De Japanner in Oude Pijp

We chose the chef’s menu of 42.5€ and they scammed us, giving us plates of the value of max 25/30€, not honest restaurant

We're used to quite a bit of food (price/quality/atmosphere), but in our opinion, this restaurant is one of Amsterdam's "gems." We had a delicious meal paired with sake, and as a nightcap, we were served a rather special sake. Thanks!! Update: We went back for dinner last Thursday, August 21, 2025, and the above review still stands!

we have ordered the chef’s menu of 42.5€ and they scammed us giving us plates of a total value of 25/30€ max. scammers

Good Food, but WAY to expensive for what you get.

Always a great experience at Japanner! 🩷

Great place and delicious food!

Delicious food, good service, and a nice atmosphere. We do think we got the same amount of food this time with the chef's menu four times as when we ordered it twice for two people. Otherwise, we enjoyed it!

This is such a fantastic restaurant! I go there often and always for the set menu, which I highly recommend. Yesterday, after a previous drinks reception, I went for a few individual dishes, including the steak and marrow special, which was incredibly delicious thanks to all the flavors, and the plum wine/liqueur to finish. The quality, presentation, and taste never cease to amaze me; the quality is always consistent. The staff is attentive and so relaxed, even though it's always busy. And what's so great is that later in the evening, everyone comes back for cocktails and individual dishes. It's a bit like a Spanish tapas bar, but with a Japanese twist, because the kitchen is open until very late. I always enjoy their food; it's one of my absolute favorites in Amsterdam. See you soon!

Where do I begin? What an evening! I enjoyed everything from the service to the delicious dishes, which were truly unique in Japanese culture. Special thanks to Robert and Brett for the superb service!

Very nice food and sharing concept and top notch service

Variety of tasty dishes. Good prices. Excellent service. Great decoration and illumination. Just a bit too loud the music. Besides that, all perfect.

Delicious food and friendly service!

The food was mid at best. The Wagyu Gyozas tasted only like vegetables, not like meat and they were spicy even though they didn‘t mention it on their menu and the bao tasted mostly like vinegar. The Sushi and the Katsu was good though. Also you need to order a lot and therefore pay a good amount of money to not stay hungry. The place is very narrow and the staff can barely move between the tables.

Most of them are delicious, but not authentic Japanese taste The cuttlefish chips and barbecued pork buns were delicious, the eggplant was too sweet, the sushi didn't look good, and the lychee cocktail was too sweet and tasted like potion.

This place was great! We tried 6 items off of the menu and every one of them was delicious. My favorite wase either the chicken katsu or the waygu gyoza. They bring out food as it's ready which meant we didn't have to wait long at all before we got our first dish. We tried the sake as well as the cocktails and everything was great. Our server was also so attentive and kind! Would definitely go back.

Interesting take in traditional Japanese fare, excellent sake list and pleasant environment.

Tried herring sashimi, beef tataki, hiratske mushrooms and uramaki (spicy salmon) and they were all underwhelming. I had high expectations so it was a disappointing experience. The service was okay.

Absolutely fantastic—we were very satisfied in every way. Unfortunately, the menu was larger than our appetite... we would have loved to try all the dishes ☺️.

If you are looking to fill your belly before a rave night, this place can definitely help. Fresh seafood and perfectly cooked rice. I liked the low lighting as it gives the place a cozy and comfortable vibe. The service was average since it took them a while to notice I was there or to come take my order.

Good Japanese bar with diverse, tasty food. Kitchen stays open until 11 PM which is convenient. Service was good and the food was flavorful. Nice option for late dining.

Amazing food, very nice staff and nice atmosphere. Still a favorite spot!

Really enjoyed eating here yesterday! Friendly and fast service, absolutely great.

Fun, busy place but excellent food and gluten free options

Food was okay, but it was so slow to get all dishes we almost wanted to go before we were done

Looooved this place!! Food was delicious, especially the chicken katsu! It’s to die for! Only bad side I can think is that the restaurant is extremely dark, definitely had to take out my phone light to read the menu 🙂‍↔️

Friendly staff and well priced but found the food fairly underwhelming

The prices are obnoxious for the portion sizes. There is nothing particularly complicated or expensive on the menu to justify the outrageous prices. The food is fair, but the serving sizes are stunningly small. We left hungry with a €350 tab.

Yummy Food, Beer a bit to pricy. 😀 Music a bit to loud for keeping up conversation.

We had a great dinner at Dr Japanner last night! The bao buns were soft and flavorful, the oysters were fresh, and the chicken katsu was perfectly crispy. We also loved the gyoza and the hymatchi—everything was delicious and beautifully presented. Great spot for a fun and tasty night out!

Delicious food! The shared dining concept works well—they recommend 4-6 dishes for 2 people, but we went for 7 and that was just right. Lots of vegetarian and even vegan options. The dashi broth with the vegan agedashi was incredibly tasty, and the mushroom bao bun had an almost meaty structure. The miso eggplant, often a standard vegan dish, was really exceptionally good here. Definitely recommended! We haven't tried the sake yet, so we will definitely have to come back for that.

But that spinach salad seriously!! 🍃❤️ Everything was super delicious, really enjoyed my Yuzu Spritz

Very nice food! Vegan options and friendly staff

Delicious food and drinks matched by a great atmosphere!

If you’re gonna call yourself a Japanese restaurant you should learn how to make Japanese food. Gyozas were soggy, sushi tasted like albert heijn’s sushi, and the crispy fried rice were overcooked that it was so hard and unpleasant for the teeth. i would give this place a 2/10 for the nice service of the staff (they gave me a new portion of the fried rice because the old one was too hard to eat), but the food is just not Japanese.

The Japanese tapas concept it offers I think it is a bit overrated. Taste of everything was very good, and I am never after huge portions but I consider it was slightly overpriced. Service was good.

We chose this nice spot for a friend's birthday, and it turned out to be a fantastic choice! The staff was super friendly, the food was very tasty (we had 70% of the menu and there was actually nothing that was not tasty) and we sat there for hours. It was a successful evening!

I love this place and the food they serve here.

Geweldige gerechten en chefs menu met groep van 8 mensen is een aanrader. Shared dining is dan perfect en telkens goede reacties als er weer een nieuw gerecht werd geserveerd. Leuke sfeer. Ontzettende lieve, attente bediening (Alex)! We hebben aan een lange tafel gezeten waar je met andere mensen zit, wat niet uitmaakt omdat daar. Een fijne en cozy restaurant. Ze hebben een kleine menu met gerechten die makkelijk te delen zijn met elkaar.

I love it! I've been here a couple of times (including last night), and the food is absolutely delicious. We went for the set menu, which lets you taste almost all the dishes, and we couldn’t have made a better choice. The staff are very kind and attentive, and the atmosphere is always spot on!

There are not a lot of options and it’s pricey for small portions. The taste of the food is terrible

Good food, but very limited menu. No miso soup!!! What kind of Japanese restaurant doesn't have miso soup!!! [Edits post restaurant response] it is interesting that the restaurant feels the need to respond to my review 9 years after I posted it - saying they will consider it :)) Looking forward to my miso soup in 9 years :))

Fantastic taste experiences! The dishes are very small, but very tasty. We were 2 people, and had to eat 8 dishes before we were satisfied. The staff are attentive and friendly. Very nice experience!

Delicious food, great service and fantastic atmosphere

Went there as a couple. The staff was really friendly and polite. I especially liked the Chicken and Squid Fries.

One of my top 3 favorites in Amsterdam. Good food and good price. Highly recommended. The eggplant is a MUST!

A really great place for a casual dinner. Delicious food and super friendly service.

Very busy but Good food and Nice atmosphere

Stopped in here for dinner one night- didn’t have a reservation, but they managed to squeeze us in at the bar. Definitely recommend calling ahead, though- this place is *packed*. Food was delicious. The Teriyaki Corn Ribs were an unexpected delight. Dishes are small, and good for sharing. The staff was more than happy for us to place and order, eat a bit, then order more food. Cocktails were reasonably priced and creative. Service was excellent throughout the evening.

Food, staff and music are great the only issue is the ventilation both in west and de pijp as afterwards hair and clothes smell of cooking 😞

Excellent sushi with fresh fish. All the items we had were well prepared, light and fresh. Restaurant was a little cold and the chair was not comfortable.

A nice and cozy restaurant. They have a small menu with dishes that are easy to share. Everything certainly tasted good, especially in combination with The Sake of the month! The uramaki ebi fry was absolutely delicious, so hot and so fresh! The fish of the day was also really great! The service was very friendly. We had a nice evening!

Great dishes and chef's menu for a group of 8 people is highly recommended. Shared dining is perfect and there were good reactions every time a new dish was served. Nice atmosphere and cozy atmosphere at a table.

Best venue for sake and Japanese bites in Amsterdam. Been returning here since 2017 I think? Staff are always fantastic. Food is flawless. It's just super social and fun. Took Oma and Opa and our daughter this time. Looking forward to coming back again in 2025.

Used to be a great place, unfortunately it has gone downhill - portion sizes have gotten considerably smaller and more expensive and they stopped taking amex.. tables around us were complaining about the same

Delicious food, good service and music.

Vibrant atmosphere and delicious food. What else you need for an amazing dinner? A great variety of sake, which I’d recommend trying along with the eggplant dish.

Delicious food, a very festive and noisy atmosphere. Suitable for lunch and dinner with friends or as a couple.

We had the chef's menu - every single dish was delicious!

Fui aquí a cenar con un amigo. Comida increíble y gran servicio. Enorme recomendación para el menú de chefs! Excelente relación calidad-precio.

Never missed visiting this place and trying their TAPAS when you’re in Amsterdam!

Very tasty food and nice atmosphere. It's a pity that for the second time we were not put in the reserved spot, even after calling for a specific table.

Super! Nice staff very friendly and delicious food. Recommended!

Great evening. Delicious food.

Nice little restaurant with delicious Japanese food, share dining.

The restaurant was very good, ambiance was on top and the quality of the food was very top notch! Will definitely come back !

Great spot for Japanese food with an awesome vibe! Delicious dishes, friendly staff, and R&B music that adds a cool touch. It can get a bit noisy, but it’s perfect for a fun dinner with friends.

Increíble en todos los sentidos, ¿cómo consiguen el Tofu tan crujiente y carbonizado. ¡Es una locura! El katsu estaba tan caliente, y crujiente por fuera y la carne estaba tierna. Este lugar es súper duper, solo no se lo digas a mucha gente jaja.

Food is really good, stuff was lovely (although you could tell that some were not super experienced) and to me the only minus point is that they need a better kitchen extractor as we had a table that was not so close to the kitchen but we came back home with all the kitchen smells. I totally recommend the aubergine and the torched salmon

Such a lovely place with kind staff. All the food was delicious. Nice small and cosy place, we ate at the bar.

Amazing !!!! Good ambiance and the food is incredible !!!

Excellent food & service, ate at the bar. Knowledgeable staff who can recommend dishes and Japanese beer.

Muy popular y súper genial barrio conjunto con pequeñas placas japonesas. La jarra de sake caliente se sirve dentro de un recipiente aislado lleno de agua hirviendo, por lo que el sake se calienta durante la comida. Ya es favorito y solo la mitad. Cuando dice picante, lo dicen en serio. Además, el personal es adorable y acogedor.

Unfortunately the Yuzu was gone!

Amazing small Japanese dishes to share, love the concept and the food was excellent! They were playing amazing music so the atmosphere was perfect for a Saturday night! the yuzu spritz was super refreshing. Perfect small bites before a night out.

The food was really very good. Quality and tasteful! The service was casual and alert. Very friendly and fun! The place is nice and, above all, very central. The audience and target group are really all mixed up. This is a wonderful place where I will definitely come back! ❤️

Top, delicious food, tasty cocktails and great service.

We opted for the chef's menu which comprises several tasty dishes to share. In the end, you will have had a nice varied meal. The staff is young but friendly. The issue is the poor ventilation of the place, after dinner you can either wash your hair and bring your clothes to the dry cleaner, or expect to smell for a week.

Too bad the music was so loud that I could barely hear my company. I usually hear fine. I asked if it could be a little softer, Wasn't possible.

Amazing food dring and ffs...they are playing Cypress Hill🫠🥰

Nice and cozy place to eat! Music was also great.

I have been to many japanese places and this is one of the best foods I have ever tasted

Delicious food and very good service!

Overall, it was fantastic. Initially our drinks came out after 15 minutes only after I asked again, and the over-pour for the sake had barely any over-pour initially until I pointed it out. That being said, the waiter corrected and resolved any issues we had asap and the service was excellent for the rest of the 2.25 hours out of the 2.5 hours me and my girlfriend were there for. Our personal favorites were the Bao buns, Ika french fries, and baby spinach salad. Bringing out 2 extra free of charge dishes of our choosing as we finished our "chef's menu" arrangement was the cherry on top. Will definitely come again. De Japanner does not disappoint.

Atmospheric place, with very friendly and service-oriented staff.

Very tasty food!! Top quality and a nice atmosphere

I went with a local Amsterdam friend who recommended this place. It was well prepared and experiential food. Did take a little while longer than I expected to get our food though. Still, probably worth the wait.

Great service and nice staff. Food is very good.

There are a lot of places in Amsterdam with great Japanese food and enthusiastic service. Our visit didn’t put De Japanner into that category. I liked the atmosphere though, and the drinks were entirely fine, but the whole package isn’t good enough. Avoid.

Japanese menu with interesting proposals, we tried some uramaky proposals but we appreciated other dishes more such as gyoza, glazed aubergine and beef tataki. The environment is a little dark but welcoming. The only thing was that the dishes all arrived at different times, probably the concept of the place is designed for sharing dishes, in this case perhaps it would have been better to specify it, but for us it was not a problem anyway.

Great place! Been going there for 4 years now. A bit sad to see that portions are shrinking though.

Delicious food and sake. Favourites were the raw spinach salad, the hamachi sashimi and chicken Katau

Food delicious, atmosphere nice and informal and service top (you don't see the latter much in Amsterdam anymore)!!!

Delicious food. Super nice staff, came exactly when we wanted. Would recommend it to everyone

One of my FAVOURITE restaurants in Amsterdam after living here for 4 years. Really recommend going for the chefs menu as it’s totally worth the price!! You get to try so many dishes and the mis glazed eggplant is one you can’t leave out from your order ;-)

Good food and cocktails, great for sharing

Delicious food! Very sweet, attentive service (Alex)! We sat at a long table where you sit with other people, which doesn't matter because there is a good atmosphere there. Drank very good cold sake! We literally ate/tasted everything on the menu except the soup and green beans. We had a great evening and would definitely like to come back! It was all surprisingly delicious!

Ordered the chefs choice. So many good dishes! It was my favorite meal in Amsterdam.

Waited over an hour for 2 portions of sushi.

I didn’t like the taste of the food or the portions. Service is very slow. The menu is limited. Sitting is also not comfortable

No elegante, pero divertido. Una habitación sencilla no ofrece pistas de la gran comida por venir. Todo son platos pequeños, ideales para compartir, y giros japoneses en los cócteles. Las papas fritas de calamar y el pollo katsu eran especialmente buenos. El servicio era muy amable y eficiente.