IT Roo Cafe: Serving the Best Hainanese Chicken Chop in Johor Bahru (Malaysia)
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This article is part of the Johor Bahru Food Trip 2025 series.
Johor Bahru (or JB) is the southernmost city in peninsular or west Malaysia. Most tourists from Singapore come here for Legoland Malaysia. Unfortunately, they miss out the good and affordable food in the city.
I came here back in 2018 (it’s the first Malaysian city I ever visited). And one food spot that really made an impression on me is IT Roo Cafe. Their food is so good that I went there twice!
IT Roo Cafe
So when I returned to JB last year (and this time with my wife and a few friends), I made sure that our first meal there is at my favorite JB resto!
Founded in 1961, IT Roo Cafe is known for their Hainanese Chicken Chop. To the uninitiated, this dish was created by immigrants from Hainan (China) who worked as cooks for British and Peranakan families. These Hainanese cooks learned Western recipes and techniques, and adapted to the local palette. As a result of this fusion, many Hainanese-style Western dishes were created, including the chicken chop.
IT Roo Cafe maintained its old-school vibe, with tiled walls and vintage photos hanging:
Inside IT Roo Cafe
There are two Hainanese chicken chop specialists along Jalan Dhoby, which is near the City Square (the other one is Restoran Hua Mui). But I prefer the one from IT Roo Cafe. Is it still good after all these years?
Absolutely! Both fried and grilled versions are tender and juicy, and both mushroom gravy and black pepper sauce complement the chicken well.
Golden Fried Crispy Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce (MYR19.50)
Grilled Chicken Chop with Black Pepper Sauce (MYR19.50)
Don’t forget to add fried eggs on it, which we forgot to do.
Another specialty to order is the IT Roo Fried Rice, which is smoky and tasty.
IT Roo Fried Rice (MYR9.90)
IT Roo Cafe also offers noodle dishes. Their Kueh Tiaw (flat rice noodles) Cantonese has smooth noodles and a tasty gravy.
Kueh Tiaw Cantonese (MYR9.90)
Wash down all the food with their classic Root Beer Float.
Root Beer Float (MYR7.80)
IT Roo Cafe really lives up to its tagline: “The Best Chicken Chop in Town”. If you’re in JB, drop by this institution. I highly recommend it to you!
IT Roo Cafe
Address: 17 Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-8:30PM | Contact No.: +60 7222-7780 | Facebook