The Verdict
The Ox not only Ox is the restaurant of Ngô Thanh Hòa, known as Harold Ngo, the winner of the first MasterChef Vietnam, who trained in Australia. It opened in 2020 and works in a 'Viet Contemporary' style: roughly 80% Vietnamese ingredients reworked with modern technique and a handful of imported luxuries, as profiled by LUXUO Vietnam.
Now at 24/24 Đông Du in District 1, the room is pared-back — pale wood, low light, built for intimate dinners. A couple's set menu starts around 699,000 VND per person, and a la carte dishes run roughly 300,000 to 1,200,000 VND. Signatures include snapper in passion-fruit sauce, seared foie gras and the Ox stir-fried pho.
The Kitchen
Chef Ngô Thanh Hòa cooks 'Viet Contemporary' — familiar Vietnamese flavours rebuilt with modern French and Japanese technique. The kitchen sources about 80% of its ingredients from across Vietnam. Plates to know: snapper with passion-fruit sauce, seared foie gras, seared scallops, crispy soft-shell crab and the house Ox stir-fried pho, alongside cocktails and Champagne.
The Room
The restaurant sits at 24/24 Đông Du in Bến Nghé Ward, central District 1, a short walk from the Đồng Khởi luxury strip. The dining room is minimalist — wood, soft light — with a cocktail and Champagne list and space for private events. It serves lunch from 10.30am to 2pm and dinner from 5 to 11pm, with a smart-casual dress code.
Best for a Date or Business Dinner
The Ox suits an intimate date or a client dinner in District 1. The room is quiet enough to talk, the set menus take the guesswork out of ordering, and the contemporary Vietnamese plating gives visitors something recognisably local but polished. Couple set menus start around 699,000 VND per person.
Not For
Not for travellers after street-food prices or a quick bowl of pho on a plastic stool: this is a sit-down contemporary restaurant where a la carte mains reach 1,200,000 VND and the mood is date-night, not casual. Diners chasing cheap, fast Vietnamese should head to the markets and stalls of District 1 instead.
Reservations
The Ox not only Ox takes reservations by phone and online, serving lunch from 10.30am to 2pm and dinner from 5 to 11pm at 24/24 Đông Du, District 1. Couple set menus start near 699,000 VND per person; a la carte runs 300,000 to 1,200,000 VND. Dress is smart casual, and the room also hosts private events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the chef at The Ox not only Ox?
The chef-owner is Ngô Thanh Hòa, also known as Harold Ngo, who won the first season of MasterChef Vietnam and trained in Australia. He opened The Ox in 2020 to cook a 'Viet Contemporary' style, reworking Vietnamese dishes with modern technique while keeping about 80% of the ingredients Vietnamese.
What are the signature dishes at The Ox not only Ox?
Signatures include snapper served with a passion-fruit sauce, seared foie gras, seared scallops, crispy soft-shell crab and the house 'Ox' stir-fried pho. The menu pairs these with cocktails and Champagne. It is contemporary Vietnamese cooking — traditional flavours rebuilt with French and Japanese technique.
How much does dinner at The Ox cost?
A couple's set menu at The Ox not only Ox starts around 699,000 VND per person, while a la carte dishes range roughly 300,000 to 1,200,000 VND. That places it as a mid-to-upper sit-down restaurant rather than a street-food spot, with cocktails and Champagne adding to the final bill.
Where is The Ox not only Ox in Saigon?
The Ox not only Ox is at 24/24 Đông Du, Bến Nghé Ward, District 1, in central Ho Chi Minh City, a short walk from the Đồng Khởi shopping street. It opens for lunch from 10.30am to 2pm and dinner from 5 to 11pm, with a smart-casual dress code and space for private events.
Also in Ho Chi Minh City
Explore the full Ho Chi Minh City dining guide, or compare it with Anan Saigon and Nén among the city's modern Vietnamese tables.