A Beautiful Mess - Amsterdam in Dapperbuurt

Delicious food with top service!

If you have an appointment at 10:00, definitely don't meet here. We were at the door at 10:00, and it was locked. Fine, if you have something to do, we'll just wait. But we saw people walking back and forth, in and out of the kitchen. Making themselves tea with milk. At 10:07, I finally knocked on the window (I use a crutch, and it was cold outside, so that's why). The tea-maker looked at me and ignored me. I knocked again, but still no response. At 10:15, I knocked again, and the door opened. After our first round of drinks, we sat for an hour with empty glasses (the place was practically empty, by the way), so we ordered a second round at the bar. We wanted to have lunch after the first round of drinks, but we ended up going somewhere else... What a waste!

Tip, if there are two of you and you are not big eaters: order several side dishes and a dip with flatbread.

Great atmosphere. Friendly staff. Delicious food. There were 11 of us, 7 of whom were between 8 and 18 years old. They're used to some exotic flavors, but everyone unexpectedly appreciated it.

If you enjoy lukewarm food that stood outside - this is THE place for you! Don’t worry, the staff is just as rude as the whole experience is underwhelming. The food was alright, but for €37 pp for a shared dinner, it is disappointing. Fun fact, if you have any substitutes or would like to change smth in the shared dinner, that won’t be an option.

Great food, music, really nice ambience, really happy to have chosen A beautiful Mess out of the 1000's of restaurants in Amsterdam.

The noise level was very high. People could barely hear each other and had to speak very loudly.

A wonderful evening, I discovered new culinary delights! Thank you so much for the delicious food! Update 20.12.25: New location with a fantastic view, excellent service, and delicious international cuisine. Thank you for your hospitality!

We had a lovely evening with good food. Even now, in December 2025, a year later, we had a wonderful stay at the new location. It's now right on the promenade and has a very modern interior. The food is delicious and of high quality. Those expecting large portions will be disappointed. We'll definitely come back again in the summer when we can enjoy the outdoor area.

Amazing food with a great mission and atmosphere! Would fully recommend.

Delicious food, great atmosphere! Great view of the Nemo

The taste of the food was good. But the prices for the amount of food were not ok. We paid 90 euro's for a platter with a very mean portion of Meat. Not doing that again.

The food was incredibly delicious, with wonderful flavors and a wide variety. Very friendly service and a beautiful open kitchen.

A very open and welcoming atmosphere, plenty of space between tables, truly relaxing, easily accessible, and incredibly sweet, friendly, and efficient service. The food was fantastic; the portions could have been a bit larger, but that's just a personal preference. I'll definitely be back!

The place is very pleasant and spacious. The food is delicious!

Nice people - when filled it is a bit noisy good service - nice atmosphere food was a bit on the cold side but VERY delicious

A unique and beautiful space with a culturally diverse menu at a fantastic location.

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.

It was very pleasant and educational to get acquainted with the Palestinian cuisine and the delicious Palestinian wines.

Super delicious food, great service! Top concept

Great place, lovely food at really good price. A tad loud. No, actually very loud. Think everyone went for after work drinks and food on a Thursday eve

Delicious food and fast service. We had a shared dinner with 10 people, but the dessert that was included wasn't delicious. It was a bit noisy because of all the glasses, but luckily two large groups left behind us, so we could hear each other and the staff.

I love this place,very welcoming and warm place, with great food and a greta location.

A bit dissappointed in the meal folks, went here for lunch and ordered the Saffirs pakistani lentil soup, which was amazing. Cant say that for the flatbread with olive oil and zataar which was just plain white bread that has not even passed close to olive oil or zataar. Make sure your menu description relates to the food served. Other than that the service was quick, friendly and the atmosphere and location is pretty cool.

Proud of this social enterprise! Great atmosphere. And delicious food.

I honestly don't understand the good reviews. The concept really appealed to me, as I love international cuisine and like to try everything, but this food tasted like cafeteria food: either flavorless or way too salty. The cauliflower dish was overcooked and literally watery. The service is friendly, but for this quality, I think the price is way too high. For the same money, you could have a better plate of nachos at Hannekes Boom—also pricey due to the location, but at least they were delicious. Never again.

We had a delicious vegetarian meal and enjoyed it for a long time. It was delicious!!

Had a wonderful meal with a large group. It went smoothly. Very friendly service. Highly recommended!

Friendly and cozy place with delicious food!

Wonderful evening, beautifully decorated restaurant and excellent menu. Great atmosphere - delicious vegan dishes.

Delicious food, top location but most of all such a friendly staff. I returned with my children and they have enjoyed a Beautiful Mess too. See you again soon ❤️

Great experience, friendly staff, delicious food (wanted to give a 4,5 actually).

Beautiful place, delightful food!

The food was delicious. The dishes complement each other perfectly. The halibut was very tasty. The grilled eggplant could have been a bit softer. But the flavors are gentle and not overpowering. The desserts are also creative.

Super friendly staff, nice atmosphere, food could be better.

Very hospitable, friendly, helpful and delicious food

Very nice and interesting dishes. Staff was lovely. Atmosphere was all right. The use of hard materials make the ambiance a bit harsh. Overall we all enjoyed it very much. Many thanks!

SUPER, a truly dreamy evening at A Beautiful Mess with colleagues. The service was charming, cheerful, and helpful. The food was exceptionally delicious, beautifully introduced by the staff, and there was so much of it! It's so wonderful to be able to support this restaurant's mission. We'll be back as soon as possible, thank you!

Nice relaxed atmosphere. Great food and friendly service. I love the background of the initiative and for that alone I would give it 5 stars.

A very pleasant atmosphere and friendly, helpful service. The staff really go above and beyond. The food is also excellent, but I think it could use a bit more spice.

Delicious food and friendly service

Great initiative in this polarizing world! Beautiful location too. Great atmosphere.

Delicious food, somewhat simple surroundings. Lots of vegetarian options!

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

Delicious food, large portions and affordable!

The food was delicious, the service was friendly and fast. But it was so noisy, you could barely hear each other.

This is one of the best newcomers to our area. Fantastic original food, very friendly staff, top location (great view) and honest prices. I have been ten times in as many weeks, Their idealism and politcs are mine and I recommend this place wholeheartedly! Yesterday's lunch was again so good. If the occasional köfke or flatbread is a bit dry, tell them! They replace it immediately.

A truly large restaurant with delicious food and a varied menu. The staff is very friendly, but I wish they'd asked us more often in advance if we wanted to order anything.

Unique dishes, served quickly and efficiently. Excellent!

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

Delicious, unique location and concept

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

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.

The food is prepared with care and love

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

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

Delicious food, beautiful location and great service

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!

Best place in the area for drinks and bites!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.