Grandma Lu's Saigon Japan Town

The banh mi was amazing. I brought some back to the Philippines, and it still tasted great almost 12 hours later. The hostel is handy for getting around, close to popular places and massage spots, and feels safe. Rates are cheap, so it seems especially suited to solo travelers. My room was fairly clean, though the sheets had some stains, and the shared toilet and bath were clean too. I did have trouble getting in: I arrived late, had been given the wrong main door code, and the number in the instructions didn’t answer. It took nearly an hour to find another contact on their website who gave me the right code. I hope they update the instructions and contact number for guests arriving late and tired. Even with that hassle, I’d still call it a good place to stay.

I’m here for another month, my fourth month-long stay over the past three years. The little windowless bedrooms feel peaceful and cool, and the shared bathrooms are clean. There’s plenty of hot water in the showers, and what’s not to love about the Japanese toilets?

The chicken and egg Banh Mi was one of the best I’ve had, even compared with the ones I tried in Hoi An, including Phuong Binh House/Madam Kanh. I first stopped in around 9 am on the first day of my Vietnam trip and was glad to see locals eating there. They were swamped with online orders, but the staff kindly took mine quickly. I went back twice and ordered through Grab once too. Loved it every time.

I’m Japanese, and I really enjoyed the Vietnamese Bánh Mì here. The bread was crispy and the fillings tasty. My bill was only 200,000 VND, but I accidentally handed over 2,000,000 VND. The male staff member in the picture noticed straight away and returned the extra money. Honest, friendly service. Highly recommend!