Weekend Hotspot: Discover the Top 3 Famous Hotpot Spots in Ho Chi Minh City

Delicious, spacious, and reasonably priced – these are the characteristics defining the best fish, goat, or crab hotpot spots that many Saigonese are drawn to.

Weekend Hotspot: Explore the Top 3 Renowned Hotpot Spots in Ho Chi Minh City

Ba Huyen's Fish Hotpot

Almost a Southern tradition, when it comes to hotpot, people often think of fish hotpot – a type of fish found only in the Mekong Delta. That's why most hotpot places in Saigon feature Ba Huyen's acclaimed fish hotpot, known for its outstanding quality.

The fish here is incredibly fresh, as only live ones are used for the hotpot, resulting in sweet and tender fish meat without any fishy aftertaste. The broth is perfectly balanced, with a refreshing taste enhanced by the use of galangal leaves, avoiding any greasy sensation. Fish hotpot is typically enjoyed with Southern specialty greens like bitter herbs, shredded banana flowers, water spinach, and morning glory.

Typically enjoyed with fish hotpot, diners can savor fried snakehead fish dipped in tamarind sauce, grilled snakehead fish with salt and chili, grilled shrimp, various seafood options, all reasonably priced. A hotpot usually ranges from 120,000 to 300,000 VND, depending on the size. If the place is crowded, an individual would spend just over 100,000 VND for a satisfying hotpot and grilled snakehead fish feast.

Address: Ba Huyen's Fish Hotpot has two branches, the first at 87 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, and the second at 10 Nguyen Thong, larger and more spacious than the first, perfect for group gatherings or family outings.

The restaurant starts serving from 10 AM to 10 PM daily.

404 Goat Hotpot

For Saigon hotpot enthusiasts, 404 Goat Hotpot is a familiar spot. The place is always bustling, but the service staff are enthusiastic and ensure minimal waiting time. Normally, goat meat can have a slightly gamy smell, challenging for those unaccustomed, but here, the unpleasant odor is significantly reduced thanks to the restaurant's seasoning technique. The hotpot broth also includes red apples and mushrooms, making it sweet and delicious.

Favorites here include goat tendon and grilled goat meat. You can either grill it at your table or have the staff do it for you to avoid the heat of the stove. Other options on the menu include goat curry, salt-marinated shrimp, stir-fried goat, steamed goat... paired with a sip of beer for a delightful experience.

This is a favorite gathering spot for many friend groups on weekends, but note that the place is usually very crowded. A pot of 404 goat hotpot ranges from 135,000 to 205,000 VND/pot depending on the type. If you enjoy hotpot and other grilled dishes, you'll spend approximately 150,000 VND/person for a meal.

Address: 110A Street 9A, in the Trung Son residential area, Binh Chanh district.

The restaurant is open from 11 AM to 10:30 PM daily.

Phong Cua

Although a bit far from the city center, Phong Cua is a renowned seafood hotpot restaurant specializing in Ca Mau crab, always bustling in Saigon. If you want to have crab hotpot here, after getting a table, you must personally select the crabs for the chef to prepare. The crab hotpot, cooked with bamboo shoots, offers a unique flavor. The crab meat is fresh, but you need to know how to choose to get delicious and firm meat.

In addition to crab hotpot, Phong Cua also excels in other crab dishes such as grilled crab, handheld crab, crab curry… Due to the slow service, it's advisable to make reservations and pre-order crabs to save waiting time when you arrive. Typically, without a reservation, you might have to wait for over half an hour for your food because live crabs take a long time to prepare. With a reservation, you'll only wait for about 15 minutes.

The price of crab hotpot is calculated based on the weight of the crab. Crab prices vary depending on the time (starting at 190,000 VND/kg). An individual would spend around 150,000 to 170,000 VND/meal (depending on whether you choose meaty crabs or tile crabs).

Address: 1019A Binh Quoi, Binh Thanh district.

The restaurant is open from 10 AM to 11 PM daily.

According to Ngoisao.net

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour