Hoang’s Kitchen -Vietnamese cuisine & Vegan food — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

I found a local Vietnamese restaurant at 59 Do Quang Dau through Google. It had quite a high rating, so I thought it should be good. Around noon, I went there for lunch — a place called Hoang’s Kitchen at 59 Do Quang Dau. The restaurant seemed very popular, many customers inside, almost all of them tourists, and there were plenty of waiters. Most of the guests were Caucasians — I was the only Asian face there.

From the moment I walked in until I paid and left, the waiters didn’t interact with me at all except when I ordered. Sitting there alone in a bustling restaurant, I felt rather out of place. I quietly observed as the waiters bowed and smiled at the Caucasian customers, eagerly introducing the menu, recommending dishes, and chatting and laughing with them.

To be fair, the food was good, and the dishes tasted great — but the service felt strange.

The same day evening, on my way back to the hotel from the city center, I came across another Hoang’s Kitchen, this one located at 45 Thu Khoa Huan Street. Although my lunch experience did not left me good impression, I still thought the food itself was good, so I decided to give this Hoang's a try, hoping maybe the service would be better.

The Thu Khoa Huan location Hoang's Kitchen was even busier than the one I went to at noon. Again, nearly all the customers were Caucasians, and I was one of the very few Asian diners there. Then something shocking happened — the behavior of the waiters here was exactly the same as at the noon restaurant! The waiters and waitresses hovered around the Western diners, serving them attentively. They were even patiently teaching the Western diners, step by step, how to eat Vietnamese food — explaining which sauces should go with which dishes. Sometimes two waiters/waitresses attended at once for one western diner's table — while I was completely invisible to them, as if I didn’t exist.

I had to call them over just to place my order. When I finished my meal, I asked for the bill three times, but no one responded. The tables on my both sides of me were sitting two couples of Caucasian guests, and I sat alone between two Caucasian tables, surrounded by their chatter, watching the waitress’ performance with growing disgust.

If the cold treatment I received at the first Hoang’s Kitchen had been an accident, then being treated the same way twice in the same day at two different locations could not be a coincidence. I truly believe this reflects the Hoang's culture.

No matter how good the food at Hoang’s Kitchen is, it cannot cover up the disgust I feel toward their behavior. I will never go...

Saw all of the great reviews and decided to try it. Stay tuned, there is a curious consideration to be made about that!

We were seated quickly which was a great start. Got a stir-fried morning glory with beef and a bánh xèo which were both delicious. The beef dish made us want to order more rice to soak up all of the delicious stir-fry sauce 🤤 Our server even taught us how to eat the bánh xèo (I was too shy to let her know was Vietnamese myself 🤭). It's very tourist friendly as there were many English speaking servers and I don't think I saw any locals while I was dining. Even so, the food was definitely authentic. The cleanliness of the restaurant also gave me the confidence to try the fresh veggies and hurray! No funny stomach business for me 😁

The cons were that the food was on the pricey end, especially considering the portion sizes weren't very big.

Now about these reviews; looks like quantity over quality to me 🤔 I noticed at the end of my dinner that many of them looked eerily similar and the sheer amount that came out in the hour I was there was suspicious. Not pointing fingers at the restaurant but something to consider when choosing a restaurant purely based on the amount...

Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented — from the traditional Vietnamese classics to the creative vegan options, everything was perfectly balanced and delicious. You can really taste the care and authenticity in every bite.

The restaurant has a warm, welcoming atmosphere — clean, cozy, and full of charm. It’s the kind of place that instantly makes you feel relaxed and at home.

The staff were wonderful: friendly, attentive, and genuinely caring. Special thanks to the team for their kindness and professionalism — you made our visit truly enjoyable.

A heartfelt thank-you to Mr. Kevin for his warm hospitality and professionalism. Your kindness, bright smile, and attention to detail truly elevated our dining experience — you made our evening not just delicious, but memorable!

Whether you’re vegan or not, this is a must-try spot for anyone who loves great Vietnamese food. Highly recommended — I’ll definitely be...