The First Bar

Style:

A dark night room — lit bottle shelves against patterned back panels, rows of glassware below, a handwritten chalkboard in a light-wood frame on a dark-wood wall, a dark slate serving surface, red osechi boxes on light wood. A midday window second: lunch service 11 AM–2 PM.

Story:

The First Bar is a Japanese restaurant and bar at 8A/7B2 Thái Văn Lung, District 1 — open Mon–Sat 11 AM–2 PM and 5 PM–1 AM, Sunday closed. Read the wall before you order: pink headers first, white handwriting second, dishes in two languages. The board organizes the room the way it organizes the page.

Menu:

There is no published menu — ask at the bar and read the wall when you arrive.

Hours:

Mon–Sat 11 AM–2 PM + 5 PM–1 AM, Sunday closed