The short answer
Com Tam Ba Ghien: what visitors should know first
Go if you eat pork or chicken and want the classic Saigon rice plate. It is not for vegetarians, and it lies outside the central tourist area, so plan a taxi and confirm the address and hours.
History and context
The story behind Com Tam Ba Ghien
The source gives the 1990s as the period of operation; no other history was verified.
Useful facts
Com Tam Ba Ghien facts at a glance
- Location
- 84 Dang Van Ngu, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan
- Dining style
- Casual broken-rice restaurant
- Price signal
- Low; confirm current prices
- Signature order
- Try: broken rice with grilled pork chop
- Good for
- Meat-eating families wanting a plain rice plate
Why it matters
Why Com Tam Ba Ghien is worth your time
Com tam is among the dishes most closely tied to Saigon and the south, and eating it at a neighbourhood restaurant rather than a tourist-street kitchen shows how locals eat lunch. The restaurant is a reason to visit Phu Nhuan, which many short itineraries skip.
It also gives meat-eating families a calm, plain meal: one plate per person, little to decide, and flavours that are sweet, smoky and not chilli-hot unless you add it.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The classic plate
Broken rice, grilled marinated pork chop, pickled radish and sweet-sour fish sauce.
- 02
Chicken option
The source says a chicken version is available.
- 03
Outside the tourist centre
Phu Nhuan lets you eat where local families do.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
Vietnam Découverte lists Com Tam Ba Ghien at 84 Dang Van Ngu in Phu Nhuan, a residential district north of the centre, and says it has been serving since the 1990s. The signature plate is steamed broken rice with a grilled marinated pork chop, pickled radish and a sweet-sour fish sauce, with a chicken version also available.
Wikipedia describes com tam more fully: broken rice with grilled pork, shredded pork skin and fried ground rice, served with sweet-and-sour fish sauce, greens and pickles, sometimes with prawn cake and steamed egg. Which of these extras appear here we cannot say, so look at the menu board.
The pairing of rice and grilled meat is filling, and older travellers who find noodle soup messy may prefer a plate they can eat with a spoon and fork. Everything on it centres on pork or chicken and fish sauce.
Plan with confidence
Small checks that make a better meal.
- Confirm opening hours and address
- Book a car for the return trip
- Ask for the chicken version if you avoid pork
- Tell staff about fish sauce allergies
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- 84 Dang Van Ngu, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes
- Best time
- Lunch or early evening
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- Outside central District 1, so you need a car; we could not confirm seating, steps or air-conditioning, so ask when you phone or choose off-peak hours.
- Tickets and access
- Walk-in. Hours are not given in our source, so please confirm hours before travelling. The Michelin Bib Gourmand cited dates from 2023.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Com Tam Ba Ghien
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
Outside central District 1, so you need a car; we could not confirm seating, steps or air-conditioning, so ask when you phone or choose off-peak hours.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Is Com Tam Ba Ghien vegetarian?
No. The dishes in our source are grilled pork or chicken with fish sauce.
Is it far from District 1?
It is in Phu Nhuan, a short taxi ride north of the centre. Traffic can lengthen it.
Can I get chicken instead of pork?
Vietnam Découverte says a chicken version is available.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
