Café Havelaar in Burgwallen-Nieuwe Zijde

In February, I was waiting for an order of chips from next door when the barman came outside and started aggressively confronting random people who were sitting on what I can only describe as his scrapheap wheelbarrow bicycle. After he made a series of racist and abusive remarks, I told him to leave us alone and grow up. His response was to punch me and threaten to stab me, with his hand twitching inside his pocket as he made the threat. It was a genuinely disgusting and unprofessional experience. Whatever you do, do not frequent this place or give them your patronage. They are not worth your time or your money. If you think this was a one-off incident, I encourage you to read the other reviews mentioning the aggressive behaviour of the barman. Based on what I experienced and what others have reported over several years, this does not appear to be an isolated occurrence. I also noticed that photographs of this individual have since been removed from the business's page. Whether that was intentional or not, the business has had years of customer reviews raising concerns about this behaviour. In my view, after so many similar reports, responsibility extends beyond one individual and lies with the establishment that continued to employ and represent him. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation and feel threatened or unsafe, stand up for yourself and call the police if you need assistance. No one should have to tolerate intimidation or violence.

If the owner can be sober and mind his own business

It used to be one of my favorite bars, nice people and a cozy vibe. Happy hour is really fantastic too! But now it's suddenly become 25+, which I think makes no sense at all.... That guy who says that is also super annoying. Sometimes there's someone else working there and then it's 18+ again.

Upon entering, we were immediately greeted warmly by the bartender. We ordered a beer and were able to sit upstairs. What we really appreciated was that they didn't shy away from drinking your beer inside while enjoying a joint. What also truly completed the 5 stars for us was the music. We are big hip-hop lovers and there were plenty of relaxed hip-hop tunes playing in the place. There was also a nice selection of different beers at very reasonable prices. It was a shame, though, that they didn't sell snacks. All in all, still a solid 5 stars!

very rude staff! Ignoring customers and then passive aggression. If you don't like being insulted for the opportunity to place an order, avoid this place!!!

This is always on my places to visit | must visit when I'm in Amsterdam - interior & vibe not to be missed. Music, art & D&D& Magic for gamers.

Definitely not for everyone. But a great bar.

If I could give them a negative rating, I would. They make excuses to charge you whatever they want, and the person who serves you is aggressive. I had to pay and leave to avoid a tragedy.

The service was awful, they charged us whatever they wanted, there was a "happy hour" and then they told us it didn't apply... don't go, there was nobody there and rightly so.

The man who served us charged us an arm and a leg. The person said there was supposedly a happy hour when there wasn't. Now I understand why there was nobody there; they deserve it. If there were an option to give them a negative rating, I would.

The man with the beanie was nice, as was the bar owner (thanks for the chargers). Also, thanks for the tips on how to survive our stranded night!

Havelaar is a nice place to hang out, and the people are friendly, but when the British alcoholic guy is working, it's awful. He's incredibly lazy, and if you come in with more than three people, he'll come up with bullshit to keep you from getting in. It's sad to say, but because of him, I'd rather not go there.

Extremely filthy place. We were just about to go in and there was literally a rat outside the door. Through the window, you could see a couple inside. The terrace was also covered in rubble and dirt. Definitely one of the dirtiest cafes in Amsterdam. 100% not recommended.

Excellent hole Good prices, lovely welcoming bartenders, warm owner. lovely little place

The place is just amazing... The service could be better 😉

FINALLY cozy place with NON insane prices !!! In the centre of Ams as well??? Didnt know those still existed yolooo

Back in the days was my favorite spot to go in Amsterdam, i spent a lot of hours there with my friend Pedro and yesterday after a long break of crazy life of good old times of Amsterdam and decided to go to our favorite spot to talk deeply about life but the guy that looks like Jorge Jesus is killing the vibe of the spot

If I could give 0 stars! I always came here because the friendly owner was happy if you had a beer on the terrace or inside and could eat fries from the neighbors. Apparently, despite the photos on Google, that's no longer allowed. New owner. Completely stoned. In the café itself, where we'd gotten a Coke and a beer, there was a lot of smoking, cigarettes, and joints. The gentleman didn't speak Dutch, and we were yelled at in English, "Go eat your f. fries on the Krasnapolsky terrace." I tried to explain that we weren't aware the policy had changed and that "the mess" on the table was his own drink (€9.50). And the napkins because we'd wiped the table dry before sitting down. No interfering. He remained friendly until the owner started mocking my French partner in accented English. Hence, a BIG ZERO.

Great bar, great staff, great mentally!

We like this place; however we have had a hard time finding it open; the published hours are inaccurate.

F the fries! This is an awesome latenight bar. When the locals come out late at night, this place gets packed. even on a wednesday when its open till 3. In the weekends til 4. Employees are sweet but straight forward. Aslong as one is generally respectful, the owner wont kick you out wearing fairy wings.

Great vibe and choice of Beers, local as they can be with Guinness served as it deserves! Smoke friendly ( Amsterdam Style )! A must see when you are in the city.

Very welcoming people and great beers. Glad to have stopped here, and very thankful for them to throw open decks! Thank you all very much I love you dearly!

SIMPLY A TOP CAFE WITH VERY NICE OWNER AND STAFF I HAVE BEEN COMING THERE FOR YEARS. RECOMMENDED.

With Primus beer on tap you are doing really well. Cool bar, good atmosphere and prices. Definitely worth a visit. Until next time ;)

Was here on Saturday night*🌙 🙌 So glad to have met you all on my first visit to Amsterdam! Will be back very soon... well once I save up enough tips 😉 😜 Thanks again for your hospitality ✨️ Kim from Scotland positive vibes

really cool little place. friendly owner and a great pint! funky decor too

Good beer, nice bartender and atmosphere

Had a fantastic afternoon here! The bartender, Matt, was incredibly friendly and helpful—great energy and made us feel right at home. He even recommended a restaurant just across the street, which sadly didn’t allow dogs inside, but they happily brought the food over to the café so we could enjoy it there with our pup. Huge thanks to both amazing places for making it such a smooth and welcoming experience. The food was outstanding and the vibe here is top-notch. Can’t wait to come back!

Nice and cozy place, great beer, only good vibes there.

Best place, and the owner joins me to drink and have a nice night

The lady infront of the cafe was so very rude and shouting to people that i decided not to go inside.

Great place with nice beers friendly staff and a great vibe

Nice bar, good atmosphere, open until late. Price is great for Amsterdam center.

Willy is a god guy, his knowledge and selection of beers is fantastic, had a great time, good Irish service

I had a blast at my buddies 50th last night. Good vibes, good pint of Guinness until it sold out 🫤a few interesting characters especially the old school card hussle guy that tried to steal my watch 😂

One of the last places in full Underground style, excellent for partying. Don't expect to be waited on hand and foot, but enjoy the experience.

Nice place very good vibe, would definitely visit this place again

I guess it's the cafe across the street where you buy fries and sit and eat them.

Awsome spot, creative nights and fun people too meet. Always enjoy myself here

I wouldn't trust anyone who would leave you with a toilet that doesn't flush for almost a year. Most of these reviews are fake. I know most of the people 🙂 I will post some photos.

One of those hidden places that is worth visiting, with an underground atmosphere. Good music, atmosphere and the waiters are cool.

Awful service. Barman refused service and indicated this by only serving the white clientele. Was told No to service. No management in sight to talk to. Avoid if you value where you spend your money.

Cleanest dive bar in Amsterdam, rivals Japanese subway toilets.

Aggressvie behaviour from Owner and Waiters. I even saw them hitting someone inside the bar. This kind of bars should not be allowed inside a beautiful city like Amsterdam

Super sweet people and good service!

We wemt to puff puff paint and really enjoyed this at cafe Havelaar

Update: Now amazing DJ gigs every Thursday (: It looks like a nice spot with some great cocktails and food options! I like the overall vibe and decor of the place, and it looks like there's a nice upstairs area where you can enjoy some drinks and such... The menu looks interesting with a wide range of options for every taste. Overall, it seems like a great spot for people who want to chill out and have fun. The vibe is very relaxed and welcoming, and the outdoor area is a great spot for a good time. I'm sure you can find plenty of people to chat with, enjoy some food and drink, and just have a great time. It looks like a spot that's worth checking out!

Amazing Drum and Bass some Thursdays!

Incredibly good atmosphere, good music and pleasant people. Was lucky enough to experience Zen Rockers and Pinedub spinn and dub vinyl. This is Love ❤️💛💚

Extremely poor experience. The manager insults people who eat fries outside. I've never encountered such behavior from any establishment's management

Friendly, staff present and quite pleasant, rather good value for money, well located in the city center.

Best place of Amesterdam The art place to be

Great beer from a locally brewed establishment

Best cafe in Amsterdam for a chat and a beer. Local beers and events can't be beat.

Pure drinks, great decoration, relaxing and fun

Very nice down to earth place. Today a good night with a great Drum and Bass DJ, Simon Titus!

It's the best bar, friendly staff great atmosphere

I'm not sure if they actually serve food, I don't believe so, but the staff is very friendly. Interesting decor with local art. Board games and playing cards available. They sell Apple Bandits, which is great for people with coeliac's, and a nice tequila. It's on a nice, quiet street, safe for locals and tourists who are not very keen on the more crowded areas. Chill vibe inside, mostly local bartenders relaxing after their own shift. Highly recommended.

There are not alot of places left like this in a city like Amsterdam but thay are needed to keep the city real and alive . Allways nice for a drink after work or a chill with some friends !

This is the best bar in Amsterdam!! Hands down.

DnB night; fun was had. Got along well with staff and owner. Happy this is not a "koorballen" place anymore.

Love this place, (very old skool Amsterdam....raw). Yup, still the same 🤪!!!

I enjoyed the atmosphere, Will and Max were cool. Thanks to Simon and Mark for helping me setup my rig and play live (trance, house).

Great bar. Great music & a good crowd too..

Top Every Wednesday reggae music

I went there once and had a great time. Friendly folk, good beer. My first impression was reminiscent of an old-school 90's bar. Not a lot of flash, but cool decor creates a nice ambiance. Great place.

Super gezellig nachtcafe, voor je t weet is t 5 uur s nachts

Great atmosphere, delicious beer and nice people

Great place ! Fun staff, awesome owner . Can have a beer and good time, also host game nights for playing board games ! Not to expensive in the city centre of Amsterdam.

What is there not to like? Great hospitality, tremendous choice in drinks (let yourself be guided by the bartenders if you're in doubt for your beer 🍻 choices 🙌). Try to spot a local concert or event that might be happening. And be enchanted in the story behind every detail of the place 🎉 And for ladies, this place is run by gentlemen who know how to take care preventively of troublemakers with disrespectful manners 🙏❤️Enjoy this incredibly Amsterdamer way to be surprised when you less expected it 🤩

One of the best bars in Amsterdam, local beer, always good music and friendly atmosphere.

Lovely little place tucked away in an alley. Great music and friendly priced drinks. One of my favourite hangouts.

Great place to meet great people!

De los mejores bares para tomar en Amsterdam, tanto el staff como el dueño te hacen sentir como en casa en todo momento, la música y la cerveza son excelentes, siempre que tengo un día libre vuelvo por una cerveza, 100% recomendable

Fun to play games here like magic the gathering and d&d

Vibes. Great bar. The pitchers of beer are truly unique...just ask Willy for glasses!!

Great beer, and even more great ambiance. The bartender is very nice and welcoming. Highly recommend!!

Great bar with great art by local street artists, very fun place to have a drink

Nice place, nice owner from Boston. We spent very good time there

Spacious with great atmosphere and nice sound system. Street Fighter 2 is a nice addition