Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

I came here with little expectation since I've had rice dishes many times before. How much more can this place do to make it deserve a Michelin nod (not a star but a mention). Just a few bites in and I understood why.

When my group of 3 arrived around 1:00 PM, the place was packed to the brim. There were no tables available, a handful of people hovering like vultures trying to grab a seat as soon as someone stood up, and a line going down the street of Grab drivers waiting to pick up orders. Wow!

We waited for about 10 minutes before a table opened up. Not bad! They only had 2-3 workers there running around the entire place but even so they quickly saw us sit down and came to clean our table. One of the workers came by as soon as the table was clean to take our order as well. For a packed restaurant with only 2-3 workers, they're on top of everything! Impressive!

Our dishes came out and I was shocked at how large the portion was! The big plate was completely filled with rice and a ginormous bone-in pork chop. This thing was massive even by American standards. I see why now the price is a bit high. The large portion size easily makes up for it being more expensive than your typical rice dish. Worth it? Yes!

As I took my first bite, a hearty warm sensation filled me. It was delicious. The pork chop was cooked perfectly on the inside, easy to chew, and had a very nice chargrilled on the outside. The fried egg was also perfectly fried with the yolk runny as soon as you cut into it. The rice was not dry nor was it wet and soggy. Everything was done just right and complimented each other in the best way possible.

I think I'll need to make this a must visit every time I come...

“Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền – where broken rice breaks your willpower”

This isn’t just cơm tấm. This is the cơm tấm. The kind that ruins all others for you. The pork chop here isn’t some sad, dry slab thrown on a plate. It’s a monster—thick, smoky, caramelized perfection, grilled to the point where the edges are crispy, the fat melts like butter, and every bite punches you with sweet, savory, and charred goodness.

Then there’s the rice. Soft but with just the right bite. Each grain soaks up that ridiculous fish sauce blend like it was made for this exact moment. The pickled veggies, the runny fried egg, the little side of chả trứng that adds an umami bomb to the mix—it’s a masterpiece of textures and flavors.

The place itself? No frills, no fancy plating, no unnecessary fluff. Just stainless steel tables, tiny plastic stools, and the intoxicating smell of pork sizzling over fire. The kind of joint where locals crush their plates in minutes and tourists look around wondering why they ever wasted money on hotel buffets.

If you’re in ho chi minh city and haven’t eaten here, you’re doing it wrong. Bring an empty stomach, a love for smoky meat, and the patience to wait in line—because this is the best damn cơm tấm...

It's Com Tam restaurant, which was selected as Bib Gurmand by Michelin. I visited before 6pm, but stil almost all tables were full. Luckily one table was available for me. Then I had Tap Cam plate. The menu on the table doesn't have price on it. The menu on the wall had it. Buy I didn't notice, so I selected Tap Cam. Then the plate came and I was so surpprised by the size of the plate. It was like 3 times bigger than normal one. It's very difficult to finish it by one person. It was like 3000 calories plate... Anyway it tasted good Lol. It's perfectly junk food though. Nothing considering about health Lol. If you are picky about your health, this is not the place for you Lol. Anyway I was surpprised at the payment also. It cost me 161,000VND for com tam Lol. It's about 4 times more expensive than normal one Lol. 3 times bigger but 4 times more expensive, so the value for the price is not good Lol. Anyway I have never seen such a big plate as Com Tam, so If you are com tam lover, then better to try here. As I mentioned already, it tasted good. Pork was tender and juicy. But specially Tap Cam is good enough for 2 persons. I'm not sure if they allow 2 persons order 1 plate or not. Lastly their service...