Wau Malaysian Restaurant in Burgwallen-Oude Zijde

The soup was delicious, the rice was okay, the meat appetizers were average, the milk tea was delicious

Small but very welcoming restaurant. We ordered three dishes, and all three were excellent. They are spicy, though, as they warn on the menu. It's one of those places you go in with some doubts but leave very satisfied. I couldn't take any photos because my battery died. Completely unaccessible for people with reduced mobility.

Great place in the center of Amsterdam. We enjoyed a delicious lunch. Prices are reasonable.

Excellent service and delicious food. I highly recommend it.

Nice and cosy Malaysian restaurant. Great food, also Malaysian people eat here. Friendly service. Thank you!

Lovely restaurant, food was delicious, staff were very polite and friendly.

Nothing special here. The beef rendang is not authentic. It is tasty but it is simply not rendang. The food quality was better many (many) years ago. Nasi lemak is of average quality but the nasi is lemak, that is a plus. A toko around the area serves tastier and more authentic food. Thanks, nevertheless. And the first place ever i experienced a surcharge of ~5% on credit card usage!!!

We had a really nice lunch with typical Malaysian dishes. I recommend it.

Good restaurant with authentic Malay food.

Good food with enough portion to share 👌🏼

The best beef rendang I have ever eaten. They start with cava chips which are delicious as well, my husband has the nasi lemak wau which he devoured. Lovely personable service.

The best Malaysian restaurant ❤️ every year when i come to Amsterdam i must visit them and enjoy the authentic food experience

Their Nasi Lemak taste just as the one I tried in Kuala Lumpur. The rice seasoned very nice, maybe their used bunga telang also in it, the sambal is spicy as it should be with the hint on balacan. The peanut and achovies fried very crispry with boiled egg as well. Their cut cucumber adding the freshness and the cracker taste very nice. Try their friend chicken too, is an indulgence for your taste bud because its seasoned nicely and crispy. It also accompanied by tasty chilli sauce. We tried their nasi goreng too...as like the other menu it was made just as nice like the other. Our complement to the chef who made it. And their staff ia very friendly and informative.

We love Malaysian food and have lived in Malaysia so this review is authentic. I loved the place bery warm and cozy. Its easily reachable. We ordered Teh Tarik, Roti parantha, samosa and nasi lemak. The Teh Tarik is a bit different very rosey in flavour but i like the different taste. Funny thing is they serve Teh Tarik with Stroopwaffel. Samosas were okayish nothing too amazing. Roti Parantha was okayish as the daal has too much daal . Mostly I have seen boiled daal water but it was daal only. Maybe its a different variety but was good. Nasi lemak was nice the peanuts were different very similar to Malaysia ones. Overall the food is good and the vibe too.

Had a good lunch here at Wau Malaysian, the staffs were helpful and very kind! ⭐️

Authentic Malaysian food. I will recommend this if you like street food. Not you bougie restaurant.

I LOVED IT Super friendly staff!!

Staffs are diligent & good humored. Food was not as nice as I expected.

This place could easily rename themselves to Wow. I had nasi lemak, roti paratha and char kway teow. Everything was super tasty, the nasi lemak rich and with all the flavors without being too heavy, the roti paratha just the right combination of flaky and soft and crunchy. I will be back.

Lovely family run restaurant with delicious food!

Main courses were decent for people to experience Malaysian cuisine, sauce portion (e.g. sambal, peanut sauce, dhal curry) could have been bigger. The Teh Tarik was too diluted, barely any tea taste with mostly milk and rose flavouring. Desserts(not in picture) were way overcharged for the portion that was served. The dessert decorations were way more than the actual dessert for the Roti Kaya and Pisang Goreng. Overall a disappointing experience.

This is a really sweet little place and the food is pretty good! Malay classics are there, done simply and well. Service is best described as welcoming and kind. Good array of drinks. Great options for vegetarians, vegans and gluten avoiders.

The ambiance is simple, with a cozy Malaysian basement feel. The food is very authentic (the teh tarik and nasi lemak biasa taste like they do in KL) and reasonably priced, which is unfortunately rare in the otherwise (now sometimes overly) expensive Amsterdam. The service is very friendly and relaxed. Street cinema is included—you sit on a very busy alley, yet still quiet. The only thing I missed on the menu: curry puffs and kueh hijauh. Highly recommended!

First time in more than 20 yrs I’m disappointed with the taste of Wau’s food! Nasi goreng was way too oily, the fried kueh tiaw have more fish cakes than kuih tiaw and the teh Tarek was no way near teh Tarek taste …. Please make it better and taste Malaysian again! The interior deco could be improved to have more Malaysian look, even just by putting photographs of Malaysian iconic buildings or popular touristic landmarks or hanging some of Malaysian Batek fabrics! There’s just so many to choose from! Make it more Malaysian if you call it a Malaysian restaurant, pls

There are 2 Malaysian restaurants in Amsterdam — this is the better one. Confirmed authentic flavours by someone who lived in Malaysia. Chinese Malaysian boy helping with takeout orders was very sweet and diligent. Just wish all the dishes were available to order on Thuisbezorgd, or it was easier to order over the phone ;) Cozy looking atmosphere, will definitely be back to dine in.

We tried Nasi Lemak and Chicken Curry, both are so so.

Amazing Malay food, dishes are tasty and comforting flavors! Small set up but cosy. Really good prices. Can recommend the Nasi Lemak and the satay, take a mix, it wont disappoint!

Very good time and delicious meal

If you ask any Malaysian what the country’s national dish is, they’ll likely say Nasi Lemak. In Malaysia, it’s the Swiss Army knife of meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner – all in one. It can be the humble version wrapped in banana leaf for pocket change, or the “premium” plate with fried chicken or slow-cooked beef rendang. It’s a deceptively simple dish with endless pairing possibilities. WAU’s take came with “curry” chicken – so-called because, sadly, it didn’t taste remotely like curry. The anchovies (ikan bilis), as many Malaysian reviewers have lamented, were hard and stubbornly chewy – a clear sign they skipped the soaking and cleaning step and went straight from packet to wok. The coconut rice, while not as fragrant as the real deal back home, was the lone saving grace. The Teh Tarik Ice? Another letdown. Authentic Teh Tarik – literally “pulled tea” in Malay – is poured back and forth between jugs from a height to create a rich, creamy foam. WAU’s version was neither foamy nor full-bodied; instead, it was thin, watery, and utterly lacking the nostalgic punch Malaysians crave. To be fair, I didn’t try their other dishes, so my opinion is strictly based on what I had. That said, when the national dish and the national drink both miss the mark, it’s hard to recommend – especially at this price point – to anyone with a discerning Malaysian palate.

Decent portions and price. Excellent taste. Conversation provoking decor. Tasty coffee mints with bill. Service slow but friendly. Highly recommend!

I was truly impressed during my first visit and just had to come back. The food is incredibly delicious and authentically prepared. The staff is warm and welcoming, making you feel right at home. The prices are absolutely fair. Looking forward to next time! 🫶🏽🥰

A great find. Small restaurant in Chinatown. A wide selection of dishes, from mildly spicy to very hot. The servers are very friendly and speak English.

Tried the Nasi Lemak, tasted authentic but portion was quite small for the price/ ratio.

Super fresh food Great location

People were very friendly, the food had a lot of flavor, portions were appropriate. The atmosphere was with malaysian decoration. In All the dishes indicates how much spicy they are. I would go again

The food is absolutely delicious! While it doesn’t taste exactly like authentic Malaysian cuisine—understandably, given the different ingredients available here—the dishes are still bursting with flavour. The use of Dutch ingredients adds a unique and tasty twist that makes the experience thoroughly enjoyable.

Nasi lemak sambal was overly acidic, the coconut rice sadly didn't have much flavour nor did the side dishes. Roti paratha had a good texture but curry was a bit plain

Good food. I had the chicken and beef satay with the beef curry, which was tasty.

Lovely, friendly, welcoming and down to earth staff. They were very accomodating and I could not have asked for more. I ordered the nasi lemak with fried chicken and it was all so flavourful, hearty and the fried chicken was so crispy - what more can you ask for?! I would love to come back and I would also recommend this place to to others!

The beef rendang was very good. You should order it separately, rather than the corresponding three-course meal, because it's not quite identical, and the latter stays hot due to the hot stone slab, whereas the platter-served meal cools quickly.

Atmosphere was amazing, staff really friendly. Best authentic Malay food I've had, got the Beef Rendang it was so succulent. Definitely will come back when I visit Amsterdam again

Intrigued to try the milk tea and also grilled Satay. Liked the interior decors and the waitress was friendly to us. The veggie cracker was very nice so we enjoyed that very much. Not too sure what type of tea leafs used to make the milk tea(Teh Tarik) but definitely very different. The satay is lacking the essential spices although the meat was tender. Perhaps the food was tweaked to the local liking but it’s definitely very different from the authentic Malaysian taste.

Food didn’t taste authentic. It was a bit of a let down. Not the same taste we had in KL. Not sure if it’s the availability of the ingredients or the taste is tailored to the locals.

1st time came here with a group of friends. Ordered Nasi Lemak, Chicken Curry with plain rice and Omelette (not in menu). It is tasteless and no feel at all. The nasi lemak and sambal didn't taste like nasi lemak at all. The only consolation were the ground peanut, anchovies and cucumber which tasted fresh and crunchy. The chicken curry didn't taste any curry at all and very watery. It was chicken cooked with sprout, very rare combination. The best was only the Omelette. Generally, the foods not Malaysian's. However fried rice and curry laksa ordered by friend looked delicious (but didn't try it). But I guess all these have evolved to accommodate the local taste and preference so personal comments here may not be relevant. The services were good, thanks to young lady taking the order and serve. The place atmosphere and ambient were nice with Malaysia decorations and antique. Pricewise was reasonable reflected by the location, food type and tourist centre.

Good restaurant to experience Malaysian cuisine. Be aware about the price in the menu and what you are paying, I got an extra amount. Also the asked for a tip instead of waiting for it.

Following the overall positive recommendations, we decided to visit this restaurant. The service was not great at all, and the food was extremely below average. Overall disappointing 😞

About 30 euros each, fast service, excellent food cooked to order!

Friendly service and the food is tasty too. Suggest to make reservation for weekends or holidays. Can be very busy during dinner.

This places serves authentic Malay cuisine and their deep fired chicken wings were amazing. The wings were crispy and crunchy at the same time on the surface, while once you bite in the juicy of the meat leaks in between your teeth. The chicken wings meat was very tender and the flavors were marinated to the bone, that I didn’t even need extra dip sauce. The laksa noodle soup was ok, nothing special but it was good to have in Europe.

Excellent food and service, waiter also attentive to dietary requirements. Would recommend.

Great deco and amazing ambience with Malaysian elements plastered across the hall. The food is on the expensive side for its mediocre taste (from a Malaysian palette) and we had to pay extra (almost €6 from a total bill of around €90) just because we used a card instead of cash, which the manager couldn’t explain the charges.

Really tasty food! We had the chicken curry with rice and nasi lemak. Both were delicious and enjoyable!

The ambience was pleasant; however, I found the food and drinks underwhelming. The teh tarik was diluted, and I was unable to finish it. While the food was decent, it seemed more tailored to local preferences. Having grown up in Malaysia, I found it did not meet the standard I am accustomed to. From a critical perspective, the pricing is understandable given the city-center location. However, considering my experience with the food, I did not find it justified.

The ambience was good however the waiter ( Indian guy ) was not friendly at all . Don’t even greet or welcome the customer . Not Dutch standard at all! I’m from Malaysia and the food is okayish! Met the owner Chinese guy from SG.

🇲🇾 First time Malaysian food siuuuu!! Was very tasty. Cozy spot on the sea wall and you get good portions! You don't go out on an empty stomach 🤠 whoohoo

We didn’t have any special expectations, but the food was very tasty. We ordered without really understanding what we were ordering, but even the children ate everything. Be careful, there are a lot of savory (spicy) dishes

The staff need to learn Never to make a hungry person angry. We were looking for wau restaurant base on their review. We were turned away rudely. Malaysian hospitality really? It’s not about waiting, it’s how you answer no matter how good your food. Being polite is a good start.

Excellent restaurant with a wide vegan offering! We tried three VG dishes, all delicious. The atmosphere is pleasant, the service is top notch, and as a bonus, they kindly kept my forgotten bag. Thanks again!

Really sad to write this review. We came here last August and it was absolutely wonderful, we enjoyed our meal so much we made a special trip to Chinatown just to eat here again this weekend. We both ordered the same dishes we had last time (one vegan and one chicken) and this time they were both disgusting! The potatoes and mushrooms tasted like soil, it was really oily and very bland. The chicken dish was dry and not even heated properly. Absolutely nothing like the meal we had last year. When the waiter cleared our plates away, he could clearly see that barely anything had been eaten and didn't question it. I'm not sure what's changed here, but whatever it is, it's not good.

Got the beef rendang with rice and it was packed with flavour and beef was cooked to perfection, just like the one from back home.

The chicken rendang deserves to be Michelin rated 100% it is a luxurious meal! I spent 6 weeks in Amsterdam and this is by far my favorite restaurant and meal.

Good selection of Malaysian food (mostly Malay dishes). Nasi lemak was pretty satisfying - it came with very good sambal and aromatic rice but the curry chicken was a bit cold. Satays were just average and lacked enough marination. Peanut sauce also lacked the kick. Portions were small for the price. Service was fast and friendly.

Reasonable price. Don't compare meals in Malaysia..

Very tasty food and nice staff!

The food and drinks look nice. But to be honest, the food we had (kari ayam & nasi lemak) didn’t taste like Malaysian cuisine at all, as a Malaysian 🙂. The rice for the nasi lemak at least have a 'lemak' taste , with the richness of coconut milk and/or pandan. The chicken curry soup taste so different.

superbbb!!! Nice owner nice food everythings awesome..Very kindful owner and even provide us space for prayer..recommended restaurant to eat!

The ambience was nice. Service was good. Atmosphere was great. Hard to get a reservation. Coming to the food, I would have to differ with majority of the reviews I came across for this restaurant. It is not the best representation of Malay Cuisine in terms of Taste. Portion sizes were too small for the price. The side pickles need a lot of refinement. The dal which was served with the Paratha was a complete let down. They had a peanut sauce on one of the dishes that we ordered and that was the only thing we liked about that dish.

Very good Malaysian family restaurant, the dishes are authentic, the service is impeccable again

This restaurant is a must-visit when in Amsterdam! The interior is charming and authentic, perfectly reflecting the atmosphere of malaysia. The food and service are equally impressive. We opted for vegetarian dishes, which were not only delicious but also thoughtfully prepared. Highly recommended!

I ordered the Nasi Lemak and it was delicious. The rice was fragrant, the chilli was good but not spicy enough for me. Overall worth it!

Unfriendly service i must say. This is my 1st and last.

First - come here. Food is pretty legit. It scratches that itch of authentic food. Couple of comments though. Limao is damn nice. Order this. DO NOT order the teh tarik. It really cannot make it. Wrong type of tea, not gao enough, not sweet enough. Tastes kinda like milk tea instead… The beef rendang is nice enough, a bit heavy on the coconut milk and not enough spicy flavour but it still had a nice taste and it was pretty tender. It’s not the usual beef rendang you see around - kind of more like a curry. The nasi lemak was really nice. The rice was fragrant and it came with all the fixings. The only downside side about it was the sambal was a bit on the sweet side instead of having that spicy kick, but that’s probably to cater to local tastes. Would be nice to have the option for the real deal though. I saw another table that ordered a nasi goreng and that had peas in it (which was funny…), but I can’t speak to the taste. Overall, yummy food! Could use a little tweaks here and there to make it top tier.

Food was ok but the service was very bad.

The restaurant itself is nice and cozy and they have a good menu. However I personally find it to be expensive for the serving size. It is good as everything is halal. But quality and taste is just ok. Just a note that their dinner service starts from 5pm (I did not see a note anywhere that they are closed before 5pm). We arrived at 4pm and they asked as to come back.

We loved it. It was spicy but not overwhelming. The staff was super nice.

Delicious food, both really enjoyed it. The vegetarian options here are great. Very friendly people too.

Bland (and cold!) food, unfriendly service, ungenerous portions (we did get a basket of chips on the house), even the samosas were on the light side. Wau on Zeejdik checks all the boxes for the low end of tourist traps

I thought when visiting Amsterdam I’d eat Dutch food but I landed on Malaysian and I’m so glad I did. The coconut chicken noodle soup was perfectly satisfying. The chicken rendang was tender and flavorful. The coconut ice cream came with the lunch special and was a nice finish.

We got the set 3 course meal And the laksa Hearty lovely meal Thank you!

Delicious food where you can really taste homemade.

Nice place. Very authentic. Owned by malaysians

A little restaurant on an alley near De Wallen. The nearby area doesn’t give off family friendly vibes, understandably so, but it’s not dangerous. We encountered a guy talking to himself while picking out cigarette butts in the canal flowerpots but that was it. Service was…cold. Waiter wasn’t very chatty, with an upside down smile plastered on his face. Dude you’re a front-facing worker, at least put on a show for us, some kind words or something. It doesn’t take much. Anyways. The food. I had nasi lemak Wau and she, a nasi goreng(spicy on request). Kopi susu and teh tarik for drinks. Nasi lemak was pretty mid. The pea flower blue rice was a nice visual twist, but it’s not very milky. Sambal and rendang was okay. Nasi goreng was not spicy sadly, and was instead bland and salty. The teh tarik was fragrant with something, like rose, maybe the barista’s personal twist but I didn’t like it. Kopi was closer to what they served back home. Yes we do have that pool of condensed sweet milk at the bottom, you just stir up what you need and leave the rest. Prices were slightly more expensive than neighboring restaurants(my nasi lemak was €21). Did it scratch my itch for Malaysian food? If scratching with a feather counts, yeah sure. It’s gonna be a one and done for me.

My family and I went here for (early) dinner. The foods were top notch, loved them, drinks as well. I personally had Nasi Lemak Wau and hot Teh Tarik, and I was satisfied. Despite the good food, unfortunately the service wasn't very good. No smile, barely any gentle communication - specifically from one of the servers. Thankfully the other server was more cheerful. It would be better if that aspect is to be improved. The major reason of the high rating because we were happy with the menu we ordered. The food makes me want to come back!

Food was ok - I wasn’t super impressed by the flavor, but I could eat there again.

We are from Singapore, next door to Malaysia. Food taste is no where close to Malaysia cuisine. Star ratings given by my 3 dining mates.

Had dinner at this Malaysian restaurant tonight .. WAU NASI LEMAK.. food not really tasty .. one of the waiter very serious face .. not even smile to customer .. please improve your PR service with customer .. and please welcome customer with smile .. will never go back to this restaurant .. not worth it ..

Pretty small, cramped and old unit. Food was just okay - closest we can find for malay food. Kept forgetting our order.

The restaurant is located in the old town of Amsterdam and is very inconspicuous from the outside and relatively small. We were lucky that we got a place without a reservation. The food was excellent, but unfortunately the service was not. The man didn't smile when serving you and didn't even ask if you wanted anything else. It was very comfortable inside.

Ate at Wau again today and it was again very tasty. I am of Indian descent myself and my taste buds were super excited. Nasi goreng with Meat sateh is delicious. Pangsit in advance makes it complete. Delicious food for a reasonable price.

the beef rendang is seriously one of the best things I've had in my life. I come back to Wau every time I come to Amsterdam.

Delicious comfort food, relaxing ambience and chill vibes, higly recommend

The food was good but the prices were very high for not much.. Charge extra for rice... when the dish costs €20, that's excessive... Nonchalant waiter..

Ordered chicken curry soup that was really a soupy curry with slices of chicken and taugeh. Perhaps its local curry look alike. Teh tarik taste very plain. It just perhap my bad day for chosing those food. Guy waitress are welcoming and friendly compared to other lady.

Very nice place to have dinner at the heart of Amsterdam. The place was busy, but we managed to get a table for 2 after a 15 min wait, and it was worth it.

Pleasant staff. Very good food. Fair price. I recommend

Food was average but overpriced. The server wasn’t attentive.

A must-visit if you are in Amsterdam and want to taste Malaysian cuisine! I went here with friends with whom I did an exchange in Malaysia. It was like we were back, it tasted that good! Very good food and friendly staff. Vega and vegan friendly.

An amazing place I just happened across while wandering around taking photos. Wonderful food served sizzling on a hot plate in the nicest atmosphere. The service was excellent and I will definitely return because of that! I was happy to find a nice place with vegan options that had some good 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tasty! I had the Nasi Lemak, and it was a decent portion!! Yes, the fried fish were a bit spicy, but you have to chew your food! One of our servers was a little less friendly, but the food arrived quickly! Decent portions full of flavor!

Excellent Malaysian restaurant, the setting is very nice and the dishes are excellent. There is something for everyone, both spicy and not at all. The only criticism we can make is perhaps the waiting time during the service, which is a little long. But overall, nothing to say!