The food is good and tasty. The service is friendly and smiley. But everything is SO SLOW. It's an open kitchen. The cooks should start their day with energic drinks. Or at least pretend. For 3 appetizers count on sitting for 80 minutes. And the restaurant had only 4 other tables to serve read more

On my first visit to Firma Pekelhaaring a friend and I stepped inside and inquired about dining outside. We got an affirmative nod and moments later beers we had not ordered were brought to us. We looked at one another, mildly confused, but smiled at our good fortune and commented about how much we liked the Dutch style. When a server then appeared we asked about food and were sad to discover that the kitchen had closed before we'd arrived. On my next visit, I arrived much earlier with two dining companions in tow. We started with drinks at the bar before moving to a communal table where we got the amazing aracini (an appetizer not to be missed) and the caprese salad. Other highlights of my meal included pasta with bacon and chili and, for dessert, white chocolate cheesecake (this coming from a person who disdains white chocolate on regular occasion!) Firma Pekelhaaring's food is rustic, straight forward and in a word, delicious. Also, vegetarians are well cared for here. read more

Not every meal in Amsterdam was so oolala, but Firma Pekelhaaring was so good it warranted two trips in two days, both for lunch. Lunch # 1...Smoked sprat open face sandwich on the best dark bread farnished with romaine,baby tomatoes (they actually tasted like a flavorful home grown tomato), avocado cream. I would order this again and again. Fresh tomato soup with an herb I could not identify was A=. Spanish white wine, cold and crisp. Lunch#2...Pea ravioli garnished with smoked sprats ( love them!) and fresh peas in lemon butter sauce. Vegetable salad consisting of grilled artichoke hearts, giant fava or lima beans, baby string beans , radicchio, pine nuts, shaved parnesan. Cold Italian white wine. Very good service. A big plus. After lunch you can stroll down the street and hang out with the locals at a ganja bar, but that's a whole other experience and review.... read more

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We were looking forward to eating at this restaurant but we were very disappointed by the service and the quality of food wasn't so good either. There were three of us but the waitress did not even give us a third set of cutlery or glass. Staff service was very slow and we did not feel any sort of "warm ambience" that we expected to experience. Additionally, we felt like the waitresses were very rude and we did not feel welcome at all. The dishes were overpriced based on the quality of food and portion sizes. Will not come again. read more

One of the best places in town, serving lunch all day, great prices and service. I highly recommend the fish soup and they have a great complimentary olive oil and fresh bread on the side. They just offered me some pulpo, just for tasting, love it when you get a little more attention! read more

Firma Pekelhaaring - Italian Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

First of all: If you are into smaller places, like these cozy little restaurants you find almost everywhere in Amsterdam, you might be a little bit surprised. This venue isnt small, but if you are coming from other cities like me from Munich, you wouldnt even realize that this place is one of the larger spaces in Amsterdam. The interior works well and I never felt like sitting in a hall or something. So, the kitchen here is upper class Italian food. You can choose between various dishes of the daily menu or just order a la carte. I highly recommend to start with the mixed Anti Pasti and have the Lemon Pollo. Both were simply great. We had also the "extra aged" Rib Eye Steak, which tasted also very good. But to be honest, I did not get the difference to a normal steak and guess I will try the Pasta the next time I go there instead. The service was very friendly and took care that we had a good time. No surprise in Amsterdam, she spoke English very well and even if she realized that my friend was Dutch, she offered me an English Menu. So, if you are looking for a nice place to eat and having a good time, if you want to avoid tourist traps and enjoy the vibrant area of Pijp, give Fa. Pekelhaaring a chance. read more

Firma Pekelhaaring - Pollo Limone - Italian Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

Perfect ambiance, very helpful people and good food. Our duck and ravioli were the best and the cheesecake is one of the best I've ever had (and that's a lot, only my little sisters cheesecake will survive). A reservation is necessary. There were so many walk-ins, but they were fully booked. The whole night! So if you will not be disappointed, please make a reservation. One thing; it was such a small slice of cheesecake. That makes it a little bit expensive. read more

Firma Pekelhaaring - Home made - pommes frites. - Italian Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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Maybe it's my northwestern, woodsy upbringing, but their are certain words that instantly attract me, drive me, pull me into venues. The word 'rustic' is especially titillating, as is 'warm', 'intimate', 'exposed' 'humble' and 'natural'. As soon as my dining guru mentioned just one of these buzz words, I was sold (more like, magnetically drawn) on Firma Pekelhaaring. And while this venue or its menu didn't embody my other magnet word 'quaint', after sampling the warm bread and risotto ball starter, I realized that for all I knew, Firma Pekelhaaring could be synonymous with 'simply delicious' in Dutch and I would believe it hook, line and sinker. This is exactly the type of establishment you want to sink into after a long day of work. It's exceptionally relaxed with a great menu of modern European faves from swordfish to lemon chicken to aged ribeye. Mix that with a deep montepulciano, great conversation and a not-too-buzzy ambiance and you're all set for a perfect, rustic, delicious experience. If I lived here, I'd likely wash, rinse and repeat these steps often. read more

A friend of mine suggested this place because he wanted to eat here one more time before he left the country. I had never heard of the place but am always open to new places & plus the yelp reviews looked promising! I'll start with the bad and it's nothing shocking here in the NL. Bad service but to add oil to the fire it was bad service and it wasn't even busy?!? I just don't get it? But that's another rant I won't bother to get into and will just leave it at that. The food... Amazing! I had the linguine with some sort of shaved fish (sorry forgot the name) and lemon. I also had the soup of the day which was a celery root soup. The linguine was just perfect! A healthy dousing of extra virgin olive oil with a salty fishy (in a good way) and the beautiful scent and taste of subtle lemons. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of it. The celery root soup was also a delight to eat. Creamy and full of mashed celery root. Not to salty which I appreciate. It came topped with some buttery garlicky croutons and a bit of chives. I sprinkled some pepper on it and again loved every bite of it. Man I wish they could get their service right and just maybe give a shit and realize that a good dining experience also comes with good service... Not just the food. And because of this I can only give 3 stars... Other wise it would have been an easy 5 stars! But, alas, I will return to try more of their amazing food! read more

Firma Pekelhaaring - Celery root soup - Italian Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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Upscale modern-European restaurant with a hint of Italian influence is the best way to describe Pekelhaaring. My friend made dinner reservations here for my first night in Amsterdam, and we rushed in from the rain with her dog in tow (dogs are allowed here fyi). We were starving and immediately asked for the menu, but the waiter was not to be rushed and brought us the drink menu first, telling us the real menu would come later. One thing I do have to say is that service is slow and relaxed - my friend did say that's pretty typical in Amsterdam though so that's probably what it was. We opted to share a delicious four-course meal of calamari, steak, gnocchi and pannacotta. The portions are a pretty good size, so sharing the meal meant for one was the perfect amount of food. All the food was delicious, fresh, and well-seasoned. The pannacotta was light and the best end to a heavy meal. Overall, I would recommend! read more

After a slew of "meh" or downright terrible reviews, I'm so happy we came to the Pekelhaaring (my official opinion of the Dutch delicacy did not influence this review because I think it's gross! Sorry Dutchies!). We came here to grab a quick bite when we were feeling lazy. I went with the special - a steak dish with green beans and mushrooms. No points for innovation but this was a delicious, flavourful, well-cooked and well-balanced meal! The bf had the pork belly and was equally as pleased as I was! Service was a bit slow going at first, but that didn't last throughout the meal so no complaints here! A good, solid, meal a few minutes from my house - I'm a happy person! read more

It is hip, industrial and really good food where the price is just fine! ;) They have pasta, salads, awesome rib-eye, vegetariam and too delicious baked potatoes! Most of the times it is pretty busy in the weekend but also sometimes in weekdays. Therefore I recommend you to reserve a table in advanced! They also have a big table where everyone can sit next to eachother... Less privacy, but cozy with other people! Service is great and really friendly. Menu is also changing in time of period which will impress you continously! read more

I'm struggling between 3 or 4 stars. I think this restaurant is a solid choice for good food and nice ambiance. The restaurant is spacious but homey at the same time. It's the type of place you can take your parents for a good meal, and I feel like the menu is extensive and creative enough that everyone will find something to like. Our food was excellent - my sister and I shared the amazing roasted pork salad with figs - it was a decent portion to share but we both probably could have each had our own, it was so good. I had the linguine with shaved fish and lemon - delicious. She liked her wild boar "polpetine" (aka meatball) pasta but thought my dish was better. For dessert she ordered the lemon tart with lavender cream which was a bit disappointing as she was hoping for a lemon curd consistency and it was rather like a cheesecake. I had the apple tart with licorice ice cream. Though I'm not a fan of licorice in general, the dutch have a salty/syrupy version that I rather like, and it went really well with my hot fried apple pie. So why a less-than-stellar rating? The service was really disappointing. It took a minute to be seated but another 5 minutes to get menus (which we had to ask for). When they asked what we wanted to drink, only then did they realize they hadn't given us a wine menu. At one point, our waiter simply disappeared and we didn't realize until afterwards that someone else had taken over service of our table. This was after we'd asked another staff member for assistance but she insisted on fetching our server. In general, I found restaurants in Amsterdam appeared understaffed compared to New York, but in this case, the place wasn't particularly busy and they had plenty of staff. I'll round up to 4 since I hope they improve and because for now, I think I'd go back again and suffer the service just to eat the exact same meal. read more

The soup of the day is always good. ALWAYS. Very relaxed place, so prepare for slow service and a long (but great) meal. There are some good vegeterian options to enjoy.the soup changes daily and the salad every season.I have never been disappointed with either of the two. Try the saffron risotto balls if you are looking for some indulgence. read more

This is the best Italian restaurant i have tried in Amsterdam. My experience was made memorable by the pasta with pork that i ordered and it was well seasoned and delicious. I take 1 star off for the slightly large price tag for a bowl of pasta. Try their desserts too! I had thru whiskey fudge cake and the raspberry cheese cake and they were both delicious. The fudge chocolate is a quite heavy though so if you're already full, the cheesecake is more enjoyable. read more

Came here for dinner for two around 8 on a Sunday and we were able to be seated right away without a reservation. We each had two glasses of wine and an entre (the lasagna and the steak) which was about €35 per person. The food was excellent and I would definitely come back here. read more

Good food but the service is unbelievably slow. A friend and I were there for over three hours for a four-course meal that we didn't even finish. It got to be so ridiculous that my friend mentioned that the dessert was taking a bit long; after another five minutes and no dessert we just opted to pay and leave without it. He had ordered the prix-fix menu so of course it was still on the bill. I didn't have the energy to dispute it. The only reason I'm giving it two stars is because our food was quite good. It would be an easy four stars if the kitchen could turn the food out in a timely fashion. read more

Love this popular hip restaurant near my home. Great for lunch, dinner or just drinks. They also have seats outside! Great quality food, cool interior (vintage, industrial, lots of light). The people are very friendly and the restaurant attracts a young crowd. Prices are fine. read more

Firma Pekelhaaring - Philly cheese steak sandwich - Italian Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

Great food. Had the pappardelle and duck, scallops, steak. All were fantastic for the price. Best of all, the cheesecake! Lekker!!! read more

Came here for dinner for 2 on a Thursday night around 8:30pm. It was easy to make a reservation online but we also didn't need to make a reservation. This is a fun spot where I think you can work during the day (there is WiFi). I ordered the pork entree and we shared the risotto balls appetizer, a side of potatoes and a side of salad. It was a great meal overall with seating outside (we ended up moving inside after it started to get a bit chilly) and romantic lighting on the inside. It might be the New Yorker in me but definitely took a little while to get the bill and pay for it. We maybe asked for it once and then had to get up to remind the server to get it... and then we finally got it. We each got a glass of wine as well, and the total was 32 euros a person. I would definitely consider coming back here. Note this place does not take Amex. read more

Heard really good reviews from Firma and went to try it, as I live in the same block. First try was a fail, I haven't booked and was not able to book a table. So for the second try I booked and had a high expectation. In the end the food was ok. Not really taste or unique but with a beautiful presentation. The atmosphere feels a bit more special than the food itself. Would recommend a try but is definitely not on my top 10 list. read more

Very expensive for the quality and quantity of food. It looks like a cute casual place so was surprised at the prices. Would not return.

Food was oke, had the vitello Tonato but I missed of finetuning. My friend had the mozerella and that looked great on the other hand :) was't blow'n Away by this restaurant but I'll try it again next time To make sure. The waiters were very nice though and the atmosphere was great. Really good olive oil! read more

If there was a 2.5 star rating, that's what I'd give... the appetizer was greasy and boring followed by a bland pasta and gnocchi. Everything about this place was average at best except for the service, which was quite good :) read more

The thing with Pekelhaaring is that the cooks know what they are doing but the waiters are missing the refinement for a 5-star experience (unfortunately). It is what makes them an average Amsterdam restaurant while it should not necessarily be. You pay good money for excellent food in a sober 'trendy' environment and so far, it is worth it. But I consider swift and accurate service just as important. The restaurant seems to be fully booked every evening and that is exactly when they tend to drop the ball. Even more when you have a complaint or remark (personal experience). It wasn't even the complaint which I had to overcome but the way it was handled (not). I suppose it is worth the ride but not if you are looking for good service with a smile. read more

Fantastic food, but very disappointing service by our wait staff, who was not welcoming, unhelpful , and unapologetic when part of our meal was forgotten by either her or the kitchen. The limoncello was very good, and almost made us forget about the underwhelming service. read more

Delicious food at a good price. Modern place with good service (we ate late in the afternoon on a weekday). We came at the recommendation of our apartment host, a local. Our group of 5 tourists were all very pleased with our various orders: open faced sandwich, philly, gnocchi (my favorite item), and ravioli. Would come back in a heartbeat! I still crave that gnocchi...it was made fresh! read more

Solid three stars. Plus another half for good service and helpful staff. I only had the spinach lasagna and a glass of excellent wine. I was seated at the communal table even though there was a two top open the whole time I was there. Not really a problem but I know the GF wouldn't have liked it. The food came out quicker than I expected and was good but not exceptional. I walked out feeling satisfied but not planning a return trip anytime soon. It is a large place and that is in it's favor when looking for somewhere to eat in the neighborhood. It may just take one more trip there to raise my rating to 4 stars. read more

First meal on the Eurotrip and still hasn't been beat. We had the prosciutto appetizer with mozzarella, beet ravioli with goat cheese, and the rabbit gnocchi. Even after being in Italy, the meal's still on my mind. We went back a second time and although they were closing, they were still willing to seat us for dessert. Order the white chocolate cheesecake, you won't be disappointed. read more

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On our twentieth visit to Amsterdam we hit it big! We ate at Pekelhaaring on our first night in town. The adept chefs in the corner open kitchen and the attractive and informed waiters immediately tell the visitor that this is a well-managed place. And the food and drink concluded the deal for us night after night--superb and well-priced. After seven consecutive evenings we did not experience a single let-down! We'd be hard-pressed to choose a favorite dish, but would recommend especially the lamb neck and any of the pastas. Wow--we wish we could have a Pekelhaaring in Nieuw Amsterdam! read more

I really like this place. For some reason the name really throws me off, and then I stop a moment and think - oh yea, that Italian spot with the delicious food. My boyfriend and I always eat way too much - the appetizers always wow, the pasta is strong to quite strong. The staff is 50% fantastic, and 50% typical dutch service ;). Also, a cool vibe that is both family friendly and hip. Good wine selection, and check out the daily specials - always something yummy. read more

I was traveling in Amsterdam and Firma was well reviewed, so I walked over from my hotel. I was asked at the door if i made a reservation (which I didn't), but was promptly seated although the place was packed (mostly locals). I had risotto balls to start and leek raviolis for a main course-- they were excellent with generous portions. The service was very good and the tab for three was 90 euros, which was quite reasonable (including two glasses of wine). I strongly recommend Firma! read more