Wow, our favorite restaurant on our 5 city tour, Amsterdam, great restaurant. We arrived early, it was already crowded, they don't take reservations. We sat at the bar and had a great Belgium beer while we waited. The food was amazingly delicious. Started with their homemade pate, and muscles, both served with a delicious focaccia type bread. I had the duck, it was perfect with a fig compote, my husband had the cod, with a crispy pancetta on top. Also, every meal is served with a salad and crispy fries. We were both so impressed. The wines served were perfect with our meals. No menu, the server let's you know the evening offerings, so fresh, enough choices for everyone's food desires. Loved this restaurant!! Wish it was in San Francisco. Unfortunately we ate there on our last night of our trip, a would have liked more meals there. Try this restaurant, great food, ambience and service. read more

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Had a wonderful lunch there with some friends who were visiting from Honolulu. The waitress was friendly and knowledgeable, as some of the people at our table had dietary restrictions. It was a wonderful time, good food, good friends, and great conversation, I think we were there for almost 3 hours without feeling rushed or bothered by the staff. Will definitely come back read more

Very cute spot. We heard of this place through the Thrillist app. We arrived at 6:15 and were seated right away. There is no written menu so be ready to listen carefully. We had the charcuterie appetizer - this reminded me of home, which isn't a bad thing. My husband went with the curry chicken - really great flavor. I had the veal and it all came with salad and frites with Dutch mayonnaise. I'm not a mayo fan honestly but it was fine. I did like that there was a cat chillin by the window, literally next to someone's food and the cat will just either sleep or stare at you while you eat. Pilsner, Blonde and their Chardonnay went great with the meal. read more

Van Kerkwijk - Veal - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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One star deduction for very slow service. After being seated, it took about 15 min for the waiter to tell us the menu. Apparently some of the menu changes often so they don't have an actual paper menu. There is only one chef in the small back corner but food came out in reasonable time. Shrimp appetizer came out piping hot and was delicious especially the sauce. You have to peel the shrimp yourself so it took a while since it was so hot. Unfortunately the flavor of the sauce didn't get into the shrimp as much as I would have liked. The steak and fries is supposedly their classic entrée. It was slightly undercooked compared to what temp I ordered but otherwise was very good. The strawberry sauce was an interesting part that surprisingly went well with the steak. The last part that was a bit disturbing was that they did not clean the glasses very well. I was at the bar and saw them dunk the glasses in soapy water and not always rinse it off before immediately filling it with beer. read more

Soups and seafood are delicious. And that Apple Pie from the picture is something magical read more

Van Kerkwijk - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

First off wow! Truly an amazing experience. They don't have a menu, but come by and tell you what they have that day, however the two (owners I assume) put a very intimate and personal touch on it. Prices were insanely affordable given the quality and while the menu was smaller, there is enough variety to make anyone happy. The meal was FANTASTIC. The only negative was that it was our first meal in Amsterdam and set the bar extremely high. I am not a big mussels fan but their app was perfect. Mussels were tender and well executed. Sauce was subtle yet you knew it was there. My wife loves mussels said they were the best she's ever had. Pate, Ridiculous. It was more of a mouse but was absolutely flawless. For entrees my wife had the halibut which was booked to perfection. I had a steak w a strawberry sauce and goat cheese. Strawberry and steak seems like a strange combo, but the cheese tied it together and once again cooked perfectly. Somehow the service outclassed the food. The owners always seemed to know when you needed something without being over bearing. The perfectly paired wine for my wife's meal and suggested the right beer for mine. They were super sweet super friendly and really brought the evening together. The ambiance made us feel like locals and I can't even believe we were able to get a table there. This has to be one of the most memorable dinners I've ever had and I don't write yelp reviews often. I only wish we had gone back for brunch/breakfast. If you go there and don't like your meal, I'd happily send you a check for the cost. read more

It's a no brainer that is a 5 out of 5 star restaurant - oh my gosh, it was delicious! First, the location couldn't get any better right off Dam Square in a quite little alley. Second, they offer a daily menu which your waiter will list off to you at your table. They are excellent with recommendations and you can tell they are passionate about their job and the food they offer. We ordered the goat cheese salad with tomato basil soup and of course a side of fries with Belgian mayonnaise. The best part..all of this only costed us 26 Euros! This restaurant was recommended by a friend and I was not disappointed. It truly has been the food highlight of our trip this far! I will be coming back for each and every Amsterdam trip in the future! read more

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Loved it here - definitely a must try for your next trip to Amsterdam! It's very small, not much decor, but the food and staff are amazing. I got a salmon dish with pesto and my mother had cod with a coconut curry sauce. We split frites and a side salad and two glasses of wine, everything was delicious. Can't wait to come back! read more

Excellent food. The menu is verbal. Everything is made fresh. We ate in a lot of great restaurants in Holland, this one is with the best of them. read more

Pretty much the best meal we had in Amsterdam! The scary thing about this place is that it has no menu, thus no price. The waiter came to us and listed the items they were serving, so make sure you listen carefully to what he/she was saying! I got a steamed mussel appetizer while Matt got something with serrano ham. For the entree i got duck and Matt got a crusted cod (I think?). They were all so delicious and light, very perfect for the evening because at that point we were tired of fried food. The portion is just right and you don't end up feeling overstuffed after dinner All this food plus two beers only ran us about $60. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the check. How could this be!! It was so delicious and cheap!! Definitely visit this place when you are in Amsterdam. Intimate environment and delicious food, totally worth it! read more

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Having a menu listed off to you is more unnerving than you might think, but it lends a fantastic personal touch to the meal. I had an open faced sandwich which was absolutely delicious. It's super close to Dam square if you are feeling hungry, but also tucked away into a quiet alley so not too many people can find it; the best combination of factors! read more

Perfection. The food was fantastic and the staff was superb. Highly recommend this place regardless of the wait time. When we arrived, there was about an hour wait but we made friends at the bar and had some drinks so time passed quickly. The menu changes frequently so there is no printed materials, but we had some blue cheese and dates for appetizer and the steak with strawberry and goat cheese (oh dear lord - so good) as a main. The staff was also very accommodating for my food allergies, which I appreciate, especially since there was no menu and it was difficult to see what I was getting. Will definitely return next time we are in Amsterdam. read more

Wow- what amazing food! Went with friends. I'd recommend everything we ate. We ordered a big appetizer platter- which was like a dinner, before the dinner (go hungry!). There were sausages, pate, cheese spread, herring spread and bread. Then we had steaks with goat cheese and strawberry sauce (yum) salad, and fries. So good. We were stuffed. Ambiance is adorable- a little, intimate funky restaurant- also has some outdoor seating. It's small, but lovely. The service is excellent and friendly. Our bill for 4- with steaks, starters, 2 bears and soda water was only 110 euro. read more

We stopped for a late lunch, based on other reviews. I had a meatloaf sandwich on great bread with prawn crackers (shrimp chips) on the side. Yummy. My friend had the salmon salad with a side bit of smoked whitefish salad. All amazing. read more

Van Kerkwijk - This WAS a meatloaf sandwich. Sooo good! - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

What a find in central Amsterdam!! While we had a bit of a wait, the ambience is very "gezellig" so we had a few drinks and watched the amazing dishes come out of the oven. Possibly BEST mussels I have ever had! And the steak with strawberry sauce and goat cheese was so terrific! Prices were reasonable for such a great quality, level of sophistication and flavor profiles. Can't believe such a wonderful meal in such a touristy area! read more

Without a doubt the best place to have a diner in the middle of the city center of Amsterdam. I would not easily recommend the city center as a destination to go out for diner. But this place actually is one of my favorite places to dine. The charming this about this place is that it does not have a menu. All the dishes are brought to you orally by a very friendly waiter or waitress. You do have to pay attention when the 5 starters and 6 main course are described, although they are very patient to record or explain all the meals. And my advice is: go with your first feeling :-) The food is really really really good and always fresh and from the season. Good veggie dishes, good meat, nice combinations and everything in balance. Van Kerkwijk is located in an old city center building, full of character, with the tables closely close to each other and the toilets squeezed in the cellar. Before the big new shopping block was build Van Kerkwijk could be spotted from the Rokin. Now it became a hidden gem again, only to find for people who search for good special authentic places (through Yelp ;-) A menu without prices might be scary and out of comfort zone for some people. For me, it actually helps me to choose what I really want and feel like eating. And do not worry, the prices are super ok! Last time we dined and had a starter, main course, drinks and coffee as a dessert, we paid €60,-for the two of us. Ooh, and Van Kerkwijk takes no reservations. Just come and enjoy! read more

I rarely write Yelp reviews (think this is my third in 5+ years?), but this meal compelled me to write one, and demanded a 5 star rating. Reading through the other reviews, I could not agree with everyone's positive sentiments more. Everything from the food, service and ambiance was as close to perfect as possible. We started with the mackerel mouse toast, bacon wrapped dates with gorganzola and serrano ham. Each bite was better than the previous. And once we started mixing dishes...it got even better. For our entree's we split the halibut and beef in strawberry sauce. I'm not honestly sure who ordered which, but we shared everything and there was not a bite left on either of our plates. We were only in town for 24 hours, so this was our one dinner in Amsterdam. We could not have been happier with the food, and the vibe and friendliness of the staff was equally impressive. Will definitely be going back here next time in Amsterdam, and in the interim, recommending it to anyone and everyone who plans to visit read more

This was a great restaurant my wife and I visited back in February 2017! I loved that the menu would change because everything was made fresh as the friendly waiter who sat at our table told us from his steel-trap of a memory- with great enthusiasm to sell the food they obliviously enjoy making and sharing with locals and travelers. My wife ordered the Kraut and she loved it! I ordered the Swedish Meatball and it was so tasty and filling- I almost didn't finish it, wink wink. We both ordered the Mackerel and it was delectable. Best Mackerel I have had! The Dutch French Fires were a "must try" (recommended the waiter) they were fluffy and the sauce was light and just really good. If you're looking for a delicious place to share a meal with someone you love, go here you won't be disappointed. read more

Van Kerkwijk - Such good food with someone beautiful to share it with! - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

I ended up going for a late lunch at "Van Kerkwijk". I had never heard of it but saw the yelp reviews and decided to give it a try. And without a doubt all the raving reviews are well deserved! When we entered we were greeted by a very friendly waitress. The waitress listed the menu from the top off her head which blew me away cause they have a lot on the menu and she gave us her recommendations. So as recommended I took the Indianstyle meatloaf with gluten free bread. And ooh my, she was right it was very delicious. And even more so the portion size was huge! My friend ordered a chicken sandwich and I have to say that was slightly smaller, but then again she ate a bit of my lunch. besides the food recommendations she was also very good with thinking on her feet. My friend wanted to order a red-wine but wasn't sure which one, and also she is allergic to Merlot. This waitress pulled a great wine for her without sighing, or rolling her eyes because of the weird request. The atmosphere is very cosy and its a good place to catch up with your friends. For me it gets 5 stars because all elements were good: - Staff was service minded and friendly - Food tasted awesome - portion size was good - Atmosphere nice and cosy and not to loud I am looking forward to trying their dinner menu! read more

Maybe I've become too picky. I had really, REALLY high hopes for this place based on all the fab ratings. Yes, the waitstaff were great - super friendly, attentive, impressive with their ability to recite the whole menu off the top of their heads and accommodating. Yes, the concept is great: a constantly changing menu with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Unfortunately food-wise they did not hit a home run for me: my boyfriend tried the strawberry goat cheese steak that has been reviewed a few times on here. Yes, it was a creative attempt. But yes, it tasted like dessert with the goat cheese overwhelming everything. I had the coconut chicken which was okay but we made it the next night at home and it was ten times better. For a starter we had the fish mousse which came with about seven and a half small crackers, which sadly was more than enough for the small portion. The bottle of wine we ordered was only okay-ish. The best of the lot was the pear tart which in fact was a pumpkin cake thing with a few small slices of pear on it... but very tasty! Price-wise it wasn't as cheap as the others claimed - our bill was over 90 euros for the two of us. I wanted to fall in love here but it just didn't happen. But nonetheless here are four stars for the solid waitstaff and okayish food. read more

Wow, this place is amazing! The service was fabulous, making the experience even better.

Terrific restaurant. The menu is always new and delicious. Been here several times and each time I vow to come more often. Although it can be very busy, it does have a relaxed laid back kind of atmosphere. A great place to go for dinner with friends! Plenty to eat and the wait staff is very friendly and helpful. Another place I recommend to friends and always willing to take Amsterdam visitors! read more

Lovely place, excellent dinner. Friendly service, even if you are American. No set menu and no pricing but the bill for drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert was very reasonable and we were pleasantly surprised. What I remember most about the place: the pates and the desserts! If you're coming here with 3 or 4 people, they give you a pate sampler. I would ask for that. If I'm ever back in Amsterdam, I would come back and just order the sampler as an entree for dinner (though I'm not sure you can--probably a family-style appetizer type of thing). One word of advice: when the waiter offers you a Dutch lollipop at the end of the meal with the caveat that you probably will not like it, believe him. You will not like it. It's easy going until you bite into it and then all hell explodes in a salt bomb of such epic proportions your taste buds will cry in pain. I don't know how they eat it (and like it!), and no offense to the Dutch, but it must truly be the most acquired of tastes. Fair warning. read more

So far it is my favourite restaurant in Amsterdam. It reminds me a bistrot: cozy environment, tasteful food and good service. No music, at least at lunch time, and no tap water. The ambience is nice so we did not miss the music but we missed the tap water. There are no menu (just like home) and no price informed. For starters, we had bread and pork paté - around €6. For main course: french fries, salad and the steak with goat cheese and strawberry sauce (great flavour match) - around €20. The meatloaf was also very good - around €12 (side: salad, fries and bread) . The desserts were also yummy - around €4. We had a wonderful meal. read more

Great easy going restaurant to have dinner. It's often very busy but most of the time you can wait and have drinks at the bar. Service and atmosphere are a big plus at Van Kerkwijk and the personnel is easy going. The food & wines are also of great quality. I really like this place especially if you are looking for a less touristic cafe in the center! read more

Everything about this place was phenomenal! I loved that they don't have a menu but daily specials. We waited about 30-45 mins ( 7people) on a Saturday night and it worth every second. Service was so friendly and attentive. For appetizers we have a variety of bread and spreads, beef pate was my favorite. For entree I had the house special steak with blue cheese which was divine. Paired to red wine. Dessert was tiramisu, just as delicious as everything else. It was an amazing first dinner in Amsterdam :) read more

Van Kerkwijk - Steak with blue cheese - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

Take some advice from Robert Frost and take the road less traveled by. This place is off the beaten path and a true gem. They change the menu daily. Waitress pulled a chair up next to us and told us what was on the menu that day. We had a few of the apps, salad, soup of the day, two entrees, desert and tried each one of the beers they have on tap. Truly one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while. I'd recommend this place to anyone and will be going back next time I'm in Amsterdam. read more

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Everything was looking good for this restaurant, food was excellent etc but we asked twice if there were peanuts in the food and twice were told no, no peanuts at all in the kitchen. Two bites into her meal my friend immediately started experiencing a horrible allergic reaction -- and when we confronted the restaurant they were insistent on no peanuts in the food -- we know what a peanut allergy is! They didn't even comp the meal -- we paid full price for a meal she had two bites of that she promptly threw up, plus the opportunity cost of an entire night gone to waste in Amsterdam. Would avoid if you have a food allergy. read more

Simple, elegant but a bit noisy cafe. We had a nice lunch in which the best part was the bean soup. Straightforward service.

We we were staying in Dam sq and my dad had heard about how wonderful this place was and was very close by. I think the reviews speak for itself. One of the best meals I have ever eaten. Incredible. There was a wait to get in, but not a problem, we sat at one of the tables outside and had drinks while we waited. When we were brought inside to our table the waitress came over and sat down and and told us the menu verbally, starters, wines, and mains. To be honest as they dont tell you prices you are not really sure what to expect, just hope for the best that youre not going to be absolutely rinsed. We had two starters. the bacon wrapped figs and Roquefort and a charcuterie plate, both fantastic. The warm figs with bacon just about melted in your mouth. For mains my mom had fish, I had a steak and my dad had the house specialty steak which is a steak with strawberry sauce and goat cheese. Not wanting to be adventurous I gave it a miss but really wish hadn't. It was such an odd combination to hear but went together perfectly. Both steaks were cooked to perfection as well. It was our first night and my dad had drawn up this big list of restaurants and bars in Amsterdam and both waitresses at different times sat down and told us what was worth going to and what to miss. Everything about the evening was impeccable from food to service...now remember I was talking about the bill? Came to just about 100 euro for 6 beers, bottle of wine, 2 starters and 3 mains. We were floored and expecting at least double. I will never not come here when I am in Amsterdam. BRAVO! PS be careful when you go down the stairs to the toilet, they are steep! read more

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Cute spot, off the beaten path (and it doesn't help that it was tucked away behind a lot of construction when I went) and a good casual alternative for lunch. The waitress came by to rattle off the lunch specials - there are no menus (I didn't even know the name of this place until I walked out and looked for a sign!) so our group spent a good amount of time recalling what she just told us because there were a LOT. I'm talking 4 different salads, 3 different sandwiches, a quiche...and then the waitress came back again to tell us about two other dishes she forgot! I went with the quiche (+ side salad) which was a hearty portion and prepared in a very unique way with lentils and quinoa baked into the quiche - yum! The rest of the table's orders varied from sandwiches (clearly winners) to salads (just so-so). I wish I had some sense of the prices (it was a business lunch, so someone else picked up the tab) - again, something else that is amiss without menus! But I would definitely return to this restaurant again given some of the other reviews commenting on value. No nonsense, but still very attentive (by Dutch restaurant standards, ha) wait staff. Funny anecdote: they had only one table that could accommodate our large group (of 6) so upon us walking in, the waitress just kicks two people out who were killing time at the large space and seats us there - you can only get away with this if you're Dutch! read more

One sentence sums up our ridiculous experience: we were told to order drinks before we were even seated at a table or take a hike. We went in on a weekday early evening and were told there'd be about 10-20 min wait. We thought we would tried to wait. While waiting, we were told to order drinks. We prefer having drinks with our food, so we told them we're good for now. The waiter insisted that we have to order drinks while waiting. We tried to just get rid of him by asking for tap water, which he then said we either order something from their menu or this is not the place for us. That's when we were fed up and left. I find it ridiculous that we're FORCED to order drinks, worse is that we're forced to order drinks before we sat down, before we see a menu, and were asked to leave if we don't comply. That doesn't seem like the right attitude for a shady restaurant down the empty alley. read more

Amazing place! The food is great. They have a very short menu which is only provided to you verbally by the servers. The level of service along with the taste of each dish is incredible. On top of this the price is amazingly inexpensive. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone coming to Amsterdam!!!! read more

Van Kerkwijk - Meat sandwich with goat cheese & soup of the day. The food was amazing and reasonable price. Totally recommended!!! - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

Nice place to check out when it's cold outside! Small, cozy with a good selection of beer, wine, and alcohol. Had the bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese and port sauce with a dark Christmas beer! Really good! read more

Van Kerkwijk - Bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese and port sauce. Drinking a dark Christmas local beer! - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

This is my favorite restaurant in Amsterdam and one of my favorites in the world. The Tender Beef is their signature dish and it was prepared perfectly. If you like smoked Mackerel, you need try it as an appetizer. The pear tart is made fresh by the mother. What S great finish for such A fine dining experience. read more

Cozy, Friendly place. No menus. Appetizers and main course are described table side. We chose the tapas to share, tasty. For the main course I chose the duck, my friends chose the salmon and the steak. A nice mixed salad and a generous portion of fries come as the side dishes. There are desserts as well, but we were totally satisfied. A great meal was thoroughly enjoyed. read more

What a wonderful place! The staff were so friendly and the food absolutely delicious. I tried something new: beef with strawberry sauce. I also got the fish pate, cheesecake, and a nice light wine. Would definitely come back! read more

Van Kerkwijk - Cafes Near Me - Amsterdam, New Hampshire

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Great cafe! Owner run and managed. Authentic Dutch and Indonesian food. Freshly ground coffee. Great spot with fantastic service!

This is a great restaurant with a good vibe and service. They don't have a written menu and the waitresses tell you about the dishes available that day. The salad is also very nice and flavoursome and the beers are authentic and nice. My only gripe with the place is that they have a very visible poor hygiene at the bar for glasses. Glasses pile up and get washed only with a quick rinse of water. I guess it is good that you can see this and choose for yourself but it can only suggest of other unhygienic practices behind the kitchen doors. read more

Sorry fellow yelpers. Not a fan of this place. Saw the reviews and came and tried it out. Had the steak with strawberry sauce and wife had the quiche. The strawberry sauce was creative but unusual. Anyhow I tried it. The worst thing was a lady with an attitude. Two tables were empty. But we weren't able to sit. It took a long time to to get the menu and a lot longer to eat. Fries were the best thing of the night. read more