Haidilao Huoguo 海底捞火锅 Bitexco — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

This is my 4th visit to this branch, and I’m leaving a review because what happened today was so absurd and frustrating. When the food we ordered arrived, the staff came over and asked where to put the five shrimp balls. They asked if each one should be put in a different hot pot, and then asked again where to put them. I told them it was fine since I wanted to taste them before deciding. I was aware of the service where they add food to the hot pot, but then they came over again and started tearing the water spinach, and kept trying to add it to the hot pot. I told them twice that it was fine because I wanted to check the level of cooking for the vegetables before adding them.

Then, the staff brought over a sign and placed it on the table. We asked what the sign meant since we weren’t Vietnamese, and at first, the staff couldn’t explain it. I thought maybe they had trouble with foreign languages, but then they came back and told us it was a sign saying we couldn’t order more food because there was too much on the table. We wanted to believe what the staff said, but out of curiosity, I used a translation app and found that it just said “Don’t bother me.” If they had said that from the beginning, I would have accepted it, but the fact that they misled us made me feel so upset.

I tried to calm down and enjoy the meal, but then something else happened while I was refilling my drink. I was having bubble tea but wanted an iced tea, so I said, “I want iced tea.” The staff couldn’t understand and kept repeating “Iced tea? Iced tea?” It felt like they were mocking me. After a few attempts, they finally understood, but while they were bringing the iced tea, I overheard the same staff laughing with another colleague, repeating “Iced tea? Iced tea?” I was really taken aback by their behavior. During the process of clearing the plates, they only cleared the empty dishes, and then suddenly pointed to my personal plate and asked, “Should I clear this one?” Considering everything else that happened, I felt like they were implying my plate was dirty, which really soured the experience.

Then, when the next table came in, I was talking with my companion about making an additional order, but suddenly the staff took our iPad away and started taking orders from the next table. It was so absurd. We were trying to place an order, but the iPad was taken, and when I informed another staff member, they said there was no iPad. So, we had to use a different iPad to place our order. Throughout the meal, the service continued to be poor, and the staff was not paying attention to us.

We were really disappointed, which is why I’m leaving this review. I’ve visited Haidilao in four different countries and over ten times in total, and I’ve always had great memories at this branch, which is why I specifically came here. But today was so shocking, and the staff’s attitude was unlike anything I’ve ever seen in any country. I don’t know if clearing personal plates is part of the standard service, but it was the first time I’ve experienced it, and it made me feel like I was eating poorly. There’s more I could say, but it’s so upsetting that one staff member’s behavior is tarnishing...

🍲 Hai Di Lao Bitexco — A Hot Pot Classic in the Heart of Saigon

Nestled inside the iconic Bitexco Financial Tower, Hai Di Lao Bitexco delivers a familiar and satisfying hot pot experience, blending friendly service, consistent quality, and a prime central location that makes it ideal for social gatherings.

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🤝 Service: Friendly and Attentive

One of Hai Di Lao’s trademarks is its legendary hospitality, and the Bitexco branch lives up to that reputation: • Staff are warm, responsive, and well-trained, always checking in without being intrusive. • Service remains smooth and attentive even during busy hours, reflecting the brand’s well-established operations.

While the service doesn’t feature extravagant flourishes (like manicures or elaborate noodle shows seen in some flagship outlets), it maintains a comfortable and welcoming vibe that elevates the dining experience.

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🍲 Food: Familiar, Balanced, and Satisfying

The menu sticks closely to the Hai Di Lao global template: • A wide range of soup bases (spicy mala, tomato, mushroom, etc.) • Fresh meats, seafood, and vegetables prepared cleanly and presented well • Sauce bar with plenty of condiments for customizing your own dipping experience

The food is consistently good, if not standout. Nothing groundbreaking, but reliably satisfying — just what you expect from Hai Di Lao. It’s especially enjoyable when shared with friends who appreciate the interactive nature of hot pot dining.

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📍 Location: Perfect for Social Meetups

Where this branch really shines is its location: • Situated inside Bitexco Tower, it’s easily accessible from most parts of District 1, making it a perfect venue for group meetups or casual business meals. • The surrounding area offers plenty to do before or after your meal — coffee shops, shopping, riverside strolls, or a trip up to the Saigon Skydeck.

📝 Final Thoughts

Hai Di Lao Bitexco doesn’t reinvent the hot pot experience, but it doesn’t have to. It’s all about reliable food, cheerful service, and a central, vibrant location that makes it an easy choice for catching up with friends or colleagues.

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✅ Pros: • Exceptionally convenient city-center location • Friendly and attentive staff • Consistent food quality across menu items • Ideal for friend groups, casual dinners, or post-work gatherings

❌ Cons: • Food is solid but not particularly unique compared to other branches • May lack the extras or spectacle of flagship locations (e.g., robotic servers, noodle shows)

Whether you’re a local or a visitor exploring District 1, Hai Di Lao Bitexco is a dependable go-to for comfort food, great service, and quality time with...

The most famous and ”expensive” hot pot in Vietnam.

When Haidilao came to Vietnam, I decided to try, and I was so happy with my experiment. Food, service, restaurant design, all are amazing.

But the recent time I visited the restaurant, I did not feel the same as the first time I had gone.

The menu is quite diversified with a lot of dishes you can dip into the hot pot broth. I decide to call the seafood, beef and some dim sum.

In my perspective, Thai broth is the best because it combines sweet, spicy, and sour. I have tried Tomato, Sweet, and Sour, but no one can beat the Thai.

There is a sauce station that you can mix your own. The fee is 40.000 Vietnamese Dong for each person.

Staff and customer service is always the best and well-known for Haidilao. But for that day, a man served my table was not so helpful. We paid for the refill drink, but when the water was out, I saw him serving another table, so I decided to do my own. However, he told me not to do that and let him do it. Then after that, my cup was empty again for a while, and no-one served so I confused what to do next 😂

Additionally, you should call the restaurant before going to ask them how much time the queue is. At one time I visited the Haidilao in Vincom and had to wait 6 hours!!!!

Overall, it’s a nice restaurant, but the staff in some kind are a little bit unprofessional when the restaurant...