Secret Garden Restaurant — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

The Secret Garden. A Hidden Gem in the Heart of Saigon

The Secret Garden was one of the last places we visited in Saigon, and it turned out to be a truly unforgettable experience.

True to its name, the restaurant is well hidden. When you enter the address into Google Maps, it brings you to an unassuming courtyard; casual, a bit chaotic, and of course, lined with motorcycles (as most places in Saigon are). At first glance, there's nothing that even remotely resembles a restaurant.

Then you spot a small arrow pointing the way, but blink and you’ll miss it. We passed through an unimpressive gate and were greeted by a little old lady cleaning the floor, looking more like someone’s grandmother than a staff member. Still, nothing about the scene hinted at a dining experience.

We followed the path upstairs, winding through what looked like private residences, no signs, no reassurance, just blind faith. But then, the reward: a doorway opens into a charming, rustic rooftop oasis. A true secret garden. The space is filled with greenery, flowers and plants spilling from every corner, hanging from beams and climbing up walls. It feels like stumbling upon a magical hideaway.

The decor is a mix of charming and weathered, cozy and elegant. The vibe is relaxed, the setting picturesque.

Now, about the food. The menus might be a little sticky, honestly, they’ve seen some love, but inside are photos of beautifully presented traditional Vietnamese dishes. And when the food arrives, it doesn’t disappoint. Each bite bursts with layers of flavor, perfectly balanced and memorable. It might’ve been the emotions of our last dinner in Saigon talking, but the entire experience left a lasting impression on all of us.

If you're ever in Saigon, I sincerely recommend hunting down the Secret Garden. Just follow the arrow, trust the stairs, and prepare to...

Echoing what many others have said here, and adding my own thoughts.

We, for one, liked the charm of climbing up the unassuming stairwell to reach this spot’s unique atmosphere and nice views of HCMC. Great first impression.

However, we were beyond let down by the quality of the food, especially given their very high prices. The chicken was dry and tough, and the rice pancake with seafood (which we have loved in every other authentic spot we’ve had this Vietnamese classic) was thin and delicate, lacking in flavour, impossible to eat neatly, and despite its large size… came sparsely packed with only THREE small shrimp. It was kind of comical to be honest, after growing used to Vietnam’s generous portions and great value for over two weeks now.

The staff were nice, and the drinks were tasty, however these positive points were tarnished upon receiving the bill and noticing the same that others have mentioned - they charged for napkins???

This was a shock that I personally have not seen done anywhere else here. Not only did we not ask for these wetnaps, and not only were no other napkins provided, but they don’t inform you of the charge in any way but the line item on the bill. Despite the relatively low additional cost, this is misleading and downright disrespectful to patrons. Credit where due to the staff member who removed the charge when I called it out. Still ridiculous and insulting.

This restaurant has potential, but in its current state, I cannot recommend...

Wish i could give negative stars!!!

Do not go here for food - maybe go here for a quick drink.

This was the most ridiculously overpriced place I've ate at in my entire life.

Had the pork and beef springrolls. They arrived about 30 seconds after ordering - definitely not freshly fried and completely cold. This should have been a red flag.

The taste was underwhelming, to say the least. The pork rolls were basically a split sausage tied to a mini ricepaper rice pouch with nori. The beef ones had multiple pieces of cartilage - unacceptable for a place that somehow managed to garner a positive rating.

Also had the chili and salt squid. Almost completely flavorless and rubbery - no idea where the salt was, and the chili sauce was in a little side bowl that definitely came out of a little yellow bottle (i.e. store-bought bottom shelf stuff). There were maybe four pieces of normal bell pepper in between but zero chili. I'm 99% sure they just reheated some pre-cooked squid and dusted it with a flavorless flour mixture of some sort.

Wife had the prawns - the sauce was the only redeeming thing - but still average at best. These skewered/grilled prawns were not cleaned (maybe that's their style).

Rather just get something from a streetfood vendor. Definitely not recommended and super overpriced!!!

This horrible experience cost us upwards of 890,000vnd.

Don't be fooled by the pretty pictures in the menu! Here's to hoping we don't have food poisoning tomorrow.

AVOID...