Dong Pho Restaurant — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Dong Pho Restaurant, nestled within the bustling culinary landscape of Ho Chi Minh City, offers a solid, if not spectacular, dining experience that warrants a respectable 4 out of 5 stars. My recent visit provided a glimpse into a restaurant that clearly prioritizes traditional Vietnamese flavors while maintaining a comfortable and accessible atmosphere. It's a place that balances authenticity with a touch of modern sensibility, catering to both locals and tourists seeking a reliable taste of Vietnamese cuisine.

The restaurant's ambiance strikes a pleasant middle ground. It's not overly opulent, nor is it a simple street-side eatery. The interior design leans towards a clean and contemporary aesthetic, with warm lighting and comfortable seating arrangements. This creates a relaxed environment, conducive to both casual meals and slightly more formal gatherings. While it might lack the rustic charm of some of the city's older establishments, it compensates with a sense of order and cleanliness that many diners appreciate. The noise level, even during peak hours, remained manageable, allowing for easy conversation, which is a significant plus in a city known for its vibrant, often boisterous, dining scene. The staff were generally attentive and polite, though their English proficiency varied. Some waiters were exceptionally helpful, providing detailed explanations of the menu items and offering recommendations, while others relied more on basic communication, which could sometimes lead to minor misunderstandings. However, their overall willingness to assist was commendable.

The heart of Dong Pho's appeal lies in its menu, which features a wide array of classic Vietnamese dishes. From the ubiquitous spring rolls to the fragrant pho, the restaurant aims to showcase the breadth and depth of the country's culinary heritage. The quality of the ingredients was evident in most dishes, with fresh vegetables, tender meats, and flavorful broths taking center stage. The spring rolls, both fresh and fried, were excellent, boasting a delicate balance of textures and flavors. The filling was generous and the accompanying dipping sauces were well-crafted, providing a tangy and savory counterpoint. The pho, a staple of Vietnamese cuisine, was another highlight. The broth was rich and aromatic, simmered to perfection, and the noodles were cooked al dente. The beef was tender and flavorful, and the accompanying herbs and spices added a refreshing dimension to the dish.

However, while the overall quality was high, there were a few minor inconsistencies. Some dishes, particularly those involving seafood, were slightly overcooked, resulting in a less tender texture. Additionally, while the flavors were generally authentic, a few dishes seemed to be slightly toned down, perhaps to cater to a broader palate. This is a common practice in restaurants catering to tourists, but it can sometimes detract from the true essence of Vietnamese cuisine. The portion sizes were generous, offering good value for money, and the pricing was reasonable, considering the quality of the food and the restaurant's location. The drink menu featured a selection of local beers, juices, and soft drinks, as well as a few imported wines, providing a decent range of options to complement the meal.

One of the stand-out dishes I experienced was the "bun cha," a Hanoi specialty featuring grilled pork patties and noodles served with a dipping sauce. Dong Pho's rendition was commendable. The pork was expertly grilled, imparting a smoky flavor, and the dipping sauce was a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, and savory notes. The accompanying herbs and pickled vegetables added a refreshing contrast to the richness of the pork. Another dish that impressed was the "ca kho to," a caramelized fish dish cooked in a clay pot. The fish was tender and flaky, and the caramelized sauce was a perfect balance of sweet and savory. The flavors were deep and complex, showcasing the restaurant's ability to execute classic Vietnamese dishes...

Beautiful food but really poor service, and bad attitude by management (French owners?). Never in all my years have I had such a bad experienced and I don’t like to write bad reviews but I’m just being honest.

Booked this restaurant based on the hundreds of glowing reviews online. Arrived at the time we book but the staff already seemed frazzled and confused - not a great sign but we got seated.

Huge menu with wide selection of dishes. We ordered, and the food arrived really fast. No wine list when we asked - they just asked if we preferred white or red. That was it , and two glasses arrived, no idea what variety of wine it was and he was gone before we could ask. Food was all delicious and fresh, and we were very happy. But then the service just suddenly stopped all together - staff were blatantly ignoring us! Ironically this was as tables started leaving, so service should have improved if anything. We eventually caught the attention of a staff member and asked for a dessert menu which they brought. And then waited another 10 minutes but again we were being ignored by every staff member again. Couldn’t even get the bill ! So we decided to walk to the counter and pay & leave as we were clearly not made to feel welcome anymore. Well, management were clueless with regards to the table bills and quite frankly didn’t really give a damn about anything. Incredibly bad attitude. We then wanted to pay with a contactless credit card on my mobile phone but they just pretended they had no idea what this payment form was. We’ve been using contactless mobile phone payment for a week in Saigon and never had a single issue anywhere - Covid has made everyone use this convenient payment method. We ended up paying in cash with a mix of USD and VND. Such a sour end to what was a pleasant evening. Completely unexpected and unnecessary attitude from the French owner/ management, and the opposite experience to what we’ve had at every other establishment during our...

Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Ho Chi Minh city. It serves the middle Vietnamese cuisine, mainly Hue. We were the first time here thus we just ordered the two different taste menu. Each menu contains 4 dishes and one dessert.

I must admitted that menu is too much for me. I was just too full but really enjoyed all these delicious food.

The service is most of the time very good. The staffs are kind and very helpful. Only one thing to be improved was that he once delivered the next dishes before we finished the last one. So our table was a bit full and therefore I felt that I need to rush to finish the last one.

There are english on the menu thus even foreigners could easily order. But it’s a big menu. Thus I think the taste menu is a good choice for solo client, couples, or people who visit here the first time and have no idea what to order. You could try lots of different things in small portions with reasonable price at 550k or 650k. ( salad rolls, rice steamed dumplings, various deep fried stuffs, vermicelli or rice, sweets)

They also offered vegetarian menu set 400k.

The restaurant is also very clean. The building is a bit French exotic style. Overall I would definitely recommend people to pay a...