Review: Med - Vietnam’s first and only alcohol-free bar

Saigon’s nightlife is always looking for a good opportunity for reinvention, and Med looks to be Vietnam’s first dedicated alcohol-free bar. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. With alcohol consumption and abuse on the rise and Saigon enforcing a strict zero-tolerance rule for drinking and driving since January 2025, Med isn’t just clever. It’s answering the question of what a great night out can still look like when booze is off the table.

Led by legendary mixologist Dương Nguyễn (formerly of The Triệu Institute), Med shows that sophistication, playfulness, and even a bit of indulgence can still happen, sans hangover.

Finding Med

Like many of Saigon’s best spots, Med is a little tricky to find. On Grab, it still shows up under “Medley Retro Kitchen Bar,” and when you arrive at 45 Tran Hung Dao, there’s no obvious signage to guide you. Just head upstairs to the first floor, take a left, and continue until you see the new Med logo, which matches the chilled vibe inside. The space is cozy and low-lit with a hint of an underwater vibe. You can watch all the alchemy action at the bar, or book a sofa table for a group of friends.

The Drinks

Med’s Phở Bò might be the tastiest ode yet to Vietnam’s national dish in cocktail or mocktail form.

Served playfully in a miniature soup bowl with a side of beef salad, you’re invited to sip, bite, and then pair them together. Aromatic and balanced, the flavours play off each other beautifully, with cinnamon notes from the broth lingering in the best possible way.

Then there’s Thuốc Lào, a gentler choice made with phở Phương Nam broth, non-alcoholic tobacco liqueur, pineapple coffee drips, and smoky coffee beans. Fired up at the table and revealed under a swirl of smoke, it’s subtler than the Phở Bò but still quietly addictive.

And with close to 30 mocktails on the menu, it’s easy to feel spoiled for choice. The trick? Hand the reins over to the Med team and let them do the choosing. On our visit, their picks didn’t miss: the Horse’s Neck Virgin — a heady mix of Vietnamese mulberry, Japanese apple, vinegar, cacao nibs, honey, ginger, lemon, MSG, and salt — struck a sharp yet satisfying balance of sweet, sour, and umami.

Meanwhile, the Flow Ontop | Bitter Melon, with its blend of bitter melon, pineapple, passionfruit, vanilla, thyme, clove, pea flower, and a touch of saline, was bright, refreshing, and carried just the right hit of tartness to keep you coming back for more.

And if you think that’s where the surprises stop, think again — here, even the drinks come with their own food pairings. Not dainty garnishes either, but proper snacks designed to complement the drinks. The Flow Ontop | Bitter Melon — bright, tart, and already a table favourite — showed up with pickled Japanese tofu topped with meat floss. Unexpected? Totally. Delicious? Absolutely.

Summer leaned into its smoky BBQ profile with a side of char siu grilled meat, while Autumn — all mango, pineapple jalapeño tincture, and Cajun kick — came with cauliflower curry and string cheese dipped in green mango fish sauce. Sounds wild, but the matches turned each mocktail into a little adventure: part drink, part dish, and all play.

By the end of the night, it was clear: Med isn’t just mixing drinks. They’re mixing ideas, and somehow making them work. In a city that thrives on bold concepts, this is one of the few bars that treats pairing as play — and curiosity as the main ingredient.

By day, the space also doubles as a coffee bar, with creative drinks like the Saigon Black (drip coffee with plum and citrus peel) or Coconut Cold Brew keeping things lively. And if you swing by earlier, you’ll catch their Happy Hour: all coffee drinks at 50% off from 10:30 am to 5 pm—perfect for a mid-morning pick-me-up or an afternoon caffeine fix before the ‘cocktails’ roll in.

For something to snack on between sips, Med keeps it simple but satisfying. The cucumber salad and Braised Pork (Hong Kong Salty) were light, flavoursome, and probably the healthiest bar food you’ll ever order. More adventurous pairings rotate in, too.

The Verdict

Med isn’t missing something by skipping alcohol — it’s proving that a good night out doesn’t need it. What stood out most was the thoughtfulness behind everything: from the way mocktails are paired with bites, to the use of local ingredients, to the sense of mixology theatre that makes each drink feel like an event. It’s clever, fun, and leaves you curious about what they’ll dream up next.

Med proves you can skip the booze and still leave with stories worth telling the next morning.

• Opening Times: Daily, 10:30am–12am

• Address: 45 Đ. Trần Hưng Đạo, Bến Thành Ward (District 1)

• Pricing: Mocktails: ₫180,000, Salads: ₫50,000–₫75,000

• Facebook: facebook.com/Mednonalcohol