In the list of Vietnam's ten greatest bars by readers of New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure, Hanoi boasts five addresses, followed by Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hoi An and Phu Quoc.
Tê Bar, Danang
Tê Bar topped the list of 10 greatest bars in Vietnam as a part of Asia’s Finest Awards 2022.
Positioned on the third floor of a building on Nguyen Thai Hoc street in Danang, it was named after the distilled beverage tequila created from the blue agave plant, primarily to the northwest of Guadalajara within the central western Mexican state of Jalisco.
It’s open from 7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. with costs starting from VND80,000-200,000 ($3.4-8.6).
"The bar serves a pho cocktail impressed by Vietnam’s signature beef noodle soup that accommodates most of its herbs and spices like cinnamon, star anise, cilantro and cardamom," Travel + Leisure commented.
Danang, a coastal town in central Vietnam, is well known for Southeast Asia's most beautiful beaches.
Birdy, HCMC
Nestled between a noodle stall and a neighborhood espresso bar on Pham Viet Chanh street in Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City, Birdy placed second.
"At solely 16 square meters, Birdy might be the smallest bar in town and might be simply neglected with no tip-off. With only eight seats at the counter, most visitors select to take a seat outdoors to enjoy Saigon’s nightlife vibe," the magazine wrote.
It’s open from 3 p.m. till late at night with costs from VND80,000-200,000 ($3.4-8.6).
Ne Cocktail Bar, Hanoi
Ne Cocktail Bar on Tong Duy Tan street in Hanoi was third on the list. The bar opened in 2017 and has caught global attention for its signature pho cocktail developed by proprietor Pham Tien Tiep, dubbed Hanoi’s hipster bartender.
The cocktail has been featured by CNN and AFP. It’s open from 7:30 p.m. till 2 a.m. with costs starting from VND100,000-200,000 ($4.3-8.6).
Pasteur Avenue, Hanoi/HCMC
Pasteur Avenue, with a minimum four branches in HCMC and one in Hanoi, secured fourth place.
Headquartered on Ngo Thoi Nhiem street in HCMC's District 3, Pasteur Avenue Brewing Co. is legendary for its craft beer, which mixes American craft brewing and local Vietnamese ingredients, with costs from VND100,000-500,000 ($4.3-21.4).
Nhau Nhau, HCMC
Nhau Nhau cocktail bar, symbolic of Vietnam’s after-work consumer tradition and located on the second floor of Anan Saigon Restaurant on Ton That Dam street in HCMC, stood fifth.
"The bar features a big mural and an indication to not “go dwelling ’til you are drunk” whereas Sixties vinyls frame the curvaceous background. Visitors might be served Hue sake, local beer or creative cocktails together with snacks like banh mi," according to Travel + Leisure.
It’s open from Tuesday till Sunday with prices per cocktail from $5.
Cruising Membership Phu Quoc
Cruising Membership Phu Quoc was sixth on the list. The bar alongside a lengthy shore on the southern island of Phu Quoc has an outside swimming pool and a lounge bar, with costs from VND120,000-995,000 ($5-42.5).
It additionally serves Asian dishes from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is one of the country's top tourist attractions.
Blush, Quang Nam
Blush placed seventh. Covering 1.4 hectares in Ha Quang Bac village, the central province of Quang Nam, the bar is surrounded by vegetation and overlooks the Non Nuoc seashore, only a few steps from the ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage site.
It has an outdoor swimming pool, serving Asian and Western delicacies in addition to operating a nightclub. Costs begin from VND150,000 ($6.4).
Angelina Bar, Hanoi
Angelina Bar in Hanoi’s famed Metropole Resort was eighth.
"Set in a peaceable house inside some of the most luxurious accommodations in Hanoi, the bar serves a menu from cocktails, mocktails, beer to high quality wines in addition to European-style dishes like Australian Wagyu beef tenderloin, French oysters, Scottish cod and pan-fried fatty liver," the magazine commented.
Costs vary from VND340,000-2.3 million ($98-$14.5).
Bamboo Bar, Hanoi
Bamboo Bar within Hanoi Metropole in the capital city, characterized by its thatched roof and wood flooring, was fourth on the list.
That is all-the-time busiest spot within the hotel, with a two-meter-high wartime bomb shelter situated beneath.
It serves mild meals, gourmand ice cream, desserts, fruit juices, coffees, teas and refreshing cocktails with costs starting from VND460,000-580,000 ($19.7-24.8).
Divas Lounge, Hanoi
Divas Lounge in Capella Hanoi Resort, designed by American panorama architect and inside designer Invoice Bensley, on Le Phung Hieu street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter rounded out the top ten.
It is embellished with trunks, opera costumes, and antiques harking back to eras in which artists would gather to apply make-up or chill out in preparation for performances throughout the 19th century’s golden age of opera.
Costs begin from VND180,000 ($7.7).
Photos courtesy of Travel + Leisure