At a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | French haute cuisine with Vietnamese seasonal ingredients |
| Michelin | 1★ (2024, retained 2025) — Central Vietnam's only starred restaurant [15] |
| Chef | Christian Le Squer (3★ Le Cinq, Paris) + Florian Stein (Chef de Cuisine, on-site) [3] |
| Address | InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula [10] |
| Hours | Dinner only — 18:30–21:00 daily (last order 21:00) [1] |
| Booking | Required; VND 1,000,000 deposit per person; cancel by 11:00 on the day or forfeit deposit [1] |
| Dress code | Smart casual — no shorts, flip-flops or sneakers; jacket optional [1] |
| Children | 12+ in main dining; younger children in private family rooms [10] |
| Phone | +84 236 393 8888 (ext 6321 same-day) |
| TripAdvisor | 4.4/5 (571 reviews), #100 of 1,981 Da Nang restaurants [5] |
Setting & Architecture
La Maison 1888 sits inside the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort — a clifftop property on Son Tra Peninsula accessible via the Nam Tram, a 130-metre cable car that spans four levels (Heaven / Sky / Earth / Sea) through primary jungle, designed by architect Bill Bensley to resemble a traditional Vietnamese basket boat. [12] The restaurant itself is a faithful recreation of a French colonial Indochine mansion — the same architect's work — with panoramic views over the Gulf of Tonkin. [8] Architectural Digest ranked it among the world's 10 most beautiful restaurants; CNN placed it in its global Top 10 in 2016. [1]
Dining spaces: La Veranda (24 seats), a 14-seat kitchen counter with open-kitchen views, Buffalo Bar (14 indoor + 30 terrace), one 4-seat private room, and two 12-seat private chambers. [7]
The Chefs
Christian Le Squer (culinary director) has held three Michelin stars at Le Cinq, Four Seasons George V Paris, for over two decades. He travels to Vietnam monthly to work with on-site teams. [9] Florian Stein (Chef de Cuisine) runs the kitchen daily, trained at Le Chambard in Alsace; he has spent years adapting classical French technique to local Central Vietnamese seafood and herbs. [8] The restaurant received its first Michelin star in June 2024 and retained it in 2025 — one of nine starred restaurants in Vietnam and the only one in Central Vietnam. [13] [15]
Current Menu (March 2026)
Two tasting menus plus an à la carte. All prices in '000 VND, subject to 5% service charge + 8% VAT on food + 10% VAT on alcohol. [2]
Menu comparison
| Menu | Courses included | Price / person++ | ~USD (before charges) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epicurean | 8 — amuse, caviar, truffle, lobster, turbot, onion gratin, wagyu, 3 mignardises | VND 7,599k | ~$299 |
| Gourmand | 6 — amuse, caviar, truffle, turbot, wagyu, 2 mignardises | VND 5,999k | ~$236 |
| Epicurean wine pairing | 8 wines — Chablis 1er Cru, Champagne, Chassagne-Montrachet, Hermitage, Morgon, 2003 Pauillac, 2003 Vouvray moelleux, 1999 Maury | VND 7,599k | ~$299 |
| Gourmand wine pairing | 5 wines — Chablis 1er Cru, Champagne, Hermitage, 2003 Pauillac, 1999 Maury | VND 5,999k | ~$236 |
Epicurean courses (in order)
- Nos délicates bouchées — Amuse bouche
- Caviar Osciètre maturé à la crème fumée acidulée — Matured Kristal caviar, smoked tangy cream, blinis
- Truffe noire du Périgord — Potato gnocchi "Boulangère", black truffle from Périgord
- Homard bleu, safran et amaretto — Brittany blue lobster, saffron, amaretto sauce, crispy rice (Epicurean only)
- Pièce de turbot meunière — Hirame, "xa lat xoong" watercress salad, grated pear
- Gratinée d'oignons — Onion gratin in contemporary Parisian style (Epicurean only)
- Pièce de boeuf « Wagyu » — Wagyu beef, fermented mushroom
- Mignardises: Irish norvégienne / Croustillant chocolat noisette / Kouign-amann — Coffee-passionfruit vacherin; malt whisky ice cream, chocolate & hazelnut crisps; Chef's childhood pastry
À la carte (VND '000)
| Dish | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Langoustine de nos côtes | Langoustine, warm mayonnaise, buckwheat pancake | 4,499 |
| Foie gras en galets | Poached in iodised vinegar broth | 2,999 |
| Bar sauvage au lait ribot | Seabass, Kaviari caviar, buttermilk | 4,499 |
| Spaghetti debout en gratin | Spaghetti gratin, black truffle, Paris ham — the signature dish | 4,499 |
| Ananas épicé / Givré laitier / Chocolat noir | Spicy pineapple & shiso sorbet / Iced dairy yeast / Dark chocolate caramel peanut | 899 each |
| Assiette de Fromages affinés | French cheese platter | 999 |
Wine Programme
The cellar has held Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for seven consecutive years (2018–2024) and is described as the best wine selection in Vietnam. [1] The Epicurean pairing is notable for including a 2003 Château Batailley (5ème Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac) and the 1999 Mas Amiel Bonbonnes — a 10-litre oxidative Grenache from Maury — as its anchor wines, alongside a 2003 Domaine Huet Vouvray moelleux. [2] Sommelier-led à la carte wine selection is also available. A Souvenirs de France wine tasting runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday 16:00–17:00 (reservation required by the prior day). [1]
Diner Perspectives
Across 571 TripAdvisor reviews the consensus is positive (4.4/5): food is "exceptionally presented," the setting is "gorgeous," and service attentive. Most criticisms centre on pacing (one party spent 3+ hours on 6 courses with long gaps) and wine pairing cost relative to food. One couple reported ~$600 all-in for two. [5]
A March 2025 independent food blogger who visited post-chef-transition (Pierre Gagnaire stepped back September 2024, Le Squer took over) found execution "a bit lacking" and recommended visiting only if staying at the resort, citing a period of insufficient oversight during the handover. [6] The Michelin star retention in 2025 suggests the kitchen has stabilised. [15]
Getting There & Practical Notes
Transport
The resort sits on Son Tra Peninsula, roughly 20 minutes by Grab or taxi from Da Nang city centre (Grab is recommended for ease). [6] [11] Non-guests dining at La Maison 1888 are welcome; a third-party roundtrip transfer service from Da Nang city centre is also available via KKday. [14] Once at the resort entrance, the Nam Tram cable car carries guests up through the jungle to the different levels — part of the experience itself. [12]
Booking
- Reserve by 17:00 the day before at a minimum; one week ahead is safer on weekends. [10]
- VND 1,000,000 per person deposit charged at booking; forfeit if cancelled after 11:00 on the reservation day. [1]
- Groups of 6+ may require an additional deposit. [10]
- Vegetarian alternatives exist (ask when booking — not listed in the March 2026 menu PDF). [1]
Verdict
La Maison 1888 is a legitimate fine-dining destination — not just a resort restaurant that stumbled into a Michelin star. The combination of Bill Bensley's colonial mansion, the cable car arrival through jungle, and a kitchen anchored by a three-star Parisian chef creates something genuinely hard to replicate. [3] The Gourmand menu at ~$236++ is competitively priced against comparable European one-star experiences once the exchange rate is factored in. The Epicurean wine pairing — with 20-year-old Bordeaux and Maury — is the standout value add for serious wine drinkers. [2] The main friction is access: the resort's position on a jungle hillside means arriving takes effort, and leaving after dinner (no public transport, limited late-night Grab availability on Son Tra) needs pre-planning. Budget VND 400–500k each way for private transfer back. [11]