Most bar lists for Ho Chi Minh City point straight to Bui Vien Street, where the music and the touts make conversation impossible after 10pm. For those who prefer a drink without street-side speakers or aggressive PR reps, MELLOW Bar & Café stands as the obvious low-key answer, while eight other quiet bars around it round out a full night of civilized drinking.
MELLOW Bar & Café
MELLOW Bar & Café is a small bar and café that works as a quiet late-night stop in Ho Chi Minh City. Situated in Phú Nhuận District at 152/1 Nguyễn Trọng Tuyển, Phường 8, this spot is tucked deep within a small alley off the main street, which effectively separates it from traffic and neighborhood noise. The compact venue attracts an intimate crowd ✦seeking a focused beverage experience rather than ✦a raucous party. Its small scale contributes to its quiet atmosphere, featuring warm lighting, wood elements, a small bar counter, a few tables, and a small outdoor seating area.
Inside the Alley Sanctuary
To step inside MELLOW Bar & Café is to leave the relentless motion of the city behind entirely. The approach through the alley provides a deliberate buffer against the traffic ✦outside, welcoming patrons into a space where the loudest sound is typically ✦the ice settling into a cocktail glass or the low murmur of quiet conversation. The interior relies on warm lighting and natural wood elements to foster an intimate setting, whether one chooses a seat right at the small bar counter to watch the bartender at work or slips into the quiet outdoor seating area for a breath of evening air.
The beverage program focuses squarely on drinks rather than a full food menu. By day, patrons can order different coffee ✦preparations in a relaxed setting. By evening, the establishment transitions into a cocktail destination, pouring classic cocktails, wine, and hard liquor. Bartenders prepare drinks to order, following customer preferences with a selection of spirits kept on hand for customized drinks. Credit card payments and cash are accepted.
Luu Bar
Luu Bar sits on Phạm Viết Chánh street in Bình Thạnh District, operating daily. Early in the evening, it functions as a relaxed neighborhood bar serving classic cocktails and signature creations like the Smoky Negroni and Hoi An Express, along with spirits, wine, and beer. Later on weekends, its energy shifts as it transforms into a non-commercial electronic music venue featuring house, techno, and disco.
Bar Commune Saigon
In District 1, Bar Commune Saigon occupies the third and fourth floors of a building inside an alley on Thái Văn Lung Street, right within Saigon’s Japantown. Opened in 2021, the venue features a dimly lit interior with murals, an indoor bar, an outdoor lounge area, and a neon-lit staircase. It serves a menu of cocktails in ✦an intimate setting, occasionally hosting regular events ✦with DJs that draw a music-focused crowd.
Khoai
When the night calls for a venue with more distinct architectural character, Khoai in Bình Thạnh District provides a ruin-style concept with eclectic decor across a ground floor, mezzanine, and upper level. It pours about 100 craft beers, both local and imported, alongside wines and cocktails, supported by a kitchen serving Vietnamese and Western-influenced pub food until closing time.
Birdy
For an ultra-intimate counter experience, Birdy sits nearby on Phạm Viết Chánh in a space measuring only 16 square meters. With just eight seats exclusively on stools facing the bar, it focuses entirely on well-executed classic cocktails and vintage or contemporary music, making it an ideal first stop before the room fills up.
Drinking & Healing
Further into District 1, Drinking & Healing occupies the second floor of a colonial-era building over 150 years old on Hồ Tùng Mậu Street. Operating as a speakeasy-style cocktail bar, it features exposed brickwork, high ceilings, industrial lighting, an L-shaped bar, and small balconies overlooking the Bitexco Financial Tower. The bartenders act as healers, crafting classic drinks, bespoke creations, barrel-aged cocktails like the Vieux Carré, and local ingredient preparations alongside gourmet burgers.
Lost – Drink & Chill
Lost – Drink & Chill on Mạc Thị Bưởi Street in District 1 offers a modern, multi-level space with indoor seating and an outdoor rooftop area. It features extensive collections of whisky and gin, signature cocktails, and a food menu, transitioning from a quieter early evening environment to a lively late-night spot with select live music.
La Scène – French Bistro x Listening Bar
For audiophiles, La Scène French Bistro x Listening Bar on Trần Quang Long street in Bình Thạnh District combines a French bistro serving home-style cooking and wine on the ground floor with a dedicated upstairs listening lounge. This acoustic sanctuary features a vintage hi-fi sound system with JBL 4343 speakers, Accuphase amplifiers, and a collection of over 3,000 vinyl records, hosting regular weekend analog DJ sets.
Bà Bar
In Thảo Điền, District 2, Bà Bar brings Vietnamese culinary flavors into craft cocktail preparations on Nguyễn Cừ. Floor staff wear traditional Vietnamese shirts while serving drinks like the signature sour Canh Chua cocktail and toasted-rice Gạo cocktail, accompanied by casual bar snacks like buttery bắp xào sweetcorn amid warm wood textures and electronic house music.
Planning a Quiet Bar Crawl
A sensible evening crawl begins around 8pm in the quieter pockets of Binh Thanh, starting with an intimate counter drink at Birdy, moving to Khoai for craft beer and bar bites, and finishing at La Scène for a vinyl session. Cash and credit cards are widely accepted at most modern cocktail establishments in the city, though carrying some Vietnamese dong is recommended for smaller alley venues and quick Grab hops.
Frequently asked questions
Does Mellow Bar & Cafe accept credit cards?
Yes, Mellow Bar & Cafe accepts both cash and credit card payments.
What time does Mellow Bar close?
Is food served at Birdy?
No, Birdy focuses entirely on classic cocktails and drinks without a food menu.
What is the seating capacity of Birdy?
Birdy is an intimate bar with a physical space of 16 square meters and eight seats exclusively on stools facing the counter.
What music does Luu Bar play on weekends?
On weekends, Luu Bar features non-commercial electronic music including house, techno, and disco with live DJs.
Does Drinking & Healing serve food?
Yes, Drinking & Healing offers a concise food menu that includes gourmet burgers.
Keep exploring
Three more routes through the same streets.
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MELLOW Bar & Café
Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide 🇻🇳 Part 2 | Vintage Shopping, Chinatown, Park Hyatt & Pizza 4P’s
Found by Vadhel Vergara