Firkin Bar — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

FIRKIN Bar in Saigon is a gem… a lovely, cozy spot with a fantastic atmosphere and some of the most creative and innovative drinks in town. The staff are simply outstanding, making the whole experience even better.

I tried the Kao Soi, a cocktail inspired by the famous Thai dish, and of course enjoyed a few Negronis. All were excellent, but my absolute favorite was the Nokyoni – a Japanese Negroni crafted with Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Umesake Nokyo, and the very selective Kyoto Dry Gin KI NO TEA. Truly remarkable.

Not to forget the bar snack menu, which is absolutely delicious. We almost tried the whole list and were blown away. Our highlights: • House Olives marinated with Citrus, Garlic & Thyme • Truffled Mushroom Dumplings with Shiitake, Truffled Chilli Soy, and Black Vinegar • Beef Massaman Gyoza with Short Rib Curry & Pickled Daikon • Wagyu Tataki with Ponzu, Fresh Wasabi & Garlic Chips • French Ham & Truffle Brie Toastie with Hot English Mustard • Pork & Fennel Sausage Rolls with Wild Turkey Bourbon Hot Sauce

Every dish was spot on : refined, creative, and the perfect pairing with the cocktails.

Needless to say, FIRKIN is now on my must-visit list whenever I’m in Saigon. I’ll be back at the end of the month...

The VND 125000++ cocktails during happy hour are a steal. I tried the Penicillin (happy hour) & Red Morning Light (signature). They were both fantastic, especially the latter - it has an interesting ginseng aftertaste and the pairing with pickled shiitake was simply brilliant. I was also lucky that they had the last remaining bespoke iceball to make the off-menu Rosehip Negroni (ex-signature) for me, and it was simply amazing. The iceball itself has the ingredients of negroni plus 3 types of tea (rose, strawberry & earl grey), so the taste evolves over time as the ice melts. The staff were very friendly too (especially Jib), and everyone got a free shot that night. Each bartender gets to create their own cocktails, which is just so cool. Love the vibes too. The entrance is so obscure (to the left of Mpa Coffee & Mangrove Fashion/Handicraft, so you might have to ask around, but that makes it a...

I don't know why my review has been removed... But this is one of my favorite Whiskey bars in the city. I am happy and somewhat surprised by how popular this place is among young Vietnamese.

The Whiskey list is endless... The service is attentive and speak English. The atmosphere is on point, but it can get noisier than what you'd expect. Well, more success means more noise. And as you might suspect, it is not the cheapest place in town.

Oh, I also love their cheese toasts (or whatever it is called). But they changed the cheese a year or two ago. The cheese is less sharp compared to the old recipe. Good, but really not as addictive as it used to be... I hope they'll change it back!

Anywho, great place! Highly recommended! I mean, no, don't go please......