Restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam
Street-price shellfish with back-to-back Michelin recognition.
Two consecutive Michelin Plates at street-food prices make Ốc Vi Saigon one of the strongest value propositions in Hanoi's Old Quarter. This Saigon-style shellfish and seafood spot on Gia Ngư Street suits late-evening dining, casual groups, and anyone wanting to eat the way Hanoi actually eats after dark. Book easy, spend little, eat well.
If you want fresh Vietnamese seafood at street-food prices in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter, Ốc Vi Saigon earns its place on your shortlist. Two consecutive Michelin Plate recognitions (2024 and 2025) confirm what the 4.3-star Google rating across 525 reviews already suggests: this is a consistently well-executed spot, not a fluke. At the ₫ price tier, it is among the most affordable Michelin-recognised dining in the city, and its position on Gia Ngư Street in Hoàn Kiếm puts it within walking distance of most Old Quarter accommodation. For food-focused travellers doing a late evening in the neighbourhood, this is the kind of place that earns a repeat visit.
The name tells you the concept. "Ốc" refers to the Vietnamese tradition of eating shellfish and snails — a category of casual seafood dining that is distinctly different from the white-tablecloth fish restaurants found in higher price tiers. This is the Saigon-style take on that tradition, transplanted to Hanoi, and the format is built around sharing: small plates of molluscs, crustaceans, and shellfish prepared with the bold aromatics that define southern Vietnamese cooking. If you have eaten street-side seafood in Ho Chi Minh City at a place like Anan Saigon, you will recognise the register, though Ốc Vi Saigon operates at a more casual, accessible price point.
The kitchen leans on ingredients that carry their own aroma before a dish even arrives: lemongrass, chilli, garlic, and the fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc) that gives many Vietnamese seafood preparations their savoury depth. These are not subtle flavours, and the format rewards curiosity. First-timers who approach the menu the way they would approach a sharing table — ordering broadly and eating communally , tend to get more out of the experience than those who default to a single main.
Hoàn Kiếm address matters for timing. Gia Ngư Street sits in a part of the Old Quarter that stays animated well into the evening. If you are planning a late dinner after exploring Hoan Kiem Lake or the nearby bar streets, Ốc Vi Saigon is a practical anchor. Hanoi's ốc culture is inherently nocturnal in character , the tradition of gathering over shells and beer after dark is embedded in how the city eats , and this venue fits that rhythm. For travellers using our full Hanoi restaurants guide to plan an evening itinerary, it slots well as a post-walk dinner or a late second stop. Note that confirmed hours are not available in our current data, so check directly before planning a very late arrival.
For a comparable late-night seafood experience in the same neighbourhood, Ốc Di Tú is the most direct peer. Both operate in the ốc format; your choice between them is likely to come down to proximity and availability on the night. If you want a different register of Vietnamese eating nearby, Tanh Tách offers a vegetarian-focused alternative for mixed groups. Across Vietnam, seafood of this quality-to-price ratio is a consistent strength of the country's dining culture , from Bánh Mì Phượng in Hoi An to Rice Bowl in Hue City, the pattern of outstanding value at the casual end holds. Ốc Vi Saigon fits that national pattern with its Michelin recognition as the credential that sets it apart from the wider field.
Solo travellers, couples, and small groups of four or fewer will find the format easiest to navigate. The sharing-plate structure scales well with group size, but larger parties should factor in that this is a street-casual venue rather than a restaurant with private dining infrastructure. Booking logistics are direct given the easy booking difficulty rating , this is not the kind of place that requires weeks of planning , but arriving early in the evening or at an off-peak hour will give you more choice and a calmer room. For those planning accommodation nearby, our full Hanoi hotels guide covers the Old Quarter options closest to Hoàn Kiếm.
If international seafood comparisons help calibrate expectations: the format here is categorically different from the refined coastal cooking at places like Gambero Rosso in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica or Alici on the Amalfi Coast. Ốc Vi Saigon is not trying to do what those rooms do. It is a high-execution casual seafood spot where the value proposition comes from fresh product, bold preparation, and a price tier that makes ordering generously feel sensible rather than extravagant.
Two Michelin Plates across two consecutive years at the ₫ price tier is a meaningful signal. Michelin recognition at this level does not require the formal trappings of fine dining; it rewards consistent quality in execution. For the explorer-minded traveller who wants to understand how Hanoi eats after dark, Ốc Vi Saigon is a more instructive stop than almost anything in the ₫₫₫₫ tier. Pair it with a walk around Hanoi's bar scene and you have a genuinely local evening rather than a tourist-track one. If the ốc format is new to you, this is a well-credentialled place to try it for the first time.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. Walk-ins are likely workable, particularly outside peak dinner hours. The address is 21 P. Gia Ngư, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm , centrally located in the Old Quarter and accessible on foot from most hotels in the district. No confirmed hours are available in our current data; check locally or via Google Maps before arriving late. No website or phone number is listed in our current records. Price tier is ₫, placing it among the most affordable Michelin-recognised venues in Hanoi. For broader trip planning, see our Hanoi experiences guide and our Hanoi wineries guide.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ốc Vi Saigon | Seafood | ₫ | Easy |
| Hibana by Koki | Teppanyaki | ₫₫₫₫ | Unknown |
| Tầm Vị | Vietnamese | ₫₫ | Unknown |
| Gia | Vietnamese Contemporary | ₫₫₫₫ | Unknown |
| 1946 Cua Bac | Vietnamese | ₫ | Unknown |
| Bun Cha Ta (Nguyen Huu Huan Street) | Noodles | ₫ | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Hanoi for this tier.
The concept centres on ốc — Vietnamese shellfish and snails — so lean into that format rather than treating it like a general seafood menu. The Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 points to consistent execution across the core offering. Order broadly across the shellfish selection rather than anchoring on one or two items, and let the price point (₫ range) encourage experimentation.
Yes. The casual, street-food-style format at ₫ pricing makes solo visits low-stakes and easy to pace. Shellfish spots like this tend to be counter- or small-table oriented, which suits solo diners well. It is a practical stop if you are moving through the Old Quarter at 21 P. Gia Ngư and want a Michelin-recognised meal without the overhead of a full sit-down restaurant.
Ốc dining is an informal, hands-on format — expect to work for your food and embrace a lively, casual setting in Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm. Prices sit firmly at the ₫ tier, so this is street-food budgeting, not a splurge. The Michelin Plate awarded in both 2024 and 2025 means the quality holds up, but the experience is defined by the format, not fine-dining trappings.
The menu is built around shellfish and seafood, so pescatarian diners are well served. Vegetarians and those with shellfish allergies will find limited options — this is not a venue with a broad dietary-flexible menu. If shellfish is off the table, a different Old Quarter option would be a more practical choice.
Walk-ins are workable at this style of venue, particularly outside peak dinner hours. Booking difficulty is rated Easy, and the ₫ price point and casual format suggest this is not a reservation-required situation. For group visits during busy Old Quarter evenings, calling ahead — if contact details become available — would reduce wait time.
No specific bar seating is documented for this venue. The ốc format is typically counter or small-table dining rather than a dedicated bar. Solo diners and pairs should find seating accessible without needing a formal reservation at the ₫ price tier.
The casual shellfish format suits groups reasonably well — shared plates are natural to this style of dining. For larger parties heading to 21 P. Gia Ngư in the Old Quarter, arriving outside peak evening hours reduces the chance of a wait. No private dining or large-group booking infrastructure is documented, so this works best for small groups of 2–6 rather than a formal event booking.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
