% Arabica, The Cafe Apartments — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

During my recent visit to %Arabica, located in the iconic old apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City, I had the pleasure of experiencing their renowned specialty coffee. The ambiance of the café was both trendy and minimalist, perfectly complementing their reputation for serving some of the best coffee in the world. However, my overall experience was marred by a significant issue: the elevator queue at the building.

The café itself was wonderful. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted me as I entered, and the baristas were both skilled and friendly, taking the time to explain the menu options. I opted for their signature Spanish Latte, which was a rich, velvety delight with the perfect balance of sweetness and the robust flavor of Arabica beans. The seating area was cozy yet modern, offering a nice view of the bustling city below. Despite being a small space, it felt inviting and comfortable—a great spot for coffee enthusiasts or those looking to relax for a while.

However, the location of the café presented a major challenge. Being situated within an old apartment building meant that visitors had limited access to the elevator. This wouldn’t have been an issue if the building were equipped to handle the high foot traffic that %Arabica attracts. Unfortunately, the elevator queue was extremely long, disorganized, and slow-moving.

Waiting for the elevator felt like an ordeal in itself. The building is a popular spot for both locals and tourists, with numerous other cafés, shops, and businesses housed within it. This results in a bottleneck at the elevator, especially during peak hours. It’s worth noting that the elevator is small and outdated, which further slows down the process.

On the day of my visit, the line stretched all the way to the entrance, and it took me nearly 20 minutes just to get into the elevator. Many people, including myself, found the wait frustrating, particularly as there didn’t seem to be any system in place to manage the crowd. Some visitors opted to take the stairs, but for those heading to higher floors or carrying bags, this wasn’t a practical option.

Once I finally reached %Arabica, I could see why the café is so popular. The coffee and the atmosphere were exceptional, but I couldn’t fully enjoy my time there knowing I’d have to endure the same struggle to leave. As I waited again for the elevator on my way out, I couldn’t help but think about how the building’s infrastructure detracts from what should be a pleasant and seamless experience.

In conclusion, while %Arabica in Ho Chi Minh City offers outstanding coffee and a unique setting, the elevator situation significantly impacts the overall experience. It’s an issue that the building management and tenants, including %Arabica, should address collectively to ensure visitors can enjoy their time without unnecessary delays or frustration. Until then, I’d recommend visiting during off-peak hours to minimize waiting times, or being prepared for a lengthy queue. Despite the inconvenience, the coffee is still worth trying, and I hope to see improvements...

I am writing to express my disappointment and concern regarding a recent visit to your cafe on 8/20. My fiancé and I entered your establishment with the intention of exploring our coffee options. Unfortunately, the experience we had left us feeling disheartened and unappreciated as potential customers.

Upon arriving at your cafe, we were excited to consider it as a potential choice for coffee. My fiancé needed to use the restroom. We thought little of it at the time, as we believed that your establishment welcomed visitors.

However, as we were leaving the cafe, we were approached by another employee who, rather than acknowledging the presence of a long line of customers waiting to be served, proceeded to inform us that the restroom is exclusively for paying customers. This interaction left a sour taste in our mouths, as it seemed that the focus was on monitoring my fiancé's bathroom usage rather than attending to the needs of the waiting patrons.

Furthermore, we were taken aback by the employee's attempt to seemingly force a sale on us as we were exiting the cafe. We believe that the focus should have been on providing quality service to all customers, regardless of whether they had made a purchase during their visit. This pressure to make a purchase upon leaving the restroom made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.

As potential customers, we expected to be treated with respect and courtesy. It is disheartening to encounter an experience that does not align with these expectations. We strongly feel that the incident we encountered reflects negatively on the overall atmosphere and customer service of your cafe.

We hope that you will take our feedback seriously and address the issues we have raised. We believe that by fostering an environment that values all customers equally, you will be able to create a more positive and welcoming experience for everyone who visits your cafe.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing about the steps you plan to take to address...

If you are a visitor to HCMC and have been to district 1, you will probably not miss this iconic landmark in the city center. This is the cafe apartment, a 9-storey building that houses a good number of cafes and you will be spoiled for choices which to patronize.

One can leisurely walk up the spiral staircase or take the elevator for a fee at 3000dong per pax (the fee can be offset by your purchase of drinks in most of the cafes here). However, as there's only one lift and many visitors, the wait for the lift can be long and so you need to be patient. We came here in the evening during the Independence Day and it's so nice with the lightings!

Each cafe is unique and different from one another, in terms of decor, displays and themed. So if you have time, you can walk slowly floor to floor and see the different things.

We came by this cafe, % Arabica that is located on the 4th floor. The place was cosy, bright, clean, spacious and comfortable. Upon entering, a strong nice aroma of the coffee would attract and indulge you! So we ordered both hot and cold coffee + lime juices. Staff were generally friendly and would recommend the types of coffee after inquiring your taste and preference. Sofa seats were comfortable and you could also choose to sit at the balcony that offer you a good bird eye's view on the Nguyen Hue walking street downstairs.

Honestly speaking, the coffee tasted "light and diluted", totally different from the aroma that we had smell upon entering. A little disappointing. While prices were slightly higher (not surprising since it's a touristy place) than other cafes such as Highlands, Coffee Bean, Phua Long etc，the view from here was uncompromised!

But it's a nice...