The Fat Pelican in Binnenstad-Noord

Had a delicious meal and a nice glass of Guinness on the terrace. The menu on offer is top-notch! The quality is good. The staff is friendly. Keep up the good work!

The food was good. The waiter was super nice, friendly and attentive. The price was right.

Leiden’s 3 October celebrations are not so much an event as a full-scale city takeover and this year, we decided to join the invasion. The entire centre was alive with music, markets, cafés, bars and a fairground. Everywhere we turned, Leiden seemed determined to prove that staying at home was simply not an option. The crowds were enormous, but the atmosphere was wonderfully cheerful. Finding a terrace table, however, required the patience of a saint, the reflexes of a goalkeeper and possibly a small military operation. Drinks and fairground rides came with prices that could only be described as optimistic. Still, you were there, you were part of the spectacle, and apparently that was the important thing. Since herring, white bread and hutspot are not exactly our idea of a festive feast, we eventually found ourselves at the Fat Pelican. It turned out to be an excellent escape from the chaos, with a pleasant terrace out front and a cosy interior inside. The restaurant was busy, so there was a fair amount of time between the drinks, starter and main course. Fortunately, the food made the wait entirely forgivable. The portions were generous, everything was delicious and the prices were refreshingly reasonable. This is not French fine dining — and, frankly, that would have been rather out of place — but a warm, honest and satisfying pub-style menu. The Fat Pelican may not save you from the crowds, the noise or the cost of the fairground, but it will feed you well while you’re enjoying all three. A thoroughly enjoyable stop in the middle of Leiden’s glorious annual madness. Highly recommended.

The all you can eat chicken is a killer and apart from the offer the chicken is really good and flavourful

First time here via a Social Deal. The welcome was very friendly. The place looks very nice and has a pleasant atmosphere. The waitstaff also deserve a compliment. The food was really very good; we will definitely be back here!

I ate here twice And I had all-you-can-eat chicken. The Asian chicken is highly recommended, it is really delicious The Spicy chicken is really very hot and impossible for me to handle The staff is super friendly I will definitely come back here again

I have been to The Fat Pelican a few times now and have actually always had a good experience. Cozy, down-to-earth, and relaxed, with super friendly staff. You can get tasty and affordable food there, and in the summer they have a lovely terrace where you can just drop by for a beer or a bite to eat. Just a really nice spot in Leiden.

Drink with flammkuchen. The latter was nothing special. The chicken was unfortunately very dry. Friendly staff.

Stap avond 🤪 Leiden I love ❤️ the city 😎

Indeed the best bird in town. Very delicious. Staff is very friendly.

Not very tasty, very dry chicken in three varieties. So-called French free-range chicken, but I think those chickens probably have too many flying hours because it wasn't very good. Reasonably priced, but the average snack bar can do better.

This place has become a regular stop for me whenever I'm in Leiden for work. Going there for a burger with my colleagues has almost become a tradition! The burgers are always delicious, the food is consistently good, and there is a great selection of beers to go with it. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, making it the perfect place to unwind after a day of work and enjoy some good food with colleagues. The staff is always friendly and the whole place has a nice, laid-back vibe. Definitely one of my go-to spots in Leiden. Looking forward to my next visit!

Very good place to enjoy beer and chicken with some friends!

Had a nice drink. I was a bit early, 10 minutes, it wasn't open yet, but we weren't allowed to sit on the terrace for a bit, which I thought was a real shame.

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. The staff was so mean. It felt like we had to wait a century for our food. I would never come back, and I cannot recommend this place to anyone. If you value honest service, stay away from this restaurant

The worst experience you can ever have here. The service was terrible, and the waitress was mean and rude. They didn't train their staff properly to explain things to customers in advance and expect them to understand after you've already had your food. When my friend and I tried to communicate with her, she ignored us and spoke to her Dutch colleague as if we weren't there. She said the rules are on their website and we should read them before we came in. Hello?? I'm sorry, Karen, but since customers should learn a whole lesson before coming to your place? By the way, apparently according to her, people who order "cheap" food are taking advantage of them. Shame on you. Will never come and will tell people not to come as well. We waited quite a while after we sat down before someone came to take our order. We ordered a rib dish and an unlimited roast chicken. We asked beforehand how to order the unlimited chicken, and the male waiter just said we could order multiple rounds. He didn't say anything else. After we ordered and the food arrived, they told us that the roast chicken couldn't be shared. But the two of us girls can't eat much anyway, so my friend gave me two pieces of her ribs, and I exchanged mine with her. Clearly, this "violated the rules." When we finished our plates, no waiter came to ask if we wanted anything else, so I went to ask if we could order another round. The male waiter said he could come right away. But obviously, he didn't order for us; instead, he hid and found a female waiter who looked like a manager. This waitress said that since I gave my roast chicken to my friend, I didn't have the right to order a second round. She also said that the rules were on their website, and we should have read them before coming. She said we lacked common sense. First, why didn't your male waiter make this clear before we ordered? Second, you said that you had to order a drink with the roast chicken; why didn't you inform us beforehand? You said this unlimited roast chicken is cheap and you don't make a profit, so why put this dish on the menu? Are you trying to do charity? Since you're advertising a cheap meal, don't try to charge us both, as if we're taking advantage of you. We're just two girls, we can't eat that much. We didn't just order one roast chicken; we also ordered ribs, which were more expensive than the chicken. We weren't sharing a roast chicken; if that were the case, I wouldn't have anything to say. But the fact is, we were simply exchanging food. I don't understand why that's considered taking advantage of your restaurant? It's like we can't afford a meal. My friend was full, but I wanted some more, so was it wrong for me to ask for a second serving? Besides, we waited for the waiter to come and ask after we finished eating, but no one came. I guess this is another of your restaurant's "rules"? Deliberately delaying customers from ordering more, afraid they'll eat all your chicken. When I finally found the waitress, I told her this was the second and last round, and we would pay the bill after we finished. But this waitress treated us like we were going to bankrupt the restaurant; she was incredibly rude to us. I've never seen a business like yours that can't take a fair chance. Terrible attitude, awful service—who would want to eat here? And you keep trying to twist the facts, saying we got a good deal, when all we ate was half a roast chicken. It's utterly ridiculous! 👎🏼 Again, if we only order one roasted chicken and only eat this dish, it's called "to SHARE". However, if we order two dishes separately, and I have one of my friend's food and she has one of mine, it's called "to EXCHNAGE," which is NOT taking advantage of your restaurant. If you can't understand the difference, you shouldn't open your restaurant. I don't see anything wrong here, and I'm against your "rules." Don't act like you're lecturing your customers; it's so unprofessional and lame.

Wife and I went there for a date. Seating outside was perfect, plenty of space. Plenty of drink options especially the beer choices. Wife had the nachos, asked for no onions but arrived with them-they gladly remade them, they were good. I wanted fish & chips, they were out…but our server recommended the wiener schnitzel and it was very tasty. Sophie was an excellent server! We will definitely be back. Highly recommended!

I had a two-course dinner via Social Deal. The selection was fine. When ordering a Paloma (mocktail), I received a cocktail called PINK Paloma. I definitely did not order that. The shrimp were tasty. The buns were tasty. The schnitzel with cranberry was good. The Fratty burger was fine, but a bit bland. The fish and chips... was also bland and undercooked. So I sent that one back.

UPDATE: So we went back to try the food. Found it average Dutch food. Chucked was from the rotisserie with sauce doused over it. Chicken burger was dry and hard to eat with little or no taste. Sweet potato fries were oily but nice. After seeing the adverts we decided to take our friend there. It was almost 21.30 and they refused service while the staff was cleaning and few sitting outside drinking. Extremely disappointed because the advertised time said it closes at 23.00.

The food was pretty good but took absolutely forever to come out (I think it was close to 90 minutes). We asked the waiter for water three times over that period, and he said, "Okay," but none ever came.

A relaxed and laid-back bar atmosphere with music that wasn't too loud. The food was delicious and the service was excellent and friendly. The grilled chicken was juicy, tender, and well-seasoned. There was a wide selection of beers and tasty cocktails. The clientele was a mix of ages. It was a lovely evening.

Staff was friendly food was good but it took a long time to get to the table no joke over 1 hour. The place did seem a little crowded kitchen must been slammed with orders waiter could been more attentive and updated us with the status of our meals and we had to flag waiter down for drinks few times. Besides that place has a great vibes.

The food was delicious, the atmosphere and service were also top-notch, but air conditioning would have been nice.

If you want to spend some time with no one around, without any worries, then come here to this little spot; it is the perfect place for you.

We had a great evening here, with delicious and affordable food and friendly service.

Nice restaurant, simple but tasty dishes and a wide selection of beers.

Service was good, food tasty. Booked via Social Deal, everything was well arranged, only we thought we had already paid in advance. We did point this out, so the bill ended up being a bit higher, but it was worth it. Honesty is the best policy.

Lovely place with an amazing selection of beer and great seats outside. The people working there were also very sweet and friendly.

Pleasant service, good beer and food👍

Mixed attendance, although clearly aimed at students (as well). Prompt and friendly service. The menu is typical Dutch (satay, ribs, burger, chicken, plus something meat, a fish, and a vegetarian). However, slightly more reasonably priced than in the city center.

Found this place via Social Deal. We were served an excellent 2-course menu. Deliciously tender and tasty Korean ribs paired with kimchi. Good selection of beers. Nicely decorated place, fits the theme well.

Nice promotion with unlimited chicken for 15 euros. Surprisingly large beer menu and a lovely spot in the sun. The terrace has quite a lot of atmosphere despite the busy road next door, because you are sitting a bit sheltered. I would definitely come back here again.

A lively restaurant that's not just for young people. Very good and reasonably priced food. Highly recommended.

We went here for dinner spontaneously today. Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by two staff members. We opted for the all-you-can-eat chicken menu (€15 p.p.) and, on the waiter's recommendation, ordered a bottle of rosé. The service was attentive and hospitable, the rosé was excellent, and the side dishes available separately were also of good quality. Unfortunately, the most important part of the concept—the chicken—was a disappointment. The Classic variant lacked flavor, and the chicken breast was noticeably dry. For the second round, we chose the Oriental variant, but there too, the chicken was prepared dry. The sauce added a little more flavor but could not compensate for the quality of the main product. For a restaurant that specifically positions itself around chicken, one might expect this aspect to be executed above average. In our case, unfortunately, that was not the case. The positive rating is therefore largely due to the friendly service, the good rosé, and the well-presented side dishes. Without those points, the rating would have been significantly lower.

Friendly staff, tasty food, and there are nice options, such as a beer tasting and all-you-can-eat chicken. The spicy chicken is really *very* spicy 🔥 But that is not a complaint.

Had a delicious meal in a relaxed atmosphere.

The food was fine, but we had to wait 2.5 hours for our food yesterday, which is really not normal. The staff is very unprofessional; no apology was offered for the long wait, and we had to signal a waiter ourselves the whole time to take our order because no one paid any attention to us. It is a real shame because the food was fine, but I will definitely never come here again.

Everything was great, except the toilet area which definitely needs improvement. The service was very fast and friendly.

Nice place, the food is AMAZING but VERY spicy and the service was very slow

Delicious food, fun atmosphere, friendly service. A perfect lunch!

Bizarre wait for the main course; two waitresses who told us twice that our food was on its way. There were people arriving after us who were able to leave with full stomachs while we were still waiting for our main course. It didn't arrive; only when a male waiter came did our food finally arrive, after waiting an hour following our starter. Not even compensation for this, just an apology. Next to him was the person who had shocked me into discovering that a salad with a burger costs an extra euro and fifty cents, while fries with chicken were free. The food was certainly not worth the wait; the starter was quite delicious, but I only waited a short ten minutes for that. Better service can be found at a fast-food joint; at least there they compensate for late delivery.

I am really angry! 😡 With a group of 4 people, we ordered UNLIMITED chicken on a Tuesday evening. You expect to be able to eat UNLIMITED chicken then. I ate a bit less all day so I could gorge on chicken tonight with this lovely group. But oh no, after 2.5 hours and having eaten only 1 chicken, you are suddenly told that they have run out of chicken. Well, maybe that can happen. That is basically their problem, not mine. You made a miscalculation. Why do I suddenly have to stop then? We asked if they had an alternative for us. No, actually not. You could wait another whole hour so they could roast another raw chicken, but well, you understand, of course, that no one is going to take that deal. Really?! You should have offered a good alternative, like a free dessert or something. You offer UNLIMITED chicken. Then make sure you have enough. A "Yes, sorry" is of no use to us. So, a few members of the group went home still feeling a bit hungry. Man, oh man, a little service could really have made the difference here, but as it is, we just didn't leave the place happy.

The unlimited chicken is tasty and not dry, but after 1 chicken per person, the unlimited chicken was gone. It was busier than expected on a Tuesday evening, and I can understand that, but still, it is not my problem. Unlimited chicken should be unlimited. I will never come back here.

My wife and I love this place, our #1 go-to in Leiden. First time was there with my son as well, very nice to be recognized and welcomed back!! Cannot say enough about the great and friendly service. Ribs are awesome too. Much love from Canada! Cheers

Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff. Good food. Drinks on a nice terrace. I would definitely recommend this place!

Super for drinks, if it is really busy sometimes the kitchen has trouble keeping up with demand.

The croquette and the snitzel mushroom sauce were delicious, definitely recommended ! The nachos was ok but nothing spectacular. The service was very good and the waiter very nice to us. We visited the restaurant on a Sunday for lunch, the place was very quiet.

Tasty chicken and that's what I came for but variable service, more often slow than fast and unfortunately a noisy group of young men.

Nice place, but the service was nonexistent, cold, and slow!!! The all-you-can-eat concept was nice, but it was pointless because after choosing it, the second round didn't have any chicken, so there was no choice. It was all so strange... The food arrived incredibly slowly, and if you wanted a drink, you had to get up to get the waiter's attention, who was busy on the phone... a real shame, because it had so much potential!!!

Fast service and friendly staff

Delicious food, friendly staff I just ate there, and the food was delicious. The staff are friendly and helpful. They also gave good advice on which beer would be best for me. I had the three-course menu, and you'll definitely be full after dessert. They're generous with their food, and the food is delicious. The atmosphere is also cozy. It's nicely decorated and has pleasant music in the background. I definitely recommend going there. It's in an easily accessible location. The bus stop is almost next door and is very busy. It's also easy to combine with shopping and then having a meal there.

If you're looking for a break from the hustle and bustle, you can enjoy a delicious meal at The Fat Pelican. Their cheesecake is highly recommended.

We went to dinner with some friends last week. We arrived without a reservation, which wasn't a problem that evening! Delicious beers and delicious food! The portions could have been a bit bigger, because this pelican doesn't get fat on those portions ;) All in all, highly recommended, and I'll definitely be back.

A cozy restaurant with an excellent menu. The staff is very friendly.

So nice, all those restaurants in Leiden. The food wasn't great, but I think the interior is cozy and the staff is very friendly. I had a Social Deal (2-course menu). The price/quality is reasonable.

Didn't try the food, just had chilling time after a walk around the center of Leiden. Great spots, and warm staff.

Very nice place to enjoy a beer and wat something tasty. The people working there were polite and friendly too.

Delicious food for a reasonable price

It was very quiet; we were the only ones there. But we received excellent service, and even though we were the only ones there, we were comfortable.

We had a delicious 3-course dinner with 8 people on October 25th through a social deal. It was, in a word, FANTASTIC. The friendly staff were simply fantastic. Greetings from the people of Brabant.

I was referred to this restaurant by a friend, so I decided to check out their website. It looked great and the prices were reasonable. So, I made a reservation for four people four days in advance. A day later, more family members wanted to join us for dinner. One of us saw on the website that they served a Sunday Roast. I called the restaurant to see if we could change the reservation to eight and then all come and have the Sunday Roast. It's nice to have everyone sharing the same dish at the table with the family. Fortunately, this was possible, and I was told I would receive a confirmation email. We arrived at the restaurant at 6:00 PM. The door opened into a hallway where the restrooms were located. Two swing doors later, we entered the restaurant. The restaurant wasn't even half full; it seemed like a quiet evening, with plenty of tables available. We were seated at a table for eight right next to the swing doors. There were plenty of other tables available elsewhere in the restaurant. Not the most pleasant place to sit. Swinging doors constantly opening and closing, from people using the restroom and people coming in or out. There's also quite a draft there, with the constant cold wind on your neck from the swinging doors being unpleasant. The waitress was incredibly friendly and came to take our drinks orders and bring us the menu. We immediately explained that we'd mentioned in our reservation that we'd come for the Sunday Roast, so a menu wasn't necessary. The waitress briefly stepped back and then returned to tell us that the reservation hadn't been processed correctly and that the Sunday Roast was still available for five people. It's a shame, it happens. Three women would order something else, so we took a look at the menu anyway. Within five minutes, however, the waitress returned to tell us she'd made a mistake and that the Sunday Roast was only available for three people. It's a shame, but unfortunately. Okay, that does dampen the joy of everyone eating the same thing, but we're going to make it a fun evening, so we all order something, and three of us opt for the "Sunday Roast"—two roast beef and one pork belly. Because we have to wait a while for the food to arrive, we order a snack. At 7:20 PM, we've been sitting in the restaurant for almost an hour and a half, still not eating. We ask how things are going and if the food is coming yet. The waitress goes to the kitchen, checks, and comes back with the message: 10 more minutes. At 7:40 PM, 20 minutes later, we ask again, and the waitress goes back to the kitchen, and I follow along. It turns out they haven't even started preparing the food yet and it will take another 10 to 15 minutes. And... Oh yeah, we only have one roast beef left at the "Sunday Roast," can you please choose something else? Unfortunately, our confidence was gone by now, and we left the restaurant at 7:50 PM without having eaten anything. There you are, eight people outside at 8:00 PM with no food. We immediately called Loetje, and they were happy to help. Steak, fries, and salad were on the table within 15 minutes. And after explaining what had gone wrong that evening, we even got a free cup of coffee from Loetje!! Now that's service. Before leaving, I asked The Fat Pelican if the manager was present. Unfortunately, he wasn't. I did get a call, and of course, I called him. Unfortunately, she couldn't do anything for us and was very sorry about the situation. She said she would get back to us. I wonder when? Indeed, the manager contacted us in writing, apologized, and we didn't have to pay for the few drinks we consumed that evening. In any case, it is clear that we will not be coming back here again any time soon.

The carpaccio and the roast chicken were really delicious!

Nice staff, good food, it was cozy

Always nice to have a drink or something to eat!

I went there around 2pm, and there weren't many people there, just people drinking beer and chatting. The service was very attentive and friendly, and the pork ribs and roast chicken were delicious! It's just under 20 minutes' walk from Leiden Central Station, so I highly recommend giving it a try.

Very good food, great range of beers.

Fat Pelican is really good restaurant! The food is simply amazing! Love those Korean spice vibes. The variety of tap beers is very good, and the desserts are just as outstanding as the main dishes. On top of that, the service is warm and attentive. Highly recommend!

We sat on the terrace in lovely weather, and the service was fast and friendly! Drinks were provided, and the food wasn't exceptional, but everything was tasty and fresh. My salad was good, but perhaps, for a salad, it should have had a little tomato, etc....? It was a pleasant lunch.

A wide range of beer choices. Got a very nice sour beer that is not even listed on the menu! The Korean ribs really made my day!

Great place for a good budget meal. You can sit outside. The cheesecake for dessert is highly recommended.

It took 40 minutes only for the waiter to show up and then another 2 hours for the food and drinks to show up. And the place wasn’t even packed….

Nice atmosphere and good food. The Gamba’s Pil Pil is especially delicious!

The chicken and Korean ribs are to die for 🙂‍↕️ but other dishes aren’t just okay… amazing place with a great vibe

A super cute place with a lovely terrace. They had some great, tasty beers on the menu, and the food was really good too. Highly recommended!

Cozy place. Very friendly staff. For example, I asked for sunscreen on the terrace and they asked me what brand and SPF I wanted! Absolutely fantastic! I had the grilled chicken; it was delicious!

Had a drink and a bite to eat here this afternoon. Friendly staff, good service for a reasonable price. Keep up the good work! Top 👍🏼 until next time. 😁😁

A lovely atmospheric restaurant. Small menu but good quality. The service was remarkably positive, patient, and friendly. I really enjoyed the red potato fries. I recommend the Pelican!

This is really recommended! Nice terrace! The food is delicious, good beers. And the service is really great. A lot of restaurants can take an example from this.

I had a crispy chicken burger, but it wasn’t crispy at all. It was extremely dry and very plain. The price-performance ratio was really poor.

Had a nice lunch, service was friendly and fast. Definitely recommended!

Had a nice meal on the terrace, nice menu. Nice beers. Nice staff.

Good portions, friendly staff, great beer selection.

We stopped for a drink and a snack. We ordered some snacks and beers. Everything went very smoothly. The seats were nicely decorated and we had a view of the open kitchen.

A super nice restaurant in Leinden!!! We were here with social deal for a 3 course menu! You can eat super delicious food here, and the staff is super friendly and civilized. In short, for a nice bite to eat in the evening, this is the ideal place.

Drink and snack on the terrace was fine. Terrace is on a busy road which means there is less atmosphere

Had a nice meal outside after an afternoon in Leiden. Dishes came quickly, were tasty, only point of criticism: the spare ribs, which were a bit on the dry side.

Enjoyed a nice cup of cappuccino in the sun.

Took really long. We had a 3 course menu via social deal, we were there for almost 3 hours. Service was arrogant and never came by. That's probably why it's on social deal

This is a nice place to eat in Leiden. It can be a bit pricey but the food is great and there are a lot of options for drinks. The atmosphere is nice and allows for a nice dinner to catch up with friends.

Delicious Dame Blanche. The chocolate sauce is like a melted bar. Nice staff

Bubbled O.a. limoncello spritz, it contains WAY TOO MANY ice blocks. You want to taste limoncello instead of water

Delicious food and the service is really great! The atmosphere is also very nice and quiet. Definitely recommended!

Had dinner here via Social deal. The food is super tasty and you get a good quantity too. Apart from the fact that the staff sometimes forgot something or mixed things up, this tent is definitely recommended! The chicken they are known for is also highly recommended. My advice would be to go for the classic one.

Food was very good, only complaint is probably we had a new waitress, but our orders were wrong, like three including fries, we got 2, ordered the oriental chicken, we got the classic one

Food was delicious. Both the starter and main course. Atmosphere was less than good. Also because we were there on a Monday evening. Although there were still a lot of people there.

Delicious food and drinks. Staff super friendly and super good chef.

Good food, good atmosphere and friendly service

Nice place to eat with a group. However, the wait staff often had to be called and several servers came to the table who were not aware of each other's orders. Arrangement is clear and simple, you know what to expect. This is appreciated if you are with a larger group. However, we would have liked to see the package menu again at the table so that the entire group was aware of the choices.

Fijne service. Hoofdgerecht erg lekker en mooie tapbiertjes. Dame blance lekker met chocoladesaus. Wij waren met kind en zij had ook lekker gesmuld.

Had a nice meal with my daughter. Friendly service.