It's a moot point whether or not 1 Hang Manh has the best bun cha in Hanoi, but it has certainly solidified it's reputation as THE Hanoi Bun Cha Institution.

I have eaten bun cha all over the city in the past decade. You can get it just about anywhere, from pop-up street stalls to upscale restaurants. What sets 1 Hang Manh apart is both wonderful and disappointing, depending on your perspective.

The bun cha and nem are wonderful, yup! It's surprisingly expensive compared to other street fare, but by Western standards $5 for a huge helping of bun chan, nem and a beer is still a great bargain (it's not clear whether there's still a locals' price and a foreigners' price). Service is undeniably surly. Absolutely no smiles from these ladies. It's part of the charm, I suppose. And it's a typical street stall restaurant, to the eye & nose, filthy. But no more unhygienic than a 5-star hotel buffet. It is almost always crazy crowded and often lousy with tourists. And bloody hell, only Saigon beer. No Bia Hanoi and no Halida.

So if it's your first visit to the city, eat here at least once, check the box, then go bun cha exploring.

We visited Bun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim for lunch as part of a tour with the HanoiKids organisation and were really impressed with the the quality of the food. It is a traditional Bun Cha joint & we didn't see any other tourists in there while we were there. The first two floors were already full when we arrived, so we kept going up until we reached a free seat. We sat down at the table where a plate of salad & a couple of plates of rice noodles were already laid out. We were soon brought hot bowls of Bun Cha & a massive plate of crab spring rolls. Luckily we had the 'kids' with us to tell us what to do (dip your noodles, salad & spring rolls into the bun cha bowl). We were blown away by the taste if the food - absolutely delicious. The portions were very generous - our bowls seemed to never end despite how long we kept eating! Definitely recommend, although might be helpful to have a local with you...

This review was submitted late (tried it in Aug). The Bun Cha was tasty and big portion. I found the spring roll average. Agree with one reviewr that you could find equally good bun cha stalls elsewhere, but if you are in the old quarters, this could be the place. For photos, visit:http://clumsycompass.blogspot.sg/2012/08/bun-cha-nem-cua-be-dac-kim.html.

I Just don't know wht to say except, you must eat this. There is a nice restaurant in the Lonely Planet that you should try in Hanoi. You just get there and they bring the only dish they serve... Bun Cha!

Stopped in here for an early lunch. My friend and I split one order, and it was still more than we could eat. Delicious grilled pork and spiced pork patties in a rich broth, crispy fresh spring rolls. Enormous mound of herbs and greens. Service was fast and efficient, if not super friendly. Despite being in the guidebook, tourists were greatly outnumbered by locals in this busy place, a sign that it lives up to its reputation.