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Beyond the smoke and red-lighted windows, Amsterdam is a city teeming with music, dance, theater, and art, which has given it the epithet "nightlife capital of the world." Think outside the box—even outside the Grachtengordel—and you'll be amazed at what this city that (almost) never sleeps has to offer.
Many people know that The Night Watch is the name of Rembrandt’s most famous painting, but not everyone remembers that, back in the early 2000s, it was also the nickname of a bunch of "Night Mayors." This group of cultural leaders saw their role as fighters against the frumpiness that had cast a shadow over Amsterdam’s night scene since the city fathers cleared away the "squats"—the deserted buildings that were the settings for city’s wildest nighttime events and raves. Now, 15 years later, Amsterdam has happily reclaimed its reputation as a true nightlife capital. The city is a must-stop on the international DJ circuit, and new pop-up clubs and dance venues, plus a plethora of homegrown festivals, keep all walks of life shaking until the wee hours of the morning. The city is rich with inspired folk who are willing to organize a video-arts festival in a cruise-ship terminal, a gentle Bach recital on a canal, an arts festival in an abandoned factory, a house party in a football stadium, or some heart-stopping spectacle in a park. So get ready to savor Amsterdam’s giant cultural wallop through its numerous venues—from former churches and industrial monuments to the acoustical supremacy of the legendary hall of the Concertgebouw.
This friendly neighborhood coffeeshop is in the heart of multicultural De Pijp. With a happy, homey vibe and light and airy decor featuring work by local artists, this is a place where everyone will feel welcome. They have a patio where you can freely smoke their high-quality, all-organic products.
Founded in 1996, this truly mellow place welcomes everyone: gay, lesbian, bi, queer, or straight. They have an appetizing cocktail menu and offer food at reasonable prices. Inspired by well-known Dutch drag queens, the "diva burgers" are a hit, as is the Monday all-night happy hour with cocktails from €6.50.
Another Cannabis Cup darling—and a not uncommon docking station for celebrities like Rihanna and Snoop Dogg—this chain is renowned for quality weeds and seeds. Artful mosaics provide a trippy background, and storefront tables let patrons take in a breath of fresh air. There are two other locations in Centrum and one in De Pijp.
A wide selection of beers and ales from around the globe amid jolly surroundings in a former distillery attract all types and ages. There are 250 bottled brews to chose from, 18 beers on tap, a featured beer of the month, and regular beer-themed events.
Thursday through Sunday, this is probably the hottest club in town for the rich and famous and their wannabes. The urban grooves are funky, and the sound system not too shabby.
This chain serves mellow jazz alongside scrumptious chocolate-chip cookies in airy historical locales, providing a refreshingly understated approach to getting high. Take your purchase to Café Zoutsteeg across the street at No. 11, if you like to enjoy your smoke with a drink.
Nestled on an easy-to-miss alley is this atmospheric bar and restaurant named after a Flemish TV hero from the 1960s. The food, the furniture, and the French chansons playing transfer you to Paris in the 1950s. A glass of wine or a simple meal here can be memorable, especially when accompanied by live music upstairs on the first Sunday of the month.
For a taste of the neighborhood's regentrified café culture, check out this favorite corner bar that fills up most nights with parched Pijpers. They also serve snacks and light meals.
This unpretentious, minimalist bar sandwiched between the Red Light District and Chinatown is best known for its karaoke and mojitos at very reasonable prices, especially during happy hour (before 9 pm).
A fantastic 1960s feel and an attractive young crowd, namely local students, keep it lively at this small Marnixstraat pub, a great spot for a nightcap after a live show in nearby Leidseplein. Next door, its sister location, Bar Weber, serves cocktails and bar snacks with a punky vibe.
Open seven days a week, this dive bar is the place to be for rock, blues, and live music with a local vibe. Occasionally, local musicians are joined on stage by bigger names, fresh from their gigs at bigger nearby venues.
The legendary "Milk Way" features live performances, DJs, and club nights covering everything from hip-hop to punk to world music. A former milk factory, this space began as a hippie squat in the 1960s. Today it's a slick multimedia center equipped with two concert halls, a theater, cinema, gallery, and café-restaurant.
The former squat (in what was once a horse-drawn tram depot) and cultural center, just beyond the gates of the Vondelpark's western exit, has stayed true to its punky vibe over the years. In addition to the alternative, experimental, underground programming for adults, there's also an artsy kids' program that is well worth checking out.
Known as one of the best coffeeshops in town, with plenty of Cannabis Cup awards to prove it, Dampkring became even more popular after its use as a set for Ocean's Twelve. The weed menu is exceptional, and the smoothie and milk shake selections remarkable. Other coffeeshops have opened under the same name, but this is the one-and-only real Dampkring.
This legalized squat in the former film academy offers fun alternative nights with live bands and DJs. The eclectic music ranges from hard core to free jazz and latin beats. Also on the premises are a movie theater, an art gallery, and an organic café.
Amsterdam's best lesbian bar, as it's been labeled, started out in the 1920s as a brown café in the Jordaan and has since been modernized; today a "mixed" policy prevails.
Located along the Brouwersgracht since 1984, Siberie is one of the best coffeeshops in town, selling high-quality goodies like organic weed. Visitors can also enjoy its friendly staff and the changing art on its walls.
This labyrinth of an Irish pub is large enough to host live music and large-screen football matches, yet there are still plenty of cozy nooks for a quiet meal, checking your socials, or cuddling with ye olde sweetheart.
Leather, piercings, and tattoos predominate, but meeting one's soul mate at this cruise bar is not out of the question. There's a downstairs bar and dance floor and upstairs darkroom.
Borrowing its name from the Yiddish word for "noisemaker," this is the podium for celebrated Dutch stand-up group Comedytrain. Many of its members have grown into national celebrities. The programming is often English-friendly, with regular appearances by international guests, especially during July's acclaimed ComedyTrain International Summer Festival.
This 1920s Amsterdam School edifice is a delightful place for a pre- or post-recital stop, with the Concertgebouw just down the road. The large sunny terrace has great views for architecture enthusiasts and urban anthropologists.
"Podium voor ongehoord geluid" (A stage for unheard sounds) is how this former squat describes itself. It's one of the few places in Amsterdam where you can hear live jazz every Tuesday, and on Thursday anyone with an instrument can join in with the Oktopedians, a workshop orchestra playing jazz, blues, and world music. The restaurant serves a three-course vegetarian meal some nights.
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