Guijie — written 簋街 (Gui meaning an ancient bronze food vessel, despite the pun on 鬼 for 'ghost') — is Beijing's most famous late-night food street. The 1.5-kilometer strip runs east along Dongzhimen Inner Street, lined with red lanterns and 150+ restaurants whose specialties are spicy crayfish (麻辣小龙虾), hotpot, lamb skewers, and Sichuan-style numbing fish (烤鱼). The atmosphere peaks between 10 PM and 2 AM, when the broader Beijing food scene shuts down — Ghost Street stays open till sunrise. Heaters and outdoor tables run all year. Most-recommended classics: Hu Da Restaurant (胡大饭馆) for crayfish (queue for 30-60 min even at 11 PM), Yang Wan Lou (羊万楼) for lamb skewers. Cash + Alipay/WeChat Pay; almost no foreign card acceptance here. The reverse name origin: in Qing times this street had a morning produce market that left it deserted by day and ghostly-quiet at night — hence the pun.
Address
Dongzhimen Inner St, Dongcheng District, Beijing
东城区东直门内大街
Highlights
- Hu Da Crayfish (胡大饭馆)Most-famous crayfish; expect 30-60 min queue even on weeknights
- Spicy Crayfish (麻辣小龙虾)Beijing's defining late-night dish; messy, hands-on, glorious
- Open Past MidnightMost of Beijing closes by 11 PM — Guijie runs till sunrise
- Hotpot + BBQ + Numbing Fish150+ restaurants; not just crayfish — sample the breadth
- Cash / Alipay OnlyForeign cards almost never accepted here; bring RMB
For foreign visitors
- English service: partial english
- Cards accepted: cash_only
- Booking / entry: not needed
- Best time: 10 PM - 1 AM; come hungry and patient
- Wi-Fi: free
- Transit access: metro direct
Photos








What travelers say (5 reviews)
Vincent P.·TripAdvisor·5/5
Open till 4am. Red lanterns the entire street. Try Hu Da spicy crayfish (麻辣小龙虾) — Beijing's most famous late-night dish.
2026-04-02
簋街吃货·Xiaohongshu·5/5
簋街必吃胡大!小龙虾季节去最爽。建议晚上10点后人少一些。地铁北新桥站。
2026-03-08
Mark T.·Google Maps·4/5
Touristy but legitimately fun. The 1.5km stretch is just non-stop hot pot, crayfish, and BBQ joints. Locals still come.
2026-02-17
Olivia R.·TripAdvisor·4/5
Skip the touristy stalls hawking on the street — pick a packed restaurant and queue. Pinyin menu boards exist.
2026-01-23
NightOwlChef·YouTube·5/5
Best 2am food street in China. Most of the spicy crayfish places have English-speaking servers now.
2026-03-28
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