鸭皇 Restoran Ya Wang

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (Average)

Address: 44, Jalan Segget, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dh6nRbVCLFJVTBXVA
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

R11 Roast Duck Drummy = RM18.00
R14 Roast Chicken Drummy = RM6.00
R19 Char Siew & Roast Pork (Small) = RM25.00

Do take note that this Place only accepts Cash or Wireless Payment.
Debit / Credit Card Payments are Not Available.

 Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.
Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.

Even if you have never been to JB before, you will most likely have come across this Famous "Ya Wang" Name in one way or another.

Extensively Covered by Food Blogs and Food Reviewers, this is one of the Most Famous Eateries in JB. One reason why they are Famous is because they are apparently a Consultant for the Dian Xiao Er 店小二 Chinese Restaurant in Singapore. 🤔

I'll be honest, I myself have never eaten at Dian Xiao Er 店小二 before. Very Expensive lah most likely. 😅 When your Awards Page is a list of some of the Most Influential and Powerful Ministers of Singapore, (with one of them going on to become the President of Singapore no less) I reckon even the AIR you breathe in the Restoran is going to be Expensive. 😅 Image taken from Dian Xiao Er Official Website


Hahaha! Jokes aside though, My First Visit to this Ya Wang Restoran was back in 2023 and I actually gave it my Lowest Score. Back then, I didn't feel this was any special (I actually enjoyed their Roast Chicken More) It was their Poor Customer Service that really rocked the Score for me. As luck would have it, I lost my Original Review so I thought I'd give them a Re-Review 3 Years Later now in 2026 to see what has changed.
Despite being such a Famous (Touristy) Place, the Actual Eatery itself is a Fairly Old and Humble Kopitiam Looking Place. Nothing really Fancy. As soon as I approached the Entrance, I had a Young Lad at the Front warmly welcoming me in. Not Bad, I don't remember receiving such service back in 2023.

As you step in, the Interior is Air-Conditioned that is actually quite Cooling and was a Great Relief from the Horrible Hot Weather. Inside the Eatery though, I immediately noticed a 臭臭 Musty Old Building Type of Smell. It is Abit Unpleasant but the Longer I stayed in the Place, I got used to it and it became lesser and lesser of a Distraction. If you are someone who is sensitive to Strong Smells, you might want to take note of this.

Perhaps because I visited this on a Weekday, it wasn't particularly Crowded with Customers. Needless to say, Weekends will probably 爆满 given how Famous this Eatery is. Compared to last time, the Staffs somehow feel Friendlier. Not Super Genki type of Friendly, but at least More Polite.

Ordering of Food is directly from the Staff and although she gave a Slight Wierd Look when I didn't order any Rice or Carbs, I have mostly no issues. Really a Refreshing Change and Marked Improvement in Service Level compared to the last time I was here in 2023.

Anyway it took only 1 Min for Both Drummys and 2 Mins for the Char Siew + Roast Pork.
Everything was served up within 2 Mins.

Quality of the Chilli

Thick and Gao Gao, my 1st Taste of this brings forth a Thick Garlic Base Chilli Sauce that originally tasted like its from some Bottle. 

But upon further tasting, I also tasted some Minced Ginger mixed in. The Whole Taste Profile is Sourish, Very Mildly Spicy and I reckon this Chilli is meant more for Opening of Appetite rather than used for its Spiciness. Not Bad.

R11 Roast Duck Drummy = RM18.00

This is of course their Main Signature, literally the Name of the Restoran. Decently Presented, this is a Danggui Roasted Duck 当归鸭. It is served presented with Actual Pieces of Danggui in a Few Long Strips that tastes surprisingly Quite Crunchy, not Nua Nua.
Quality of the Sauce Zhup

The Sauce they lum over it initially tasted Sweetish and has this Note that gives you a feeling that it would be Very Salty, but interestingly, it never reaches Overly Salty Level. There are Not Much Danggui Taste at all actually despite literal pieces of Danggui around. Nothing Herbly about it.
Quality of the Roast Duck

Visually looks Beautifully Caramelized, this was a Decent Quality Roast Standard. As soon as I sink my Teeth in, the Robust Roast Flavour from the Duck Skin shoots through immediately. The Meat itself was soaked Tender and Juicy with that Zhup they lum and was not Overly Gamey. But the Soul of this Duck isn't the Meat at all but rather the Skin for me. I simply can't get enough of that Roasted Slightly Smokey Caramelized Skin. This Skin however is more on the Soft Type, not the Crispy 脆皮 Type of Skin.

Again the Danggui taste is actually Very Minimal in this Whole Duck despite being a 当归鸭. So if you are expecting a Very Gao Gao Level of Danggui, this is not it. I remember that this Minimal Lack of Danggui was also the case when I ate it back in 2023.


R14 Roast Chicken Drummy = RM6.00

This was the Item that I actually liked back in 2023. Interestingly, unlike the Roasted Duck where the Skin was the Soul, this Chicken Meat was the Focus instead. It had a distinct Smokiness within that is also Not Overly Smokey that is also Clean and Not Overly Chickeny Tasting. Definitely above a Kopitiam Level of Roasted Chicken at least.

The Zhup they used for this Chicken is more Sesame Oil 麻油 focused. Oily but also quite Flavourful and I especially like the Saltiness in this Oily Sesame Oil Based Zhup. 3 years later in 2026, I still enjoy this Roast Chicken.

R19 Char Siew & Roast Pork (Small) = RM25.00
I didn't try this before in 2023 so I thought I'd give it a try. Of course I closely dissected it.

For the Small you get:
11 Cuts of Roast Pork
17 Cuts of Char Siew

Quality of the Roast Pork

Decent Acceptable Crunch on the Skin, but not Super Amazing. I did like the Release of 猪油香 though. Meat and Fat on this Siew Yoke leans more towards the Firmer Side, the Fat is not those Super Soft Melt in Mouth Quality. The Firmish Meat delivers a Noticeable Meaty Saltish Taste. Overall I wouldn't call this a Must Eat but its at least about SG Kopitiam Level.

Quality of the Char Siew

I like that these are Decently Roasted HK-Style Actual Char Siew and the Cuts I got were More Meaty than Fatty. The Zhup they lum for this was Decently Sweet. Quality of this Char Siew isn't like You Kee's 入口即化 type because I think this isn't the 不見天 Cut. Again, Decent but not Super Amazing Char Siew that is comparable to a SG Kopitiam Level.

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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM18.00 (S$5.90) is not say Particularly Cheap for this Ala-Carte Roasted Duck Drummy but it was Decent.

The one thing that really stood out to me was how Very Light in Danggui Taste it tasted from the Actual Drummy to the Zhup.

No Idea why some people find the Danggui in this to be Very Gao Gao. Different People have Different Tastes I guess? 


What I did enjoy was the Skin of the Roasted Duck which delivered a Nice Smokiness that elevated it slightly Above SG Kopitiam Level. But on a Whole, I still wouldn't consider this to be a Die Die Must Queue 7 Hours in Kastam to eat type of Roasted Duck in JB. It is an Above Average Level of Roasted Duck and it is what it is.

At the Price of RM6.00 (S$2.00) for this Roast Chicken Drummy, this was a Much More Acceptable Price compared to their Famous Roast Duck Drummy in my opinion.

If I preferred the Skin for the Roast Duck, its the Other Way Round as I prefer the Meat more on this Chicken due to its Distinct Non-Overpowering Smokiness that I tasted. I enjoyed this back in 2023, and I still enjoy this in 2026 and I consider THIS to be better than their Roasted Duck actually.

At the Price of RM25.00 (S$8.10) for both their Siew Yoke and Char Siew definitely isn't Cheap but I thought the Amount of Meat given was Acceptable. Having said that, I also feel that they were probably the Weakest of the Items that I tasted.

They are Decent Acceptable for what they are, but also Nothing Particuarly Special. I guess these 2 are not a Strength of this Eatery.

Overall though, the thing that really surprised me was the Markedly Improved Friendlier and More Welcoming Customer Service Level that I experienced.

Having someone actually welcome me at the Entrance even before I stepped into the Eatery was something new I never experienced back in 2023. All of the Staffs in General just felt Friendlier too. Although to be fair, I did visit this on a Weekday instead of Weekend which may be why the More Improved Service.

Culinary Wise I did enjoy the Quality here, at the Very Least there are Effort being made. If you have never eaten here before and is specifically aiming for their Famous Signature Danggui Roasted Ducks however, I would advise to keep your Expectations in check.

The Roasted Duck is decently done, but its not those Super Gao Gao Herbly Danggui Flavour type of 当归鸭 that you may be expecting. It is what it is. All in all, while this gets an Average Score from me, it is still a Much Better Improved Score compared to the Lowest Score I gave it back in 2023. I'm glad to see Improvements in Service Quality. 

Decent Restoran Overall. But it's just not the type of Place I would be willing to endure Queuing 7 Hours in Kastam to specifically come JB to eat. It is what it is.