Best bars in Amsterdam: from brown cafés to rooftop terraces

Amsterdam’s bar landscape

Amsterdam has over 1,000 bars and cafés, but they fall into a small number of distinct categories that each have their own geography, atmosphere, and drinking culture. Knowing which type you want determines where you should go; trying all types in a single Amsterdam trip gives you a complete picture of the city’s social life.

This guide covers the best bars by category — brown cafés, cocktail bars, beer bars, jenever tasting houses, canal-side bars, rooftop venues, and late-night clubs — with honest assessments, specific addresses, and approximate prices.

Brown cafés: the Amsterdam institution

The bruine kroeg (brown café) is the foundation of Amsterdam’s bar culture and the best thing to experience if you visit only one type of bar. For a full explanation of what brown cafés are and why they matter, see the brown cafés guide. The short version: dark wood, historic interiors, Dutch beer and jenever, local clientele, no pretension.

Top brown cafés:

• Café Papeneiland (Prinsengracht 2): Since 1642. The most beautiful interior, with original Delft-tile décor and bottle-glass windows. The apple pie is famous for good reason. Draft beer €4.50.
• In ‘t Aepjen (Zeedijk 1): Since 1519. A functioning bar in a medieval building; the oldest licensed premises in Amsterdam.
• Café ‘t Smalle (Egelantiersgracht 12): Former jenever distillery (1786), canal terrace. One of Amsterdam’s best summer afternoon spots.
• Wynand Fockink (Pijlsteeg 31): Technically a proeflokaal (tasting house), not a café, but the finest jenever selection in Amsterdam. No chairs by tradition — you stand and drink. Over 70 jenever varieties from €4.
• Café Hoppe (Spui 18): Since 1670. Split personality: dark, traditional bar side and lighter café side. Former meeting point of Amsterdam’s intelligentsia.

Cocktail bars

Amsterdam’s cocktail bar scene has developed significantly since 2015 and now includes several venues at a genuinely high international standard.

Door 74 (Reguliersdwarsstraat 74): Amsterdam’s most acclaimed cocktail bar. Reservations required; you enter via a buzzer at the unmarked door. The menu changes seasonally and the bartenders are among the most technically skilled in the Netherlands. Cocktails €14–18. Very small, very precise.

Vesper (Vinkenstraat 57, Jordaan): A neighbourhood cocktail bar run by former Door 74 bartenders. More accessible than Door 74, slightly more relaxed in atmosphere, same standard of drink preparation. Cocktails €12–16. The Negroni variations are particularly good.

Hiding in Plain Sight (Rapenburg 18): A New York-influenced cocktail bar near the Jewish Quarter with an extensive menu of classics and originals. Good for groups; the bar has enough capacity to accommodate eight to ten people comfortably.

Bar Oldenhof (Elandsgracht 84, Jordaan): A design-forward bar in the Jordaan with excellent cocktails and one of the better looking interiors in the neighbourhood. House specialities lean towards Dutch spirits and seasonal botanicals. Cocktails €13–16.

Beer bars

For craft beer beyond the brown café pilsner, Amsterdam has several specialist venues.

Arendsnest (Herengracht 90): The most serious Dutch beer bar in Amsterdam — 52 taps and over 100 bottles, all from Dutch breweries. An educational destination if you want to understand the range of contemporary Dutch craft brewing. A glass costs €5–8 depending on the beer. The knowledgeable staff are happy to make recommendations.

Gollem (Raamsteeg 4 and Overtoom 160): Amsterdam’s original specialist beer bar, founded 1974. Belgian focus alongside Dutch craft options; over 200 beers in bottle. The Raamsteeg original is small and dark; the Overtoom location has more space.

De Biertuin (Linnaeusstraat 29, Oost): Over 200 beers, excellent mussels kitchen, summer terrace on Oosterpark’s edge. The best combination of food and beer selection in Amsterdam.

Jenever and Dutch spirits

Wynand Fockink (Pijlsteeg 31, near Dam Square): The finest jenever establishment in Amsterdam, operating since 1679. The tasting room is standing-only; 70+ jenever varieties, tours of the distillery available. A glass costs €4–5. This is the single best introduction to Dutch spirits in Amsterdam.

De Drie Fleschjes (Gravenstraat 18): A jenever and Dutch whisky specialist with a traditional interior. Less well known than Wynand Fockink but with a comprehensive spirits selection. Opens at noon daily.

Canal-side and terrace bars

Amsterdam’s canalside terraces are among the best outdoor drinking spots in Europe when the weather permits (May–September primarily; the Dutch do venture out in all weathers with the right clothing).

Café ‘t Smalle terrace (Egelantiersgracht 12): The floating terrace on the Egelantiersgracht canal is the most intimate and beautiful option. Seating is limited; arrive before noon on sunny days.

Café de Sluyswacht (Jodenbreestraat 1): A leaning seventeenth-century building at the Oudeschans canal lock, with a small terrace alongside the water. One of Amsterdam’s most atmospheric drinking spots.

Pllek (TT Neveritaweg 59, Noord): A beach bar on the IJ waterfront in Noord, built from shipping containers. Not a canal but a river view; the sandy terrace is expansive and spectacular on summer evenings. Accessible via the free Buiksloterweg ferry.

Café de Jaren (Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20): Two-level terrace directly on the Amstel River. One of the best terraces in the historic centre; drinks are tourist-priced but the view justifies it.

Rooftop bars

SkyLounge Amsterdam (Doubletree Hilton, Oosterdoksstraat 4, near Centraal): The most accessible rooftop bar in Amsterdam, on the 11th floor of the hotel with panoramic views over the IJ and the city. The bar is open to non-guests. Cocktails €14–18; draft beer €8–9. Best on clear evenings.

A’DAM Lookout bar (A’DAM Tower, Noord): The Moon bar on the 19th floor rotates slowly for changing views. More of a restaurant than a bar (mains €35–50); for a drink only, it is expensive. Entry to the observation deck below is via the separate A’DAM Lookout ticket .

Hotel V Nesplein rooftop (Nes 49): A smaller, more understated rooftop option in the historic centre. More accessible than the Doubletree; drinks at hotel-bar prices (€12–16 for a cocktail). Good for a quieter evening.

Guided bar experiences

For an introduction to Amsterdam’s bar scene with a local guide, a pub crawl covers four to five bars in an evening with context and social element. The original Amsterdam pub crawl is a reliable choice for Leidseplein and surroundings. The full comparison is in the pub crawls guide.

For the nightlife context, the Amsterdam nightlife guide covers the full range from brown cafés to nightclubs.

Practical notes

Hours: Brown cafés typically open noon–midnight on weekdays, until 2–3am on weekends. Cocktail bars open from 5–7pm. Beer specialists vary. Clubs operate from 10pm to 4–5am on weekends.

Prices: Draft beer €4.50–7 depending on venue type. Cocktails €12–18. Jenever €3.50–5 per small glass. Wines by the glass €4.50–9.

Tipping: Not mandatory. Rounding up the bill or leaving €2–5 for good cocktail service is appreciated. At brown cafés, leaving the small change is the norm.

Frequently asked questions about Amsterdam bars

What is the oldest bar in Amsterdam?

In ‘t Aepjen (Zeedijk 1) has been a licensed drinking establishment since 1519, making it the oldest bar in Amsterdam operating in its original building. Wynand Fockink has been distilling and selling jenever since 1679. Café Papeneiland dates to 1642.

What bars are near the Jordaan?

The Jordaan has the highest concentration of good bars in Amsterdam: Café Papeneiland, Café ‘t Smalle, De Twee Zwaantjes, Café de Reiger, Café Nol, Bar Oldenhof, and Vesper cocktail bar are all within a 15-minute walk of each other. See the Jordaan neighbourhood guide for the full context.

What is Amsterdam’s best cocktail bar?

Door 74 (Reguliersdwarsstraat 74) is the most acclaimed. It requires a reservation via an unmarked buzzer entrance; the cocktails are genuinely world-class. Vesper (Vinkenstraat 57) is a close second with a more relaxed entry policy.

Can I visit Amsterdam bars without drinking alcohol?

Yes. Dutch bars are generally inclusive and most have good non-alcoholic options: mineral water, fresh juice, non-alcoholic beer, and increasingly non-alcoholic cocktails. No one will pressure you to drink alcohol; the Dutch have a pragmatic culture around this.

Are there bars near the Rijksmuseum?

The Museum Quarter itself has limited dedicated bar options. Café Wildschut (Roelof Hartplein 1) is the best nearby option — excellent art deco interior and a terrace. Leidseplein, a 10-minute walk northwest, has the nearest concentration of bars and nightlife options. The Jordaan, 15 minutes north, has the best bar circuit.