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    Olijfje

    4.3 (51 reviews)
    ModerateMediterranean
    Open 12:00 pm - 3:00 am (Next day)

    Olijfje Photos

    OLIJFJE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Very loud
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Olijfje

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    Aperol Spritz and wine
    Pamela G.

    We lucked out find g this place right across the street from our hotel. Extremely pleasant and lovely people working there. Very welcoming. I disgust making a rest - it was packed. The food was excellent. I had a chicken dish with veggies which didn't really tell you how delicious it was. My husband had grilled salmon with really good rice and vegetables. Wine was very reasonably priced and I had a nice Aperol Spritz. They serve complimentary bread and a delicious spread of spiced mayo. We got delicious complimentary baklava for dessert and left two happy people. I definitely would be a regular here if I lived in Amsterdam. Go -- you won't regret it. (We also picked up takeout kabobs one right which were delicious too)

    Pooja P.

    I was wandering around my friends when I stumbled on this restaurant. Such a hidden gem! One of the best Mediterranean meals I've ever had. My friends and I had patatas bravas, chicken kabobs, hummus, mushrooms sauce, and falafel.. every bite was flavorful and tasted super fresh. Drinks were amazing too. The place has this chic Mediterranean meets upscale vibes but what really made it special was the owner and the staff. So warm and welcoming.. he chatted with us and then dropped off complimentary baklava that literally melted in our mouths. Skip the tourist traps and eat here.. you'll def leave full, happy. Already planning my next visit!

    Lamb
    Ana M.

    It was our last night in Amsterdam and we craved middle eastern food. One of our friends suggested this place. Supper disappostend: 1.we ordered couple of different type of kababs - Lamb, Koobide and chicken and all tasted not original. 2.The quality of meat was not good.even the way the meat was cooked was not good. No spices. 3.Even the appetizer dishes didnt taste original. 4.The rice: tasted like very soft Asian rice. Overall I wont recommend this place, compare to all other great options in this city.unfortunately Yelp is not very popular in this city. So if you looking for a good place look at my collections folder. The servers were nice though. Aslo, the wine list was pretty complete.

    The storefront, including a few tables outside
    Morgan R.

    A delightful middle-eastern restaurant (self described as Mediterranean) with a nice atmosphere, attentive service and great food. I had the Lamspies (lamb shish-kebob) - the meat was high quality (often not the case for lamb), and cooked to perfection. It came with rice, grilled peppers and summer squash, and a mushroom sauce -- all good. I complemented dinner with a glass of Laudo Rioja (not bad and inexpensive), and then finished with baklava, which was delicious. Olijfje is located just down the street from a large number of hotels -- just outside the downtown district, but handy -- close to the Waterlooplein subway stop. A great place for a pleasant dinner - I recommend it!

    A picture of us with John because he has the biggest most generous heart we've met in a long time and that matters!
    Eryn B.

    Our experience at Olijfje was nothing short of amazing. The food was exceptional, and the staff and service were impeccable from start to finish all led by the owner John. He took the time to talk with us at length and his energy reflected that of his restaurant. At one point it started to rain hard and a young lady had to take cover. It was obvious she had places to be and John, the owner offered her an umbrella and off she went. Not more than 5 minutes later a young man was walking by who looked a bit down and out and John offered him a meal, the young man refused but John insisted and the gratitude of the young man was proof that kindness heals and connects. We have traveled to many countries and many major cities and we love to explore the restaurants and I can honestly say this was one of the best experiences we have ever shared. I offer anyone looking for something unique to stop by Olijfje I promise you will leave satisfied. Ask to meet John and say "hello" from the Sparzo's!

    Spanish red to start. What's not to love!?
    Wink B.

    I was completely surprised. So much so I came back several times while on the trip! The service was always superb and the food was always fresh and full of flavor! Make sure you ask your server for wines from the region that pair with your meal choices. Their knowledge of the matches is excellent and I was so pleased with it all. This is a local neighborhood restaurant and it's a gem! I was there doing COVID with many restrictions, and yet I was always greeted warmly and offered a seat nearly right away. Always felt safe and appreciated. If your in the city. Make this one of your stops. You will not be disappointed!

    Daira R.

    This one was definitely a struggle to choose the number of stars. I had to sleep on it to decide. 3.5 rounded down. Food was a solid 3. Service was overall very good, only one issue. It was the service that almost bumped this up to a four. So, why three? Good food. Not great. I was primarily disappointed because I have a food allergy and always look up menus in advance and the one I found online must not have been up to date. There ended up being no hot apps I could try because they all were cooked in the same oil as the fried prawns and calamari, we didn't learn that until the dish that we thought I could have arrived at the table and was fried, despite not being described as such on the menu. This was the biggest "service failure" because I did discuss my allergy with the staff and they pointed out the items I couldn't have, and that one wasn't mentioned. They did bring me an eggplant appetizer on the house as an apology, but it was a cold app (which I didn't want) and the flavor was just okay. My husband said the app i couldn't try was just okay. That the flavor of the lamb was good but it was way too oily (from being fried). For dinner I got a lamb and eggplant casserole dish and it was quite good. My husband got the mixed grill. The chicken was delicious. The lamb, okay. The beef? Chewy. We didn't finish the beef. There was also a spiced lamb patty and it was amazing, it's what we thought we would have gotten for the appetizer. We ordered a bottle of Turkish wine which was very good, but likely a little overpriced. They also brought us a chocolate mousse on the house that was yummy. The service, besides the miscommunication about the menu, was great. Everyone was so friendly and kind and they checked in on us the right amount to see how things were going. The service is why I struggled to give this a 3. But at the end of the day, the food just didn't deserve a 4 :(

    Chicken Thighs

    The food here is absolutely amazing and delicious, the hummus and cheese platter were outstanding along with the entrees we ordered. The service was very fast and our server was very attentive. The place had a great homey feel that still felt of a high echelon. The furniture was beautiful and complimented the color scheme. I don't know if I will be returning soon, but the next time I am in Amsterdam, I will be sure to come back!

    Lamb chops- medium juicy and flavorful

    Excellent food and service. We happen to try this restaurant because it was recommended by the motel we were staying at. What a wonderful experience. Food was prepared deliciously and presented with enthusiasm. All the wait staff were attentive but not overly so. We will definitely return if we are back in the area. They even surprised us with a free complimentary dessert.

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    26 days ago

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    3 months ago

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    1 month ago

    This is an excellent restaurant. The food, the staff, the atmosphere, all A+. Do yourself a favor, give yourself a treat, try it :-)

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

    The food was good and flavorful. Service was great and everyone was so nice and friendly.

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    10 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Good service. Nice ambiance. Food was average and lacked flavor. I love middle eastern food so I was disappointed. Nothing remarkable.

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    3 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great service and atmosphere. The food was delicious and we were given complimentary dessert. Very reasonably priced too.

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    7 years ago

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    Olijfje Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Olijfje

    he chatted with us and then dropped off complimentary baklava that literally melted in our mouths.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Bazar - Mural on the wall!

    Bazar

    3.7(128 reviews)
    1.6 kmDe Pijp, Zuid
    €€

    We discovered the Bazar in Amsterdam on our second visit to the city late in 2019. This old church…read morebuilding has been converted into a buzzing place for locals and tourists alike to enjoy a great meal. We got to the restaurant around 9pm just as the place was about to slow down. We got sat immediately and our server promptly asked for drinks while we decided what to order. We got the lentil soup and the Adana kebab platter. Both the soup and entree serving were a lot of food yet very delicious. The service at the bazar is excellent and they take Apple Pay which is now the common way to pay for pretty much everything in Europe. 5 star restaurant in central Amsterdam. Popular place for drinks and middle eastern food if you like it as much as we do.

    Food was great, however the atmosphere was not. I did not like the table set up or the way they had…read moreset up the restaurant. It was freezing inside. It didn't feel clean. Honestly the food saves this review. We had the rice which was good but their stew was amazing! Potatoes I would skip. Their chicken and lamb was also very very delicious and tasty. Nothing was spicey which was great, everything was just very flavorful. If you are in the area and looking for a change in cuisine after spending a few days eating Dutch food then I would check it out. Prices were reasonable as well.

    Photos
    Bazar
    Bazar - The tile work in the ladies toilets is amazing

    The tile work in the ladies toilets is amazing

    Bazar - Ambience

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    Ambience

    Olijfje - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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