Eat · Ancient Town west (Covered Bridge end)
Bale Well (Giếng Bá Lễ)
A lane restaurant by one of Hội An's old wells that serves one set menu — bánh xèo, lemongrass pork skewers, spring rolls and greens you roll yourself in rice paper; go at 17:00–18:00 before the evening queue and bring an appetite.
- One set menu
- Roll it yourself
- Go before 18:00
- Order: Bánh xèo and nem lụi set, rolled yourself
- Tables and stools
- Walk-in window: 10:30–12:00
- Queue risk: 18:30–20:00
- Bring cash
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Order tailored clothes on your first day in town
- 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.
- Central Coast ↗September–December is typhoon and flood season on this coast: build a spare day into any plan and check the storm forecast before booking boats, passes or beach nights.
- Hoi An ↗Order tailored clothes on your first day in town: a good tailor needs 24–48 hours and at least one fitting before the final piece.
- Hoi An ↗October–November: the riverside streets flood most years; check the forecast and your hotel's street level before booking.
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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
10:30–12:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
₫120,000–180,000 (≈ US$5–7)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; the set is pork and shrimp. · say: “Tôi ăn chay.”
- NoHalal
- AskPeanut allergy · The dipping sauce is peanut-based: ask for fish sauce instead. · say: “Tôi bị dị ứng đậu phộng.”
Paying
Bring cash
- Count the plates that arrive and ask the price of extras before eating them.
- Cash; ask about cards.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Note
- Treat as walk-in; large groups can ask by phone (check).
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 |
| Too expensive | Đắt quá | dat kwah |
| Not spicy, please | Không cay | khom kai |
| 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? | — |
Portions and sharing
- Sit down: the set arrives without ordering. Say how many people.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Lay a rice paper, add greens, a piece of bánh xèo and a skewer (pull the stick out), roll it tight and dip in the peanut sauce.
- Ask whether extra plates are charged before accepting refills.
- Wet wipes and peanuts on the table are charged if opened (₫2,000–10,000 (≈ under US$1)).
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 5–10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Count the plates that arrive and ask the price of extras before eating them.
- Cash; ask about cards.
- Tipping: Not expected at stalls; tip boat rowers and guides a little; round up drivers.
At the table
- Ask prices at the market counters and riverside restaurants before sitting.
- Seafood by weight: agree the price per 100 g or per kilo, and see the fish weighed.
- Busy stalls with fast turnover are safer than empty restaurants.
What to order
Set menu
Bánh xèo, nem lụi (lemongrass pork skewers), fried spring rolls, rice paper, a plate of herbs and green banana, peanut dipping sauce; about ₫120,000–180,000 (≈ US$5–7) per person (2026 estimate, check).
Extra skewers or bánh xèo
Arrive until you say stop; ask whether refills are included.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- ₫120,000–180,000 (≈ US$5–7) per person (2026 estimate)
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; the set is pork and shrimp.
Show: Tôi ăn chay.
- Halalno
- Peanut allergyask
The dipping sauce is peanut-based: ask for fish sauce instead.
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
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: no
- Seating
- Tables and stools
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: caution · Rolling your own is fun for children; mild without chilli
- Access
- step-free: partial · Narrow lane entrance; ground-floor seating (check)
Hygiene
- Greens are raw and washed in tap water; high turnover keeps the grill busy.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not on file — Treat as walk-in; large groups can ask by phone (check).
- Capabilities
- food · toilet
- Diet
- vegetarian: none · gluten free: unknown · halal: no
- Getting there
- Lane off Trần Hưng Đạo near Phan Châu Trinh, by the Bá Lễ well (check address) · ~6 min walk
Cons
- One set menu, no choices.
- Busy and noisy at dinner; staff roll the first one for you and move on fast.
- Down a narrow lane that is easy to miss.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Bánh xèo | Crisp rice-flour pancake with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. | Tear into pieces for rolling. |
| Nem lụi | Minced pork grilled on lemongrass or bamboo skewers. | Slide the meat off the stick into your roll. |
| Bánh tráng | Rice paper. | Use it dry; it softens as you roll. |
Price check
- locals pay
- The set price per person on the menu board.
- tourist price
- None known; refills are the variable (check).
- rule
- Count the plates that arrive and ask the price of extras before eating them.
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
How do I eat it?
Rice paper, greens, a strip of bánh xèo and a skewer, rolled tight and dipped in the peanut sauce. Staff show you the first one.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is the well still used?
The Bá Lễ well is one of the old square wells of the town; by tradition its water was used for cao lầu noodles. Look, do not drink.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Cơm gà Bà Buội (Phan Châu Trinh)1 min walkHội An chicken rice — turmeric rice, shredded chicken, papaya, herbs — at the old family shop; lunch before 13:00, when it can sell out.Hội An chicken rice — turmeric rice, shredded chicken, papaya, herbs — at the old family shop; lunch before 1:00 PM, when it can sell out.
- Mót Hội An (herbal drink stall)4 min walkA cold lemongrass-and-herb drink with a lotus flower on top from the tiny shop on Trần Phú; the heat-hour stop everyone photographs, 5 minutes.
- Bánh Mì Phượng (2B Phan Châu Trinh)5 min walkThe famous Hội An bánh mì: go before 10:00 or mid-afternoon to skip the queue, order the mixed (thập cẩm) and eat it walking to the river.The famous Hội An bánh mì: go before 10:00 AM or mid-afternoon to skip the queue, order the mixed (thập cẩm) and eat it walking to the river.
- Morning Glory (Nguyễn Thái Học)5 min walkThe easy sit-down introduction to central Vietnamese street dishes in a restored house, with an English menu and air-conditioning; book dinner in high season.
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 Hoi An, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Hoi An in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Hoi An
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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.