A Beautiful Mess - Amsterdam in Dapperbuurt

Delicious food, large portions and affordable!

The food was very good. The service was friendly too.

Unique dishes, served quickly and efficiently. Excellent!

Delicious, unique location and concept

Delicious and extensive vegetarian/fish sharing menu, we loved it! Great atmosphere and friendly people. We'd love to come back.

We had drinks here. I found the atmosphere relaxed and the staff friendly. The food was delicious too 😀

The food was actually excellent, with the exception of the eggplant, which was largely UNDONE, which is unacceptable with eggplant. The acoustics leave much to be desired, which is a shame. I would have liked to stay a bit longer. But an acoustics consultant might know some solutions.

Nice spot, great atmosphere, unique dishes on the menu. But I found the lunch dishes far too expensive for the small portions. Drinks are also very expensive.

We came with a group of 12 and had a mixed menu with meat and vegetarian dishes. The food was truly delicious, and everything was perfectly prepared. There was so much flavor in every dish; it's wonderful to see all these different culinary cultures coming together! The staff was very friendly, and we were truly spoiled!

I want to eat here again, again and again.

I love this place and everything it represents. Food is really good with fresh ingredients, service is great and the ambience is lovely. Very affordable as well. Will definitely come back

Nice food, great location, and really good initiative to help refugees and immigrants find their way back to work. But the service was so slow and inadequate. Nobody was coming to our table so we ended up going to the bar to order

We had our Professional Women Network's socialusing drinks & bites here.

Nice place and delicious food. Lots of variety in sports food.

It's a very, very nice place to have a drink or a bite to eat outside in green weather. Prices were reasonable, and the staff were very friendly. They have clean, modern restrooms, which you unfortunately don't find anywhere else in Amsterdam. I can wholeheartedly recommend this place.

Delicious food at reasonable prices. Excellent service. Casual and friendly.

Excellent restaurant, with very good service and affordable prices, and they also serve in Spanish.

The food is prepared with care and love

Perfect for aperitivo or shared dining

A very good experience: tasty food, quality welcome and service. Thank you!

The experience was amazing. All the staff were very friendly.

Great place. The staff could be a bit more proactive in checking where attention is needed, but afterward, they were helpful and flexible. The food was delicious, and the price-quality ratio was excellent. I'll be back soon.

Nice restaurant with a beautiful view of the island, very friendly service, but the food takes a bit of getting used to. For me, there was too much flavor, but not quite harmonious. I didn't like the beer from a can for €6 either.

What a wonderful place! Cozy, accessible, excellent food, and friendly service. In short, we had a fantastic evening! I'll definitely be back.

Cozy place, especially busy on Thursdays. Delicious food with a wide variety of dishes to choose from, good service!

Turkish/Middle Eastern cuisine. Very lovely ambience and a nice staff. There is indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a great place to kick back and relax and have some reasonable eats. It feels like a college vibe there is entertainment inside of the restaurant plus there is a variety of dishes/meals that are authentic. We give this experience a 4 out of 5.

Delicious food, wonderful views, friendly service and very vegan friendly

A relaxed, homely atmosphere, friendly and helpful service, the food is delicious and has a unique mix of flavors, and the prices are reasonable. In short: highly recommended!

Delicious food, beautiful location and great service

We really enjoyed the whole experience with my team! Amazing food and energy.

Best place in the area for drinks and bites!

We were delighted not only by the delicious Middle Eastern food, but also by the warm, open ambiance with a view of the water. The dishes were authentic, creative, and full of flavor. What makes this restaurant truly special is its social mission: refugees receive training and a perspective in the hospitality industry. You're supporting not just a restaurant, but a major project with a social impact. The service was very friendly – ​​even if it can take a while at full capacity, the overall impression remains completely positive. Highly recommended!

Another wonderful meal, all dishes tasty and special, super friendly service and on the most beautiful terrace in the city - I will gladly come back soon!

Fantastic experience at Sail. The food was lovely, high quality meat, and very flavourful with a lot of seasoning. The service was overall friendly and professional. There were a variety of smaller activities, foosball table, ping pong, henna, tea and coffee tent, as well as food and drinks (wine was reasonable quality also) great djs, a very entertaining dancer, and nice decorations overall. It was also extremely tidy and well-organised. I would be comfortable engaging this organisation for corporate or private catering. Everything was extremely smooth and attractive.

Overpriced, low quality food, plus I have been asked to pay for using the toilet even in I had my lunch there. Surely not coming back.

was here for a drink during SAIL Amsterdam. Atmosphere was nice, but the toilet cost €3, which feels unreasonable. As paying customers, this charge makes the place look greedy. When buying drinks we were told to pay €1 extra for the cup, which would be refunded after we finished. However, after returning the cups, we were told that we would have a €1 discount on a next drink instead and that if that would be our only drink, they would keep the €1 for their ‘charity’. The issue was that we were told this in a demeaning way, as we were silly. We still do not know what kind of charity and if this is really true.

The food sold during Sail Amsterdam was very disappointing. It was not only tasteless but it was also very expensive. We paid 12 euros for a spoon of rice with some toppings and no spices. I don’t recommend this place.

From the special SAIL menu, the bowl was far below par compared to my previous experience here. A mass-produced bowl with mostly white rice and pasta. While the topping was reasonably tasty, it was so sparse that it was completely lost in the dry bowl of cold rice. A pitiful price-to-quality ratio, definitely not a good sign for this otherwise well-designed restaurant.

Really not good! We'll get a kebab at the train station now.

During Sail there was a stage with a fantastic band, delicious food and a very relaxed atmosphere.

I genuinely wanted to back A Beautiful Mess. I love supporting enterprises that aim to create positive social impact. Their mission to empower individuals through work and storytelling is meaningful and admirable. However, our recent visit raised serious concerns about hygiene and kitchen practices. We ordered the kofta from their Middle Eastern menu. Unfortunately, the kofta arrived severely undercooked. When we politely complained and asked for the dish to be cooked through, the staff confused by the request, eventually took it away and appeared to simply toss it back on the fire. It returned dramatically overcooked, and shockingly, the team couldn’t distinguish whose plate belonged to whom. That indicates a lapse in basic food safety and hygiene protocols. I support businesses with heart and purpose, but when you’re serving food, proper handling isn’t optional. This felt like a genuine hygiene risk, and it overshadowed everything else. I hope they take this feedback seriously and address it.

This place lives up to its name ! I don't know how it has gotten so many positive review but my experience there was completely different : - We were seated on a table made for 2 people even though we were 3. When we asked to have more space, the waiter said 'no' even though the place was not nearly full. - The starters arrived at the same time a the main course, so by the time we ate them, our plate was cold - The food was unseasoned, bland, poorly proportioned and WAY to expensive. You must know that you'll have no side dish included with your plate, you'll have to pay 6.5e (!) for fries on top of the 13.5e for a very small and untasty shakshuka filled with spicy sauce to 'hide' its blandness. Do not order the Hummus too, it'll be serve with only 1 piece of 'bread' (it has another name but I cannot remember it) which will not be enough to finish it. Don't waste time asking the waiter for anything as the answer will be 'No'. There are much more tasty, cheaper restaurant with better service (Olijfje, Sea palace, The pantry...) than this one which seemed more to be a tourist trap than anything else. I do not recommend !

I really wanted to love this place! The location is gorgeous, and the cause even more so. Unfortunately, the food was just average and not worth the money. I ordered a frittata that was dripping with oil, overcooked cauliflower with a sauce that had no flavor, and potatoes that had nothing to envy from the ones served in the city center. The staff was very friendly, but I honestly don’t understand how this place has such great reviews. Maybe it’s better just to come here for a drink and enjoy the view. Sadly, this mess was far from beautiful.

Food was b decent could have done with a bigger portion 3 kebabs aren’t much but does the job. Decent prices for what you get.

Friendly staff, very small portions, and ideological/political BS on their walls and menus

We had a chocolate cake with sour cream, which was delicious. We also enjoyed the coffee. My wife ordered a falafel wrap, which was delicious. As a woman, I can say the restroom was spotlessly clean. There was antibacterial foam inside to clean the toilet. I applaud it.

Food and service is decent but the outdoor view is very good.

It's OK. Meat was a bit underdone.

Quite good dining experience at an affordable price. Fixed menu of 30 euros that included many small dishes (around 6) to share. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was great!

Very nice food, good service and great location.

Delicious food, surprising dishes, relaxed atmosphere. Unfortunately, the fries were gone by 7 p.m.

We really liked this place, the concept, the solidarity with Palestine! The culturally mixed staff. The service was wonderful. The food was really good. The view is also nice. The portions, however, were really small. Each main dish did not come with any side dishes. You have to order those separately. And that makes it quite expensive. As we live in Palestine and we are used to the hospitality of large portions and kofta should always come at least with potatoes and tomatoes from the oven, in tomato sauce or tahina sauce, it was a real disappointment to get just three pieces of kofta on a plate with a bit of salad. As a main dish!! (Around 20 euro!!) We can't afford that really, to come back again, unfortunately. But if you have financial means then it's absolutely a nice place with good food.

the lamb kofte was solid 10/10, even after reheating it was literally so good. better than my omani classmate’s cooking so you know it’s good

Under seasoned food that is bland at best. Service was non existent.

An inclusive place, delicious food, nicely decorated, wonderful view.

Very nice interior and that's probably all))) Neither the food, nor the drink, nor the service impressed us.

Very overpriced, for 20 euros i got 3 meatballs. It was good tho.

It is a very nice restaurant: cozy, nice -not too loud- music. The food is excellent, I have been a few times here and the service is great and kind, you don't have to wait hours to be seen and place your order. The concept of the restaurant is special, make sure you read their page about it or ask your host. It also influences the menu, which is special but still recognisable ingredients ;) We were sitting outside: it is peaceful and has a nice view. At the moment my favorite place in the City Centre of Amsterdam. Go and enjoy!! :)

Wonderful food and very friendly staff!

What delicious food and a lovely atmosphere! We sat on the large terrace and it was also very affordable. We will definitely be back.

Note: You can only pay by card here! So you can't pay with cash. 2 soft drinks €7.00 Luckily, no cheap Pepsi junk. The "Debit card only" option is on the menu, but I think it's a bit small when ordering. Could a waiter mention that beforehand?

Wonderful food, great experience. We brought our friends from the UK there and we had a lovely time. Thank you!

Food was excellent but our order has been forgotten so we ended up waiting for around one hour. Staff was not very friendly. Atmosphere was nice and casual

Cozy, hospitable, nice menu and they serve tasty food

Definitely recommend this place! the design is very nice and the food super delicious! the cocktails were good too. I recommend the kofta, the hummus and the eggplant. Will come back for sure😃

Once again enjoyed the delicious food, the great service and the beautiful location!@

Great flavors and original dishes. Nice place with excellent vegetarian and vegan options. However, we waited too long for the waiter to take our order.

We had a company boat trip and afterwards we went to eat at A Beautiful Mess. Perfect for a group of 20, the food was very good, the service was considerate of allergies and there was enough choice for the vegetarians among us. All in all a success and the atmosphere was great. An absolute must!

Fantastic place with delicious food and great service

Dish was tasty. A bit expensive but still okay

Great food and great staff. Beautiful concept. Missed more options for food.

A lovely setting by the water, nice service and incredibly good food! We came with a large group to eat and the menu was varied enough that no one left hungry. : )

We ate outside on the terrace, a beautiful spot on the water with a view of NEMO. Informal atmosphere and very nice service. Delicious food from the African and Syrian kitchen.

Not recommended, they used to have much better food, much nicer staff, and the vibe was more comfortable than now, the place has changed completely, changed in a bad way

Special dishes on a pleasant terrace, but in an ugly location, right next to the Booking.com office. Good service and delicious dishes, although the selection is very limited. Inside, everything seems cozy, clean, and professional. I definitely recommend it!

Awesome food for a very fair price

Such a nice friendly place with good food. The food is simple, fresh and tasty. It’s mainly ethnic food from the East with flavors and colors. Weather was good so stayed outside for dinner

What a relief: no time slots, personal service, generous portions, original dishes and sufficient space between the tables. Wonderfully un-Amsterdam, and then also an organization with a beautiful philosophy. Definitely recommended!

After a wonderful day at the Zeehaven days we ended up here. We had a delicious meal and took a 2-person pampering menu. This menu was very sparsely composed, namely per person 1 mini hamburger and mini chicken, some vegetables and very coarse lettuce and with naan bread and hummus. We thought it would cost €29.50 for two. While the average menu food costs €18.00. We had to pay 2x €29.50, which we found steeply expensive. We were told that the receipt was incorrect, we were told. That it happens more often. They would adjust the menu accordingly. We felt cheated by this. Very unfortunate, your taste buds are working overtime, so nicely spiced. From one bite of meager meal, we were ready to eat outside again. No satisfaction at all.

Lovely atmosphere but the service is terrible and the food made me ill.

Unfortunately, the price-performance ratio isn't right at all. The portions are far too small, and while the food itself is tasty, it's simply overpriced for what it is.

Interesting concept, decent food, good location, but alas very disappointing portions. The “sharing” menu for two is actually barely enough for one person, it’s more like a starter/tasting menu for two. Frankly, it was insulting to have been served a plate with literally one piece of Kofte for 2 to share; granted, we ordered a mix of meat and viggie for 2 but still, the point is for 2 to enjoy a bit of everything - it’s a SHARING MENU! The Middle East is renowned for its hospitality and to serve Middle Eastern food like that unfortunately spoiled the experience for us.

Our reservation at 630 pm allowed us to enjoy the happy hour with the Beirut Mule and ABM Spritz to start. Freshly made flat bread with very tasty hummus started off the night well. For our main course we chose the spiced Kofte and the Ethiopian chicken dish (Tsebhi Dorho). Both were excellent. They told us the Kofte dish was a bit small but it was large enough for us! The chicken was juicy and a huge serving. There didn’t appear to be a side dish so we ordered a side of roasted cauliflower. That turned to be almost too much food for us! All very delicious and at a good prices. The total was under 80 euros. 👍 if you find this useful.

Soooo tasty food, drinks and friendly service.

Lovely place, very good hospitality and affordable food. Had a nice dinner together.

Lovely place, great food, friendly staff

Great food. Nice ambience. Friendly servers. Might help to mention portion sizes on the menu- feel bad wasting food.

A pleasant place to eat. Good food, delicious wines and a nice atmosphere. A beautiful project that can serve as an example for others

A truly wonderful culinary experience! We had just arrived in Amsterdam and were in need of some comforting family-style cuisine, and we were served! Beautiful flavors, with a wonderful African, even North African, inspiration... fantastic! The desserts are definitely worth trying!

Everything was delicious and the dishes came out fast after ordering. The staff was friendly and helpful.

Yummy food, loved the combinations! Sad on the mocktails. I tried 2, either they were too sweet or too sour

Ordered 3 main dishes, 2x Kofte and 1x the Heilbot. Kofte arrived and we got nothing except 3 tiny burned little meatballs without anything else, no rice, bread, fries. Cost: 19€ per "main" course. What a disgrace, shamelessly ripping people off. Dead atmosphere, staff doesn't speak Dutch and waitress didn't bother to check on our table once if we were satisfied of wanted anything to drink. Place doesn't even have normal cutlery but uses yellow plastic knives... Won't be coming back with my colleagues. If you want to have dinner go to a real restaurant instead of this place selling small starters as main dishes and pricing them that way too.

We ended up here by chance on our way to the Nemo museum. And how lucky we were! The food was so delicious, and the service must be the friendliest in Amsterdam. The place is also cozy, despite huge, and warmly decorated. I loved everything about it. We shared a Beautiful Mess lunch: the lentil soup, falafel, hummus, labneh, oesterzwam shoarma, kofte, green salad, and flatbread, everything was excellent. And for dessert, the chocolate cake with baked banana and mint was fantastic! Exquisite Palestinian wines from Galilee and Ramallah are available for a unique experience. Definitely recommend 👌

Delicious food, good price/quality ratio, good service (keep in mind that some people are in training), nice social approach. Not unimportant for me, I could also eat delicious vegan and gluten-free food. Will definitely come back :)

We chose the ‘Let’s enjoy’ with our family (16 people) and we really enjoyed the tasty dishes. We were well served by the friendly staff. It was really a wonderful evening in your cozy restaurant.

Had a delicious wrap with a beautiful view

Friendly staff and you really taste the soul of the different types of cultures in these delicious food and drink creations. Thank you for this experience!

Nice place and helpful friendly service!!!

Simply disappointed with the dishes. Lack of seasoning and no originality. I had the impression of eating like a rabbit...Really nothing extraordinary but that's just my humble opinion...Very nice waitress on the other hand.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. Very good food, service was excellent, very good advice. We had the menu for 2. We were well fed, very tasty. Can only be recommended. Thanks