Bancông Cafe & Restaurant — Restaurant in Hà Nội

We discovered Ban Cong Cafe at the beginning of our stay in Hanoi, quite by accident. So on our last afternoon in the city and with one of our group departed already, to avoid the miseries, we decided on a final piece of Opera cake and drinks there. We had a delicious coconut iced coffee, mango smoothie and cake (the passion fruit mango cake was disappointingly plastic however) for each. We had been absolutely charmed by Ban Cong Cafe, but it was not to be, this visit. I ordered a hot coffee after our cold drinks, and was then kept waiting for about twenty minutes for this. Every time I got up to leave because of the long wait, one of the young waiting staff requested I wait a bit longer for the coffee. It was not that busy there. The place was just full of customers who had already ordered, but not yet partaken, because they were spending hours taking photos of themselves for Social Media ops. My feeling was that the staff downstairs were just standing around chatting, too cool to rule, while I waited an eternity for my coffee to remember Hanoi by! The coffee finally came, after I gave the staff the benefit of the doubt, and it was yes, fabulous BUT as I left the cafe and passed the wait staff, I politely complimented them on the coffee - which I had waited for them to bring back from Kenya or thereabouts - only to have a young waiter make fun of my compliment, by mimicking it. NOT ON.. I mentioned it to downstairs staff when I left, and requested that I NOT be charged for my very, very long awaited cup of coffee, I guess the staff didn’t fully understand my story in English, but they got the gist of it when my daughter told them how disgusted she was with their service! I had been charged for the coffee anyway but I refused to pay so they refunded me the cost. Eventually they understood that I was upset with the rudeness of the young waiter,who apologised to my daughter in an offhand manner, which infuriated her more. I will never go there again. If the business wishes to extend to tourists in Hanoi, then the management needs to take a look at the attitude of their staff and the efficiency of the service there. It’s a lovely establishment marred by the casual attitude of some of the staff. It doesn’t take twenty minutes to make a cup of coffee so manners would have served well in this instance. Disappointed...

This is just another insta pretty place. I went pass this restaurant, and it looks crowded. Then I check the review on Google it was pretty good. Many people wrote 5 stars review so I decided to give it a try. But unfortunately my experience was not 5 stars. First I saw they wrote restaurant on the 3rd floor, so I went inside and told the staff that I wanted to go to the restaurant. The staff told me cannot because it’s full. Then I asked him, can we wait? He said no. I reconfirmed to him, he still told me no. So I stayed for 3 minutes to look for another restaurant to eat, and many people started to go down from upstairs. Then I talked to the same guy behind the cashier and asked, can we go up? Because many people are going down and I just need table for 2. The guy gave me funny unsure look, then he said yes. I kinda feel discriminated. I am not white, but I am not wearing flip flops and shorts. Surely the guy in the first floor was not that nice. Then we went up and turned out there’s PLENTY of seats upstairs, and it was only 2pm. I don’t understand why the guy won’t let me in at the first place.

I looked at the menu, from the menu I can already tell that the food are just so so. But I decided to give it a try anyway. We ordered 2 Vietnamese Ice Coffee. Which came in a very small cup (look at my pic), for 60.000 VND. And when I tried mine, it was super sweet compared to the one my bf had. Seems like they gave me less coffee. We ordered stir fried beef pho, which taste okay. Not bad but nothing special either. Would not recommend anyone and would not come...

While residing in the old quarter, I discovered this charming cafe that instantly caught my eye. Intrigued by its quaint atmosphere, I decided to step inside. Opting for the mango and chili drink, I found it to be a delightful and unique flavor combination that I genuinely enjoyed. The cafe itself exuded a certain historical and cosy atmosphere that added to the overall appeal.

Despite its undeniable charm, it's important to note that this place leans towards the more expensive side of the spectrum. However, the friendly staff, who spoke fluent English, contributed to a positive experience. Their warmth and hospitality made the slightly higher prices more palatable.

Beyond the beverages, what sets this cafe apart is its aesthetic. It serves as a picturesque setting, making it an ideal spot for capturing memories with photographs. There's a subtle hint of French colonial influence in the ambiance, adding a historical and cultural touch to the overall experience.

In summary, while acknowledging the higher pricing, I found this cafe to be a delightful spot for those looking to immerse themselves in a bit of French colonial charm in Hanoi. The combination of unique drinks, a cute ambiance, and the opportunity for aesthetically pleasing photos make it a worthwhile visit,...