De Zalm in Binnenstad

I didn't think it was very great. The restaurant was quite empty, but still, everything moved quite slowly and a few drinks were forgotten here and there. The service was very friendly. The food was not worth the price; it was either quite basic/boring, or just not good.

Today I wanted to pay another visit to De Zalm, but the Heineken beer is sold out.... Then off to the neighbors.

Never again… We ordered fish and chips and shrimp with spinach. After half an hour, we finally dared to ask about the food. It arrived very quickly, but it was cold; it had probably been sitting around for a while. Unfortunately, the shrimp weren't shrimp at all, but a fish with lots of bones, and the waitress tried to tell us that was what we had ordered. I know what shrimp look like… these definitely weren't shrimp.

Delicious food, great staff, lovely rustic atmosphere

Rarely have I had such a bad experience. The carpaccio was so tough that it felt like chewing gum. The steak tartare was served on a warm plate, whereas a raw dish is supposed to be served cold. That is unprofessional and detracts from the quality. The service made the experience even worse. The staff was pushy and completely unfriendly. When we politely voiced our complaints, nothing was done about it. No apologies, no understanding, and no attempt to offer a solution. As a guest, you feel completely disregarded. A restaurant that treats its guests in this way should be deeply ashamed. We paid for food and service that were far below par. For us, this was the first and the last time. Absolutely not recommended.

Something was being set up on the terrace, probably a big screen for the football match. That felt uninviting. A bit sloppy. The drinks menu is stuck so tightly that you can only see the middle. There was no toilet paper at all in the restroom. We only had a drink. Inside, it looks cozy.

Mop your floors! We came here to play pool last week and our shoes literally stuck to the floor because of all the beer and drinks that apparently get spilled on the floor there. And the people at the other pool table were having trouble with it too; it was so sticky that it sounded like we all had tape under our shoes. Very gross!

Our waiter forgot he was working. They missed out on money, we drank.

Fast, friendly service Terrace with a beautiful view of Gouda

That guy with the bun isn't having any of it

Had a wonderful meal with friends. A new menu with many delicious, original dishes. Super cozy. Upstairs there's a pool table, karaoke, and sports bar. Downstairs there's a bowling alley. A lively atmosphere with plenty of entertainment.

I always find it difficult to write a review when you're not completely satisfied, because we assume everyone is doing their best. We had reserved the Valentine's Day menu, which looked quite nice. Once home, we checked what it was. And rightly so: We were served wine with every dish, but we hardly drink alcohol. I thought I hadn't read the menu properly. It turned out it wasn't on the menu at all. We did stop drinking wine, so that was okay. Starter: carpaccio with tuna lollipops. The tuna had been replaced with goat cheese lollipops. Quite a shame... Next: "a richly filled linguine with lemon, prawns, and Parma ham." Linguine is a fresh ribbon pasta, but on our plate was spaghetti that was definitely not freshly made with 4 prawns and 2 pieces of ham. (Parma ham was also a big question mark.) Unfortunately, a very simple main course. For dessert, we had strawberry tiramisu with hot lips and chocolate bonbons. This sounds very fancy, but what we got was a large dollop of whipped cream filled with strawberry pieces, ladyfinger pieces, and two chocolate pieces from a bar. Where were the bonbons and hot lips? What a shame! It was our first time here, and we're local, but we weren't encouraged to come back for the food. On a positive note: the atmosphere was good and cozy. We found the staff friendly. All in all, we had a nice evening. Hopefully, something will be done with this review.

Excellent service and a top chef who makes delicious recipes. 5 stars :)

Really terrible service! I wouldn't recommend this restaurant! I also received the wrong order after waiting 30m for just a drink. I was able to leave. Disgraceful!

No special lunch menu. Portions are very small, making it simply too expensive. Service is mediocre.

Had to wait a very long time for both the starter and the main course. Even the coffee took almost half an hour to arrive. The food quality was very poor. My emails went unanswered.

Cozy inside. The mulled wine was delicious. The apple pie was frozen, which was a shame. Whipped cream from a supermarket container for 1 euro is simply unacceptable. Treat your clients to something good!

A very cozy and delicious place for lunch, for example. The staff is friendly and attentive.

De Zalm is back where it once was, the perfect place for a drink, a bite to eat and a good conversation!

Very friendly staff, but good prices: 2 mini burgers on a skewer for €15. It's a nice place to sit and just watch.

Excellent place to have a meal while visiting Gouda. The service was fast and the food was amazing.

I made a dinner reservation for seven people. I called to confirm and was told it was confirmed. When we arrived, they didn't have a table for us! Plus, one of the waiters was incredibly rude! I'm never going back! I don't recommend it.

We had a reservation for seven people, but when we arrived, there was no table for us. They didn't even try to fix it. There were even large tables and benches occupied by smaller groups, but they didn't do anything to resolve the issue. We simply had to leave. Truly terrible service.

I went with my friends. There were six of us in total. We had a table reservation and couldn't get a place for our group. The staff, however, were very unfriendly and rude. I'll never go back.

Nice tent, good food, nice atmosphere and even at the beginning of the week already busy with guests

A score of 3.9 is too low. The restaurant area is just fine!

Restaurant with good value for money. I really enjoyed the extensive beer menu! The staff was a bit hectic at times and forgot several things.

Waited for 20 minutes on an order of drinks. Asked the staff about the status of said order, and they mentioned that one item is unavailable. We chnaged our order, took them another 10-15 minutes.

The tables and menus were sticky. The staff were preoccupied with other things, and the owner's dog (or rather, the owner's dog?) was peeing on the flowerpot on the patio. The beer menu is extensive, and the location is great. Such a shame about the aforementioned issues.

The experience was ok ish. Only two people were attending everything. It wasn't enough to make people feel special.

This wasn't my first choice, but since places hate being open on Monday, I went for it, and instantly regretted it. Walked in around 3pm, not that busy considering the ample staff, waited about 5 minutes in the doorway like an idiot before I was even acknowledged to get a seat. Waited another 20 mins or so with no service until they came and tried to get me to pay someone else's bill, when I told them I didn't even order yet. Good start. Ordered a beer, and he rushed off without taking my food order even though I clearly had the food menu open. Waited oh, about 15 more minutes to get the beer. He sprinted away without asking if I wanted anything else. At that point it became abundantly clear. I had to get out of there. I chugged the beer as quickly as I could and miraculously found a staff member to pay for it. His hands were shaking as he held the credit card device. I'd probably still be there now if I didn't escape when I did. Ended up going to the coffee shop down the street for a club sandwich and it was like I died and went to heaven. Twice as many customers with half the staff, and they had no pressure whatsoever. De Zalm is not the way to run a business. If your staff cannot handle a simple easy crowd, you need to train them to do so.

Wow! This place has gone downhill so badly. What was once my favorite place has turned into a poorly run establishment? Several occasions almost impossible to order, staff has attitude. I left the terrace this afternoon after server was ignoring me for 15 minutes, instead she was chatting with co- worker. Bad!

My girlfriend and I ordered a sandwich for lunch, and neither of us found it particularly tasty. We ended up needing an extra snack platter because the sandwiches weren't very filling. (The snack platter was very tasty, though.) So if you want a filling lunch, order something extra.

Enjoy a drink and a bite to eat in the center of Gouda. A good menu with snacks and dishes to share, all perfectly prepared and delicious. The service is attentive and not too pushy. Sit comfortably on the edge of the terrace and people-watch while enjoying your meal. And... In today's world, the prices are more than reasonable.

Terrible service. There was a waitress totally incompetent. We asked for beer, she didn’t bring us any, after 10 minutes she told us that she can’t bring us that beer. She finally brought us some local beer and we had to wait a long time for her to bring us the check.

Went there today in 31-degree heat for a drink and a bite to eat. Prices were okay, burgers were very tasty, but be careful! I thought, "Cool, an Oreo cake"... and there were zero Oreos in it, zero... Chocolate cake with buttercream... didn't want to throw the 6 euros away, so I ate it. I asked the waitress: "We call it an Oreo cake"... well, not that you'd expect an Oreo... The waitresses were all young, inattentive, not really any real service staff.

Eat on the go after the Gouda market on Thursday morning, perfect from A to Z

We had a nice beer and were helped by a very friendly boy.

My boyfriend and I spent a day here in Gouda, coming from Utrecht, and I honestly can't believe this place doesn't have 5 stars. They have it all: fancy (oysters, for example, were DELICIOUS) and more casual (the sports bar; we played pool on a super professional table). The staff is very friendly and welcoming, and even the terrace and the menu design are beautiful. Great place, we'll be back next week for my boyfriend's birthday!

Avoid at all costs. When we arrived another couple was waiting for an order to be taken, after 20 minutes they left. Same for the couple behind us. The staff was in no hurry and took their time to chat up their regulars (all older) but seemed lost to take new orders from walkins. After 25 minutes they couple who just arrived (again older folks) got served almost immediately while we were still sitting there waiting to even be asked... Great place if you need a 30-45 minute sitdown in a nice location without being bothered in decent chairs.

July 31, 2025: In Gouda, it was time for lunch and we ended up at this restaurant. The service was quick and good, and there was a wide selection on the menu. I went for the salmon sandwich. It was more like a pita, albeit a bit larger, and was generously covered in toppings. Unfortunately, the salmon in my sandwich had an off-flavor. After reporting this, they handled it very well, and I could choose a different sandwich. We both received a free cup of coffee! In other words, a proper handling of the situation, but one you don't always encounter. Kudos to this restaurant for this. And therefore, highly recommended!

Unfortunately, we found a hair in the food, and during serving, part of my cocktail spilled on my friend's lap. It would have been nice if some kind of compensation had been offered for this inconvenience.

We were in this restaurant today, it was not very busy. We were waiting like 20min for someone to get the order from us, insane! We decide to go to other place

A very good location, but the food is average, and that's a compliment. Mainly because the cheese soup does the job; it's excellent. The rest... a disappointment, both in terms of taste and size relative to the price.

Today, it's the place to be again. Welcome back to De Zalm

If you are in such a top location but the service and organization are so disappointing, that is a real shame. Orders arrived late or incorrectly, food was first placed at another table and then – cold – served to us. They said that new plates would be brought, but what we got was just the same. There are a few employees who really did their best, but the vast majority seem to have too little experience. The hygiene also left much to be desired, especially in the toilet. And after checking the receipt, it turned out that it was also incorrect. A shame, because this place has so much potential. Too bad that things have not been going well for so long and unfortunately have not (yet) improved with the new owners.

I had there hands down the best pizzas of my life. It's really something 🥰

Great new spot for a night out! The bowling lanes and karaoke rooms are an excellent addition to Gouda’s center. We enjoyed a few rounds of pool with the bucket of beers (a fun tasting experience) plus some great cocktails and food. There are two pool tables upstairs that are quite new and a joy to play on. Add to that lots of great drink options, and surprisingly good borrel food—we tried a pizza and gyozas, and you’ve got a great night out.

Ordered coffee twice, never got it. Sandwich was inedible. The most disgusting salmon salad ever. Totally incompetent staff (too young and inexperienced). Toilet was flooded. When will something happen???

Had a great meal on a lovely sunny terrace

Enthusiastic service, tasty food. Enough options!

We came here for lunch. Had to ask several times where the food and drinks were. Finally after half an hour we got our drinks. Didn't have lunch in the end because the kitchen was busy. The staff was not very helpful unfortunately.

Very long wait for service, very unfortunate. The bill stated 4 coffees that we did not receive. We won't go here anymore.

So I will never go here again. You arrive, ask if you can sit anywhere, the lady says yes, took the glasses from the table where you want to sit, doesn't even clean the table, you sit for 10 minutes and there are all the servers walking around, looking at you 0 times. There is finally one who is looking and you have finally been able to order, suddenly there will be another one or we want to order. And there are no cushions on the seats, which makes your bibs and legs very sore if you wear a skirt.

Nice spot on the market square. Had to move from a spot on the far terrace (near the town hall) to the main terrace because the butleroo app did not work. So far okay, can happen. Afterwards, however, my partner was served a cocktail that was completely different than expected. See photo vs. the image. An ice bomb with caipirinha and strawberries without any flavor returning to the cocktail. Not really a Brazilian Beauty, not nice and sweet either. We assumed - given the image - more of a smoothie idea. Staff solution? Throw out some ice and sweeten it a little with sugar water. When I said something about this at checkout (I have worked in the catering industry for a number of years and don't think this is a solution that a self-respecting catering company can offer) and asked about the options regarding the bill, they were not available. I left it at that and left the tip because we wanted to move on but maybe something to discuss with management?!

I don’t get the poor reviews. Food is OK, maybe not unforgettable but not bad. I’m giving 5 stars because of the amazing craft beer selection. They have 120 beers available, so many Dutch IPA and NEIPA. Made my day!

Never order a special beer. I have experienced it three times now that you have to wait 20 minutes for your beer because it has to come from the sports bar. Now also the terrace is 20% occupied.

We had something to drink on the terrace. Good service, and what can go wrong with a drink. We enjoyed the delicious such!

Waitress was so rude when we sat down and we asked if they have an English menu. She said no and she said she has no time to translate the menu. What are we supposed to order then? Just arrogant and rude.

Un super accueil de la part du serveur, pizza et poulet au top ! THANKS !

Had a delicious pizza on a nice spot on the terrace in the sun ✨️

What many people have with “love at first sight” on a woman, I have that at Cafe de Salmon. I've only been there twice so far (King's Day will be my 3rd), but I'm already sure that this pub and especially the sports bar has captured my heart. Of course there is always room for improvement, but Cafe de Zalm will never leave you undelivered, leave you for someone else or cheat on you. The harmony I taste in the salmon is really as if you were starting to fall in love for the first time with that one beautiful blonde girl who you secretly can't have but really want. I certainly recommend everyone to visit the restaurant as well as the sports bar for a pleasant afternoon/evening because I know few bars in the Netherlands where the atmosphere is as merciful as at Café de Zalm See you soon friends and on to more beautiful memories in the salmon🍣

Were spending a day in Gouda with my sister, I live in Gouda and I live in Ede, so we ordered coffee and at 11.55 we wanted to order a sandwich, you would think, NO, it's really not possible from 12.00, was the answer, fine, drank coffee and went to another place, Like it or Not

I initially ordered an iced coffee, the waiter said "coming soon!". When it took longer than usual, I called a waitress and asked where my iced coffee was. It said that the device was not connected and so I waited all that time for nothing. Couldn't you just say it wasn't available instead of making me wait at least 20 minutes? I sometimes come to Gouda often, but as far as I'm concerned, not to this restaurant. My apologies!

I never write bad reviews but what incredibly bad service here. At 1 p.m. I and a pregnant (and hungry) friend sat on the terrace for lunch. We had to wait more than half an hour for our drinks. And when we asked at 2 p.m. how long it would take before we would get our lunch (chicken sandwich, goat cheese sandwich, nothing complicated) it would take a maximum of 10 minutes. When we asked AGAIN at 2:30 PM, we heard again that she had no idea if it would arrive, but that it would probably only be a maximum of 10 minutes. Then we decided to leave because it was now half past three and we were both very hungry. In the meantime, the waiter came by ZERO times to ask if we wanted anything to drink. But when we indicated that we were leaving because it was bizarre that we still had no food on our table after 1.5 hours, the waiter girl was immediately ready with an ATM for the drinks. Curtly, and with no apologies for the inconvenience, we were allowed to pay €6.50. The drinks to compensate would have been nice. I will never come back here and will not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Very unfortunate, this experience.

Paid 18 euros for 2 half hot chocolates and a sickening cake. Says enough

Very nice place with good service, salmon with vegetables delicious. I really reccomend this place - it is worth to see and try. Special thanks to anne

Had a very nice and enjoyable evening with live music!

nice spot on the market in the sun! we thought so too! There appeared to be a lot of tables free, but the service told us that the terrace was full... We took matters into our own hands and sat down at a table on the terrace, with the approval of the service. We had to wait quite a while for someone to come to our table, which makes sense if you sit on the sunny terrace around 6 o'clock, but even after a few eye contacts with a girl who was just looking around and a man who came to get an empty glass from the table next to us, it still took 10 minutes... Then we asked for the menu and we got it quite quickly, but the service to take our order was not forthcoming... After waiting another 10 minutes, we went to another terrace. Moreover, we were stared away by homophobic neighbors…

⭐ A Totally New Fun Date Spot in Gouda! ⭐ WE recently visited de zalm and it’s an absolute gem! 💎 This newly renovated spot has the perfect blend of festive vibes, making it an ideal place for a great meal and loads of fun. 😍 Start with a delicious dinner 🍽️, everything was so tasty! After that, you can enjoy activities like bowling 🎳, karaoke 🎤, and billiards 🎱. It's perfect for a fun night out, whether you're with friends or on a date! They also offer lunch, dinner, High Tea, and special entertainment with performances and loads of fun. 💃🏻🥂 A big thank you to Thirza and Elles for their amazing service and cheerful smiles, they made our experience even more enjoyable! 😊

Great for what it promises: a sports bar. Apparently very popular, because they can't keep up in terms of service.

The new Zalm has a very cozy interior with round benches at the tables (not all). Carpaccio starter was nice, Sashimi starter was fine, but the wasabi was missing, we had to ask for it The chicken was very tender, the steak was good, the pasta with mackerel... Well, no mackerel to be found, so I asked for it and got it. The accompanying fries were huge, overdone. Dessert Dame Blanche. Ice cream wrapped in a chocolate ball over which hot chocolate must be poured. The chocolate was cold so it was not convenient. All in all we had a nice meal, but had to ask the staff a lot because things didn't go well.

Amazement everywhere. Dishes are quite ok, but something goes wrong somewhere. You have to wait a long time for your order. The Carpaccio: way too much cheese on it, more cheese than meat. The pasta with mackerel: no mackerel to be seen, after a comment about this I received a plate of mackerel. Tournedos: way too much pepper used. Puree on plate: was cold. Fries: way too many. Dame blanche: Sauciere with a huge pile of lukewarm chocolate sauce really didn't make any sense. White crockery with a red edge is reminiscent of that of a hospital. Employees friendly and attentive. Nice atmosphere.

Enjoyed good food, good music and a great atmosphere during the show night!

Ate twice now. Friendly service. Cozy interior and view of town hall. Top food.

If you like waiting, you've come to the right place. I don't think a cappuccino is a very difficult order, but with "the salmon" they find that an insurmountable problem. After waiting 20 minutes, I was asked whether the order (3 cappuccinos) had arrived. The waiter who sleepily walks across the terrace with the order pad (and otherwise does nothing) tells us that the bar is having problems with the order, well the recipe doesn't seem that difficult to me. After waiting another 20 minutes, we are presented with the bill for 3 cappuccinos and a piece of apple pie. (I didn't see anything either!) After waiting another 10 minutes, we had to leave urgently because my son had the half marathon finish flag in sight. Money gone and actually I would like to know who drank our cappuccinos in the end because we didn't see them!

I have been coming to De Zalm for years, usually good quality, only in the last few months I had lunch there twice, an egg salad sandwich and a tuna salad, I tasted that they both came from a bucket, just not fresh and then a strong price! In short, I won't be having lunch here again for a while.

The food was good. The sandwich with the croquettes was very tasty, the 12 hour with salmon was not special but okay. However, when we got there we asked if we could sit inside because it was too hot for us on the terrace, but it was indicated that this was possible. When we were inside it took more than 20 minutes before anyone even came to us for a drink and the cards. (Many waitresses and servers had already walked by and looked at us, otherwise it was not very busy. These waitresses and servers walked by and had a nice chat with each other) Furthermore, the service was not friendly at all and very poor.

the sandwiches they serve here are really delicious, the bread looks like you're eating it straight from the bakery! also well invested, definitely recommended! 😍😍

Very slow service. We were first given drinks and were not asked if we wanted anything to eat. It wasn't until 15 minutes later that we got someone to order food. They run with 5 staff and it was not busy at all. The staff is always chatting with each other. Walk/stand around the bar (don't look around at all to see if there are people who want something or the like). There is work to be done in that regard! To eat: Duck gyoza was lukewarm. Carpaccio sandwich was reasonable (could have used less balsamic vinegar, it was very overpowering). Salmon sandwich was great!

We took the “pick and choose” formula, it was perfect for an aperitif on the terrace at lunchtime.

Very good products and excellent cuisine. It's really well prepared with fresh produce. The finger foods are also excellent 👍 I recommend this place and it is very well located

Good food bar with a spacious covered terrace. Service is smooth and friendly. Our noon lunch was well prepared and tasted good. Nice cup (glass) of good warm mustard soup beforehand. Tasty. Definitely come back.

Modest brasserie perfect for quick food. Very kind

Good food, but it took a very long time to be served.

Thank you Jean Luc for your passion and skills! Be sure to order the world-famous and delicious “café Jean Luc” here as a digestif.

The location is great The service is terrible, you have to wait 30 minutes for coffee or just a menu

Cozy city cafe and restaurants, perfect food and drinks

Long wait on the terrace if you order a cup of coffee. If you point this out, the staff will think it's strange.

Unfortunately, things are not going well there, we waited so long for food that we decided to leave, the beer was lukewarm and the staff was very lethargic, too bad the weather

Very nice staff, tasty snacks, ordinary food I DON'T KNOW, but it will certainly be good! But it's nice to be on the terrace and the inside has a nice atmosphere. Pleasant view of the town hall and square. Definitely worth it.

We had a drink on the terrace, but had to speak to someone ourselves after waiting for a while while the terrace was not full and there were enough staff. However, these were busier together. The young man we approached to order something took the order with fresh reluctance. The building itself is beautiful and the location is great. There wasn't much that could go wrong with the drinks and it was fine, but the service was substandard.

Yesterday we ate and drank well again. Nice and smooth operation. Also watched football, great atmosphere.

Watched football at the salmon today; fast service and good service! Definitely go there again!

The staff didn't greet us, we thought the terrace looked nice and that's why we went here for a drink. The menu stated that you could order snacks until 00:30. We wanted to order something at 10:00 PM, but we were immediately told that this was not possible because it was busy, disappointing and not a repeat experience for us. Shame.

I had a delightful surprise during my visit to the restaurant yesterday. The new menu perfectly complemented the pleasant ambience and friendly service. However, the highlight for me was undoubtedly the food! Opting for a shared dining experience while my partner chose a main course, we were both thoroughly impressed by the exquisite balance of flavours and the artful presentation. If you seek a truly exceptional dining experience in a welcoming setting, I wholeheartedly endorse De Zalm restaurant for its high-quality cuisine at a reasonable price. Thank you for a memorable evening.

We wanted to have lunch so this attracted us because me and my friend are fish lovers. My friend went to the toilet and when I was sitting alone someone from the service came, I said that my friend was away for a while so the servant would come back a little later. When the waiter returned to the table, she had taken the drink, but missed the opportunity to take an order. When the drinks arrived, we were again not asked if we wanted something to eat, even though we were clearly sitting with a closed menu in front of us. After waiting half an hour, the drinks were finished and we left, because this was nothing.... too bad because the dishes on the menu literally made us drool.

We came for a quick bite with 7 people and were served well and quickly. The wine was delicious (and a good price!) and two carafes of water were placed, containing lots of mint and lemon slices, which were also not on the bill. Beforehand we received a small appetizer of beef tataki. The meat was a bit tough, but otherwise tasted fine. We were politely asked about everyone's dietary requirements before the snack arrived. I went for the ribeye, medium rare, with fries. The steak was well cooked, tasty and juicy. And fries tasted good too. We didn't have dessert anymore, but I would like to come back to dine a little longer and taste more of the menu. Nice place, nice service and very hospitable. Recommended.

faded glory, a real shame, beautiful building/decor. For too long we thought we were the best and most beautiful. But completely destroyed. Shame.

Food, like everywhere in the Netherlands, very mediocre. Fried, sharp flavors, no nuance. Good service. Nice restaurant.