We've been in Saigon for four days, and searching for more contemporary but we great Vietnamese food, we came across this restaurant through trip advisor. It was only about a 10 minute cab ride from hotel, down a major roadway, but turned into a couple of alleys that made us a little wary. It was his beautiful oasis in a darkened street. As soon as you walk to the narrow doorway, there is an inviting serenity. I am a chef by trade, and was able to pick some dishes through our conversation with the waiter. Every dish we ordered was great, as I'm sure almost all the other dishes on the menu would have been. We ordered a softshell crab dish, the morning glory vegetable sauté, the beef hot pot, the fresh spring rolls with prawn, the deep-fried spring rolls, the grilled beef, as well as fried and steamed rice. We also shared a sweet and sour soup, and all of this came in less than $20 per person, including some Tiger beer of course.

Having been to Saigon countless of times, I was satisfied with eating what most locals eat on the streets & markets: pho tai, bo kho, banh mi, cha gio, etc. I wanted a different experience and Cuc Gach Quan was the best choice. The place was cozy, service was friendly and food was authentic! We had tasty softshell crabs, stewed fish, stewed pork with egg & my instant favorite, zucchini flowers. Can't wait for my next visit!

I've been to this restaurant five times now. I've spent a considerable amount of time in Ho Chi Minh and this recent find has been a pleasant surprise.

Pros
- quiet section of the city
- delicious food
- beautiful location
- parking outside
-easy to get a taxi
-good for groups or special occasions

Cons
- It takes a while for your food to arrive, so if you are looking for a quick bite, this is not the place. Today it took 45 minutes before my food arrived. Unfortunately, this is not unusual, so be prepared to wait 45-60 minutes for your food, even if you just order two dishes.

- This also includes drinks taking a while. Today I ordered a ginger tea and later I asked for another, but it never arrived. Earlier this week when I went to the restaurant, it took 30 minutes for them to bring the juice that I had ordered.
TIP: bring your own water, as you might get thirsty waiting for your drink

- The restaurant doesn't always pay attention when taking your order. Their pomelo and mango salad are delicious. However, they come with shrimp and meat. Three times out of five when I ordered a salad, I specifically asked for no shrimp, but alas after waiting 45+ minutes for my food to arrive, it came with shrimp!

- Anyone that has spent time in Vietnam, knows that waiting for your check to arrive can take a while. The first time I ate here, I waited at my table for 15 minutes for the waiter to bring the check - he didn't. Then I went and found the cashier to ask for my check. However, it still took her another 15 minutes to produce the check after I had all ready requested it.
TIP: Don't wait for them to bring you your check, go and ask for it yourself.

Given the price of the meal for one person (average 250 VND - 300 VND) which is inexpensive by western standards, but expensive for Vietnam, I would expect better service. The restaurant does have an extensive menu and as long as you are not in a rush, it is worth checking out as the food truly is delicious. However, don't come here for lunch during the work week, as by the time the food and the check arrive you'll probably need to be back in the office.

We visited last night, full of hopes, thanks to the many positive reviews.
The restaurant is set in what used to be a residential house.
The decor is modern, but we found it lifeless.
The menu is a tome of tens of pages, very difficult to read through.
The staff was clearly untrained, all running around like headless chickens.
After a long time we managed to order our food.
When the drinks (two beers and a coke) finally arrived a long time later, there just slammed on the table and no glasses were offered.
We asked to talk to the owners or manager. None of them were present.
That's when we decided to leave. The first time I decided to walk out after ordering food.
The place is just a farce and I don't think it was our bad luck.
Not recommended.