Hoi an Odyssey Hotel

Luxury Hotel and Spa

Entry-header image

Tag: bar

The Son Bistro Hoi An

Bar, Restaurant, Vietnamese

The Son Bistro Hoi An is one of my new favourite places to sit in Old Town to do work, have a beer, and watch the masses of Hoi An Tourists pass by. It is on the small street in the middle of Old Town that leads down to The Hoianian, and so, as The Hoianian is often busy outside and their WIFI sometimes too bad to work, I sit outside here instead. The street gets quite busy, especially at weekends, and so there is plenty of opportunities for good quality people-watching. It can also get quite busy here too after 5 pm so get there early if you want to guarantee a prime spot.

The Son Bistro Hoi An is a family owned place, and the husband and wife team that run it are very friendly and are often around in the evenings talking to customers. The staff here are also very friendly and the service is quick and reliable even when you are sitting outside. There is also an inside section, which is very pretty and cozy, but I have to be honest, I have never sat in there; the outside is just too nice a place to sit. They also have an aircon section upstairs if you are feeling hot after a hard day’s walking, but I have never even ventured upstairs as I don’t really like sitting in aircon too much. When the weather is nice they a have a good selection of tables to sit at outside, both high and low, so this is where I prefer to spend my time. I do prefer the regular height tables, though, as the low tables are difficult to work at with a laptop, but all give a great view of the passing throngs of people.

They also often have a couple of musicians playing music in the evening which gives the place a lovely relaxing feel and has even prompted some people to start dancing in the street on occasion. Not me, though, obviously :).

One final thing that I really like about The Son Bistro, which not everyone would look for in a review of a bar or restaurant, is their toilets. It may not be important to everyone, but it is to me. The toilets are spacious and clean and almost “inviting”, if that’s a word you can use with toilets. Obviously I wouldn’t recommend going here just to experience the toilets, and I don’t have to when it has so much else gong for it, but it’s nice to know they’re there.

The Son Bistro Hoi An busy night outside
The Son Bistro Hoi An inside sofa

The Food

As with most places I sit at, and work, and watch the world go by, I haven’t really eaten here, and so don’t have much of an opinion on the food. I did, however, eat here once, as my friend and I were both a little hungry and wanted some snacks. He went for the seafood noodles, and I went for the beef skewers. Although not the cheapest food around, the price wasn’t too bad for being in the centre of Old Town. I think the noodles were about 130,000 VND and my skewers around 110,000 VND or something like that. I can’t comment on the noodles, but my friend said they were quite good, and my skewers, while a little small, were tasty, and the sauces that accompanied them were good. I would certainly consider eating here again, even if just for something small again, as the quality was good.

The Son Bistro Hoi An Beef skewers
The Son Bistro Hoi An seafood noodles

The Drinks

The Son Bistro Hoi An has a good selection of drinks from cocktails, to wine, to draught beer, as well as a welcome selection of teas and coffees and soft drinks, and the prices aren’t too bad. There is something for everyone here, and so a good place to sit for a drink with a large party with eclectic taste.

For me, though, the beer is the real hero here. As well as some solid craft beers from the local 7-Bridges brewery, they also offer Huda on draught. Not only that, but they also offer the draught Huda as a Happy Hour special. The Happy Hour might not be the best around, as it only offers buy 2 get 1 free, but it is reasonable for draught beer, and is also generously lengthy–I believe it runs from 2pm to 7pm, although I will have to check that again.

Overall, The Son Bistro Hoi An is a place I like to spend time, and is a place I go to regularly (probably a little too regularly) and would recommend it as a welcome pitstop on your tour around Hoi An Old Town. Maybe even make it your destination for dinner. I haven’t yet, but I may well do soon.

Directions

As mentioned before, it is in a prime spot, just up from the river on Le Loi street, which has The Hoianian on the corner.

See all Bar Reviews

The 3 Dragons Pub Hoi An

Bar, Restaurant

The 3 Dragons pub in Hoi An is what you might call a “local” pub to the hotel, and one which I often visit when I want to do some work with a pint of Huda. Although officially a sports pub, and they do certainly have plenty of TVs that show a wide variety of sports at all hours of the day, one of the things I like best about the 3 Dragons is the riverside terrace.

The 3 Dragons pub is basically an old shophouse that has been converted to a pub and extended through to include the shophouse at the back to reach the river. This makes it quite narrow and long, but also a pub of rapidly changing style and atmosphere. When you first walk into the 3 Dragons, you are met with the overwhelming sense of sport’s bar. There are high tables and stools on both sides of the entrance, all trained towards the day’s sports event, which is often either Aussie rules football, rugby, cricket, or premier league football. If you’re a sports’ fan, this is an absolute mecca for you, as they have enough TVs to show what you want, if they have it, and are willing to stay open late for the big occasions. If you are not a sports’ fan, though, and can think of nothing worse than sharing space with some half-drunken footie fans, then please don’t walk out upon first glance, as this pub has a lot more to offer than just the sports. It just takes a few more steps.

Once you have passed the gauntlet of possible sports’ fans at the entrance, the inside part of the pub, that is still primarily aimed at sport’s lovers, tends towards the cosier side. From the hard-core stools and tall tables that typify the avid fan at the entrance, once you have walked past the bar on the left, the seating becomes more comfortable, with booth-like areas featuring larger tables and comfier sitting areas, but all still well within sight of a TV, so you won’t miss any of the sport. This area also has a pool table, which might seem a bit of an afterthought here, but can be huge if you like pool, and have someone to play.

If you continue walking, the 3 Dragons pub changes yet again. From a bar with the atmosphere and feel of an Australian sport’s bar, you now venture into the outside area, which is also broken into two parts: The first is a covered terrace on the back of the shophouse with tables that are perfect for dinner or sitting with a beer, and is surprisingly quiet considering the sports events happening only a few metres away. There is a view of the river from here, and it really is a lovely spot to sit and have dinner. But if you walk through the open gate, straddled by the old stone walls, you can sit in the uncovered outside area. The tables and chairs here are typical pub garden fair, but they are perfect for sitting and having a beer, or writing articles about pubs, and having a beer. I have to admit that I am writing this while having a pint of Huda by the river at the 3 Dragons pub. It is a lovely spot with views of the bridge and the main river running through Hoi An, and provided the weather permits, it is not too bad a place to sit and work at all. Actually, now I come to think of it, the word “views” doesn’t really cut it. The outside seats at the 3 Dragons stretch from the edge of the terrace to literally the edge of the river, so it is a view in the same sense that a back garden is a view from the house. If you are looking for somewhere to sit and have a quiet drink by the river, then this part of the pub is hard to beat, and is the place I spend 99% of my time when at the 3 Dragons. But, hey, if you are hankering for sports, the other side is cool too.

The 3 Dragons Food

I have only eaten here a few times to be fair, but the food on offer is hearty and varied. If you are looking for some good old-fashioned pub grub then this is probably your place. They offer your standard pub food like burgers and pasta, but they also seem to have a speciality in chicken schnitzels with varying toppings. I have to say that I have become rather partial to the Chicken schnitzel with curry sauce and mashed potatoes. At a price of 170,000 VND it is rather good. They also have some Vietnamese/Asian dishes on the menu now, which look quite good but I have not personally tried yet.

I also seem to have tried their chicken burger a couple of times, and it is rather impressive in size, being basically a chicken schnitzel in a bun. They have a couple of versions of the chicken burger, I think, as one certainly came with bacon, which is always a positive addition. It’s good with fries, but even better with fries and gravy. I mean, who doesn’t like gravy on their fries?

Their menu is certainly more varied now than it was before and the food is of a good quality, so I am happy to recommend it to anyone who is looking for some comfort food and not authentic Vietnamese dishes. This is perfect beer food and who doesn’t want a pizza style chicken schnitzel after a few pints of Huda?

The 3 Dragons Drink

The 3 Dragons, like many places here and elsewhere, boasts a happy hour from 4pm to 6 pm everyday. This happy hour will entitle you to cheap Huda beer (a light tasty beer from Hue) for 40,000 VND per pint at time of writing, and a buy 1 get 1 free offer on some cocktails. I personally like the Huda beer so it’s perfect for me, but if you are not a beer drinker, I am sure you could find a gin and tonic or negroni to enjoy by the river, and then get another one for free. What’s not to like?

Let’s be honest here though. While the 3 Dragons has quite a wide drinks selection and it is very reasonably priced compared to many other places, this is not why you would come here when on holiday. You come here because sitting outside by the river is a beautiful place to be, and if you can get a cheap pint of Huda, or a half priced vodka orange while you are there, then that’s just gravy.

How to Get to the 3 Dragons Hoi An

The 3 Dragons pub is just over the bridge from the hotel, but of course Google shows you the quickest, but not the best, way to walk there. If you want to walk by the river instead, then check out how to walk to Old Town. Either way, it’s not much more than 12 minutes of brisk walking. Now that’s what I call a local.

3 dragons pub hoi an directions from hoi an odyssey

All views and opinions are my own and do not reflect the official viewpoint or recommendation of Hoi An Odyssey Hotel.

The Market Bar, Hoi An

Bar, Restaurant

(AKA The Market Terrace, Hoi An)

The Market Bar (or is it The Market Terrace? I ‘m not really sure) in Hoi An is what you might call a “local” from Hoi An Odyssey Hotel. It takes a paltry 11 minutes of walking to get there and is basically as close as you can get to the hotel while still being officially in Old Town. On it’s own, this would be a good thing, but it could, of course, be seriously let down if the place struggled to hold up its end of the quality bargain. Thankfully, for everyone involved, the Market Bar holds up its end, and then some. My only criticism of the Market Bar would be that people could easily walk past it without even realising it is there. And that would be a crying shame.

The Market Bar, Hoi An, is a wonderfully atmospheric rooftop bar and terrace (hence the naming confusion) with good food and even better drinks. It is not a huge place, boasting just a few sofas, a seated dining table and rows of balcony “bar seats” overlooking the street below, but what it lacks in size, it most certainly makes up for in character. It is a delightfully moody place with music to match. Whoever is in charge of the playlists is certainly in sync with my taste of bar music. While the music does change, it tends to be a fantastic blend of funky house beats, light jazz, and even some classic rock seamlessly thrown in. Last time I was in there, I even heard a couple of Disney classics. I’m not sure if it was planned, but it was done so well that it seemed to fit perfectly with the rest of the set.The music here might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I don’t think many people would walk away complaining about it.

Market bar terrace hoi an dining table restaurant

The Food

The food in Market Bar is not extensive. It is not a huge menu, but once you know what they serve, you are quite happy to go back just for that. There is no secret that this place is aimed at westerners, and probably more at expats than tourists (that’s probably why it is so well hidden), and this is evident in the type of food. There is no Vietnamese food here, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them a chance.

The Market Bar menu is kind of split into two halves: The first half is the menu of Phuong’s fish and chips, which offers both dine in and delivery menus of fish and chips, chicken and chips, sausage and chips, and possibly other things…with chips. I have to admit, the battered fish is fantastic, and as an Englishman, that is not said lightly. The fish is perfectly cooked, and meaty, which is great after trying some of the battered mush in other places, and the batter is light and crunchy. The chips, which I believe are double fried, are also good. Some people might find them a little oily because of the double frying, but the taste is well worth the added oil. More often than not, you will get a free miniature portion of the chips when you order a drink, and I challenge you not to buy more.

The second half of the menu is where things are taken up a notch. Between the cerviche and the meat and cheese platters, they have everything needed for a romantic meal of sharing and picking, even if you’re on your own or with a group of seven. My only criticism of the platters would be that the bread can be a little hit and miss at times. Sometimes it is perfectly fresh and fantastic, while other times, it can feel a a day or two old. It’s a small criticism, and when you have a chunk of brie and a slice of parma ham slapped on it, it no longer seems much of an issue, but I am trying to be fair here. There is one thing that makes any discussion of bread-freshness a completely non-point, though, and that is the baked Vietnamese camembert. The Market Bar baked Vietnamese camembert is a force unto itself and is something that should definitely not be missed. It’s not cheap to be fair, I think at time of writing it is about 200,000 VND ($8-ish), but it’s a whole bloody camembert. And it’s baked. And it is…well just trust me and try it. The only problem is that it demands a nice bottle of red to accompany it…or is that just me? I guarantee it won’t last long (the camembert not the wine).

Did I mention that they also do wine? Now don’t get me wrong, red wine is probably my favourite drink in the world, and while I always have a glass (or bottle) of red when I order the platters (it just seems right), where the Market Bar really shines, is their gin and tonics:

The Drink

At the time of writing, the Market Bar, Hoi An, offers a happy hour on the drinks between 4 pm and 6 pm. This makes their San Miguel beers about 50,000 VND, but more importantly, their large selection of fish bowl gin and tonics are also only 50,000 VND. If you like gin and tonic then you simply have to visit the Market Bar. They have infusions and flavours that you will never have heard of, nevermind tried. From the simple “hint of negroni”, to “mint and chocolte nibs”, to “orange and hibiscus” and they’re just the ones I can remember. Trust me, they have a lot. Their choice of other drinks is a little more limited, but if you like gin and tonics you will be in second heaven. Even after happy hour the prices only go up to about 100,000 VND or something, and these aren’t called “fish bowls” for nothing, you could swim a small family of carp in these bad boys. (in case you didn’t know, they are called fish bowls because they are made in large “fish bowl” type red wine glasses). My favourite of the fish bowl gins is probably the orange and chocolate nibs, probably because I could chew on those little chocolate nuggest for days. It is a drink and a snack rolled into one. Be wary of the chilli gin though, it is not for the faint hearted and just a little too spicy for a drink in my opinion.

While the prices are not the cheapest in town, the location, food, drink, and service of the Market Bar make it a must-visit in Hoi An if you have the time. The service is impeccable, and the views of the streets below are wonderful for people watchers like myself. There are certainly few places in Hoi An, if anywhere, that have the atmosphere and ambience that Market Bar delivers.

This is one of my favourite places in Hoi An and one of my regular places. I feel lucky to have it so close to the hotel and I would advise you to at least give it a try, even if it’s just for a happy hour gin.

How to Get There

The Map

The Directions

  1. Choose your method of getting to the bridge, and cross the bridge into Old Town
  2. Take the first left
  3. Look for a sign on your right just after the turn
  4. Face the market building on your right
  5. Go up the stairs on your right
Market bar terrace hoi an sign
market bar terrace hoi an market