Eat · Bogd Khan Palace Museum
Traditional mutton restaurant (khorkhog and ribs)
For a big mutton dinner, choose a traditional-menu restaurant on the south side or near the river: go at 18:00, order by weight, budget ₮ 30,000–60,000 per person, and confirm the venue locally.
- Mutton by weight
- Ask the price per 100 g
- Confirm the venue
- Order: Khorkhog-style mutton, ribs by weight
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 17:30–18:30
- Queue risk: 18:30–20:30
- 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
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?
Lunch and dinner; check on the day
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
17:30–18:30
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
MNT 30,000–60,0002026 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
- Boiled or grilled muttonхонины махBy weight.MNT 25,000–50,000
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
- Use the toilet before you leave; facilities vary.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- NoVegetarian · Meat is the menu. · say: “Би мах иддэггүй. (Bi makh iddeggüi.)”
- NoVegan · Meat and dairy.
- AskHalal · Ask about the meat source. · say: “Би гахайн мах иддэггүй. (Bi gakhain makh iddeggüi.)”
- AskGluten-free · Noodles and dumplings contain wheat.
- AskNut allergy · Ask.
- AskAllergy · State your allergy; kitchens vary. · say: “Надад ___ харшилтай. (Nadad ___ kharshiltai.)”
Paying
Bring cash
- Ask for the bill to be itemised.
- Service may be added; tip only for good service.
- Cards and QPay at most restaurants; carry cash (check).
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Taken
- Note
- Recommended for groups; call or message the venue (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.
- 1Use the toilet before you leave; facilities vary.
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
- Ask for the price per portion or per kilo before you order.
- Share one large meat dish and add rice, noodles or salad.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Price by weight: A large plate can double the bill — Ask the price per 100 g and the weight of the plate.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Ask for the bill to be itemised.
- Service may be added; tip only for good service.
- Cards and QPay at most restaurants; carry 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
- ₮ 30,000–60,000 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.
- Vegetarianno
Meat is the menu.
Show: Би мах иддэггүй. (Bi makh iddeggüi.)
- Veganno
Meat and dairy.
- Halalask
Ask about the meat source.
Show: Би гахайн мах иддэггүй. (Bi gakhain makh iddeggüi.)
- Gluten-freeask
Noodles and dumplings contain wheat.
- Nut allergyask
Ask.
- Allergyask
State your allergy; kitchens vary.
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 for groups.
- 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: 17:00 (light).
- 17:00lightlittle or no wait
- 18:00heavyexpect a line
- 19:00packedexpect a long lineFamily tables
- 20:00heavyexpect a line
- 21:00busya short wait is possible
- 22:00lightlittle or no wait
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 · Plain meat and noodles for children
- Access
- step-free: partial · Varies by venue
Hygiene
- Eat meat hot and well cooked.
- Use bottled water.
- Be careful with raw milk products: airag and dairy are traditional but can upset a stomach.
Facts
- Reservations
- Taken — Recommended for groups; call or message the venue (check).
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest · toilet
- Getting there
- Choose a venue on the south side near Zaisan or the river (confirm locally) · ~10 min walk
Cons
- Very meat-heavy; not suitable for vegetarians.
- Ordering by weight can surprise you at the bill.
- Confirm the specific venue and hours locally.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Khonin makh (хонины мах) | Mutton. | Say the weight or portion. |
| Khorkhog (хорхог) | Meat cooked with hot stones in a sealed pot. | Ask if it is available today. |
| Tsuivan (цуйван) | Noodles. | A side dish. |
| Airag (айраг) | Fermented mare's milk. | Try a small cup in summer. |
| Suutei tsai (сүүтэй цай) | Salty milk tea. | Ask for a pot. |
| Nogoo (ногоо) | Vegetables. | Ask for a salad. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A family meal in a canteen costs ₮ 8,000–20,000 per person.
- tourist price
- A restaurant meat dish and drinks: ₮ 30,000–60,000 per person.
- rule
- Service may be added; tip only for good service.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Price by weight | A large plate can double the bill | Ask the price per 100 g and the weight of the plate. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Why not name a single restaurant?
The traditional-menu scene changes; confirm a venue with your hotel on the day.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
What is khorkhog?
A countryside dish of mutton cooked with hot stones in a sealed pot; some restaurants serve it.
How much is a mutton dinner?
About ₮ 30,000–60,000 per person (2026 estimate).
Is there a vegetarian option?
Very limited.
Should I drink airag?
In summer, one small cup; it is sour and mildly alcoholic.
Do I need to reserve?
For groups, yes.
If it is closed or full
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.