Eat · Sukhbaatar Square & Choijin Temple
Modern Nomads (Mongolian restaurant)
A 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.
- English menu
- Reserve for dinner
- ₮ 25,000–50,000
- Order: Buuz set, tsuivan, mutton
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 11:30–12:30
- Queue risk: 12:30–14:00
- Bring cash
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
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Lunch and dinner; check on the day
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
11:30–12:30
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
MNT 25,000–50,0002026 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
- Buuz setбуузSteamed dumplings.MNT 12,000–20,000
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
- Ask for the English menu.
- Say 'saikhan' if you want to compliment the cook.
- Check that service is or is not included.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Limited. · say: “Би мах иддэггүй. (Bi makh iddeggüi.)”
- AskVegan · Very limited.
- AskHalal · Ask about pork. · say: “Би гахайн мах иддэггүй. (Bi gakhain makh iddeggüi.)”
- AskGluten-free · Dumplings contain wheat.
- AskNut allergy · Ask.
- Not on fileAllergy · State your allergy; the kitchen is used to tourists. · say: “Надад ___ харшилтай. (Nadad ___ kharshiltai.)”
Paying
Bring cash
- A small tip is welcome; service may be added (check the bill).
- Cards and QPay accepted; carry some cash (check).
- Many cheap places take cash only; carry small notes.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Taken
- Note
- Recommended for dinner and groups (check).
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.
- 1Ask for the English menu.
- 2Say 'saikhan' if you want to compliment the cook.
- 3Check that service is or is not included.
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 |
Portions and sharing
- Order two dishes to share and one bowl of soup.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Drinks and sides: Add up quickly — Check the price of beer and juice before you order.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- A small tip is welcome; service may be added (check the bill).
- Cards and QPay accepted; carry some cash (check).
- 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
- ₮ 25,000–50,000 per person (2026 estimate)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Accepted.
Cards accepted (check).
No transit card needed for a meal.
QPay accepted (check).
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Limited.
Show: Би мах иддэггүй. (Bi makh iddeggüi.)
- Veganask
Very limited.
- Halalask
Ask about pork.
Show: Би гахайн мах иддэггүй. (Bi gakhain makh iddeggüi.)
- Gluten-freeask
Dumplings contain wheat.
- Nut allergyask
Ask.
- Allergynot on file
State your allergy; the kitchen is used to tourists.
Show: Надад ___ харшилтай. (Nadad ___ kharshiltai.)
What is in the dishes
- 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
- Reserve by phone or message (check); walk in at off-peak times.
- How far ahead
- Same day
- No-show / cancel fee
- Check the policy
- Dress code
- Casual.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tsagaan Sar (Feb) | check before you go | Closed or shortened. |
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 lineLunch groups
- 13:00heavyexpect a line
- 14:00lightlittle or no wait
- 15:00lightlittle or no wait
- 16:00busya short wait is possible
- 17:00heavyexpect a line
- 18:00heavyexpect a lineDinner
- 19:00busya short wait is possibleBook ahead
Desk estimate; weekends run one level higher. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: ask · stroller: caution · Dumplings for children
- Access
- step-free: partial · Check the entrance
Hygiene
- Sit-down kitchen; food is hot.
- Use sealed bottled water.
- Ask about ice.
Facts
- Reservations
- Taken — Recommended for dinner and groups (check).
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest · toilet
- Getting there
- Central Ulaanbaatar; confirm the branch · ~10 min walk
Cons
- Priced above canteens.
- The chain has several branches; confirm which one.
- Meat-heavy menu.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Buuz (бууз) | Steamed dumpling. | By the plate. |
| Khuushuur (хуушуур) | Fried pastry. | One or two. |
| Tsuivan (цуйван) | Stir-fried noodles. | Add a side of salad. |
| Shol (шөл) | Soup or broth. | Ask which meat. |
| Airag (айраг) | Fermented mare's milk, in summer. | Try a small cup; it is sour. |
| Suutei tsai (сүүтэй цай) | Salty milk tea. | Ask for a pot. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A canteen meal costs ₮ 8,000–20,000; this is a restaurant premium.
- tourist price
- You pay for the English menu, seating and service: ₮ 25,000–50,000.
- rule
- A small tip is welcome; service may be added (check the bill).
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks and sides | Add up quickly | Check the price of beer and juice before you order. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is it the best Mongolian food?
It is a reliable introduction; for local prices go to a guanz.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
How much is dinner at Modern Nomads?
About ₮ 25,000–50,000 per person (2026 estimate).
Do I need to reserve?
For dinner and groups, yes. At lunch you can usually walk in.
Is there English on the menu?
Yes (check).
Is it good for vegetarians?
Limited; ask the kitchen.
How many branches?
Several; confirm the address.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Seoul Street cafés and Korean restaurants12 min walkCoffee.
- Guanz (canteen) lunch — buuz and khuushuur2 min walkWalk-in canteen lunch of steamed buuz, fried khuushuur or tsuivan; go before 12:00 or after 14:00; cash only in most places.Walk-in canteen lunch of steamed buuz, fried khuushuur or tsuivan; go before 12:00 PM or after 2:00 PM; cash only in most places.
- Mongolian hotpot restaurant7 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.
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.