Fun history of Bols and the distilling of different flavors of alcoholic liqueurs…read more Self-guided tour with audio. After you pay for your ticket at the front desk, you put your jackets and loose items in a locker (free) and pickup an audio tour device and program it for your preferred language (easy). You get a yummy cocktail to savor at the end! And there's a fun gift shop to peruse, where we bought tulip glasses for the purpose of drinking Genever . We enjoyed the Espresso martini and Red Light Negroni at the bar at the end. Both were made skillfully and tasted delicious! The highlight of the experience, honestly, was meeting Lars (aka "Larson") and Julia at the front desk. They were hilarious with each other and delightful with us. They helped us package the 6 tulip glasses in paper within styrofoam boxes for sturdy protection during travel. They are the true stars of this operation.

Wow just wow. What a great experience with my husband and friends. Great drinks and a must try.read more

Amsterdam, The Netherlands…read more Something fun to do as a tourist while in town. We just arrived in Amsterdam; we dropped off our luggage and came here straight. We had like 45 minutes before our allotted time, so the timing worked out. We lined up for the entrance with a few people ahead of us. At the bar, we were welcomed and given tokens to pay for the drinks - one for the bar outside and two for inside. A host put on a little show, and once the bell rang, we were allowed enter. Jackets are provided as well as gloves. Once inside, you can feel the coldness right away. We took some pictures and went to the Ice Bar for our free drinks. I ordered a strong one, but it tasted like water and didn't do much. I expected more overall. The inside is small, compact, and there isn't much room to move around. Not a lot to see or do besides watching the other tourists. You can purchase your photos on your way out, and the prices aren't bad. A quick, touristy stop - fun to try once, but not something I'd go out of my way to see

Fun experience! The maximum time in the ice bar is 20 minutes, but it's 14.9 degrees F, so many…read moredon't last more than 15 minutes. They provide down jackets and gloves. Bought our tickets online from Headout app, a combo with the canal cruise we went on yesterday. Because our canal cruise was late to board, we had to walk fast for 25 minutes in the rain to get to this bar, arriving exactly at 7:40. We were already cold so we were grateful that our entry to the ice bar was delayed (we arrived at 7:40, but you have get there 20 minutes AHEAD of your ticket time to get in). The staff at the front kindly changed our entry time to 8:00, gave us a good token for in the front bar and 2 silver tokens for the ice bar. In the front bar we enjoyed Moscow mules (limited menu for cocktails) and in the ice bar we each had two shots, served in ice shot glasses. I had the vodka coconut shot and the whipped cream vodka shot, which was my favorite. My husband chose the Sambuka (anis) shot and also the cream vodka shot. We took some photos, mingled with other freezing people, and enjoyed the dance music playing. The floors were slick from being frozen, so I tried dancing a bit but then thought better of it because space was limited and also the risk of falling was high. I think maybe we made it the 15 minutes, only because others left at the same time and we didn't want to be the first!

Gertrude is the most gezellig vibe. Even (or especially?) during the darkest, rainiest month,…read moreGertrude holds up as the place that will warm you up and make you forget about the outside world. We made a reservation to celebrate a friend's engagement, and so we got to say "one of each!" to every plate. They were so accommodating with dietary restrictions, and carefully mapped out which plates I could have, while adjusting others as possible. Every plate had amazing sauces, so we really put "fare la scarpetta" to work with our bread. Some standouts that we all loved were the langoustine with sweetbread and the eggplant with miso. The atmosphere was cozy and made us reluctant to leave at the end. Thank you, Gertrude, for an amazing dinner. We'll definitely be back!

You might as well be in Paris, because the French bistro atmosphere at Gertrude's is genuine, and…read moreintense. We were seated outdoors on their charming terrace, facing the street, which is jammed with fun street-side restaurants. Plenty of people watching! We were having a great time and it was clear that the rest of the guests were, too. It felt like a chic and delightful party. The absolute highlight of our meal was the fresh French artichoke, which was nearly as big as my head. That I could have one served to me this minute! It was the BEST I have ever had, and I'm crazy about artichokes. Lamentably, it was served with a bland mayonnaise (or was it a bland Hollandaise?), while it was begging for something acidic (artichokes are alkaline in flavor), so I asked for a vinaigrette. They brought me the mignonette sauce for oysters, instead. Better, but not much. Everything else I sampled was good, but I would go back many times over and simply gorge on artichokes. So would everybody else, from what I could see. Every single table ordered one or more. Gertrude's encourages family-style sharing, and the focus is on dishes that showcase the flavors of a few simple ingredients. There is room for improvement. With just a few tweaks, this place might deserve a Michelin star.

Pretty cool, low key canal bar that touts the best rock music video collection around. We sat…read moreoutside, but the interior had all sorts of music memorability and rock and roll themed decor. Not the best beer selection, but bartender was a friendly guy.

This place is on the edge of the Red Light District (RLD) and borders on the gay "section" of the…read moreRLD as the bartender informed us. We didn't care, we were happy to be out of the rain and somewhere dry where we could enjoy a beer and music. Finding this place was a fluke of luck and I will go back each trip to Amsterdam, this place is awesome! It sits on a corner and is not necessarily "out of the way", it's just not "in the middle of the RLD action" either. I wouldn't classify Aen't Water as a dive bar because it is a clean and well-kept establishment. But after a few minutes you can almost feel the "diveness" seep into the atmosphere, from the "Jager is our House Wine" sign, prominently displayed on the bar top, to the streaming of Heavy Metal and Classic Rock music videos on the TVs. There exists a wide assortment of music video and concert DVDs behind the bar, and as another reviewer noted, the bartender is very accommodating regarding fulfilling of requests. There is a pattern of three videos before the DVDs are changed out which lends itself to part of the atmosphere. You won't likely find yourself tuning out the music because you "know all their songs" or "can't stand this group" - give it 10 or so minutes, the music will change, and that is one of the great things about this place. A couple of us were sitting there drinking beers, chatting it up among ourselves or with anyone else who happened to stop in for a beverage (or on one particular night, just to get out of the rain). Over the course of several hours we drank and rocked out to Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Rammstein, Anthrax, and on and on, and while playing video DJ for us our glasses were never empty. The bartender is friendly, welcoming, quick with a song (video) and quicker with a drink. This place has now been added to my "must visit" list each return trip to Amsterdam from here on out. Drink, smoke, and rock on at Aen't Water. (Note: Upon our asking, the barkeep informed us that "Aen't Water" is essentially Dutch slang for "At the water" and it was an appropriate name given the bars location at the canal.)

Located right on the beach in North Amsterdam, this place has all the right vibes -- great music,…read morecomfortable seating options, and an amazing view. However, the big drawback was the extremely slow service. We only ordered some appetizer balls but had to wait between 45 and 60 minutes. In the end, our son had to go to the kitchen himself to bring them to our table. Definitely room for improvement there. Gelegen direct aan het strand in Amsterdam-Noord, heeft deze plek alle juiste vibes -- goede muziek, fijne zitplaatsen en een prachtig uitzicht. Het grote minpunt was echter de extreem trage service. We hadden slechts wat borrelballen besteld, maar moesten tussen de 45 en 60 minuten wachten. Uiteindelijk moest onze zoon zelf naar de keuken om ze op te halen. Er is hier zeker ruimte voor verbetering.

This was a very chill place, great atmosphere, cozy, open concept, with plenty of seating. I was…read moretold to sit anywhere, so I opted for the top section, the quiet balcony area, to sip my warm drink while looking out the window at the calm water.

Food:Delicious coffee. The mini muffin in the spoon was a delightful surprise and made for a…read morebeautiful photo. Ambiance: welcoming and inclusive. Service: could be a little faster. Other: Parking for boats is easy here.

We were looking for a spot with chill vibes to relax and grab some drinks before going out for the…read morenight, and decided to come to Waterkant because it fit the description and also was able to accommodate our large group. We came after dinner so we mostly just had drinks and didn't get to try much of their food. We did order Super Nachos just for our table to split, and it was decent but nothing amazing, just your typical bar type food. Since we had a large group, they gave us wristbands so that we could easily order at the bar whenever and just get it added to our group's tab, which was convenient. Overall, decent spot to chill and grab drinks by the water but don't expect anything special from their menu offerings.

Fantastic drinks and service. They really take care of you here and will cater to your tastes. They…read morewill make you something off menu for you as well. Very pretty space and the seats were super comfy. Would recommend stopping by for a drink or two!

My husband and I were in Zürich before coming to Amsterdam and met a friend who is from Amsterdam…read more He recommended Pulitzer's Bar- so we immediately called and made a reservation. We were going on a boat tour that afternoon, to see all the light installations, so we made sure the timing was right to get to Pulitzer's on time! We had a 6:00 reservation, and got there promptly and found the door that we were to enter. The door was locked, but there was a sign that said 'please wait, someone will be with you soon'. Our wait was very short, and someone promptly came, greeted us and took us to our seats at the bar. Because a reservation, I believe is required, (not 200% about that), we were wondering if it would be a bit stuffy. It was not at all, everyone that we spoke to was very friendly, and great service at the bar. There were other couch settings and a few different set ups, but as usual, we love the bar. Our drinks were fabulous and we tried three of their menu items- only have appetizers, but they were very good. In talking to my sister and her husband, after we returned home, who had just been to Amsterdam, I realized that they stayed at the Pulitzer hotel, which we did not know when we were there. They loved the hotel - so I can give a recommendation for that as well. They said all the rooms are different and they really loved their room. I think everyone would really enjoy a stay at the Pulitzer hotel and definitely get a reservation to Pulitzer's bar- you won't be disappointed.

Aside from the beauty of the decor, delicious food selection and amazing, exotic drinks, I'd like…read moreto add that the staff is truly "peak!" We interacted with Fabio and Dimitri multiple times during our stay at the Anantara, and I just don't feel like I can accurately convey how phenomenal they were-- fun, friendly, kind, professional... I could go on and on. I will remember them forever! If you're looking for a bar with unique drinks, great eats, good vibes and wonderful service, this is your place.

Classy spacious cocktail lounge with excellent service. Enjoyed their roasted chicken gyoza along…read morewith a Tang and Song (an elevated martini) for him and a Negroni for me. Rocco the bartender and the rest of the staff were friendly, attentive, and kind. They kept refilling our tap water and our bar snacks without our asking. They really seemed genuinely excited by the fact that we were visiting from Los Angeles area. Olathe gyoza were cooked well, savory, and just what I craved. The Negroni was top notch. My husband liked the Tang and Song very much!