Ranked in the Bib Gourmand category (a list of affordable restaurants) for 2 consecutive years 2023 and 2024, Don Duck Old Quarter restaurant was not named by Michelin at the 2025 awards ceremony in Da Nang.
Mr. Do Van Kiem (43 years old, Hanoi), owner and chef of this duck restaurant, was quite surprised by this. On June 5, when the ceremony to announce and award prizes to Michelin Guide-licensed restaurants and eateries was held in Da Nang, Mr. Kiem was present in this city but did not receive an invitation to attend.
"I think the organizers may have forgotten about my restaurant," he said. "Normally, I receive their invitations about a few months before the official ceremony. Being listed by Michelin Guide is a source of pride for me, so I myself regularly follow the activities of this award."
Mr. Kiem knows the specific time for the Michelin Guide 2025 announcement and award ceremony for restaurants and eateries this year. That is also a reason for him to travel to Da Nang with his family on this occasion.
He added: "Our restaurant is clearly operating well, with more customers coming back than ever. Part of the reason, I think Michelin certification also helps customers feel secure about the restaurant's dishes.
To be objective, I myself find that the actual work of the restaurant is getting better and better. I don't think of a reason why I didn't receive the invitation this year."
On Google, TripAdvisor, the restaurant received thousands of reviews with an average score of about 4.7/5 stars.
Similarly, Xoi Bat restaurant has been named in the Bib Gourmand category of the culinary guide for 2023 and 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City for 2 consecutive years. This is a rare sticky rice restaurant recommended by Michelin.
Mr. Huynh Phuc Thinh (30 years old, Ho Chi Minh City), the owner of the restaurant, regrets that the restaurant is not on the list for the third year despite being both dedicated and dedicated in serving diners.
He explained: "I temporarily stopped business at the end of last year to move to a new location, it has been 6 months now. However, perhaps the new location is not yet available, so the reopening of the sticky rice restaurant is still delayed. Michelin Guide's organizers sent me mail to update information, but I checked the mailbox late. When the restaurant reopens and has an official address, I will try to send them a letter so that they can verify again".
Having been rated by Michelin for two consecutive years, Mr. Thinh said that the number of customers coming is regular, the restaurant's revenue is relatively stable, increasing by about 15-20% compared to the previous time.
However, because the premises at the old address are inadequate and not favorable for long-term investment, the restaurant needs to change the model. In addition to the Michelin-chosen factor, thanks to its flexible sticky rice recipes and diverse side dishes, Mr. Thinh's restaurant is still regularly remembered by customers and orders are placed.
According to Lao Dong, the two restaurants no longer appear on Michelin's website.
In addition, Pho Hoa Pasteur and Dim Tu Tac are also two other restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City that have been eliminated from the Bib Gourmand category in the 2025 culinary guide.
In the Michelin Selected category, MaSa - French cuisine Eatery by Herve also failed to keep their name on the list.
Previously, the restaurants in Hanoi that were listed by Michelin Guide in 2023 and were not named in 2024 include Akira Back, Khoi and in Ho Chi Minh City are Da Vittorio, Her ve Dining room and Tre Dining.
Michelin Guide Handbook has never published a specific reason for removing specific restaurants from the list. There is no guarantee that the restaurant that has been awarded the title will keep the title forever, because the anonymous reviewers check the quality of the restaurant every year, not announcing the time.
If the restaurant does not pass the re-evaluation of that secret, even if it is just one criterion, it can still be withdrawn from the list. Some factors that cause a loss of points include the quality of dishes, services, and overall experience. If the restaurant stops operating, temporarily closes for too long or changes location, the assessors may ignore it in the assessment.
However, Michelin's annual list of recommendations has always been controversial, since this culinary guide was launched in Vietnam in 2023. Many opinions assessed that some Michelin-listed food establishments were unpopular or not highly appreciated by locals.
Meanwhile, chefs at restaurants said that the evaluation is not transparent when the scoring process is kept confidential, especially when there are famous, crowded restaurants but they are not selected.
This culinary guide is often criticized for being biased towards fine dining models, European dishes, or luxurious service styles, while local or popular cuisine - both delicious and unique - can be underrated.
In Vietnam, many people think that traditional, rustic restaurants are not fully recognized, while "Western" or foreign-owned restaurants are more likely to be on the list. This can be seen through the absence of popular specialties such as banh mi and broken rice in the Michelin restaurant list.
