For the quality of restaurants normally found in Leiden, this one is rather excellent. All the food…read moreis fresh, well-prepared, and full of flavour. The restaurant itself has a nice welcoming atmosphere, even though the waiters and plate settings would indicate that it's rather stiff-upper-lip, the clientelle is relaxed and everyone is welcome. I would only give a few dings for the following things: (1) The service - yes, I know I should not complain of the service in the Netherlands, but I can't help myself. The waitress told us that as per the concept, they recommend ordering one 'small' bite, two 'medium' ones and one 'large' one. Setting aside the fact that this is actually an outrageous amount of food for one person, when our group of 4 proceeded to not follow the 'recommendation' and order haphazard amounts of everything from different parts of the menu, the waitress clearly panicked and started asking us about the order in which things should we served. We told her to essentially figure it out herself and were rewarded with fairly haphazard serving order in return. (2) Odd flavour combinations - while some dishes were absolutely delicious (like the classic Asperges a la flamande), others where they clearly tried to experiment were frighteningly bad. In particular the 'food shot' (served in a shot glass) of diced cervelat salami served with chunks of vodka jelly on top of a bed of sliced onions - this dish was not appealing in any way, shape or form. There were a few other similar clearly failed experiments and I'm not sure why they've chosen to keep them around on the menu. Other than this though, it's definitely an interesting place and worth checking out if in Leiden.

Extrodinary Indonesian food but pricey. Dinner for two without drinks $ 172 US…read more It was a dining experience to do once. Service was excellent.

Disappointing changes to the menu, and after living in Leiden for 7 years, quite possibly the…read morerudest service by one of the male wait staff. Really overpriced life what amounts to bar food and no concern for the experience of customers who have a severe food allergy. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.

From the owner: Ons huiselijke restaurant ligt aan de mooiste gracht van Leiden, het Rapenburg. Het is gevestigd in…read moreeen historisch pand, waar begin vorige eeuw een drogisterij onderdak vond. De 'Gaper' aan de gevel is nog altijd een markant herkenningspunt. Op het menu staan eigentijdse gerechten, die met veel aandacht voor zowel de ingrediënten als voor de gast worden bereid. En bij alles geldt: alleen kwaliteit telt! Parkeert u op de Haagweg, dan heeft u gratis vervoer naar ons restaurant.

Situated on a picturesque canal bank, 10 minutes away from Leiden's central train station, this is…read morean extraordinary restaurant well worth the 25 minute train ride from Amsterdam. The service is friendly, with knowledgeable and English speaking staff. In den Doofpot boasts an expansive wine list starting with €35 bottles and climbing over €1500 for the finer Petreus. The menu includes creative dishes and appetizers to order a la carte. On our visit in late June 2011, my wife and I tried the "surprise" menu: a 4 course meal that changes daily to include fresh market items purveyed by the chef. Our courses included house-smoked salmon in rice paper, served with champagne foam, and chilled lobster; poached cod with a perfectly grilled prawn, served over beet mousse; seared fillet served over pumpkin chutney and grilled vegetables; and ice cream of forest fruits accompanied by mousse made of the same berries as well. We had a nice, oakey chardonnay from Auxey-Duresses that was an excellent pairing even for the meat. The total for two people came to about €150. Getting to this restaurant from Amsterdam is straight forward. A round trip for two, from Amsterdam's Central Station to Leiden's Central Station cost €18 in second class. There are several trains every hour connecting the two cities; tickets are valid on all trains between the cities. From the train station walk across the plaza, toward the canal, towards the main market square and you'll find the restaurant right away. Google maps is an accurate source of walking directions as well.

Beautiful setting, superbly prepared food, expert service, an incredibly knowledgeable sommelier…read morewho is helpful in several languages. As expensive as one would expect. They were understanding and accommodating about my gluten sensitivity. The only negative is the narrowness of the menu. No fowl, no pork, no lamb, mostly beef and nary a vegetable, soup, or salad to be found.

From the owner: Het elfde gebod is: Gij zult genieten! Ongedwongen genieten: dat doet u bij Grand Café 't Elfde…read moreGebod. Elke dag een High Tea at Sea, heerlijke nieuwe gerechten op onze vernieuwde menukaart en niet te vergeten: een terras met spectaculair zeezicht.

The Nest restaurant is actually a nice place, since it has been refurbished even better. Food is…read moregreat here - and I exactly mean it, the only thing needs to improve is the service, waiting times can be long here and there.

From the owner: Graag laten wij u kennismaken met Restaurant Nest. Dit is ons à la Carte, en tevens Live Cooking…read moreBuffet restaurant. U ontdekt hier de heerlijkste biologische streekgerechten, zeer vakkundig bereid door onze ervaren chef-koks. Een feestelijke familieavond, een romantisch diner of een gezellige brunch; bij restaurant Nest bent u voor iedere gelegenheid welkom. Het restaurant is sfeervol & trendy ingericht en bestaat uit twee delen: een à la Carte gedeelte (ma t/m zo) en een Live Cooking Buffet (vr, za, zo).

Incredible Dutch-tinged French food. Lots of perfect details in the food and the service. Unique…read moredishes served with creative presentation. Loved it.