Seafood in Ho Chi Minh City ranges widely, from hotel buffets to large restaurants with live tanks, American-style Cajun seafood, and alleyway snail (ốc) shops, with budgets running from about 100,000 dong per person to buffets over 1,500,000 dong. Because the city is spread out, choosing a restaurant far from where you're staying can mean a lot of travel time.
This article organizes 12 seafood restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City that can be booked through the restaurant reservation service “AutoReserve,” by map and area. In addition to AutoReserve's listings, information on each restaurant was checked against its official website, local information sites, Google Maps, and review sites, with sources noted in each restaurant's section (as of September 2026).
*The reservation links in this article are affiliate links (PR). Business hours and prices may change, so please check the restaurant's page when booking.
Which restaurant is close to where you're staying? 12 restaurants by area
①–⑧ in this article are seafood restaurants, spread across central District 1, Districts 4 and 10, Phu Nhuan and Tan Binh Districts near the airport, and Thao Dien to the east. ⑨–⑫ are snail restaurants. The numbers on the map and table match the restaurant numbers used in this article. Tap a restaurant's name in the table to jump to its section.
District 1 (city center)
This central area includes Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi streets, where many restaurants are within walking distance of hotels.
| Shop name | Characteristics | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ① Chài Village | A seafood buffet centered on lobster | For a day strolling Nguyen Hue Street |
| ② Saigon Café – International Seafood Buffet | A five-star hotel seafood buffet | For an anniversary or a special treat |
| ③ The Cajun Cua | Louisiana-style Cajun seafood | For a day you want to eat shellfish by hand, shell and all |
Districts 4 and 10
These restaurants are in District 4, south of District 1, and District 10, to the west. ④ is just across the canal from District 1.
| Shop name | Characteristics | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ④ Hàng Dương Sakura（Hàng Dương Quán Quận 4） | Live tanks and a koi pond. Hot pot with large fish | For families or groups |
| ⑤ Hải Sản Hoàng Gia CN 608 | The District 10 branch of an imported-seafood chain, with VIP private rooms | For a day you want imported lobster or crab |
Near the airport (Phu Nhuan and Tan Binh Districts)
⑥, in Phu Nhuan District, sits between the airport and District 1, and ⑦, in Tan Binh District, is west of the airport — easy to fit into a meal on your arrival or departure day.
| Shop name | Characteristics | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ⑥ Yeebo Seafood Hot Pot Restaurant | Cantonese cuisine since 1990. Seafood and hot pot | For seafood and Chinese food together |
| ⑦ Giang Ghẹ | A large restaurant seating up to about 1,500, with 9 private rooms | For a large group meal |
Thao Dien (former District 2)
This area east of the Saigon River has many expat residences and cafés. It's also walkable from Thao Dien Station on Metro Line 1.
| Shop name | Characteristics | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ⑧ Hải Sản Hoàng Gia Quốc Hương | Renovated in 2025. VIP private rooms and fish tanks | For a stay in Thao Dien |
Snail (ốc) shops
These are restaurants in Districts 1 and 10 where you order shellfish dishes one plate at a time. ⑪ and ⑫ also serve northern-style river snail dishes.
| Shop name | Characteristics | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ⑨ Bếp Ốc Sài Gòn | Garden seating and air-conditioned seating, in a District 1 alley | For casual shellfish in District 1 |
| ⑩ Con Ốc Quán | Northern-style river snail hot pot and stuffed snails | For a day you want to try unusual northern shellfish dishes |
| ⑪ Ốc Bắc | Northern-style, with 60 indoor air-conditioned seats | For dinner on a hot day |
| ⑫ Quán Ốc 379 Vĩnh Viễn | Outdoor seating suited to groups, with pay-by-weight options too | For groups of 4 to 10 |
Addresses and opening hours are summarized with maps in each restaurant's section in the next part.
12 seafood restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City you can book
From here, we introduce each restaurant one by one. Dishes and prices are limited to what could be confirmed through each restaurant's official information and local information sites. Each restaurant's map lets you check its location via “Open in Google Maps,” and you can also copy the address and paste it into a ride-hailing app.
① Chài Village
This seafood buffet is on the 5th floor of the Saigon Garden building on Nguyen Hue Street. Lobster, crab, and oysters take center stage, alongside sushi, sashimi, dim sum, hot pot, and grilled dishes (feature article by Vietnamese payment app Zalopay, July 2024).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For a day strolling Nguyen Hue Street |
| Area | District 1 (Nguyen Hue Street) |
| Address | 99 Nguyễn Huệ, Saigon Garden, 5th floor |
| Business hours (approximate) | Varies by source (confirm when booking) |
| Payment | Cards accepted (review site RestaurantGuru) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.8 (about 10,570 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Various lobster (tôm hùm) dishes
- Sashimi and sushi
- Dim sum
- Hot pot (lẩu) and grilled dishes (nướng)
The buffet costs 299,000–729,000 dong per person (Zalopay, July 2024), while review site RestaurantGuru lists 700,000–800,000 dong (confirmed September 2026). The restaurant previously operated at 77 Nguyen Hue Street, on the same street, and the phone number hasn't changed since the move.
[PR] Restaurant Reservation Service "AutoReserve"
AutoReserve's listed address is the pre-move “77 Nguyễn Huệ.” After your booking is confirmed, head to 99 Nguyễn Huệ (Saigon Garden, 5th floor).
② Saigon Café – International Seafood Buffet
This buffet restaurant on the ground floor of the Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel becomes a seafood-focused “Seafood Buffet” at night. It has 7 live cooking stations and serves over 100 dishes each time (official website).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For an anniversary or a special treat |
| Area | District 1 (Dong Khoi Street, inside the Sheraton) |
| Address | 88 Đồng Khởi, Sài Gòn (ground floor of the Sheraton Saigon — the mezzanine level facing Dong Khoi Street; non-guest entrance at 80 Đông Du) |
| Business hours (approximate) | Dinner 6pm–10pm, lunch 12pm–2:30pm (official website) |
| Payment | No official information available (confirm before visiting) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.7 (1,131 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Nha Trang lobster
- Ca Mau crab
- Raw and grilled oysters on ice
- River prawns (tôm càng), sashimi, and sushi
The Seafood Dinner is 1,588,000 dong for adults and 888,000 dong for ages 4–11, with tax and service charge added separately (official website, confirmed September 2026). The dining room is fully glass-fronted, facing Dong Khoi Street, and the dress code is smart casual. At lunch, it becomes an international buffet.
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Prices are marked “++,” with tax and service charge added. Free-flow wine or beer is charged separately (official website).
③ The Cajun Cua
This restaurant serves American Louisiana-style Cajun seafood: crawfish, crab, shrimp, and shellfish tossed in sauce and spread out on the table to eat (local information site hcmtoplist, April 2024).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For a day you want to eat shellfish by hand, shell and all |
| Area | District 1 (Ly Tu Trong Street) |
| Address | 267 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Thành |
| Business hours (approximate) | 11am–11pm (travel information site Wanderlog) |
| Payment | No official information available (confirm before visiting) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.6 (about 1,700 reviews) / TripAdvisor 4.0 (58 reviews, as reproduced on Wanderlog) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Cajun crawfish
- Snow crab legs (càng cua tuyết)
- Crab stir-fried with garlic (cua rang tỏi)
- Crab fried rice (cơm chiên cua)
Budget is 400,000–600,000 dong per person (Vietnamese travel information site tripi, June 2025). Chicken wings and other meat dishes are also on the menu, so there's something to order even if someone in your group doesn't like seafood.
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Articles from 2023–2024 also mention branches of the same name in District 7 and Go Vap. When booking, specify the District 1 location at 267 Lý Tự Trọng.
④ Hàng Dương Sakura (Hàng Dương Quán Quận 4)
This large-fish and seafood restaurant is in District 4, just across the canal from District 1. You choose your fish from freshwater and saltwater tanks and a koi pond, and the hot pot made with large fish is the signature dish (PasGo, local information site ghiensaigon, July 2026).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For families or groups |
| Area | District 4 (Vinh Hoi) |
| Address | 224 Đường số 48, Vĩnh Hội (back entrance at 229 Khánh Hội) |
| Business hours (approximate) | 9am–11pm (Vietnamese booking site PasGo, among others) |
| Payment | Visa, Mastercard, and e-payments accepted (PasGo) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.1 (about 1,680 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Hot pot with large fish (lẩu cá)
- King crab (Cua hoàng đế)
- Salt-fried mantis shrimp (tôm tích rang muối)
- Straw-roasted frog (ếch lùi rơm): 159,000 dong (official menu)
The menu ranges widely, from sushi and sashimi to tomahawk steak, and the restaurant has 13 VIP private rooms, rooftop seating, and a kids' area (PasGo, ghiensaigon). Budget varies greatly depending on what you order, with one source citing 400,000–800,000 dong per person for a few dishes (ghiensaigon, July 2026).
[PR] Restaurant Reservation Service "AutoReserve"
The official website's store list names it “Hàng Dương Quán (Quận 4),” while Google Maps lists it as “Hàng Dương Sakura.” There are also branches called “Hàng Dương Quán” in District 1 (32-34 Ngô Đức Kế) and District 7, so check that your booking confirmation is for the District 4 location at 224 Đường số 48.
⑤ Hải Sản Hoàng Gia CN 608
This is the District 10 branch of “Hải Sản Hoàng Gia” (Royal Seafood), a chain combining imported-seafood retail and dining, which opened in January 2024. You choose seafood from the tanks to have cooked to order, and there are VIP private rooms and outdoor seating (official Instagram opening announcement).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For a day you want imported lobster or crab |
| Area | District 10 (3 Thang 2 Street) |
| Address | 608 Đường 3 Tháng 2, Diên Hồng (former District 10) |
| Business hours (approximate) | Varies by source (confirm when booking) |
| Payment | No official information available (confirm before visiting) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.8 (649 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Canadian lobster baked with cheese (tôm hùm Canada nướng phô mai)
- King crab stir-fried with charred garlic (cua hoàng đế rang cháy tỏi)
- Flounder sashimi (cá bơn sashimi)
- Abalone grilled with butter (bào ngư nướng bơ)
Across the chain, live seafood is sold by weight in kilograms and cooked on site (official website). Budget is cited at 800,000–1,000,000 dong per person (local information site TopGo, April 2025).
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This chain has over 10 branches in the city. Check that your confirmation email lists the address as 608 on 3 Thang 2 Street before heading over.
⑥ Yeebo Seafood Hot Pot Restaurant
This Cantonese restaurant, established in 1990, is signposted “Seafood & Hotpot.” Seafood is one of its pillars alongside Peking duck, hot pot, and dim sum, and the official website describes the Hong Kong–born head chef as having over 40 years of experience.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For seafood and Chinese food together |
| Area | Phu Nhuan District (Nguyen Van Troi Street) |
| Address | 76 Nguyễn Văn Trỗi, Phú Nhuận |
| Business hours (approximate) | 9am–2pm, 5pm–10pm (official website) |
| Payment | No official information available (confirm before visiting) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.2 (575 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Australian lobster sashimi
- Lobster baked with cheese
- Crab and glass noodles simmered in a clay pot
- Fried rice with scallop and egg (cơm chiên trứng sò điệp)
Located between the airport and District 1, with private rooms available (Vietnamese food site Foody). The budget is around 300,000–660,000 dong per person (Foody, publication date not stated), and the bill includes 10% VAT plus a service charge (an article by logistics company Ninja Van, June 2026).
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This isn't a dedicated seafood restaurant but a general Cantonese restaurant. There are three branches in the city, so be sure to specify the Nguyen Van Troi Street branch when booking.
⑦ Giang Ghẹ
A large seafood restaurant near the airport in Tan Binh District, with a site of over 5,000 square meters (official website). Live seafood from the tanks is grilled, steamed, stir-fried, or served hot pot–style; the restaurant seats around 1,500 people and has 9 private rooms (PasGo).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For a large group meal |
| Area | Tan Binh District (Truong Chinh Street) |
| Address | 680 Trường Chinh, Tân Bình |
| Business hours (approximate) | Varies by source (confirm when booking) |
| Payment | Visa, Mastercard, and e-payments accepted (PasGo) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.7 (approx. 7,040 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Blue swimming crab (Ghẹ xanh) — the “Ghẹ” in the restaurant's name
- Mangrove crab from Ca Mau (Cua Cà Mau)
- Large razor clams (Ốc móng tay chúa)
- Large clams with two adductor muscles (Ngao 2 cồi)
The budget is around 250,000–300,000 dong per person (PasGo, publication date not stated). It's a chain restaurant with branches in Binh Duong and Dong Nai as well (official website).
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There are restaurants with the same name in other provinces. Check that your confirmation is for the Tan Binh branch (680 Trường Chinh).
⑧ Hải Sản Hoàng Gia Quốc Hương
A branch of the same chain as ⑤, located in the Thao Dien area. It reopened after renovation in April 2025, with a dining room that seats over 140 people and VIP private rooms (official website). There are also tanks of live seafood (local information site thaodien.app).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For a stay in Thao Dien |
| Area | Thao Dien (former District 2) |
| Address | 16 Quốc Hương, An Khánh (formerly Thảo Điền) |
| Business hours (approximate) | Varies by source (confirm when booking) |
| Payment | Cards accepted (Foody) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.8 (1,165 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Cheese-grilled lobster (Tôm hùm nướng phô mai)
- King crab stir-fried Hong Kong–style with salt (Cua hoàng đế rang muối Hongkong)
- Grouper steamed Hong Kong–style (Cá mú hấp Hongkong)
- Abalone sashimi (Sashimi bào ngư)
The budget is reported at around 800,000–1,000,000 dong per person (local information site TopGo, publication date not stated). Cooking fees and wet towel charges are extra, and the restaurant is about 500m from Thao Dien metro station (thaodien.app).
[PR] Restaurant Reservation Service "AutoReserve"
This is a branch of the same chain as ⑤. When booking, be sure to specify the Quoc Huong Street (Thao Dien) branch.
⑨ Bếp Ốc Sài Gòn
A snail (ốc) restaurant tucked down an alley off Hai Ba Trung Street. It has spacious, leafy outdoor garden seating, plus air-conditioned seating as an option (PasGo, Trip.com).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For casual shellfish in District 1 |
| Area | District 1 (an alley off Hai Ba Trung Street) |
| Address | 74/7E Hai Bà Trưng, Sài Gòn (formerly Bến Nghé) |
| Business hours (approximate) | 11:00〜22:00（Foody、Trip.com） |
| Payment | Cards and e-payments accepted (Vietnamese booking site PasGo) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.7 (1,257 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Elongated snails stir-fried with coconut (Ốc len xào dừa)
- Snails stir-fried in butter (Ốc mỡ xào bơ)
- Blood cockles in satay sauce (Sò huyết sốt sa tế)
- Clams steamed with lemongrass (Nghêu hấp xả)
The budget is around 150,000–250,000 dong per person (PasGo, publication date not stated). It's in the heart of District 1, down an alley off Hai Ba Trung Street.
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Sources differ on the closing time, listing either 10pm or 11pm. If you're going late, confirm the hours when you book.
⑩ Con Ốc Quán
A small restaurant down an alley serving Northern-style river snail dishes. Rows of wooden tables give it the feel of a home dining table (Foody).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For a day you want to try unusual northern shellfish dishes |
| Area | District 1 (an alley off Nguyen Trai Street) |
| Address | 150/39 Nguyễn Trãi, Bến Thành |
| Business hours (approximate) | 9:00am–2:00pm, 4:00pm–10:00pm (Vietnamese travel information site tripi, April 2025) |
| Payment | Signage indicates cards are accepted (Vietnamese food site Foody) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.6 (715 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- River snail hot pot (Lẩu ốc): 300,000–399,000 dong (Foody's menu)
- Stuffed river snails (Ốc bướu nhồi thịt)
- River snail meatballs (Chả ốc)
- River snail noodle soup (Bún ốc)
The budget is around 100,000–200,000 dong per person (an article by Vietnamese payment app Zalopay, July 2025). It gets busy around 6–7pm in the evening. The second floor has no air conditioning, so first-floor seating is better on hot days (tripi, April 2025).
[PR] Restaurant Reservation Service "AutoReserve"
There's a break between lunch and dinner service. If you're going in the afternoon, check the opening hours first.
⑪ Ốc Bắc
A restaurant serving Northern-style shellfish dishes. A post on the restaurant's official Facebook page (undated) says it operates two branches — this one in District 1 and another in District 3. It has 60 indoor seats and 10 outdoor seats, and is air-conditioned (PasGo).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For dinner on a hot day |
| Area | District 1 (Ly Tu Trong Street) |
| Address | 35 Lý Tự Trọng, Sài Gòn (formerly Bến Nghé) |
| Business hours (approximate) | 11:00am–10:00pm (the restaurant's official Facebook page) |
| Payment | Cards and e-payments accepted (PasGo) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.5 (378 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Boiled snails (Ốc mít luộc)
- Sea snails stir-fried with corn (Ốc hương xào bắp)
- River snail meatballs steamed in bamboo tubes (Chả ốc hấp ống nứa)
- Razor clams in passion fruit sauce (Ốc móng tay sốt chanh dây)
The budget is around 100,000–200,000 dong per person (PasGo, publication date not stated). Some articles describe the District 3 branch as Northern-style with mild spice (Zalopay, July 2025).
[PR] Restaurant Reservation Service "AutoReserve"
On sites like Foody, this Ly Tu Trong branch is listed under the name “Ốc Bắc 2.” The other branch is in District 3 (351 Nguyễn Thượng Hiền), so check that your reservation is for the District 1 branch.
⑫ Quán Ốc 379 Vĩnh Viễn
A restaurant with spacious outdoor seating lined with wooden tables and chairs, well suited to groups of 4–10 (local information site saigonesebaguette, February 2026).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Good for | For groups of 4 to 10 |
| Area | District 10 (Vinh Vien Street) |
| Address | 379 Vĩnh Viễn, Diên Hồng (formerly District 10) |
| Business hours (approximate) | Varies by source (confirm when booking) |
| Payment | Signage indicates cards are accepted (Foody) |
| Rating (checked September 2026) | Google Maps 4.4 (664 reviews) |
Signature dishes and ingredients
- Snails in salted egg sauce (Ốc sốt trứng muối)
- Snails stir-fried in garlic butter (Ốc xào bơ tỏi)
- Shellfish in tamarind sauce (Sốt me)
- Egg fried rice with shrimp, squid, and scallops (Cơm chiên hoàng bào)
Steamed shellfish runs 80,000–150,000 dong per kg, and crab or blue swimming crab 400,000–700,000 dong per kg; for four people ordering 6–8 dishes, the total comes to roughly 800,000–1,500,000 dong (saigonesebaguette, February 2026). That's on the higher end among the snail restaurants in this article.
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Opening hours vary widely between sources. Noting your intended time when you book helps avoid mix-ups.
Buffets, seafood sold by weight, and snail restaurants — how do ordering and budget differ?
Seafood restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City fall into three types — fixed-price buffets, restaurants that sell seafood by weight, and snail restaurants where you order dish by dish — and how you order and budget differs between them.
A “++” on a buffet price means tax and service charge are extra
Hotel buffets sometimes list “++” after the price. This means tax and a service charge are added on top; ②'s Saigon Café, for example, is listed as “1,588,000 dong++” (official website).
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1,588,000đ++ | Tax and service charge added separately |
| net／đã bao gồm VAT | Tax-inclusive price |
| VAT 10% | VAT |
| phí phục vụ | Service charge |
As with ⑥'s Yeebo, some ordinary city restaurants also add VAT and a service charge to the bill (an article by logistics company Ninja Van, June 2026).
For seafood sold by weight, the cost depends on the per-kg price and cooking fee
At restaurants with live tanks, you choose your seafood, it's weighed, and the price is calculated per kilogram. As with ⑧, some restaurants add cooking fees and wet towel charges on top (local information site thaodien.app). Here are the seafood names that appear on menus.
| Vietnamese | Seafood |
|---|---|
| tôm hùm | Lobster |
| cua hoàng đế | King crab |
| ghẹ | Blue swimming crab |
| cua Cà Mau | Mangrove crab from Ca Mau |
| cá mú | Grouper |
| bào ngư | Abalone |
| tôm tích／tôm tít | Mantis shrimp |
At snail restaurants, order dish by dish
At snail restaurants, you order dish by dish by combining a shellfish name with a cooking method. At Northern-style restaurants like ⑩ and ⑪, there are also dishes that turn river snails into hot pot or meatballs (Foody, PasGo).
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ốc hương | Whelks |
| ốc len | Elongated snails |
| ốc móng tay | Razor clams |
| nghêu | A type of clam |
| sò huyết | Blood cockles |
| xào bơ tỏi | Garlic butter stir-fry |
| sốt trứng muối | Salted egg sauce |
| hấp xả | Steamed with lemongrass |
If you can't handle spice, adding “không cay” (not spicy) will get the message across.
Five things to check on the bill before paying
Checking the following points on your bill in advance will help you avoid surprises when paying.
- Whether the weight and per-kg price of any seafood sold by weight are listed
- Whether the bill includes dishes or drinks you didn't order
- Whether a wet towel charge or cooking fee has been added
- Whether service charge or VAT is added separately
- Whether cards are accepted
For how to think about tipping, seeour article on tipping in Vietnam: typical amounts and how to hand it over, and for cash on hand, seeour article on how to exchange money in VietnamThis is covered in more detail here. If table manners during the meal are a concern, seeVietnamese dining etiquetteis also worth a look.
Choosing by budget and occasion
Even among seafood restaurants, the right choice depends on your budget and who you're dining with. Here are four examples of how to choose, based on price, private rooms, and menu range.
For a special occasion, take your time at a buffet
For an anniversary or your last night of the trip, a buffet is an easy choice since you don't have to worry about the price of each dish. At ②, tax, service charge, and the free-flow drink option are extra.
- ② Saigon Café: Seafood dinner, 1,588,000 dong++ per adult (official website)
- ① Chài Village: Lobster-centered buffet, 299,000–729,000 dong per person (Zalopay, July 2024)
For large groups with family or coworkers
For a large group, a big restaurant with plenty of private rooms is the more comfortable choice. Be sure to note your group size and private-room preference when you book.
- ⑧ Giang Ghẹ: seats about 1,500, 9 private rooms (PasGo)
- ④ Hàng Dương Sakura: 13 VIP private rooms (PasGo)
- ⑨ Hải Sản Hoàng Gia Quốc Hương: seats over 140, VIP private rooms available (official website)
For days when someone wants something other than seafood
If someone in your group isn't keen on seafood, a restaurant that also offers meat dishes or Chinese food makes things easier.
- ③ The Cajun Cua: also has meat dishes like chicken wings
- ⑥ Yeebo: a Cantonese restaurant that also serves Peking duck and dim sum (official website)
- ④ Hàng Dương Sakura: also serves sushi and even tomahawk steak (PasGo)
For a casual evening at a snail restaurant
Since you can order dish by dish at snail restaurants, they also work well for a small dinner or a second stop of the evening.
- ⑨ Bếp Ốc Sài Gòn: an alley in District 1, 150,000–250,000 dong per person (PasGo)
- ⑪ Ốc Bắc: District 1, 100,000–200,000 dong per person (PasGo)
- ⑩ Con Ốc Quán: Northern-style river snail dishes (Foody)
Ride-hailing apps are convenient for getting around the city. For how to use them, seeour article on how to use ride-hailing apps in Vietnamwhich walks through the steps.
How booking through AutoReserve works
AutoReserve is a service that lets you search for and book restaurants around the world in Japanese. For most restaurants in Vietnam, bookings are made as a “reservation-by-proxy,” where AutoReserve contacts the restaurant on your behalf to secure a table.
The difference between an instant booking and a booking on request
| Method | How it works | When it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Instant booking | For restaurants connected to AutoReserve, you book instantly by checking available seats | Confirmed the moment you book |
| Booking on request | For restaurants that mainly take phone reservations, AutoReserve contacts them on your behalf to check availability | You're notified of confirmation by email or in-app notification once the restaurant replies |
This proxy reservation service takes time while waiting for the restaurant's reply. Once you know the date you want to go, it's safest to submit the request by the day before.
4 steps from booking to your visit
- Open the restaurant on AutoReserve and request a booking with your date, time, and party size
- For a booking on request, AutoReserve contacts the restaurant to check availability (not yet confirmed at this point)
- You'll receive a "booking confirmed" notice by email or app notification
- Show up at the restaurant on your reserved date and time
A reservation isn't always guaranteed
- A booking may not go through if the restaurant is fully booked, among other reasons
- Due to relocations or multiple branches, the address listed on AutoReserve may differ from the actual one. Please check the address in your booking confirmation
- Business hours and closing days may change, so please check the restaurant's page for the latest information
Frequently asked questions
Summary
Seafood in Ho Chi Minh City ranges from District 1 buffets and Cajun seafood, to large local restaurants in Districts 4 and 10, banquet-style restaurants near the airport, imported-seafood restaurants in Thao Dien, and snail restaurants down back alleys — choosing by area and budget makes it easier to decide. At restaurants that sell seafood by weight, the basic rule is to check the weight, per-kg price, and cooking fee before ordering.
All 12 restaurants covered in this article are listed on AutoReserve. For restaurants where relocations or multiple branches call for caution, we've added a note under that restaurant's entry. As for which area to stay in,Our article comparing Ho Chi Minh City hotels by area, and for the city's sights, seeHo Chi Minh City sightseeing guide.
