20 bars worth the trip across Vietnam, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Vietnam guides.
Workshop14 ★ 4.8 · Hanoi
tay-ho · 6 Ngo 5 Tu Hoa, Quang An, Tay Ho, Hanoi
Workshop14 in Hanoi is bartender Rich McDonough's minimal Tay Ho room, ranked No 83 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 and winner of the Campari One To Watch Award.
Tip: A traditional wooden gate leads to a stripped-back room. 14 seats; reservations recommended.
Nê Cocktail Bar ★ 4.7 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 3B Tong Duy Tan, Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Nê Cocktail Bar in Hanoi is Pham Tien Tiep's award-winning room on Tong Duy Tan, ranked No 76 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2021 for cocktails like the flaming pho.
Tip: Stage for live music several nights a week. Cocktails average $11; reservations recommended for groups.
Bia Hơi Corner Ta Hien ★ 4.7 · Hanoi
old-quarter · Ta Hien at Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
The Bia Hoi Corner in Hanoi is the pavement crossroads of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen, where unpasteurised fresh draft pours at 10,000-15,000 VND per glass.
Tip: Crowd starts at dusk and spills across both streets by 19:00. Cash only; cheapest beer in any Asian capital.
Polite & Co ★ 4.5 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 5B Bao Khanh, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Polite & Co in Hanoi calls itself the city's oldest cocktail bar, open since 1995 on Bao Khanh with speakeasy decor and a 25-cocktail rotating menu.
Tip: Wooden bar, low lighting and jazz on the speakers. Cocktail menu rotates every six months.
Furbrew The 100 Garden ★ 4.5 · Hanoi
tay-ho · 8B/52 To Ngoc Van, Quang An, Tay Ho, Hanoi
Furbrew's The 100 Garden in Hanoi is the Danish-founded craft brewery's flagship Tay Ho beer garden, pouring 30-plus taps including its own Vietnamese brews.
Tip: Two-story taproom plus a large outdoor beer garden. The smaller Furbrew Box Bar is across the lane at the same address.
Tadioto ★ 4.4 · Hanoi
french-quarter · 24B Tong Dan, Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Tadioto in Hanoi is artist-writer Nguyen Qui Duc's literary bar near the Opera House, open since 2007 and a fixture of the city's writer-and-painter scene.
Tip: Live readings, jazz and art shows several nights a week. The walls hold the owner's collection of Vietnamese contemporary art.
Pasteur Street Au Trieu Taproom ★ 4.4 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 1 Au Trieu, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Pasteur Street's Au Trieu taproom in Hanoi sits in an Old Quarter shophouse behind St Joseph's Cathedral, pouring Vietnamese-ingredient craft beer.
Tip: Three Pasteur Street taprooms in Hanoi; Au Trieu has live music weekly and is the most central.
Drinking and Healing ★ 4.4 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 25 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Drinking and Healing is one of Saigon's most sought-after cocktail bars, a dim speakeasy where the drinks lean on Vietnamese herbs and spirits.
Tip: It is up a narrow staircase with no obvious sign; book ahead as the room is tiny.
The Hanoi Social Club ★ 4.3 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 6 Hoi Vu, Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
The Hanoi Social Club's evening programme on Hoi Vu turns its colonial villa into a literary-and-jazz cocktail bar with poetry readings on Wednesdays.
Tip: Three floors; the rooftop is the quietest for conversation. Live music schedule on the Facebook page.
Snuffbox ★ 4.3 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 19/6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Snuffbox is a hidden speakeasy off Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, an intimate low-lit room turning out precise classics and house cocktails for Saigon.
Tip: The entrance is deliberately discreet; call ahead and the staff will point you to the door.
Layla Eatery and Bar ★ 4.3 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 63 Dong Du Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Layla is a buzzy cocktail bar and eatery in a colonial apartment block off Dong Du, with one of the city's longest bars, floor-to-ceiling windows.
Tip: It is the bigger sister of Summer Experiment; the eleven-metre bar is the seat to grab.
Stir ★ 4.2 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 136 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Stir is a hidden cocktail bar tucked inside a District 1 residential block, a warm room of seasonal signature drinks that rewards anyone who finds it.
Tip: It hides inside a residential building; look for the unmarked stairwell off Le Thanh Ton.
Social Club Rooftop Bar ★ 4.2 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-3 · 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Social Club sits atop the Hotel des Arts with an infinity pool and one of the city's best skyline outlooks, a polished rooftop for sunset cocktails.
Tip: It is on the roof of Hotel des Arts; come for sunset drinks before it fills for the DJ set.
Nhau Nhau ★ 4.2 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 89 Ton That Dam Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Nhau Nhau is the rooftop bar atop Anan Saigon, a narrow perch over the Ton That Dam wet market that riffs on Vietnam's nhau drinking culture with cocktails.
Tip: It shares a building with the one-star Anan; head to the roof for the wet-market view.
Summer Experiment ★ 4.2 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 77-79 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Summer Experiment is a sustainability-minded cocktail bar on Ly Tu Trong, growing herbs on its rooftop for a low-waste drinks list served in a warm room.
Tip: It sits above street level on Ly Tu Trong; the rooftop herb garden supplies the bar.
Chill Skybar ★ 4.1 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · Level 26, AB Tower, 76A Le Lai Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Chill Skybar was Vietnam's first rooftop bar, a sprawling open-air deck on the 26th floor of the AB Tower with 360-degree city views and pricey drinks.
Tip: There is a smart dress code; arrive before dark for a table on the open-air rail.
Rehab Station ★ 4.1 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 27/6 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Rehab Station is a moody cocktail bar set in a restored old building off Nguyen Binh Khiem, a favourite of Saigon's late crowd for well-made drinks.
Tip: It sits down a lane near the Botanical Gardens; it hits its stride late in the evening.
Broma Not a Bar ★ 4.0 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 41 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Broma is a laid-back rooftop overlooking the Nguyen Hue walking street, a low-key early-evening drink that builds into an eclectic music party at night.
Tip: Head up early for a rail seat over the walking street before the DJ turns it into a club.
Firkin Bar ★ 4.0 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 20 Mac Thi Buoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Firkin is a Mad Men-style cocktail bar up an unassuming staircase on Mac Thi Buoi, all vintage posters, dim light and well-made classic cocktails.
Tip: The entrance is easy to miss; head upstairs for the dimly lit, speakeasy-style room.
Malt ★ 3.9 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 46-48 Mac Thi Buoi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Malt is a relaxed downtown bar known for two things, a deep craft-beer list and a shuffleboard table, a low-key alternative to Saigon's speakeasies.
Tip: It is more pub than speakeasy; go for craft beer and the shuffleboard, not a dress code.