Image by Gisela Clarke

The menu here isn’t big. And it doesn’t need to be. The only thing you need to order is cheese fondue, entrecote, salad, and finally chocolatemousse as a dessert. I’m a great lover of cheese so this place is really one of my favorites.

The cheese fondue is great and you get plenty of bread to go with it. Any of the different salads will do great for a bit of a fresh taste ’cause the fondue is quite heavy and obviously cheesy!

The entrecôte comes on a plate which is on a flame where you can further fry the meat in a very tasty sauce. Maybe this is not the place for a romantic first date though. All of the cheese and garlic doesn’t leave your mouth smelling very fresh…

It is important to know that a reservation is required if you don’t want to eat too late. As soon as your there you will find it easy to spend the rest of the evening there with your cheese fondue and a nice bottle of wine. I can’t wait till the next time! and the next! and the next!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bern | Bars, Restaurants | Main meal € 15.00
Nieuwmarkt 9 | Center | +31206220034
15:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Gisela Clarke

De Kring is normally a members club but for a while now they have opened up their club on weekend nights for different kinds of usually very good parties. Club Up is attached to De Kring and is an actual club. It has a separate entrance on the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 26 but. Parties are usually at the side of Club Up and sometimes if they’re bigger the parties are on both sides of the club with the entrance at De Kring.

The club is becoming more and more popular which means that you will often have to queue op for a while unless you come really early or really late. But as soon as you get in line you will easily get in as they don’t have a strict door policy and inside you will always find an eclectic mix of different kinds of people having a good time.

I always have a good time here, the music and the atmosphere are good, its almost always busy, I can almost certainly guarantee you some wild nights!

Friday and Saturday nights are almost always busy and good, but just to be sure check the websites for the program.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Kring / Club Up | Bars, Music | Entrance fee € 10.00
Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 7-9 | Center | +31206236985
23:00 – 04:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Sanne van Poll

Pacific Parc is a great place on the ‘Westergasfabriekterrein’. Its open during the day for drinks and lunch as well as in the evening for dinner, drinking and/or dancing.

In the summertime the great attraction is the terrace outside which is very big and has sunshine all day long, but in the wintertime there is an even better attraction: a great looking fireplace in the middle of the room. It looks and smells great and warms you up when you need it!

Pacific Parc is open day and night and at night they sometimes have some really busy parties, although they aren’t really my cup of tea.

For lunch/breakfast/snack you should definetely try the “tosti” (croque monsieur / toasted ham/cheese sandwich). It’s delicious with lots of cheese and ham, pineapple or tomato. The great thing is that you get 1,5 tosti, which is exactly the right amount!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pacific Parc | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Main meal € 15.00
polonceaukade 23 | West | +31204887778
11:00 – 02:00 daily (kitchen open till 22:00)

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Gisela Clarke

I don’t have lots of spectacular things to say about this spot so I’ll just keep it simple. It is simply a really good spot.

The good things are to begin with the location, right on the Nieuwmarkt with views of De Waag. Secondly the reading chairs by the window, very nice! Check out the lunch menu during the day which is tasty and affordable. And last but not least the different kinds of Belgian beers and the nice housewine are worth a try.

Don’t forget to order some bitterballen to go with your drinks and just enjoy!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe Stevens | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants | lunch € 5.00
Geldersekade 123 | Center
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Gisela Clarke

Cafe the Tuin is a really relaxed place in the Jordaan in the centre of Amterdam. In this area there are lots of good places. (Check the La Perla Pizza article) Cafe de Tuin is just laid back and no nonsense. They play really good music and serve a wide collection of Belgian beers.

Its nice to sit outside but there isn’t a lot of space. I love the way they’ve made little tables out of the ‘Amsterdammertjes‘ by the side of the road.

In the weekends the place gets really busy with people inside and outside and sometimes a DJ playing music. This makes it the excellent place to start or finish your evening. Or just stay here, you don’t need to go anywhere else!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe de Tuin | Bars | Bbeer € 2.20
2e Tuindwarsstraat 13 | Center | +31206244559
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Gisela Clarke

The Utrechtstestraat starts at the Rembrandtplein and ends at the Frederiksplein. The street crosses all the canals and this is what makes it a very charming shopping street.

The street is good for shopping fashion and delicatessen. Also there are a couple of good furniture shops. (check out the other Utrechtsestraat spots on this website.)

Also if you are looking to get someone a present, this is the place to be. Besides shopping the street is also full of bars and restaurants, again you will find a variety of cuisines suitable for any budget.

You should really have a look here if you like to go shopping but don’t like busy shopping streets full of shops you see everywhere, the choice of shops here is really different and I think you could easily spend a whole day here if you count in stops for coffee, lunch, a afternoon drink and dinner to finish it of!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Utrechtsestraat | Bars, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Restaurants
Utrechtsestraat | Center
Mon – Wed & Fri – Sun 10:00 – 18:00, Thu 10:00 – 21:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Rea Dierdorp

Toko MC is a mix of a lot of different things. It’s a restaurant, a bar, and a theatre but you can also go dancing here and they also have art exhibitions. I love the bar for a drink in day- or nighttime, and have had some great parties here.

The parties are good because they usually feel like being at someones houseparty, a real mix of different people dancing and having fun. Also I love the interior, everything is just really laidback. 

If you are hungry, please try the peanut soup! It’s very very tasty!

The theater is also worth visiting. Check the website for events like concerts, parties, exhibitions and theatershows.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Toko MC | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants (Caribbean) | Peanut soup € 6.50
Polonceaukade 5 | West | +31204750425
Tue – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri & Sat 12:00 – 03:00, Sun 12:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

Why should one visit an Irish bar in Amsterdam when he or she can experience something better instead? Cause… when in Rome, do as the Romans do!

During your stay you should really try out a typical ‘Mokum’* bar just once. Throughout the city you have a couple of typical local pubs where they still have little carpets on the table and all kinds of kitsch on the wall (this was very popular in the Netherlands in the 60′s and 70′s). And I’m not talking about The Old Sailor or café Nol, which became a sort of sad jokes by trying too hard to be authentic.

One of the best bars in this field is Ruk & Pluk (the name is even for the Dutch a little bit awkward, but most probably has a valid meaning for the intimates), a jolly place with regulars from all walks of life. The manageress is a lovely woman, always up for a chat and the place is often decorated with a theme: at the moment it’s obviously ‘Carnaval’. The music is best to be described as a mix of Dutch tear-jerkers and international sing-alongs. Don’t be surprised if at a given moment the crowd does start to sing along as loud as possible. And take a look at the funny signs on the toilet doors.

Ps. take in account that a lot of visitors, despite the prohibition, still smoke inside. You yourself will smell like a chimney after a while.

* Mokum is the Yiddish word for “home town” or ‘safe haven”.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Ruk & Pluk | Bars
Linnaeusstraat 48 | East | +31206653248
Sun – Thu 15:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 15:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

Let me start by pointing out that Spanjer & van Twist is a respectable but not outstanding restaurant, foodwise. In the city you can easily find more spots with the same price-quality ratio. There are three things which makes this place different from the rest.

First of all, when you’re hungry before 17:30 on a weekday you’ll get a discount on your main meal. This is of course a clever way of them to attract business on quiet days, but ideal for you when you had an early lunch (or skipped lunch entirely). 

Next to this, S&vT has one of the most beautiful terraces of Amsterdam. From April till October you’ll find their seats alongside the Leliegracht. Although I feel a bit sorry for the staff when I sit outside (it’s pretty narrow and uneven), it’s nice to see the canal boats appear from under the bridge.

Furthermore, the place is set up really nicely. It’s both spacious, but at the same time pretty intimate. From the first floor you have a nice view on the counter and behind it you can see the half-open kitchen. You would expect to hear a lot of noise, but surprisingly you don’t hear that many sounds coming from the kitchen.

In short, S&vT is a nice place for an intimate dinner or some drinks with a date… or when you wanna have a serious chat with a close friend.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Spanjer & van Twist | Bars, Restaurants (French/Dutch) | Main meal € 15.00
Leliegracht 60 | Center | +31206390109
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Hannekes Boom

I have been writing about Hannekes Boom previously because it’s such a fantastic spot in the summer, centered in the old bay that surrounds the central station island. It feels like an island on its own, with its large trees and its underdeveloped environment. It’s a relief, this peaceful spot with its charm of nature and independance, right in the most busy area of Amsterdam, only a few hundreds of meters away from central station and Damrak.

The winter season asks for some preparation, so they have been closed for two month to have them done. I was curious how they had managed to transform a summer beach cabin into a winterproof stable. Well, the house is the same, probably they have been working on the isolation, but the most significant change is now this large, beautiful, cast-iron chimney with its lazy chairs surrounding it. My tip: Saturday in the late afternoon, after a day shopping (or whatever you had to do in the center), come here, only a few people will be around, grab a chair at the fireplace, and watch it slowly getting dark outside.

Hannekes Boom is still a restaurant, so you may stay longer, get some winterproof dish for a price somewhere between cheap and regular. Not bad at all, but the only stars you were coming for are the ones outside anyway. They are still working on a programming but probably there will be live music on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Jazz/Blues – I’ve been told).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Hannekes Boom | Bars, Restaurants (Intern./Dutch) | Daily menu from € 12.50
Dijksgracht 4 | Center | +31204199820
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

A new spot in town! It is now the 4th week that De Basis has opened it’s doors. That means that I am close to the pulse of the city. Or that I am behind the facts? Well, paying it a visit the other day made me feel like the first of the two. I immediatly fell in love with De Basis – and if you are following my blog you know the kind of places I like. So freshly improvised, it looks like they had something like 500 Euros left and asked the guy with the screwdriver to build them an interior. Unvarnished triplex. And instead of throwing the waste material to the garbage he used it to build a giant tree that extends from the basement floor (some 60′s chairs and a vintage table) to the ceiling of the main floor.

Nice people, good music – bit more up-beat than my other spots, refreshingly energetic, less alternative, and so is the crowd: you feel the beat of the city, and you can’t help to get that Berlin feeling. Even though the guys behind the bar pretend not to be claiming that feeling, actually claiming the opposite: this is Amsterdam, not Berlin. Right so, who wants to always be identified in comparison with someone else? As if that co-existence is your only right to exist at all.

No, I am sure this place will be home for the young and hip, the artistic avantgarde, for some time to come.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Basis Amsterdam | Bars | Beer € 2
Vijzelstraat 66 | Center
Sun – Thu 16:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 16:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by B. Winkel

The first ever Dutch special beer bar (yes, you read that correctly) opened in 2000 with a little (financial) support of its regulars, as a refuge for connoisseurs. It might not have as many beers as its famous Belgium counterparts (Gollum, de Zotte) but the place shows the Dutch can brew more distinctive beers as well. You’ll find thirty beers on tap, which is more then its counterparts, and another 100 in stock.

It also has a bodega, Bartholomeus, where you can have private beer tastings or a master class by a professional ‘bieroloog’. Or you can enter one of the open events.

If you don’t like beer that much, but your friends do, you can still join them, as the place serves different wines, jenevers, whiskeys and other liquors as well. Please note that the place mostly is very popular by men in their latter years. But unmistakably, it’s a fine spot for drinking with friends.

Ps. the Beer Temple (American beer bar) at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal #250 is from the same owner

Details about this spot (Show on map)
‘t Arendsnest | Bars
Herengracht 90 | Center | +31204212057
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 00:00, Fri 16:00 – 02:00, Sat 14:00 – 02:00, Sun 14:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

Monday evening, heavy clouds, raining. Not in the mood to go out into town, but still fancy a beer. So, luckily Club 8 is around the corner. Not that I am a fanatic pool player. But I like – even if I don’t play – the atmosphere at Club 8. People who are concentrated, and busy with something, but relaxed. Not as in some hip or less hip places in the center, noisy and overcrowded.

Pool billiard: there are 19 pool tables and 3 snooker tables. Enough to keep the waiting time down to a minimum. Actually the Club is internationally renowned, and sometimes there are international competitions.

But there’s more than pool: the whole upper floor is the actual club floor: all kinds of party events, “Kill All Hipsters” putting their hats here once in a month, next to what they do in Bitterzoet (read the article), or in Berlin.

But now – it’s Monday evening, no club night – well I don’t need to, tonight, I just sit here on one of the old couches, petting the old fat cat that calls this place her home, watch them play pool, and joking around with my buddies. Enjoy the beer.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Club 8 | Bars, Relaxing | 1 Hour pool € 9.50
Admiraal de Ruijterweg 56b | West | +31206851703
Sun -Tue 12:00 – 03:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 04:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

Have you ever been to a Berlin living room cafe? Vintage furniture, a bit run-down, Cafe Brecht is all about “Gemütlichkeit” – coziness, the translation is an approach at best. One of the ancestors of your German grandmother could have lived here, nothing would have changed, only time would have eroded the walls since then, and a bar and more lazy chairs would have been added.

Tea is being served in a teapot that looks like being taken right out of your grandmothers cupboard, there is freshly made cake, also a thing that you might be familiar with if you know a typical Berlin living room cafe. A selection of several German beers complete the menu.

It is very relaxed inside, time doesn’t seem to play a role, you can tell by the knitting gear that decorates the tables and invites you to just continue knitting, just like you grandmother would have done. In the evenings you might pop into some event, be it a poetry reading, be it a bit of live music, but that’s rather occasional. Lately Brecht was transformed into a pop-up store with fashion from one of the local art academies.

Actually what I like most about Brecht is that they sell my favorite brand of German beer – which is the original black forest beer “Tannenzäpfle”, and it’s the only place where you can get it in Amsterdam.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe Brecht | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Red wine € 4
Weteringschans 157 | Center | +31206272211
12:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

A Californian bass guitar player coming to Amsterdam for love and music. He opens this little spot in the Amsterdam area Westerpark: Mark Hodson. He didn’t want to give me his full name in the first place ’cause I have a shady past, you know…’ I will leave this up to himself. Anyway, he looks like rock’n roll and that’s the spirit of the bar – it only needs a couple of more years to look as run-down as you’d expect a rock’n roll bar to look like.

Well, about the Jet Lounge itself: It’s a nice little spot with a good reputation among the singer/song writers in Amsterdam. The open mic sessions on Tuesday are nice, and again: it’s not a neighborhood open mic event, I think the standard of the people you come across at such occasions is high (with variations, of course), and you can enjoy good music in an intimate setting – it’s like they are performing in your living room.

Mark likes cocktails and he enjoys preparing them (he is a bit of a one-man-show). It seems for Mark cocktails are an integral part of rock’n roll live (awarded cocktail bar of the year in 2009 by Time Out magazine Amsterdam).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Jet Lounge | Bars, Music | Cocktail € 6
Groen van Prinstererstraat 41 | West
Tue – Thu 18:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

Just having celebrated the first anniversary the CC Café is looking back on a year full of live music of all possible styles. We’ve seen singer/song writers, the Amsterdam Songwriters Guild, blues and jazz, latin and world music, and a variety of individual styles on the open mic evenings. The man behind the bar is René, and he does not hesitate to make you feel personally involved with CC café. Chances are that he still remembers your name when drop by next time.

The pup is more stylish than the other venues I have written about. (it’s not a venue, it’s a pub). A bit more designed, dimmed light, a velvet curtain behind the stage and black lights, it’s certainly not a rock’n roll bar. You enter the bar at street level, in the back it splits up into two floors, downstairs you will find a quiet area, the smoker’s lounge. The top floor offers a small stage, fully equipped with a drum kit, PA, microphone, a keyboard etc.

The Wednesdays are hosted by Ferial, and she is good in what she’s doing. She definitely is a personality, she is music. She invites a variety of co-musicians to perform together with her, but it is Ferial who runs the show, and it’s a pleasure to see her performing with all instruments that she can get her hands on. On other days there are blues nights, latin, jazz, female singers, but you have to check the website for the schedule. 3 Euros contribution required.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
CC Muziekcafé | Bars, Music | Beer € 2.50
Rustenburgerstraat 384 | South
Sun – Thu 19:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 19:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

Across the canal from the cultural centre of the University of Amsterdam and around the corner of its Law faculty, this bar was really one of my favourite spots when I was a student. A bit old-fashioned, but snugly decorated, the place still breaths some genuine Amsterdamnes. This is even more reinforced by the owners and the residential cat (Kasper, almost 17 years old).

Check out their hamburger for lunch! You can order it in two sizes (medium or large) and it can, in my humble opinion, compete with the hamburgers at the more famous burger bars: unknown in its simplicity but, more importantly, très delicious. It’s also on the menu as a main dish and then comes with fries and a little side salad. The rest of the menu is a bit plain, with chicken kebab, spareribs and steak, but here the same device is at place: simple, but good.

If you wanna try something else then the trendy bars or lunchrooms I sincerely suggest you to hop in a place like ‘t Gasthuys.. and please don’t forget to pet the old cat.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
‘t Gasthuys | Bars, Restaurants (Diner) | Medium hamburger € 5.75
Grimburgwal 7 | Center | +31206248230
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

There is something about the Linnaeusstraat between the Mauritskade and the intersection on the other side of the Oosterpark. On not even half a mile you’ll find six totally different bars, with their own atmosphere and audience. If you like the variation it’s definitely worth a pubcrawl.

First in line is East of Eden (Linnaeusstraat 11-A), a neighbourhood bar opposite the Tropenmuseum. The different sitting areas are ideal for small groups. When it’s crowded it can take a while before they take your order.

Next is café Museum (Linnaeusstraat 29), an old fashioned “bruincafé”. On Saturday between 15:30 and 18:30 they host a Jazz jam session. The place is nothing fancy, but enjoyable enough for a couple of drinks.

The third bar is the trendy Spargo (Linnaeusstraat 37-A), a spot where a lot of yuppies hang out. They serve both a huge lunch and dinner menu. Decent quality, decent prices… and there’s always crowd there.

Next you’ll find Pata Negra (Reinwardtstraat 1hs), a Spanish tapas place. It can be very crowdy and noisy, especially in the weekends, but that’s what gives it this typically Southern temperament.

The fifth place is called Boom (Linnaeusstraat 63), a small place which focusses more on dining. This spot is a bit more considerate than the rest, making it  perfect for a serious chat and a good glass of wine.

The final spot located at the intersection is caffe Milo (Linnaeusstraat 71hs). This bar is especially known as a lunch place, but they serve a good dinner as well. And you’re always welcome for drinks too.

Six places, six different experiences!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Linnaeusstraat | Bars, Restaurants
Linnaeusstraat | East
09:00/10:00 – 01:00/03:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

Sunday afternoon, a band called “A Boy Named Sue” is playing Johnny Cash cover songs, and the mood is terrific. They know how to make the crowd swing, and from something around 16:00 there is party at Hesp, the place is crowded. Even Henk Schiffmacher, the world famous tattoo artist, is spotted (it’s a bit of his home cafe). On Friday nights it is less crowded, but still a place to have good time. The bar tenders are doing their best to entertain, and you can tell they love their job.

But Hesp is not only a bar to have a good time on a Friday night, Hesp also accommodates a full Restaurant with a variety of international dishes for a reasonable price. On the Sunday afternoon live music events you can meet me occasionally, swinging out a weekends’ hangover to prepare myself for the following week on the job.

I must admit, when it comes to drinking beer, I have my favorite brand, but for people who are curious to try different sorts, Hesp has a whole menu of at least twenty different kinds of tap beer, this in addition to at least twenty sorts of bottled beer.

In the summer Hesp blinks out with one of the nicest terraces Amsterdam has to offer, right at the river Amstel. It’s the most mediterranean area of Amsterdam. But I am too much ahead now – it is still closed and we will have to wait a little until then.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe Hesp | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Intern.) | Dinner +/- € 16.50
Weesperzijde 130-131 | East | +31206651202
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Martin Sollmann

Canvas (which resides at the seventh floor of the former Volkskrant building) is an easy going restaurant, club and cocktail bar with a little alternative attitude. You enter the building through the main hall, pass the guards, then on the left-hand side you’ll find the elevators to the seventh floor.

The interior is a little alternative, self-made, food is being served at foldable beer tables. There is graffiti and secondhand lampshades, and there are chesterfield benches to hang out before or after dinner. Food and service is better than the interior suggests.

DJ´s, singer-songwriters, theme/parties or cocktail nights (5 EUR a cocktail), you can have it all @ canvas. But whatever takes place at Canvas, nothing can beat the view: I think it’s one of the best Amsterdam has to offer. In the summer there are two terraces open, one is part of the restaurant, the other is a surfer style beach bar – they are unfortunately closed now, let’s wait for spring. The cocktail nights are hosted by Marcel Barlag, the cycling DJ. He comes with his bicycle fully equipped with his dj set and his records, playing 70′s sounds.

Next to exhibiting hip photography they also host events like a cloth exchange market: bring the cloths that you’ve had enough of, find someone who likes them, and trade them in for items that you like of his/her collection. Very nice idea!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Canvas op de 7de | Bars, Music, Restaurants (International) | Canvasburger € 13
Wibautstraat 150 | East | +31207163817
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sun 11:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Madelien Schippers

This place was formerly known as Boom Chicago, named after the American comedy club that is housed here with edgy sketches on actual themes and a lot of funny improvisation.

Since March they changed their name from BC12 to Chicago Social Club. Besides comedy you will find a lot of good house/techno parties on the agenda! I like this place because it is not a massive club, rather intimate with only one dance floor that attracts a cool, mixed crowd of people looking for a good night out.

When you enter the venue you can first have a drink at the large bar, but if you can’t wait to party, walk a little further where the deep house, techno or sometimes hip hop will welcome you. Just check out the agenda on their site to see if there is a party of your taste. On weekdays the bar is open till late, and I can recommend the nice apple martini’s they serve here.

On Friday and Saturday you have to pay for entrance, the rest of the week the bar is free of charge. More in for a night full of American humor?, check their calendar.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Chicago Social Club | Bars, Music, Theaters | Club entrance € 12.50
Leidseplein 12 | Center
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 03:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 04:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Madelien Schippers

I discovered this small Mexican Restaurant in the Jordaan a while ago. A friend of mine told me that this was one of the best Mexican restaurants and I do agree! Good food, nice ambiance, affordable prices and delicious margaritas!

Especially the fresh mango margarita is a must, I already added it to my list of cocktail favorites. Although I’ve never been to Mexico I did get a taste of what Mexico might be like, due to the bright yellow bar, the warm loud colors on the wall and the music!

The restaurant is a bit small and could fill up quickly, to make a reservation can be a smart idea or show up late like we did. The menu is simple and offers soft tacos, enchiladas and salads in different varieties of beef, pork, chicken or shrimp. Every meal comes with rice, a salad or the traditional black beans. I tried the beef taco which was nice with the guacamole and the portions were more than enough!

They have a variety of good Mexican beers, and many tequila’s! I had a good time here and because of its location it’s a great start for a night out to discover the many bars the Jordaan has to offer.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Los Pilones | Bars, Restaurants (Mexican) | Taco dish € 15.50
1e Anjeliersdwarsstraat 6 | Center | +31206200323
16:00 – 00:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Madelien Schippers

If you don’t feel like going for some drinks to the city centre, try Zola in West. Here they serve some nice sandwiches for a good lunch when you drop by after checking out the shopping street ‘Kinkerstraat’ and the ‘Ten Kate market’.

When the weather allows it is very comfortable at the terrace which is conveniently situated to the waterside. The furniture inside looks fresh with the wood and typical light purple color on the walls.

Dinner is pure and simple, I like to go for one of the salads or the spicy Thai fish cakes. They serve some good cocktails at the bar and on Friday night you can enjoy yourself till late with the special night: Drink & Dance. It could get pretty busy on the Friday nights. 

When it gets busy the service can be a bit chaotic, but other than that this place is an all-rounder, its suitable for pre-dinner or after work drinks, lunch and dinner!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Zola | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Fusion) | Main Course € 15
Kinkerstraat 87 | West | +31206183858
Mon – Thu 15:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 03:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by De Nieuwe Anita Amsterdam (by Bauke Karel)

De Nieuwe Anita is actually THE underground place in the west. A bar like a living room in the front area. Vintage, second hand, looks like a squatted place – only the negative attitude is missing. Mostly good music, it’s a good place to hang out, BUT:

the real thing is going on in the back, down under – The Nieuwe Anita is also a venue for alternative music, underground films and dance parties. And again: I usually drop by on the Subbacultcha events because they pretty much rock, and the guys at Subbacultcha know how to get the good bands just right before they become famous.

Yesterdays Band “The Luyas” played some fantastic electro-pop tunes down in the basement, quiet, introvert passages alternating with powerful drum sequences. And an amplified horn supporting the synthesizer – when was the last time you came across a horn in a pop concert?

Tuesday nights there is live music behind the bar, and that can be quite good, but what can I say – a matter of taste of course, but worth a try-out. On other days De Nieuwe Anita feels like a family hangout. The pub quiz virus hasn’t passed it’s cozy living room, and once in a month (first Sunday) the Anita folks gather to guess the answer of impossible to answer questions. That is fun – but you got to know the dutch language to take part. One good alternative spot to visit.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Nieuwe Anita | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Beer € 2,20
Frederik Hendrikstraat 111 | West
Mon – Tue & Thu 20:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by G.J. Broens

I’m a bit biased about this spot (and that’s a huge understatement), cause I worked together with the ‘founding fathers’. Started by students which previously worked at another Kriterion project (the gas station at the A10 in Zeeburg) this project was intended to be a cultural café with multiple forms of (performing) arts on its agenda. This initial concept is unfortunately only realized half, skimming down the performances to only musical ones and with lesser art exhibitions as (I) hoped for. But I still like to visit this spot regularly, cause even in the slimmed-down version it’s a really nice bar with both a lively clientèle and an attentive staffing.

The place is basically divided in two. In the first part you’ve got the actual bar, where they succesfully created a living room atmosphere with couches, cushions and a very comfy armchair. Because this is seen as the bar section they don’t serve hot meals here (except for lunch, snacks and pie). The singer-songwriters who perform at ‘Skek are placed in this section as well.

For dining you have to be in the second part of the place, in the rear around the corner. The main menu is pretty simple and changes only every two months. Their homemade skekfriet (french fries) is well-known and pretty tasty. More thorough is the drink menu, which is understandable if you look at their clientèle: students.

In summary: if you are a student or still feel young enough to pretend to be one, I definitely know you’ll like it here!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
‘Skek | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Pub food) | Main meal € 12.50
Zeedijk 4-8 | Center | +31204270551
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam