The lovely lady who runs this very popular, under the radar, street food stall changes the dish daily. Always fresh and completely Vietnamese deliciousness. Mostly early mornings but some evenings where you have to fight for a space.
Family restaurant
Ốc Diễm - Family restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City
+15
The Story
About This Place
On a narrow residential lane in Thảo Điền, this small pavement operation has accumulated a loyal following since at least 2020 without any signage worth noting or a dining room to speak of. Chị Diễm runs it herself each evening, anchoring the menu around live snails, clams, and river prawns sourced that day. Dishes start at 50,000 VND and a full spread for three rarely exceeds 300,000—which explains why regulars phone ahead rather than risk arriving to an empty board. Stock sells out most nights before closing time.
The ốc hương sốt trứng muối brings most first-timers in. The snails are large, firm, and genuinely fresh; the sauce reads sweet and briny rather than intensely eggy, and works well mopped up with bánh mì. Tôm càng nướng at 50,000 per piece rewards the spend: head packed with roe, flesh springy and clean. The nghêu hấp thái runs on the saltier side—worth noting for anyone sensitive to seasoning.
Seating is plastic stools on the footpath of a one-way alley with regular scooter traffic passing through. The crowd is almost entirely local and repeat, which is the more reliable signal here than any aggregate rating. Hours are evenings only, Sunday closed, with a hard stop at 9:30 PM—earlier on nights when the day's supply goes fast. For straightforward, market-fresh shellfish without any markup for atmosphere or address, this stall is one of the harder things to replicate elsewhere in the neighbourhood.
ốc hương sốt trứng muối (snails in salted egg yolk sauce)tôm càng nướng (grilled river prawns with roe)nghêu hấp thái (thai-style steamed clams)sells out nightly — regulars call ahead to reservesidewalk plastic-stool seating on a narrow alley
localno-frillsstreet-sidecasualneighbourhood
Menu Highlights
What to order at Ốc Diễm
Stir-fried bulot with butter and corn 500g
235k VND
Fresh seafood mixed with rich, creamy butter for a delightful taste.
Bulot With Salted Egg Sauce 500G
235k VND
Fresh and fatty scallops with a rich salted egg sauce that's irresistibly appealing.
Salt-roasted Bulot Snails (500g)
230k VND
Salt-roasted bulot with crispy texture, savory flavor, and ocean freshness.
Thai Steamed Bulot 500G
230k VND
Thai-style steamed bulb clams with sweet fragrance, served with rich tamarind fish sauce for a uniquely appealing taste.
Steamed Bulot With Lemongrass 500G
230k VND
Steamed scallops with fresh lemongrass, deliciously fragrant and offering a full flavor of the sea.
Full menu below · prices in VND.
Reviews
4.7(56)
This is one of my biggest surprises. This is just a side street local eatery but the food, the service and the friendly dogs... making this an unforgettable place to have snails, shell, prawn and some other kind of seafood.
I think this is a hidden gem in Thao Dien neighborhood. I have been eaten here for a long time. The ốc is always fresh and the sauce is so good. My favorite is salted egg yolk, with banh my. Chi Diem has day off on Sunday.
The best seafood in town deserves Michelin star <3. Ate at Oc Diem.since 2020, 4 years and still in love with the food and Chị Diễm
Good food, good price
Visit Tips
Visiting Ốc Diễm
- ✓
Open late: Doors stay open past 4 AM on at least one day — handy for after-work dinners.
- ✓
Breakfast available: Opens by 4 AM — a viable breakfast stop in Saigon.
- ✓
Menu starts from: 30k VND, based on 100 priced items on the public menu.
- ✓
Reservations: Call +84 907 470 219 to book — recommended for weekend dining.
- ✓
Best for: casual dinner, group dinner, budget seafood, local eats.
- ✓
Delivery: Listed on GrabFood.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked
- What's the best dish at Ốc Diễm?
- Reviewers consistently highlight the ốc hương sốt trứng muối — large, fresh snails in a sweet-briny salted egg sauce, best eaten mopped up with bánh mì. The tôm càng nướng is also praised for roe-packed heads and clean, springy flesh.
- Does Ốc Diễm take reservations?
- Stock sells out most nights before closing. Regular customers phone ahead to reserve, as one reviewer notes: 'nhiều người tranh thủ gọi trước đặt ốc chứ không là nhanh hết lắm.'
- Does Ốc Diễm have outdoor seating?
- Seating is plastic stools on a one-way alley footpath with regular scooter traffic. There is no indoor dining room.
- Is Ốc Diễm dog-friendly?
- At least one reviewer specifically mentions 'the friendly dogs' as part of the experience at this street-side stall.
- Is Ốc Diễm open for late-night dining?
- Ốc Diễm operates evenings only, closing at 9:30 PM — earlier when the day's supply sells out. It is closed on Sundays.
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