I don't even know where to start other than saying that everything exceeded expectations! We were visiting 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. read more

A routine Bib-Gourmand recipient Rijsel occupies a former school, the 3-course prix-fixe proving extremely 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. read more

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Food was excellent! Service 110%! We started with oysters, split a fish soup that had layers of flavor, & has the small chicken (Cornish hen). Had Gigondas with the dinner and French coffee for dessert. You are not rushed, server was very knowledgeable and amazing! read more

Unbelievably good! Fantastic service, impressive wine selection. Such a great value for your money. read more

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Excellent food all around! Decided to book this place for a birthday celebration months in advance and it did not disappoint. I found a review online and it was very accurate about the entire experience from start to finish. We ordered several appetizers and a starter salad, and even though I was not completely familiar with every ingredient on the menu, I wanted to try as much as I could since I wasn't that familiar with French cuisine. The service from start to finish was impeccable on every level. From the hostess greeting and seating us, to the sommelier providing recommendations of wine, to our waitstaff (they have more than one person who helps the table). I cannot express how much we appreciated the wonderful staff in explaining everything to us and what to expect. This was certainly a highlight during our trip. With regard to the ambiance, the restaurant, kitchen, restrooms, and just the seating and lighting was wonderful. It is not an overly pretentious setting, nor are the tables or linens, but very crisp, clean and elegant on a very simple level. We started a conversation with an interesting and quite friendly Dutch couple who explained they had been planning their dinner for a while and had been celebrating a recent job promotion. It was an unforgettable evening and a perfect way to celebrate a birthday. Sadly, I discovered just recently that the other guest in my party forgot to leave a tip for our amazing evening. Since I assumed it was covered, I did not leave a tip myself and found out (just recently). I cannot tell you how much anguish this gives me considering how amazing the staff is at Rijsel. Every aspect of this establishment clearly shows how much everyone enjoys what they are doing and how they present to their customers. Please accept my sincerest apologies for neglecting to leave any kind of tip. Upon my next trip to AMS, I will be visiting Rijsel again, if only to toast the extraordinary team there and to leave a hefty tip for them as well. read more

Ambience and food was great. However the chicken took over an hour to come out, you'd think they went to go hunt it for you

It's been two-ish days now since I dined at Rijsel, and I'm still in awe. The food was terrific and plated with care. The som's were very knowledgeable. I was waffling between a white for the halibut, and was told "I'll bring you something you'll enjoy" and damn, they were right! My evening at Rijsel will be one that I remember for a lifetime. read more

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Rijsel is a great restaurant. The staff is very friendly and helpful and wants to make sure you enjoy your meal. This is an experience and does take on the longer side to eat. The flavors are great and worth the time. read more

Rijsel - Chicken special - French Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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From the food and the service to the ambiance and, my god, those desserts (!), this restaurant scores 5 stars in my book! The prix fix dinner menu at 33E is a totally steal considering the portions, quality and overall refined execution of these French country classics with a slight Dutch twist. My elegant, balanced soup starter and my roasted baby hen served with country style roasted potatoes and a bib salad was the kind of double-dose of comfort that you wish you could cozy up to every night once the evenings start to cool off and the winter chill sets in. But the real zinger of the meal was my café gourmand, a marvelous medley of sweets (a butter sablé, a mini chocolate noisette cake, a praline chocolate, a drunken apricot floating in bed of chantilly and the most impeccable, creamy, canelé that has ever graced my lips) served with a coffee or tea. Just the perfect end to an exceptional meal. The staff is professional and sweet and the owner a total darling. Not a false note anywhere to be found (though if it were my restaurant, I'd dim the lights just a smidgen to create a slightly more romantic feel...) read more

Rijsel - Cafe gourmand (with verbena tea). These desserts were to die for. Hat tip to the pastry chef! - French Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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Oh my god: the food was just absolutely amazing. By arrival the owner does greet you, and that makes for a great personal touch. The restaurant is in old (huishoud) school. The part it is in was actually where the cooking classes used to take part! You get appetizers when you arrive and bottles of tap water are constantly refilled which makes for such an great customerservice experience! Please order the bouillabaisse, it's very rich and uberyummy! read more

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Whoa baby. This was exactly the dining experience we love to travel for. Knowledgeable and - most importantly - passionate staff took us on a dining journey from aperitif to app to main course finally to dessert and espresso. Open kitchen concept to observe the master chefs at work. Our table was most pleased with the sausage, duck, and sauerkraut special. All at a more than affordable price, to boot. read more

Amazing chicken! Awesome bread. Great wine. Oysters were next level. Great presentation and very friendly staff. Great music and vibe. Amazing food and one of the best experiences I have had in Amsterdam. read more

Excellent! Small intimate restaurant with delicious food. I ordered and loved the Russian salad, hangar steak and chocolate pie, three choices of the fixed menu. I love a place that sticks to a few things so they are superb. Service was great and the wine suggestions fabulous. This was our second visit and even better than I had remembered, which says a lot because I had very fond memories of incredible food. The staff did not rush us out, we were expected to linger. A special night! read more

Rijsel - French Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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With our 8pm reservation, we walked in and sat down just in time to observe the 2 minutes of silence the entire Netherlands observed for those who died in the Holocaust and those who died in all wars. The fully packed restaurant at a very busy time of night came to a complete halt, for Americans it was a very moving experience. The menu is very straightforward, we were served an amuse bouche of head cheese- house made and delicious. We loved the food (roasted chicken and Sliced Steak) and service was great too. This is a restaurant to be sure and go to in Amsterdam as it is in a nice residential area that you won't get to otherwise and will really make you feel like you are not just among other tourists! read more

I would say this is one of the best restaurants in Amsterdam. Their French cuisine is exquisite and the wines they serve our among the top notch in Europe. Situated in an old school building, the atmosphere is a bit industrious, but they have dressed the whole venue with a very neat and clean look. The kitchen is open so all the guest come look at what the chefs are doing and let me tell you it is worth your while. Please be advised that they do not take any reservations further than one month advance, they do have some tables open every night for walk-ins but they fill up very quick. read more

This is easily one of the best places to eat in Amsterdam. The food is refined and sophisticated without being pretentious. Great service and a very cool atmosphere. read more

Fantastic food and unparalleled organic wine list. Be sure to book a month or two in advance because this place is popular (yet not so expensive). read more

Starters and bread were good, however our main courses never arrived after waiting for more than one hour. The hostess was rude when we told her we were ready to leave because we were tired of waiting. She even sarcastically asked if we were going to McDonalds and did not apologize for the long wait. Very disappointing experience! read more

You can tell by the first moment walking into Rijsel that staff, kitchen, and service is head and shoulders above your typical high-end restaurant. The wines were told with their history and tasting notes in a genuine, authentic fashion and the food was truly a work of art. Well sized portions not leaving you looking for more, and excellently made food, they truly showcase the art of making incredible food into a phenomenal meal. read more

This was our second visit to Rijsel and it was even better than I had remembered! The ambiance is wonderful, warm and welcoming. The staff is knowledgeable and display just the right touch of presence without interfering. All requests were met with a smile and graciousness. The food was simply out of this world. I had the fish soup as a starter and the chicken as my main. The chicken was crisp on the outside and very tender and tasty throughout. The fish soup was equally amazing and full or flavor. The server was kind enough to show us the proper way to add the bread and cheese! The chocolate pie with sorbet for desert was wonderful also. I felt the meal was very moderately priced at 36€ for the three courses. Well done, Rijsel! read more

Got lucky with a same evening reservation and had a wonderful experience. Service was superb. The entire staff was friendly and attentive. The smoked eel appetizer was fantastic. We got the beef, a spring chicken and the 'nage' which was a fish dish. All were outstanding. I'd go back in a heart beat. read more

Rijsel - Beef for two - French Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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Cleaning out my pocket a moment ago, I realized I still had this business card from the restaurant I ate dinner at a few weeks ago and is absolutely a top 5 meal. Everything from the street it's on, to the greeting the second you walk in, and to most importantly the food that far exceeds the enjoyable experience to the tastebuds you expect to receive from this place. Each dish is prepared with care and love and there is nothing missing from any plate. I had the sweetbreads boudin and I've never had anything like it. The rich bourblanc atop, made for such a decadently rich taste that completely balanced out a light sweetbread sausage. Make a reservation at least a month in advance, grab some of the most special people in your life and share a few bottles of wine. The moment you share here will certainly be one you remember! read more

Delectable French food and wine in a comfortable, self-assured environment. We called ahead to make a reservation (advisable), and were greeted with a handshake by the hostess when we arrived. The restaurant has a prefix 3-course menu (starter, entree, dessert), with some up-charges for specials. I ordered the special starter (sweetbread in a motel sauce), hanger steak in a shallot sauce, and the cherry clafoutis for dessert. All were delicious. The sauces in particular were very flavorful and complemented the flavors of the meat well. We were served an amuse of white fish bites in a sweet and sour sauce, plentiful bread with butter and salami, and potatoes and salad with the entree. The portions ended up being exactly right for us, and we felt very satisfied, especially for the price (€36 for pre-fix, €5.6 for glass of wine: total for me with the special starter was €46.90, very fair). Our waiter was also helpful in ordering wine - their by-the-glass menu is not written down and changes constantly. I asked for a glass of the house merlot, and he offered to check if there was a wine by the glass that would suit my meal better. I asked him to choose for me, and he came back with an unusual but very tasty natural red wine from the Loire Valley - poured me a taste before pouring a glass. I would not have picked that wine myself, and was pleased with the new experience! read more

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