Firebirds

Vietnamese Craft Cocktails

Đà Nẵng, VietnamVisited September 2026

“No syrup to hide behind.”

What I drank / 01

Mango Mo Roi

Ingredients

Ruou Lang ETD · Enzyme Xoai · Ruou Xoai · Rieng Cordial · Tiopepe Sherry · Ancho Reyes · Chanh chua · Nuoc Muoi

The profile

Incredibly fresh mango on the nose. Light and refreshing. Dried mango garnish.

My thoughts

An amazing wine based cocktail. This drink uses classic Vietnamese rice & mango wine as its alcohol component, making for a cocktail incredibly easy to drink. The drink had a natural fruity sweetness.

For someone who likes their drinks more boozy, this probably isn't the one, but I felt it had lovely balance and was more complex than first thought.

For me personally, this is exactly what I want if I'm in the mood for a fruity drink. No syrup to hide behind. Makes me want to venture into more wine based cocktails.

“Bourbon is bourbon.”

What I drank / 02

Old Fashioned

Ingredients

Evan Williams Bourbon · Lime Juice · Sugar · Angostura

The profile

Interesting glass to serve the drink in, and a bit more ice than I prefer for an Old Fashioned.

My thoughts

There’s a baseline level an Old Fashioned can’t go below by nature of its simplicity and greatness. This did not border on that line, but it also was not climbing the ladder for the best I’ve ever had. I’m not sure if the lime juice was an error in translation, because I didn’t taste any acidity, but the taste was a little off from what you expect from Mr. Fashioned. I wouldn’t have ordered a second, but hey, bourbon is bourbon.

The Space

I went on a Tuesday night, and the place was empty—which is fine by me. More time to ask the bartender questions. Dimly lit, with maybe five bar stools and three tables. The staff were very nice and knowledgeable about their menu. A great place to relax and sip a good drink.

Extras

I asked our server what she would recommend for a nice “sipper” of a classic Vietnamese spirit. It was my friend’s birthday, and I wanted to celebrate with the trial of a new spirit. Where I was expecting maybe a whiskey, wine, idk, anything that was palatable to sip… we were served vodka hahaha. This is where gaps in language make a difference! Nevertheless, we opted to not sip the Vietnamese vodka and instead downed it in one. Ouch! I thought I left my shooting-vodka days in college.

Additionally, however, she came back a bit later with three “Negroni shooters” as a celebration of Shawn’s birthday, which was super kind. And no, the third shot was not to get the bday boy extra drunk—she took one with us! Which I absolutely LOVE. I’m not quite sure why, but if a bartender or server drinks with me, it’s immediate bonus points. I think it just makes the whole experience more fun. Again, we’re drinking alcohol; this whole thing is silly. Staff should be able to join in on the fun.

But back to the aforementioned Negroni shooter… I was floored. I’ve never once heard of a Negroni shooter, but as a proud Italian American and enjoyer of a good Negroni, it was an awesome surprise. And it also prompted me to text my good buddy Gavin, who is my one friend who enjoys a Negroni more than I do. A wholesome moment.

My Verdict

7 / 10Taste

7 / 10Atmosphere

Taste reflects what I drank. Atmosphere reflects the bar experience.

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