This place is ALL OVER social media, but is it worth the hype? Absolutely…read more We stopped here in October 2025, after an already filling late lunch. But we knew we had to try it, and life is short. It is a tiny stand located along a central canal in the heart of the city. Business is hopping here. We got the picked herring and kibbeling, which are the main staples here. The pickled herring was, well, something you either love or don't. It has somewhat of a gelatinous texture that can be off-putting, but when you take a bite with the sides of sweet pickles and onions, it shines. The Kibbeling was out of this world. Perfectly fried with a crunchy batter that had a hint of, hmmm, curry, maybe. It was amazing. Although the batter was thick and tasty, it didn't outdo the delicious cod. The staff here was friendly, and having this Dutch food along a canal in Amsterdam made for a memorable experience. There are plenty of places to sit near the stand - enjoy this tasty food and watch the world go by.

Street food in Amsterdam, does it get any better? There were three street foods I wanted to try…read morewhen visiting. Herring was on the top of the list. Most herring I had eaten was Swedish herring or "sill" usually prepared in a pickled solution. We returned to this stand, located near the Bloemenmarkt, across from UNIQLO. It was quite a popular area, located on a bend over a canal with trams and trolleys rolling by. The line on the two days we were there wasn't long and waited less than 5 minutes both times to place our order. The first stop I bought one order of herring with pickles, onion and the "Nederlandse vlag." We returned two days later and purchased another order of the herring and a herring sandwich with the herring served on a simple white roll with onion and pickles. Both were excellent. Didn't sample the fried cod, eel sandwich or the mackerel. Would I return? Without a doubt! While we had some excellent food in Amsterdam, Frens topped my list as a must visit stand when walking around Amsterdam!

This was my first in the Albert Cuyp Market on a rainy Saturday morning and, at first, I was sure I…read morecould stomach a raw herring sandwich so early in the morning, but one bite of the sandwich with the herring, pickle, and chopped onions changed my mind quickly! It was delicious! The herring was pickled, I believe, so it wasn't really "raw". I shared the sandwich with my travel companion, but I could've easily finished one by myself! Definitely worth the stop and would make this a must-have again!

This particular food stand is located towards the beginning/end of the market…read more Herring is extremely fresh, and not what I expected. Not fishy and can be served alone or with bread. I had it with bread; I love my carbs! The herring is placed between a hog dog bun, with a pickle, and white onions. Simple. Delicious. Inexpensive. Convenient for on-the-go goodness!

Another popular Amsterdam snack but it's not for everyone. Our group was no exception, with less…read morethan half of us enjoying the sandwich. Cash only and they serve more than just the sandwiches! So it's a very simple sandwich with pickles and onions to balance out the strong fish flavors. It's also a nice crunchy contrast to the soft fish. I enjoyed the first bite but then it got progressively worse for me and I couldn't handle the fishiness anymore. It's a good thing we didn't order a sandwich per person! I do wonder if there's variation between the herring shops and if what we had was the best quality. We also ordered some fried fish nuggets which was definitely more up our alley. It wasn't that crispy but the batter was flavored well and the fish was nice and flaky. It's nice that they have alternatives for people who haven't acquired the taste for raw herring.

The set up is a stand at the corner of one of the busy intersections in the area. The service was…read morequick and we ordered the cod, which was delicious and they prepared it in an easily shareable and to-go way with the silverware. Can't wait to return and try the other menu options!

The best haring place in Amsterdam! Great food and easy easy. Take time to learn the short menu…read morebefore just guessing. Go with cash or Dutch bank card. The long time customers tell me it's "The best haring in Amsterdam" too. Always fresh and consistent. Prices are so low it's easy to go often. Fast and Lekker! Many different options and they prepare most of them quickly for you while you wait! Took them a few weeks to warm up to me but they were always professional and pleasant. Worth a trip if you're in Amsterdam! Located in the lovely oud-west area - a close walk from Jordaan or Leidseplein.

What's a Canadian boy supposed to do when he walks into a food hall in Amsterdam and sees some…read morebitterballen? Easy, orders some of the basic beef ones and gives them a try. My wife and I came here in the early afternoon while exploring and jumped at the chance to try these right away. Between placing our order and taking the first bite it only took five minutes or so and I'll be honest, it was scorching hot and I was really on the fence with the first one but by the third I was in full blown devour mode. These little balls of beef tasted so good and I am absolutely going to be eating some more before leaving Amsterdam. Overall, De Ballen Bar is a must stop for any tourist hitting up the food hall. You can stop here and fill up or just get a small order of bitterballen and keep on tasting up the city, either way, it's a delicious stop.

First time trying Dutch meatballs and I love it! It's located in the very corner / back of the food…read morecourt behind a wine bar. I got the platter and was able to try all the different type of meatballs. Would come back again!

Ordered the kebabs house plate for 22 euros Got it to go....it was cooked fresh. Everything was…read moredelicious. We especially enjoyed the te dear gyro meat The plate has a kebab, chicken, a sausage, and the gyro meat. We wanted a sampler kinda plate. It all has a salad and lots of French fries We shared it, it was very big portion. Was able to even eat the rest next day. Came here after visiting the museum at The Hague

So I have been traveling Europe for past few weeks. Today and next two days in Amsterdam. There…read morewas four of us in our group. We ordered the sample platter. Amazing amount of food. And the flavors out this world. We have traveled from Budapest to Amsterdam. This honestly has been my best meal. Th service was amazing and food was prepared to order and perfection. And you can see everyone loves it as it was so busy in there. And yet they kept checking to see if we needed anything. Need 10 stars not a measly 5 star. If you are hungry you will leave full. If slightly hungry you better bring friends to eat the extras.