Fry Fish, Live Music & BYOB Fun—A 2nd-Floor Local Gem 🎵

Scouring Colombo for restaurants, I was hooked by the “Best BYOB Restaurant” tag on Google Maps—who doesn’t love Bring Your Own Bottle? Clutching a local beer, I climbed to the second floor, and walking in, I was wrapped in warm light and song: a singer with a guitar crooned in the corner, locals chatted over drinks, and the air smelled of fried fish. Instantly, I knew “this is the spot”🇱🇰 The meal was casual and satisfying, and now my mind’s stuck on “the crunch of fried tilapia and the singer’s tune”～ 🐟 Dishes Worth Ordering: Fried Tilapia Steals the Show, Steak Can Be “Custom-Tender” The menu isn’t flashy, but locals order like pros—follow their lead: Fried tilapia is a must! Golden skin fried crispy enough to “crack” when poked with chopsticks, the meat tender as flakes. A squeeze of lime cuts the richness, and you can taste the Indian Ocean’s freshness. We gnawed every last scrap off the plate👍; Steak is a nice surprise: (default) it’s a bit overcooked (maybe local preference), but say “more rare” to the server, and it comes out crispy outside, pink and tender inside! Meaty aroma mixed with black pepper, paired with mashed potatoes—it’s like tucking your stomach in with a warm blanket. The first bite felt “slightly tough,” but adjusted, it’s “definitely reorder-worthy”; Watching the local table next to us, their curry shrimp and coconut-braised chicken looked amazing—shrimp in red curry sauce, chicken melting in coconut milk. The aroma made me salivate—next time, I’ll ask the server for local picks; it’ll be a hit😋 🎤 Vibe Steals the Show: Eat, Drink, Listen to Music—Like a Party at a Friend’s The restaurant’s on the second floor, with a steep staircase, but stepping inside makes it worthwhile: Small but cozy, with loose wooden tables, Sri Lankan landscapes on the walls, and dimmed evening lights—like crashing a local family dinner; The singer, a curly-haired uncle, plays guitar and sings English classics and Sinhalese folk songs, his raspy voice full of stories. During upbeat tunes, locals clap along, and even us foreigners couldn’t help tapping our feet; BYOB is genius! Bring your own drinks (grab local Lion beer or fruit wine from the convenience store downstairs), and the restaurant only charges a small corkage fee—way cheaper than ordering in. Munching fish, sipping beer, listening to music—we stayed till closing～ 📍 Practical Tips: Location: Search “Tilapiya Colombo” on Google Maps—it’s on the second floor, with a small sign at the stairway. Navigation won’t fail you; Best time: After 7 PM, when the singer starts—vibes peak; Ordering hack: Say “recommend your local favorites,” and the server will ly point out menu highlights; Cost: ¥50-80 per person (excluding drinks)—great value, worth weekly visits. Leaving, the singer finished a slow song, and applause mixed with clinking glasses echoed in the small space. Suddenly, I got why locals love it—no stiff “internet-famous” vibes, just “eat well, drink happy, listen easy,” as relaxed as crashing a friend’s place for dinner. Looking for a “eat-drink-listen” spot in Colombo? This izakaya-style gem is worth climbing those stairs for!🍻 #ColomboEats #SriLankaTravel #BYOBRestaurant #LiveMusicDining #LocalFoodie #HiddenGemColombo