We were postponing having to get back on our cruise ship, so we stopped here for a beer or two and some snacks. I got the Brouwerij 't IJ Natte beer on tap ("T'ij Natte" for short) and we split an order of fries and bitterballen.
Brouwerij 't IJ is a small brewery in Amsterdam, which we didn't get a chance to go to, but I still wanted to taste a local beer, so I was glad to find it here. The Natte is a dubbel, so it's dark but not overly bitter or heavy, about 6.5%. Great beer that I wish we had at home! Paired well with the fries, which were thick cut and served with mayo and ketchup, and the bitterballen, Dutch meatballs that are more like croquets, made with ground beef and served with dijon mustard. Both the fries and bitterballen were fried well, crispy and not at all overcooked.
There's a list of other beers on tap on their website, though it looked more extensive on the board when we were there. Food and drinks were inexpensive compared to some other bars we went to - very reasonable. We sat along the sort of hallway part beside the bar, so space was tight, but we were only two people so we didn't really mind. There was a live band and a group celebrating a birthday, so the small area in the front was pretty crammed, and the back started to get packed as well. Seemed to be a popular spot and we could see why! I would likely frequent this bar if I lived in the area :) read more