Pandan Leaf Saigon Restaurant & Rooftop Bar — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Pandan Leaf Saigon is not exactly what I would call a local restaurant; it’s actually a tourist spot. The prices are quite high, but the dishes are served in a very decorative and appealing way. Unfortunately, they lack flavor. Compared to a classic Vietnamese dish, I can honestly say they taste like nothing.

What surprised me the most was the absolute absence of any pandan flavor, especially considering they market themselves as a “pandan restaurant.” Pandan has a very strong, distinctive flavor that is impossible to miss. If you don’t smell it, you can be 100% sure there’s no pandan in the dish.

On the positive side, the waitress was kind, professional, and spoke excellent English. I can also say that the place is quite clean.

In conclusion, don’t go there if you’re looking to experience authentic local food or if you don’t want to dine next to a busload of French tourists eating and shouting. However, go there if you’re tired of the taste of local food but still refuse to eat Western cuisine. It’s also the place for you if you want to meet Western travelers, likely from Alpitour tours or...

This was our last meal in Vietnam before heading back home to Australia. We thought we’d take a chance and it was one of the best places for food and cocktails we had been to (if we discovered it earlier in our trip I’d definitely be coming back). We requested to be seated on the rooftop and they took us up, let us to a table overlooking the city w sunset and lanterns (and of course fans on because we were sweating due to the heat). The food was sooooo good, from the delicious pho beef rolls, to the chicken w pandan rice and of course the peppercorn beef (drooling just thinking about it). Cocktails also super yummy and refreshing.

Our waitperson (Ni) was thee loveliest and most attentive I have so far come across. From her menu recommendations, to language tips exchange. She made sure we had everything we needed as well as engaging in discussion with us, sharing knowledge and exchanging stories, she was so kind and really amazing.

I would 110% recommend going to eat here. It’s a...

The food was delicious. They have a good mix of flavourful meat, seafood and vegetarian dishes and a lot of westernish stuff as well for those who might be scared to dive into trying the more authentic stuff. The spice levels seemed to cater to tourists (which is great for me haha but overall a good balance, I'm sure if you wanted to get more spice you could always specify so). We got served by Jessica who spoke perfect English for those who struggle with Vietnamese and might feel awkward with any culture shock. The location is very easy to get to and close to other attractions. It's 4 floors so you can choose the rooftop or a more air conditioned floor.

Overall tasty food, service was great and it's a welcoming environment for tourists (especially those who might not be ready for the street food yet) but don't be fooled if you're reading this and think this might be lame since I mentioned the tourist word and you want authentic stuff because there's def a...