Dabao concept - Dongdo — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Rookie mistake. I should have looked at the receipt to determine that my request for a single espresso hot became an Americano.

On the location: Design and use of space here is beyond minimalist. If they’re trying to make a statement, they should remove all furniture and make the whole 200sq.m place for one single guest.

That’s minimalism done right. -1 point.

On wait times: Wait time despite not being hugely busy was super long. In the time I spent waiting for my coffee, the super famous soup lady that’s out on the street completely sold out. -1 point.

On service: Service requires guests to go to the counter to get drinks as opposed to service. Kind of like Highlands coffee but at double the price. -1 point.

On the menu: Lack of diversity on the menu but still offering a QR code to present the menu? Coffee or cake. Bring the customer in and nothing to do. -1 point.

On mindset: Finally, having the staff ask me if I would like an Americano instead of remaking my drink to be in line with the original order is …. -1 point.

In general I would rate this place a 0 and I doubt I’ll...

Đá Bào on Hai Bà Trưng stands out with a different design and vibe compared to other locations like Tú Xương. However, overall, it's still a beautiful place with a spacious and open atmosphere. There's a large seating area, making it a nice spot to relax. On the ground floor, there's a Đà Bào café, and upstairs is a Thai restaurant, so it’s convenient if you're looking to grab a meal. Just outside the entrance, you'll find other dining options like 4ps or Yen Sushi, which adds to the convenience, almost like a mini food complex with different choices nearby.

One downside, though, is that the place seems to have gone a while without any upgrades or maintenance, so much of it looks a bit dated, with noticeable wear and tear. The drinks are just average, nothing particularly special, with prices ranging from around 50k to 100k, which is typical for D1. The staff is okay, nothing out of the ordinary, but a minor inconvenience is that the restrooms are on the second floor, part of the restaurant upstairs, so you have to go...

01/01/2025 Felt being cheated when they recommended Jasmine tea machiato creme with cheese jelly to me but only gave me Jasmine tea and creme (*without jelly), but FAILED to notice when handed me the drink. They only told me the jelly was out of stock when I asked -- Felt like a scam, as I only ordered the drink according to their recommendation but didn't get what I want. Additionally, we've reminded staff to clean the table more than once but no one did and ignored us. We are two customers ordered 2 drinks. From the beginning till we finished our drinks, there are still leftovers on the table from previous customers. To be honest, if they can't train their staff to multitask & and clean up tables, they shouldn't charge addional 10% service fee today while the whole seating area is...