25 Best Bars in Centrum, Amsterdam

Beware: the slant of this oldie-but-goodie may leave you a little unsteady on your feet after one too many beers on the patio. A quintessential Amsterdam view of the Oudeschans, however, has been bringing relief since 1695.

This highly popular pink bar is situated rather off-the-beaten-path (for the gay scene, that is)—which was exactly the intention of its founding gay couple, as they aim to be as all-inclusive as possible. Whatever their intentions, they keep winning "best gay bar" awards. The staff and clientele are as cheerful as the venue's name—prik means "bubbles" in Dutch and refers to the prosecco on tap (among other things). They serve great cocktails and finger food, too.

You won't find Her Majesty the Queen here, but a mainstream crowd, fun-loving princes enjoying DJ beats, theme nights, drag bingo, and parties that pour out onto the sidewalk.

This is Amsterdam's most famous—and miraculously its least hyped—proeflokaal (tasting room). Opened in 1679, this dimly lighted, blithely cramped little bar just behind the Hotel Krasnapolsky has a menu of more than 60 Dutch liqueurs and genevers that reads like poetry: Bruidstranen (Bride's Tears) and Boswandeling (A Walk in the Woods) are two favorites. Call ahead for a guided tour of the distillery.

Down a small alley, just a stone's throw from the Dam, you'll come upon what would seem to be the multilevel home of a family of hip hobbits. You'll know better once you spot the suitably slumped travelers smoking joints or nibbling on blueberry "space muffins." At No. 6 is the souvenir shop, where you'll find branded organic cotton hoodies, T-shirts, and weed-themed memorabilia.

An adventurous and diverse program of entertainment includes DJs, live bands, and even theater. When it comes to music, hip-hop, funk, rock, ska, and soul share the spotlight.

As the name suggests, this welcoming little café right behind Nieuwe Kerk offers over 50 Belgian beers, including eight on tap.

On the edge of the Red Light District sits this neighborhood institution, which dates back to the 1940s. For better or worse, cracks have started to appear in its jazzy foundation, as the programming has become diluted by DJ sets and karaoke.

This light and airy multilevel café offers reasonably priced food and a lovely terrace overlooking the Amstel. It is popular with a big cross section of the population, from students and pensioners to artists and businesspeople.

Quite popular with students and locals, this well-known brown café near Dam Square has far too many beers to try in one go. In fact, there are more than 250 bottled beers and 14 on tap, mostly from the Netherlands and Belgium. One of six Gollem cafes in Amsterdam, there is also a bar and restaurant, Proeflokaal Gollem (Overtoom 160-162), with beer tastings and, on some nights, pub quizzes or disco bingo. The latest addition, Biercafé Gollem aan het Water (Entrepotdok 64), offers waterside views of the elephant enclosure at the ARTIS zoo.

Occupying a 17th-century canalside warehouse, this beam-ceilinged bar with a large terrace serves beers, cocktails, and meals from morning until the wee hours 365 days a year.

Back in 1984, this bar was so leather-lined it put San Francisco's Folsom Street to shame. Today it attracts a more diverse crowd, many of whom find their way to what's rumored to be one of the biggest dark rooms in Europe.

Wine and whiskey are just what patrons of De Dokter (The Doctor) have been ordering for centuries. Founded by a surgeon in 1798 to serve the doctors and medical students from the nearby university, the city's smallest pub is still run by the Beems family six generations later.

Also referred to as "the Pilsner Club," this unmistakably brown venue, which celebrated its quasquicentennial in 2018, seems to belong to some lost age when beer was the safest alternative to drinking water. Reinforcing the impression that time has stood still here, the bar has been run consecutively by a Teun van Veen (I, II, III and IV) since opening.

Founded in 1974, this must be the oldest fetish bar in Amsterdam. Today, this self-proclaimed "sleaze pit" offers a darkroom on two floors, cabins, slings, a golden shower bathtub, and free condoms, among other features.

Founded in 1996, this truly mellow place welcomes everyone: gay, lesbian, bi, queer, or straight. They have an appetizing cocktail menu and offer food at reasonable prices. Inspired by well-known Dutch drag queens, the "diva burgers" are a hit, as is the Monday all-night happy hour with cocktails from €6.50.

Another Cannabis Cup darling—and a not uncommon docking station for celebrities like Rihanna and Snoop Dogg—this chain is renowned for quality weeds and seeds. Artful mosaics provide a trippy background, and storefront tables let patrons take in a breath of fresh air. There are two other locations in Centrum and one in De Pijp.

A wide selection of beers and ales from around the globe amid jolly surroundings in a former distillery attract all types and ages. There are 250 bottled brews to chose from, 18 beers on tap, a featured beer of the month, and regular beer-themed events.

This chain serves mellow jazz alongside scrumptious chocolate-chip cookies in airy historical locales, providing a refreshingly understated approach to getting high. Take your purchase to Café Zoutsteeg across the street at No. 11, if you like to enjoy your smoke with a drink.

Nestled on an easy-to-miss alley is this atmospheric bar and restaurant named after a Flemish TV hero from the 1960s. The food, the furniture, and the French chansons playing transfer you to Paris in the 1950s. A glass of wine or a simple meal here can be memorable, especially when accompanied by live music upstairs on the first Sunday of the month.

This unpretentious, minimalist bar sandwiched between the Red Light District and Chinatown is best known for its karaoke and mojitos at very reasonable prices, especially during happy hour (before 9 pm).

Known as one of the best coffeeshops in town, with plenty of Cannabis Cup awards to prove it, Dampkring became even more popular after its use as a set for Ocean's Twelve. The weed menu is exceptional, and the smoothie and milk shake selections remarkable. Other coffeeshops have opened under the same name, but this is the one-and-only real Dampkring.

This labyrinth of an Irish pub is large enough to host live music and large-screen football matches, yet there are still plenty of cozy nooks for a quiet meal, checking your socials, or cuddling with ye olde sweetheart.

Leather, piercings, and tattoos predominate, but meeting one's soul mate at this cruise bar is not out of the question. There's a downstairs bar and dance floor and upstairs darkroom.