"The service quality at Hops & Chops could be improved. Today was my fifth visit and also my younger brother’s birthday, but unfortunately, the experience was far from pleasant.

When placing the order, I spoke slowly and clearly pointed at the menu, ordering two beef burgers (one with extra cheddar cheese, one with extra bacon) and one Bolognese. The Vietnamese female staff member who took the order did not repeat or confirm it (fyi I am also Vietnamese), she simply nodded and walked away. Later, the manager/owner came to verify the order, but I assumed he was only confirming the extra toppings, so I didn’t repeat the full order which was partly my mistake for being too trusting.

When the dishes came out, we only received one Bolognese and one beef burger with both cheddar and bacon. I told the same waitress who took my order that one burger was still missing, and she just replied, “Yes, please wait a moment.” A few minutes later, the manager came to check in, and that was when we realized the order had been recorded incorrectly. Because of this, the initial waiting time, already long, became even longer. It really dampened the mood on my brother’s birthday.

What made it more disappointing was that I overheard a Vietnamese male staff member explaining to the table next to ours that the food takes a long time because everything is made fresh daily, and he even offered them complimentary drinks. Meanwhile, we received no explanation other than a polite apology from the manager.

Fresh ingredients are great, but long delays should not be justified that way forever.

The burgers here are still delicious and suit my taste, but this service experience was truly a letdown. During my previous visit, the staff also mischarged my bill (charging a large drink instead of a small one), and the manager had to step in. It seems the team needs more training. At the very least, the staff member today should have written down the order if she couldn’t remember it, instead of trying to appear professional without taking notes.

As a local resident who has visited Hops & Chops five times, this was the first time I did not have an enjoyable experience. Working as a Concierge in a hotel in Ha Long, I can understand what good service means, and I have even recommended this place as one of the best burger spots in Ha Long. But after today, I don’t think I will return for a while.

Update after the owner’s response on November 26, 2025: The order was made slowly and clearly pointed at the menu in Vietnamese, not in English. The waitress and I are both Vietnamese, and I only communicated in English with the owner.

As I mentioned, the food isn’t really the issue. What I hope is that the staff (not the owner) can pay more attention to the way they work. Thank you!"

Pattrick Pham

"We found the prices pretty good for an imported Australian steak.
Our steak was a 350gm Angus ribeye with awsome hand cut chips and great sauces to go with. Excellent wine and great craft beers. Some really lovely bar snacks too. Exceptional service from the staff. We will return....probably tonight 😋"

Tracey Cole

"The mozzarella sticks were very good! I had the chicken burger which was so delicious and the sauce with my fries was nice. The only thing was a part of my chicken was a bit hard. Otherwise after cutting that part the food was very nice.

I definitely recommend and the servers were delightful."

Lidia Bevkh