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The main selling point of DiDi—a Vietnamese restaurant from TikTok chef Tue Ngyuen and the Delilah team—is that it's almost always bumping. This sexy West Hollywood spot practically functions as a church for people who want to dress up, drink coconut-washed rum, and take camera-flash photos with tiger-embossed napkins. It’s the best choice if you’re looking for a clubby restaurant in the neighborhood, and one of the few Vietnamese spots in town where you won’t look out of place wearing six-inch heels. The front dining room has the mood lighting and lo-fi Drake melodies necessary for an intimate dinner date, but the upstairs loft in the back, lined with banquettes and a proper DJ booth, is much clubbier.
photo credit: Cara Harman
photo credit: Cara Harman
photo credit: Cara Harman
photo credit: Cara Harman
photo credit: Cara Harman
DiDi is right on the edge of the clubstaurant spectrum, leaning more toward an actual restaurant. So naturally, it’s not our first-choice dining destination for impeccable Vietnamese food. But you’ll be so busy schmoozing, you might forget about the uneven dishes, at least temporarily. DiDi’s appetizers, like golden brown chicken wings and crunchy shrimp toast filled with juicy pâté, are excellent. But, like a mediocre movie with a great opening scene, there are more misses as you move through the entrees. The whole fried snapper is one. We love the crunchy texture of the skin, but the meat turns soggy in seconds due to the overwhelming pool of sweet chili sauce it's served in. The wagyu beef pho is another. It smells like it’s been simmering all night long, but the bland broth says otherwise (making the $65 price tag feel like a shocker). Save for the crispy Hainan chicken, we’d suggest skipping DiDi’s entrees altogether and building a meal out of snacks like sesame noodles and tiger prawns.
If you’re looking for a big night out at a spot where a scene is the top priority, DiDi is the place to do it. The low-lit, bi-level space has plenty of crescent booths for big groups, the R&B playlist is cranked up to a confident house party volume, and the Vietnamese menu is far more interesting (and for the most part, much better) than the clubstaurant competition. Plus, unlike other tough-to-book hot spots in the area, DiDi always holds space for walk-ins (even on weekends). Just limit your expectations for a full-on dinner here—it’s best suited for a drinks-and-light-bite scenario.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Cara Harman
Cocktails
photo credit: Cara Harman
Shrimp Toast
photo credit: Cara Harman
Chicken Wings
photo credit: Cara Harman
Honey Glazed Tiger Prawns
photo credit: Cara Harman
Cold Sesame Noodles
photo credit: Cara Harman
Whole Fried Snapper
photo credit: DiDi
Crispy Hainan Chicken
photo credit: Cara Harman