat. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Which canteen should I choose?
Pick one with a queue of locals at 12:30 and hot food behind the counter; confirm locally.Pick one with a queue of locals at 12:30 PM and hot food behind the counter; confirm locally.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
What is a guanz?
A canteen serving simple Mongolian dishes at low prices; it is the local lunch.
How much should I pay?
₮ 8,000–20,000 per person (2026 estimate).
Is there vegetarian food?
Very little. Most dishes contain mutton or beef.
Do they take cards?
Some; carry cash.
Is milk tea salty?
Yes. Ask for less salt or try it as it comes.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Modern Nomads (Mongolian restaurant)2 min walkA sit-down Mongolian restaurant with English menus: go at 12:00 or 18:30 for mutton, dumplings and milk tea at about ₮ 25,000–50,000 per person, and confirm the branch and hours before you walk.A sit-down Mongolian restaurant with English menus: go at 12:00 PM or 6:30 PM for mutton, dumplings and milk tea at about ₮ 25,000–50,000 per person, and confirm the branch and hours before you walk.
- Mongolian hotpot restaurant5 min walkA warm winter dinner: pick a hotpot restaurant near the centre, order thin-sliced meat and vegetables to cook at the table, go at 18:00 and budget ₮ 30,000–60,000 per person; confirm the venue locally.A warm winter dinner: pick a hotpot restaurant near the centre, order thin-sliced meat and vegetables to cook at the table, go at 6:00 PM and budget ₮ 30,000–60,000 per person; confirm the venue locally.
- Seoul Street cafés and Korean restaurants9 min walkFor coffee, cake, a vegetarian option or a Korean meal, use the cafés and restaurants around Seoul Street east of the square: ₮ 8,000–30,000 per person, warm and English-friendly; confirm names and hours locally.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Ulaanbaatar, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Ulaanbaatar in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Ulaanbaatar (eat)
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.