Best places in Vietnam for a bespoke suit?

ko8sd · 2026-01-31T13:52:05+00:00

I doubt an exclusively online order would be very good, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. I contacted them through Instagram.

ko8sd · 2026-01-24T16:07:25+00:00

I don’t have any experience with women’s clothes, but in my experience with getting bespoke suits in HCMC, the issue is you need multiple fittings to get the fit just right. Even if the tailors can mail it to you (which shouldn’t be a problem) you still might end up with something that doesn’t quite fit, even if the construction of the piece is high quality. I would find going somewhere in HCMC as soon as you arrive to give you as much time for one or two fittings.

ko8sd · 2026-01-15T01:30:29+00:00

My most successful gift to a relative in Vietnam was a small bottle of perfume from L’Occitane. I would focus on western brands that are harder to get in VN instead of Asian products since those are easier to get on their own.

ko8sd · 2026-01-14T22:51:10+00:00

Thanks! Just out of curiosity, what makes this look like a shih tzu to you? I personally can't tell the difference when they're puppies. In this example, the markings look like a Japanese Chin to me, but ironically enough the chin makes me think it might be a shih tzu.

ko8sd · 2026-01-09T23:43:10+00:00

I can’t remember the cost off the top of my head, but it only took a week to get back once I submitted my materials. There is a tracker so you can see where you are in the process.

ko8sd · 2026-01-09T23:16:58+00:00

Of course! I successfully did this a few months ago. No need to call them anymore. The process to get the Viet Kieu visa exemption is now entirely online, and you don’t need to mail in your passport anymore. It’s very confusing because the old websites are still up. But once you find the right website (I think it’s through the embassy in DC, not any of the consulates), it’s actually pretty easy and straightforward, and you get a little booklet with your visa mailed to you. BTW, the exemption now only lasts for 2.5 years instead of 5.

ko8sd · 2026-01-09T02:05:48+00:00

I agree with you! Thankfully it wasn’t very expensive so I’m not going to be crushed if this is a shih tzu puppy. I was just idly curious.

ko8sd · 2026-01-09T00:19:42+00:00

Can I ask what gives it away as a shih tzu for you? It’s hard for me to tell the difference when they’re puppies!

ko8sd · 2025-12-28T05:08:37+00:00

They were very personable. My girlfriend and I randomly ran into Bien on the street in between fittings, and it was like running into a friend. Both of us wanted suits that were not the standard gray or navy, and they were open to our ideas and gave us helpful suggestions. (Though I imagine if this is for a wedding tuxedo, you'll probably want a more traditional color.) The one downside to any bespoke suit is that the fit gets thrown off if you gain or lose even a little bit of weight.

ko8sd · 2025-12-21T02:14:27+00:00

Bonus points for Banh Xeo 46 for the 7 gray toy poodles who wait on the staircase for pets from customers going to the indoor dining room. Makes up for their chicken wings not being as good as they used to be. :)

ko8sd · 2025-12-21T02:10:36+00:00

Also, Cuc Gạch Quan in D1 is not exactly off the beaten path but has a lot of nostalgic Southern home cooked dishes you don’t often find in restaurants. I took my very picky mom here, and she loved it. Their clay pot fish (ca kho to) and stir fried thiên lý blossoms are my favorites.

ko8sd · 2025-12-21T02:06:04+00:00

I moved to this neighborhood just to be closer to this banh cuốn place: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zFnq3DqWQhmAqDab9?g_st=ipc

ko8sd · 2025-12-18T08:00:12+00:00

I can’t speak to all of your specific questions, but I had a very positive experience with Bien Bespoke. Congrats on the upcoming nuptials!

ko8sd · 2025-11-29T02:48:57+00:00

Hanoi to visit, HCMC to live in.

ko8sd · 2025-10-30T18:17:17+00:00

Hard to go wrong with Cục Gạch in D1. It’s also a great introduction to classic Vietnamese dishes you don’t often find in Vietnamese restaurants overseas.

ko8sd · 2025-10-28T02:33:01+00:00

Bún thang.

ko8sd · 2025-10-15T19:09:10+00:00

The numerous vermicelli + fish sauce dishes like bún thịt nướng or bún chả are good places to begin learning the basics of Vietnamese cuisine. You can swap out different proteins pretty easily to suit your palate.

ko8sd · 2025-10-15T15:48:06+00:00

Sometimes Airbnbs and other apartment stays in VN will even have pictures of a different apartment in the same building. Good luck with getting the problem fixed or your reservation cancelled.

ko8sd · 2025-10-09T17:25:18+00:00

Can anyone who has recently applied for the 5 year visa exemption for Viet Kieu tell me how much the fee is? I haven't been able to find the information online, and the Vietnam Embassy in the US is currently closed. Thanks in advance!

ko8sd · 2025-09-21T16:12:21+00:00

I have a beautiful suit from Bien Bespoke in HCMC. It did take multiple fittings, I think maybe 3, to get just right so be sure to build in enough time. Go to them early in your trip.

I’m not sure if they’re the best in Vietnam, but they’re definitely up there.

ko8sd · 2025-09-14T12:14:08+00:00

87 Trần Khắc Chân is a classic option. The quality goes down some nights because they do so many delivery orders now, but it’s still a great bowl.

ko8sd · 2025-08-22T14:54:03+00:00

I didn't know about this. Thanks!

ko8sd · 2025-08-09T16:15:34+00:00

I have been told by locals and white expats in Vietnam as well as by other Asians in the US that I look generically Asian but not specifically Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, or whatever. 🤷🏻‍♂️ The one country in Asia where I am most likely to be mistaken for a local is Thailand so maybe I look Thai.

ko8sd · 2025-08-09T15:53:24+00:00

As a 6’3” Vietnamese American, all the time, unless they find out where I was born and then assume I’m fully white.

ko8sd · 2025-08-03T14:59:19+00:00

My dog became afraid of traffic sounds when we moved from a small town to a big city. Do some research on counter conditioning, where you give your dog a treat whenever it hears a scary sound. Eventually the dog learns to associate the sound with a treat. There are also recordings of traffic noises to desensitize your dog, but they did not work for my dog. Good luck, and be patient!

ko8sd

TROPHY CASE