Bridges

Until a few years ago this restaurant inside Amsterdam’s Sofitel Hotel used to hold a Michelin star. The cuisine remains international with local touches although now has gravitated more towards fish dishes. The space is modern elegant with an atmosphere that is predominantly suited for business. Elegant and not overly complicated presentations and very good kitchen execution. Service remains of very high quality.

What an experience this was! Apparently, I’ve walked past it many times without knowing the delicious dishes they serve. Each dish was carefully prepared with attention to detail, and you could really taste every ingredient. But the most surprising part was the price-quality ratio. If you don’t want to spend too much money but still enjoy great quality food and good service, visit Bridges in Amsterdam. They even surprised me with an arrangement of sweets for my birthday!

My husband and I were delighted to score a reservation at the chef's table (in the kitchen) at Bridges on October 12 thanks to our concierge. We were hesitant at first because we seemed to be on a gastronomical tour of Amsterdam and didn't think we needed yet another fine dining experience on a birthday weekend trip (3 total). We are so glad we took the plunge. The entire experience was delightful. The food was fresh, delicious and creative. The wine pairings were spot on. The staff could not have been more friendly and welcoming. By the end of the night, we were having delicious desert and listening to jazz (from my husband's phone) on their B&O sound system while the staff worked on shutting the kitchen down for the night. We live in NYC. By comparison to what we pay for fine dining at home, this delightful meal was a bargain. Special thanks to Executive Chef Raoul Meuwese and Maitre Dan Halle for providing us with such a memorable experience! We could not have been more pleased.

Had lovely 4 course lunch with my parents. Food is amazing and the staffs are very friendly and attentive. Very satisfied with our experience!

Had an excellent lunch experience here and went for the surprise menu. Each dish was carefully prepared and explained in detail by the friendly staff that went out of their way to make us feel welcome.

My friend and I will forever cherish this birthday dinner as a day brimming with love and joy, all thanks to Jacob. Your kindness and dedication to making her day extraordinary truly made a difference. This marked my second time visiting this restaurant, and I must acknowledge that the quality of the food remains just as exceptional as it was 18 years ago. Nevertheless, what truly stood out during this visit was the outstanding service offered by Jacob. His attentiveness, courtesy, and willingness to go the extra mile truly left me in awe. Jacob's expertise on the menu and his recommendations enhanced our dining experience. His warm and professional demeanor added an extra touch of charm to our visit. Without a doubt, I will be coming back to this restaurant not only for the delectable cuisine but also for the exceptional service provided by Jacob.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We went there to celebrate the husband 40 years surprise, and the food, drinks are super nice. Thanks for the nice memories.

Oh my goodness! Bridges set a high bar for service and experience! We wanted to have dinner in the restaurant… but being a last minute decision…they were booked but had the Chef’s Dinner open. We said yes and it was by far our best decision! Sitting in the kitchen with the hotel courtyard to our backs made the experience even better! Chef and or his staff explained every dish as served and the Sommelier talked about each wine with each course. It’s hard to pick a favorite dish as they were all over the top! But definitely a place we want to visit again. Date of visit September 2022

Located at the Hotel Sofitel in Amsterdam, Bridges is understated luxury. Tasting menus only; Pick the number of courses you desire. Every dish was small, but gorgeous, imaginative, and exquisite. The dishes, however, were not only pretty, but delicious. Service was excellent, as it should be at a restaurant of this caliber. Great place for a special occasion!

I opted to have the 5 course Bridges lunch menu during my visit at this prestigious restaurant... And despite it's already AMAZING reputation - I would say that it still does not give the menu and talent enough justice!! Each of the courses was absolutely fantastic, bursting with flavour and presented beautifully!! Their sommelier has put together an impeccable wine menu, and I would encourage you to explore the selection during your future visit.

Beyond belief! This is a fantastic experience that must be experienced by lovers of fine dining. From the amuse bouche to the dessert and coffee, every bite was delectable. You'll feel the service from the time you start at the bar all the way through the detailed explanations of each dish and the helpful wine pairings. The location is quiet and great for conversation, plus centrally located in Amsterdam.

We opted for the 7 course meal and it definitely did not disappoint! Everything was packed with flavors! Every bite was exquisite! The staff were knowledgeable and efficient! They were all every friendly as well! The ambiance was quiet and romantic! Perfect for a date night! Highly recommend!

Taking ordinary ingredients and delivering extraordinary experiences. What I found remarkable is the idea of unusual combination and fusing them to make it part of the dish....fennel in my dessert, pea foam with the sea bass... puff and crunchy rice to the langoustine to name a few. Every dish was a sensation! The photos will speak for itself... btw if you have an opportunity to do the chefs table, go do it! You'll be pleasantly surprise!

This was recommended by our concierge as a sea food place and a nicer dinner than the night before at Lucius. I found the decor Vegas inspired, not in a good was, the tables were impersonal and just devoid of style. The food was the same, uninventive, unsurprising, professionally plated and executed but just not exciting. We didn't taste anything we haven't had before or a new twist on a classic. Dare I say like using a vibrator instead of having a great lover seduce you. Not worth the money or time, skip and try one of the many others.

I had dinner in at the Chefs table which was a special treat to watch. I loved everything that was served to me. The flavors and spices was an explosion of tastes I never experienced before. This is by far one of the best restaurants I have experienced. I travel a lot and like to experience the Michelin and worlds top 50 restaurant. Each plating was a work of art and delicious.

We wanted to try a Michelin star restaurant while in Amsterdam since many of them are more affordable, so we decided on Bridges. We were able to make a reservation the day before and the spot was easy to find. We were seated right away, and it wasn't too filled while we were there. Our waiter was extremely nice and attentive during the entire meal. There were options to do a 4, 5 or 6-course tasting menu or you can do the a la carte menu, and we chose the 5 course. I also ordered one of their many gin and tonics, while my mom ordered the champagne. My gin and tonic had hints of raspberry and roses, and was absolutely lovely. Regarding the food, many of the dishes were more fish based since this is technically a seafood restaurant. We first got bread, either white or sourdough, with butter that came on a stone. It was delicious! The first dish they brought out was "complimentary" and consisted of three small bites of a carrot and two little pastries. I can't quite remember what they were made with but they were awesome! They then gave us another "complementary" dish which had asparagus and some type of cream on top, and it was very delicate and lovely. The first real fish was a mackerel, which I don't typically enjoy, but the way they prepared it was perfect. Then they brought out langoustine which was over foie gras, and this dish was my favorite. The flavors complements reach other well. We then got monkfish that was cooked perfectly with sauerkraut, followed by veal with mushrooms and cabbage. The last dish was a pear dessert which had pear in multiple forms. Bridges did an excellent job of making a modern take onto Dutch food. We loved our dinner here and the service was also great. I would definitely come back!

Fin and Vin. If you don't like fish or wine, this is not for you. I was here on business, so I didn't get to see the tab, but I am guessing it was pricey.... Food was very good, and served in interesting different ways. Ordering in English not a problem here.

For the last night of our trip before heading home to the US, we (a group of 5) wanted to have a nice dinner. We were drawn to Bridges because of its 1) Michelin star, 2) ability to reserve a table for 5 online, and 3) food presentation, per pictures on Yelp. The dinner started out great. The service was prompt and responsive. We were greeted by a hostess upon walking in, who checked our coats and directed to our table. We received our drinks, welcome snacks and amuse bouche right away. Our group decided to all do the 6 course prix fixe, although it wasn't required that everyone at the table opt in for the same menu. The problems started after receiving our starters. The 3rd course took a bit of time to come out, the 4th course took longer, and the 5th course took even longer still. Nobody came by our table to check on us in between courses. We waited 45 minutes after the 5th course before flagging someone down - LITERALLY, having to say "EXCUSE ME!" to get someone's attention - to ask about the dessert. At this point, we were 3.5 hours and 5 courses in... Now listen, the portions are not huge so we gorged down each course quickly as they came. There's no reason why it would average 42 minutes wait in between each course. I was literally getting hungry in between courses. I asked why it was taking so long for our meal to come out, and they said they are very busy and the kitchen is backed up. However, we were one of the first tables to be seated that night at 18:30, other tables have come and gone, and the restaurant has cleared out again now at 21:30. So is that really a valid answer? When the dessert came, I quickly asked for the check (because who knows how long it would take for that to come!). After paying and signing the receipt, the waitress had the audacity to forget to hand me back my credit card and started walking away. Hello Bridges, I think you should be trying to improve your image, not make it worst. In terms of the food... pictures are certainly deceiving. The presentation is lovely. Unfortunately, my favorite dish taste-wise was the welcome snacks and not any of the menu items. The 2nd course came with some kind of curry ice cream, I thought that was fine but a few of my friends said theirs have melted by the time the dish came - probably because the service is so slow! Everything else tasted fine but definitely not Michelin worthy nor worth the price (and that's coming from someone who lives in San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in the world).

We came here during restaurant week, and they were only accepting reservations for lunch. I have heard that the quality of food during restaurant week tends to be significantly lower, but this was not true for Bridges! The food and presentation was absolutely incredible!!! Food: 5/5 This was a 3 course menu with options to add a 4th or 5th course. Prior to the starter, they also served 2 amuses. One which was a pretzel covered in lobster powder, and an assortment of roasted beans, radish and beet/artichoke chips served with a mayo/kropsla and tomato chutney. Starter: salmon tartaar served in an avocado over an poached egg. The presentation of this dish was stunning. There was a tomato powder dusted on top and this contrasted against the dark blue of the plate. The textures of the egg, salmon and avocado were absolutely divine. It was perfectly seasoned and I have never tasted a tartaar like it. Main: fish with broccoli and mashed potatoes served on endive. Also perfectly seasoned, delicious and beautifully plated. Dessert: passionfruit cake with coconut/basil ice cream. The cake was a bit on the sweet side but the ice cream served to balance that out. The basil in the ice cream was very different and worked well. Overall, the food is amazing, fresh, perfectly cooked, and beautifully plated. Nothing was too salty for me and the textures and flavors were innovative and delicious. Despite the fact it was restaurant week, the quality was not any less. Highly recommended! Service: 5/5 Since this is a classy restaurant (located next to an expensive hotel), the service is impeccable. The waiters were friendly and informative. I have a shrimp allergy and they made sure to take that into account for the dishes; they modified a few dishes just for me. Atmosphere: 5/5 As said before, this is a classy place and I believe it has 1 Michelin *. Perfect place to impress someone (a lovely date, or her parents). Value: 5/5 For a restaurant week price of 35 euros/person, I think it is a bargain. However, it might be a bit more expensive normally. The food quality is super high and you are definitely getting what you pay for. Well worth the cost for a special occasion. They also included snacks when we ordered coffee, so even though my cappuccino cost 6 euros, I got 2 extra desserts which is a pretty good bargain for the price.

I'm very curious how this place received a Michelin star. Our table of 5 was one of the earliest to arrive to dinner and the service steadily declined. At the end of the tasting course, it took 45 minutes for dessert to be served while all other tables received their dishes first. The excuse was that they were understaffed, but who are you trying to kid. Michelin starred restaurants should never be understaffed. Not to jump to conclusions but maybe it was because of our ethnicity? Also, food was sub-par. Flavors were odd and sometimes bland. Definitely too try-hard at innovation which killed it. I mean, one of the dishes were actually pretty decent without the addition of popcorn. They had popcorn in a chicken and cheese corn themed dish. Could've done without the popcorn. Also, poutine, which is a drunk munchie food in Canada was somehow made gourmet by using a different cheese, four fries and some meat served in a tiny portion. Absolutely astounding how this is considered a gourmet dish. Hell even the traditional Dutch herring dish from the street market was more tasty than the herring prepared on the tasting menu. Gonna pull a Gordon Ramsay and be an asshole... Standards for food quality and taste are extremely low in Amsterdam. Still blows my mind this place has a Michelin star. Anyone can slap together low quality dishes like popcorn and poutine, mash them into tiny portions and serve it on a big plate. "A" for effort though I suppose.

Every course was delicious. If you are a picky eater, please trust the recommendations. Every course was perfection. Highly recommend it. Service was great and so was the food. Well worth it!

Elegant place with a tasting menu and also a la cart options beautifully plated and natural wines. Delicious flavors combined... I truly enjoyed the seaweed app, the carrot and shrimp pastry app, the sea bass and the tuna. Tuna was cooked to absolute perfection.

If presentation is #1 on your list you will be pleased! If cute waiters make you want to forget inattentive service go for it. Very pretty food most of which tastes awful could not be masked. Even the fish was not fresh.

This place is my version of Wonderland! It's my favorite restaurant in the world, so far. The service is attentive without being annoying, the food is orgasmic, seriously, the wine list is superb, and the decor is fun and artistic. I wanted to move in. I renamed it "The Gina Trap". :) The restaurant alone is worth a trip to Amsterdam.

Unfortunately this restaurant wasn't as I expected- the beautiful decor and 1 Michelin Star was misleading. I requested a wine list and 20 mins later it finally arrived- after I tracked someone down and requested the list again!! The beautiful butter arrived in a stunning shell with beautifully shaped butter resembling pearls- *** I notice a curly hair pubic looking hair laying on top of one of the pearl shaped pieces of butter- the manager with blazer and jeans gave a brief apology. We had the fried langoustine for starter and shared the lobster- both were delicious Very unfortunate about service and poor management.

This place is a pretentious hotel restaurant. Unless you're on the Company dime, don't bother here. Servers are really uptight and condescending. Menu is basically all seafood, so follow up your tuna tartare muse with a tuna tartare starter and proceed to your main: tuna tartare. No thanks. They served my tuna in a small bowl that rested on top of a another bowl filled with seashells and salt. Wtf? Just a strange place that nobody in Amsterdam bothers with - just rich tourists staying at the Grand Hotel with too much money.

Had an amazing dinner!!!!! We were staying at the Sofitel for three days only. And we knew Bridges had received Michelin rating. Couldn't get reservations but the staff was kind to get us a table at their adjoining bistro- less formal but food is prepared by same chef and same kitchen. Each and every morsel was just superb!!! Don't miss the opportunity to savor the delectable food offered at this special place in Amsterdam.

I have found my favorite restaurant in Amsterdam! The dishes were amazing! If you love oysters, they were unbelievable. The recommendations from the staff were spot on. It was such a lovely dining experience. The service here is stellar!

The cocktails at the bar are really good and we had a really friendly and good waiter that offered an excellent service. Unfortunately the food was not good. It tried to be fancy but clearly the chef doesn't really know what he's doing. Coffee on the lobster covered completely the flavour of the lobster. All flavors are mixed in a chaotic way, such that it seems more children's play than high end cuisine.

Fancy, but everything was very well done. My vio-politan (like a cosmopolitan but with violet liquor and petals) was especially memorable - I could drink many, many more of these! Service was slow but friendly. Definitely not cheap but worth it for a memorable dining experience!

Let me start by saying that the service is excellent. Really excellent. There are a team of people that take care of you from the street to opening the door when you leave. The food was good, but probably not good enough for the price point. We did not like some of the options on the chef's menu, so maybe that was our problem. The ala carte menu is really strange. Almost everything on it was 19 Euros. There is no section for appetizers and entrees. When we asked, they said almost everything is small plates. 19 Euro small plates is a little pricy even for a hotel restaurant. We ended up ordering a couple of them, which were pretty good. We then had the 78 Euro sea bass for two. It is a whole fish and they filet it at your table. It was cool presentation, but you are pretty much getting sea bass with only salt as a seasoning. We ended up spending 220 Euros for two including a ~50 Euro bottle of wine. Dessert was a molten chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream. Really I should give this 3.5 stars, but it is not an option. I would not go back on my own dime. Best service I have seen in a while though. 5/5 for service.

Do not come here hungry!!!! The food we had was good, not excellent, but tasty for the most part. As with most restaurants in Amsterdam the service was slow to the point of being torturous, but the wait staff was nice. The disappointing part of this experience were the portions. We all left hungry...as hungry as we were when we came in. There were no greens, no grains, no starches as accompaniments - not even some bread and that made our meals very disappointing.

Upscale restaurant with a great selection of seafood option. Innovative presentation and delicious cuisine. Be sure to try a dessert!

Very nice, but obviously very pricy. Some dishes were phenomenal, some were just really good so I guess when your worst is really good you are doing something right. Great location, ambiance, staff, service, food... everything really. Just not worth what you have to pay to get it. Adult size portions or cheaper prices would make this a review a 5.

Probably one of the best restaurants in Amsterdam. Well worth making a reservation in advance if you're planning to visit Amsterdam and want to wine and dine in a star restaurant. The staff is polite and very attentive and the food is just superb. They also have a bistro the back which looked nice.

In a word, superb. Ambience, service and, of course, quality and presentation of the dishes were all first rate. Had dinner here last Friday night while staying at the Sofitel Grand Hotel, which is a fine hotel. I was dining by myself and made to feel very welcome. Excellent selection of wines by the glass. I chose the a la carte menu which consists of mostly fish choices with some meat selections also. The plates are all similar sized, so three, maybe four choices can be made and then they are served sequentially. Good idea since this allows more opportunity for different taste sensations. I had the lobster served two ways: the tail, then the claw. Of course, it was the way the chef prepared these ingredients that was the highlight - the accompanying sauce, small veggies, garnish, etc. Then I had breast of pigeon, which was superb - again, the saucing, the veggies, etc. were key to the overall presentation. For dessert, rice pudding, which understates how good this was. Overall, I would rate this as an absolutely delicious dinner. Service was attentive and not stuffy. The price to value ratio was excellent, in my opinion; obviously, be prepared to spend euros. I will look forward to returning to Bridges, and the Sofitel Grand, next time I am in Amsterdam.

My first time in Amsterdam and it was just for a weekend last February. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable. Fresh oysters were divine. It was pricey though.

Very nice, but a little pretentious. The restaurant is located in the red light district, but removed from the crazy red light scene. The online reservation system didn't send my reservation to the restaurant, but I had the confirmation and the restaurant honored it. The food is made with care and is very creative. Portions are very small, but the flavors are very good. Don't be afraid of the six course meal. It won't fill you up. Each course is presented with care and new silver ware. This is not for the budget minded person or if you don't have 2-3 hours. The wine list is good, but expensive. However if you can appreciate a bottle of Chateau Petrus, They have one at 4500 Euros. Plain water will cost you 7.50 Euros. If you have time and a few extra Euros, enjoy the experience

Excellent food and service. We had 6-course lunch. Excellent bread with haddock + holland onion pickle amuse Bouche. Second amuse Bouche was a macaron with mozzarella cheese in the middle with tomato and shavings of black olives. First course was tuns cylinder with sesame on the outside. Came with soy sauce. Second course was plaice with finely chopped mushroom and red wine infused butter. Third course was mackerel in carrot sauce with mashed potatoes, caramel used onion, artichoke. Fourth course was risotto on mushroom sauce, topped with truffle shavings and poached egg. Fifth course was red mullet with cioppino mushrooms, crispy Jerusalem artichoke skin, cooked Jerusalem artichokes, white wine infused butter, black rice. All the fun ended with frozen yogurt with matcha cake, pineapple.

I've been to Amsterdam several times over the years and never thought of it as a culinary destination. I'll acknowledge the great museums, solid shopping, plenty of decent beer and genever, and way too much licentious behaviour but not great food or dining experiences. Three hours at Bridges and 20+ years of programming over what constitutes authentic Amsterdam were wiped out. Bridges is housed in the Sofitel Grand Amsterdam, a 500 year old building which has served as convent, city hall and guest house. While you might blanch at the cost of a night at this Sofitel feel good about splurging on a dinner here. Make reservations, the place is popular, and if you have a small party and don't mind group dining experiences ask to sit at one of the shared, square tables. These large squares are surrounded by rich red sofas and can seat several parties in a living room-like atmosphere (that is, if your living room looks like Florence Knoll's). I, alone and without a reservation, had to sit at one of the raised tables in the bar which, due to poor chair height, was not very comfortable - don't cry for me though. Service started out a bit slow and less than attentive though professional and knowledgeable. Once it was clear that I wasn't in for a quick cocktail on my way to the near-by red light district the staff warmed up to me. European oysters are a treat for this Seattlite so I ordered several varieties including some from Burgundy. me: "Burgundy?" waiter: "Yes, Burgundy." me:"Burgundy in central France, where they grow snails and make mustard?" waiter:"Yes, Burgundy." Delicious, sweet with a mild brine. The oyster service is beautiful too: each oyster variety is paired with a sprig of fresh herb, a different herb for each type. In all these years eating oysters I'd never seen that sort of presentation and it was both lovely to look at and a very effective compliment to the oysters. If it wasn't clear from the restaurant's sub title "Fins and Vins", Bridges is almost all seafood with a focus on wine pairings (if there were any question as to why I came here I suppose that answers it). And the broad selection of fish and creative preparations on the menu is astounding. After much debate and consultation I settled on the Monkfish with garbanzo beans and curry, a stewy Moroccan inspired dish. The sommellier recommended a Fermint based Tokjai, a straight forward herbaceous white, not a late harvest. It may well have been the best glass (ehem two glasses) of white wine I have ever had. And I didn't take down the name. I'll continue to cry over that later but it's time to tell you about dessert. And not just dessert - special house cocktails paired with dessert. A load of the usual dessert items were listed on the menu (all looked great to be fair) but one cannot see "Taste of the 17th Century - Cardamom" on the dessert menu and pass it up. The pastry chef prepares a special cardamom based dessert nightly (apparently the Dutch were big cardamom importers to Europe in the 17th century). Tonight's was a mix of ice creams, tuiles, ices, jellies and meringues all flavored with cardamom. To go with this Bridges has its own cardamom liqueur based cocktails. Bridges has the cocktail recipes on their Web site but don't torture yourself by going to look at them; the cardamom liqueur is made by the big dutch distillery Bols especially for Bridges and you can't get it anywhere else (though Bols is open to public so you might take a tour and try). My choice: The Tax Haven, very near to a Spanish Sangria made with the cardamom liqueur, genever, mint, litchy fruit and Spanish Gewurztraminer. me: "Gewurztraminer from Spain?" waiter: "Yes, Spain." me:"Spain, the southern country, where they grow tempranillo and make manchego?" waiter:"Yes, Spain." Seriously one of the best meals I have ever had. Service started out a bit slow and inattentive but professional and knowledgeable. It ended up familiar and warm. On my next trip to Amsterdam I'd sooner skip a trip to the Van Gogh museum than miss a night at Bridges.

Our 1st Michelin star experience and ordered several appetizers with entree. Service was good, with chef sending tasting dishes between courses. These small tiny plates passing as entrees were a stretch of the imagination. As hotel guest with no reservations we were given priority entrance, a table for 6 for two! Although the menu was not for everyone, flavors the chef created were a hit with us!

Our amuse bouche was a sesame wasabi carrot followed by a pea tartlet and a Madeline of some type all of which teased our palates well. The bread was a crusty white bread with fresh butter which we added a Little Rock salt to. The second amuse bouche was quick grilled salmon with radish and toppings and my second was tomato's with burratta which I was so grateful for as a. Non fish eater . Our waiter deserves a gold star himself !! My lobster appetizer is prepared with a coronet of lobster salad and so elegant I can't stand it ! My tuna appetizer loaded with fresh tuna in a sesame roll exceeded expectations! The truffle risotto was a hit with half the table. Foam covered in fresh truffles are mixed into the egg and the risotto for a layered taste . The lamb was tasty with a seasoned gnocchi on top when mixed with layers. All at our table very satisfied by exceptional taste and presentation ! And the staff has been beyond expectation! Much higher level training than sinne ! Bridges absolutely deserves its Michelin stars and it is worth every cent you pay and I am not even to s desert

Service was very poor. Waiter kept forgetting to refill our wine glasses. My table remained wet despite having asked them to wipe it at least 2 times. We had to ask them to remove empty glasses. The food was mediocre. I asked for a lactose free meal but was served at least 2 coirses from the chef's menu with dairy. I had to return them twice and the waitress argued witzh me that the buttermilk-cream desert would be fine! the bills were all screwed up ( group of 8) and the food was overpriced.

Overall my husband and I were happy with our meal here, it was just a tad overpriced for what we received and the service, which is why I give it one less star. They are generous with their Amuse-bouche and they had unique options. We ordered tartar and oysters which we were not very impressed with but for our main we had the seabass which they prepare crusted in salt and de-boned at the table. The fish prepared this way was outstanding and of the best we had had. The service was lacking a bit, I believe this was because the waiter was covering a lot of tables. We often went without and had to pour our own wine, which is a major fail when dining at a restaurant like this. The bill was just over 300 Euros, with wine of course, which was ok, just a bit overpriced for the food and service we received.

There are few times a chef/restaurant gets everything right. Bridges gets everything right! From the courtyard cocktail to the chefs recommendations to the perfect wine pairings and wonderful service.......a dining experience unmatched. Congratulations !

Yesterday at lunch I had possibly the best meal I've had in two and a half years living in Amsterdam. My friend and I had a Groupon for a three course meal at Bridges, which was two mains (they are small, so essentially a starter and main of the same size) and a dessert each. They started us with 2 amuses, the same another reviewer mentioned: the pretzel covered in lobster powder which I wasn't crazy about and the beans, radish and artichoke chips served with two sauces. They also brought a nice sourdough bread. The mains came very quickly - I had the artichoke and langostine, and my friend ordered the lobster. My langostine came with a very interesting popped quinoa which is worth a taste. With dessert - the carmel ice cream and some chocolate dish, both recommended by the waitress - we ordered coffee and tea, which meant we got another two desserts: churros and chocolate balls covered in nuts with a mandarin orange center. All were very good but the churros were my favorite I think. Four desserts was a bit overload though just to forewarn you. The service was extremely attentive and prompt- we even commented on how impressed we were with the service and they said they really make an effort at lunchtime to get people in and out so you can get back to work. We had at least six different people serving us and felt very well looked after. It was a lovely dining experience, not at all pretentious, so I will definitely go back.

A nice physical plant and food presentation was put askew when we asked for desserts that we saw on a dessert trolley, rather than off of the menu. The trolley apparently was the property of the adjoining "bistro," a section of the same restaurant, which shares the same bar (and owner), but apparently not the same desserts. We were told that the chef of "Bridges" objected to us having the desserts on the trolley as opposed to off of the menu. This after the mother/son eating at the table next to us told us they did not like the desserts they ordered off the menu (chocolate with fried chanterelle mushrooms, for instance, or artichoke, chocolate, and celery) because the chef had "too many things going on, had tried too hard" with his combinations. So we paid the bill and went to the bistro for dessert. Service in all instances was slow. The food was good -- a crispy langoustine on a watermelon/cucumber base, and the sea salt encrusted Sea Bass. We also had oysters, which were fresh. We were unfortunately billed us for two appetizers instead of the one appetizer we ordered, and the waiter then had to be prodded to remove the second charge off of our bill. An otherwise nice experience diminished because the chef actually wanted us to move tables for our dessert instead of serving us in place where we were. An odd choice by him and strange way to treat a customer.

After reading all the reviews I couldn't disagree with most of them more. I was first unimpressed with the manager who was rude and seemed put out by having to fix a screw up on a reservation his staff made. After arguing who's mistake it was we were treated to terrible service and even worse attitude from mainly management and a few of the wait staff. 45 min to get our appetizers and drinks. And another hour for main course which was very small and over priced. This is supposedly a Michelin star restaurant??? I could not be more unimpressed with the service, I have had better service and attitude at a Denny's fast food restaurant. The manager didn't lead he was the majority of the problem. This was not my only bad experience here. Two days for lunch prior to this, it was 1.5 hours for a cheeseburger and the next day same for a club sandwich. Also begging for drink refills EVERY MEAL is not a Michelin restaurant. This is a FAIL.