Malabar-bar in Oostelijk Havengebied

We really enjoyed our visit to Malabar. It has a fantastic view of Amsterdam, and combined with reasonably priced cocktails, makes for a great evening activity! The service was fantastic, with attentive and lovely bar staff. Would highly recommended!

Unique cocktails in a unique place!

OMG I absolutely recommend this bar! Super chill vibe and amazing drinks. Huge shoutout to Joan the bartender super friendly and made the best cocktails. Made the whole experience awesome. Don’t miss it if you’re around!

We took the ferry from Zamenhofstraat, then walked down the island for some cocktails before walking over the bridge back into central Amsterdam. It was a great way to break up our little adventure that day. The service was fast and friendly and the cocktails were both unique and delicious. We didn’t plan it, but we ended up getting to see the sunset and the panoramic views were absolutely amazing. Recommend this place fully!

Good views, good atmosphere, great treatment from the waiters and something to snack if necessary...

One of the nicest skybars in the city Panoramic view and the best time is before sunset to be able to see the beauty of the area place is located in Jakarta hotel / 8th floor.. + Indonesian bite and snacks. No need for reservation you can simply walk in.

My go-to bar to have cocktail with my sister since it’s across the street from where I live. Amazing cocktail with a beautiful Amsterdam skyline as a view—what can go wrong with that? Compliment to Ryan and his team to always welcome me with a warm welcome and great service!

Really nice drinks, well crafted menu and a really cool view. My bartender Ryan had a great attention for detail.

An absolutely stunning place with even better cocktails! And the staff was super polite, especially Ryan! He really knows his stuff and was really helpful in choosing and making the right drink

Place got everything you need, specially the atmosphere and it's host(s)! A must visit when you pay Amsterdam a visit, if you're telling your friends about Amsterdam they WILL ask if you've visited the Malabar. Have a good one! 😉 Ask for Ryan, he makes the best cocktails and knows a lot about 'm, can't have a good cocktail without a banger of a story.

The bartenders were busy with themselves. Cleaning, talking and limiting guest service. The view and the bar itself is a nice atmosphere.

The 🥩 burgers are great too and the katmer as dessert is top notch

Nice place! Nice view but... How slow in the service. 50min to receive our two cocktails.

It was an ok place with overpriced cocktails located in an unsafe area. Be careful at night time.

Got the bar on September 15th. and 16.9. visited because I was a hotel guest. The waitress is an absolute disaster. Absolutely incompetent and above all unfriendly. The young woman has completely missed her job. Instead of taking care of guests, she flirted and talked to the bartenders for hours. Had the same cocktail both evenings. It was delicious every time, but looked completely different. Basically it can be said that the cocktails are extremely small, but also very, very expensive. If you're not a hotel guest you don't need to go there. It's actually a shame because the location is actually very cool.

We came in and a table just became available at the end of the bar, with the best view. Unfortunately this was the only highlight. The bar was quite empty. We were escorted to our table and that was actually the last time we received contact from the service. We also had to pick up the menu because no one brought it after about fifteen minutes. In the end, the cocktails were disappointing and unfortunately the service did not improve either.

We have tried the breakfast and we love the choices they have About the dinner it was good to try Indonesian food

Very nice bar, tasty cocktails, service a bit chaotic.

Extremadamente decepcionante, especialmente teniendo en cuenta que nuestra experiencia del resto del hotel fue tan positiva. Terrible servicio en el bar de la azotea. Nos llevaron a nuestros asientos y nos dejaron por más de 20 minutos sin que nos sirvieran o incluso nos ofrecieron un menú de bebidas. Un funcionario pasó la noche en su teléfono móvil en lugar de atender al personal. Las bebidas una vez que llegaron estaban bien, pero esta zona del hotel necesita atención, ya que es perjudicial para el resto del hotel, que por lo demás es excelente.

**UPDATE** After a recent visit, my review has been adjusted downwards. Menu and staff have changed and it has really become a mockery. Only the view is still good. Expensive wine that was unacceptable and cocktails no longer in beautiful cups but simple drinking glasses. Became pretentious, worth avoiding! **Original** Very nice bar, also accessible if you are not staying at the hotel (take the elevator to the 8th floor immediately upon arrival). Friendly staff, knowledgeable about cocktails. It is not a regular cocktail bar, so you should not expect the standard options of the average cocktail. The menu/cocktails are tailored to the theme of the hotel/bar: exotic. Beautiful nice glasses/cups. It is a little more pricey, but people pour quite generously. So with 1 drink you can get by quite well. Cocktails are fine, but for the cocktail connoisseur this is not special. The only downside: in the evening when the lights are on, everything reflects in the windows. Obstructs the view. Hopefully the bar can improve that, so that you can look outside without any light obstruction. You go to this bar as a bon vivant to enjoy the view and with your company a nice, well-mixed cocktail in a fancy rooftop-like bar. Cheers!

The Malabar is within the hotel. It's lovely after a long day to have a drink. The view is amazing with the sunsetting!

Great drinks and even better staff!! Everyone was super kind and polite and we enjoyed the drinks with a great view!!! Highly recommend when in Amsterdam.

Top cocktail, friendly and attentive staff, very nice atmosphere with an exceptional view.

Decoration looks outdated. We arrived early and service was very slow. By the time they took our order the kitchen had closed and we couldn't order any bites. Cocktails were not very memorable.

A superb view, truly delicious signature cocktails, their appetizers to share full of flavor and a very pleasant welcome.

Although there weren't enough seats available, they didn't want to open the upper area for half an hour. We had the choice between standing there or coming back in 30 minutes. Then they forgot my second drink, and despite asking, only the next table got their drinks.. 😒

Great cocktail bar. The signature cocktails are pretty good. I'm sure they can do classics as well. Prices are okay but on the higher end.

When we visited the Malabar-bar Malabar in Amsterdam, our expectations were not only met, but far exceeded. The warm welcome from the staff immediately created a sense of belonging, and the cozy yet elegant decor of the Skybar provided the perfect setting for an unforgettable evening. The quality of the food and drinks was consistently impressive. Every bit of food was a little work of art that not only pleased the eye but also treated the palate to an explosion of flavors. The drinks, artfully prepared and presented, were a perfect complement to the culinary offerings, with each sip offering a new taste experience. The view from the Skybar was spectacular, a truly magical view over Amsterdam that showed its full potential especially at sunset. It felt like we had found a secret retreat above the city rooftops, a place that was perfect for both relaxation and celebration. The love and passion with which the Malabar-bar Malabar is run was reflected in every detail, from the furnishings to the service to the food and drinks. This visit will remain in our memory as one of the most memorable experiences and we can't wait to come back.

Good place for cocktails and a late night date

I love to give places good reviews, the cocktails in this place are great. However the service is a bit below par. If you come in for a casual drink, you are looked a bit down upon. However, if you come in fully dressed. You get the full service greetings. Although the cocktails where nice, this was my last time visiting the bar. I rather go to a place my money is well spend.

Beautiful view, staff was great

This is a great speakeasy bar with an amazing view. The cozy feeling match perfectly with the outstanding service. Perfect for romantic occasions

Amazing place for cocktails, speakeasy bar so anything you want is usually available. Really fancy vibes and great atmosphere

Best service ever experienced! Waiter dropped drinks on my bag. Got a new drink. Very nice atmosphere and good music. Worth repeating!

Parece um velório. Um pedaço do hotel que não daria para quartos. Serviços limitados e super super lento. Poucas opções de bebidas. Se for para chorar por uma causa vale a Pena

Amazing view! Romantic spot! Great cocktails! Great for a date! For locals or tourists! It’s small and with a relaxed vibe. Their cocktails are really good and they are open to prepare everything you want. Try to go in summer but even thou it was winter the view was still beautiful.

The waiter really isn't nice. I ask for a table at window level for the view, there is one free but no he offers me another... then I receive my cocktail (without under glass, I point out that everyone had one and even bright for some) cocktail which was really not famous (I would even say not great).. and to finish the waiter distributes glasses of water to all the customers of the bar, the one on my left, the one on my right but not me who's right in the middle. They hover over me in complete calm (until a customer notices it too...).. I find it super disrespectful, really, I have never felt so humiliated... I will never come back again. The view is beautiful but that's all there is to it.

This bar is located in a rare beautiful location in Amsterdam on the IJ. The bar staff and their service provided us with a fantastic evening. Thanks!

Loved it! Mocktails were personally made for us since they only have cocktails on their drink cards

Mooie bar, prachtig uitzicht, maar erg dure drankjes en je krijgt kleine glaasjes. Er was een dj die zachtjes deep house tunes speelde. Was zeker het omrijden waard :)

Heerlijke cocktails, hele lieve bediening

Heerlijke cocktails serveren ze hier.

Need to get a better selection of wines ...the wine selection is really bad guys !

Nice view Nice cocktails The price of eur 16 per glass of wine should be reconsidered Overall it is a nice place for a drink

Great service, friendly staff, good cocktails en view! Recommend!

Teuer, kleine, sehr kleine Cocktails, Bier teuer und klein

Really amazing view. I love the hotel and the bar.

Cocktails were okay - felt a bit over priced. We stayed in the hotel so we thought we would check it out. Wish there was more variety and some snacks

Great vibes and views! Quick service and nice big drinks list.

Beautiful bar with an amazing view, the drinks are delicious and very elegant the best was the outstanding service. It was magical thank you

Fantastische Aussicht vom 8. Stock und dazu gute Cocktails.

Het is een leuke bar met prachtig uitzicht

This is the place to be if you want some place classy, amazing service, with great snacks and decent cocktails (think this could be improved, to match the rest. As I mentioned before, I believe for the price the bar needs to step it up with their cocktails. Other than that, we loved the snacks, it was flavourful and authentic, chicken sate, was more authentic than a regular Indonesian place in Amsterdam. The highlight for me was the service, in Amsterdam when going out to "nice" places the vibe is very sterile and the service is usually boring. Which was not the case in Malabar. The staff was amazing and I am glad that the theme of the hotel they're trying to go with reflected in the south-east hospitality and respect to the customer.

View is great but cocktails are just average

Delicious cocktails and beautiful view of the canal and cruiseschip dockyard

Todo muy bien una hermosa vista de amsterdam

War ein sehr schöner Laden direkt am Wasser! Das Ambiente ist sehr schön, der Platz in der Bar ist etwas gering. Dafür ist die Aussicht am Fenster umso schöner Die Barkeeper machen einen super Job und sehr gute Cocktails. Sie haben uns auch Cocktails auf Wunsch serviert, die nicht auf der Karte standen. Alles in allem ein super Abend!

Sehr toller Ausblick über die Stadt und die drinks sind auch sehr gut

15 für ein Longdrink - erst beinahe nicht reingelassen worden und dann hart um 1 rausgeworfen...

Acoustic is a bit problematic but live music is a nice touch. View from that high is amazing. Staff is friendly and cooperative. Food/drink is lacking in terms of taste, options and pricing though.

Idealne by wieczorem napić się drineczka ze znajomymi

Prachtig uitzicht, maar cocktails voor 15 euro vind ik overdreven.

Mooi, stijlvol plekje met geweldig uitzicht. Cocktails aan de prijs; ook voor Amsterdamse begrippen. Bediening stijf

Amazing staff! The owner is hardworking and very pleasant, sure do go there again!

Hele fijne plaats om te relaxen mt mooi zicht. Menukaarten mogen enigszins geplastificeerd worden

Gezellige plek met een enorm mooi uitzicht. Je moet wel even wachten op je bestelling, maar dat is het waard

Great drinks and good friendly staff 👌