If you like a bar with live music in Amsterdam, I can't imagine a better spot. It's right in…read moreLeidseplein steps from a tram stop, and walking distance from our hotel, so it was perfect. They have a large menu of beers, liquors, and cocktails, all very cheap, and they did not charge cover when we visited on a Thursday around 9:00 pm. The band was spectacular. They played a list of crowd pleasing covers and even took requests. Very fun place. We passed by late on a Saturday, and there was a huge line to get in, so we recommend coming during the early show on a weeknight - early for them is around 8-10 pm. Their website is great and lists the bands playing. I believe they have at least one if not two live acts every night of the week.

What a find. Honestly I would never have stepped into this bar if it weren't for my friend A., who…read moresaid that this is the place he goes to where he doesn't have to perform or pretend. Smack in the middle of busy Leidseplein, you'd think this would be a total tourist trap nightmare. But it's genuine, down-to-earth, and a good salt-of-the-earth live music bar. With murals of great rock legends on the wall and your proper hole-in-the-wall decor, billiards tables, TVs with sports playing, and live music almost every night, there's bound to be something to entertain you while you wait for a show to come on at Melkweg or on the odd night that you're not out at some DJ event. People sing along. People dance. People rock out. There is a cover charge when it gets later into the night, so arrive early if you want to avoid it!

I first visited The Little One almost 18 years ago on my first trip to The Netherlands. It is the…read moreoldest bar in Eindhoven - and probably the smallest. Spacious is definitely not a word that describes this place! However, what it lacks in space it makes up for in character. They have a selection of whiskeys/malts that would satisfy most purists. Oh, and there is a lot of "stuff" hanging all over the walls and ceiling. Like musical instruments and farming tools. In here you will not find flat panel TVs or loud music like you find in other pubs/cafés. But you will find an interesting mix of patrons and one hell of a barman - who happens to be the owner. Wil Lange knows all about service - and a lot about whiskey and cocktails. He will take good care of you while you sit and chat with the locals and visiting foreigners. I noticed recently that The Little One has a presence on the internet now. They have their own Instagram account and a Facebook fan page with quite a following of loyal fans. They may brand themselves as a speakeasy bar now, but this place will always be a dive bar to me. Don't let that prevent you from visiting a place with great atmosphere and good people.

I don't even remember where I heard about this place, but it might be the original Dutch Dive bar…read more Living up to it's name, it has room for some 10 people at the bar and maybe 15 more standing. The bar is brown and smoking is not disallowed. The bartender has been working for something like 50 years, so this guy's got stories. Stop on by, but don't expect a great crowd. For the English speakers:probeer eens iets Nederlands spreken en misschien dat helpen.

Spacious, quirky bar in the large cellar under a seemingly abandoned old house a few hundred metres…read morefrom the market square. The entrance is easy to miss, just a flight of steps leading down into the darkness with a whiff of stale beer. Together these repel most of the more mainstream tourists which helps the atmosphere enormously. Once inside, there's lots of tables and a few comfy armchairs, olde worlde furnishings and an enormous selection of beers at pretty reasonable prices. Service was a bit slow late on a Sunday afternoon, but friendly enough and the clientele were mixed but mostly younger. Can't believe it took until about my sixth trip to Bruges to discover this place!

Underground, historic bar in the middle of Bruges. Such a fun vibe and they have wonderful…read moredecorations and lights around Christmas. You'll have to walk down about ten steep stairs to enter and then enjoy drinks in a cave-like setting. A must-visit in the city!

Awesome little dive bar/pub! The name is after an Australian historical figure but the bar has an…read moreinternational vibe. There are unique things all over the walls and flags from different countries. The 12 of us took over the entire place, which had 4 high top tables along with 4-5 chairs at the bar. There was still enough room for a heated round of darts. They also had a few small tables out front but the charm is really inside.

Stumbled upon this absolute gem and cannot rate it highly enough. The drink menu is so creative and…read morethe cocktails are actually crafted, complex masterpieces- not your average vodka & sugary chemical concoction. Loved the Lavender Honey Sour & their signature drink especially but really enjoyed the adventure of trying different cocktails in comparison to the compass + walk/run/fly menu descriptions. Everyone working there took their time with us to chat professionally but casually and gave recommendations which made it an even better experience. Plus, it had a very cool ambiance and we were able to immediately be seated both times. When we travel, we like to try new places every time but this is the first time we decided we had to go back again before we left Amsterdam. Shoutout to Alina who was there both times! Not surprised to see she is an owner, she had that sh*t on lock!! Honestly an integral part of the enjoyment of our experience. Thanks for an unforgettable time!

Great drinks here!! Many options and the bartenders will make you whatever you are craving! The…read morepresentation of the drinks is on point! The bartenders were very attentive to us! Loved the ambience too! Pub tables with nice dark lighting and very quaint!

You don't go to the Kulminator to just get a beer. You go to the kulminator for an experience. The…read moreKulminator is not your average bar. It is an icon and a perfect expression of magic of the human presence on this planet. The owners could not be more real and the beer list is unmatched. Ever tried a lachouffe from '87? You can get it there if the owner can find it in his beer dungeon. Try a slice of smoked cheese! Listen to the owner and his wife fight. Talk to beer snobs, tourists, locals if you can find a spot among all the junk that is piled on top of the chairs and tables. Don't expect to be pampered. Just go there to be amazed and bask in the ambiance of a genuine Belgian beer experience!

Do not go here. Weird, rude owner that won't let you in unless you say the right thing. We watched…read morea guy try to go back in after smoking a cigarette to continue hanging out with his friends. The owner told him he left and couldn't come back. The city is gross, parking is near impossible and this owner is the worst of the worst, I honestly can't believe he is allowed to do "business". Do yourself a favor and go to Bruges, kinder people, a fairytale environment and the best fries and waffles you'll ever have.

This is a 5-star dive bar. For sure…read more Because who doesn't love an overly-decorated, older-awesome-women-running-it, super-music, super-people, balloon-penis-hanging-from-ceiling, cheap-drinks dive bar? Probably my new favorite dive bar in all of Amsterdam. Go here for good times.

If there was a better cute dive in Amsterdam I wouldn't believe it. Smile, be nice, the bartender…read morelady won't really speak English but just relax and go with it. Get something simple. Enjoy the decor. Try to chill under the lights.

The food took a while to get out but in the end we didn't mind at all because it's delicious and…read moregreat value and the concept of this volunteer run place is worth supporting. Plus they make their own vegan cheese! Yum! Really satisfying healthy meal. Would come back were we staying in Utrecht longer.

A couple years ago, the fiancé heard about this place from some locals. Apparently, the previous…read moreowners left the location vacant for a long time and the people who run this restaurant used to be squatters. After some difficulty, they were eventually able to purchase it. Very interesting. I was intrigued... So we wondered in to what felt like a dive bar, only to discover that it's a vegan restaurant and frequently hosts live concerts in the back, some for free. They state their mission on the menu: to serve yummy food free of animals and dairy products, and to expose their community of young college students to the idea of veganism, as it is not yet very popular. On the board above the bar, they list their specials, and I ordered one for dinner: the daily dish. It consisted of bean and vegetable stew, spicy rice (it wasn't really spicy), corn on the cob, guacamole, and a side salad... 7.5€! Even if it had cost me twice that amount, I would still be talking about it. It was delicious! It absolutely convinced me that vegan food can be pretty amazing. (I've certainly had my fair share of vegan food in Los Angeles, and it almost always had me wishing I chose something else: Elf Café, Cru, Real Food Daily... Gag me with a spoon.) I don't know what they did to those beans and that tempeh, but it packed a mighty punch of flavor and deliciousness! Bonus: it was super duper cheap! If I were sticking around for longer than a week, I would definitely come back.

Great place for a hookah. Flavor are a little limited but at €10 you can't beat it!…read more The area is great for wandering and not too crowded. Lots of pot shops in the area, tourist stuff and easy to find restaurants. Plenty of TVs to watch sports and music that's upbeat and not Euro Techic or super loud.

I found the perfect "dive bar" in Amsterdam. On a hot summer day, duck in here for a cocktail or a…read moresmoke with ice-cold air-conditioning. Since my husband and I were the only ones here and we did not order food, I don't know anything about the food, but the drinks were good, and the bartender was quite friendly. Wonder Bar seems to be a fun place to go with a group of friends because it has big seating pods with tables where you can listen to music or watch a sports event on the 9 TV's.

Great food, big portions cool environment. Eat in the lower level/cellar. Cool vibe, felt like a…read moreplace you would see Beatles in their early years.

THE FOOD! Most of our party got the Wolfhound burger, that has beef and chicken (and pork bacon)…read morepiled high atop a bun. I scaled back on what I got, and only ordered the Beef Burger and it was fantastic. The vibe was cool as we were sitting in a "basement" like space but was very cozy and comfortable. The waitress was kind and attentive. On the week long trip in Haarlem, we went here about 3 times!