Where to go out in Amsterdam: restaurants, brown cafés, bars, and clubs

Amsterdam by night is not about the Red Light District and coffee shops. It's about a wooden bar counter polished by four centuries of leaning elbows, a glass of jenever served to the brim that you drink leaning forward without touching it, a club tucked under a tower on the other side of the IJ, and a bike you walk home because it's raining. It's a city that goes to bed late without ever making a sound. This blend is what inspired the Beauséjour Amsterdam collection. So, where to go out in Amsterdam for a weekend? Here are our addresses, organized by the time of evening.

Opening hours and days can vary by season: check before you go.

Where to eat before going out

The Pantry — Dutch cuisine, no-nonsense

Leidsekruisstraat, a stone's throw from Leidseplein. Stamppot, meatballs, and grandmother's recipes served in a small room with dark walls. It's simple, hearty, and the place to taste what locals really eat in winter. Convenient before a concert at Melkweg or Paradiso, both just a few minutes' walk away.

Moeders — the room lined with mothers

Rozengracht 251, on the edge of the Jordaan. Hundreds of photos of mothers sent in by customers cover the walls. On the menu: Dutch classics, including a platter to share so you can try a bit of everything. Book ahead on weekends: the place fills up fast.

Café de Klos — pork ribs and patience

Kerkstraat 41, in the canal belt. About fifteen seats, no reservations, spareribs served on wooden boards. The wait can be long. Regulars wait at the bar across the street and return when a table opens up.

Rijsel — the Flemish bistro for foodies

Marcusstraat, in the east of the city, in a former domestic science school. French-Belgian cuisine, roast chicken, croquettes, open kitchen. The Michelin Guide gives it a Bib Gourmand. Note: they only serve dinner on weekdays, and reservations are required.

Foodhallen — when the group can't decide

Bellamyplein, in De Hallen, a former tram depot in Oud-West. About twenty stalls under one glass roof, shared tables, and bitterballen while you wait. Not the meal of the year, but the perfect solution for a group of six when everyone wants something different.

Bruine cafés: drinking like a local

Café Hoppe — the Spui since the 17th century

Spui 18-20. A former distillery turned café, with barrels behind the bar. At the end of the day, suits from neighboring offices spill out onto the sidewalk, beer in hand. Order a jonge jenever (young gin) and do as the locals do.

Café 't Smalle — the terrace right on the water

Egelantiersgracht 12, in the Jordaan. Dark wood paneling, stained glass, and a tiny terrace sitting directly on the canal. In the 18th century, it was Pieter Hoppe's liqueur distillery. In nice weather, you have to keep an eye out for a spot. In winter, everyone crowds inside.

Café Chris — the oldest in the Jordaan

Bloemstraat 42. Opened in 1624, with a pool table and a toilet flush handle in the main room—a curiosity everyone comes to see. Here, you order a kopstootje: a small jenever and a beer, served together.

Café de Dokter — the smallest bar in town

Rozenboomsteeg, a narrow alley behind the Spui. About 18 m², in business since 1798, with trinkets hanging from every inch of the ceiling. It fits very few people. A good reason to stop by early for a drink before the Saturday crowds.

De Drie Fleschjes — jenever the old-fashioned way

Gravenstraat, behind the Nieuwe Kerk. A tasting room for jenever and liqueurs open since 1619, with barrels lined up along the walls. The first glass, filled to the brim, is drunk while leaning over the counter without lifting it. Those are the rules.

Bars in Amsterdam: cocktails and sunsets

Door 74 — the door without a sign

Reguliersdwarsstraat 74. No name on the facade, a dark room, and expertly made classic cocktails. This is the address that launched the cocktail bar wave in Amsterdam. Book in advance, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.

Flying Dutchmen Cocktails — the wall of bottles

Singel 460, on the canal belt. Over 800 bottles behind the bar, one of the largest spirit selections in the Netherlands. If you're not sure what to order, describe what you like: the bartenders will take care of the rest.

Hiding in Plain Sight — the speakeasy in Rapenburg

Rapenburg 18, near Jodenbuurt. Small, dark, intimate, with revisited classics. A great place for an intimate end to the night rather than a group of ten.

Hannekes Boom — the waterside terrace

Dijksgracht 4, behind the central station, facing the Oosterdok. Picnic tables, moored boats, and the evening light on the water. In winter, the main room transforms into a heated cabin. This is where you start the evening when the weather is fine.

Pllek — the beach in Noord

At NDSM, north of the IJ, in a cluster of recycled shipping containers with a sandy beach facing the river. The ferry leaves from behind the central station and is free. Go for the sunset, stay for the DJ.

Where to go out in Amsterdam: clubs and concerts

Shelter — under the A'DAM tower

At Overhoek, in Noord, in the basement of the A'DAM tower across from the central station. Discreet entrance, Funktion-One sound system, house and disco on Fridays and Saturdays until the early morning. Another free ferry ride from the station: the journey is part of the night.

Garage Noord — experimental, no closing time

Nieuwendammerham, in Noord. A club with a 24-hour license playing techno, bass, and edgy electronic music from Thursday to Saturday. Read the house rules on their website before you go: they take them seriously.

Lofi — the former bus depot

At Sloterdijk, in the west. A bus garage converted into a 1,500-capacity club with three spaces and an open-air dance floor. House and techno. Plan your return journey: it's far from the center, so keep that in mind before leaving.

Radio Radio — in the former gasworks

At Westerpark, in the Westergasfabriek cultural complex. House and deep house in an intimate space. Convenient for going out without crossing the entire city.

Paradiso and Melkweg — the two concert halls of Leidseplein

Paradiso occupies a former church, with its stained glass windows above the stage. Melkweg, a former dairy opened in 1970, hosts concerts and parties in several rooms. Programming is on the Paradiso website. Headliners sell out fast.

Concertgebouw — classical, for a change of pace

Museumplein. The acoustics of the main hall are considered among the best in the world. A different kind of night out, even for those who never listen to classical music. Tickets on the Concertgebouw website.

The next day

Noordermarkt — the Saturday market

At the foot of the Noorderkerk, in the Jordaan. On Saturdays, it's a farmers' market: cheeses, breads, fruits. On Monday mornings, antiques and fabrics. Go late in the morning, coffee in hand, with nothing else planned.

Vondelpark — getting back horizontal

The large park in the southwest. Lawns, ponds, joggers, and locals reading on the grass whenever it's dry. The best remedy for a night at Shelter.

Brouwerij 't IJ — Sunday beer

Funenkade 7, in the east, at the foot of the De Gooyer windmill. A brewery housed in a former public bathhouse, beers brewed on-site, with a terrace under the windmill's blades. A quiet way to finish the weekend before the train.

A typical day in Amsterdam

• 11:00 AM: Noordermarkt, then a walk along the Egelantiersgracht.
• 1:00 PM: A quick bite at the Foodhallen.
• 5:00 PM: A first drink at Café Hoppe on the Spui.
• 7:00 PM: Dinner at Moeders or a well-deserved wait at Café de Klos.
• 9:30 PM: Cocktails at Door 74.
• Midnight: Ferry to Noord, Shelter until morning.

Practical questions

What's the best time to go out in Amsterdam?

To know where to go out in Amsterdam, look at the season. From May to September, the waterside terraces and open-air clubs are in full swing. Koningsdag, at the end of April, turns the city into a giant party. In winter, the bruine cafés take over, which is often when we prefer Amsterdam.

How many days for a weekend in Amsterdam?

Two nights are enough for an Amsterdam weekend focused on nightlife. Three if you also want to visit Amsterdam by day, including museums, without rushing through everything.

How to get around at night?

By bike, like everyone else, staying in the lanes: most nightlife addresses in Amsterdam are less than a twenty-minute pedal from the center. Ferries to Noord leave from behind the central station and are free. Trams and metros cover the rest; night buses take over late at night.

Bringing Amsterdam back with you

Canal photos pile up in your phone, all looking the same. But a t-shirt? You'll wear it on a Tuesday in November, and the counter of Café Chris will come back with it. That's the idea behind wear your memories. The Beauséjour Amsterdam collection brings together boxy t-shirts, sweatshirts, a jacket, and an AMS fleece, and we tell the story of each piece in the wardrobe for a weekend in Damsko.

For daytime plans, neighborhoods, and walks, read our guide on what to do in Amsterdam. And if the rain follows you, we explain why the AMS jacket holds up in a downpour.