Shilin Night Market 士林夜市

Address: No. 101, Jihe Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zePGdCBdDL9ZRf2s7
Official Opening Hours (Based on Google Maps): Everyday (4.00pm to 12.00am)

Due to the Sheer Size of Taiwanese Night Markets, it is impossible to take Photos of Every Single Stall there although I have tried my best to take as much as I could. 📷 

About this Shilin Night Market 士林夜市

This is of course the Largest Most Famous, Popular and Most Touristy Night Market in Taipei. 🎉 

The Nearest Subway Station is Jiantan MRT Station 劍潭 on the Red Tamsui-Xinyi Line 淡水信義線 🚆 and its a Very Short 450m Straightforward 8 Mins Comfortable Walk to it. 🚶Alternatively, you can just take an Uber to this if you have Mobility Issues. 🚗

Shilin Night Market is so Popular and Touristy that there are Many Clear Signs written in Chinese and English in Jiantan MRT Station itself that will show you exactly where to go. 🚆👍

Or you can just follow the Crowd and you probably won't go wrong. 😅 Or if you are really Lost, feel free to ask around. There are Friendly Station Staffs specifically deployed to guide Tourists. 👨‍✈️👩‍✈️

Small Trivia for the Jiantan MRT Station 劍潭

Being a Wuxia 武侠 Fan, I personally thought Jiantan 劍潭 is a Very Cool Name to give for a MRT Station. ❤️ The Name itself roughly translates to "Sword Lake". ⚔️ There is even a Cool Folk Legend about the Origin of this Name which involved a Ming Dynasty General slaying a Mythical Monster with his Sword. ⚔️ And the Place was given this Name to commemorate this Legendary Event. (Source: Taipei Travel)

Take Note, there is actually a Subway Station called Shilin Station 士林 too. 🚆🤔 However the Night Market is actually nearer to Jiantan Station 劍潭. But feel free to stop at Shilin Station if you want. It'll only be a Slightly Longer 700m, 12 Mins Walk. 🚶

Needless to say, this is the Night Market with the Most Touristy Vibe among ALL Night Markets in Taipei. 🎉 I would say roughly 10% Locals 90% Tourists when I was there. 🤔 Because this is the Most Touristy Night Market in Taipei, expect Crowds even on a Weekday. Although I feel it is also not Super Crowded until 水泄不通 cannot walk type lah. 😅



Other than the Food Stalls outside of the Night Market, the Whole Road within the Night Market is blocked off to Traffic, you will not see any Scooters buzzing about. Only Pedestrians will walk along the Road. 🚶 Restroom Facilities are available near the Main Entrance Area. 🚻 It is Free of Charge to use.

Booth Owners are Friendly and Polite, No Rowdy Behaviour. 👍 Overall feels Safe although of course, do take the usual precautions for your belongings especially when it starts getting Crowded.

I didn't particularly go check the Food Prices from the Food Stalls obviously, but I reckon they should be agar agar around Regular Prices you'd find elsewhere in Taiwan with a Mark-Up.

Other than Numerous Food Stalls, 😋 there are also a Good Number of Amusement Fun Fair type of Stalls here that is lesser seen in other Night Markets as you can see in the Photo Collection. 🎉 Great Fun for the Whole Family.
Within this Night Market, is a Shilin Cixian Chinese Temple 士林慈諴宮. 🛕

Protip: There are No Dining-In Areas in this Night Market but you can come to the Outer Courtyard of this Temple where there will be Stone Steps for you to comfortably sit down and enjoy eating what you bought. 🍽️

You can see many people, Locals or Tourists alike coming to the Temple Courtyard to rest in the Photos I've taken. As this is an Actual Religious Temple, it goes without saying that to please behave yourself and treat this place with Proper Dignity and Not Scream or Shout or Litter. 👍

Despite how Well Known this Shilin Night Market is already documented in Numerous Food Blogs, not many people know that there is actually a Special Shop that sells Exotic Snake Cuisine and Soft Shell Turtle Soup. 🐍🐢 Its actually located in a Small Side Street on the Road leading to the Main Entrance. The Shop is called 士林蛇肉湯 鱉肉湯. 

I visited this back in 2019, so I thought I'd come back to take a look. I'm glad to see that this place survived Covid. 👍 If you're looking to try some Exotic Cuisines in Shilin, this would be a Great Side-Trip Adventure. 👍 Same Friendly Owner. You can see how it looks like in the Photo Collection. 📷 Taste-Wise though I feel is So So.

There is an Underground Food Court 🍽️ in this Night Market that I visited back in 2019, however as of March 2025 when I visited, it is Under Construction and Renovations. 🤔 There are No Indications of when Renovations will be Completed. 🤔

Here are More Photos of Shilin Night Market 士林夜市