Quan Bui downtown, Saigon - review by Rusty Compass
Ho Chi Minh City | eating guide

Independent reviews and recommendations by Rusty Compass. No advertorial, no paid placements and no sponsored content.

Quan Bui downtown, Saigon

| 03 Mar 2019
  • 18 of 28
Quan Bui downtown, Saigon
17A Ngo Van Nam St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
03 Mar 2019

Quan Bui downtown is one of a handful of locations in Saigon's District 1 where you can enjoy authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a cool atmosphere. The Quan Bui concept has been one of the city's great success stories and there are now four eateries in Saigon's District 1 and another in District 2. Danh, the owner, who we recall as a waiter in a downtown cafe, is now one of the city's most successful restaurateurs. We still like the feel of Quan Bui on Ngo Van Nam St the most. Details of the others are listed below.

Note: The information provided in this review was correct at time of publishing but may change. For final clarification please check with the relevant service

Quan Bui's three downtown locations are all interesting and tastefully done. They're some of the best stops we know for quality Vietnamese cuisine in cool spaces. The original downtown eatery is in Ngo Van Nam St - it's still our favourite.

The second, Quan Bui Bistro is located in the former USAID building in downtown Saigon.

The newest arrival, Quan Bui Central is the fanciest of the three and is located in a heritage structure on Le Duan St.

A fourth restaurant, Quan Bui Garden, is located in the expat area of District 2.

The decor in all the restaurants is old world Saigon - a popular theme these days. These are some of the nicest places around town for a Vietnamese meal in a setting with some style.

Here are the locations - we've eaten in all but Quan Bui Central:

Quan Bui Ngo Van Nam

Address: 17A Ngo Van Nam St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Quan Bui Bistro
Address: 1st Floor, 34 Ly Tu Trong St (Cnr Hai Ba Trung St), District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Quan Bui Central - a more upscale feel
Address: 2A Le Duan Street, District 1, HCMC (Corner of Định Tien Hoang)

Quan Bui Garden District 255A - 55B Ngo Quang Huy, Thao Dien, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City

 

 

The original Quan Bui on the outskirts of Saigon's District 1 and is no longer in operation. It became a very popular little Vietnamese eatery for locals, expats and travellers open to exploring the city's periphery. We've been fans from the very beginning.

The owner Danh then decided to take the plunge downtown and turn the tone up a few notches with a new restaurant bearing the same name and an expanded menu. It worked so well that Danh is now one of the most successful restaurant owners in town - with four successful venues. And we still remember him as a waiter in a Saigon cafe. It's a great story.

 

Disclosure
Rusty Compass recommendations are always independent. We list the places we think you should know about, that's it. We've been customers at Quan Bui for years and pay our way. No money changed hands for this recommendation.

Mark Bowyer
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
Support Rusty Compass
Rusty Compass is an independent travel guide. We’re focused on providing you with quality, unbiased, travel information. That means we don't receive payments in exchange for listings and mostly pay our own way. We’d like tourism to be a positive economic, environmental and cultural force and we believe travellers deserve disclosure from publishers. Spread the word about Rusty Compass, and if you're in Saigon, pop in to The Old Compass Cafe and say hi. It’s our home right downtown on Pasteur St. You can also check out our unique tours of Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney at www.oldcompasstravel.com Make a financial contribution using the link below. Even small amounts make a difference. Thanks and travel well!

  • 18 of 28

1 comment so far

Thanks for recommending Quan Bui. We had a great meal, especially enjoyed the specialty pork and Quail egg rolls. The staff were lovely and friendly. This more than made up for a disappointing lunch at Nhà Hàng Ngon / Ngon Restaurant.

  • Cath Sample
  • Ho Chi Minh City
  • Friday, 26 August 2016 16:00