Irish pubs in Amsterdam and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Nightlife Tips

Nightlife Spot: Eating and Drinking

There are a good few Irish pubs here in this town. Some of them have a more authentic feel than others (Hoopmans/Reijnders/Hole in the Wall megapub on Leidseplein isn't exactly an original), but even a new place like Aran on Max Euweplein can be great craic with the right staff and live band!

Here follows a list which isn't comprehensive (yet), but gives a good overview anyway:
- "Mulligan's", Amstel 100. Very cosy and one of the 'original' Irish pubs in the city. Great live sessions. Check out their website for more!
- "Tara", Rokin 89. Very nice and BIG Irish bar with some fantastic details and lots of nooks and snugs to have a relaxed evening and because of this the place doesn't feel crowded even when it's very busy. Popular with students from the nearby UvA. Also features live music and pool tables.
- "O'Reilly's", Paleisstraat 103-5. More catering towards mass entertainment: big screens, DJ features prominently and the bar is huge. Was good fun on Paddy's Day, though!
- "Durty Nelly's", Warmoesstraat 117. Not just a pub, but also a hostel. How very convenient! Not prententious at all, which explains its popularity with the Irish travellers and locals alike.
- "Aran", Max Euweplein 73. Great bar, very modern but excellent live music! Upstairs is very alternative (yet good fun!) and the Irishness is shed almost completely.
- "Dan Murphy's", Leidseplein 24. Of all Irish pubs on the square, this one's the best. Features all kinds of clientele but at least it looks the most authentic.
- "O'Donnell's", Ferd. Bolstraat 5. Again one of many pubs on a square, but it looks good and has a great selection of beers on draught!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: No dress code, come as you are (well, within limits of course!)
Directions: All over town, see the places above.
Website: http://www.oreillys.com/ http://www.xs4all.nl/~nellys/ http://www.mulligans.nl/

Nightlife Spot: Eating, drinking, lounging

ARC totally fits in the lounge rage that hit European shores a few years ago. And although the lazy Sundays where French artists like Air, St.Germain and Dimitri from Paris featured prominently on the sound systems are long gone, ARC still remains a firm favourite with the gay and straight scene alike. Its secret? A healthy blend of good food and drinks in sleek sourroundings. Do not miss daily happy hour (5pm-7pm) when cocktails are only €5 each!

This one is recommended for its hip clientele and is great for an early-evening snack, a casual gathering of friends or lazy Sunday cocktail-sipping. ARC has been my favourite bar for a good while now and I'm sure it's going to stay that way for quite another while.

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Theme: Live Music
Dress Code: Put in a bit of effort. Look at the website and judge for yourself!
Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 44
Website: www.bararc.com

Nightlife Spot: Gay scene

Get an English-style bar, place it in what is still the main gay street of Amsterdam and add a diverse mix of patrons. Sounds like you'd visit a watering hole that sticks out like a sore thumb, right? Nope, Soho actually achieves to mix the olde-world posh library-style place with the good-looking guests quite effortlessly. Great place to visit for quiet weekday drinks or busy weekend parties alike!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Just put some nice gear on, for crying out loud! :)
Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 36
Website: www.sohoamsterdam.nl

Nightlife Spot: Eating and Drinking

Grand Café De Kroon has been going strong for years on end. It's still an amazingly beautiful colonial-style bar, but it has also been jazzed up to the 3rd millennium! Flat-screen monitors show soothing images and another section has been redecorated to a modern-yet-antique dining section. The middle part is still old-style with high ceilings and the part overlooking the square is more intimate.

Still, this café upstairs from the Rembrandtplein is still best when sitting on the leather sofas and sipping a cup of coffee or a cocktail after a long day of shopping (or before a long night of clubbing)!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Dress up, you won't regret it!
Address: Rembrandtplein 17
Website: www.dekroon.nl

Although you might find it a bit overdone and fake, there's no denying that Café Cuba has done a great deal to evoke the sultry spirit of Hemingway's Havana. The music is lively, as is the crowd. It's all very friendly and the mojito's are reasonably priced. Alcohol in general is quite cheap here, which is a great plus!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: It's popular with the late-twenty and thirtysomething working crowd, so you get the picture.
Address: Nieuwmarkt 3