5 Breweries to Check Out in Ho Chi Minh City

If there’s three things I need to survive on a desert island, it’s beer, meat, and cheese. I’m not a craft beer expert by any means, but I do drink a good amount of beer and try to make it a priority to visit as many breweries as possible wherever I am. Ho Chi Minh has no shortage of breweries, and honestly, it’s probably the best city I’ve ever lived in (or been) in Asia for beer. To this day, some of my absolute favorite beers are ones I tried (and drank regularly) at some of Saigon’s most popular breweries. 

In this post, I’m going to walk you through 5 breweries in Ho Chi Minh I think are worth checking out. Not just for drinks and food, but the atmosphere as well. As you can tell from my website and blog’s name, I do prefer IPAs and pale ales, but still do make a concerted effort to try different types of beer. After all… Good beer is good beer. 

Keep in mind that all of the below breweries generally have weekly events going on (ex. Beer tastings, happy hours, tours, etc…), so I recommend checking out their website or Facebook page for upcoming events and specials.  

Do let me know your favorite breweries and beers to drink in Saigon below in the comments! I’d love to hear from you. 

Pasteur Street Brewing Company

Courtesy of Pasteur Street Brewing’s Facebook page. 

I have to start with Pasteur Street Brewing due to the fact that it has my absolute favorite beer in all of Vietnam, the Jasmine IPA – a West Coast style IPA with a floral twist. With Pasteur Street there’s no shortage of locations and tap rooms. The two that I most frequented were their original tap room on 144 Pasteur Street and Thao Dien tap room out in District 2 (their biggest tap room of the bunch). 

Do note that when going to the tap room at 144 Pasteur, there are actually two – their original tap room and ‘Hem’ tap room. The original is much cozier, while the Hem tap room boasts two floors and a rooftop terrace. 

Pasteur Street Brewing is a great meetup spot for dates, big group hangouts, and wild nights out, due to its location and frequent live music. The original tap room is a good refuge for those looking for a more intimate and cozy place to drink.

Besides their Jasmine IPA, I recommend giving their Saigon Saison and Coffee Porter a try. The Saison comes in at 7.2% alcohol and can only be defined as “Vietnam in a glass,” as it combines lemongrass, ginger, and Vietnamese black pepper to give it both a distinct “spicy” and fruity taste. While I’m not usually that excited to drink Porters in the sweltering heat, it is a must in a country with one of the best coffee scenes I’ve ever experienced. Their Coffee Porter comes in at 6.5% alcohol and has hints of chocolate and caramel to it.   

For food, I recommend trying their meatballs and garlic bread, which is surprisingly hearty and perfect for drinking several IPAs on, or their sweet potato, cheese, and bacon tap room fries. All are great for absorbing the alcohol you’re soon to put back. 

Finally, they offer packs and growlers of beer to go, for those wanting to bring their favorite beer home with them. 

My only complaint about Pasteur Street? They close at 12am. But, there’s plenty of fun to be had elsewhere in Saigon.  

Website: https://pasteurstreet.com/.

Address: 

• Original & Hem Tap Rooms: 144 Pasteur Street, District 1, HCMC.
• Thao Dien Tap Room: 120 Xuan Thuy, District 2, HCMC. 
• District 7 Tap Room: 67 Le Van Thiem, District 7, HCMC. 

You can find their complete list of tap rooms here: https://pasteurstreet.com/tap-rooms/.  

Additional Notes: It can be a bit tricky finding the Original and Hem Tap Rooms on Pasteur, due to it being in an alley. The tap rooms at 144 Pasteur are located between a Family Mart and NAMO Tuscan Grill. The original tap room is down your alley and up the stairs to your left, while the Hem tap room is down the alley and up the stairs to your right. 

East West Brewing Company

Courtesy of East West Brewing’s Facebook page.

East West Brewing is exactly the type of brewery I love to go to before a big night out. It’s centrally located, buzzing with excitement, and has one of the “best bang for your buck” steaks I’ve tried in Ho Chi Minh. After climbing the stairway to beer heaven up to East West (a small workout), beer enthusiasts are greeted with a massive, open area, with one bar directly ahead, and the main bar to your left.  

East West is typically buzzing every night of the week. It’s probably no surprise that my favorite beer from East West Brewing Company is their ‘Far East IPA’, a citrus and passion fruit flavored IPA with light bitterness. While IPAs aren’t the ideal beer to be drinking during the day and while out in the sun, this would be the one IPA I posted up outside with, due to its fruitiness and tropical taste.

Other beers of note include their Saigon Rosé, which has been a favorite amongst my friends who don’t traditionally consider themselves beer drinkers, and their Summer Hefeweizen, a standard German wheat ale with a mildly sweet taste. At East West, you can’t go wrong ordering a flight of 4 or 10 beers, due to the numerous rotating beers they typically have on tap – if they have one on tap, I recommend trying any of their sour beers. 

An important note is that East West Brewing DOES serve wine, spirits, and cocktails as well, as I do have several friends who strictly switched to hard alcohol at some point in there lives.  

As I noted above, East West has one of the best “bang for your buck” steaks you can find in Vietnam, with a 300 gram Ribeye coming in at VND $475,000 (USD $20). Sometimes, it can be difficult to have a steak cooked to your liking (in my case, medium rare) in Asia. At East West, there’s no need to worry about that. 

I’ve worked my way through most of their appetizers as well, which I wouldn’t rate too highly. However, their calamari is worth a shot if you’re looking for a smaller dish to snack on. But, it’s all about the beer after all! And, East West Brewery exceeds muster when it comes to beer and atmosphere.  

Website: http://eastwestbrewing.vn/east-west-brewing/.  

Address: 

• 181-185 Lý Tự Trọng, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh.

Additional Notes: I generally recommend it as a first stop before a big night out, due to the great atmosphere and high energy. 

Craving a burger instead? Make sure to check out my post breaking down the best burger in Saigon!

Belgo: Belgian Craft Brewery

Courtesy of Belgo’s Facebook page. 

After doing a sober month (to prove to myself I could), Belgo was the first place I wanted to have a drink at – mostly due to their 1.4L cauldrons of beer and great food. Their 1.4L pitchers of beer are absolutely massive, and even served with a ladle. 

Belgo is a Belgian craft brewery located in the North of District 1, and is perfect for beer enthusiasts looking to get their wheat beer fix. Not only is it the first Belgian brewery in Saigon, it’s the first in all of Vietnam. Upon entering Belgo, customers are greeted by a multi-story, high-ceiling, industrial space, with couches directly in the middle and metal banisters on each side. It’s generally dimly lit, making it an ideal spot for couples seeking out a romantic date spot, and has live jazz acoustics playing weekly.  

Their food is also my favorite of all the breweries mentioned, and was generally my go-to brewery and restaurant when I was in the mood for a high quality tenderloin and some frites – would it be a Belgian restaurant without frites? I also suggest giving their potato waffles a try as well. Belgo does offer incredible weekly lunch sets which are sub-VND-$200,000 (USD $8) for three courses. I also do want to commend them on the absolute best service I’ve had at any of the breweries. 

Now, onto the beer. 

Belgo specializes in well…Belgian beer, so expect great tasting blondes and wits. Their Belgo Wit was my absolute favorite, however, it seems to be seasonal, so was not available at certain times when there. Growing up drinking “Blue Moon” with oranges and thinking I was classy, Belgo is a teenage dream for me, but with high quality, robust citrus-y notes. Other beers to taste include their Belgo Saison, which boasts both a nice tartness and dry finish, and Belgo Blonde, which is a bit more complex and unlike any blonde beer I’ve had before.  

What’s unique about Belgo (compared to the other four) is their ‘Belgo Beer Cocktails’, which incorporates popular beers into classic cocktails. For example, in their ‘Belgo Mojito’, they use their Belgo Amber to replace the soda water used in traditional mojitos.  

Website: https://www.belgo.com.vn/.  

Address: 

• 159A Đường Nguyễn Văn Thủ, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh. 

Additional Notes: Make sure to check out their food pairing chart, which walks you through what beers pair best with your entree. I also strongly recommend trying their BitterBallen ‘Belgian Balls’ – beef stew filled fried balls. 

Looking to extend the night a bit and hit up a great rooftop bar with a view? Make sure to check out my blog post breaking down 9 of the best rooftop bars in Saigon.

Looking to do a self-guided pub crawl in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam? I’ve got you covered! Make sure to check out my craft beer pub crawl guide for Saigon beer enthusiasts!

Winking Seal Beer Company

Courtesy of Winking Seal’s Facebook page. 

Sporting possibly the coolest logo and glasses of all the breweries, Winking Seal Beer Company is what I would call a “sleeper” in Saigon’s beer scene and sometimes overlooked due to its smaller scale distribution and tap room. However, for a brewery which sports 16 unique taps, including 4 nitro beers (along with rotating guest brews), Winking Seal is definitely worth checking out. It’s also located a stone’s throw away from Bui Vien Walking Street, which could lead to a wild night out if that’s what you’re looking for. 

I actually first stumbled upon Winking Seal after going on a self-guided “brewery tour” thanks to a good friend who was in town. In my opinion, Winking Seal is the number one brewery in Saigon looking to push boundaries with taste. While this can result in some strange tasting beers, it’s refreshing to see a brewery taking such chances and pushing the envelope. For example, their nitro stout isn’t exactly up my alley, but it’s highly deviated from the norm and a risk, which I appreciate. 

Mix in several limited edition sours, a Dragon Fruit Pale Ale and Lemongrass Blonde Ale, and it’s pretty clear Winking Seal isn’t your average brewery – it’s a brewery combining both international flavors and ideas with traditional, local Vietnamese herbs, spices, and fruits. Winking Seal also does knock customers on their rump with their ‘One Eye Imperial IPA’, which comes in at 10.1% ABV. The only issue with their Imperial IPA is that it goes down way too easy (that’s not a real complaint by me), which can lead to a bigger night out than expected. 

The downstairs tap room is quite cozy, however they do have a rooftop patio if you’re looking for a spot to drink some unique and refreshing beers on a hot Saigon afternoon. 

I’ve only tried Winking Seal’s sides, and haven’t indulged in any of their burgers, which seem to be a popular item and selling point (ex. Their ‘Signature’ beef burger with Raclette cheese, pepper sauce, caramelized onions, and tomatoes). Of the sides, it’s hard to go wrong with their ‘Naughty Fries’, which are your standard bacon, cheddar, and onion mix and an ideal base for a long night of drinking.    

Website: https://winkingseal.com/.  

Address: 

• 50 Đặng Thị Nhu, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh. 

Additional Notes: If I had to choose any of the following breweries to get a flight from, it would be here. Their tasting flights will range anywhere from VND $95,000 (USD $4) for 2 100ml beers, to VND $190,000 (USD $8) for 4 100ml beers, all the way to VND $280,000 (USD $12) for 6.  

Heart of Darkness Brewery 

Courtesy of Heart of Darkness’s Facebook page. 

Drawing inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s novella ‘Heart of Darkness’, Heart of Darkness Brewery is a fitting homage and one of my favorite breweries in Saigon. If it weren’t for Pasteur Street’s Jasmine IPA, Heart of Darkness’s ‘Kurtz Insane IPA’ would be my go-to IPA.

I’d go so far as to even rank it tied for #1 in my IPA rankings due to its substantial difference in taste and flavor profile. This is a bitter IPA, and as they put it on their website, a “full blown assault on your taste buds.” They aren’t wrong about that. It’s extremely bitter, likely in part due to their use of grapefruit, but I love bitter (and grapefruit).  

Heart of Darkness has two locations: the original Heart of Darkness location in District 1 and ‘Kurtz’s by Heart of Darkness’ in Thao Dien (District 2). The original on Ly Tu Trong is on the outskirts of Saigon’s Japantown, which I recommend checking out for dinner and drinks at some point!  

If it’s not too hot out, I recommend sitting out outside at Heart of Darkness. Or, if it’s hot outside, sit outside and know that those beers are just going to taste that much better…and the dehydration is going to be ten times worse.

Like the aforementioned breweries, Heart of Darkness also regularly has live music along with stand up comedy – having hosted well known U.K. comedian Jamali Maddix back in March of this year (2019).   

I would argue that Heart of Darkness is best grouped with Belgo if you’re looking to bounce around to a few breweries in the same area (Belgo is a bit further North). But, Saigon is easy to bounce around anyways, and you can usually snag a Grab for $1 or two, so no night is off limits.

Website: http://heartofdarknessbrewery.com/.

Address:

• 31D Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Additional Notes: As mentioned above, definitely make sure to pop into Japan Town for a whiskey or beer. Or, head on over to 5KU Station, right across Japan Town’s entrance on Thái Văn Lung to grill and drank some cheap beers.

Honorable Mention: LAC Brewing Taproom & Craft Beer (Permanently Closed)

Courtesy of Lac Brewing’s Facebook page. 

7/31/2020: I’m sad to announce that LAC Brewing has closed up shop. If you’re looking for other breweries and craft beer bars, make sure to check out my complete guide to craft beer in Saigon.

Having just opened directly across the street from East West Brewing, LAC Brewing Taproom & Craft Beer deserves an honorable mention. Note that it used to have a tap room in District 7, but it seems to have moved completely to District 1. 

Before leaving Saigon, I was able to swing by here several times to try out their Mango IPA which a buddy noted was worth stopping by for. It didn’t disappoint. It’s actually far lighter than I expected, and perfect to sip on while soaking in the rays up on their upstairs terrace/patio area. 

This is actually a brewery that I wish I didn’t just discover two months before leaving Saigon, as I think it’s a good shake-up and offers a nice alternative to the often packed and sometimes overwhelming East West Brewery across the street. 

Website: https://www.lacbrewing.com/.   

Address: 

• 172 Lý Tự Trọng, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh. 

Additional Notes: As I’ve only been here several times, I’d love to hear from you about your experiences there!