Quick Answer: Mong Kok is Hong Kong's market district and one of the densest places on earth: the Ladies' Market, Sneaker Street, the Goldfish Market, the Flower Market and the Bird Garden are each a street, and all sit within fifteen minutes of Mong Kok station. Here is what is on which street, how to get there, and where to eat.
Mong Kok is Hong Kong's market district and one of the densest places on earth. Each market has its own street: the Ladies' Market on Tung Choi Street, Sneaker Street on Fa Yuen Street, the Goldfish Market, the Flower Market and the Bird Garden, plus the electronics and phone shops of Sai Yeung Choi Street South and the Langham Place mall, all within fifteen minutes of Mong Kok station. This guide covers what is on which street, how to get there, and where to eat. Portal Hong Kong lists the businesses in Mong Kok by category.
What is on which street?
| Street | Market or trade | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tung Choi Street (Argyle Street to Dundas Street) | Ladies' Market: clothing, bags, accessories, souvenirs | Around noon to late evening |
| Fa Yuen Street (Argyle Street to Dundas Street) | Sneaker Street: sports shoes and sportswear | Shop hours, late |
| Tung Choi Street north of Argyle Street | Goldfish Market: aquarium fish, tanks, reptiles, pet supplies | Late morning to evening |
| Flower Market Road | Flower Market: cut flowers, plants, orchids; busiest before Chinese New Year | Morning to evening |
| Yuen Po Street | Bird Garden: songbirds, cages, bird owners airing their birds | Morning to late afternoon |
| Sai Yeung Choi Street South | Electronics, phones, cameras, cosmetics; a pedestrian zone on some evenings | Shop hours, late |
| Argyle Street and Nathan Road | Langham Place mall and office tower, Mong Kok Computer Centre, Sino Centre (anime and collectibles), chain stores | Mall hours |
| Portland Street and Shanghai Street | Kitchenware and restaurant supply (Shanghai Street runs south into Yau Ma Tei), older shophouses | Shop hours |
How do you get there and around?
Mong Kok station (Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong lines) is under Nathan Road at Argyle Street; Mong Kok East station on the East Rail line is a ten-minute walk east across the footbridges. Prince Edward station, one stop north, is closer to the Flower Market and Bird Garden; Yau Ma Tei, one stop south, is closer to Temple Street night market and the Jade Market. The streets are laid out on a grid, so navigation is easy: Nathan Road runs north to south, Argyle Street and Dundas Street east to west, and the market streets run parallel to Nathan Road one and two blocks east. Pavements are crowded from mid-afternoon; the elevated walkway along Mong Kok Road helps.
What should you see?
- The Ladies' Market, for the bargaining more than the goods.
- Sneaker Street, for trainers you will not find at home.
- The Goldfish Market, with fish in hanging bags along the shopfronts.
- The Flower Market and the Bird Garden, ten minutes north, quieter and older Hong Kong.
- Sai Yeung Choi Street South at night, for the neon and the crowds.
- Langham Place, for a rooftop view of the district and a break from the street.
Where do you eat and shop?
Mong Kok is where locals eat cheaply and late. Cha chaan teng on every block for milk tea, egg tarts and set lunches; dim sum and roast meat restaurants along Nathan Road and Sai Yeung Choi Street; dessert and bubble tea shops on Dundas Street; street snacks around the Ladies' Market; hotpot and Cantonese restaurants above the shops on upper floors reached by lift. Shopping follows the street table above; the computer and phone shops on Sai Yeung Choi Street and in the Mong Kok Computer Centre are competitive but check the model and warranty before paying. Browse Mong Kok restaurants and shopping and lifestyle listings, and for the food itself, our Hong Kong street food guide.
Who does business here?
Retail and wholesale first: clothing, sportswear, electronics, phones, cosmetics and kitchenware. Then tutorial schools and education centres, which fill the upper floors of buildings near the stations; small trading companies; and the clinics, CPA firms and corporate services providers that serve them, at the lowest office rents of the five districts in this series. Langham Place is the one Grade A office tower. South of Mong Kok is Tsim Sha Tsui; read our Tsim Sha Tsui district guide.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Mong Kok known for?
- Street markets, each on its own street: the Ladies' Market on Tung Choi Street, Sneaker Street on Fa Yuen Street, the Goldfish Market on the northern part of Tung Choi Street, the Flower Market on Flower Market Road, the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, and electronics and phones on Sai Yeung Choi Street South. Langham Place is the district's mall, and the density of shops, restaurants and people is the highest in Hong Kong.
- How do I get to Mong Kok?
- Mong Kok station on the Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong lines, and Mong Kok East station on the East Rail line, about ten minutes' walk apart. Prince Edward station, one stop north, is closer to the Flower Market and Bird Garden; Yau Ma Tei, one stop south, to Temple Street. Buses and minibuses to every part of Kowloon and the New Territories run along Nathan Road and Argyle Street.
- When is the Ladies' Market open?
- Stalls on Tung Choi Street between Argyle Street and Dundas Street open from around noon to late evening, busiest after 6pm. It sells clothing, bags, accessories, phone cases and souvenirs; prices are negotiable and the first price quoted is not the last.
- Where is Sneaker Street?
- Fa Yuen Street between Argyle Street and Dundas Street, one block east of the Ladies' Market, lined with dozens of sports shoe and sportswear shops selling current and limited-edition trainers. Prices are competitive with the brand stores and the range is wider.
- Where do people eat in Mong Kok?
- Everywhere: cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style cafes) on every block, dim sum and roast meat restaurants on Nathan Road and Sai Yeung Choi Street, dessert shops and bubble tea on Dundas Street, street snacks such as egg waffles, curry fish balls and stinky tofu around the Ladies' Market, and Langham Place for chain and international restaurants. Mong Kok is where locals go for cheap, good food late at night.
