Square One

Similar to Now’s review, a majority of the food was fantastic, but the service was below average for fine dining at the Park Hyatt. Staff were friendly, but they were missing a lead waiter / maître d. No explanation of the menu and only got the value add advice from one of the initial waiters that advised we have ordered enough for our group and the sommelier with his great recommendation for a right bank French wine. The other negative was the kids waiting for their meals for 45 mins for an entree (ciabatta toast) and then one child waiting close to another 45 mins for his penne bolognaise. This was being managed by the Italian restaurant within the Park Hyatt. For the positives - most of the dishes were fantastic. I would highly recommend the lobster noodles, crab soup, spring roles and soft shell crab. Get advice for wine selection from the sommelier - he didn’t try to rip us off at all. Wine he recommended was only under double the price of retail which is great value for fine dining. I would have expected 3x mark up. Unfortunately I don’t check the champagne price and they got me there hahaha. Hopefully the restaurant improves the service and story telling. Some dishes can improve but 85% of our dishes were excellent. Not cheap but it’s Vietnamese French fine dining.

The meal began on a high note with a delightful amuse-bouche, followed by warm, tangy sourdough bread that set the tone perfectly. Among the mains, the seafood fried rice was excellent – fragrant and wok-fried to perfection. However, the true star was the crab and mantis shrimp noodles, which were nothing short of wonderful, boasting a rich, umami-packed sauce that was utterly moreish. To conclude, the dessert was a fantastic sweet finale. The experience was elevated by two marvellous cocktails, each expertly balanced and crafted.

The food and atmosphere of the restaurant are wonderful, but the service is terrible. I visited for lunch. The Vietnamese dishes, adapted to be more accessible for international guests, were visually appealing and delicious. The dessert crepes were exquisite, and it was fascinating to see them cooked right in front of us; however, caution is needed due to the remaining alcohol. Unfortunately, the service was extremely disappointing. The staff was not only unfriendly, but none of the details I discussed over the phone in advance were communicated at all. The warm main dishes were served while we were still eating our appetizers, so by the time we got to them, they were already cold. The birthday plate I had reserved by phone was provided when we received the bill (after we had already finished the dessert, leading to a second dessert being served…). This was the worst service I have ever experienced, especially in a first-class hotel. While this may be one of the top luxury hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, the service at this restaurant is shocking if you have any expectations.

Square One continues to be a restaurant that amazes and disappoints me at the same time. The only reason I keep coming back is for the incredible food quality, it never misses. The Beef Wellington (now cheekily renamed Beef Napoleon to match the French theme) is absolutely to die for. The flavor, execution, and presentation are all top-notch. Just voilà. However, the service is consistently underwhelming. Interactions with staff feel very transactional and cold, lacking the warmth or attention to detail you’d expect from one of the most prestigious hotels in Saigon. There’s no personal touch, no moment that makes the experience feel special. As for the atmosphere, it feels a bit dated and doesn’t quite match the level of sophistication the brand aims to project.

The worst restaurant I have ever been. This is not a French restaurant. They serve salty Vietnamese food and tasteless Chinese food. The meat dish was terrible. I would never visit again even they pay me to eat. Avoid it at all cost. I can’t think of any restaurant worser than this one.

The steamed grouper was tender and flavorful, and the wagyu on the stone was a true delicacy, cooked to perfection. For dessert, the small soufflé was enough to serve three people, a sweet end to a great meal.

I didn’t expect a common Chinese dishes (from my knowledge) on a western style restaurant’s menu, out of my expectations. And it tastes like any fast food restaurant in Hong Kong. Other than that, it is fine.

A nice restaurant with good Vietnamese, French food and seafood choices. The Vietnamese section was impressive to me since we were seated into this section. I noticed there were empty seats at the French food counter section while we were told there was no seats available when we checked in. Perhaps they would not like the area to be full. Anyhow, the sommelier and the Chef at the Vietnamese counter were friendly and we had some nice times or tasting experience.