Madame Hien - Vietnamese Restaurant Hanoi — Restaurant in Hà Nội

I visited this place exactly ten years ago. At the time, I was on a business trip and stumbled upon it while walking through the streets of Hanoi looking for a place to eat. The unique design of the entrance instantly caught my eye, and since I had always been fascinated by Vietnamese home-style cuisine, I walked in without hesitation.

Back then, I didn’t have much knowledge of Vietnamese food, and restaurant reviews weren’t as accessible as they are now. So, I just had to take my chances and order randomly. But the food turned out to be absolutely incredible. The clean presentation and warm service left such a lasting impression that I could never forget the experience.

So naturally, when I had the chance to visit Hanoi again for the second time, this restaurant was at the top of my list. Thankfully, I was able to find it easily on Google Maps. However, when I arrived, the exterior looked different and made me wonder if I had come to the right place. A staff member explained that they had moved to this new location during the pandemic.

When I showed them a photo from my visit ten years ago and told them I had returned, they welcomed me with genuine warmth. As I sat down to order, they kindly offered a photo menu, which made ordering very easy.

Since I was alone, I couldn’t try too many dishes, but I still managed to enjoy as much as I could—from starter to dessert. The highlight for me was the mushroom and shallots. They were so soft, so flavorful, that for a moment, I was tempted to cancel everything else and order just that, over and over again.

From the first bite to the last spoonful of the green tea ice cream dessert, I was simply happy. To be honest, I enjoyed this meal even more than the one I had at a Michelin 3-star restaurant during this trip. It was more delicious and far more satisfying.

I can say with confidence: the next time I come to Hanoi, I will definitely visit Madame Hien again. In fact, I might come back to Hanoi just to dine here.

P.S. If you meet the kitten(boy), plz say hello. But he won’t play with you....

The main reason we went there was the Duck 3 Ways and that was delicious even though they could have portioned it differently so you‘d have the same amount of duck each way.

The service was okay, not really what we expected from this sort of fancy restaurant.

What we were super disappointed about was that our food has arrived at different times. This might be a thing here in Vietnam as we have had that happen a lot while visiting. The disappointing part is that this is supposed to be a high class restaurant and I think they should be able to schedule the food correctly. We have ordered one starter and two main dishes. My main dish arrived after waiting a lot of time, then the starter arrived and after waiting a long time again my boyfriends food (the duck) has arrived. By then, I have already eaten up my dish completely (and no, I am not a fast eater…) which would otherwise have been cold by the time his food arrived. We then asked if we could order dessert and the waiter told us that we would have to wait another 20-25 min for the dessert which would have been fine if we hadn‘t already waited so long for our food. An idea would be to let the guests know that dessert takes a few minutes to prepare so if they don‘t want to wait they could order dessert right away so they could get it immediately after having the starter and the main dish. We decided to skip dessert seeing as it was rather cold and windy that day and we were sitting outside as we did not make a reservation.

I guess the atmosphere was bad for us because of the weather (which was ovbviously not the restaurants fault but there would have been ways to sort of „make up“ for it) and the absolut long wait. All in all it was one of the worst experiences I had in Vietnam even though it was obviously not super bad. I would not go again and would not recommend it to our...

Tucked away behind the lively streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Madam Hien offers a charming, authentic escape — both in atmosphere and on the plate.

We visited twice for lunch, each time greeted by a special, curated menu offering a smaller but thoughtful selection of dishes. What struck us immediately was the unwavering freshness of the ingredients and the brilliant balance of flavors: every bite felt like a true homage to traditional Vietnamese home cooking. There was a feeling, almost unmistakable, that you had stepped into a beloved grandmother’s kitchen — where simplicity, heart, and flavor reign above all else.

The dishes ranged from vibrant green mango and pomelo salads — bursting with crunch, acidity, and a whisper of sweetness — to perfectly fried prawns, light yet rich, layered over herbaceous notes of mint, cilantro, and roasted peanuts. The presentation was elegant yet honest, often using banana leaves and simple, earthy bowls that reinforced the unpretentious spirit of the restaurant.

The setting adds even more to the experience. The small courtyard is peaceful and secluded, a rare find in the high-energy chaos of Hanoi. Inside, the interiors are simple, traditionally styled, and welcoming without feeling staged or overly decorated.

Service was warm and efficient, echoing the care and hospitality we found across much of Hanoi but with a slightly more polished edge here.

Value for money is excellent: quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and a charming setting — all at a price point that feels more than fair for the experience delivered.

Overall, Madam Hien is not a show-off restaurant. It doesn’t need to be. It delivers what truly matters: real Vietnamese flavors, a cozy, welcoming setting, and a meal that lingers in your memory long after the...