Sinsa 신사양평해장국 is one of the few places in Thao Dien where a meal is just as likely to end a night as start a morning. Open daily from 8:30 AM until 4:30 AM, this Korean haejang soup specialist occupies a rare category — a restaurant that operates almost around the clock, functioning as a quiet anchor for the neighborhood's sizable Korean expat community.
The menu centers on restorative soups built around the haejang tradition. The spicy beef soup arrives with tender innards in a broth that finishes clean without leaning salty — the kind of bowl that gets emptied even without much appetite, which regulars mention more than once. Bone broth variations round out the offering, though some find them on the restrained side. A single bowl runs around 240,000 VND; a full meal for a family of five can reach 1.4 million, putting it on par with a mid-range Korean BBQ outing on the same street.
What draws people back is cooking consistency rather than spectacle. The kitchen holds close to traditional haejang preparation — the weeknight staple that Korean diners recognize from home. The 4.7-star average across 96 reviews reflects a clientele that returns on merit rather than novelty. Recommended explicitly by Korean expats for Korean expats, the restaurant makes no particular effort to position itself for a broader tourist audience.
Service is friendly and straightforward. The venue is cash-only, so arriving prepared matters. Among the cluster of Korean restaurants on and around Xuan Thuy, Sinsa differentiates by staying committed to a tight, soup-focused menu rather than expanding into barbecue. For a grounding bowl before the city wakes or a late recovery after it winds down, it covers a specific window that most Thao Dien restaurants leave empty.
The soups were basic. The standard hangover beef soup was watery, had a single slice of beef and a minimal amount of shredded beef. For that I paid 240k! The bone broth soups were very bland, missing that rich flavor. For a family of 5 we spent 1.4m, that's often a Korean BBQ meal in Thao Dien. Overpriced. Better Korean soup restaurants in the area, even on the same street. They do not accept credit cards. Wouldn't return.
Delicious food and friendly service
good food
The food is very decent and staff are friendly, lots of space too.
A great Korean Cuisine Restaurant at Thao Dien, HCM
