Amsterdam has more bars per square kilometre than almost any European city, and the tourist ones are easy to identify: they face canals, they serve Heineken in large glasses, and they're surrounded by other tourists. The places locals return to are quieter, off-canal, and almost exclusively in the Jordaan, Oud-West, and De Pijp. We've made the distinction between the two kinds, so you don't have to.
Where Locals Actually Drink in Amsterdam: The Jordaan Circuit
01
Café 't Smalle
Jordaan
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17th-Century Proeflokaal — Operating since 1786, this is the oldest continually running bar in the Jordaan. The canal-front terrace fills with locals in summer and the interior is genuinely historic, not fabricated. Order a jenever or a keg Heineken; avoid the wine.
Order: Jenever or keg Heineken
02
De Tuin
Jordaan
$
Neighbourhood Brown Café — A classic bruine kroeg with no pretension and no tourists. The Jordaan locals have been coming here for decades; the jukebox plays Dutch pop. Order a biertje and take your time. This is not a bar that rushes its guests.
Order: Biertje
03
Café Kobalt
Leidseplein
$$
Local Music Bar — A live music bar that has somehow avoided becoming a tourist magnet despite its central Leidseplein location. The regular crowd is Dutch creative-industry workers. Open mic nights attract genuine local talent. Order a Grolsch on tap and a bitterballen.
Order: Grolsch on tap and bitterballen
04
De School
Geuzenveld (West)
$$
Cultural Venue Bar — A techno club and cultural venue that runs an excellent bar open to non-clubbers during the day. The neighbourhood is industrial-edge Amsterdam West; the crowd is Amsterdam's creative class. Order a Jopen craft beer from the guest taps.
Order: Jopen craft beer
05
Café De Vergulde Gaper
Jordaan
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Apothecary Bar — A converted 17th-century pharmacy with a remarkable interior of wooden cabinets and antique dispensary equipment. The Jordaan locals treat it as their living room. Order a jenever and a plate of Dutch bar snacks.
Order: Jenever and Dutch bar snacks
De Pijp, Westerpark, and the Amsterdam Nobody Takes Tourists To
The areas west of the Singel and north of the IJ are where Amsterdam's actual residents drink. The Westerpark and Oud-West neighbourhoods have gentrified but retained character; Noord is the frontier.
06
Wijnbar Boelen & Boelen
De Pijp
$$$
Wine Cave — A De Pijp wine shop and bar with a serious European wine list and a crowd that actually knows what it's ordering. Wednesdays and Thursdays bring the neighbourhood's food industry workers. Order whatever's open and trust the recommendations.
Order: Ask for sommelier recommendation
07
Café Brecht
Westerpark
$$
East Berlin Energy — Named after Bertolt Brecht, this Westerpark bar attracts the city's German expat and literature crowd, plus local writers and artists who live nearby. Good beer selection, no frills. Order a Warsteiner and one of their dark ales.
Order: Warsteiner and dark ales
08
Brouwerij Troost
Westerpark
$$
Craft Brewery — A large craft brewery in the Westerpark cultural complex, drawing a young local crowd for its fresh-from-tank beers and occasional food events. The terrace is excellent in summer. Order the Weizen or whatever's seasonal.
Order: Weizen or seasonal
09
Noord
Amsterdam Noord
$$
Ferry-Ride Local — Accessible only by crossing the IJ by free ferry, Amsterdam Noord feels like a different city. Noord bar occupies a converted warehouse and is full of creatives who moved here when the city centre became unaffordable. Order a craft beer and stay for the atmosphere.
Order: Craft beer
Explore more bars in Amsterdam
Full guide to Amsterdam's neighbourhood bars
View Guide
Our Verdict
Amsterdam rewards commitment. The best local bars are a 20-minute tram ride from Centraal Station and worth every minute. The Jordaan and De Pijp have the best concentration; Noord is for the dedicated. None of these bars will be in your hotel's recommendations. That's the point.
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