Mata Hari in Burgwallen-Oude Zijde

The food is overpriced, and service from the waitress was terrible and with a fake approach. We got also limited to choose between just 4 dishes because the kitchen was closed, while the other tables were actually allowed to order more. I don't recommend.

Nice atmosphere, good service Sit next to the canal and enjoy a good view

The waiters didn't quite understand how the ordering, payment, and serving process worked... they got confused with the timing, or at least that was my impression. The place and the terrace are great. Very nice views.

It was another great evening. Good food and friendly service.

It's right in the heart of the red-light district; you can sit romantically by a canal and admire the many tourists. A very young crowd, all friendly. The service is excellent, and so is the food. Prices are rather high due to the location.

I just love the atmosphere of this big but cosy restaurent smack in the middle of Amsterdam's old center. Waiters are competent and very friendly. Food is original and very tasty - just a bit on the greasy side for my taste.

Tables by the canal, a great place to have a beer and order some Bitterballen.

Amazing service and hospitality!

Great place, amazing service and high quality food. 100% recommended

Well, the first place I went back to

We had a lovely time sitting on the terrace and having drinks. The service was nice and friendly; we sat outside, but the interior was also very atmospheric. We will definitely come back.

Nice place with a good atmosphere and delicious food!

The best place in Amsterdam... you're served by the owner Celine... and the waitress Coleen is amazing... it's a must-visit!!

The restaurant is closed, even though it supposed to be open

nice place but the service is super inconsistent and slow

Great restaurant with excellent cuisine. Lovely atmosphere and very friendly staff.

The food is absolutely delicious! A fantastic place that I highly recommend.

Cool vibe and very friendly service. Cool 👌

We had a warm meal with a group of 24 and it was arranged perfectly Food: drinks, starter, and main course: vegetarian, fish, and meat, truly delicious And for dessert, the chocolate was really super… We will definitely be back What a lovely place

We stumbled upon this place and were so glad we did. Sitting on the terrace right by the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal is one of the best spots in Amsterdam for people-watching. The staff were super friendly and attentive despite it being a busy Saturday night. Highly recommend the burrata and the cocktails—the 'Mata Hari' signature drink was refreshing and unique. Will definitely be back!

What a fantastic evening! The food was delicious! Top-notch service really made the experience top-notch! Thanks Celine and Cloe! Until next time!

Very very good food and good service. We ate the seabass which was amazing!

A very nice, atmospheric restaurant decorated in a French bistro style, right in the middle of the dynamic Red Light District. Very attentive service. And what a good chef who makes such flavorful dishes. They have nice wines by the glass. Convenient, too, to have such a tasty and easily accessible restaurant so close to Central Station.

Wait was 10 mins after we sat down. Waiter was very nice though

The waiter took my dish before I'd finished.

We enjoyed delicious food paired with exceptionally attentive service, all right in the heart of Amsterdam’s city center. Definitely recommend!

How soon do you get a service in very touristic city like Amesterdom. Longer than expected and with a unpleasant surprise. We were a group of four, we stumbled to this place during our walking in one of the city's imfamous corners. One of the group member had bought a snack from an outlet near by when we decided to sit for some drinks @ Mata Hari. Yes duly valid we were not supposed to bring food and consume in another establishment. But how does a server should communicate that. We were not greeted, nor asked if we have placed our orders, even though enough time has gone by and more than one waiter had already noticed us. We were told like school children we can not consume here. Interestingly, the waiter after instructing us, still did not bother to ask if we have been already served. We acknowledged the remark and continued to wait for service, yet again the same waiter returned and made the same remarks, still no enquiry whether we need something from the menu or anything. At this point I had to wake her attention to the fact that how she conducted herself, supposedly active duty was not only unwelcoming but out of line. What happened warranted a proper apology and accompanied with deciplined and more friendly service which is expected in this business. But none was rendered. In the end we got our drinks for the record, the aim of this review is not to generalized the service of this establishment based on a few unprofessional servers, rather hoping it could lead to improvement to it's services.

Super nice there! Top manager ✨

Super nice place! Received without a reservation on a Friday evening and had a really delicious meal. Thanks for the hospitality and the lovely evening 🙏🏼

We had such a lovely time at this bar! Colline and her colleagues welcomed us so warmly and made us feel truly taken care of. This is exactly how you build customer loyalty: by making people feel genuinely welcome. Great bar, great atmosphere — we’ll definitely come back! 👌🏻 Kiss from Paris 🇫🇷

So good! Such a professional staff and great food. My second time in one week with different groups of friends. One friend had coeliacs disease and she was so well catered for as well.

Very poor service. Unfriendly waitress. Very limited selection of soft drinks. The waitress offered apple juice, which was never served, even though the person who brought our other drinks assured us it was on its way. We asked again after a 10-minute wait, but they didn't even have any. When we pointed out that this wasn't acceptable, as we wouldn't have stayed if we had known, the waitress replied, "Pay for the other drinks and leave." Very bad experience.

Great spot in the crowded city center, the atmophere of Amsterdam you are looking for, but not sure you'll get exactly what you want, when you are 35+ and want something chic, cozy but also vibrant and still in the center of life.

Beautiful place with friendly service, delicious food, and expert wine advice.

I had a very disappointing experience here. I ordered the beef tartare, the fish of the day, and a cheese platter, along with a Madrid Smoke cocktail (which was actually quite good). To be fair, the beef tartare was delicious and the only highlight of the meal. However, the fish of the day was cod, and it was plain, tasteless, and below average at best. The biggest issue was the service; I waited forever for the cheese platter. Even after reminding the staff, it never arrived. By that point, I had finished my drink and had no interest in waiting any longer, so I just asked for the check. I’m not sure why a cheese platter—which requires no actual cooking—was so difficult to serve. I won’t be coming back.

Everything was amazing, food, service, super friendly people, we love it

Good place to spend outside enjoying Red Light District.

Such a good later night spot loved watching the world go past just before the chaos of the district, amazing music playing such a great atmosphere. 10/10

Always a brilliant experience here, whether it’s just a coffee, snack, or a top class meal. The staff are so welcoming and there’s a genuine warmth and “feel good” atmosphere - helped along by the fantastic cocktails! Tucked away at the end of the Red Light District, it’s a gem waiting to be discovered. Thanks to all the team for always looking after us so well…. see you soon!

As an Amsterdammer, I was pleasantly surprised by such a top-notch place in this location. Fantastic staff, and especially the hostess.

Good food, very nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Irish coffee comes, as it’s supposed to come, with clotted cream instead of whipped cream 🤗

Congratulations to Céline and Raph for their warm welcome, service, competence, and smiles! Well done! 👍

We went there on a weekday to have dinner with some office colleagues. The atmosphere was nice and it was quite busy evening. It is located in Red light area so may be that's why it was so busy. We made the reservation in advance. The toilet was clean. They also had limited vegan option. They have plenty of space upstairs.

A delightful gem in the Red Light District. Good, surprising dishes and great service!

Food is excellent, signature cocktails too! love the service too!

Had a wonderful evening. Fantastic food, cozy atmosphere!

They should select who is going to have dinner or play a game of cards, even though the tables are very close together, which is normal in Amsterdam. What's illogical is having a couple having a drink and playing cards while we were having dinner.

We had a wonderful evening. Finally somewhere again where you can order White Russian. Great staff!! Highly recommended!!

The service is always good, the food is delicious, and it is simply a beautiful place. Highly recommended!

The food was super good and very tasty, cocktails where amazing and the staff was super friendly and helpfull.

If I could give it 10 stars, I would! We stopped by for a drink and were treated incredibly well by the fantastic staff. What lovely people :) It's a really lovely, relatively quiet spot amidst all the tourist activity in the Red Light District. Highly recommended!

Food was on point, wines good, the portions of the côte de Boef and sea bass are not really enough for 2 I'd say. We can starters and desserts as well and ordered extra fries so satisfied in the end. Both the Sancerre and the Valpolicella were great matches with our steak tartare, bone marrow and the main courses. Services in Dutch (rare in 020) and very friendly. Due to a big party downstairs a bit of patience needed sometimes

Service was great, followed by great food. Ending with cocktails story telling.

Great annual cocktail time at Mata Hari! Thanks to the lovely staff for once again enduring a smooth event 🙏🏽❤️

Mata Hari is a genuine breath of fresh air in the Red Light District, successfully shedding the "tourist trap" label by offering a sophisticated, high-quality dining experience. The menu expertly balances modern European flavors and delivers dishes that are as thoughtful as the restaurant’s moody, vintage-inspired decor. Despite its bustling canal-side location, the service remains attentive and welcoming, making you feel like a local regular rather than a passerby.

Everyone was so nice! Had the best evening

To start with, what luck in the city center. It is so nice to come across a restaurant on the Oudezijds where you feel at home as an Amsterdammer. It might be on the pricey side for some, but as soon as you step inside, you realize it is completely worth it. Delicious food and incredibly hospitable service; Celine, in particular, made our evening. We would love to come back here again!

We had an amazing dinner with excellent mouthwatering dishes and good service very friendly and a cheerful atmosphere that we want to come back again soon.

Very average experience, especially considering the price. With such a small menu, you expect things to be done really well. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The flat iron steak was average in quality and, surprisingly, not cut against the grain, which made it unnecessarily chewy. The portion size was borderline laughable. For 65 EUR, you simply expect much more. To be fair, the doneness was accurate and the temperature was good, but that alone doesn’t make up for the rest. Their take on “red chimichurri” was new to me, but not in a good way. Roasted bell peppers were added, possibly from a jar, turning it into something closer to a romesco-style sauce. Sweet, heavy and soft, and very far removed from what chimichurri should be. If you want to do your own thing, fine, but don’t call it chimichurri. The fries were the real low point. Pale, standard fries with mayonnaise that was supposed to be homemade, but tasted like it came straight from a pump. I jokingly referred to them as swimming pool fries, the kind you get at a Dutch public pool, made by people who have completely lost interest in their job. Tiny portion, premium price. Nothing remotely to do with “boutique” fries, especially considering they come from a place called Frietboutique. At this price point, there are plenty of places in Amsterdam where you’ll get better steak, proper sauces and well-executed fries. Overall, this experience made me seriously doubt the standards in the kitchen. I’m confident I’d have a better experience cooking this at home, which says enough. We won’t be going back. Atmosphere is nice, and the service was pleasant and friendly.

I visit Mata Hari quite regularly, and it never disappoints. It’s a hidden gem in the red light district. The food is always tasty and the atmosphere is great, but the service, especially from Celine, is what really makes the experience. She’s very attentive and makes you feel welcome every time. During my last visit, I had the sea bass followed by the chocolate mousse with olive oil. Both were excellent and highly recommended. I really liked the cocktail the Naked Spy, she took it off the menu some time ago but last time I was there she still wanted to make it for me.

Great location and atmosphere, short menu but good, tables too close to each other, unpleasant to talk

Mata Hari is set in the old Red Lightskin District's casino. The setting is absolutely gorgeous and the food is good.

Had a fantastic experience with a company party including drinks and dinner. Delicious food and great service.

Celine and her team gave us the best experience ever! Nice restaurant with mostly locals, delivering excellent dishes and drinks. Wines were amazing too. Michelin star experience.

Great ambiance, very friendly service, but the dinner menu was so limited and unattractive that we ended up eating bar food, which was also not that interesting.

Atmospheric place, delicious food, pleasant service, excellent price-quality, had a nice evening!

Masterfully prepared everything.

The chef's menu (3 courses for €50) was delicious but the portions were too small. Unfortunately, with the 2 courses, the waiter, who also didn't speak Dutch, didn't explain the dishes. The cocktails were delicious, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the restaurant is beautiful, but I wouldn't go out of my way for the food.

Beautiful location, clean, tidy, friendly staff, good beer menu. A quiet gem in a busy tourist neighborhood.

I recently celebrated my birthday at this gem of a place. Mata Hari is unique in this part of Amsterdam because you walk right through the touristy, busy, and sometimes rough Red Light District, turn off at a small bridge, and you'll find Mata Hari. You enter a cozy, clean, and non-touristy place with an atmosphere you wouldn't expect in the Red Light District! I didn't eat here, but I can assure you it's a great place to host a drink. Competitive prices, good wine, friendly service, and a very relaxed atmosphere. Mata Hari's co-owner, Céline, made the evening complete. So if you're ever looking to organize a fun drink or a cozy party in a less traditional Amsterdam location, go to Mata Hari!

The food was fine, but the chef's menu was outrageous. For these prices, I really expected more. The cocktails were delicious, though.

Good restaurant in the middle of the red light district. Typical Dutch food, the options of a tasting menu at 60€ is very convenient. Wine list to be improved

I celebrated my birthday here with 30 people, and it was the perfect location for a fun and enjoyable get-together! Thanks!!

An incredible and in truth unexpected gourmet experience in Amsterdam. Professional friendly service, unusual combination of flavours, original food preparation, which as a result creates a unique and unforgettable impression of the restaurant visit. You don't want to finish the last bite because you don't want it to jump. If you're looking for a synonym for FP, a visit to Mata Hari is it.

Friendly, spontaneous service. Delicious food and a cozy atmosphere.

I had the most wonderful dinner at Mata Hari yesterday with my best friends truly one for the books! The whole meal was perfect for the autumn season: cozy, flavorful, and beautifully presented. We started with the tarte tatin, which I highly recommend such an unexpected and delightful twist on a classic. For the main course, I had the fish and risotto with mushrooms, and it was absolutely divine comforting yet refined. And the dessert… wow. Honestly, one of the best of my life! The combination with marshmallow was pure genius creative, light, and delicious. Every dish had an original touch that made the experience feel so fresh and unique. If you’re looking for a place that blends creativity, comfort, and incredible flavors, Mata Hari is an absolute must.

The welcome was very friendly and the staff were equally friendly and helpful. Delicious food, especially the desserts (we ordered the whole set), and a very gezellig atmosphere. Will definitely be going back in the future.

The food was super delicious, the staff - very friendly. But we have waited half an hour to get the menu list, another one hour to have the starters and a good one hour more for the main( steak 2 share which was really good). So, we couldn't enjoy the evening because we were hungry and nervous... If you don't have time limitations and you are not very hungry, this is your place.

Loved this bar, so close to Centraal and the red light district yet so different in vibes. The bar itself is so beautiful with its vintage style, and the terrace outside along the Amsterdam canal adds even more charm to it. Super nice staff working here and prices are okay considering the location.

We had a very nice business dinner here. Everything was great, from the food to the service. The staff was very accommodating and made sure everything was smooth. Recommended!

Mata Hari has changed owners several times in recent years, and the culinary side of things hasn't always been great. Finally, there's a new owner who has restored the quality of the food to its former glory. We'll definitely be back.

Unreal sausage app and beef tartare. Best thing I’ve put in my mouth in a while

Simply a top place with a nice atmosphere and really good food!

Delicious. We opted for the special, Steak Diane, and it was beautifully cooked. We had bread, 2 Aperols, 2 mains, 1 side and an espresso and it was around €100. Nice, friendly service too.

This bar is by the red light district, decent for a few quick drinks and bites by the canal.

The food is delicious and the service is fantastic! A really great spot in the heart of Amsterdam. For this, you'd still go to the city center if you were an Amsterdammer.

The best place to be, to drink, to eat. Fantastic ambiance, incredibly cozy, incredibly delicious food. Triple AAA. Good music and a great atmosphere with exceptionally sweet, friendly, and positive service. We had an incredible, incredibly enjoyable birthday here. Thank you, Mata Hari, see you soon!

Cozy place to have a beer by the canal

The steak, pasta, and desserts (Snickers ice cream and chocolate mousse) were really good. We didn't like lab kebab.

8 euros shot for very cheap alcohol is a rip-off, not only that, the waitress just spilled it on us when she brought it, we expected an apology, some kind of compensation, but instead we just got a sticky table👍

FANTASTIC. We went last Thursday with a group of friends. We immediately received a very warm welcome from several staff members. As soon as you enter, you feel like you're in another city thanks to the impressive staircase in the center and the friendly atmosphere amidst the bustling red-light district. Afterward, we were immediately taken to the bar for a small glass of bubbly. We opted for the set menu and started with an eel brioche. We had several appetizers, of which the Potato Rösti was my favorite, and main courses that were absolutely delicious. To finish the evening with dessert, we had the chocolate mousse in olive oil and salt, and then headed back downstairs for a Paloma at the bar! A fantastic evening, incredibly cozy, friendly and attentive staff, and incredibly delicious food! 10/10

We had a very tasty meal. The sea bass is highly recommended.

After asking for the drink menu we waited 15 minutes, but the waitress still didn’t show up and the place was not full. We decided to leave and upon leaving we mentioned the long waiting time to the waitress. Her response: “Sir, I don’t care”. This is very unprofessional from someone working in hospitality.. unfortunately, I can’t give zero rating to this review.

Amazing experience!! Loved the interior, the food and overall atmosphere Chef Maarten was amazing.

A haven of normality, an oasis in this neighborhood. Excellent cuisine. You can see the chef putting his passion into these dishes.

Had a spontaneous evening at this fantastic place! Great service and delicious food.

Super cool place. Inside it's beautiful, cocktails are amazing and the terrace super cozy. Loved it so much!

Had an AMAZING evening at Mata! Especially wanna mention the hostess Joa, she was wonderful and knows how to make her guests feel absolute fabulous.

The sausages for the appetizer and the steak for the main course were both flavors I had never tasted before. It was a new experience. According to my personal standards, it deserves 5 stars!

Very nice place, best beer in town, me and the missus like to have fun with children