With the city buzzing again, we’re constantly asked about the best places to eat and drink in Saigon. So, we’ve compiled a list of all our favorites – from chic Saigon cocktail bars, to design-conscious cafes, and the best restaurants. Read on to discover the best places to eat and drink in Saigon right now according to The Dot Magazine team, plus some extras, like where to stay and what to do. 

Đọc bài viết bằng Tiếng Việt

It’s a relief just to be writing this. After two years of closed borders, and less than a year since the final and harshest lockdown conditions of all were eased, on October 1st 2021, we’re now happily (but gradually) ushering tourists back in and to the coolest places in Saigon. And due to post-COVID amnesia – where no-one knows what to do on their trip here anymore – or the pent up desire being fulfilled for tourists to cross Vietnam off their bucket lists, or new markets with direct flights to Vietnam taking the opportunity to explore, we’re asked more than ever, “What should I do in Saigon?”

Since 2019, The Dot Magazine has become one the most trusted sources of what to do in Saigon and beyond. Here, we’ve drawn on those years of hunting for the coolest things to do in Saigon. And why incomplete? Because things change so fast. And we’ve probably missed a place to two. So, we’re going to constantly update and edit this incomplete list to keep it fresh. Next time someone asks, “What should I do in Saigon?” send them this.  

Where To Drink Cocktails In Saigon

We had to wait a while for Hybrid Saigon (121/30 Le Thi Rieng, District 1). Founder Lam Duong decided to open the first Hybrid in his hometown of Nha Trang. Still, despite the obscure location, he featured in Asia’s 50 Best Bars extended 51-100 list in 2021. 

Hybrid Saigon is like a spacecraft that landed in a Saigon alley. There’s a centrifuge and a rotovap on the counter beside guests. And the flavor-first cocktails, like their Pina Colada Old Fashioned and umami-rich Maestro Mushroom, might be the best drinks in Saigon.

You could spend a whole evening eating and drinking through District 1’s Nguyen Thai Binh Ward. Places like Madam Kew. Upstairs from Quince, Madam Kew (37 Bis Ky Con, District 1) is a stylish, chinoiserie-chic take on a modern cocktail bar, with a long counter and booths and sofas to enjoy their fun, flavorsome renditions of Chinese cuisine, like their justifiably famous eggplant mapo tofu, or their regular DJ sets and live music.

The cocktails, served by effervescent bartender Alex, like their Rock Me Up with Elijan Craig Small Batch, Appleton, Fernet – Branca, Campari, Honey, Ginger Syrups and Lemon, are formidable too. And watch out for their upcoming dazzling selection of bar takeovers with some of the region’s industry leaders dropping by. 

It’s tough, paying respect to the past while modernizing it. Ủ Bar (2nd floor, 5A Dang Dung, District 1) manages the balancing act perfectly. There’s the dapper ao dai, shelves of mysterious vitrines that look lifted from an antique store, and a bar that glows as golden as Saigon’s ephemeral era of the 1950s and ’60s.

But, just as it should be, any great bar stands on the quality of its drinks. All the rest is beautiful noise. At Ủ Bar, that means classic with a local twist and lots of fermentation because the ‘Ủ’ means to age or ferment. There are bar snacks too, full of local flavor. And a restaurant coming downstairs any time soon as well.

Drinking & Healing (25 Ho Tung Mau, District 1) was one of the first truly local cocktail bars to break big. Find it on a majestic corner along downtown Saigon’s main thoroughfare, Ham Nghi (look up for the ‘Nasty’ neon sign on one of the bar’s balconies). Now, downstairs is Rang Rang Coffee, as the GuruGroup crew cannibalize the whole building. But at Drinking & Healing a talented crew of ‘Healers’ mix cool cocktails served in inflatable unicorns and glass boxes filled with smoke. Booking required. 

The name ASMR (15 Xuan Thuy, District 2) references the tingling sensation triggered by sensuous sounds but also here ASMR describes sections of the cocktail menu. There’s A for acid, with sour and fermented flavors, S for sweet and sour, with honey, chocolate and citrus flavors, M for molecular, with foam, bubbles and smoke, and finally R for rich, with milk, oils and butter. And they’re served up by two local industry leaders, former World Class Vietnam winner Vu Ngoc Will and Vien Du, formerly of Drinking & Healing. 

Roka Fella (44 Nguyen An Ninh, District 1) is a real discovery among the halal restaurants and two-star hotels on this touristy street beside Ben Thanh Market. Downstairs at Roka Fella there’s omakase served around an L-shaped counter, and upstairs one of the hippest, most style-conscious bars in the city. There’s a DJ booth backed by shelves of vinyl. And around the side an eight-seat bar, and around again there’s a room, where you can enjoy some of Indonesian bartender Aris’ brilliant concoctions. 

For classic cocktails, Yugen Bar (95/32 Le Thi Rieng, District 1), or its newly opened sister bar downstairs called Yubi, are essential destinations for cocktail aficionados. The Yugen Bar concept was inspired by the obsession with perfection (and its unattainability) when mixing a drink. But Dat Nguyen and his team come as close to anyone at making perfectly balanced classic cocktails in Saigon. 

Summer Experiment (77-79 Ly Tu Trong, District 1) was another game-changer when it opened. After the heady success of their first bar, Layla, Jay Moir and team explored a cocktail bar-as-garden concept at Summer Experiment. Drinks are served in watering cans. There’s spherical watermelon vodka shots. And lots of sustainability-minded concoctions. And there’s some fittingly lush greenery out on the small terrace of this eco-conscious Saigon bar. 

Among a number of Saigon speakeasies opening up around the same time Stir – Modern Classic Cocktail (136 Le Thanh Ton, District 1) really stands out. Two local bartending forces, Thep Dinh and Lam Duc Anh, joined together and at Stir – Modern Classic Cocktail created a cocktail menu written in Vietnamese, incorporating lots of ideas from the street food and drinks served right outside. Plus there’s a Truffle Martini that’s worth the trip up the stairs on its own. Stir – Modern Classic Cocktail was the only Vietnamese bar in the Asia’s 50 Best Bars extended-list in 2022. 

The Pi (45 Huynh Khuong Ninh, District 1) is our favorite neighborhood hangout. Founder Chun flips the open sign in the afternoon. There’s a small yard outside The Pi to chill in, but the counter is best. The team love striking up conversations as much as they do experimenting with twists on classic cocktails. Watch out for their regular, female-bartender focused pop-ups. 

Apothecary Saigon (12 Phan Liem, District 1) is everything that’s great about the city distilled into a single bar. There’s Apothecary Saigon’s rickety old house that they’ve taken over, the elaborate pharmacist’s decor and antique lights, cabinets and furniture, and cocktails dedicated to physicists and inventors. Plus Apothecary Saigon has a big stuffed ostrich at the end of the room.

Life hack alert. Nhau Nhau (89 Ton That Dam, District 1) is a Saigon ‘60s inspired bar in the same building as Anan Restaurant, and run by the same team. Although here it’s cocktails first, you can order many of the items on the Anan restaurant menu in chic-er surroundings. Plus Nhau Nhau’s coconut worms shots are probably the most Instagrammable drink in town. 

At Saigon’s Ministry of Men (Sofitel Plaza 17 Le Duan, District 1), connected to the refined men’s barbershop, House of Barbaard, it’s hospitality first so expect an incredibly warm welcome from Kata Simon and her team. Here, the walls are crammed with photos of historical figures, and you can play ‘spot the celebrity’ with everyone from Haille Sellasie to Enrique Englesias. While speakeasies-as-gentlemen’s-club have been done, at Ministry of Men it really works, perhaps because the team and the cocktails are just so good.  

Le Café des Stagiaires (10 Street 54, Thao Dien) which opened first in Shanghai and then Bangkok, is a riverside bar and restaurant on a new entertainment strip in Thao Dien. While upstairs is a funky room and French-Belgian bar with a DJ booth at one end and some great food, craft beers and cocktails, most guests gravitate to the expansive rooftop with its uninterrupted views of the Landmark81 building. Plus, DJs often set up there too for a rooftop session. 

Another hip cocktail bar, L.A.B.A.R. (52/3 Dong Du, District 1) couldn’t be more downtown, right on Dong Du Street, in an alley opposite Maguro Studio and a couple of hundred meters from The Sheraton. Lately, L.A.B.A.R.s’ talented and restless mixologist Tam, who you’ll also see at 419 and TRE Dining, has been adding lots of street drink twists to the menu. 

The endangered block at 151 Dong Khoi is an OG entertainment complex that’s been through endless evolutions. Of the many cafes, bars and restaurants in the building, our pick is Kohei’s (151 Dong Khoi, District 1). And Kohei Yamamoto is on-hand most nights to regale you with wild stories of his years in the Shanghai bar scene. The cocktails are constantly on-point, and there’s cigars too. Next door, Lacàph serves coffee for the curious, and on the other side, Brothers Saigon Men’s Boutique Salon provides some of the best men’s grooming in Saigon. 

Let Irusu Lounge (57 Nguyen Du, District 1) bring out the gangster in you. Irusu is in an alley right opposite Saigon’s Notre Dame Cathedral, the walls are filled with images of yakuza gangsters taken by Belgian photographer Anton Kusters. The photos at Irusu are all tattoos and missing fingers. And the quality cocktails take a Japanese twist too. There’s a wide selection of premium and rare Japanese whiskies. And an open-air upstairs space with views of the Cathedral. 

Easily one of our favorite speakeasies, 419. Bar – Restaurant (158/6 Nguyen Cong Tru, District 1) is hidden behind a cafe and a cabinet containing vintage cameras. Discover the entrance, and inside it’s an Alladin’s Cave meets izakaya. And the cocktails, by Tam, who is also the mixologist at L.A.B.A.R. and TRE Dining (see above and below), like their Umami Smoke Bomb, are brilliant.  

Where To Eat In Saigon

As much inspired by Quincy Jones as the aromatic golden-yellow fruit, at Quince Eatery Saigon (37bis Ky Con, District 1) award-winning Chef Julien Perraudin riffs on BBQ-licked Middle Eastern-inspired dishes. Ingredients are sustainably-sourced and seasonal. But it’s always flavor first at Quince Eatery Saigon, which is why it’s a perennial #1 for casual fine dining in Saigon.  

One of the great joys of eating in Saigon is going from a one-dollar banh mi to a one-hundred dollar fine dining experience in the space of a meter or two. That’s literally true at Anan Saigon (89 Ton That Dam, District 1). Opened in 2018, Chef Peter Cuong Franklin put together a 100-dollar sandwich as a dare from a YouTuber. He still sells one or two of those, or his 100-dollar pho, everyday. 

Beyond the sensationalism, award-winning Anan Restaurant creates unmissable modern Vietnamese cuisine, or what Peter calls, “New Vietnamese Cuisine”. At Anan Restaurant there’s a breezy rooftop, two floors of the main restaurant below, and a hip bar in the same building called Nhau Nhau focused on locally-accented cocktails and coconut worm shots, and serving some of the same dishes as Anan. 

Hoang Tung is a gamechanger in the restaurant scene in Vietnam. The “constantly innovative, occasionally rebellious chef” was the first to introduce tasting menu-only evenings to guests at his first restaurant, T.U.N.G Dining in Hanoi. Now, at A By TUNG (31-33 Dang Dung Street, District 1), he’s doubled-down on his philosophy of combining Nordic-style cuisine that contains the freshest, locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients beneath a simulated aurora-sky. Set aside two or three hours for A By TUNG’s elaborate tasting menus. 

It’s rare to see a restaurant chain get namechecked in best-restaurant awards, but Pizza 4P’s (8 Thu Khoa Huan, District 1, 48/01 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien and citywide) keep achieving it. Founders Yosuke and Sanae Masuko have a relentless desire to make the world smile for peace through pizza. And with an ever-expanding range of natural wines, and even a natural sake, and a range of dishes that now goes well beyond pizza to include hanger steaks and burrata salads, they deserve all the acclaim they get. 

Ngoc Suong has been doing this since 1955 – serving the freshest seafood to their guests. Now, third-generation chef Vinh Q. Le has added modern techniques and finesse to their fine seafood. Ngoc Suong Seafood & Bar (8D Nguyen Sieu, District 1) is a breezy homage to old-school nhau joints, brought right up to date. The upstairs private dining rooms are perfect for groups. But downstairs at the tables or booths is the best place to plow through a plate of oysters or an overflowing seafood platter. At Ngoc Suong Seafood & Bar frequent live music, and the occasional after dinner DJ set on weekends.  

New kid on the Thao Dien block, stylish TRE Dining (35 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien) is an upstairs restaurant inspired by Asian bamboo and rice. Sip one of Tre Dining’s carefully chosen sakes or creative cocktails with views of the Landmark 81 building, and dip into a menu of modern-Asia cuisine prepared in their big open counter-kitchen. 

There’s a lot of great izakayas around here, like Izakaya Ten and Hanakurata, but Mangestu (15/3 Le Thanh Ton and 27 Thai Van Lung, District 1) is still our favorite. That’s because every dish on their menu, from their kushiyaki to stewed aburai pork, is perfectly cooked, and the sake and shochu comes in a range of pocket-friendly prices, with lots of attractive seasonal sales. Of the two Mangetsu locations, Thai Van Lung is newer, and more design-conscious. But both izakayas, probably 400m apart, are packed every night. Book ahead. 

Chef Francis Thuan earned his stripes in some of the city’s best kitchens, before graduating to open Restaurant Esta (27 Tran Quy Khoach, District 1). In his open kitchen, in hip Dakao Ward, Francis celebrates Vietnam’s “terroir, plants and seasons through dishes cooked with fire.” There’s counter seating, seats in the main room, and a perfectly private dining room where you can enjoy Restaurant Esta’s fresh oysters and cuts of perfectly grilled beef and lamb. 

Yazawa Saigon (219 Dien Bien Phu, District 1), part of a group with outlets in Tokyo, Kyoto, Singapore and Beverly Hills, presents a delicately grilled or occasionally raw beef menu omakase-style with the best produce flown in fresh from Japan. At Yazawa Saigon, the 07Beach-designed restaurant is like a Japanese castle with winding alleys and entrances over two floors, and inconspicuous private dining rooms. Yazawa Saigon is a premium experience, but an essential one. 

The Brix, Tinto and Clay are three nearby Thao Dien restaurants from the same group. The Brix (26 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien) is an open-air restaurant beside their private pool, which you can take a dip in during the day time. During brunch or dinner The Brix restaurant takes the spotlight, serving modern French-influenced cuisine to the occasional backing of a DJ set. Tinto (24 Tran Ngoc Dien, Thao Dien) is the team’s take on Nikkei cuisine in a wood and neon accented spot 100m down Tran Ngoc Dien. Tinto serves occasional fiery Japanese-Peruvian dishes. Their latest venture is riverside Clay (18 Street 6, Thao Dien), an ambitious restaurant, rooftop lounge and mixology bar. At Clay the food is Asian-inspired and wood-fired.

Pham Viet Chanh, a Binh Thanh Street near the Landmark81 building and City Garden apartments, is a scene. There’s cocktail bars, craft beer spots, Japanese-Italian cuisine, fiery tacos, fish and chips, omakase and much more.  We’ve chosen Hachibei (83 Pham Viet Chanh, Binh Thanh) as our pick of the best. Even though that changes almost weekly. At Hachibei expect perfectly grilled kushiyaki around the counter or tables, highballs, and glasses of natural sake. Packed with just-finished-work Japanese, book early or try your luck around 8.30pm when things quieten down. 

Chef Willy is gyrating beside the oversized paella pan, Tito Puente’x ‘Oye Como Va’ is blasting from the stereo, and the sangria is flowing. Few places in the region have the energy Willy Trullas Moreno can conjure up. And besides the energy, there’s the impact, because, as Esquire rightly pointed out. Chef Willy introduced China to Spanish food. After the success of El Willy, which opened in Shanghai in 2008, the chef expanded with a fun new concept, Tomatito, in the same city. And this is the Tomatito Saigon (171 Calmette, District 1).

The building offers a myriad of delights too. You could start at ground level, with a hot chocolate at Marou, have pre-dinner drinks at Brick & Barrel on the top floor, then head downstairs for a dazzling dinner at Tomatito Saigon. Or try any variation of the above. Added to that District 1’s Nguyen Thai Binh Ward has some of the city’s coolest cocktail bars, retail stores and restaurants.

Back at Tomatito Saigon, although Willy only pops in occasionally (and make sure you’re there if he does), the place is imbued with his irrepressible energy, which may, in part, be thanks to the brilliant design by his brother Max, which features a toreador costume, a Diego Maradona shirt (during his Barcelona years, obviously) and a hundred more touches that bring the place to dazzling Catalan life. The food pops too. Try the signature salmon TnT, or the paella. Add a jug of sangria. And life, for a while at least, is perfect.

And if you’d like to head even further west (or east, depending on your orientation) the same team have the banging tacos and burritos spot, Bandido a five-minute drive away (see below).

Sol Kitchen & Bar (115 Ly Tu Trong, District 1) joined a nascent foodie scene around Ben Thanh Market, near to a Pizza 4P’s and Summer Experiment. This upstairs tex-mex restaurant delivered a mezcal-infused cocktail program and some of Chef Adrian’s always-flavorsome dishes – braised beef cheeks and slow cooked ribs with salsa roja. And Saigon instantly fell in love – perfect for dates and small gatherings of your besties. Now also open for lunch. There’s a District 7 restaurant too, beside a pool, and for a modern izakaya in a chic bar-restaurant check the team’s NOMU Izakaya (152 Nguyen Cong Tru) a short drive away. 

Bandido Tacos & Tequila (24 Bis Dong Khoi, District 1) is fun. Inside a downtown alley close to L.A.B.A.R. and Maguro Studio, and the Sheraton and Park Hyatt Saigon, Bandido is a colorful bandits’ hideout with big trays of tacos and grilled meats…and lots of margaritas. A neon sign in the bathroom implores guests to ‘Eat My Taco’ and who could resist? And if the brilliantly detailed, eclectic decor reminds you of somewhere, it’s probably the team’s sexy tapas spot, Tomatito, created by the same designer.

The all-Vietnamese team at Maguro Studio (19 Dong Du, District 1) serves masterful omakase. Formerly fish importers, they decided to open their own outlet and serve the city the freshest cuts of fish directly. Maguro Studio has tuna murals on the walls and the chef dips his soy sauce brush into a skull-faced holder, as a hip hop soundtrack bumps along in the background. 

Sushi Tiger (15B/12A Le Thanh Ton, District 1) is a vibe. Inside the entrance to Saigon’s Japan Town, Sushi Tiger serves cheap, but quality sushi in a broom cupboard-sized space with party music on loop. You can also stand outside and eat at the open windows. Sure, the nearby masseurs can be a bit aggressive, but it’s worth venturing into Japan Town for places like Sushi Tiger and Choi Oi Noodles across the alley. 

Nowhere typifies the hip new face of Thao Dien more than Lửa (2 Street 1, Thao Dien). Japanese-Filipino chef Mark digs deep into seasonal ingredients to create all the restaurant’s dishes from scratch, including the unmissable homemade cold cuts charcuterie plate and roasted root vegetables. Pair them with one of Lửa’s organic, biodynamic and natural wines, served up with flair, by Yu-san the sommelier. There’s even a little garden out back.

In a list heavy with Japanese cuisine, we’d be remiss not to shout-out Korean food. There’s Kyung Bok Gung (52 Hai Ba Trung, District 1) in downtown Hai Ba Trung. From the outside, Kyung Bok Gung has Korean-museum vibes, but inside it’s rowdy and fun, with lots of BBQ meats and garlicky pigs’ trotters. And over in District 2, Kitchen Seoul (10 Vo Truong Toan, District 2) serves premium Korean BBQ including prime cuts of American beef. Both are strongly Korean approved. 

Iberico – Tapas & Vino (33 Vo Truong Toan, Thao Dien) is an authentic neighborhood tapas spot dropped into Thao Dien. Chef Pedro is from Marbella so his croquettes at Iberico – Tapas & Vino, a favorite of his hometown, are perfectly done. As are all the dishes here, served inside or on the spacious area out front. 

Tsuhara Shozo’s Fume (74 Hai Ba Trung, District 1) serves elegant, high-end Japanese fusion cuisine featuring fresh ingredients flown in from Japan, with some unforgettable plating – sashimi served in caves of ice and straw-grilled A5 Kuroge Wagyu sat on a nest of hay. Taking the Fume omakase set is easiest, with an optional pairing. Plus, if it’s a birthday, ask Fume to prepare a sushi birthday cake. 

At La Villa (14 Ngo Quang Huy, Thao Dien) Chef Thierry Mounon has been quietly bringing the best French gastronomy to Saigon. Chef Thierry learned his trade at the famous Christian Etienne restaurant in Avignon. Years later he came to Vietnam, but left his five-star hotel position in Vietnam to open La Villa in 2010, serving fine French cuisine amid the drapes and chandeliers of his French chateau dropped into District 2.

For more casual French- and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, go to Pickles Eatery (83 Nguyen Cong Tru, Binh Thanh). At Pickles Eatery, dive into a menu of flavorsome, local ingredient-focused, bistro-style food, served in a renovated shophouse. The wines, sourced from over ten countries, with lots of natural, biodynamic and organic bottles, are good too, with lots available by the glass.

“I guess we’re a bit different,” Nous Restaurant’s Chef Duc, who worked as a chef in Melbourne for seven years, told us when we dropped by. That’s because at this small restaurant in the storied old building at 42 Ly Tu Trong you get a unique, narrative-fueled capsule dining experience.

There’s only enough seats for 10 diners at Nous. And service starts at 7pm. Each of the six courses starts with a tale of how the dish came into existence. “We love the Anthony Bourdain quote,” Duc added, “that ‘context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals of our lives.’”

There’s lots of fun presentation too. In the current menu, an umami broth is heated in a siphon coffee maker, a huge tiger prawn slings its arms around a hollowed out pumpkin full of soup, and you get to build your own mini banh mi.

Not surprisingly, for a place filled with stories, Chef Duc is an author too who’s written for newspapers and magazines, and his book ‘Can Bep Mau Xanh’ that was published in 2019. 

With whispers of the Michelin Guide’s inspectors’ arrival imminent, lots of hotels are hiring Michelin-pedigree chefs and even restaurant brands as the stars of their F&B programs. The pick is Da Vittorio (69 Dong Khoi, District 1) in The Times Square Building where you’ll also find The Reverie Hotel. The family-owned restaurant brand has accumulated eight stars at its restaurants in Italy, St. Moritz and Shanghai. And with Da Vittorio’s trademark attention to detail and ingredients Saigon could be next.

Where To Drink Coffee In Saigon

Hip new coffee chain, Rang Rang Coffee (25 Ho Tung Mau, District 1, 1 Thao Dien, District 2 and citywide) is turning the town on to premium pour over coffee. Besides that, each design-conscious Rang Rang location serves up cold brews and kombuchas around an open counter. And they run a coffee bean subscription service, to get yours to your door. 

Another design-conscious brand, Okkio (151 Dong Khoi, 120-122 Le Loi, 41 Pham Ngoc Thach District 1, and 110 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien), serve cold brews, espresso tonics and pour overs in their hip spaces. Each one is different, and worth exploring. 

Danang brewers 43 Factory Coffee Roaster (178a Pasteur, District 1) take some of the best green beans from around the world and roast them here. At this, their first Saigon venture, they’ve taken minimalism to the next level. There are three choices of coffee: shot, filter and milkbase enjoyed in an sleek but eccentric space with an art installation dominating the room, or upstairs in a more traditional coffeeshop setting. 

Maison Marou (169 Calmette and 57 Nguyen Du, District and 90 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien plus mall outlets citywide) started off as a bean-to-bar concept, and began opening outlets to deliver their rich chocolates directly to avid visitors. Stores come with a glass-fronted Willy Wonka’s kitchen, the Marou Moca is a perfect blend of espresso and chocolate, and there are shelves of great gifts to take home. 

Lacàph already feels like a heritage brand, in the best possible ways. Their passion for Vietnamese coffee sourced from the highlands comes through in every cup. And you can enjoy them at two locations: Lacàph Espresso Bar beside Kohei’s and Brothers (151 Dong Khoi, District 1) and Lacàph Space (220 Nguyen Cong Tru) an experiential venue in Saigon’s grimy but hip Nguyen Thai Binh Ward.  

Downtown speciality coffee originators, The Workshop (27 Ngo Duc Khe, District 1) set up in an airy top floor space in an old building just off Dong Khoi. The Workshop set the standard for lots of the brands (above) to follow. 

Where To Party In Saigon 

The Observatory (85 Cach Mang Thang 8, District 1) is a Saigon cultural institution. The club began belting out house and techno way before anyone was ready for it. And they kept on and on until Saigon turned on with a Dj guest list over the years that reads like a global who’s who of the scene. Now with an evening lounge concept, Sally Ride, with natural wines and charcuterie, The Observatory still goes hard after dark. 

An airy, Blade Runner-inspired club, Zion Sky Lounge & Dining (87A Ham Nghi, District 1) serves great dishes by Chef Tommy Tran as nightfalls, and then turns up the hip hop into the night, with bottles on tables and beautiful people all around.

Bam Bam and Commas (41-43 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1) took Saigon’s lounge scene to an international level, downstairs at Bam Bam with a Balinese theme and a drained swimming pool as dancefloor. Upstairs, Commas goes later…and harder with jaw-dropping lighting and sound. Balloons and hip hop abound.

Broma: Not A Bar (41 Nguyen Hue, District 1) is celebrating 10 years. It’s an improbable achievement for an open-air lounge-bar on a corner between Nguyen Hue Walking Street and Ngo Duc Khe. Lately, they’ve been getting wilder than ever with Piu Piu club pop-ups. 

Where To Stay In Saigon

Wink Hotel Saigon Centre (75 Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1) was recently chosen by CNNTravel as one of the eight hottest new hotels in Vietnam. Sitting alongside luxurious five-star brands like Capella Hanoi and Regent Phu Quoc in the list, Wink Hotel Saigon Centre is an outlier. The hotel brand celebrates urban cool while pioneering affordable luxury across the country. 

At the brand’s first hotel, Wink Hotel Saigon Centre, expect a sustainably-minded place to stay, with self-services to the fore. There is a large, hip communal space as a lobby, a coworking space by Toong instead of a dusty old business center, and “space-smart and chic rooms” where the hotel has doubled down on the essentials, power showers, luxury linens and content streamed on demand on TV.  We’re biased. But we’re sure you’ll love the vibe at Wink Hotel Saigon Centre too.

Park Hyatt Saigon (2 Lam Son Square, District 1) is timeless. Whether dropping by for a refined afternoon tea, Italian food at Opera, classy Vietnamese and French cuisine at Square One, cocktails at the 2 Lam Son Bar, or a staycation or holiday, Park Hyatt Saigon is still the chic-est choice. 

For something more tranquil, check out Mia Saigon – Luxury Boutique Hotel (2-4 Street 10, An Phu, District 2). This elegant, riverside hotel is the perfect launch pad for nights out in Thao Dien, with easy access back to District 1 and the airport. If you don’t want to leave, there’s Mia Saigon’s endless riverside swimming pool and its bar, Gin On 8, has epic river views. 

Things To See In Saigon

We’ve said it before. But, as a reminder, Saigon is a place to be, and not a place to see. However, you may still want to check a few locations off your travel plan. Fortunately, lots are within walking distance. 

Book Street (Nguyen Van Binh Street, District 1) is a surprisingly tranquil haven between Notre Dame Cathedral and Hai Ba Trung. And they have an impressive selection of books, at different stores along the street, in Vietnamese and English, plus some tranquil book cafes, for you to dive into a new purchase over a ca phe sua da. 

Around the corner is Saigon Central Post Office (2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1) designed by Alfred Foulhoux (and not Gustave Eiffel) with its iconic facade clock and inside its domed roof. And in front is Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral is undergoing renovations until 2023, so visits might be underwhelming until the scaffolding comes off. 

With Vietnam’s rapid evolution, The Reunification Palace (135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1) feels more outdated as an experience as the year’s pass. That’s even though its historical significance is undeniable. And there’s usually a queue of people snaking out of the ticket office from early in the morning, even though a photograph outside the main gates is probably enough. 

Nguyen Hue Walking Street buzzes every night with street food stands, skateboarders and tourists enjoying a promenade. The walk gets a bit hot and sweaty, so take a diversion into the Cafe Apartment Building (42 Nguyen Hue, District 1), or enter the 151 Dong Khoi building from this side for cocktails, coffee, haircuts, and more. 

Walking through the alleys to Japan Town (Le Thanh Ton, District 1) is like disappearing into Tokyo’s Kabukicho. There’s some of the city’s most fun Japanese food, from noodles at Choi Oi to standing sushi at Sushi Tiger. There’s also 7 Bridge’s craft beer spot at one entrance. Sure, there’s some aggressive masseurs, but it’s worth running the gauntlet.

Everyone you meet has had a Bui Vien phase. Either as a backpacker when they first arrived, or simply as a drinker seeking ice cold beer and banging vina-hay. Bui Vien is a nightly carnival of inebriation. 

The fun yellow Saigon Waterbus launched in 2019. Round tickets are cheap, and provide a unique riverview of the city as your waterbus buzzes through Thao Dien and Thu Duc. If you’re leaving from District 1’s Bach Dang station, it’s useful to take a taxi as the street gets busy and hard to cross. For something more salubrious, there’s charter yacht and boat companies. The Saigon Boat Company has a convivial wooden boat, and there’s other private companies with luxury yachts.

Xuan Thuy Street has become the epicentre of hip Thao Dien Ward, and a stellar foodie and shopping destination. Walking from one end to the other, there’s a Pizza 4P’s, a Maison Marou, craft stores with Amai ceramics, a Bia Craft and much, much more.

Vinh Khanh Street is another nightly carnival of crazy. The street runs both sides of Hoang Dieu Street as is full of delicious oc (or snail) restaurants. Out on the street singers and performers do their thing in exchange for a small tip. It’s a quintessentially crazy Saigon experience. From the many restaurants, try Oc Thao. Our current favorite.