Fantastic restaurant. Went with four friends and was treated like a King. Had the five-course…read more"mystery" menu. Just asked if we can't eat something. The waiter was enthusiastic, exciting and very attractive - which helps! He explained each meal very carefully as well as the wine. He reminds me of my attorney. I thought the food was incredible and we had a special "guest chef" that night. So I am not sure if they swap in and out chefs weekly but the meal was lekker. The portions were big for European standards but not too big. The wine was very good as well. They were very generous with the bread on the table....with lekker olive oil and butter. Odd thing I found about the place is the big shaker of salt on the tables. Right off the supermarket shelf. I would think that if you're confident of the way the food is prepared, salt would not be recommended or needed, but this is a big-boy thing of salt. HUGE space in West Amsterdam. Near an old dyke and canal. It must really rock in the summer time with that outdoor location. I will be going back for sure. (Review 383 - 395 overall) 13 Feb 2020

Very good food in a cute, French style but still casual ambiance. I'm not a great fan of stuffy,…read moreput-up restaurants, so this was the perfect combination. Great food, good company and friendly staff. Yes. I can understand why this is a populair spot.

Had such a memorable dinner at Brasserie Ambassade in Amsterdam on our last dinner of the trip. The…read morerestaurant is beautifully decorated inside, with a great atmosphere right along the canal. We were a family of five, so unfortunately there wasn't enough space for us to sit outside, but the interior was beautiful and made for a really nice evening. For appetizers, we ordered the caviar and seabass tartare. Both were delicious, although the real problem was that the kids kept asking for more caviar . Definitely a good sign! For the entrees, among other things, we shared the tomahawk steak and ordered the fish of the day. The tomahawk was cooked perfectly medium rare and was tender and flavorful, while the fish was simply delicious and beautifully prepared. Great food, beautiful setting, and a really memorable family dinner in Amsterdam. Definitely a place we'd come back to.

Top Notch Breakfast and Dinner…read more.. Brasserie is the restaurant inside the Ambassade Hotel. My wife and I...along with another couple...had 4 breakfasts and 1 dinner there so this review reflects our experience. - Overall: 5 - Location: 5 (for Old Town and the Jordaan) - Exterior: 5 - Interior: 5 - Atmosphere: 5 - Menu: 5 - Food: 5 - Service: 5 (though the head waiter at dinner was full-of-himself) - Price and Value: 5 Pros: - Location: Convenient to the Old Town and Jordaan parts of Amsterdam. - Exterior: Handsome. A beautifully restored and maintained property. - Interior: Contemporary. Brasserie is a high end spot across 3 rooms, yet remains comfortable where conversation is easily accomplished. - Menu: Very healthy buffet at breakfast plus some items which can be ordered. Dinner offers French fare with a relatively light touch...though very different from the wellness-oriented breakfast. - Food: Excellent. The breakfast buffet is not huge, but full of healthy high quality items. I had 3 unbelievable versions of granola spooned from large jars and covered my bowl with the best tasting light Greek yogurt. Fruit and fish was super fresh...bread and pastries baked on premises amazing. Others in our group chose made-to-order egg dishes. It's all part of staying at the hotel. Dinner transformed Brasserie into a bistro with a French twist on many favorite dishes. Check the menu online. Portions are small - as expected - but quality was high. However, prices were very reasonable with most items under $30. - Service: Homey at breakfast..."French" for dinner. Everyone could not have been more friendly and helpful in the morning. Things were a bit more formal at night with a different crew. The chief waiter was very knowledgeable, but we agreed a bit arrogant. - Price and Value: Worth it. I believe the breakfast buffet is only for guests of the Ambassade Hotel. Brasserie is open to the public at night and quite reasonable. - Parking: None. Who has a car in Old Town? Cons: - The only one readily apparent was the brusque, off-the-cuff nature of our main server at dinner. He wasn't over-the-top, but not in keeping with the friendly vibe of the hotel. And that's coming from 2 couples who grew up in New York City and lived for many years in San Francisco and LA. Anyone can...and should...get dinner at Brasserie. There are many reasons to make reservations for a stay at the Ambassade - including access to their breakfast buffet.

This is my first visit to Amsterdam and so far my meal at Grand Café has been a highlight of my…read morevisit. I was with a group of 6. It was early so only 4 ordered dinner but we were all very pleased with meals that ranged from pasta, to lamb and salmon.

While in Amsterdam, we couldn't figure out where to eat so we just googled the closest one to our…read morehotel. So we gave this place a try. Service was really good, specially for EU as the servers don't work on tips. I got the Chefs menu and partner got their Thin Sliced Smoke Ribeye and the soup of the day which was a Potato Leek soup. The Ribeye was good but definitely not smoked but that soup was really good and hit the spot in a very cold day. For my dishes, I got a salad with Salmon tartar, it was good not great. The quail was very nicely done and very good. The dessert was interesting my partner definitely liked it more than I did. Overall, I recommend this place as it's pretty solid place to try while in Amsterdam.

This place is absolutely perfect. Excellent food, ambiance, service! We liked it so much that we…read morecame two days in a row!

Food was good. Server was condescending and gross…read more Blah blah blah I don't want to write 200 words. Mean server.

If you're craving genuine, heartwarming Dutch comfort food near Leidseplein, The Pantry is the real…read moredeal. The space is quaint, cozy, and feels like stepping straight into a classic Dutch living room. If it's your first time or you just want a bit of everything, the stamppot combination plate is unbeatable. Getting to sample all three traditional mashes--hutspot, boerenkool, and zuurkool--paired with a juicy smoked sausage or traditional Dutch meatball is pure comfort on a plate. The Erwtensoep (Dutch pea soup) served with rye bread and smoked bacon is rich, thick, and incredible on a cool afternoon. Start off with the bitterballen or Dutch shrimp croquettes to share while you wait. Service is super friendly, welcoming, and effortlessly switches between languages without missing a beat. Because the dining room is small and intimate, it fills up remarkably fast--booking a table online in advance is essential, especially if you're aiming for dinner. A total gem for proper, unpretentious Dutch cuisine!

Booked a table for two at The Pantry. Completely dissatisfied with the dining experience. We…read morearrived five minutes before our reservation time. We felt like if we had been just a minute late, our table would have been given to someone else. Head Server rushed us to a table. The tables were packed like sardines in a can...barely enough room to sit down. Head server reminded us that we have only an hour and a half time slot for dinner. We then waited 20 minutes before another server took our orders, appetizer took another 20 minutes to be served. We didn't get our main dishes until an hour into our dining time slot. Because The Pantry crowds diners so tightly together, the place is extremely loud...so loud that I felt I like I was part of the adjoining tables' conversations. We could not hear eachother. It was impossible to hold a conversation. It was school cafeteria loud. We were unable to talk about the day and enjoy our meals...the noise was too distracting. Our food was nothing special. It tasted just ok. We expected it to taste better. The sauerkraut tasted pickled...like out of a jar. The red cabbage was overly sweet. The stew had only four chunks of beef. Overall, the food didn't taste fresh made. My wife could have cooked a better dinner at home. When visiting a new country, one expects better food (quality and taste) for 60 Euro. Not sure why other patrons line up to eat here. We will not return to The Pantry.

We were looking for an amazing meal n stumbled upon this place -- we absolutely loved it! The…read morerestaurant requires a reservation. We started with some bites; the brioche was great, especially the truffle one. The KOP fried chicken was okay, but the prawn taco was a winner. From the main menu, the salmon and beef tataki were out of this world, while the seabass and brisket were very good. Def a must-try spot

Pleasant restaurant we checked out, relaxing atmosphere, good service and a varied menu.read more

Awesome restaurant! The food was amazing. The croque monsieur, charcuterie board, chocolate cake,…read moreand Hugo Spritz were all delicious. The atmosphere inside was perfect, and the service was impeccable. Our waitress was especially lovely, super friendly, and very helpful. One small suggestion: a more fitting soundtrack would elevate the experience even further. The music felt a little too pop-oriented for the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Our first great dinner in town. The food was amazing. We opted for the black angus and a side of…read morepepper sauce. Don't skip on the sauce! It comes on the side and was rich and delicious. We shared the steak and got the large salad with veggies! The veggies were sooo good! Plus you have plenty of protein with your steak. A cute little gem of a place, in a nice area for a nice night out.

A routine Bib-Gourmand recipient Rijsel occupies a former school, the 3-course prix-fixe proving…read moreextremely popular with locals in search of simple French fare made with good ingredients in a bustling bistro atmosphere. Located at Marcusstraat 52, windows open for Summer when guests pour in beginning at 18h00, Rijsel approaches French Food with a Flemish accent while servers push Wine hard throughout a service clearly focused on turning tables. A sort of Canteen in front of an open kitchen, complimentary Gazpacho hitting the table with Sausage and Bread before orders are taken, Rijsel's menu sees specials added depending on the Chef's whim, on this day a classic Terrine that outpaced Octopus that was less tender than "chewy." Opting for two Prix-Fixe plus Ribeye served rare, each Entree proving quite sizable, Spring Chicken comes whole on the bone with a simple Bean preparation while Black Leg Chicken arrives sliced with thin Morel Sauce at an upcharge. Pre-paying a deposit, all of which was spent but only a portion credited due to one ill guest who stayed in, Dessert featured Clafoutis with whole Cherries and Ice Cream alongside a dome of Chocolate surrounding Mousse plus Berries.

I don't even know where to start other than saying that everything exceeded expectations! We were…read morevisiting from the States and were looking for a local representation of traditional regional cuisine and that's what we got--an elegant, modern Dutch-French meal with knowledgeable and friendly service. The space is cozy with vintage charm and the kitchen is wide open, which I always love. We had a party of 7, got 3 bottles of wine and about half of us did the 3 course meal option and the total came out to about €80/person, which is an exceptional deal for this level of cooking and service. They were also highly attentive to the dietary restriction we had in the party, providing an alternative amuse bouche and asking clarifying questions to make sure they got it right. We found it on the Michelin Guide as a Bib Gourmand restaurant and I whole-heartedly agree that it's worth the trip if you're in the area! It's very unassuming from the outside and we weren't sure we had the right door as you walk through a curtain right inside the door and enter right into the dining room, without any type of host stand to greet at the entry. Highlights of the meal included a divine duck leg/breast special, my veal chop with morel sauce was fantastic, and the cafe gourmand dessert course was a perfect nightcap with choice of espresso/coffee/tea and a handful of chef's choice sweet bites.

The staff and food were amazing. Everything seamed to be seasonal and fresh. The atmosphere…read moreappeared to be rich and settled. The oak paneled walls and ornate chandeliers added sophistication. While I only had tea to drink the bar was well stocked. The restaurant spans the building so you can enter form with street. I suggest if you want to eat outside make reservations and ask for the quieter shady side of the building!

My son Brody and I were in Amsterdam on our way to Germany and we wanted some authentic Dutch food…read morewhile we were there. After reviewing best Dutch restaurant on Yelp, VS was #1. We sat on the patio. Our server brought us complementary bread with butter while we read through the menu. I'm told my meal was authentic Dutch food, but it just seemed like a strange combination. The name slipped my mind, but it was a pile of mashed potatoes with endive, with a meatball on top with brown gravy and then beside that with some type of smoked sausage with a pile of mustard. I've always felt that whatever food you put on a plate should taste good together sausage with the mustard with the meat and the gravy and the mashed potatoes just seem disjointed to me. With that sad, I ate every drop of it and enjoyed it so maybe I learned something from this meal. ‍ My son took the alternative approach and ordered a meal with Indonesian flavors; chicken with peanut sauce was the main entrée and it came with french fries. He definitely enjoyed his meal as well. I'm glad we gave VS a try. It turned out to be a good meal of Dutch food in a touristy area with food from all over the world. I guess I'm old-fashioned because I just wanted a taste of the local cuisine. Cheers!

Excellent restaurant with delicate and fine French style food. A rather small and intimate place…read morewith a real identity. This is what I call a "reference table" in Amsterdam. + : First I often consider that a great restaurant needs to have great bread. This is the case @ Elkaar where they serve you with a crunchy and soft French style small bread cut in 4 to open up your appetite. Then you get a chance to choose within a 3-course menu (for about 36€)... all dishes using great fresh fish or meat, seasonal vegetables with fine pairing. Well what more can you ask for? Last time I enjoyed Elkaar, I had a fantastic codfish and shrimp salad with perfect seasoning, sea bass with a tasty medley of vegetables and finished with a great sweet note : their own interpretation of a lemon pie. I also love how their portions are thoughtfully sized i.e. you really have enough to eat but it is not too much. They also have outdoor tables, so if weather allows it the great Elkaar experience can be taken outdoors - : There is really not much negative I can say about this great place. I just wished there were a few more nice wine options around 40-45€. A decent burgundy bottle cost about 55-60€. That's slightly over the top for the standard of this restaurant. In conclusion : If you are asking yourself "Where are we going to eat tonight" and look for great food, nice environment, reasonable price... whether you plan a night out with your friends or a romantic 4-eye dinner, Elkaar is the place!

Dinner here was super lovely, not rushed at all in a cool and relaxing corner restaurant…read moreatmosphere, very attentive and knowledgeable service, beautifully plated dishes with unique amuse-bouche, and incredibly tasty bread and butter that's hard to resist filling up on. The dishes were diverse in ingredients and really pleasant on the palate. I wish there was a little more spice or heat on some of them but a lack of heat is a thing I've found throughout Europe. Although there was no single bite I look back on with absolute fondness that I can tell others about, it's still quite an enjoyable experience.