Café Loetje

Hungry after the Rijksmuseum, I wanted something Dutch, so we came here. When arriving the conservatorium (with the glass roof) was packed, and we opted for the bar instead of the back room, which was a little stuffy, but it is a fine room for small kids for parents to be able to keep an eye on them. We sat at the bar. The bar was empty but soon filled up when a line formed for tables. Of the 4 or 5 places where we ordered bitterballen on our holiday, this place had my favorite. They were crisp outside, gooey in the middle, and so, so lekker! There were vegetarian options also. I had the beets and loaded sweet potato fries. My dining partner had the steak and green beans. The steak was cooked perfectly. The only issue was that the place seemed understaffed. They really need someone else to clear the tables and help the bar person. The servers busted their asses doing everything. Give them a raise! And sitting next to dirty glasses was not pleasant, but that spot at the bar had the best view.

Went with an acquaintance and really enjoyed the food. I’ll post pictures because my Dutch is lacking. We ordered a few drink, Moscow Mule and a Pornstar Martini, lovey by anyone’s standards.The croquettes were a beautiful way to start the evening off. All texture components were spot on, crunchy on the outside and smooth on the inside. Then we moved along to our main courses. The star of the show on both plates was the garlic gravy. 10 out of 10 will come again. The service was exceptional. The only blights were sitting under the skylight that was open and getting drizzled on by rain.Also the space was tight and there was a lot of movement that was not ideal near and by the table but still this is an absolute gem when visiting Amsterdam.

Really good experience. The gravy was so special and the steak was something else… wow

I've been to this restaurant two nights in a row & both times the food, service, and atmosphere was wonderful. The steak with garlic gravy was my favorite. The salad was delicious with the most fresh ingredients. The fries: delicious, both regular and sweet potato. The burrata salad: delicious as well as the croquettes. The dessert, I forget the name but it had pistachio ice cream. That. Was. Absolutely. Phenomenal. I'll definitely be dreaming about this restaurant when I'm back home. I do recommend making a reservation if you can but it's definitely not required.

Good thick cut medium rare steak. You'll be given some bread to eat with the sauce on the plate. I tried the option with the added chicken livers, ham and onions. The chicken livers are slightly crispy on the outside which give a good bite and are tasty. Ham is too salty though. If I go back the next time I'll go just for the steak on the plate alone and order the chicken livers on the side to share. The steak is quite pricey though at almost 30 euro for the medium size.

Family recipes-mainly featuring steak and sides. A nice wine list and good cocktails. Would recommend for a steakhouse in Amsterdam

Don’t let the picture fool you. It’s very dark in the restaurant. Two excellent steaks - soft and tasty. A salad with delicious bacon. Good dessert. *Great service.* The steak sauce was a bit salty. The bread they served for dipping in the steak sauce was very simple (a slice); better bread would have upgraded everything. Prices aren’t cheap, but not expensive either…

The meat (biefstuk) was absolutely perfect — soft, juicy, and full of flavor. One of the best I’ve had! The overall taste and quality of the food were excellent. However, the service was quite slow; we had to wait around 45 minutes after ordering. Worth visiting for the food, but be prepared for a wait.

This was our second time visiting Café Loetje. We opted to come here because we had enjoyed our dinner here several years prior and it is a relaxed atmosphere. It is also a short walk from our hotel. We both opted for burgers, which were delicious and a side of sweet potato fries. The fries were addictive and I could have eaten three orders of them. I had the sticky toffee pudding and my husband had the crème brûlée. Like the fries, I could have eaten three orders of the sticky toffee pudding. The service was great. They were very attentive and friendly. I will return again when we visit Amsterdam.

If you find yourself in Amsterdam. You gotta come here for their tenderloin. It's an absolute must. I swear it was the best tasting thing I tried here. The tenderloin is basically steak tartar, rare on the inside, and it tastes like heaven with the sauce. The tuna steak was pretty decent, but the star of the night was still the tenderloin. Food portion was huge, we didn't even finished the chicken liver appetizers. Staff and service: not very good cause they're super packed and busy. I recommend asking for everything you want all at once, including water. Food takes awhile. Again, this restaurant seems extremely busy. Overall: amazing 4 stars for the delicious food. Minus 1 star for the okay service.

We arrived at Café Loetje under less than inspiring circumstances. Up more than 24 hours after our International nonstop from California, and trying to escape a cold November rain after a Canal cruise, Café Loetje seemed like an oasis, at least a dry one. But we almost gave up because it was difficult to find the entrance! Finally we located a staircase in a corner of the bus station which led down to the café. I wish we had seen some reviews in advance and known about their specialties as we only ordered standard lunch fare: a club sandwich for me and a tuna sandwich from my wife. Mysteriously, some deep fried balls of something or other was a free bonus, which I later learned was Bitterballen, a Dutch specialty. They were fun to try and not bad! The lunch was good as was the service. For dessert we split a slice of apple pie, which really hit the spot! The café was hopping, loud and packed for Saturday lunch. Love to return some time and try them for dinner.

My favorite restaurant in Amsterdam! Such a nice surprise away from the most touristy areas of the city. The restaurant is spacious with lots of outdoor seating, friendly service, and nice decor. The food is excellent and we did have the delicious Loetje Tenderloin with their savory gravy, a fresh salad, and fantastic sweet potato fries. Highly worth a visit!

Garlic gravy 150g steak Small salad Fries Food was soooo good. I would come back here.

We came to Loetje for lunch since it was close to our hotel. We opted to sit in their covered patio with our dog. It was a little breezy, but not too bad. The surrounding area is quiet, making it a peaceful afternoon lunch spot. Everything we had was great -- the tenderloin (150g) with gravy sauce, sautéed onions, and a side of fries (small). It also came with a side of white-bread. Overall, I would give it an 8.5/10. I typically prefer more medium-rare than medium, but it was still good. My fiance and I shared the meal -- it was the perfect size for us both. We probably could've gotten the medium tenderloin, but the 150g was enough. The only con was that our server was extremely inattentive -- more so than usual. The other servers seemed to be more on top of it, so it might've just been the section we were in. Overall, I would return again for sure!

We had our best meal in Amsterdam at Café Loetje - I wanted some traditional Dutch food and was very happy and satisfied with my meal. I had the medium sized beef tenderloin with an order of fries and veggies. The tenderloin was cooked perfectly medium rare and the gravy was rich and delicious. The tenderloin was served with a few slices of white bread (like American Wonder bread) which was a bit surprising but it mopped up the gravy really well. The fries were cooked perfectly nice and crisp, and the meal was accompanied with a couple glasses of Heineken on tap.

The food was incredible! Loved the relaxed atmosphere and the ambience of the restaurant. Service was pretty good. A bit on the slow side.

Very good Tenderloin and fry's. Recommend it! I think it can get very busy, I went kind of early dinner around 3. Was great.

I accidentally went to the wrong one, as there are multiple locations around the city, but they were nice enough to let me into the one I stopped at. The steak I ordered was quite good, as were the accompanying fries and wine. No complaints here!

Bad service. Staff was rude. I came in by myself and the woman at the door was sort of rude. My burger was the rarest thing that I ever saw. My waiter never checked on me and when he came back and asked how it was I said " Sorry, I hated it , it was too raw. "( I ate almost none of my burger) he then told it was my fault for not saying anything but I had pushed my plate away from me about 15 min before he even asked and let him know he never checked on me at all. Walked away hungry and shelled out money for rude service and a raw burger.

Prices are reasonable and the steak and fries are excellent! But don't ask them how long to cook the steak, the chef says it medium to medium rare!

Ate here while in the city. Food was great and Amber's service was spectacular. She was attentive and funny. We were cracking jokes back and forth. She absolutely added to the enjoyment of my meal.

Good, BIG classic Eet Cafe in Amsterdam. Too bad we couldn't sit outside due to the weather. Quick service, good food. Wine list adequate - lots of beer too. Busy, lots of action. Sort of in between a local classic Dutch bar / cafe and a touristy restaurant. I'd definitely eat here again. Go for the steaks of course. But I had the Kip sate, it was super lekker. Heavy pour on the wijn. That's a plus!

It's our last day in Amsterdam and we've wanted to try a good steak for dinner. This restaurant was recommended by a local and with a good review. It is located near the famous Rijks Museum and is a nice restaurant with good ambiance. The foods and services are quite good. We mostly had steaks with either the Bali or Garlic sources. The side dishes included sautéed mushrooms, green beans, fries, and good Malbec wines. Highly recommended!

The server was so rude almost obusive. We were hungry and tired but chose to pay for the water and leave. No wonder the place was empty.

On our last evening in Amsterdam, we were looking for a good place that served local Dutch food. This restaurant was recommended on the Amsterdam Tourism Website. It took us ~20min to get here but it was worth it! The food was incredible, the staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was relaxing. We had the bitterballen - which is a thick stew, breaded and deep fried. And we had the tenderloin, which was the restaurant specialty. Both were beyond delicious. They have a nice, big outdoor space, as well as a few tables inside. It was pretty easy to get here, we took the M52 subway train from Central Station. Then a short walk to the restaurant. If I'm ever in Amsterdam again, will definitely go back here!

Absolutely fantastic. Gravy is rich and flavorful. Tenderloin cooked perfectly. Definitely lives up to the hype.

Disappointing. This restaurant was highly recommended by a local friend. Last night we went to the restaurant which showed 1030 closure, at 930. We were turned away because they were short staffed which is understandable. The gentleman was nice and said to try for lunch the next day. Today determined to try again we went for lunch on our last day. There was a very flustered and anxious young woman who again turned us away because she couldn't put two tables together to accommodate the six of us. We suggested we wait or sit separately but she just waved her hands and said "no". As I said disappointing.

Wow did this restaurant make our trip or what!?? This was my favorite Cafe in Amsterdam. Came here with a group of 6 on a Thursday night and it was very packed. My boyfriend and I got the steak with gravy sauce (cannot remember what the actual name was called) but WOW!! It was so phenomenal. We ended up eating just the leftover sauce on the plate because the flavor was outstanding.

When I travel I ALWAYS ask a local for suggestions on dinner so I approached our wonderful front desk host at the hotel for a suggestion for dinner. Looking for a quick convincing answer Café Loetje Loetje Amsterdam Café sang out of her mouth like a song. I knew her conviction and the way she said it would lead us to a wonderful experience. She couldn't nearly contain herself when she swiped my phone from my hand to plug in the address. At that moment, I knew I had won. A quick walk maybe a mile from the hotel there we were. Everything you'd expect in a street side café. Outdoor seating, people with colorful and beautiful food on the table. I knew I was "at the spot". Tucker ordered an Indian curry soup with the Loetje Tenderloin (brown butter sauce) and I ordered beef carpaccio with Truffle and the Loetje Tenderloin with garlic. Hands down, take it to the bank, a must try place. This food and that sauce was to die for. Now, we had no business getting dessert but when everything that has graced your mouth is leaving you wanting for more you just throw caution and Euros in the wind and you go for it. My great aunt Caroline and great aunt Jo always told me you never skip dessert. I took their advice and let Tucker choose. He went for the chocolate trio. White chocolate crème brûlée, chocolate ice cream and a dark chocolate cake. O.....M.....G...... I don't even like chocolate that much. Suffice to say I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven, sitting under a big awning with wind breezing by, making it comfortable and at times a little chilly. Sipping my double espresso and looking at Tucker take that chocolate cake down in 3 or maybe 2 bites. Magnificent!

It was great, lives up to all of the reviews! The beef tenderloin was cooked to perfection.

My mother and I found this place on Yelp as it was about 15 minutes walk from our hotel and had high reviews and yummy-looking photos. We arrived at around 7pm on a busy Sunday evening. We waited about 40 minutes for a table and then waited a few more minutes to be greeted but all-in-all it was worth the wait. We ordered frittes and boy were they delicious. A huge hot plate of large perfectly cooked steak fries arrived with the mayo aioli on the side. I ordered the chicken and bacon salad which was a welcome surprise. It's a HUGE salad with finely diced tomatoes and cucumbers, tons of greens, a lot of large slices of thick bacon and what had to be two chicken breasts (chopped up fortunately) with some yummy onion balsamic glaze dressing. It was delish. My mom went with the burger and she was pretty happy with it. I tried it and it was freaking good. I loved my salad but I envied her the burger too. They had steaks and other yummy items on the menu as well and if we'd had more time in Amsterdam I would've gladly come back for a second meal.

Cafe loetje My family and I tried to go here a year ago at our last visit to this great city but without a reservation, we were turned away. The Dutch dining concept is very relaxed and there is an expectation to dine for the evening. You table is yours for the whole evening. Strangely different in America as the table needs to be turned when you are done eating. So this time we reserved a table and were nicely accomodated. We started with a nice beer that was local. I had checked out the menu and there were so many food item we wanted to try. Of course we had to start with the traditional Bitterballen. Crispy on the outside from being deep fried but a hot, soft, gravylike inside. Delicious and we could have eaten more but we ordered a wonton stack with smoked salmon. It was perfect, nice flavor and good combination. Main entrees were next. We paced ourselves but not like the Dutch. We were still learning the table customs. Your server is at your service but not until your menu is closed. That we figured out pretty quickly. I ordered the Beef tenderloin 'Bali' described as served on a bowl type plate with the real Loetje gravy and sambal! The sambal was not too spicy. Just perfect. The Vegaburger made from beet and carrot was very good and unique in flavor. The regular burger was really good too. I assume I could say that for this whole menu and restaurant. It was well worth the yearlong wait and we are glad that we did not give up on the quest to dine in this local Dutch neighborhood restaurant. We are only sorry we did not stay longer but we had arrived from the US on a long flight and really needed to sleep after the wonderful meal.

Loetje is part of my Amsterdam routine now: I end up at one of their locations every trip! This one is convenient to the museums and Concertgebouw before or after a performance. The bitterballen are a nice start. Main dishes are very large, so be prepared to share! You can't miss with one of the beef tenderloin dishes. My favorite is "de Roode Waard" which comes with a massive pile of bacon. The chicken livers are perfect. The schnitzel is barely dusted with flour and fried in tons of butter, which is, of course, why it's good. I never have room for dessert, so one of these days, maybe I'll stop by for that. Great stop in De Pijp.

Food was good but nothing spectacular. A little pricey. I guess that's expected with location. Reservations are recommended. We didn't have a reservation but was able to get a table only if we finish by a certain time so guests with reservation can have the table. We ordered the burger, steak and sample appetizer.

Mmmm Says open now on google but opens at noon. Not sure looks nice from rainy outside

Great food at reasonable prices! Our party of five arrived at 8:45 on a busy Saturday night and were lucky to get a table which was outside. We each ordered a different main course including their classic tenderloin with Loetje gravy, tuna steak, and chicken satay. Everything was delicious.

This is a great restaurant. We really enjoyed our experience here. We were seated outdoors, overlooking the water on a beautiful day. Unlike in other restaurants, our table was huge and spacious. We were on the waitlist and after we were seated, I overheard them telling another group that they weren't taking any more outdoor seating requests for the night. (Very different mentality than the US. ). We enjoyed our meal at a very leisurely pace and had the table for the rest of the night without feeling rushed. Service was very very slow though. My husband commented that the steak with the sauce was one of the best meals he had. A couple of people in my group got the steak and they all enjoyed it very much. The chicken bites were also good. We ended up ordering a second order of the chicken bites. I ordered the burger and was a little disappointed. It was good, but not the texture I am used to. Also, the entree sizes are on the smaller side. The steak dish didn't come with any sides. Although it was delicious, it wasn't all that filling by itself. Fries are a separate dish. (1 star deduction for the burger and the entree sizes). Other reviewers raved about the fries but it tasted like normal fries to me. They were good, but tasted like all the other fries I've had in my life. All in all, we enjoyed the outdoor seating overlooking the water. My husband commented several times throughout our trip how none of the other meals compared to this steak.

Wonderful food and service. The bitterballen was delicious. Quick walk from the Van Gogh museum. The staff was very kind and attentive. The lunch plate was also delicious with soup, a sandwich, and croquette.

Great service and tasty food. We came for a late dinner without reservations. They didn't have any tables available so we were planning to sit at the bar. A table opened up and they came to get us. Everything was good, but really liked the fries and bitterballen!

The service here is terrible. I went there with coworker a couple days ago. When we sat down at a table outside, the waiter came over to take our order. He asked what we want to drink, my coworker ordered a coke and I said no drink for me at that moment because I just finished drinking a big cup of boba milk tea on the way to the restaurant. Then the waiter just threw a bad attitude to me then left our table even we were ready to order our meal. Later a waitress came over to deliver my coworker's drink and took our meal order. When we finished our meal and ask for a check and a to go box, another waitress came over, she threw a bad attitude to us too. They were so rude, and the way they treated us was wrong. Will never go to that place again and won't recommend it to my friends either. I like to spend my money at some other place worthy.

The hours are wrong. Do not attempt to eat here after 9 PM and the restaurant does nothing to correct the misconception. Even the signs outside say they are open until 11 PM. We attempted to eat here and were told kitchen was closed.

The best meal I had in Amsterdam. And I had some good food!! I've never considered myself the biggest meat and potatoes gal, but I'm converted. I got the steak with bacon, chicken livers, and onions, and it was RIDICULOUS. Truly special. The steak was perfectly tender and medium rare, and the toppings were perfectly decadent and made it nice and saucy. The fries were perfect perfect perfect, perfectly crispy and crusty with a meltingly soft middle. The beer and the sticky toffee dessert were the icing on the cake. TLDR: come here if you love yourself

Awesome place for Steak, Frites and a beer! Went there with my family and we had a great time.

My friend who has lived in Amsterdam for a long time suggested to me that I check out this cafe during my trip. Boy was this a fantastic suggestion! Absolutely loved everything we ordered. My husband got the tenderloin which was absolute perfection and I ordered the vegan burger which was on of the best I've ever had! (I'm not actually vegan so I ended up trying a bit of all the dishes :) ) The only downside is that service runs pretty slow but staff is very friendly (very typical European!) I think we waited about 30 min until someone took our order and at least 50 min until the food came out.

We came here with a local friend and loved it so much came back the next day. What a wonderful vibe going on! Plenty of options but I recommend the Pork Schnitzel and/or the steak (we had both and split). Fries are a must. Apple dessert a must. You won't be disappointed!

Friendly staff. Cheese board sampler of jamon iberico and manchego cheese was yummy! The pork schnitzel was tender and flavorful. The sweet potato fries with the garlic aioli was a great combination of flavors!

I give out just a few 5 starts so this means a lot from me. Our food was ossm. We are planning to go back to try their specialty, their steaks. We had the salmon and chicken/bacon clubs. The fries we ordered were a perfect crisp. We tried sticky toffee for the first time and it was the best dessert we have had here in Holland. My latte was also the best.

We ducked in here to get out of the rain and ended up having a delicious lunch. The bitterballen were so delicious... I could've eaten them all day! We also got a sandwich which was good, but nowhere near as remarkable as the bitterballen. The frites and mayonnaise were also very good. I would like to give this 5*, but I'm deducting a star because the prices were a bit high and the service was rather inattentive. I would come back for the bitterballen.

Would have loved to give 5 stars, but the service was a little bit of a bummer. Food was excellent for the most part. The sashimi was good, but not the best I've had in Amsterdam. I also ordered the beef tenderloin 'Bali' and it was amazing. Very tasty. I also ordered fries and they were great to soak up the tenderloin Bali juices. The service problem arose because they must have forgot my tenderloin and french fries. The sushimi came out super quick, then about 40 minutes passed and my food still hadn't been served. Other tables who came in after me we're served. I eventually got my food, but it was a little overdone. The tenderloin tasted amazing, even though it was overcooked. Could have been a 5 star if they got it right... I would eat here again.

Great place for delicious steak. Also very personable staff. Loved my meal. Highly recommend

We stopped by Café Loetje since it was close to the Amsterdam Centraal station and we wanted to take a breather before our next stop. We tried the bitterballen and fried chicken and both had the same breading. They were crunchy and the bitterballens were a hit with my family since we never had it before- think of a cheese, curry, milk cream and meat filling.

Must-eat in Amsterdam. Get the steak that is the popular signature dish that's served in a plate of sauce. I can't recall it's name, but they know what it is. Everyone gets it. The place gets busy and can be a little loud and you may have to wait - that is a sign of a great restaurant. They've expanded and doubled the size since the first time I ate there but kept all of the same quality in their food.

Nice setting. Reasonable (for Amsterdam) prices. Lots of patrons (which is good). Fries served Northern Europe style (lots if mayo in the plate and fries on top). Hamburger cooking level not asked. Cooked medium-well by default (you've been warned). Cucumber in side salad and sauce (Nordic tradition too). Now the two stars: Asked for a 50cc, got a 25cc, gave the waiter a warning, asked if I want to swap it, I said "give me another 25cc and charge me the 50cc I ordered), got an Okay Everybody understands English here. Got the check for 2 x 25cc. They got 2 stars.

Amazing!!!! We loved everything we ordered. We came at 6:00pm and were able to get a table (group of 6) Service was great too. Jocelyn was attentive, friendly and patient. We mostly had the steak and my husband had the Tuna. Reasonably priced for the quality of the food. We enjoyed our dinner here.

Very good place with a varied menu. I got the satay chicken skewers, which seem to be a thing in Amsterdam. Very tender and tasty with a good peanut sauce to accompany it. My dining partner got a large salad, which he was happy about. Prosecco came in it's own bottle direct from Italy. My dining partner was happy with his Chardonnay. Had the traditional Dutch Apple Tart for dessert which we split. All in all, with the exception of a distracted waitress in the beginning, a good experience and food.

Good for groups or a romantic date. Was craving steak and it the steak place recommended by the Airbnb I stayed at in Amsterdam after a weekend at Tomorrowland. My date and I ordered both the rosé, bacon salad, shared fries with mayo sauce, and the regular steak. Completely satisfying.

Daughter raved about this place as she had been here a dozen times. Accordingly "we just had to get the steak, dubbed 'the best in Europe' ". Well the place was packed and we waited at the bar for about 45 minutes when they finally got us a high top table in the back. It is a comfortable place for 6 diners. Service was friendly but obviously overworked. It was my spouse's b-day that ended in a zero, so we were celebrating. They have a very good chocolate mousse, which I'm an expert taster: recommend worth getting. Spouse ordered a crème broulee, which we informed the waiter it was for her birthday. They brought it out, with instead of candles, a flare! Quite the impression, as the surrounding diners chimed in with singing happy birthday, but were very puzzled when we sang as follow-up "Sto Lat". OK so why only 3 stars? The steak was undercooked and tough, you can get a better steak at a Publix grocery store. Also the price was a bit higher than expected for this place. If this was the best steak in Europe, I feel sorry for the continent's steak lovers.