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Amsterdam Café
Categories: Nightlife Bars Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Restaurants American (New) Bars, Beer, Wine & Spirits, American (New) [Edit]
937 Geary St(between Larkin St & Polk St)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 409-1111
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 12 pm - 1 am
Thu-Sat 12 pm - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Welcome to K&L Wine Merchants! Since 1976 we've been proud to offer the world's finest wines, great service and competitive prices. We offer thousands… read more »
122 reviews for Amsterdam Café
Review Highlights
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"...were super chill and they also provide a hookah hook up." In 20 reviews -
"Great selection of bottled beers, with 15 on tap." In 10 reviews -
"The bottle list is also intelligently selected and eclectic." In 4 reviews
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122 reviews in English
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Review from Paul C.
5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
How could I have lived in this area for so long and only recently discovered this place?
There's not too much more to say than the other reviewers have mentioned. The beers on tap are amazing and change relatively regularly. They have an incredible bottle selection including Dogfish Head's Palo Santo which is one of my favs.
The bartenders are cool and the clientele are usually a good varied mix, although the hipster quotient is high for better or worse.
If you're sitting outside you're going to be approached by people on the street. There's nothing wrong with that--it's just what it is. Just keep it in mind.
And this guy comes by on occasion who sells amazing tamales. -
Review from Karena Q.
San Francisco, CA
5/8/2012
Surprising little spot in a somewhat sketchy 'hood.
Great beer selection on tap and bottles, nice little patio for sunny days or cool evenings, mellow crowd, clean, friendly bartenders...you bet I'll be back! OH, it's also a great option on the nights Edinburgh is jam packed and/or charges a cover.Listed in: Beer Me.
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Review from Brian S.
San Jose, CA
4/29/2012
Literally stumbled into this bar.....Glad I did.
This is like a little alcohol oasis in the heart of a crack and whore infested area of SF. Oddly enough, I love a Thai food restaurant on Geary and Larkin too. This is an area where you cannot judge a book by it's cover for sure.
Okay, here are the details. Bartender was a cool guy and I knew I would like him when I saw him sporting an, "Iron Maiden" sweatshirt. Rock on! I am not a beer expert by any means. (I am more of a sexpert) There were only a few beers that I recognized but they have a huge selection of specialty brews. I explained to the bartender my taste in beer and he offered several selections and allowed me to taste the ones on tap. We got lucky with a San Diego brew that just happened to be on tap.
Clean bar, eclectic bar/patrons and knowledgeable bar keep. I'll be back the next time I plan on performing or showering some strippers with ones. Make it rain playa! -
Review from Melissa L.
Portland, OR
"I wish I could be a regular of this place!"
That's what I said to the barmaid about 2 hours into my 4-hour stay at Amsterdam Cafe. Seriously, I walked in there around 3PM on a Friday afternoon, and the next thing I knew, it was 7PM and I was making my way to the bus stop in search of food.
There's something about the staff and the clientele of this cafe-meets-beer-bar on a fairly-sketchy block off Geary that just sucked me in. I mean, within 10 minutes of posting up at the bar, I was noshing on an insanely tasty crawfish beignet from Brenda's around the corner. It was handed to me by a fellow patron who'd ordered too much food and graciously shared. (I wasn't even hungry, but I couldn't resist.)
The vibe of the place is very real, but a welcome respite from the gritty city outside. You could almost imagine yourself in Amsterdam for a minute, with the tall ceilings and the giant mural in the entrance.
It's true, the beer prices at this place are not cheap. However, all the pints were a dollar off during happy hour, which ran all the way to 7PM.
This beer bar rivals any of Portland's finest beer establishments, and that's high praise coming from me. -
Review from Victoria V.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2012
I completely love this place. The group of friends has nicknamed it cheers. Come in more than once and everybody knows your name. Amazing selection of beers. They helped grow my beer palate. I was a Stella girl for a loooooong time. Started frequenting this bar and the UBER helpful bartenders guide you along the path of awesome until you find the perfect beer for you. Whats even better is if you are unsure they will let you taste just about anything on draft.
Word to the wise, unless you're a serious beer drinker don't say you'll have the bartenders favorite. These girls get down on some no jokes beer. -
Review from Frank G.
Destin, FL
5/10/2012
A very cool, chill bar that's a mecca for craft beer drinkers. Good happy hour specials, lots of places to kick back and relax. The music isn't too loud, so everyone can converse without screaming in each other's ears. Next door to a great pizza place, and they'll happily phone in an order for you.
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Review from Matt E.
3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow-e-wow-wow! After just sort of ending up here, wanting to get (yet) another drink before ending my night, I believe I may have found my San Fran beer haven!
I spent many a years managing a bar that prided itself on a top notch beer selection, so there were many things about Amsterdam Cafe that I appreciated. The most obvious was the beer selection. Now, I know that different states have different options at their disposal, so I had already mentally prepped myself to geek out over the beer menu of most any place in California. What I was NOT prepared for was to be in total beer geek heaven. This place had some of the most ridiculous brews on tap, and they acted like it was no big thang! Trust me, Amsterdam Cafe, having that many Mikkeller beers on tap is a very, very big thang!
what else did I appreciate about this place? If you hid the tap wall, you'd have no idea it was a "beer bar", but rather just a highly above average neighborhood bar. I noticed nobody trying to jockey for Alpha Beer-Guy (which is the saddest thing of all time), and nobody was attempting to play "Stump the Bartender". Seriously, the one thing I hate the most about beer bars is typically the clientele they attract. Amsterdam Cafe mostly seemed just like cool people that I'd want to be friends with, who all happen to appreciate a kick ass brew!
Additionally, this place doesn't look like a beer store threw up on the walls. In the case of Matt vs The Idea That Beer Bars Must Have Beer Signs Covering Every Square Inch Of The Walls, this place would be my "Exhibit A".
This place is glorious and I will be back on my next SF trip in March, I guarantee it!Listed in: I went to San Francisco!
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Review from Matt H.
San Francisco, CA
Yeah, I really like this place. Probably cause is its right down the street from my place and stocked to the rafters with the most eclectic beers in SF. The bartenders are hella smart and know their shit, so be cool. They play great music on the house system happy hour til seven, dollar off drafts! Come through, I'll buy ya a pint.
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Review from Nancy K.
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great spot near the hotel where we stayed in SF. Nice afternoon stop heralding great beer, good tunes and a super nice bartender.
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Review from Candice G.
Naperville, IL
2/16/2012 1 photo
The traditional magic word of 'Please' only goes so far with me. If you really want something from this gal you can pretty much just whisper one little, mystical, magical word: Mikkeller
Amsterdam Cafe hosts numerous craft beer events and rare draft finds every week in addition to also being home to at least one smokin' hot lady bartender who knows her stuff. Impressed I was.
I asked the babe what her poison pick would be for the evening and she mentioned it was SF Beer Week and we were in luck because that evening was their Mikkeller spotlight. Between the 2 options she threw out, I chose the one she described as "pouring like motor oil." I have no regrets... and also very little memory of the rest of the evening besides an impromptu photo shoot with a fellow beer geekster at a local adult cinema.
Beyond the foxy staff, stellar beer selection, and being a dive bar with gold class personality, I LOVED the artwork on the walls. Most of it reminded me of the strange visions Homer Simpson had after her ate that crazy hot pepper at the chili cook off... but maybe with a bit more edge, of course.
I have the great fortune to be returning to San Fran next month and I'm pretty sure Amsterdam Cafe will make it's way into my itinerary AT LEAST once during that week.
Just say Mikkeller. -
Review from Todd G.
San Francisco, CA
4/12/2012
This hidden gem is beer-lover heaven. Tucked into the TL just off Polk, this place is easy to overlook, but it's well worth the time. The extensive beer list covers regional favorites as well as obscure highlights from overseas, and the bartenders have always been great with recommendations for the indecisive or intimidated. The cozy atmosphere is great for a break or alternative to the crowds of Polk st., and they'll set you up with a hookah too if that's your thing. One of my favorite places to enjoy good company and good beer!
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Review from Doc Splendid E.
Vashon, WA
2/19/2012
Great bar with quite good Pacific northwest ciders. I've seen Wandering Aengus in the bottle as well as Tieton Ciderworks in the bottle and on draught.
Large selection of ales on draught as well. A bit upscale, but not poncy.Listed in: Real Cider San Francisco
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Review from vince b.
Fremont, CA
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Enter: Amsterdam Cafe Bartenders. They definitely know their beers and would gladly school you about their excellent selection. They've got a wide variety of imports to choose from.
If you're here just to drink a corona ... they might kick you out, but because they're that awesome and friendly, they'll leave you alone.
Anyways, had a great time here and definitely coming back again soon. -
Review from Roy M.
12/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I happened in here after locking myself out of the apartment during a rain storm. At first, I thought I'd go get a tattoo (booked), then I thought I'd watch the traffic and the passersby during the torrents of falling sky. Score.
Damn do they have a lot of beer - everything from Dogfish Head to Monk's Cafe (sour ale), North Coast, Speakeasy, Racer, Lost Coast ahhhhhhhhh! Friendly service and prices on par with wherever you may be around here. Not the biggest bar in the area, but also not the smallest.
There's a leeeetle outdoor section that, personally, turned me off in the beginning. I just assumed it was a brunch joint, and real men don't do brunch. I was wrong.Listed in: My Opinions
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Review from Byron L.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I wish they stock up their beer. Twice they ran out of the Drake!
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Review from S S.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Happened upon this place after catching a flick at the AMC on Van Ness. Was taking my friend to Whiskey Thieves when we spotted this place with some empty seats and decided to check it out. SO glad we did. I love a good Belgian beer (and more) bar and this didn't disappoint. It's cozy and the bartender was friendly and helpful in choosing something new, giving a couple tastes of what was on tap, etc.
Win. I'll be back when I'm in the area again. -
Review from Heidi M.
2/15/2012
Very cozy, great beer selection, friendly bartenders. It's a shame SF had to do away with hookahs in bars. Still worth coming here for the beer selection.
Listed in: One last call for alcohol, so…
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Review from Jeff C.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
2 glasses of a lil sumpthin sumpthin, please...
Been going crazy the past 2 weeks off beer from brewery tours and going to the SF Oktoberfest, so this place was perfect. I was overwhelmed by the variety of beers they had because I wanted to try more. I will definitely try to come here. The atmosphere was chill and laid back, not packed at all for a friday night. I didnt order food but it was okay we were there to drink beer all night long. lol -
Review from Devynne H.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good beer, nice front patio, cool bartenders, and chill customers. Real nice place to chill
Listed in: Favorite Near My Hood
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Review from Mike T.
12/19/2011
I suppose as far as Beer snob placeage this place is decent. Hell, I'd rather come here than Torando and deal with the crowds and attittude. The bartender here was ok, but she wasn't exactly helpful either. A Great bartender should be a connoisseur of their trade and be a guide to something new and amazing whether it's for a regular or a newbie.
I love beer but I don't have as much time as I used to to try everything under the sun and I love me some hard liquor also. So, a great place (or bartender) should be giving more clear direction on the types, brands, and what might hit the spot for my palate. Sadly, Amsterdam offered none of that.
It's also a long narrow place which can be allright but considering the place was nearly empty on a Saturday night, it was strange that the regulars wouldn't let us work out way to the bar to get service.
If I want to try a unique or hard to find beer, I'll try to come back but not at the tops of my beer list by any means. -
Review from Caitlin W.
San Luis Obispo, CA
2/20/2012
Fun beers and great service.
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Review from Dupa B.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2012 20 Check-ins Here
Belgian beers...where everybody knows your name ;-P
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Review from Elizabeth J.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
Amsterdam Cafe rocks. The sour beer is killer and the charming ambiance are inviting. The staff is friendly and will allow tastings of beer on tap, especially if you are a regular and tip well, which is easy as the prices are quite reasonable. Another Nob Hill treasure!
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Review from Dee H.
1/12/2012
Insane selection of beer from all over. Friendly bartender for this chill spot. Diggin their cool seating area in the back. Cash only I believe?
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Review from Kiristen R.
San Francisco, CA
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
There are only a few legit reasons for traveling to or thru the TL:
-to get to Market Street because going around to Mason or Polk/Van Ness is too out of the way
-to get to your fave pho spot
-to go to the KFC/Taco Bell
and that is about it.
Amsterdam Cafe is a cool spot. The beer selection is authentic; the BLT was enjoyable; it has prime people watching spot but do I really want to listen to jazz, drink tasty beer, eat a nice sized BLT while watching various nefarious activities including prostitution and drug dealing go down? Do I like being heckled and cat-called by alchies and addicts?
It's not worth it to me. I liked the place but I can't put myself under that type of stress for a brewskie and BLT.Listed in: Daily Deal Finds
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Review from Natasha R.
San Francisco, CA
I once went on a date with a guy who to ordered a Bud Light, which pretty much killed the possibility of him and I ever going out again. I'd rank it on the Social Suicide Meter right around going to McDonald's for a burger or telling me you dress in camo and shoot baby deers on the weekend.
So its no secret I have transformed into a beer snob over the past few years. Having pledged myself to stouts, browns, and a good Belgium, I have become quite bored with 95% of bars because even in San Francisco, it can be hard to find a place that has anything better than Newcastle or Guinness on draft.
So I happened upon Amsterdam Cafe by catching a glimpse of their taps as I was be-lining it through the TL. When I saw a fridge half-full of unfamiliars I knew I had found a very special hole in the wall. Every beer was quite reasonably priced ranging from $5-10 and I had one of the smoothest and most well balanced browns to date.
As if this place couldn't get better, I found out they serve hookahs. Their website says you can bring your own food. They have beer tasting parties and other events. Happy Hour is 4pm-7pm. Service was friendly and knowledgeable. I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Jeremy K.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2011
This is a bar that happens to have food. I would not give the food equal billing in any respect. The food menu is an afterthought: chicken wings, pesto chicken sandwich, hamburger....that's pretty much the lunch menu. Not a lot of selection, nor a lot of creativity. However, if you're a beer fan, they have an ample selection of beers.
I went to Amsterdam Cafe because I had purchased a deal from http://KGBdeals.com. "$6 for $15 worth of beer and lunch sandwiches at Amsterdam Café." To me, that wording means you have $15 to spend beer, sandwiches or both....right? Well, I bought two of these deals, and the first time I redeemed my voucher, the bartender was extremely nice. The voucher is only good during lunch, so I didn't want beer, I just wanted food. I ordered two sandwiches. No problem.
The next time I went to use the voucher, it was a different bartender who insisted that the voucher was good for 1 beer and 1 sandwich. I couldn't order just food. Finally, after pointing out the verbiage on the voucher several times, she conceded and allowed me to use my voucher for just food. It's ironic, because most of the time with these vouchers, they're valid on anything BUT alcohol....but not here.
Anyway, the net-net is, it's located in a dodgy area in the tenderloin....there are hookers and crack dealers all over the place.....the food is unispiring....the place is kind of dingy.....the service is great or horrible depending on who is serving you (but no consistency). But if you just want a good Belgian beer, and you don't mind the aforementioned, then this is your place -
Review from Greg G.
11/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
shhhh shhhh don't tell anyone.
I was so happy to have heard of this place. Beer, coffee and I heard hookah ... but then SF had to get in the way (Damn you SF). Either way this was a great place to enter. The bartender was really sweet and knew her stuff. I always travel back and forth from SF to Palo Alto for the Rose and Crown and this might be my reason to tell other to make the reverse trip. There doesn't seem to be food here but it's surrounded by a bunch of places that do. I would mainly come just for the beer. I mean if you like draft beer, they have a lot of it. Rodenbach was on tap while I visited ... sooo good. And then if you don't see anything you like there, they also have a pretty large beer selection in bottles. We aren't talking Miller or PBR either ;) I will be back. -
Review from Erin H.
Birmingham, AL
3/20/2011
Great selection of bottled beers, with 15 on tap
Friendly!
Artsy!
Hookahs!
Music was a little too loud for my taste. It isn't a get-up-and-dance place, but rather a meet-people-and-talk place, and I thought the volume of the music interfered with that a bit. -
Review from Lou S.
3/1/2011
A great, rotating collection of bottled beers and about a dozen taps in a laid back dive is generally a welcome addition to a neighborhood. Amsterdam Café offers such a collection of beer, plus hookah and by day, coffee and some food.
Comparisons with a certain bar specializing in beer on Haight Street that rhymes with "Coronado" are inevitable when it comes to beer bars in San Francisco. To protect that bar, I'll call it Bar X for the purposes of this comparison.
Draft Beer:
Bar X has way more variety at any time than Amsterdam Café.
Bottles:
I know that the Bar X must have bottles, but I have never seen nor been offered a list and have seldom seen anyone drinking a bottled beer there. Amsterdam Café keeps a few beer menus at the bar, plus you can see the bottle selection through the fridge doors.
Service/Ambiance:
Beer doesn't serve itself, unfortunately. The service at Amsterdam Café is much friendlier than at Bar X, perhaps because it's a generally good deal less crowded and hectic. In the few times I've been to Amsterdam Café, I've seen the bartender smile...something I've never seen in the hours and hours I've spent at Bar X.
All said and done, while Bar X is still the best at hitting that sweet spot of excellent beer and low prices, I just might enjoy going to Amsterdam Café a little more. (4.5 stars) -
Review from Taylor S.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice place for drinking and hanging out with friends, day or night -- there's definitely more of a club vibe at night and on weekends. Good selection of beers on tap, friendly service but nothing outstanding.
This is my recovery place when I crash downtown -- nothing like a sammich and a big ass glass of water to stave off a hangover. -
Review from Aaron S.
San Mateo, CA
12/8/2011 27 Check-ins Here
Amsterdam Cafe is one of the best beer bars in the City (if not the best). Several rotating taps (I think they are up to 24 or so) and a great happy hour ($1 off all tap beers). The staff is amazing and know a lot about beer and fully willing to talk about it. This is a great place just to sit and enjoy some wonderful brew. Last, even though this is primarily a beer bar they also have a small but solid selection of wines for non beer drinkers.
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Review from Justin R.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2011
Amsterdam Cafe is a unique gem in a neighborhood full of cruddy dive bars and expensive cocktail spots with nowhere to sit. A hybrid of a top-of-the-line drip coffee shop / brunch spot and beer connoiseur bar. The lack of hard liquor and low-end beers like PBR and Bud Light help to curtail the crowd in a neighborhood where anything usually goes.
With over 250 beers constantly rotating and expert staff always willing to recommend something new and unique, you can never be bored. It's a place that is rarely empty, and rarely too full to come in and grab a barstool.
The constant availability of high quality drip coffee means that sometimes, at 1am on a Saturday, you'll find one person having a coffee, and one person having a beer, sitting at the bar and having an involved conversation.
If you like to cycle to the pub, you can walk your bike inside and have it be a bit safer than out on the street. Rarely is anything ever stolen here, and you may see smartphones and laptops sitting unattended at the bar or on tables. Never say never, and I don't entirely recommend this when there is a crowd, but it's a natural level of comfort that's tough to beat.
The owner, Kellie, is a rockstar and spends as much time as she can improving the bar and, if she has a minute, chatting with the regulars. She often comes by with her little boy to do chores or check on her staff and goes out of her way to make sure that the regulars, if not all the customers, are like her own family.
I have constantly run into SF visitors who knew before landing at SFO they would stop by Amsterdam and try some beers they've never had before. There's a strong industry crowd and while they have a TV they'll throw a sporting event on, they defy the typical area bar which celebrates all sporting events.
It's a place where you can unwind after work and read a Kindle, sit on the porch and do some work online, or show up on a Sunday morning for AM ale and an everything bagel with eggs and bacon. Additionally, while they serve food until 3pm, the owner explicitly has a policy of allowing people to bring in any food they want. I've been known to come in with Gumbo and Beignets from Brenda's just a few blocks away to avoid an hourlong brunch wait, and the pizza place across the street is great.
There's no place like it elsewhere in SF, or as far as I can tell, the world.
The crowd can get a bit dicey when there are art shows, and this is when it is too packed to come in and stand, let alone find a seat, but it's a small price to pay to have local art hanging all over the walls every day. -
Review from Paul W.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2011
I've been to this place more than a few times. I really love the fact that they mix up the taps a lot and do some really interesting special events. They do feature some really unusual and expensive brews here that I've wanted to try for awhile but didn't want to fork over $10 plus for a bottle (Yeah I'm talking about you Mikkeller, Lips of Faith, and Brewdog).
The only major complaint is the low number of taps. It would be nice to have more options in that department. The atmosphere is really divey but I kind of dig that. This a great place to come on a weekday evening when the crowds are thin. -
Review from Rebecca B.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2011
Best beer bar in the city, IMHO. Great selection, knowledgable staff, friendly people, and free wifi if you want to go get some extra work done with a delicious beer(s). Only word of precaution: its not good for watching sports game.
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Review from Jimmy G.
This bar provided many brews to celebrate each of the crushing blows the Bears delivered against the Vikings Monday night.
The bar fills up with regulars, but there's a lot of room in the back.
A dollar off everything on tap for happy hour was cool too. I look forward to coming back and seeing what else they have packed into those fridges. -
Review from FirstContact S.
Oakland, CA
6/25/2011
I love this place because the staff is always cool and very knowledgeable about all the beer that they have. Oh and they have A Lot of beer and usually have limited brews from basically all over the country, and they are constantly switching it up. Its basically a beer haven
Every time I come here the crowd has always been cool and not the usual Marina or Polk gulch yuppies that ruin the 'Loin.
Great for a happy hour, and if you got a card the Divinity Tree is right across the street.
Love this bar! -
Review from Cindy E.
Oakland, CA
2/5/2011
Charming DJ / Tattoo culture art on the walls. Good beer selection. Nice ambience with a little outdoor seating which was awesome (but i could see being an issue with smoke coming in on a crowded night).
The server was amazing. So friendly but not too much and essentially it's kind of the perfect afternoon meet a pal bar. Only trouble is the street parking is towaway from 4-6 so we had to leave and go somewhere else. If you're not bound by car - show up early and relax all day. -
Review from joanna r.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2010
Great selection of beers on tap. Decent prices. Friendly staff. Small outdoor patio.
Do not, I repeat do not try to smoke on the patio.Listed in: Wet your whistle.
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Review from Jason B.
10/10/2010
If you find yourself needing to do work on a warm indian summer Sunday and want to turn lemons into lemonade, come to Amsterdam Cafe. Outside seating and free wifi enables you to enjoy the day even while you are working away, and for eats you can satisfy those breakfast cravings with ridiculously cheap french toast ($3.50, and this did not come out of a box!). Cheap and good.
I'm tipping well, and I'm coming back for drinks to show my support. And I won't be bringing work.
