Restaurant 't Zwaantje in Grachtengordel-West

Disgusting service, despite us being very excited to enjoy a meal here, we very much straight up got told to leave after not ordering as much as they wanted us to. Wasn’t sure that ordering two soups (which looked quite filling as another table mostly ordered them) on a cool night out, didn’t meet their expectations. Very strange. But hope you have a better experience… don’t just order soup or you’ll get treated the same..

Excellent food, warm and informal atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff

A great choice in Amsterdam. A restaurant with a local atmosphere (a welcome change from the typical trendy design), hearty and delicious dishes (special mention for the ribs, beef stew, and fish), friendly service, and very reasonable prices for Amsterdam. A great find!

Food excellent, reservation absolutely necessary

Everything is DELICIOUS AND THE STAFF NICE AND HELPFUL AND LISTENS TO AWESOME

We were there with a group of seven men. The price-quality ratio is good, the atmosphere was good, and the service was very good. We enjoyed ourselves.

We went for dinner and ordered Grandma's stew and the stamppot with sausage, and we loved it. It's a cozy place with a great atmosphere, the staff are very friendly, and the food is delicious. We'll definitely be back!

We came for dinner, we were early for our reservation but they seated us . I had ribs and my wife had the stew. Both meals were excellent served with plenty of side dishes. The portions were large so bring a good appetite. Our waitress was Linda who was excellent , charming and efficient. The service was top notch. We enjoyed this quirkily decorated place and it has a great menu that allows you to try the best of local meals. It was so good that we booked again for our last dinner in Amsterdam and just like the first meal both the food and service was excellent and Linda was once again our friendly server .

Probably the only good Dutch spot in the city center. Great food, great vibes, feels like it’s a lot more authentic for sure.

Been here twice in two years and will come again! Different kind of atmosphere and friendly staff and the lamb chops were so good!

Great experience! We arrived on a packed Saturday night and were accommodated by the manager despite our lack of reservation. The food is authentic and the service was friendly and fast. Strongly recommend!

Cheffe, best man. Very good local food :)

We had dinner on a rainy evening here, the atmosphere was actually more snuggly and perfect with the weather. We loved the authentic "Brown Cafe" vibe, with rugs for tablecloths, eclectic decor, and friendly teamwork service. I had a beautifully prepared Mediterranean fish dish, my husband had a classic Dutch stampot. We shared an apple pie dessert with espresso and cappuccino. The rain stopped in time for our walk back to the hotel. It felt sort of magical that night.

Overall the food was pretty good. The service was ok and one of the servers was a bit rude but the restaurant was so ungodly hot, everyone at the restaurant was fanning themselves down. They do not have high chairs so this restaurant is not baby or toddler friendly. What I thought was odd was that they asked for a service tip at the end when we were paying our bill. They stated that service was not included. I know this is not standard in Dutch culture so I'm pretty sure they only did so because they knew we were Americans so it seemed a little unfair and awkward.

Friendly service and good food!

Amazing find and seated us, even though we had not booked. Fantastic service and the food was amazing. Large portions and a good choice of beers.

Very good restaurant, excellent Dutch cuisine and a very warm welcome.

Excellent restaurant with very well-prepared Dutch specialties. The staff is also very responsive to customers and very polite!

Nice and friendly staff, punctual. Excellent Dutch food, we recommend the very soft currants... we hope to return. Highly recommended.

There were four of us, we ordered four different dishes, and we were all thrilled. Everything was delicious – the liver was cooked to perfection, Grandma's braised dish melted in our mouths, the spare ribs fell off the bone, and the chicken was incredibly tender (the tomato sauce was perhaps a touch too sweet, but it didn't detract from the overall experience). The service was super friendly, fast, and attentive. You could tell the guys worked together seamlessly! 💪 We left happy, so we wholeheartedly recommend it!

My first 5 star review. Please make a reservation. You can do that online even the day of otherwise you may not get a table at the time you want. The service is incredible. The staff are so relaxed but so efficient. You feel no stress and you feel taken care of. That sets the mood. When they make a suggestion....just say yes. They aren't out to increase the bill. It's about making your meal experience enjoyable. You may have one person take your order and get you a drink but others check in to make sure all is great. One person rearranged our table setting because it wasn't to his standards for presentation. Remember this is a casual setting restaurant but the service and food are far beyond expectations. I had the mussels and it was twice the amount of any other restaurant I have been to for the same price. Service charge is not included and I, for one, don't want to bring the "American" tipping expectation to Europe but this is one, and the only, restaurant that I did "tip" at and would have even if the service charge was included. Truly an enjoyable meal made so by the food and the people.

Ideal for trying local food, the restaurant is small so we decided to reserve a table. The waiters were attentive and friendly, the food was plentiful and very good, especially the mashed potatoes and a pepper sauce that was addictive.

I give it 3 stars for the following reasons: 1. The food wasn't bad, but it was disappointing to have frozen vegetables in a restaurant that's supposed to be typically Dutch. 2. The service was very good. 3. The prices are reasonable.

Warning: don't get duped like me! I honestly wanted to give this restaurant 6 stars, but I sadly must leave 3 stars because I was taken advantage of. My wife and I made a reservation months ago, our waitress was so kind, and the food was delicious. I asked our waitress for her recommendations, and I ordered all of them and loved it. Zero complaints with the food or the direct service we received. When it came time to pay, I was told by another server that if I wanted to pay with card, I would need to join him at the bar to use their machine. I had no issue with that, and I happily walked back to pay my bill. He told me that, in Holland, service is NOT included in the bill and all sit-down service usually requires a 10-20% tip on top of the bill. As an American who is used to tipping, I happily left a 20% tip because the service really was good. I learned the next day from my Dutch friend tipping is NOT common in Amsterdam and, if you do tip, it's a maximum of 5%. My hotel confirmed this as well when I asked them. I felt betrayed and taken advantage of. Don't let this happen to you!

Nice restaurant with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Good food and generous portions. Average prices.

Good food at a reasonable price. Exceptional service.

Good food. Friendly service. Large portions at a cheap price. Highly recommended.

The food was perfect, it tasted just like Grandma's Christmas dinner! Plus, the location and service were top-notch!

We chose this place for dinner because of the good reviews about traditional Dutch food, but the menu mostly had classic dishes. We chose an entrecote and a fillet. The fillet was very good, but I asked for the entrecote medium and it came almost raw inside, hard to cut and chew. The roast potatoes on the side were dry. I've eaten better food than this.

Don’t recommend - I was asking for medium rare and got ultra rare. Waiter did not even ask if we like the food while we have been eating and when I reported it, I was told that I should inform the waiter earlier. Well I don’t like to be mean to anyone so I tried and while eating it was getting worse but nobody was coming and asking and nobody noticed even that I was taking food from my mouth as it was hard to chew and lately I told my boyfriend to eat and left only this on my plate. I guess there are better places where you can eat a good steak for same or even cheaper price.

The young waiter was really kind and pleasant but we were extremely disappointed with the specialty dishes we received. The stampot was with carrot and had a weird slightly sweet and sour taste. The sausage on top tasted not much better than a hotdog. The fish stew had no flavor other than cream. Maybe we didn’t order the right things but we did expect better than that from their ‘specialties’ list. I must say now I understand why some other reviewers gave so low rating!

Very good local restaurant, typical Dutch decoration, very good service, super food, with very outstanding local dishes, highly recommended, you have to try, mussel casserole. Perfect

We had a super delicious meal and the staff are real stars!

The service from the waiter was awful. At the time I didn't understand why, but reading the negative reviews I realize they are racist or don't like foreign tourists. Avoid this place.

Excellent local food at a reasonable price

Harsh treatment, I even lost my appetite.

The door was not open, but it did not appear on Google.

A big disappointment. Given the reviews, I expected much better. They work in this industry, so I think it's all frozen food… the stamppot tasted like powdered muslin… the beef stewed in a cornstarch sauce, and I won't even mention the rest… we went somewhere else for dessert. Overrated, which is a shame for one of the few restaurants specializing in local cuisine.

On this second trip to Amsterdam, we happily returned to enjoy a delicious traditional dinner, the kind that provides comfort, and at a very reasonable price. Zwaantje is a very pleasant restaurant, carefully designed for a casual, traditional atmosphere, with authentic and unique decor. Run by its owner, the staff's attentiveness and helpfulness are appreciated from the moment you sit down. It's off the beaten tourist track, and it shows: it doesn't need large or colorful signs to attract attention. In fact, you could walk down the street and be right in front of its door without realizing there's a restaurant there. That discretion is precisely what gives away the places where locals eat—and in a city as touristy as Amsterdam, that says a lot. The typical dishes were a pleasant surprise: the beef stew, meatballs, and shrimp were all expertly seasoned. All accompanied by a good beer. The only point to mention: the reservation system. It's very likely you'll have to wait a few extra minutes after your exact reservation time, which is perfectly understandable given the restaurant's reputation and popularity. I'll definitely be back.

Absolutely recommended. The people are super friendly, the place is very nice, and the food is very good. They have delicious Dutch specialties.

Our party of four found each of four dishes to be unique and delicious. The salmon special and pork tenderloin were especially notable. The service was exceptional. A great experience overall.

Fantastic time! We had a wonderful time...great atmosphere and a lovely atmosphere...top-notch service! Thank you so much, and thank you so much for taking the time to teach us a little Dutch 😉

Cozy, warm, gezellig restaurant in the heart of Amsterdam serving traditional Dutch fare. A true Amsterdammer experience! The brother-sister duo waitering were charming, gracious, and funny, as was the bartender. Make reservations! My wife and I didn’t, and we were lucky—a table was available within ten minutes of our arrival. If you do make reservations— b e o n t i m e. The Dutch are like the Swiss in this regard. We saw a lot of people being turned away while we were there because no tables were available, and I am sure that if one of those reservations we saw come in had been more than five minutes late, the table would have been given to the next lucky group.

We went for dinner as a couple. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The food was spectacular. We ordered two dishes and it was more than enough. First, we had Spareribs, which are oven-baked ribs with barbecue sauce, served with salad and fries. Then we ordered Hutspot, a typical dish that includes a giant meatball with mashed potatoes and bacon. Everything was delicious.

The restaurant was amazing! Since we made a reservation we didnt have to wait. The drinks and food came really fast. Because of the posters and woody furniture it had a homey warm living room feeling to it. The service was also really friendly!! The only downside was that there werent any vegetarian or vegan options, but the traditional dishes were absolutely delicious!! 10/10 recommend!!

rude and aggressive owner in a bad mood.

Great restaurant with very welcoming and pleasant staff

One of the best places to eat in Amsterdam!

Absolutely fantastic, and I'm picky.

Excellent service from start to finish! The food was absolutely out of this world—every dish was delicious and beautifully prepared. What impressed us most was the owner, who went above and beyond to honor our reservation even though there was an issue with the online booking system. That level of care and hospitality made our experience even more memorable. We truly appreciated the extra effort and will definitely be returning. Highly recommended!

The staff was amazing and really made an effort to make our visit special! We chose this restaurant because we wanted authentic Dutch food and the place didn’t disappoint.

Honestly, it's crazy, wow, perfect.

Great place. Fantastic food. Great service. One of the best places in Amsterdam.

Fairly fast service. Friendly and helpful staff. All the food was very good. Prices were reasonable for the portions and quality. The only thing I don't like are the tablecloths: I personally don't like them and find them almost impossible to keep clean (they should be washed after each service and changed frequently).

Very good restaurant, very nice waiters and it had very traditional holland food that was amazing. This place was very comfortable and had a great atmosphere with soft music.

A truly wonderful discovery. Super efficient and personalized service. Delicious food and generous portions. A reservation is a good idea if you plan to go, otherwise they will do their best to accommodate you.

Truly a fantastic dinner. We ordered Snert, a truly excellent traditional soup. The meat was prepared really well. The staff was super helpful with recommendations and a chat. Highly recommended, but reservations are essential; it's always busy!

Great food for reasonable price

Delicious local food in Amsterdam. Great service and a walkable distance from our hotel.

Even though the place wasn't air conditioned and it was incredibly hot, the staff's smiles, their recommendations for typical dishes, and their kindness made for a wonderful evening. The atmosphere was traditional and the food was EXCELLENT! And the semolina dessert was AMAZING! If you're in Amsterdam, you absolutely must book at least one dinner here!

Such a lovely restaurant with a warm, living-room-like atmosphere. We arrived as a group of eight without a reservation, and the staff were incredibly kind and made it work for us. The place is beautifully decorated, with everything from carpets on the tables to posters for real upcoming cultural events in Amsterdam. The food was excellent too. Especially the specialties section. I asked for a recommendation and had the beef stew, which was absolutely great. Wonderful food, a beautiful atmosphere, and genuinely caring staff. Highly recommended and next time I visit Amsterdam, I will be more than happy to come back. Keep up the great work, it’s highly appreciated.

Lovely little restaurant with exceptional service. We came in during a rainy day and it was very cozy, and the food very comfy. Would recommend the Dutch classics!

Portion was huge and worth it for the price. We had the spare ribs and the grandma’s beef stew and they both were delicious!

Very tasty food in a very welcoming atmosphere!! Impeccable!!

Very tasty, especially the ribs ;) The waiter is such an attentive young man, very young, about 20 years old, but already knows how to work ;) thank you

Restaurant 't Zwaantje was a wonderful dining experience, highlighted by the Grandma's beef stew, which was incredibly tender and packed with rich, hearty flavor. The Pea Soup was good, but more watered down instead of the thick style. Although we didn’t have a reservation, we were lucky enough to be seated around 5:30 pm without any trouble. Just a helpful tip for future diners: they prefer cash payments, though they do accept cards if necessary.

This is my WORST WORST WORST experience in a restaurant ever in my life. I walk in and was told I have 1.5 hours to eat, this is completely fine, but the service next is a disaster. When I order, I try to gain attention of a server, but she ignores me and walk away. Then I say Hi to the other server with a smile, he responds ″hi″, then turn his head the other side. The third server finally comes, but he then tells me I need to wait since people on the table near me come in to the restaurant first, IN A TONE THAT TEACHERS TALKING DOWN TO STUDENTS, MANAGER CRITISES EMPLOYEE, PARENTS SCOLD TO CHILDERN, even it is me try to order first!!!!! I later want to know when my food will be ready, so I ask the waiter politely, even he has already beening so rude. He responds ″We are not McDonald's, there are real people cooking in kitchen″. Is this the right attitude that you talk to your customers??? I cannot figure out what did I do wrong that the server do this to me. I always talk to them politely, I smile when I step into this restaurant, but the server never smile to me. Quiet interestingly, the table right beside me is a white family. The server talks kindly to them and smile to them. Therefore, I propose to possible explanations: The server is a RACIST, he treats me badly because I am Asian. Or, the server is an AGEIST, he treats me badly because I am young. In either case, I would highly not recommend people to go to this restaurant.

This restaurant truly impressed me. We used to go to Hap-Hmm whenever we came to Amsterdam for that authentic, comforting “grandma-style” Dutch simmer pot meal, but since they closed, we had to find a new place. The food here was absolutely delicious. Everything came out hot, the portions were very generous, and the restaurant itself is beautifully decorated, making you feel right at home. The service was extremely friendly and matched perfectly with the great food and cozy atmosphere. This place is an absolute must in Amsterdam. If you’re looking for a hearty, homemade meal, this is it. The beef stew was the best choice!

Small and noisy, the tables are much too close together. I had chicken in the pan, it wasn't what I had hoped for, lots of tomato sauce with frozen vegetables. I ordered fries on the side but never received them, unfortunately.

Great restaurant and service. Highly recommend!

Really good food and great atmosphere. We loved the meat stew.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had a very nice experience at Café Restaurant ’t Zwaantje. The food was delicious — everything we tried was really good, and you can tell they put a lot of care into their dishes. The atmosphere was cozy and authentic, a great place to enjoy a nice meal in Amsterdam. The service was good and efficient. The only small detail was that when we arrived, the welcome could have been a little warmer, as the gentleman who greeted us came across as a bit serious and slightly rude at first. Other than that, everything was great and we really enjoyed our visit. We would definitely recommend this restaurant for the quality of the food and the overall experience.

After 20 years of going there, they continue with their winning formula : good Dutch food at affordable prices.

Great food and service. Reservation required and recommend eating there.

Grandma's stew is great. Large portions.

Great restaurant, great service. Would gladly come again.

Fantastic atmosphere, friendly and welcoming waiters. Impeccable service Menu with meat and fish options In the heart of Amsterdam Recommended!

Amazing restaurant, they had great food, along with exceptional service and a very nice atmosphere that felt very welcoming and provided a great vibe. I ordered the wiener schnitzel which was perfect, cooked great, very flavorfull and comforting. The service was also amazing. All three waiters were very kind and inviting, telling stories and teaching us a kit Amsterdam

This place used to be great. Not sure if they changed management because the service now sucks. The person in charge on the evening I was there with my friend kept reminding us pretty much every 30mins that we have to leave by 20:30 because they have other reservations. It's not like we were just hanging around there. We ordered a starter, 2 mains, and drinks. THEY DID NOT ALLOW US TO ORDER DESSERTS because they want us to leave for their other reserved guests. If there's a time limit of stay in the restaurant, they should've made it clear during reservation and I would respect that. Definitely not a fun and welcoming experience. Service has gotten slow as well. Really a shame as this used to be our go-to restaurant for special events and whenever we habe foreign guests.

Great place, I highly recommend it! We were served a generous portion and it was excellent! If you want to try some typical dishes, this is a must-try.

This was amazing. The food was fantastic —flavorful and fresh. The servers were friendly and clearly love their work. The atmosphere makes you want to hang out and have another drink.

Classic Dutch place. Very meat and veg food. Good service- would recommend

A super cozy restaurant. Great atmosphere, delicious food. The satay was top-notch again. The wine perfect. Until next time.

The food is good unless you don't like vegetables with cinnamon, and we didn't quite understand the concept of eating on rugs on the table.

So authentic vibe and so friendly staff. I tried stampot with sausage and husband took a pork skewers in peanut butter sauce. I could tell his dish won. If you want to try dutch cuisine my recommendation!

Had an amazing experience here with 2 other couples. Great food, wonderful ambience and SPECTACULAR service. Portions are very generous!

Exceptional food and a wonderful experience. Chill atmosphere and friendly staff. Absolutely recommend it.

Beef stew was good Didn’t like the soup much Beautiful place

Large portions of food for a reasonable price. There are also authentic Dutch dishes, such as pea soup and stamppot. The café is nicely decorated. Do keep in mind, however, that a first and second round sometimes applies here, so the reservation is for a few hours and not the entire evening.

What a lovely restaurant! A truly authentic Dutch experience. We hadn't made a reservation and were lucky enough to arrive and find that someone had cancelled. The service was very good, the food was delicious, and the portions were generous. We went in April 2026.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend this place. I wonder how this "restaurant" gets so many good reviews. We were disappointed by both the food and the service. The ambiance can be described as rustic; there are carpets on the tables, creating a pub-like atmosphere. The food fits this description; don't expect culinary brilliance. We wanted to try typical Dutch cuisine, but it lacked flavor in several places. The chicken stew was chicken breast fillet with tomato sauce; it could have just as easily been spiced ketchup. The portion size was unacceptable for the price. Especially since the vegetables didn't even seem to be fresh but came straight from the freezer. The other dish, the beef stew, also tasted very bland and looked rather unappetizing. We were seated and then barely acknowledged, not even asked if we were enjoying our meal or if we needed anything else.

The pan fried mussels were amazing and the portion was huge. I’ll definitely be going back.

We ate at Restaurant 't Zwaantje several nights ago and enjoyed it so much that we went back again today. The staff were incredible professional, helpful, kind, and had perfect execution. They very much seemed like a family. Julien and Sasha were both amazing (as was everyone!). The food was wonderful - tasty and reasonably priced. We appreciated the expansive menu options and the recommendations the staff made (you can't go wrong with any options!). I appreciate a very consistent restaurant and this is one. Atmosphere is charming and cozy. Highly recommend - book a reservation... they are busy!

I think the food was authentic the portions are big you can definitely share if you want

Great local cuisine, the (very young) staff was friendly and very attentive.

The waiters were very, very friendly.

Absolutely incredible meal and service. My partner and I walked in randomly without a reservation and they were able to facilitate us having dinner. Everything was wonderful and we would recommend this to everyone! The stampot was delicious and the bottle of wine we had was very tasty.

A typical place to eat delicious Dutch cuisine. Highly recommended, with friendly and fast service and intense flavors. Excellent value, a must-visit on any visit to Amsterdam!

"Zwance" was good...now "Zucks" I'll let Gemini explain" The kitchen is coasting on its reputation...The restaurant has leaned heavily on kickbacks to hotels...enough said. Go elsewhere.

We had a reservation for 18:30 and arrived slightly late at 18:37. Upon arrival, the manager informed us that our table had already been given away. This felt unreasonable, most restaurants allow at least a short grace period for minor delays. We were told they’ve had issues with no-shows recently, but if that’s the case, their reservation policy clearly needs rethinking. We were then asked to wait at the bar for about 10 minutes. During that time, no menus were offered, and we were largely ignored. It would have been helpful if the staff had let us browse the menu while we waited. Only shortly before being seated did the lady working at the bar finally ask if we wanted drinks, still without providing menus. Once seated, service remained slow. It took quite a while before our order was taken. We ordered the beef stew and the chicken pot. Portions were generous, but the food itself was underwhelming, more like basic canteen food. Also, the manager repeatedly shouted orders across our table (which was right next to the bar) during our meal which created an uncomfortable atmosphere. Overall, the experience was disappointing from start to finish. In hindsight, it would have been better if they had simply declined to seat us instead of making us wait for below average food and poor service.