City High Dining — Restaurant in Đà Nẵng

My wife and I recently had what can only be described as the most underwhelming "fine dining" experience of our lives. The meal, advertised as a unique and special experience, fell far short of our expectations.

The evening began at 8 p.m. with a reservation in a nearly empty restaurant. We were uncertain about what to expect regarding the food and service, both of which turned out to be disappointingly subpar.

Our server team, despite their friendly demeanor, struggled with their English, which hindered communication as our dissatisfaction grew. The meal seemed more suited for social media appeal than actual dining enjoyment.

Our dinner commenced with an attractive yet tasteless garlic bread-like roll. Its presentation was photogenic, but it was dry and unappetizing on the inside.

A lengthy wait preceded the second course, accompanied by a mediocre sparkling wine. The servers' sweet efforts to describe the wine in broken English only delayed us from eating our rapidly cooling food. The meal's pacing was consistently off.

Throughout dinner, used utensils and glassware cluttered our table until we specifically asked for them to be cleared. This lack of attention was surprising for a restaurant claiming to offer a fine dining experience.

The second course featured artistically presented, but bland and poorly textured tiny shrimps.

Each course's utensils were brought after the dish was served, reflecting a lack of professionalism.

The third course, an egg-yolk ravioli, was the only decent item, though it was served cold.

A baffling moment occurred when a server showcased an attractive bun, purportedly Beef Wellington, only to inform us it needed another 15 minutes of cooking. It was odd to be presented with an unready dish.

Even worse, my vegetarian wife received a fish dish so unpalatable that she barely tasted it.

The wine pairings ranged from unremarkable to downright awful. When the Beef Wellington finally arrived, it was tough and stringy, a far cry from the Wagyu beef they claimed it to be. Inadequately equipped with only a standard dinner knife, I struggled to cut through the meat, causing its components to fall apart.

Dessert didn't improve matters, consisting of a mediocre assortment including a tart, a mushy macaron, a cookie, and a sugary gummy shaped like a marijuana leaf, reminiscent of children's candy. Most dishes seemed designed more for photography than for eating.

Despite claims of high-quality ingredients, the dishes, such as the mealy "caviar," suggested otherwise. We left the restaurant early, deeply disappointed.

On our ride home, we read reviews warning of the owner threatening locals for negative feedback. We're not from Vietnam, but we feel compelled to caution potential diners: this establishment delivers poor food, unprofessional service, and overall disappointment at a steep price.

If the owner resorts to intimidation over honest reviews, this should be reported to the authorities. We were promised a unique dining experience, and it certainly was unique - just not in the way it was intended.

Do not dine here!!

Editing my review to respond to the baffling and false assertions by the “management” of this weird and terrible restaurant:

How disturbing that you refer to watching us (or this other person and his wife Helen) on CCTV. I imagine this is just another falsehood.

It's clear that you spend more time trying to rescue your reputation than establish it.

• Updated one more time to add that after two weeks, we did receive a full refund. The rest of my review stands as a true reflection of...

I recently had the pleasure of attending a SecretEATS dinner in Da Nang, hosted by the incredibly talented Chef Nguyen and his gracious wife, Tracy, of City High Dining. From start to finish, the experience was nothing short of magical.

The journey to the venue was an adventure in itself. We were dropped off at a dimly lit alley, where we navigated puddles and uneven ground, all adding to the excitement and mystery. Climbing an unbelievably steep flight of stairs to the venue further heightened the anticipation. At the top, we were warmly welcomed by Tracy’s radiant smile and stepped into a beautifully lit dining room that felt like it was reserved just for us. The ambiance was intimate yet relaxed, with candles, crisp napkins, and elegantly set tables that promised a special evening without feeling overly formal.

The multi-course menu was a testament to Chef Nguyen’s artistry and creativity. Each dish was thoughtfully crafted with fresh, local ingredients and presented with flair. While Chef Nguyen didn’t personally introduce the dishes, it was clear that his expertise and vision were infused into every element of the meal. The team’s professionalism and warmth in explaining each course made us feel equally valued and connected to the culinary journey.

What we loved most was the air of mystery that surrounded the evening. The secret location and unknown menu made every moment a delightful surprise. Chef Nguyen and his wife’s passion and attention to detail transformed what could have been just another dinner into a memorable journey of flavors, culture, and warm hospitality.

When Tracy asked for feedback at the end of the evening, my only comment was that I wished it could have lasted longer. Perhaps it felt too short simply because we were having such a wonderful time enjoying the food, wine, and engaging conversation.

What made this evening even more remarkable was how it compared to two other notable meals we had during our trip—visits to Michelin-starred restaurants in the city. On the way back to our hotel and even during our flight home, we unanimously agreed that SecretEATS at City High Dining edged out the Michelin-starred experiences. Both the food and the atmosphere at City High Dining were simply superior—a true testament to the passion and dedication of Chef Nguyen and Tracy.

City High Dining truly brought the SecretEATS concept to life in one of the best ways we’ve ever experienced. I’m already planning my next visit to see how Nguyen and Tracy continue to push boundaries and make the experience even better. To Chef Nguyen, Tracy, and the entire team at City High Dining—bravo...

Have been to City High twice now and have seen improvement. Tucked deep in an alley is an oasis of upscale dining. I’m especially thankful for the team accepting my visit sans reservation and still being able to deliver high quality dishes.

Note: nothing harmful or illegal or otherwise in any dish.

Chef Luan seems to keep experimenting with well composed gastronomic dishes and improving.

Ordered the set menu 999k, wine pairing, 499k, cheese 109k. All worked together with some highlights:

Candied bacon canapé. I could eat that all night and be satisfied.

Truffle ravioli. (Truffle wonton.) Great!

Alaskan Pink Shrimp have a definite heft and pronounced flavour.

The canele pastry. Absolutely perfect texture. (Wishlist: could be boozier.)

The rest of the mains were good as well. When the beef plate arrived, felt it was too little but given the richness of the beef, it was sufficient.

On the cheese plate, one cracker given. In top establishments, they understand that presentation vs. reality are at odds. Need more cracker. (Neutral)

Feedback: Want to be over the top in the customer impression? Close to the end of the cracker, being a basket and replenish. Everyone gets a cracker! Everyone is a cracker! Cracker cracker!

In the end, I had a great experience and the restaurant is worthy of a quiet evening with great fare.

Would I come back? Absolutely. You can count on it. Great...