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Carmen Bar, Saigon

By Mark Bowyer | 22 Jan 2015

4 of 35

Carmen Bar, Saigon - it's rather red inside.
Photo: Mark Bowyer
Carmen Bar, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer
Carmen Bar, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer
Carmen Bar, Saigon - broken up with a little violin peformance.
Photo: Mark Bowyer
Carmen Bar, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer
Carmen Bar, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer

Map

Carmen Bar, Saigon

8 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

+ 848 83829 7699

Map

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Our rating

By Mark Bowyer 22 Jan 2015

Carmen is a curious Saigon live music space. Flamenco - yes in Spanish - is performed by a mainly Vietnamese band. It's surprisingly well done too - at least until the usual set of schmaltz ballads (in English - think Air Supply), kicks in. But schmaltz is all part of the Saigon experience so lap it up. The atmosphere is intimate. This is definitely not a sweaty live music venue. Drinks are on the expensive side for Saigon - in fact, the prices are high by international standards and astronomical in Vietnam. It's a bit hit and miss. Can be lots of fun and this is definitely a unique Saigon night out in a convenient downtown location nearby Lush. Carmen is probably Saigon's most meticulously engineered fire-trap.

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Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass. read more
Twitter: @rustycompass

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