Octo Tapas Restobar

We made a dinner reservation here after hearing that it was on the 2023 Michelin Guide. Most of the dishes lived up to this reputation, and deserved a second order. However, there were some dishes I’m not sure if I would order again. Below is my consolidated list! The hits: • Croquetas de Jamón — Deliciously delicious. The croquetas were soft but not soggy, and the flavour really shone through! • Escalivada — Easily one of the tastiest salads I’ve had. I would re-order this again. • Vieiras ajo blanco — These scallops were delicious. They were perfectly cooked, and well seasoned. • Tartare de atún — A yummy tuna dish, that was fresh and well balanced with the seasoning. • Huevos rotos con jamón — The potatoes were tasty, and the egg and ham paired perfectly with them. • Tuétano y tartare — Delicious beef tartare with bone marrow and bread slices. Yummy! • Crema catalana — A yummy mix of ice cream, with apples and a delicious top. Easily the best dessert of the lot. The not-so-hits: • Pulpo à la plancha — I thought that the octopus was very well cooked! The potato and chilli oil seasoning was also nice. However, I thought that the dish was not very well seasoned to balance how well it was cooked. Even after adding salt, the dish felt like it was missing a dimension to it. I would definitely recommend this if they alter the seasoning on their octopus, to make it saltier or have more umami. • Churros — Nothing too special, okay to give it a miss. Go for the crema catalana or the cheesecake instead. Overall, this restaurant was decent and worth trying, especially the dishes that were recommended above.

Nice cosy atmosphere, with open bar/cuisine where you can see the chef expedite the dishes in a perfect control of his team. Service is excellent always with the smile. Food is well seasoned, full of flavor. Octopus is a must try, overall fresh seafood. My wife loved the paella and the kids loved the crema Catalana and passion cheesecake desserts. Tried all the Spanish restaurants in HCM, this one is easily one of or probably the best overall speaking where you can feel the passion of each plate and the respect of the client.

We had a lunch at Octo! The potato salad was absolutely delicious, simple yet full of flavor. My husband, who is also a chef, really enjoyed the grilled octopus and said it was cooked perfectly. I was hoping to try the sea bass from the lunch set, but it was sold out, so I went with the Iberico pork rice instead and it was a great choice! The staff were very friendly and welcoming, and the ambiance was perfect for both a date or a casual hangout with friends. We're definitely planning to come back for dinner next time, I imagine it'll be even more lively in the evening!

Another good Spanish tapas shop in the heart of district 1! 3 restaurants under one roof, Rice field, Chin Chin & it’s on top floor! Casual set up, long list of wine choices, sangria very nice☺️ We ordered a light lunch 3 dishes to share, clams in sherry sauce, grill octopus “must try”, slow cook chicken…. all exceeded my expectation, a lovely enjoyable lunch🥰🥂🥂

I don’t understand why the ratings are low. I truly believe this is one of the finest restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. My husband and I ordered five signature dishes, and even the dessert and sangria were perfect. The food was served quickly, and the kitchen was exceptionally clean. The atmosphere was calm and pleasant, with music at just the right volume—perfect for having a conversation.

Octo Tapas has a stylish, upscale vibe and a solid menu - definitely a cool spot if you’re into Spanish-inspired food in Saigon. I really enjoyed every dish. Cocktails were also creative and well-balanced. However, the service was just… okay. Not rude, but not particularly friendly either. I asked about a dish I saw in a TikTok review, and they told me it’s no longer available. Fair enough - but maybe because of that, it felt like they assumed we came just to make content or something? Got a bit of a “looked down on” vibe from some of the staff, which was kind of disappointing. That said, even if I came because of a TikTok review, isn’t that a sign their marketing is working well? A little more appreciation for that wouldn’t hurt haha. Still, it’s a Michelin-selected spot, so the food and experience are worth trying at least once!

I came with friends for dinner. Food came out pretty quickly although the order sequence was kind of strange. Some starters came after mains so I wonder if it was because of the sequence at which I made my order to the waitress. I ordered a couple of dishes but found them okay, nothing notable or that I would recommend to other friends wanting to try this restaurant.

Convenient central location. The food was okay, flavors decent and presentation quite simple. A good spot for a quick, casual tapas stop if you’re already in the area.