The Bar You Enter Through a Wardrobe — Tủ Bar in Ho Chi Minh City

In a narrow alley in Bình Thạnh district, there's an unremarkable brown wooden door. Push it open and you're standing among coats on a rack. Keep going. Behind the coats is another door — the real entrance.

This is Tủ Bar, one of Saigon's best hidden speakeasies.

Narnia in a Wardrobe

"Tủ" is Vietnamese for wardrobe. The name tells you exactly what to do: walk through one.

Brush past the hanging coats and you'll catch a hint of perfume. That attention to detail shows up in every drink, too.

The owner drew inspiration from The Chronicles of Narnia — children stepping through a wardrobe into a magical world — along with Tokyo's Gen Yamamoto bar and the moody atmosphere of Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

Past the wardrobe is a narrow room with a dozen seats. Dim lighting, low voices. Good for a date, or for drinking alone in peace.

No Menu

Here's what makes Tủ Bar different: there is no menu.

It works on an omakase model. Tell the bartender your mood and flavor preferences — refreshing or strong, sweet or sour — and he builds a cocktail around your answer. Each drink comes with a small bite, maybe scallop with caviar or burdock tempura.

You have to trust the bartender. In return, every visit is different.

Bartender Toàn

Tủ Bar was founded by Phạm Hồng Toàn, a bartender who worked at The Alley Cocktail Bar, Rabbit Hole, and Con Voi Bar around Saigon.

One night a customer walked in and ordered a Manhattan, a Sazerac, and a Czech-style absinthe. They talked for two hours. The next day, over lunch at Pizza 4P's, they decided to open a bar together.

Toàn is exacting about his Martini. Depending on his mood, he picks between Tanqueray 10 (gentler) and Gin No.3 (sharper). Either way, the gin goes into the freezer at minus 24 degrees Celsius first.

"I want to bring back forgotten classic cocktails — presented in a new way," he says.

Solo Visitors Welcome

One guest shared a detail: she came to Tủ Bar alone. The staff noticed, and placed a stuffed teddy bear next to her for company. When she left, they called a Grab to take her home.

That kind of care makes Tủ Bar more than a bar. It's a small escape from the city.

Practical Info

Address: 160 Ngô Tất Tố, Phường 22, Bình Thạnh, Ho Chi Minh City
Price: about VND 300,000–350,000 per cocktail (includes food pairing)
Seats: 13–15; weekend reservations recommended
Vibe: dim, intimate — good for dates, solo visits, small groups

Note: no menu, so be ready to describe what you like in English or Vietnamese.

Sources: The Dot Magazine, Corner