Quán Ốc 63 – Crab Curry & Fresh Seafood
63 Nguyen Truong To, Ward 12, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
Recommended dishes: Stir-fried corn with salted egg, tamarind crab, crab curry with bread, and grilled shrimp. I particularly enjoy the Hong Kong-style salt-roasted flower crab/mantis shrimp here; they are cut, lightly floured, deep-fried, and then stir-fried again—reaching about 80% of the quality found in high-end Chinese restaurants.
Experience: Delicious food with a street-side vibe. The oysters and crabs are priced quite high for the District 4 area; on my last visit, the bill was 1.9 million VND for 6 people.
Bien Duong 6 Restaurant – Cach Mang Thang Tam
205 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Ward 4, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Recommended dishes: The best dishes are crab, oysters, and various snails.
Experience: Clean, lively, and hygienic space. If you drink too much, you can leave your vehicle at the restaurant and pick it up the next day without any issues. Very suitable for hosting guests.
Oc Dao
212B/D48 Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Oc Co Mo (Ancient Tomb Snails)
520 Tran Hung Dao, Ward 2, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
History: Located directly within the grounds of the tomb complex of scholar Truong Vinh Ky – Petrus Ky (1837-1898), the editor-in-chief of Vietnam’s first Romanized Vietnamese newspaper, Gia Dinh Bao. Besides the ancient house where he lived his final years and his tomb, there is a small family cemetery for the Truong clan.
Experience: Owned by Mr. Toai for over 20 years, attracting many locals. Since the shop is always busy, the ingredients are very fresh.
Recommended dishes: Steamed blood cockles Thai-style, crab claws or sweet snails with salted cheese, garlic snails, conch curry, grilled chicken feet, and oyster congee with egg. Note: Only pay by cash.