Café Garçon in Museumkwartier

Very disappointing and unwelcoming experience We came here after the F1 race simply looking for a nice place to sit down and have a few drinks. When we entered, we waited for a waiter to show us where we could sit. Before even asking whether we wanted food or drinks, the waiteress simply told us that the kitchen was closed and immediately turned her back on us. We actually had no intention of eating — we had come specifically for drinks. We then had to ask him ourselves, “Is the drinks service closed as well?” Only after that did she reluctantly show us to a table. The strange thing was that the place was absolutely packed with customers. We had just returned from the race and were wearing F1 team sportswear rather than smart evening clothes. I cannot know whether that influenced the way we were treated, but the interaction certainly made us feel unwelcome and judged from the moment we walked in. We sat down, but after thinking about the way we had been treated, we simply didn’t feel comfortable staying. So we got back up and left. A simple “The kitchen is closed, but you’re very welcome to stay for drinks” would have made this an entirely different experience. Unfortunately, hospitality is not only about the food and drinks — it is also about how you make people feel when they walk through the door. We certainly did not feel welcome here.

Wonderful evening with excellent service by Mattia!

Thanks Matthias for the excellent duck and wine

Excellent food and drinks. In a very elegant and popular area.

We had lunch here together yesterday, lovely in the sunshine on the terrace (shade is also available), tasty steak tartare (not sliced ​​but super delicious), followed by fine ravioli and a salad with good wine recommendations from the wait staff. Service was superb, enthusiastic, personal, and knowledgeable; highly recommended. Nice, cozy spot in Oud Zuid.

A lovely neighborhood spot with a chic bistro feel. The menu focuses on simplicity and the freshness of the ingredients, with prices slightly above average.

One of the best places with French food, nice huitres, excellent escargos with amazing French fries 🍟. Highly recommended)

Sabine & Puck provided us with brilliant service

Super delicious food. We had the tuna carpaccio as a sharing starter. Then the chicken with truffle and the steak tartare. I asked for some adjustments to the steak tartare, which were carried out with great care. Robin provided fantastically friendly and perfect service! Thank you for that! Highly recommended!

We ate here today with the four of us before a concert at the Concertgebouw. ​​Glad we made this choice. The food was delicious, and the service was very good and friendly. We arrived nice and early, and because everything went quite smoothly, we even had time to enjoy a three-course meal. If we go to another concert, we will definitely give it another try. Unfortunately, it is a bit far from Friesland to just drop by.

Had a super delicious meal. Robin's service was top-notch tonight. We'll be coming back for her more often!

Nice decent dishes. The variety on menu is not super rich but quite sufficient. Wine selection is also good. The dishes we had were really good. There were small problems with delivery but I dont know it was a one off or chronic. In general it was a nice experirnce if you dont count in the price. The price for value is not really that good.

Beautiful French style restaurant with very good food! The service was friendly, fast, attentive and very helpful! The steak tartar was well seasoned and matched well with the crostini. The scallops were perfectly cooked, and they paired well with the peas and zeekraal. The only improvement would be the beurre blanc sauce, I would prefer it more intense, or with more acidity. Steak au poivre, the meat was good quality, and well cooked, again I would have liked the sauce a bit more vibrant. The sole was cooked nicely as well, and was very tasty. I would have loved much more lemons on the side. Overall an amazing and tasty experience on our walk in Amsterdam. Would highly recommend and will definitely visit again when in the neighbourhood!

Saturday afternoon. The weather is nice, so we wanted to have lunch outside. We were in luck; there were at least 7 tables free, so we asked where we could sit. “Have you made a reservation?” No, but surely that shouldn't be a problem? “All tables are reserved, but you can sit inside.” Okay, then we’ll go sit inside by the window in the otherwise empty room. We had a fine meal and service, but during our lunch, we saw at least three couples leave after they, too, were told that they couldn't sit on the still half-empty terrace. When we left, there were still 7 tables free outside…

Always delicious food and good service!

Delicious food and great service, what a cheerful atmosphere to make your day better

Had a super delicious meal, good service and a large wine selection. Thank you Puck for the great service.

I had a delicious meal! The steak tartare was especially fantastic. A big thank you to Puck who helped us out so well! I will definitely be back.

Puck helped us so sweetly; she made our whole evening fun!

I've had dinner here about 10x in the last 5 years and generally I really like the place and the atmosphere. Last night however, felt like going back 20 years in NL, back when they felt that you should be lucky to eat our food and enjoy our restaurant. My wife and I ordered their Ribeye for two people as a main course. I overemphasized the temperature of the meat to the waitress, medium rare and said if they are to error, do so on the rare side. 30 min later they served us a dry overcooked ribeye, barely pink on the inside, medium to medium well. Then they were surprised when I sent it back. I witnessed words exchanged with the kitchen then a man proceeded to bring the steak back and tell us that the steak is cooked to their medium rare and if I send it back it will take 30 min to prepare another one. 30 min to prepare a 5 minute medium rare steak. However, they could get us an entrecote in 5 minutes. Sad to see what was a pretty solid restaurant decline in service, quality and attitude. We were with 4 people, all shocked at the attitude and lack of service. We won't be back.

Terrible waiter with big attitude. I was being very polite and waited patiently for 20min without being served, then i was given a menu I can’t understand but I wasn’t even given any second to react when the waiter already left. Then I waited a bit but had difficulty catching the waiter so I raised my voice very politely asking “excuse me” just hoping to get an English menu, then was being shouted by the waiter saying I don’t respect him by shouting at him. I never shouted, instead he shouted at me and blamed me after not serving for 30min. We left this place angrily. The waiter has too much ego and no hospitality. He should change his career

Such a lovely spot for a Sunday lunch. We had a brioche pullet and a Caesar salad and both were genuinely delicious (alongside some crispy French fries and bitterballen). Everything was well prepared and full of flavor. A special touch was the coffee/tea service, which came with an incredibly good, buttery madeleine, simple but perfect. 🤤 The place itself is beautiful, set in a stunning area that makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. Definitely highly recommended! 💫

Puck was the sweetest best ❤️❣️

Had a super fun afternoon and great service! Especially Puck :)

Enjoyed it immensely! Puck is the best.

A lovely restaurant with a warm and cozy atmosphere. The staff is very welcoming, and the food was top-notch. Definitely a place I'll be returning to again!

We had a delicious meal! Sabine served us, excellent service!

Vincent and Thomas are the best hosts you could wish for. Excellent service and knowledge.

Nice coffee and food also very good

We had a truly delicious meal with friendly staff. We were helped promptly, and the time between courses was just right! Not too fast or too slow for our preference. We received a small gift for my mother's birthday (I mentioned it when booking), which was really thoughtful! It was quite pricey, though. The eggs with mayonnaise were actually two egg halves, so one egg. Tasty (!), but not worth 7 euros. So: very tasty and eaten in a pleasant setting, but not every month.

Lovely little restaurant in Zuid. We'll definitely be back. All the dishes were delicious!

Those scallop croquettes are among the best things I've eaten in 2025. There are only two of them, they're tiny, and by far the most expensive croquettes I've ever had, but absolutely worth it. Also: friendly, good, and relatively fast service (considering it was busy), so not nearly as slow as people claim, but n=1, and I wasn't there with the others, of course. Great place for a good lunch! The crowd is very southern.

We enjoyed a Christmas dinner here. The food was excellent, the wines were delicious, and the staff were friendly and attentive to detail. They acted quickly!

We had a Saturday lunch with friends (6 people), it was booked well in advance and required 10€ deposit per person, which was ok I guess for the restaurant in demand. Prons: The food overall was good, we really liked confit de canard, chevreuil, lunch brioche, onion soup, but vol-au-vent was not worth it. The cafe has nice classy interior and white tablecloth. Cons: some of us were waiting for our dishes for over an hour, some appetizers were completely forgotten so we had to remind the stuff about it . We were served all at different time, so the time slot of 2 hours they suggest for reservation simply does not make sense. Waiters were very friendly, but did not pay proper attention to orders and speed of serving.

Great help from Vincent, what a great guy!

We booked a place for our 7th anniversary celebration and everything was top-notch!

Delicious food, beautiful classic dishes & great service!

We had a really enjoyable evening; the service was excellent! The food was delicious, and they have a good wine selection.

Vincent helped us well and we had a delicious meal, good service and a nice atmosphere

Delicious food, great atmosphere, and Vincent guided us wonderfully through the evening. Highly recommended!

Enjoyed it! Thank you, dear Vincent & Puck. Delicious food, excellent service!

Food was ok. Service was inattentive and slow.

This afternoon we enjoyed various dishes from the menu. The atmosphere is very cozy and the food is excellent!

Excellent. Classic brasserie. Delicious dishes. Underrated if anything.

Great food and great service. Due to food allergies they even had a solution when we asked for another sauce option for the steak au poivre. Also the recommendations from our waiter were great. 10/10

I had lunch yesterday and it was a very pleasant experience overall. A cozy and elegant spot with friendly service and a clean, welcoming atmosphere. The food was truly delicious and beautifully presented, made with high-quality ingredients. I especially recommend the croquettes with coquilles Saint-Jacques – they were outstanding. The beef tartare was also good, although for my taste it could have been seasoned a little more, but that’s just personal preference. Another highlight was the brioche with pulled chicken – tender, flavorful chicken and a perfectly soft brioche. Absolutely delicious. I was slightly disappointed with the blinis with smoked salmon. While the salmon itself was excellent – fresh and full of flavor – it would have been nicer if the blinis were homemade instead of store-bought. The ready-made ones didn’t add anything to the dish and felt like a missed opportunity. The biggest letdown for me was the crème brûlée. It should be warm on top, freshly caramelized, and slightly chilled inside, but this one was quite cold, as if it had just come out of the fridge. That small detail makes a big difference, especially with such a classic dessert – the final note of the meal should feel like a little celebration. Wine selection is very good – especially the full-bodied Chardonnay, which I enjoyed a lot. One thing to note: if you’re looking for a very private, intimate dining experience, this may not be the ideal place. The tables for two are placed quite close together, so you can easily hear conversations from next to you and even see what others are eating. It didn’t bother me too much, but some people may find it uncomfortable. That said, it’s still a lovely restaurant with a high standard, delicious food, and excellent quality ingredients. Perfect for a quick, refined lunch – just don’t plan to linger too long, as the space is limited and tables turn quickly. I definitely recommend Le Garçon and would happily return, especially for those incredible croquettes!

I have to mention the service was horrible. we have to wait 20 min to get the menue and search for the waiter to order for 10 min the food got ready so slow even though it was not crowded and even after we finished we wanted to order desert but nobody cam eto clean the table or ask for the menu. For the food, I would have expected much more from a French restaurant at this rate. It was nothing special. It looked good but maybe work on the depth of flavor and taste. Personally, I would not come back.

We visited the place for dinner and everything was great. The food and the wine were outstanding. I have a gluten allergy and there were no issues whatsoever, the server was informative and assured me of all the gluten free options. Would definitely recommend it.

Great spot in a beautiful location with amazing food.

After a lovely evening with a delicious dinner inside, we moved to the terrace for drinks. Vincent and Max offered us a warm, comfortable, and cozy spot near the heaters and were constantly checking in to ensure our evening was perfect. What a fantastic experience! A diverse and beautiful wine list, a menu with plenty of choices, and dishes with fantastic flavor. Thank you all.

Fantastic dinner, wonderfully diverse menu. Good wines and a wide selection. The staff was warm and welcoming, frequently checking in to see if the evening was going well and if there were any additional requests.

What a wonderful evening! Max and Vincent were fantastic and gave us a warm welcome. Upon arrival, Max explained the menu to us. Then, enthusiastically, we ordered almost all the appetizers, which were excellent. Vincent then continued to help us and brightened our evening with his attentive presence. He checked in with us frequently to see how the evening was going and if everything was to our liking. The dinner was delicious, and the service was fantastic. Thank you, Vincent and Max.

What a restaurant! Delicious food, and Vincent was fantastic. A hidden gem in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid.

What a wonderful, homey atmosphere! Good food and excellent service. I'll definitely be back!

I had a wonderful experience at Cafe Garcon. A classic French restaurant. Everything for a wonderful evening. A romantic restaurant with a great atmosphere. The food was truly delicious, paired with appropriate wines. We had a wonderful dinner by the glass. Highly recommended!

The place was wonderful! We were sitting outside and the heating lamps made it very comfortable. The waiters were very nice and the food was great. I can absolutely recommend this place!!😊

What a wonderful experience at Garçon! We had a wonderful meal—the dishes are classic, pure, and meticulously prepared. The wine list is impressive and perfectly matched to the menu. The atmosphere and decor truly transport you to France. Highly recommended for lovers of French cuisine!

We were here for lunch on a Saturday. The restaurant was not full, but it took very long before they came to take our drinks order. Drinks and food also took quite some time to arrive. The wait staff was not unfriendly, but quite cold and distant. It was quite cold and drafty inside and the acoustics were terrible. The food was tasty, but way overpriced. We paid 100+ EU for two drinks and two sandwiches. The poached egg on the Eggs Florentine was well done and not at all runny anymore. The caviar did not taste as fresh as I am used to at other restaurants. Our experience was alltogether not unpleasant, but I would not recommend this restaurant to others.

Excellent food and atmosphere. We will be back soon!

A wonderful evening with my girlfriend. A warm welcome, a beautiful setting, quick and attentive service, and delicious dishes. A little something different, like the bitterbal with comite and mussels with penod and crème fraîche ice cream. Very tasty. Recommended!

Good and authentic French food, pleasant atmosphere, very good and hospitable service (thanks for the special made mocktail).

Lovely terrace, and you can also sit comfortably inside. Everything was good. Nothing fancy, just nice, classic food. A bit pricey, but that's par for the course in the Old South.

Simply good: the food arrived quickly, was fresh, and generously portioned. The service was relaxed and attentive. Not haute cuisine, but that wasn't what we came for. Excellent value for money.

Very elegant place for special occasions and for everyday pleasure. All food is handmade and unbelievable. Atmosphere and stuff make you really 😊

Place was awesome! Perfect date place. Our server Dan went above and beyond to make a perfect experience. I never seen someone with so much care for his customers. Terrific genuine French cuisine. Awesome setting too.

Romy is exceptional in service and hospitality. We will be back!

Service was slow in an evening. No offer to refill water or bread and it was a warm day. The waitress would walk right by our table and not seem to see us. In fairness, while we’re nicely dressed, it must have been clear that we spoke only English and were tourists—not regulars, though it was my second time there that week. The food was very good.

Una de las mejores comidas que tuvimos durante nuestro viaje europeo de tres semanas. Hermoso, interior con aire acondicionado (aunque un montón de asientos fuera también). Precioso barrio. ¡Buena comida! Incluso nuestro pescador era feliz.

Buonissimo cibo francese. Simpatia e cortesia del personale.Buonissimi i dolci. Buona la birra.Bella esperienza,ritorneremo.

I rate the overall experience at Café Garçon 98/100…absolutely breathtaking. This is by far the best French Restaurant I have been to in Amsterdam! Just wow!!! I dream of this meal often and cannot wait to return. Beginning with the Foie Gras Mi Cuit with an amazing glass of Puligny-Montrachet and carrying through to the Seared Scallops with a heavenly silk smooth Buerre Blanc the joy and contentment I felt began to over take me and melt away all stress. The Fromage and Dessert were perfect as well, every single item I was honored to receive as it came to me as a powerfully delicate symphony of flavor and textures that made this man very very happy. The location with the patio spilling out into the sidewalk provided the most beautiful and calming location in an otherwise hectic and fast paced city. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch here and will most certainly will return with haste.

Fantastic bistro, both in summer on the terrace and in winter, cozy inside. Great food and friendly staff. Highly recommended!

Sucedimos en este bistró durante una caminata por el vecindario. A pesar de que era de última hora nos acomodaron para cenar en la terraza esa noche. El menú es típico francés que está bien preparado. El servicio era sin prisas pero atento cuando pedimos algo. Las mesas en la terraza no estaban demasiado juntas.

After an aggressive approach I left, which is a shame 😔

Great food. Nice piece of tuna. Scallops were also great and the steak tartare. Service was struggling this warm evening. We sat next to a couple with all sorts of Prada stuff but wanted to share every dish. And yet the service remained friendly while this couple acted rather haughty.

Delicious food! Vincent helped us well, and for all review readers; don't doubt but experience!

Nice and cozy restaurant, delicious food in a beautiful location near the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Cafe Garcon is a great place for lunch and dinner. I realy like the service and the food is great. I would definitely come back

great service and great food, one of the best terraces in amsterdam and an amazing cozy vibe in the evening! we're deffinetly coming back!

Heerlijk gegeten in een vriendelijke atmosfeer. Mooie gerechten en goed op smaak. Tafeltjes staan dicht op elkaar, maar geen hinder van.

I had a great experience at Garcon a week ago. The service was outstanding and the food is amazing. The staff was super attentive and they are great entertainers. Especially there was a guy dressed in black, his name could be Daniel or Dani ? He offered me great wines combined with my courses. Thank you for the great evening.

Excellent service and delicious food in a lovely French atmosphere

Café Garçon is a charming and stylish French-inspired café that stands out for its refined atmosphere and attention to detail. The menu offers classics such as croque monsieur, oysters and steak tartare, all carefully prepared with fresh ingredients. The wine list is well composed, with a nice selection of French wines by the glass. The interior is elegant and warm, with Parisian influences and a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. The service is friendly and attentive, which contributes to the pleasant experience. Ideal for a long lunch or a cozy drink in style.

Wonderful food and beautiful area!

don’t even bother way over priced ! service is horrible ! i would fire all the stuff straight away

After months of drooling over posts on social media we finally got to taste some of the dishes. I started with Coquilles St Jacques which melted in your mouth, too bad we had finished the bread basket, as I would have used some to mop up the leftover sauce. Hubby had Steak Tartare which in his words 'was really good'. For main we both had the special of veal entrecote with mustard sauce, perfectly cooked, melts in your mouth. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. And finished with the Tart Tatin, one word 'yum'. Staff were friendly and attentive, the food came out quickly, but not too quick. The restaurant is in a really nice neighbourhood as we took a short stroll before dinner. Great location. Inside was small and intimate, outdoor seating perfect for summer evenings. Too bad we have not got time to visit again. Definitely recommend having a meal here.

was really looking forward to trying this restaurant and had booked a table well in advance with a deposit for three people. When we arrived, there were plenty of seats available outside, yet we were initially given the smallest table—clearly meant for two, not three. Thankfully, after some discussion, we were able to sort it out. Special mention to one of the waiters—the Spanish guy —who was incredibly friendly and helpful. Five stars to him for the great service! As for the food, it was unfortunately quite average, especially considering the price. I’m glad I gave it a try, but overall, I wasn’t impressed enough to return.

My favorite place in Amsterdam!

Upon arrival, I was the only person standing inside near the entrance, waiting to be seated. Three waiters walked past me without acknowledging me—no one asked if I had a reservation or if I was waiting for someone. I had to stop the fourth waiter myself to get assistance. Considering how small the restaurant is, and that there’s only one entrance/exit, it’s hard to believe they could miss someone clearly waiting. I had lunch at this restaurant for the first time, and I must say it was a major disappointment. As a starter I ordered coquilles, which were overwhelmed by strong condiments that tasted like a harsh blend of something similar to Knorr. The main course-tuna was okay. We were never asked if we wanted another drink, so we didn’t bother ordering more. The flat white I ordered was actually a cappuccino, and it didn’t taste good, milk tasted funny. To top it off, once we received our starter there was a live spider walking across the tablecloth. I didn’t make a fuss because I’m not afraid of insects, but it was quite large, and it made me question the restaurant’s cleanliness or whether it was coming with the service—especially since it was crawling on the table. The overpriced dishes does not match the experience or standards you’d expect. Very disappointing.

Aunque la comida era buena. Los servicios fueron terriblemente malos. ¡El restaurante estaba lleno! Nos sentimos como si fuéramos parte de la mesa de al lado, ya que estaba tan cerca y esperamos más de 20 minutos para que nos tomaran la orden. Pedí una segunda botella de agua que vino a continuación. Yo no recomendaría.

Not worth the price. Food is salty and steak is unpalatable.

Superb French cuisine. Atmosphere lovely

If you want to taste original French cuisine, this restaurant is the place to be!

Really very tasty brunch. Portion could be a bit bigger, but the taste was good. As a vegetarian you have the choice between egg or soup. Top service, beautifully decorated, both inside and outside. I would love to come there again!

My go to spot for french onion soup. There fries are also good. Good and quite affordable place to have lunch with friends.

Beautiful French bistrot with tasty dishes and wines.

Excellent food but service a bit long

Horrible service, only one waiter for whole restaurant. We ordered stake au povoire medium and it was so raw it wasn’t edible.

Veel te volgepropt, zeer prijzig en dan matige kwaliteit. Lijkt meer tourist trap én geldmachine dan serieus restaurant.

Great French food in Amsterdam!

De plek is leuk maar daar is wel zo’n beetje alles mee gezegd. Matig eten, slechte bediening en te dure wijn. Er is ook niet één aanspreekpunt in de bediening, het zijn allemaal jongelui die meer bezig zijn met hun eigen vriendinnen die er zitten dan met de mensen die er eten.