Saigon’s bar and restaurant scene isn’t pausing for anyone right now. By the time you’ve heard about a new opening, three more have already launched. It’s relentless, chaotic, and occasionally brilliant. And we’re trying our best to keep up. This month, we’re cutting through the noise. No hype, no fluff – just the spots that matter.
The rainy season’s over. Storm clouds are gone. Under these crisp, unusually cool December skies, Saigon’s bar and restaurant scene is really blowing up. After years tempered by pandemic lockdowns and financial chaos, tourism’s up and tastes are broadening.
Whole blocks are brightening up – like the one basking in the glow of the rebranded JW Marriott Saigon, with Olivia’s Prime and a host of other new spots there. Bia hoi is getting reborn at the cannily titled Motly. Omakase is going sky high at Sabi Sky Omakase. Or you can abandon land altogether for the behemoth boat ride that is Rever Cruise.
And it’s not only the Rever Cruise that’s on the move. Mita 274, our favorite friendly neighborhood sake bar, has changed location – now ensconced in the alley at 30/57B Nguyen Cuu Van, where they’re still serving sake and natural wines, but with an expanded menu of smoky dishes to pair them with.
Capturing the ebullient mood, December sees two foodie festivals happening. Saigon Sake Festival, on the 13th, is a first-time celebration of Japanese fermented rice beverages that will welcome over 20 sake distributors and producers, and something like 200 types of sake (served free-flow for ticket holders between 6PM-10PM).
Then, to end the month, Hozo City Tet Fest will feature a strong culinary component this year, with panel talks, architectural pavilions, chef’s battles and a celebratory end-of-event MICHELIN-star banquet.
Just because the city’s dried out, it doesn’t mean you have to.
BahThai
Not long ago, we’d bemoan the lack of Thai food in Saigon. These days, there are options. BahThai has added a sassy, streetwise edge to the list, planting its flag – the Thai one, obviously, with its five horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue – right on touristy Ly Tu Trong.
Downstairs there’s a bar counter, ideal for a drop-in and a ‘Thaiquila’ cocktail, or a bottle from their inclusive wine list (including the skin-contact Fistful of Flowers Pinot Gris) to wash down the succinct menu. Snacks and salads like Som Tam with Thai Anchovy Sauce and Rice Noodles. Grilled and stir-fried classics with a twist like the moreish Sticky Fried Rice with truffle and Chinese sausage. And a big, bountiful Beef Short Rib Massaman Curry.
There are combos for sharing to make the choice easier. And there are Banana Fritters with Coconut Ice Cream and Lod Chong with Palm Sugar Ice Cream for cooling down if the spice levels get too much.
Thomas (behind the short-lived but much-loved Bambino) and the team have a very specific audience in mind. “Look,” he says, “we want you to love it, but more importantly, if your mum loves it then we’re doing alright. We want to make them happy and serve them something they probably couldn’t make at home.”
Why: Mum-approved Thai food with a street edge.
Where: 213 Ly tu Trong, ben Thanh ward, District 1
Sabi Sky Omakase
We’re keen followers of the Ho Chi Minh City’s omakase restaurant scene. The city’s large Japanese community has long lent its diners great, affordable cuisine – omakase-style included.
At Sabi Sky Omakase, the gentle 18-seat crescent of counter places diners in prime position to take in the sweep of the city – Saigon Marina IFC Tower, Deutsches House, MPlaza across to Vietcombank Tower, Vincom Centre and Times Square.
The dishes compete admirably for attention. This is another project from Lanh, the savvy fish importer-turned-restaurateur behind some of Saigon’s favorite Japanese restaurants like Maguro Studio and Yakiuo Ishikawa.
The signature kuro-shari – black sushi rice – takes its color from aged black vinegar and Binchotan charcoal. The charcoal gives Sabi Sky Omakase its logo. And, besides looking striking (especially deep red cuts of akami against black rice), it’s thought to offer detoxifying benefits.
Elsewhere the menu features lots of dry-aging, revealing, for example, Bluefin tuna’s umami notes and richer texture, accented, here and there, by sweet Bafan uni. They come as succinctly titled set menus, from Ichi to Mu, starting at VND 3.9M).
The enthusiastic local team – something that hasn’t held back Lanh’s other restaurants – are already lining up special guests like award-winning Kitakyushu-based chef Hiroguchi Munehiro to elevate proceedings further. A difficult task considering this block clings to the CENTEC Tower, suspended between Shri Lifestyle Dining and DẠ夜 Dining, and above it DẠ夜’s dancey sister venue HỢP 合.
To align a little with the noisy neighbors, after 10PM Sabi Sky Omakase turns into a lounge with cocktails to sip and Japanese whisky to swirl while taking in that view.
Why: Sky high omakase with lounge energy as the night wears on.
Where: 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Xuan Hoa ward, District 3
Himitsu House
Himitsu House is hidden, raw, and charmingly old-fashioned – a bar built on product-centric philosophy that prioritizes what’s in the glass.
The team comes from different backgrounds, united by nostalgia for the classic cocktail era and a shared conviction that Saigon needs more spaces like this: no DJs, no loud distractions, just people sitting down to enjoy a drink made with genuine care.
First impressions might portray Himitsu House as private, mysterious, maybe luxurious. That last part’s true – but not how you think. This isn’t about price points or dress codes. Luxury here means attention to detail, product quality, and the kind of hospitality the Japanese call omotenashi – care embedded in every gesture.
Running a bar this way in Saigon isn’t easy. Trends, as you’ll have noticed, shift fast around here. With that in mind, Himitsu House intends to stay adaptable without compromising its core principles.
There are two things most people don’t know, though, they explain. “After the lights go down, this becomes one of the city’s best after-party spots – cozy, intimate, capped at 30 guests. And another ‘brother’ of Himitsu House launches before the year ends.”
Everything on the menu is worth trying. So, sit at the bar pre- or post-party and let them take it from there.
Why: Classic cocktails, omotenashi and zero compromise.
Where: 154bis Tran Quang Khai, Tan Đinh ward, District 1
Belly Button
Time for a spot of navel gazing. “The belly button is the source of life, right?” Chun asks rhetorically. With partner Jen, they know a thing or two about breathing life into a project – take The Pi, their bar inspired by the mathematical constant on Huynh Khuong Ninh (still, by the way, one of our favorite areas of town). There, they took a simple neighborhood bar and turned it into an unmissable stop on a Saigon cocktail tour. Sip an Ultimate Martini – their take on a mezcal martini – and wander the area.
Belly Button is breezier, more brunch orientated than The Pi (it’s open between 9:30AM and 10PM except Mondays, after all). But it has the same intention – creating a buzzing neighborhood hangout in another low-rise District 1, Dakao Ward side street.
Here, you can peruse the refrigerators of wine upstairs yourself, and grab a bottle while your order arrives – big, bountiful Eggs Benedict and Fish Velouté – or, if it’s too early for wine (or their weekend free flow Bloody Marys) the coffees good too.
Why: Time for a spot of navel gazing at the new project from The Pi.
Where: 39 Nguyen Van Thu, Dakao, District 1
How: Instagram
Motly
TC Group Asia – the minds behind BÀ BAR and BÀ BAR-ATHON – have reinvented Vietnamese quán nhậu for this new age of Saigon’s bar and restaurant scene.
At first glance, Motly reads as a cocktail bar. Look closer and you’ll find something that doesn’t quite exist yet: a space that’s tasteful, intentional, beautifully designed, and built entirely around the ritual of Vietnamese drinking culture.
And they launched with zero ads. But the space went viral anyway. It’s the kind of authenticity that doesn’t need a marketing pitch.
“We’re not interested in the typical commercial aesthetics,” the team says. “We’re building something that doesn’t exist yet.” The design language is unmistakably modern Vietnamese. The dishes are rooted in tradition – beef and pickled mustard fried rice, stir-fried noodles with snails – paired with Vietnamese craft beers and bottled cocktails made exclusively for Motly by BÀ BAR.
The crew is a collective of designers, chefs, bartenders, architects, branding nerds, and cultural obsessives. Everyone brings a different discipline. The common language is creativity anchored in Vietnamese identity. It’s timeless, and it works – for locals who grew up with it and international guests still discovering it.
Vietnamese drinking culture leans outdoors, where conversations stretch and time slows. Now that guests understand the concept, most choose the open air. Indoors is for those who need the AC. Motley has both. Either way, the space – indoor and out – carries different energies throughout the day. Morning, afternoon, and night each reveal a different layer. That’s intentional, like everything around here.
Why: Vietnamese identity on tap, design that went viral for good reason
Where: 65A Nguyen Cu street, An Khanh Ward, District 2
Bar Haus
Bar Haus puts the Bauhaus art movement in a highball glass. Or something like that. Owner Conor Nguyen and his team – including Peter Nguyen, formerly of Trieu Institute and Ủ Bar, and Minh Hiển, also ex-Trieu – have taken Walter Gropius’s 1919 manifesto and given it a cocktail spin. “Let us will, invent, create together the new drinks of the future, which will embrace ingredients, culture and flavors in one unity,” is their edited rallying cry.
It’s printed right there on the menu.
But the real manifesto plays out in the room itself. This is a small, decidedly unpretentious neighborhood bar in District 1 that refuses to charge like one. The vibe is homey, the music soothing in the early hours, the experience easy and occasionally weird in the best possible way.
“We wanted something fun, something casual, a true neighborhood vibe kind of bar, with zero pretentiousness,” Conor says.
Skip the assumptions about District 1 pricing and grab a seat at the bar, he recommends. Play Monopoly. Have a chat. Order their Mi Goreng – which is “the bomb,” according to Conor – with house hot sauce and onsen egg. The same hot sauce fires up La Bomba, their spicy margarita. The staff is always hungry, so you might score free snacks. And if you’re there when the lights go down and you need a hangover cure, you know what to order.
Why: Bauhaus-inspired cocktails, neighborhood warmth, Mi Goreng with a kick.
Where: 95/32 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1
How: Instagram
Olivia’s Prime
Nine years in Danang (where we first discovered Olivia’s Prime) taught this team discipline, humility, and the responsibility of treating guests like family. Now in Saigon, they’re not reinventing themselves. “We’re just continuing what we’ve always done,” they assure us. “Cook with integrity, serve with sincerity, and grow with the city.”
This is a place for a truly satisfying steak. Premium cuts, prepared with care, served with the warmth of home – at the entrance, beneath the concrete, there’s even a metal plaque that reads ‘Welcome home.’ “That’s the feeling we want every guest to have,” they add.
The fundamentals never changed: flavor, service, quality, space. Those values have traveled to Saigon intact. Whether a guest visits today or ten years from now, in Danang or Saigon, “the experience will carry the same soul.”
The Wagyu Filet MB5, grilled over real wood fire is a perennial favorite. Preparing it demands precision, timing, and a steady hand – but the result is a plate of perfectly cut slices, each one tender, aromatic and full of character. “It’s the dish our chefs take the most pride in.”
Any seat works – every corner was intentionally designed. Even the table width was engineered to accommodate a full American Steakhouse spread. And the sofa seating was calculated for exact softness and depth so guests sit at the perfect posture for a comfortable meal.
But, as you’re asking: order pair a wood-fired Wagyu cuts with a structured, elegant red. And let the room do the rest.
Why: Nine years of Danang discipline, wood-fired Wagyu and the warmth of home.
Where: 125 Hai Ba Trung, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
No Honey, No Monkey
Jay Moir and Annie Vu – the team behind Layla, Summer Experiment, and WKND – have opened their latest joint: No Honey, No Monkey with, “Coffee hits, cheeky drinks, solid bites, and sweet treats all day, all night.”
“We built it to be a true local hangout, a place that works no matter the hour,” they say.
The beverage program is led by Grace Zhang, the ‘Tipsy Mentor’ and her team, covering everything from caffeine to cocktails.
Weekends mean pop-ups: drinking activities, BBQs, oyster shucking, fashion stalls, kids’ bits, live entertainment – whatever keeps things fun. They’re also building an ecosystem with sister brand ‘Not So Decent,’ a new roastery launching soon. Both are to be housed under the same roof.
The first secret: finding them. They’re tucked behind a pretty unsuspecting street frontage. But once you’re in, it’s a discovery of its own.
The menu is tight and fits together well. Start with Olive You Long Time Mary – their take on a Bloody Mary, that’s great for hangover cures or kicking things off. Or You Can Now Sleep, an Espresso Martini showcasing decaf coffee: all the flavor, none of the jittery consequences. If you’re going zero-alcohol, Strange Clarity clarifies Yakult, peach syrup, decaf espresso, and cranberry into something unexpectedly sharp.
For bites, the Tatsutaage Chicken with Sriracha mayo, Pigs in a Blanket with mango chutney, or Baked Camembert Cheese with thyme honey and pistachio crumble, come recommended.
And, to enjoy them, you’ve got options: a street-front seat to watch the District 2 chaos, or the second-floor hideout, ideal for groups or laptop time. Jay, Annie, and Grace will let you discover the rest for yourself.
Why: Local hangout energy, playful pop-ups, and decaf Espresso Martinis, if you swing that way.
Where: 30 Street No. 10, Thao Dien Ward, District 2
One River
It’s the season of smartly branded Mekong eateries in Saigon, and One River might be the most elegantly conceived of the lot. The concept follows the river from north to south – Laos through Cambodia to Vietnam – translating the journey into a menu that moves through all three culinary traditions with intention and care.
“For many years, I’ve wanted to travel the Mekong River,” the team says. “To experience the allure of Luang Prabang, and to see the great lake, Tonle Sap. This one river has held me captive, drawing me to the sources of its pure ingredients to those traditional flavours and all are expressed in every dish.”
The menu reads like a map. Siemreap-style sun-dried pork and Laos-style sun-dried beef. Vietnamese dried catfish. Laos-style papaya salad with padek sauce and sun-dried shrimp. Cambodia-style papaya salad with dried shrimp floss. Fried chicken wings coated in traditional Khmer fermented fish sauce. Morning glory with tiny shrimp and sour fruit. The design language – green papaya salad sprawling across the menu pages, tabs labeled “Lào,” “Campucha,” “Việt Nam” – is as considered as the cooking.
Grab a seat outdoors if you can. The Vietnamese drinking tradition leans toward open air, where conversations stretch and time slows. Indoors is for those who need the AC. Either way, the Mekong flows through every dish, quiet and intentional from the land of a million elephants all the way to the nine branches of the delta.
Why: Three countries, one river and sun-kissed everything.
Where: 31B Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Rever Cruise
Rever Cruise is a behemoth – 120-meters long, 10,000m², five floors and the capacity for 1,288 people. It launched in November at Saigon Port near Phu My Bridge, and it’s exactly what the name suggests: River meets Rêver (meaning dream in French). A whimsical floating cultural museum on water.
Each floor carries a different design language. The lower decks pull from Indochine romance and Art Deco Saigon – the Grand Hall takes cues from the Central Post Office’s vaulted ceilings. Level three swings between Hue imperial heritage and Wild West-meets-Vegas extravagance. Level four houses the largest banquet hall, heavy with Champa influences, plus a Moroccan-inspired dining room. The top floor – REVER SKY LOUNGE – channels ancient Egypt with 3D sound courtesy of Bang & Olufsen, and a 1,100m² sundeck with 360-degree river views powered by Void Acoustic sound systems.
The menu spans set menus, seafood buffets, à la carte options pulling from Chinese, European, American, and Vietnamese traditions. Ingredients are sourced daily from specialty regions across the country.
It’s also perfect for private events – birthdays, proposals, weddings, corporate launches, fashion shows. The ship officially opened for service November 25, promising what they call “voyages of emotion” where curated dining meets cultural heritage in the heart of Saigon.
Why: Five floors of cultural themes, 1,288-person capacity and 360° views from the deck.
Where: Saigon Port (Nhà Rồng Wharf), near Phú Mỹ Bridge
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