Eat · Old Quarter
Chả Cá Thăng Long
Turmeric fish fried at the table with dill: the classic Hanoi dish; go early for dinner or at lunch.
- Known for chả cá (turmeric fish with dill)
- One dish, cooked at your table
- Set about ₫150,000–220,000 per person (2026 estimate)
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: lunch
- Queue risk: 19:00–20:30
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Old Quarter pavements are blocked by parked motorbikes an…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Vietnam ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
- Vietnam ↗Crossing streets: walk slowly and steadily; motorbikes flow around you — do not stop or run.
- Vietnam ↗Carry Vietnamese đồng in small notes; many stalls and taxis are cash-only.
- North Vietnam ↗Dec–Feb in the north is cool and damp (10–18°C): pack a warm layer.
- North Vietnam ↗Sa Pa and Hà Giang can drop near freezing in December–January and fog in for days; keep a spare night and do not plan a single-day summit.
- Hanoi ↗Old Quarter pavements are blocked by parked motorbikes and stalls: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Hanoi ↗Around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, streets close to cars on Friday–Sunday evenings; taxis drop you at the edge.
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Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Easiest walk-in
lunch
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Per person
₫150,000–220,000 (≈ US$6–9)2026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- NoVegetarian · Not possible: one-dish fish restaurant. · say: “Tôi ăn chay.”
- Not on filePeanut allergy · Peanuts are sprinkled on the fish at the table: say it before they serve. · say: “Tôi bị dị ứng đậu phộng.”
Paying
- Confirm the per-person price before they light the burner.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Note
- Treat as walk-in unless the venue confirms otherwise.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Bao nhiêu tiền? | bow nyew tee-en |
| Not spicy, please | Không cay | khom kai |
| The bill, please | Tính tiền | ting tee-en |
| Hello | Xin chào | sin chow |
| Thank you | Cảm ơn | gahm un |
| Delicious! | Ngon quá! | ngon kwah |
| Where is the toilet? | Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? | — |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Peanuts and rice crackers on the table: ₫10,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2) if opened — Push them aside if you do not want them charged.
- Wet towels: ₫3,000–5,000 (≈ under US$1) each — Leave sealed.
- Wet wipes and peanuts on the table are charged if you open them (₫2,000–10,000 (≈ under US$1)).
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Confirm the per-person price before they light the burner.
- Tipping: Not expected at stalls or cafés; round up drivers and guides; about 5–10% in upmarket restaurants without a service charge.
At the table
- Eat where the locals queue and the turnover is fast; a busy stall has fresh stock.
- Prices on the wall are the price. Where there is no menu, ask 'bao nhiêu?' before sitting.
Paying, diet and allergies
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianno
Not possible: one-dish fish restaurant.
Show: Tôi ăn chay.
- Peanut allergynot on file
Peanuts are sprinkled on the fish at the table: say it before they serve.
Show: Tôi bị dị ứng đậu phộng.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: caution · The pan sizzles at the table: keep small hands back
- Access
- step-free: check · Restaurant with chairs; tables on more than one floor (check)
Hygiene
- Hot oil at the table: keep children's hands back from the pan.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not on file — Treat as walk-in unless the venue confirms otherwise.
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest
- Diet
- vegetarian: none · gluten free: unknown · halal: unknown
- Getting there
- Đường Thành, west Old Quarter · ~6 min walk
Cons
- One dish only; smoky tables.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Chả cá | Turmeric-marinated fish fried at your table with dill and spring onion. | One portion per person; staff cook it, you add herbs. |
| Bún | Cold rice vermicelli served alongside. | Comes with the dish. |
| Mắm tôm | Pungent fermented shrimp paste, the traditional dip. | Ask for nước mắm (fish sauce) instead if you do not want it. |
Price check
- locals pay
- About ₫150,000–220,000 (≈ US$6–9) per person for the set (2026 estimate).
- tourist price
- Single-dish restaurant: the set is the menu; there is no cheaper local version at the same address.
- rule
- Confirm the per-person price before they light the burner.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Peanuts and rice crackers on the table | ₫10,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2) if opened | Push them aside if you do not want them charged. |
| Wet towels | ₫3,000–5,000 (≈ under US$1) each | Leave sealed. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is there a menu to choose from?
Not really: chả cá is the only dish. You say how many people and drinks; herbs, noodles and peanuts come with it.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Is it good for a group?
Yes: tables with a burner each; say the number of people at the door.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Bún Bò Nam Bộ (Hàng Điếu)1 min walkSouthern-style beef and noodle bowls without broth: a fast, cheap lunch; long communal tables.
- Phở Gia Truyền (49 Bát Đàn)2 min walkBeef phở in the Old Quarter: queue, pay, carry your own bowl; go 06:30–09:00, it sells out.Beef phở in the Old Quarter: queue, pay, carry your own bowl; go 6:30 AM–9:00 AM, it sells out.
- Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư6 min walkBeef phở near the cathedral with chairs and AC upstairs: the easier phở for first-timers.
- Bánh Mì 257 min walkBánh mì stall with a small seating room across the lane: the quick lunch between Old Quarter streets.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Hanoi, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Hanoi in 4 days.
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.