MAD Wine Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Thao Dien's Original Wine Bar

Since 2020, MAD Wine Bar & Eatery on Xuan Thuy Street has held a singular place in Ho Chi Minh City's drinking and dining scene. It was the first wine bar to put down roots in the Thao Dien neighbourhood, and it has stayed true to its founding idea ever since: wine should be approachable, food should be honest, and the atmosphere should feel genuinely relaxed rather than performatively sophisticated.

The name says it all — MAD is the Danish word for food, and the concept was created by the team behind MAD House restaurant. Camilla, Mary, Casper and their crew bring a Scandinavian sensibility to Saigon, one they describe as hyggeligt — a Danish concept of warmth and conviviality that is hard to translate but easy to feel the moment you sit down. Their philosophy is direct: love wine from the nerdy details to the joy it brings people, and pair it with food made from handpicked, quality products.

A French-Leaning Kitchen with Serious Wine Credentials

The food at MAD leans French and seafood-forward, complementing a wine list that earned the bar a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2025 — one of the most respected recognitions in the wine world. That honour reflects the care that goes into every bottle on the list, a selection that Mary has shaped with genuine enthusiasm. The bar has also been recognised locally, winning Best Wine Bar in Ho Chi Minh City three years running.

Chef Camilla has recently brought further attention to the kitchen, being selected for the Top 40 in Top Chef Vietnam 2026 — a signal that the food here is taken as seriously as the wine.

From Breakfast to Midnight

MAD runs almost all day, opening for breakfast from Tuesday through Sunday and staying open until midnight every night of the week. Happy hours on weekday afternoons make the French and seafood-focused menu accessible at any hour, and the outdoor seating adds a neighbourhood ease that suits Thao Dien's relaxed pace. Private events and weekly specials keep the programme fresh for regulars.

For anyone building a serious evening around wine in Saigon, MAD Wine Bar is the natural starting point — and for many, the only stop they need.