Balthazar's Keuken

I recently dined here with friends, and our experience left room for improvement, particularly in customer service and handling concerns. One of my friends ordered the pork dish, but after just one bite, she felt it was undercooked and raised the issue politely. The chef responded that all he could do was reheat it in the oven, claiming she had already eaten half of it—which wasn’t accurate at all, as she’d barely touched it. Even if the dish was prepared to standard (and I’ll give the benefit of the doubt here), it would have been gracious to offer an alternative or at least waive the charge for a plate that went uneaten. Instead, we were left feeling dismissed, which soured the experience. Additionally, another friend arrived about 10 minutes before the 6 PM opening and found the staff enjoying their own meal on the terrace. When she approached to wait inside or on the terrace (which was otherwise empty), she was met with a curt “Where are you going? We only open at 18 sharp” and wasn’t allowed to sit. She ended up standing next to the empty chairs, which felt unnecessarily unwelcoming. I don’t share this to harm the business—far from it, I know how tough the industry is, but as constructive feedback: A warmer attitude toward guests, especially in resolving issues or accommodating early arrivals, could go a long way in making diners feel valued. With some tweaks, this spot has potential to shine.

Wow! Such an amazing place - the food is just perfect, fresh and delicious. The service is so personal and accommodating. And the vibe just fits and makes you feel comfortable. Highly recommended. I’ll definitely be back. Thanks

One of my fav restaurants in Amsterdam. Such cozy intimate atmosphere inside. The food was delicious, seasonal and with great portions. I’ve been twice now and look forward to returning! Highly recommend !

Unfortunately, our experience at this restaurant was very disappointing! From the moment we arrived, the service felt cold and unwelcoming. The food didn’t redeem the experience either. Portions were quite small, and the dishes lacked flavor. But the worst part came when my friend received the main course. Just a couple of bites in, she realizes the pork was undercooked! It was pink, slimy, and visibly bloody inside. We brought this to the chef’s attention, who insisted this was “normal” for pork (which is alarming) and offered to throw it back in the oven, refusing to prepare her a new dish. Not once did anyone apologize! Definitely won’t be returning.

Delightful restaurant! Came in solo when it opened at 18:00/6 pm on a Wednesday night. Bench seating is great for solo diners. Wine very reasonably priced & the food was delicious. I believe I can say it’s the best fish I’ve had at a restaurant, ever. Highly recommend & wishing the establishment nothing but the best!

Having lived in Amsterdam for 4 years (a place not known for service culture) this was some of the worst service I have encountered and definitely the worst food. The staff were rude to one of my companions when she arrived. They remained surly throughout. The food is in the main very, very average. The chef doesn’t seem to understand flavours or indeed how to cook. They also do not use good quality ingredients. The food is in very meagre, tasteless portions. Unfortunately my pork main dish was raw and bloody in the centre. When I complained the ‘cook’ told me that food cooked sous vide is sometimes bloody. This is not correct for pork. It should not be bloody or chewy/slimy - as you can see from the photo it was not cooked. He offered to heat it up further. I was not comfortable eating it at all and stopped after one mouthful as soon as I saw the blood. I asked if I could have the fish main course instead. He declined stating I had already eaten most of the pork. This was a tiny slice of pork and as you can see from the photo one bite is gone. There was gristle and raw meat. Absolutely disgusting. I did not eat any more and felt nauseous. The least they could have done is replace the meal - which they refused to do. €50 for this is diabolical. The point is not necessarily the raw food - everyone makes mistakes. The problem was how they dealt with it. Terrible service - almost accusing us of trying to get something for free. Disgusting. Do NOT eat here if you value your health, you have tastebuds or you like pleasant staff. Horrendous. There are many wonderful options in this city - this one should be avoided. Photos do not lie. No one would put that monstrosity in their mouths. It was barely eaten despite your clear LIE that the pork was mostly eaten (you can see from the photos that is not true). And to the owner’s defensive response - you should feel happy - you robbed us of more than €200. We didn’t decline to pay even though the food was clearly inedible. And if you don’t understand that your solution was not acceptable because I was already nauseated and put off by the meat, then you have a clear lack of empathy for customers. Your arrogance is jarring. No apology nor any attempt to make amends. Shocking. Also why are you writing to me about plastic chairs - I didn’t say they were. Your copy/paste unprofessional response shows your lack of attention to detail, your inability to address the issue at hand (bloody and RAW pork) and pure laziness in blindly defending your mistakes. There is nothing for you to be proud of here. Take the feedback and do better next time.

10/10 Highly recommend! The food was absolutely amazing. We made reservations and got seated right away when we arrived. What I enjoyed most was watching the chef push out each dish with so much care and attention to detail. Huge kudos to him for maintaining the volume of guests coming in and making sure food is served promptly.

A cozy restaurant with delicious food and nice service. They serve French style dishes. With the fixed three course menu you could have many starters with tiny portions to taste. I had the pork neck as the main dish the other day and it’s top. We had a lovely time there. I’ve heard they’ll change the menu every couple of weeks. It’s a open kitchen setting so you get to see and smell the food a lot. Also, they have a decent selection of wines, covering lots of natural wine from across the Europe. It’s not big so make sure to make reservation in advanced.

Beware.. you will be charged 50EU no matter the reason for your cancellation with no regrets from the owner... Only higher end place in Amsterdam or anywhere else in Norway or Sweden we ran into this. I am sure the food is great but did not have a chance to experience it ... as my wife became ill a few hours prior to our prime time reserve at 7pm and the owner charged us 50EU since we had to cancel fully knowing the reason we could not make it. The place is very popular and small so you know they very likely filled the table and pocketed the money... and our high end hotel was made aware of this no flexibility policy .

Perfect experience. Thank you for such an incredible meal delivered with care and joy.

Came here at the recommendation of a friend while traveling through Amsterdam and so glad we did! They offer a menu that changes every two weeks and is a preset three course meal. We opted to enjoy some wine with our meal and the suggested from the staff based on our likes were perfect! Each course was different, unique, flavorful, and tasty! At the end of the meal they even had a dessert wine that was a winner! The staff were friendly and fun and with an open kitchen to watch it all, you could tell they enjoyed their jobs! Reservations are a must, as the place is small and popular, but soooo worth it!!

Fixed price 3 course menu that changes every 2 weeks. Delicious. Inventive fresh food with a Dutch twist. Excellent selection of wines. Service was outstanding. Try to sit at the table in the back and watch it all happen in the open kitchen.

Wow!!! Amazing food & service. Even if you like deviations from menus I urge you to try this place & the three course menu as is. Be adventurous and you will not be disappointed. I've eaten all over the USA & multiple countries. This dinner goes to the top of my list!

On our recent trip to Amsterdam we met up with a close friend who suggested dinner at Balthazar's Keuken. We had read a few good things about this establishment, so we all decided to give it a whirl. We were sat pretty quickly for our 9pm reservation on a Friday night, however we did have a wait a bit to place our drink order, almost 15-20 minutes before anyone swung by out table. When on of the servers working that night finally came by, he did apologize for making us wait, which I appreciated. Since this place is prix fixe, we had zero decisions to make outside of deciding which wine to pick and what protein to eat. I was so impressed with the first course of SNACKS! When our server placed it on the table, I couldn't help but be super impressed with the amount the could cram onto one plate. All were truly delicious and tasty. I opted into the bavette steak they were serving that night, and it was cooked incredibly well. A very solid dish. I think the most impressive part of eating at Balthzar's was where we sat. It was quite the show seeing how such a tiny kitchen could produce so much food so fast for their dining room. Overall, Balthazar's Keuken delivered a solid meal that had an incredible range. I would highly recommend it if you're visiting Amsterdam.

We tried this place out based on a recommendation from a friend, who is a local. Reservations encouraged. The menu is not too elaborate, but has a decent number of choices. They are also super accommodating to dietary restrictions. The appetizers were definitely the best part for us- they were a good mix and beautifully plated. The fish main course tasted a lot better than it looks in the pic. The apple dessert was just the right amount of sweet you need to end a nice meal.

I've walked past Balthazar's numerous times in the last year and I'm so regretful that I haven't tried it until now. It was so good. From the food, to the staff and service, to the feel of the place. Very gezellig. I've lived down the street from Balthazar's for a few months now, and finally made a reservation to try it out. I'm obsessed, I keep thinking about to how good it was and how excited I am to come back at least every 2 weeks to try the new set menu that they'll have.

Tucked away in the Jordaan neighborhood (which is where I would live if I ever moved to Amsterdam), Balthazar's Keuken is a beautiful find. The kitchen and the atmospherics are so warm and inviting you almost feel as if you're in someone's home and they are cooking for you. Now let's talk about the menu because it was an inspired seasonal "let us cook for you" type of menu where the only input that you get to give in what you eat is meat or fish. I don't know if it's the quarter life crisis speaking, but YES. I loved the guidance in decision making there. Our menu started off with an array of appetizers: escargot en croute, spring rolls, steak tartare, a gruyere cake, and an almond pesto.Oh my! the selection of little finger foods was divine and caught me completely by surprise - all the different flavours and textures. The spring roll of all things was my favourite. These delicate rolls with duck and sprigs of mint wrapped in these light rice papers, it was all inspired and Asian fusion without trying to taste too much like the original thing. For our main, I had ordered the meat - which was a wild partridge with lentils and charred scallions. The way the chef at Balthazar's plays with the flavours at Balthazar's it's...whimsical and season-appropriate. It was cold in Amsterdam and the meat was just warm and comforting and appropriate. But then throwing in the smokiness of the charred scallions and this brightness from the elderberries... the interplay of flavours was absolutely delightful. Finally the dessert. I have no idea what happened to me, but I'm not a huge fan of the sweet desserts, so this poached pear with rosemary was such a pleasant surprise and absolutely amazing. It left me with this warm feeling inside - (cue the cheese) - not just in my tummy but in my heart as well - what a beautiful way to finish off a lovely trip to Amsterdam. Good food with good company. Gezellig.

This is one of the best meals I had in years. I had many wonderful culinary experiences in Amsterdam during my visit, Balthazar's was absolutely at the top of my list. The balance of flavors and freshness of the food was incredible. Service was very friendly. There was a sincere and genuine feel to the restaurant and the entire experience. Intimate. A meal of this caliber would easily cost three or four times the amount in Washington DC, where I live. Absolutely fo not pass this up!

3.5 stars! I have to use the law of averages to finalize my score. With a price tag of 37.50, you get a plate of five mini-appetizers, a CHOICE between a meat or fish main course and a dessert. I love the concept - who needs to make more decisions anyway! Also GREAT service and vibe. Now to the food. - Appetizers 3.5 - arancini, razor clams with nduja, grilled lemon-y artichokes, -insert another item-, and a light cucumber mango pajama cleanser. All good, but not out of the world. 3.5 - Main Course (fish - FIVE) - I got the sea bass with cous pearls, pickled radish and truffle. OUTSTANDING. There were tears with each bite. My husband got the meat - hmmm. The combination of the meat, mushrooms and ravioli just dint strike a balance. Glad I got the fish! - Dessert (2) - Heartbreaker. It was a pavlova with dessert liquor. Too much liquor for my liking (and I like all alcohol yes). Too sweet (and I eat ice cream every night). I was wondering why the table next to me sent theirs away in 2 minutes and I understood after my first bite. Return? With a price tag of 37.50, the food did not cut it. I would probably pay that much just for the main course mmmm but I need to earn 1 million for that lifestyle. So no.

A solid dinner with thoughtful dishes. Good ambience, but not over the top. Just good. Presentation is an opportunity area. I enjoyed myself, but I doubt this is one of the best spots in Amsterdam. *** note- they have two sittings a night. Reserve for either the 7 or 9pm seatings.***

Certainly one of the best meals I have ever had! The tasting menu-style hors d'oeuvres were so varied and outstanding. We enjoyed the monkfish and tiny cockles in beurre Blanc for the entree. (Apparently, the menu changes every 2 weeks.) Our server was professional, knowledgeable, friendly and unobtrusive. We plan to come back when we return to Amsterdam!

Our Dinner at Balthazars Keuken was just the best. Awesome food, great wines (take the weeks choice of wine, it goes so well with the menu!), and the nicest service. We are especially in love with the interior and atmosphere - the kitchen is open and you can watch your dinner being prepared. It feels like being in a friends home, but you friend just happens to be one of the best cooks in Amsterdam. For me, the starters were probably already the highlight because you get 5 different little bites to taste from and all of them were SO GOOD! But also the dessert won over my heart-and since it was the first strawberry of the year for me, I could also make a wish. It might contain to eat here over and over again. So thanks again for the best night to the team of Balthazars Keuken-and also for my little "vintage" souvenir. It will always remind me of you!

Small restaurant with amazing set price set menu. Very good value. Attentive service.

Small and cozy restaurant in the south part of the Jordaan. You will be greeted by a young and smiling crew, who will get you seated at one of the few tables surrounding the open kitchen. The menu here is fixed and changes weekly: after a series of small appetizers (if you are lucky try the clams with foie gras sauce) you can choose the main course between a meat, fish and vegetarian option. I tried the veal steak with beetroot sauce and echalot potato purée: excellent! We ended with a homemade tiramisu, good but not great to my Italian standards. You will spend around 50,00 euro, including wine. Definitely recommended, but you must get a reservation.

Overall, the experience was lovely. Each appetisers was delicious and left you with the feeling of "I can't wait to see what's next!" Once it came to the main course- my husband and I both ordered the fish. Unfortunately, both pieces were undercooked in the middle. We did tell the waitress and she was kind enough to offer another plate of the fish.

This is my favorite restaurant in the city for a special dinner. Really excellent food, pretty decent service and lovely cozy atmosphere. The appetizers are a little unusual (roasted sardines or the like) and tasty, and I still dream about one of the desserts I have had: it was salted dark chocolate fudge and pears. MMm! Sometimes the servers are a little slow and/or distracted but when I go I am never in a rush anyway so it doesn't bother me.

Balthazar's Keuken doesn't deserve any less than five stars for its amazing food, its cozy atmosphere and the perfect service. Amongst the best value for money restaurants in Amsterdam!

I brought some friends here while they were visiting after reading glowing reviews about Balthazar's. It's a set menu that allows you to make a choice between 3-4 options each course. I went with the meat and my friends opted for dish, both meals were divine! They offered great choices for wine and the service was super. Come here to treat yourself

One of the four best restaurants in Amsterdam alongside De Kas, Marius, and De Witte Uyl. Balthazar's Keuken is a small and crowded restaurant located in a former blacksmith's workshop in the heart of the Jordaan. The staff tries hard to make all guests feel at home and the setting is certainly intimate, if slightly crammed. The food is a set three course menu. The first course usually is a mixed appetizers platter, presented on a sort of elevated stand as the large plate hardly fits the table. The crowd is mixed, from tourists to locals and from young to old. There is a bohemian feel to the restaurant that is designed around an open kitchen with an ominous no access sign.

This is a great restaurant; helpful and friendly staff and the food is delicious. The seafood soup is rich in texture and taste. I've tried a few things here, the steak, the lamb, some of the seafood, all quality.

Fantastic!! Fixed menu on the night we went and everything from start to finish was fantastic. Personal touch. Main course fish with lentils was superb, cooked to perfection. Starters were creative and delicious. Come in, sit down and let them do their magic. Tiny place so don't be surprised if you have to wait. But it's worth it.

Balthazar was terrific, basically. The night we went they were offering set menu (with a few choices for main course). This may not be to some people's taste but we found it to be excellent. The dishes were creative and delicious and seasonal. It's not typical Amsterdam cuisine but it is very European in a modern/good way. Compact But good wine list. Excellent service and a very charming and lively atmosphere. Sit and enjoy! I'd recommend booking if possible.

This was my first dinner in Amsterdam and it set a high standard for my whole trip. Found this place via Goop's guide to Amsterdam so I figured it would be a good meal, if maybe a little pretentious and overpriced. Luckily neither was true! We made a reservation online a few weeks in advance which I would recommend as the restaurant is rather small and very popular. It's an intimate restaurant on a great Amsterdam canal. The kitchen is open and they expedite by writing on the wall in sharpie which was so charming! There is no written menu and it is fixe price for three courses. The night we went everyone was served the same first course, a selection of about 6 small bites. They were all wonderful. Some that I remember are a mushroom tarte that was flaky, butter and wonderful, a very garlicky spread for bread that was so good you could lick it off the spoon, and a tasty scallop. The main options were a quail and a white fish. We both opted for the white fish which was served over risotto. The fish and risotto were great together, smooth and aromatic. I barely had room for desert, which turned out ok as it was honestly the only meh part of the meal. Everyone received the same desert, a bread pudding with pistachios. I love pistachios but they were served raw and didn't work great on the dry pudding. Perhaps if they had been carmelized it would have it the mark. For a great atmosphere with a well balanced meal, I would highly recommend. The two 3 course dinners, plus some of the tasty house wine was around $80 euros which i don't think was too bad given the quality of the food and experience.

I was thoroughly impressed by this place. I'm primarily a vegetarian and currently gluten and dairy free and they accommodated me with relatively short notice. Said they could have done even better if I called a day in advance but I didn't think it could have been any better. Delicious grilled peaches in tomato water, fennel and hummus and many other amazing little dishes. I would highly recommend this restaurant!

Lucky enough to get a table on a Saturday night without reservation. We sat at the last table so you could see the chef preparing the food...the poor man was overworked so food is a little slow. Tasting menu with lots of different variety...enjoyed the most part of it.

Just simply an amazingly quaint intimate local restaurant with food quality to match. Fixed menu that showcases the chef's talent with a wide variety of small plates and main. Personable and friendly staff. Small restaurant so reservations are necessary.

Well, on our first night in Amsterdam, we followed the guidebook suggestion and stopped here. The kitchen serves a tower of 3-4 little apps followed by your choice of Meat of Fish. There were two of us so we got one of each. The flavors for each of the apps was complex and just so enjoyable. The main dishes change every two weeks and we would go back if we were there. Service was fantastic and friendly. We did not have reservations but they sat us and let us know we'd have to vacate by 9 for the second seating. Cozy atmosphere, friendly service and delicious food you remember long after you leave. GO!!

We tried this place on a whim while on a weekend trip to Amsterdam, and I am so glad we did! A little off the beaten tourist track, this place was a mixture of locals and tourists (more locals), and I heard about 5 different languages being spoken while I was at dinner. There is a set menu, with either meat or fish for the entree. The menu changes every week and features what is in season at the time. The appetizer course had small bites of many things -- gazpacho, sweet smoked salmon with homemade black sesame crackers, housemade pate, and a selection of cured meats to name a few -- and the main course (rumpsteak) was beautifully plated and equally delicious. Dessert was out of this world (rum soaked cake with fresh fruit and cream). I highly recommend this place to any food lover. Also, by Amsterdam standards, it wasn't too expensive -- 27.50 euro for three courses

Should say this might be the best Dutch-experimental restaurant in town. They change the menu in regular basis so better ask before making a reservation and for the weekends reservation is a must. (They have a fix menu so you don't get the chance to pick. You might either go for vegetarian or not, that's all). The service is good and friendly. Have been there twice and would go again!

My boyfriend and I had dinner here on Friday and had a slightly unfortunate incident. We had a reservation and when we got to the door a party of 4 had just arrived before us and a server came to the door to greet them and said they would prepare the table. We arrived just after and they thought we were the same group (despite there being 6 people at the door). Several servers looked over but no one came to greet us. We waited patiently. A few minutes later a party of 2 decided they were too good to wait in line and passed us. They went deep into the restaurant where they proceeded to be helped and sat. I started fuming. I walked in and told the sever that we had been waiting in line and no one helped us and the couple had cut the line and been seated. She said she thought we were one group. She apologized and gave us the last table. I think it was an honest mistake, and if it had ended here this would likely be a 4 star review. But the drama continues: As we were sitting my boyfriend was saying how entertaining it was when I got mad, so I was letting off the remaining steam and rehashing what had happened. The same server was passing by and made a very snide comment to me. Which is why I can only give them 3 stars. The food was good (but not amazing, especially for 32,50 a person; that said, the butter was really yummy). I really liked that it was possible to get a half bottle of the house wines. But when staff are rude it really detracts from the whole experience. We will not be going back.

Very good. Very creative. Not all of the dishes worked but none were bad and some were truly inspired. One goes here for the entire experience and I highly recommend it!

Balthazar's did not disappoint in terms of food...everything was excellent! The appetizer that we each had was outstanding - it was a plate of several marinated veggies and beans. For the main course, we had the spinach gnocchi, and again it was delicious. The service was attentive and friendly, but I cannot give Balthazar's 5 stars due to the fact that half way through our meal we were asked to move to a different table to accommodated another party. This is not acceptable in general but especially not ok since we had indeed reserved ahead so it just should never have happened. Even with that said, we plan on returning because the food was really good and the prices were very fair.

Cozy local atmosphere, everything was so delicious from the roasted sardines to the seafood soup to the yummy desserts.

This restaurant is true quality. The emphasis is on flavor and everything we ordered, from the marinated artichokes, boar sausage, shredded duck, prunes and blue cheese, zuchinni cakes, sea bass and pears, custard and carmelized walnuts were filled with intense flavor. This place is legit and 30 Euros for a 3 course meal and reasonable house wine all in a nice sitting at the edge of the Jordaan - you can't beat it.

I am writing this review in a spirit of wanting to be helpful to the good people behind Balthazar's Kitchen. I think their heart is in the right place. The idea of a limited menu and good ingredients is laudable. The execution tonight, however, was poor. All began promisingly enough. Our waitress was kind, friendly and seemed knowledgeable. The Balthazar's cocktail was interesting and tasty. It went downhill from there. One has a choice of fish or meat for a main dish. The appetizers are fixed: five pretty interesting apps. They were not totally to my liking, but I attributed this to the fact that I do not have the most sophisticated palate in the world; I'm no Philistine; but I'm not a gourmand. There was no excuse for the fact, though, that the fish I was served was dry and tough. The word that comes to mind, as unthinkable as it is, is "reheated." My wife's lamb was barely warm. These are amateur, or thoughtless, mistakes. Our originally quite attentive server paid us little or no attention during the meal. All in all, the meal bespoke a certain self-confidence that was entirely unjustified. I'd not return.

This place is amazing! If you are visiting Amsterdam and want something away from the tourist trap of restaurants then this is the place for you. The food is inspired and beautifully put together, the prosecco and brandy cocktail was the perfect aperitif to start the meal. The atmosphere is chilled and romantic, the staff friendly and clearly passionate about the food.

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE IN AMSTERDAM! the kitchen is open plan so you can watch them cook, half of hte food are kept in a fridge in the middle of the dining room so you can see everything. you get a set of starters, for the main course you get to choose between fish or meat and then there is a dessert. you have to book. they take reservations in 2 sittings per night so you can sit and take your time and enjoy every mouthful. It is quite hidden this restaurant, and it is not open on weekends.

Just tried this place out after moving into the neighborhood. Such a charming little gem! The restaurant is small and the kitchen is right there with you. Great place for a date. The food was fantastic, I can't wait to go back after the menu changes (every two weeks). The table wine tasted like grape juice, so I would recommend investing in the suggested wines for the dishes or something a bit higher end. Overall, great experience.

Understaffed, overbooked, middlin' food. The bass was good, the Oslo bucco, however, was tough and way too fatty...the sauce over the risotto didn't quite match the flavor of the meat. Oh well, Amsterdam, I suppose, is not about the food.