An Thuong at Night: What to Eat, Where to Play, and Why Do Korean Tourists Love It?
At 8 PM, just as I turned into An Thuong 4, I could already smell the grilled meat wafting from the roadside eateries, mingled with K-pop tunes playing from a cafe and the laughter of Westerners sitting on the sidewalk enjoying a few beers. Not as noisy as Bui Vien, nor as quiet as Hoi An ancient town, An Thuong at night has its own rhythm, and that’s why this area is becoming a “must-visit” destination for many Korean tourists when visiting Da Nang.
Where is An Thuong?
An Thuong is located in the old Ngu Hanh Son ward, just a few minutes’ walk from My Khe beach. This area includes the horizontal streets of An Thuong 1, 2, 3, 4 and Tran Bach Dang street, which have been planned by the city as a walking street, operating overnight to serve tourists. During the day, An Thuong is quite ordinary, but around 6-7 PM, the restaurant lights start to flicker on, sidewalk tables and chairs are set out, and this neighborhood almost wakes up for a second time.
Special point: this is also the area with the highest density of Korean residents and tourists staying in Da Nang, so it is not difficult to see Korean signs mixed with Vietnamese ones on the same street.
What to eat in An Thuong at night
The An Thuong 4 section is almost like a miniature “Korean food cluster”; the three restaurants below are just a few steps apart, so switching venues in one evening is quite normal.
SEOMIN BBQ (02 An Thuong 4) features Korean-style charcoal grilled meat with free side dishes (panchan). Ideal for groups of 2-4 people to order a combo; reference price is about 500-600k for 2 people.
AMPM (3 An Thuong 4) is a Korean restaurant open until nearly midnight. Perfect as a late-night dining spot after strolling the streets or returning from a bar.
Kyodong Chicken (37 An Thuong 4) specializes in Korean-style fried/sauced chicken (교동치킨). Light snacks, perfect for sipping with beer.
Interspersed between the Korean restaurants are affordable Vietnamese seafood spots, sidewalk snail shops, and a few places selling Euro-Asian fusion grills. My experience: you should eat dinner early around 6:30-7:30 PM, because after 8 PM, the Korean restaurants are packed, especially on weekends.
What to do after eating
After eating, most visitors will move in two directions:
1. Stroll through An Thuong Night Market: A night market located along Tran Bach Dang street (the section from La Xuan Oai to Hoang Ke Viem), with about 18 street-food style food and beverage stalls, mixing Thai dishes, Vietnamese dishes from three regions, Mexican, Japanese, and Spanish food. Open 5 PM – 11 PM on weekdays, weekends extend until midnight. Good for walking, snacking, and taking photos; no table reservation needed.
2. Visit bars/pubs: An Thuong has The Shamrock Irish Bar (Irish style design, with billiards and large TVs for watching football) and several small bars with a chillier vibe than Bach Dang street. This isn’t a high-end bar area like Sky 36 or rooftops; the atmosphere here is casual, easy to enter, and easy to make new friends.
If you want something quieter, walk another 5-10 minutes to My Khe beach; sitting at a seaside cafe to enjoy the breeze is also a choice many guests make after dinner.
Why do Korean tourists love An Thuong?
Three main reasons I have observed:
- Location close to the beach and airport: only about 10-15 minutes from Da Nang airport and right next to My Khe, convenient for Korean charter tours which often have tight schedules.
- Pre-existing Korean community: on the same stretch of An Thuong 4, you can see 3-4 Korean signs adjacent to each other; staff at many restaurants speak both Korean and Vietnamese, so guests don’t worry about language barriers.
- Prices are much more affordable than in Korea: a Korean BBQ meal here costs only 1/3 to 1/2 of the price in Seoul, while the space and quality still maintain the standards.
Small tips from a local
If going on the weekend, you should arrive before 7 PM to get a seat at hot restaurants, because after that, many places are fully booked until 9-10 PM. For motorbikes, choose parking lots with attendants (usually 5-10k/bike) instead of leaving them on the street; this area is quite crowded so it can easily become messy.
An Thuong at night is not glamorous, but it is enough for you to have an evening of delicious food, street strolling, and feeling why this place “leaves such a lingering memory” for Korean guests.