6 places I recommend
These are the six restaurants and bars in Hanoi I have eaten at myself and would recommend.
The Cantonese restaurant at the JW Marriott, west of the centre in Từ Liêm. If you get bored of Vietnamese food this was a stellar Cantonese restaurant with great food and a beautiful setting.
Address: 8 Đỗ Đức Dục, Từ Liêm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
A French-Vietnamese dining room in the Press Club building on Lý Đạo Thành, built around bridging the two cultures. Solid restaurant with good quality ingredients and great service.
Address: 12 Lý Đạo Thành, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
The Báo Khánh branch of Pizza 4P's, a Vietnam-based Japanese-Italian pizza chain that makes its own mozzarella. Really fantastic quality pizza. Their pasta dishes are pretty good too especially the one with crab.
Address: 11B Báo Khánh, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
A Vietnamese restaurant on the top floor of the JM Marvel Hotel, with a rooftop terrace over the Old Quarter. Great place for local dishes but it is a bit touristy.
Address: 16 Hàng Da, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
The bar at the Sofitel Legend Metropole on Ngô Quyền, in the French Quarter. Really fun tiki bar style decor. Great cocktails and some nice dishes for a quick bite.
Address: 15 Ngô Quyền, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
On Hàng Mã in the Old Quarter, north of Hoàn Kiếm lake. Really fun speakeasy style bar with a super extensive cocktail menu in what looks like an ancient magic book. They also have fossils as decor. Every cocktail was delicious.
Address: 94 Hàng Mã, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam