Cha Ca Thang Long in Hanoi: the turmeric fish restaurant on Duong Thanh street

Cha Ca Thang Long at a glance

Address (flagship)	6B Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem Ward, Hanoi
Hours	10:00 to 22:00 daily
Last orders	Around 21:15
Price per person	180,000 VND (about 7 USD) for the set
Booking	Phone or Zalo for groups; walk-ins fine off-peak
Best time to go	14:00 to 17:00, or after 20:00
Time needed	About 60 minutes
Payment	Cash and QR bank transfer confirmed; ask about cards

The restaurant sits on the edge of the Old Quarter, a 12 to 15 minute walk from the north shore of Hoan Kiem Lake. It serves one dish, plus a handful of add-ons, and it has done so on this street for more than three decades.

What Cha Ca Thang Long is, and what it is not

"Cha ca Thang Long" is both a restaurant name and a generic name for the dish. Thang Long is Hanoi's historic name, and Duong Thanh ("citadel road") follows the line of the old citadel wall near the former Cua Dong gate. Several places on the same street trade on that combination, which is why visitors arrive at the wrong door.

A family restaurant with more than 30 years on Duong Thanh street

The business has operated on Duong Thanh since the early 1990s and now runs three branches on the same street. The flagship at 6B occupies a century-old townhouse painted pale yellow, set back from the road behind a courtyard. Dining rooms are spread over two floors, with air conditioning inside and a few tables in the courtyard.

You may read that the owners are related to the Doan family behind Cha Ca La Vong. Treat that as an unconfirmed claim. The two are separate businesses with separate menus and separate prices.

The Michelin question

Many articles describe Cha Ca Thang Long as "Michelin-starred." It is not. As of the 2026 Michelin Guide Vietnam, the restaurant holds a Bib Gourmand, an award that recognizes good food at moderate prices. A Bib Gourmand is not a star, and the two are not interchangeable. The distinction is worth knowing because it tells you what to expect: honest cooking at a fair price, not fine dining.

Where the dish guide fits

This page covers the restaurant. For the history of cha ca itself, how it moved from a French colonial-era recipe to a Hanoi institution, and how it differs from the southern version, see the separate cha ca la Vong dish guide on this site.

Addresses and how to find the right door

Duong Thanh is a short street, and at least four shopfronts along it display variations of the name. Some are branches. Some are unrelated. A few numbers quoted in older posts no longer correspond to anything.

The official branches

The three branches confirmed by the restaurant itself are 6B, 21 and 31 Duong Thanh. The flagship is 6B, the yellow townhouse with the courtyard, and it is the one worth choosing for a first visit. It has the most seating, the most staff and the most consistent service.

Numbers you may still see online, such as 19 and 2D Duong Thanh, do not match current official branches. They may refer to former locations, to unrelated restaurants, or to simple errors copied from post to post. Do not navigate to them on trust.

How to spot a look-alike

Use this checklist before you sit down:

• The sign. The official sign carries the full name "Chả Cá Thăng Long" in a consistent typeface, with the street number displayed. Photocopied or hand-painted signs with the same words are a warning.
• The menu. The real menu is short: one set price, a few add-ons, drinks, all printed with prices. A long laminated menu with photographs of dozens of dishes is not the same restaurant.
• Staff confirmation. Ask "Đây có phải Chả Cá Thăng Long không?" (Is this Cha Ca Thang Long?). Staff at official branches answer without hesitation.
• Recognition plaques. The Bib Gourmand certificate is usually displayed near the entrance or on the wall inside.
• Touts. Anyone on the pavement steering you toward "the real one" or "the original, better one" is a red flag. Walk on.

If a restaurant on Duong Thanh quotes you a price well below 150,000 VND per person, check the address again. Cheap cha ca on this street usually means a different kitchen.

The 2025 address change

On 1 July 2025, Hanoi merged its wards and districts. The address now reads "phường Hoàn Kiếm" rather than "phường Cửa Đông, quận Hoàn Kiếm." Some map searches still return the old ward name, and a few listings have not updated at all. Search by house number plus "Đường Thành" instead of by ward, and you will land in the right place.

Getting there

From Hoan Kiem Lake, walk north along Hang Dao or Hang Ngang and turn onto Duong Thanh. The walk takes 12 to 15 minutes at an easy pace. Ride-hailing apps drop at the Duong Thanh end of Hang Da market, a two-minute walk away. Note that the weekend pedestrian zone around the lake, active on Friday to Sunday evenings, can push car and motorbike drop-offs further out. Directions

Opening hours, reservations and the best time to go

Online sources disagree on the hours, which is a common problem with family restaurants. The flagship opens at 10:00 and closes at 22:00, seven days a week. The kitchen takes last orders around 21:15. Some listings show 11:00 to 21:30, which appears to reflect older or seasonal schedules.

Current hours and last orders

Arriving after 21:00 is possible but rushed. The staff will serve you, though the dining room is being cleaned around you and the dill may be running low. Aim for 20:30 at the latest if you want a relaxed meal.

The restaurant's phone number is +84 24 3828 6007. The old format, +84 4 3828 6007, dates from before Hanoi's 2017 area-code change and may still work on some networks. Confirm when you call.

Booking a table

Small groups of two to four can usually walk in outside peak hours. For groups of six or more, or for a table at 12:00 or 19:00, book ahead by phone or Zalo. Hotel front desks in the Old Quarter will make the call for you, which is often easier if your Vietnamese is limited. There is no online booking system.

Queues by hour

Time slot	Crowd level	Typical wait	Notes
10:00 to 11:30	Quiet	None	Best light for photos in the courtyard
11:30 to 13:00	Peak	10 to 25 minutes	Tour groups arrive in waves
13:00 to 14:00	Busy	5 to 15 minutes	Local lunch crowd thinning
14:00 to 17:00	Quiet	None	The easiest window
17:00 to 18:00	Moderate	5 to 10 minutes	Families with children
18:00 to 20:00	Peak	15 to 30 minutes	Book or expect to wait
20:00 to 22:00	Quiet	None	Last orders around 21:15

Tour groups tend to arrive between 11:45 and 12:30 and again around 18:30. If you see a coach outside, come back in 40 minutes.

Seasons and Tet

Demand rises in the cool months, roughly November to February, when Hanoians favor this warming dish. Weekend evenings in that window are the busiest of the year.

Lunar New Year 2027 falls on 6 February. Expect the restaurant to close or run reduced service for several days around it, as most family businesses do. Confirm the schedule directly closer to the date. The same applies to the Reunification Day and Labour Day break at the end of April.

The menu: one dish, a few extras

The menu fits on a single page. That is the point.

What the cha ca set includes

The fish is cá lăng, a freshwater catfish from the Red River basin, deboned and cut into chunks. It is marinated with turmeric, galangal, fermented rice and fish sauce, then grilled in banana leaves before it reaches your table. The turmeric gives it the yellow color; the galangal and fermented rice give it the sour-savory depth.

The set arrives with rice vermicelli, a bowl of dill and spring onions, a plate of fresh herbs (usually coriander, perilla and mint), roasted peanuts, sliced chilli, and a bowl of fish sauce. Shrimp paste is available but often served only if you ask.

Add-ons worth knowing

• Fish spring rolls (chả cá cuốn): fried rolls with the same fish filling, around 60,000 VND (about 2.30 USD) per portion.
• Fish intestine (tràng cá): a Hanoi delicacy, braised and served separately, around 70,000 VND (about 2.70 USD). Texture is soft and rich; it is not for everyone.
• Extra vermicelli or herbs: usually 15,000 to 20,000 VND (under 1 USD) if you run out.

Drinks

Local beer, usually Hanoi or Saigon, runs about 25,000 VND (about 1 USD) a bottle. Soft drinks and iced tea sit in the same range. In cold weather, some tables order rice liquor, which the restaurant can supply. Bottled water is available and safer than tap.

Dietary limits

There is no vegetarian option. The entire menu is built around fish, and the marinade includes fish sauce. Anyone avoiding fish should eat elsewhere in Hanoi.

For gluten, the core dish is rice-based and generally safe, but the marinade and dipping sauces may contain wheat-based soy sauce. Ask for fish sauce only. Peanuts are served separately, which makes avoidance easier, though cross-contact at the table is possible. Shellfish appears in the shrimp paste and is not always listed on the set.

If you have a serious shellfish allergy, say so clearly to staff before ordering and skip the shrimp paste entirely. The kitchen is busy and shared utensils are the norm.

How the tableside cooking works

A burner is lit at your table and a pan of pre-grilled fish arrives in hot oil, sometimes with a knob of butter. From here, the meal is partly yours.

The burner and the pan

The pan is shallow and wide, and the oil is genuinely hot. The fish has already been grilled, so the pan is for finishing, not cooking from raw. It takes about two minutes for the oil to come up to temperature.

Adding the greens

Staff often add half the dill and spring onions and stir until just wilted, then leave the rest for you. Add the remaining greens in batches as you eat, not all at once. Turn the heat down once the greens are in, or the dill will fry to a dark crisp and turn bitter.

Safety at the table

The pan stays hot long after the burner is off. Keep loose sleeves, scarves and phone cables clear of the flame. Children should sit away from the burner side of the table. Do not reach across the pan to pass plates.

How to eat cha ca like a Hanoian

Building the bowl

1. Put a small handful of vermicelli in your bowl.
2. Add fresh herbs, torn rather than cut.
3. Lift one piece of fish from the pan with some of the cooked dill and spring onion.
4. Add a spoon of fish sauce or whipped shrimp paste.
5. Finish with peanuts and chilli to taste.
6. Eat while hot, then build the next bowl.

The mistake most first-timers make is piling everything in at once. The noodles cool, the herbs wilt, and the fish loses its edge. One or two bites at a time is the right rhythm.

Shrimp paste or fish sauce

Shrimp paste (mắm tôm) is the traditional pairing. Whip it with lime juice and a little sugar until it foams and turns pale pink. The smell is strong and the taste is stronger. Foreigners are often served fish sauce by default, so if you want the real thing, ask.

Common beginner mistakes

• Eating the peanuts as a starter instead of a topping.
• Overcooking the dill until it turns dark and bitter.
• Drowning the bowl in sauce, which hides the fish.
• Adding all the fish to the pan at once, which cools the oil.

Useful Vietnamese phrases

English	Vietnamese	Rough pronunciation
Two portions	Hai suất chả cá	hai swat cha ca
Shrimp paste, please	Cho tôi mắm tôm	cho toy mam tom
No peanuts	Không lạc	khom lack
Not spicy	Không cay	khom gai
The bill, please	Tính tiền	tin tien

"Lạc" is the northern word for peanut. In the south it is "đậu phộng," which is why some phrasebooks give the wrong word for Hanoi.

Price per person and what the bill looks like

The set price

As of October 2026, the set costs 180,000 VND per person, about 7 USD at an exchange rate of roughly 26,000 VND to the dollar. Confirm the rate on the day you travel; it moves.

For context, the same meal cost around 120,000 VND in the mid-2010s and around 170,000 VND in more recent reports. The current figure reflects both inflation and rising fish costs. Cha ca is not cheap street food, and it is not meant to be.

A sample bill for two

Item	Price (VND)	Price (USD)	Included or optional
Two cha ca sets	360,000	13.85	Included
One fish spring roll portion	60,000	2.30	Optional
Two local beers	50,000	1.90	Optional
Iced tea	0	0	Often complimentary
Total	470,000	about 18

That is a realistic figure for two people eating well without over-ordering. Add 70,000 VND if you want the fish intestine.

Payment and tipping

Cash is the safest option. QR bank transfer through local banking apps is widely accepted and confirmed at the flagship; card acceptance is less consistent, so ask before you sit down. There is no service charge and no VAT line on the bill. Tipping is not expected, though rounding up is appreciated.

Cha ca costs more than a bowl of pho or a bun cha plate, and the reason is straightforward: freshwater fish is expensive, the portion is generous, and someone cooks at your table.

Cha Ca Thang Long vs Cha Ca La Vong

If you have time for one cha ca meal, this is the decision that matters.

	Cha Ca Thang Long	Cha Ca La Vong
Address	6B Duong Thanh	14 Cha Ca street
Setting	Spacious townhouse, courtyard, air conditioning	Narrow old house, upstairs dining
Fish	Cá lăng, deboned	Cá lăng, deboned
Price per person	180,000 VND (about 7 USD)	200,000 VND (about 7.70 USD)
Shrimp paste by default	On request	Often served without asking
Atmosphere	Comfortable, busy, family-friendly	Historic, cramped, brisk service
Best for	A first, easy experience	History and atmosphere

The original at 14 Cha Ca street

Cha Ca La Vong is the restaurant that gave its street its name. The Doan family has run it for generations, and the narrow townhouse with the staircase and the upstairs dining room has barely changed. Critics point to greasiness and rushed service; admirers point to the fact that this is where the dish became famous. Both are fair. Hours are roughly 11:00 to 21:00, and the price is around 200,000 VND (about 7.70 USD) per person.

How to choose

Choose Cha Ca La Vong for the history and the sense of eating in a piece of Hanoi's past. Choose Cha Ca Thang Long for space, comfort, air conditioning and an easier first experience, especially with children or a group. The two are under 10 minutes apart on foot. For the dish's background, see the cha ca la Vong dish guide.

Where locals go beyond the Old Quarter

Plenty of Hanoians eat cha ca away from Duong Thanh, at lower prices and with fewer visitors. Cha Ca Anh Vu at 120 K1 Giang Vo is a well-known local favorite, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by taxi from the Old Quarter depending on traffic. Confirm hours and current prices before you go; family restaurants change schedules without notice.

Cha ca chains also exist in the city, with consistent quality but little character. They are a fallback, not a destination.

Making a half day of it on Duong Thanh

Before or after

Start the morning with pho at Pho Gia Truyen on Bat Dan, a short walk away, then work through Hang Da market and the surrounding streets before an early lunch at Cha Ca Thang Long. Dong Xuan market is 10 minutes further north. The Hanoi train street is nearby, though access restrictions change often, so check before you plan around it. For a wider plan, see the Hanoi Old Quarter guide and the Hanoi food guide.

Weather and comfort

Hanoi's summer humidity plus a burner at your table makes for a warm meal. The air-conditioned upstairs rooms help. Winter, from November to February, is the most atmospheric season for this dish, and the courtyard tables fill first on cool evenings.

FAQ

Q: Is Cha Ca Thang Long a Michelin-starred restaurant? A: No. As of the 2026 Michelin Guide Vietnam, it holds a Bib Gourmand, which recognizes good food at moderate prices. A Bib Gourmand is not a star, despite what many articles claim.

Q: Is Cha Ca Thang Long the original cha ca restaurant? A: No. The original is Cha Ca La Vong at 14 Cha Ca street, run by the Doan family. Cha Ca Thang Long has operated on Duong Thanh for more than 30 years. Any claimed family link between the two should be treated as unconfirmed.

Q: How much does a meal at Cha Ca Thang Long cost? A: The set costs 180,000 VND (about 7 USD) per person as of October 2026. With an add-on and two beers, two people spend roughly 470,000 VND (about 18 USD).

Q: Do you need a reservation? A: Small groups can usually walk in outside peak hours. Groups of six or more, or anyone dining at 12:00 or 19:00, should book by phone at +84 24 3828 6007 or through their hotel.

Q: Can you eat cha ca without shrimp paste or peanuts? A: Yes. Fish sauce is the standard alternative, and peanuts are served separately. Say "không mắm tôm" and "không lạc." Cross-contact at the table is possible, so warn staff about serious allergies.

Q: Is Cha Ca Thang Long open during Tet? A: Most family restaurants close or reduce hours for several days around Lunar New Year, which next falls on 6 February 2027. Confirm the restaurant's own schedule closer to the date.

Q: Is there a vegetarian option? A: No. The menu is built around fish and fish sauce. Vegetarians should choose another Hanoi restaurant; the Hanoi food guide lists alternatives.