Mitsu Hidden Izakaya - Restaurant in Thao Dien, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City

Mitsu Hidden Izakaya fits maybe five people around its counter and low tables — that is the room in full. The kitchen is open, skewers hitting the grill a meter from the nearest seat, smoke threading through the space as chicken and pork yakitori arrive properly seasoned. Nigiri and maki hold their own on the sushi side: rice at the right temperature, fish clean and delicate rather than heavy.

Drinks lean Japanese. Sapporo nama pours on draft, and the house-made umeshu — produced in-house — is easy enough to drink that pacing matters. The bar occupies the ground floor; the dining room sits one level up, making the setup feel less like a restaurant than a private kitchen opened for the evening.

Hours run 6 PM to 2 AM, Tuesday through Sunday, which positions this as a destination for the crowd that wants somewhere to land after the early dinner rush or to begin a longer night. The Thao Dien strip has plenty of broad-menu pan-Asian spots and cocktail bars; the focus here is narrower — yakitori, Japanese pub food, a short drinks list — which gives the kitchen room to do fewer things at a higher level.

The menu stays compact by design. Unagi is a consistent highlight across reviews, alongside the grilled combo. Edamame draws mentions for its seasoning. The spot is not listed on delivery platforms, so the only way to eat here is to show up in person — which, given the size, means arriving early on weekends.