Nam Kee

Was visiting from Seattle, US, and thought trying Chinese food in Amsterdam would be a fun experience. Unfortunately, it was a bit disappointing; Seattle actually has better options. However, the food was just okay, not terrible, but not impressive either. On top of that, the prices were pretty steep. For the same price, I could get much better food at other restaurants, not worth it in my opinion.

I had a great wonton soup experience in Amsterdam about 20 years ago, but I couldn’t remember which eatery it was, so I thought I’d try my luck in Nam Kee. I came in during off-peak hours, so there were just a few customers dining in. I ordered, of course, the wonton soup and a mixed roast meat rice plate. The wontons were okay – chunky and filling – but not as good as I had hoped. The rice dish, however, was a bit disappointing. The pork had a slightly off taste, and the roast duck was even gamier, with skin that wasn’t really crispy either. I ended up not finishing it. The service, at least, was fine – straightforward and efficient.

As an Asian, this’s tasty and pretty affordable! Way less queue than the other branch. Recommend the crispy pork and roasted pork!

They RIP OFF your money. When I did check the bill, they said the pos machine connection to WiFi was not good, asked me to tap the second time. Later I got charged for the same amount another time. I went back next day and told them, his attitude was bad. And I did show the bank app information to him which shows it charged for two times and the only one receipt I got. Then he took a picture of bank app information without my permission. I asked why does he take the picture, his attitude become more worse. And denied they charged twice. Used to recommend to friends, honestly their food is above average. But never ever go back.

The food was bland alongside with bad service. I ordered a Peking duck and it tasted far from authentic Cantonese style. I was rudely treated because I am a Chinese? How did they even dare to ask for tips? For sure I refused to give it.

The crackling crispy pork and the fried rice are so good. Nice staff and decors. Highly recommended

Food was good but 1 of the Chinese worker (maybe the chef) is immediately asking for the tip when we give him the cash..

The famous oysters of Nam Kee are a must try, always a great choice to start with. There is always a great ambiance there. It's noisy and very busy but the food is delicious. The banana fritters drizzled with caramel, and two big scoops of vanilla ice cream is simply to die for. If you like Chinese food in an unpretentious setting, than is the the place to go.

First time to Amsterdam and we somehow wandered into Chinatown. So naturally, we had to eat. You cannot go wrong with Chinese food! There were so many options but we went to Nam Kee. Walking by seeing the plates on people's tables did not look appetizing at all. In fact, we felt like this was a bad choice but the waiter was so nice so we stayed. We ordered the roasted duck, crispy pork, and roasted pork (char siu) rice plate and a beef chow mein. To our surprise, the duck was very good. The char siu and crispy pork were decent. The pan fried noodle was perfect but the beef was not tender so we ate around it. Overall great experience but taking 1 star off for the beef.

Authentic food and great service! Green Tea- So soothing and aromatic. Oysters of Nam Kee- These were surprisingly huge and delicious! (€3 each) Choi Sam with Garlic- Perfectly cooked. The sauce was so good, I poured it over my rice. (€13.50) Breaded Prawns in Sweet and Sour Sauce- Tasty big prawns. I love that this dish contained pineapple. (€22)

This Nam Kee is a nice place to eat indoors. When a friend visited, we went here several nights in a row because it was so good! This was before the second curfew restrictions in Amsterdam. It's a two entrance restaurant appearing small at first, but there is a downstairs adjoined by the side. The food is what you would expect the name of Nam Kee. I'm not sure if this is their flagship or secondary, since the bigger one is around the corner. Amazing they still have both. This is in the heart of the Chinatown street. I usually go for the Duck and Pork dishes. Their broccoli and veggies are delicious too. A good sign of the place is that there are so many other Asian people eating here, speaking Chinese. I have traveled and worked in China extensively so this is pretty good stuff.

I love their food! Period. I have been to enough places around the world and this one counts as one of my top experience as a place to seek comfort food. It is not fancy and it is not glamorous. It is unassuming good value delicious honest-to-god Cantonese food. I had a Peking Duck (燒鴨），beef brisket and tendon clay pot (牛腩煲），a pair of oyster half shell steamed with soybean and green onion, and a plate of green vegetable. The food came out quickly. All fresh. And paired perfectly with a cold Heineken!

Started my Euro trip in Amsterdam and I was craving for some Chinese food and a friend told me about this spot when she came to Amsterdam. Located in Chinatown next to RLD. Got a simple three treasure rice and some green tea. It was good food and large portion nothing stand out. 8/10 for the whole experience. More reviews from my Euro Trip to come.

Recommended by friends and within easy walking distance from our hotel this restaurant has lots to offer diners for a reasonable price. I had the roasted duck noodle soup and my son had the duck rice dish. Both were ample sized and very tasty. The restaurant is small and somewhat loud as the chef is visible in the front of the establishment and can be heard chopping up the ducks that hang in the front window. Service is good.

They allow you to mix and match meats without a price penalty so I ordered a combo of BBQ pork and Peking Duck. Both meats were excellent (crispy, juicy and fatty) and good quantity for one person with the included veggies they were served over and bowl of steamed rice. They didn't even charge for hot tea so this was perfect good eats and great value.

I came here on a recommendation from my canal cruise boat captain. I hadn't actually planned to eat Chinese food on this trip but it sounded good at the moment. I also went with some other people from the cruise so it was a good way for me to socialize a bit. LOL! We had to wait for a table, as there were 5 of us, but we were seated within 20 min. The menu is extensive. I actually hate when menus are this large. It makes me feel like the quality of the food will be really low. It was also harder for me to read the menu as everything was spelled differently than I'm used to. It's actually quite funny because I've been to all sorts of different kinds of Chinese places and I've never seen the spellings that I saw at this one. Luckily enough for me it was close enough. The food came quickly and I was pleasantly surprised. Good flavor and texture. It made me think of my childhood, which means a lot to me. Standard Chinese comfort food will always have a place in my heart. The service was spotty but I don't expect more from ladies who are well into their late 60's/early 70's. This adds to the charm of the place I think though.

They food are pretty authentic especially with the crispy pork! Would recommend tourists to stop by and enjoy the food here in Chinatown.

Good, legitimate Chinese food, but nothing that we hadn't tried before back home. Also, be prepared to pay a pretty penny as the prices here were much higher than what we were used to in New York for your average, everyday Chinese dishes. My girlfriend and I found this restaurant after strolling thru the Red Light District and happening upon Chinatown. We didn't select this restaurant for any particular reason, other than the fact that it wasn't packed on the evening that we dropped by. We dined at about 9pm that evening and there were only a few parties inside. The restaurant was decent looking and had 2 sides to it. One side was actually closed to business since it was late night already. We were greeted by the waitress, who spoke Cantonese to us. We ordered 2 rather simple dishes and got our food quickly. I ordered a Beef Brisket Soup Noodle and my girlfriend ordered Duck and Chicken over Rice. Both dishes were good and pretty much what we were accustomed to back home. The noodles were cooked real well and there was plenty of brisket in the soup noodle. As for the Duck and Chicken over Rice, the duck and chicken were also typical of what we have had. The meats were cut well and fresh. For good Chinese food, this is definitely a legit option. The food was good, the waitress was friendly and the food was served quickly to us. Our only gripe was the price, as it was probably double what were used to.

If you are an HK or TW foodie, come directly here to eat or pre-eat. As authentic Cantonese as HK Island. The fishball, veggie, duck - just amazing. As for the Gweilo reviews here: ignore. Service is very good, prices are fair and honest. To the negative reviews... Not NY cheap as labor and CoG are much higher and food is much higher quality. And don't expect a sorority girl with pearly whites to serve your table. These waitresses work hard and don't have time for western pleasantries. In Cantonese, they hold a wonderful conversation and are a wealth of knowledge.

Perfect hole in the wall in the Red Light District, full of local Dutch (who love Nam Kee) as well as tourists. Get the crispy pork belly (fantastic flavor and texture) and Peking duck (tender). The broccoli in fresh garlic and ginger sauce was also a real treat. We ate every last bit up. Service was very professional and efficient. Unpretentious place we will return to before we leave.

My Sister and I were on our 1st visit to the Netherlands and she'd checked the place out on yelp and was kinda' ambivalent about going after reading the reviews, but we went ahead and tried it anyway. The food was good, but nothing close to exceptional. it was a little tight in the restaurant and space was at a premium. It was extremely busy, which isn't really here or there, but overall, I definitely wasn't impressed. I could have very easily taken away a star or 2, based strictly on the waitresses' attitude (Which ABSOLUTELY SUCKED and was essentially, pretty damn rude), but I understand that not everyone in the service industry is warm and fuzzy and her dismissive and flippant nature actually made me laugh.

Actually pretty good food, but standard Chinese restaurant service - 'efficient' - is the most polite way to describe it. They'll stick you anywhere they possibly can, slam menus and food on your tables, hurry off and forget about you, charge bottled water the same price as beer, but it's all part of the Chinese restaurant experience ! Ordered: 2 x Ginger oysters, (but go for the black bean instead) 1 small portion of Fried prawn wontons Crispy noodle with prawns Water Heineken Approx €32-35

When I'm sick of Dutch food I find my way to Chinatown for my comfort food. Rice! The crispy pork belly and charsui BBQ combination dish is my favorite! I always ask for a side of ginger onion sauce (additional charge). It hits the spot! It comes with steaming hot rice and some blanched cabbage. Yum

Stopped a local on the street to ask their favorite food spot around RLD and this was their recommendation. The line out and around the door told me I'd made a good choice. Service was quick and staff was very polite. The duck and noodles were also tasty. Recommend this place over a tourist trap in RLD for sure

roast duck is the must here. The price is great too. The space of seat is comfy and not stuffy (comparing to Asian restaurants around there) The service is not bad. I don't see waiters and waitresses stop working and have chitchat and gossip customers like some Asian restaurants nearby.

My all time favorite Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam. Hands down. I first came here about 5 years ago and I have been frequenting here ever since. There are my 2 all time favorite dishes here; crispy pork and eggplant hot pot with pork. I don't even bother ordering crispy pork at other restaurants in China Town or in Amsterdam because they never beat this place. The crispy pork here is what it should be. Crispy. They don't have an entirely separate dish of crispy pork. There are dishes of mixed meat, etc but you can ask them for only crispy pork. I nearly had a rage flip mode when they had a new menu and I couldn't find the eggplant dish. It used to be on the section of hot pot/stew with an image of a happy smiling pig. However, to my luck they still have it. The eggplants with the combination of "crumbled" pork pieces are delicious. I wasn't able to find a dish similar to this at any other Chinese cuisine based restaurants. The service staff have remained the same since I made my trip to this place 5 years ago. Even the chef by the window dealing with the pecking duck. I am not sure why people complain about the service. It is what it is. The service is not that different to other Chinese restaurants in Amsterdam. I wouldn't say worse or better. You might be surprised but the rather shabby interior you see is an upgrade of what it used to be like 5 years ago lol. Don't be discouraged by the look of the restaurant. I promise you, the food is great here. Not exactly a place for a date or fancy meal but definitely a place to appreciate good crispy pork and other goodness.

My friends who always come to the restaurant every time visiting Amsterdam have recommended this place. The restaurant is located in china town few blocks from redline district and across from the buhddist He Hau temple. The place is small with about ten tables for four or six on each wide of the wall. The line is long and slow. After waiting over half an hour, we got to sit down. The service is fast but so so, utensils, food and drinks were dropped on the table. The waitress was rushing with orders. We ordered shrimp dumpling noodles, Peking duck noodles, and stirred fried noodles. They are all ok but not exceptional! The price is reasonable. 3 dishes cost about €50 ($70 US). Would come back if there is no line and probably will try other dishes like lobsters or oysters...

Good Cantonese food. The steam chicken with ginger and chives was very moist. Better than Chinatown in LA. Nice and clean restaurant

After traveling in Europe for three months I really craved Asian food and this hits the spot! I am definitely recommending all my friends who are coming to Amsterdam to stop by and grab a bite. I ordered the eggplant with minced fish and rice, sadly, I couldn't finish it all. It was oily, like all Chinese/Canto dishes, but great with rice. They also gave me spicy sauce, which wasn't as spicy as I hoped. I went in around 3:30 pm and surprisingly, most tables were filled. Service was fast and they were really nice.

Apparently if you want Chinese food in Amsterdam, Nam Kee is the place to go. I guess there aren't too many good Chinese places then since my experience here was pretty pedestrian. Came here for roast duck and it was alright. The skin just didn't have the succulent crispiness that that you would expect and I thought the duck lacked seasoning. I asked for beef tendon noodle soup but the waiter misheard and ordered me beef ball noodle soup instead but I didn't correct him. It's tough though to pay 8€ for store- bought beef balls. I also thought the broth lacked flavor which was disappointing. It is however a comfortable dining experience at Nam Kee and service, while it varies from server to server, is adequately attentive. It's just a pity the food wasn't what was hyped to us.

Great Chinese sit-down restaurant. The food was hot and fast. The restaurant very clean. I'm not sure what (exactly) the spicy sauce was...but I cleaned the little bowl.

This place has great food and I would highly recommend it. I know something about Chinese food . I'm from San Francisco and am Chinese. The whole staff is Chinese. First good sign . They have the roast duck in the window. second good sign. The menu is authentic Chinese and there is a great selection. Same selection as you would find in San Francisco Chinatown. Our group ordered wanton ton soup, Singapore noodles, roast duck, roast pork, and spicy eggplant with pork and tofu. It was delicious period. One suggestion. Go early. He gets packed

I read the previous reviews and was on the fence about going to this restaurant, but after some confusion with the entry to "New King" (right next door) my brother and I decided to give it a try. When you walk in it is very unclear if you should seat yourself or wait to be seated. We were kinda ignored by the workers for a minute and then told to sit at a table that was already occupied. Apparently, guests share tables. Ordering was pretty easy and the food was great. However, I kept my order very simple - stir fry broccoli with chicken. At the end of the meal, I asked for the check to be separated. The waitress told me she couldn't and then told me "you can count." I was kinda taken aback by her choice of words, but my brother and I worked out the payment. Notes: * Restaurant is small * Service is kinda okay, with now frills * Food was good * the servings are big enough to be shared

The oysters are amazing and affordable here, everything else was o.k. I probably won't come back unless for the oysters. We waited like 20 minutes as well. Service was uncomfortable

I always always crave for chinese food when I'm out of the country. Only reason why I can't bring myself to give this place 5 stars is because I'm from New York, and New York has amazing chinese food compared to many other places. But for Amsterdam? Nam Kee is amazing. And no, I'm not saying that because my options are limited - the food really was good. I had the stir fried beef ho fun noodles for 12.50 Euros and I loved it. I actually like how the ho fun was thinner in length, and thicker and not as flat as the way they make it back home.. reminded me a bit of Hong Kong. It wasn't oily, and wasn't fried too "wet", if that makes sense. Wish it was salted a bit more, but nothing I can't do with a pinch of salt myself. Also had the mixed meat over rice which consisted of cha siew, roast pork, and roast duck. The skin to the roast pork was crispy, but not in a very good way. It was the hard-crispy, not crunchy-crispy. Cha siew was good, and the duck was as well, although the duck was a tad too much on the sweet side for me.

The must have is the won ton soup which isn't really so much wonton by California standards - it's like 12 shumai densely packed with delicious morsels of pork in a hot broth. Perfect for a cold Amsterdam dinner. The Chinese broccoli was good. The fried rice with pork was bland - but the optional unmarked bottle of MSG on the table did make something about it palatable. The beef with veggies had some well seasoned meat but the celery that composed the rest of the dish was indigestible. All in all this very well established spot is a great Chinese meal quick and easy. Don't come looking for any kind of ambiance. The star of this joint was the garlic hot chili paste that just flowered and blossomed into the most amazing flavor when added especially to the soup.

Awful experience. I sincerely advice you to go elsewhere. I joined yelp for this exact dining experience. I just want to warn people not to make the same mistake. I Ordered roasted duck + crispy bacon + babi pangan dish while my bf ordered the roasted duck. The meat was nicely cut into bitesize pieces and well presented. Upon puttig the first bit of duck in my mouth I immediately had to pick out numerous bits of bone. My bf was having the same problem with his dish. We ended up with a huge pile of bones we found in the pieces of duck. We ordered a bottle of wine to go with our meal. If one pays 17.5 euro for a bottle of wine one expects at least a minimum quality. The wine we got was probably the cheapest they could find or diluted with water. Most probably both though. And lastly: the service was terribly unfriendly. After paying for the awful meal (with terrible service) we actually had to ask the waitress for our change because she apparently thought that we intentionally paid a tip when we couldnt pay the exact amount. In short: 2/10 would not recommend

We were craving Asian food so bad while traveling around in EU. After walking around chinatown we figured this place would be our best bet as they had a line out the door. We waited about 20 mins before getting a shared table with some other customers. We ordered the wonton noodle soup with egg noddles and the roast meat combo platter. The food was affordable and they gave us pretty large portions, but it was very bland. I'm not sure if that's standard for food in this country, but we had to douse our food in soy sauce and chili oil. The duck and pork wasn't crispy and again lacked seasoning. We probably wouldn't recommend this place. I guess We were expecting a little bit more especially since they were highly rated on Trip Advisor. :/

I love the Chinese district in Amsterdam. Even though it is not a big area you get everything what you need within a walking distance. So when I was there last time I was craving for some duck and wonton noodle soup. I tried the NAM KEE since it is quite well known in this area.. you never really get used to the narrow buildings and the quite uncomfortable atmosphere when you enter one of those restaurants in that area. The buildings are old and there are hence no windows etc .. If the interior is not welcoming you get a feeling of being trapped in a shoe box easily. Anyway that is exactly how I felt when I entered NAM KEE.. The staff is typical Chinese so therefore they are quite a bit rude.. rushing from table to table and ordering you not to stand in the way.. Anyway that's how the atmosphere should be in a typical Chinese restaurant so I am actually not really complaining about it. But it might be a bit unusual for other people who are not used to it though. I ordered the typical duck and some oyster as well the wonton soup. The duck unfortunately was way too fatty. The skin was not crispy and it was not good at all. The taste was bland. The wonton soup on the other hand was really good. I liked it since there was also some shrimp packed in the wonton. Anyway I would not really recommend this place . I don't get it why it is so hyped.

Unprofessional and needs an attitude adjustment. Food was not even close to good enough to justify this treatment. Our party of 14 arrived one hour before closing, we had promised to be quick as we did not want to inconvenience them. We were met with unnecessary attitude throughout the whole service. Both the waiter and the owner were rushing us with ordering. However, when we pointed out that some items were incorrect and missing items, we were told rudely not to rush them. We noticed they were openly insulting us and talking about our table thinking we did not understand their language (wrongly). Please do not bother giving this place your service. I wish I had not given them mine.

Sometimes I get a little homesick and Chinese food makes it all better. Nam Kee is my go-to place for it. The food isn't super amazing, but it isn't bad either - it gets the job done. The portions are reasonable and the last time I came here, I ordered a mixed meat rice place (BBQ pork & roast duck). I hear the oysters are amazing here though, so I gotta come back and do a round 2!

Food was tasteless and mushrooms tasted like they were off. Food from other members of our party was either (dry) or heavily tasting of something metallic. I felt very ill when I get home after eating at this place. Waiter "forced" us to give a tip which she added as 15% - we always tip but embarrassing patrons to give a tip is unheard of in Amsterdam. Disgustingly dirty around the tables. Do not go!

Dutch style Chinese food. I had the vegetarian Foe Yong Haai with white rice. Big portion, good taste, could have used a bit more sauce. Good value for money. It is not the nicest place to eat. Service is rushed. We ordered our food and it came out almost immediately. They brought out the check while we hadn't even asked for it yet, which is considered rude for Dutch standards. My friend and I both wanted to powder our nose (Okay this just sounds wrong in Amsterdam. We needed to use the restroom.) before we left and while she was gone the waitress already directed other people to our table. It was very awkward and in the rush of it all my friend lost some of her stuff.

ok food. Basic Chinese bbq items, Not as good as New York. A bit on the expensive side for what you get. Also they charge for extra for sauces for Chicken and pork which typically comes with meal.

Tried wonton noodle and congee in this restaurant today. The wonton was bad (no shrimp in the wonton), but the congee was not bad. The services were poor! We were not served with tea as usually served in a Chinese restaurant.

I had dinner here tonight and ordered the noodle soup with BBQ pork, my go to dish at Chinese restaurants. The meat was good but the noodles weren't the best I've ever had. They were more Indonesian style than Chinese and weren't flavorful or tender. The broth also tasted vegetarian to me. I wonder if the cooks make a base stock that they use for their vegetarian and regular soups. My companion ate a combination platter with I believe 2 different kinds of pork. It was SCRUMPTIOUS. I was in the mood for soup, but I tried a bite of the pork and it was so fatty and creamy. Melt in your mouth fatty. Ah, so good. Overall not the best Chinese I've ever had but not the worst either. You can find better in the city. NOTE: cash only

Delivery time was good but mushrooms in oyster sauce and mixed vegetables was watery and bland and there were no mixed vegetables. Only pak choi. Very disappointing

The family owns three different Nam Kee Restaurants in Amsterdam. I've always been to the Chinatown location. They serve Cantonese cuisine. I've been here 2 times. Both times I had a great meal. I especially like the chicken and duck, but I also like the tofu and pork claypot (with mushrooms and bok choy). Really, I'd have to say it's some of the best Cantonese food I've ever had and my asian friend reports that it's very authentic. It's a very busy restaurant, especially around lunch and dinner time, but the wait is generally not very long and definitely worth a visit when in Amsterdam.

My Malaysian boyf always take me there - its like our 4th time there and no doubt, his many times there while he made the stopover in Amsterdam between Dublin and KL. Typical Cantonese. Salt & Pepper Squid - wow, its SO good - im quite fussy about my salt & pepper squid but its really done quite well! :D

Nastiest rude turd of female servers here. I would not even refer to them as ladies because holy moly are they bitches, especially the older crack out looking one. Food is average. We checked on wiki travel recommendations, which was outdated because just found out on yelp that they have sucky ducky ratings. Don't bother to go here. And if you don't like something because it tastes terrible or too spicy, you are yelled at with this "YOU ORDERED TOO BAD!" Then, they talk badly about you, take it away, and still charge you. Just surprised we weren't kicked on the ass when we walked out. Maybe it is because we walk fast. Mind you that we were never rude at all to them. At this point, one can only laugh at the hostile interaction. Absolutely ridiculous! Giving Asians a bad rep.

Nam Kee is my go-to Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam. The decor is quite nice for eating in, though my predominate experience is ordering take-away. Everything I've ever sampled from here has been very good, far exceeding my low expectations set by a lifetime of eating Chinese food in New Jersey. Highly recommended.

Not accepting reservations is really good marketing. The restaurant is not that big. I think about 30 to 40 seats. So yes, we also had to wait in line, arriving around 18pm. After a 20 minute wait (4 tables waiting ahead of us, so about 5 minute per table wait) we were directed to our table. They don't offer a classic rice table but you can make your choices and share as most people do. As we were 4 we had ample choice. We took the fantastic (and served very hot) oysters with black bean sauce with kroepoek as starter. Loved it. Than we took sweet and sour squid, chop suey with chicken, peking duck and babi panang. Topped it up with bami and nasi goring. Everything was fantastic. The duck could have done with some accompanying sauce and somewhat warmer. For what concerns the service. We really liked the fact that it's fast and smooth and friendly. We where afraid about the interior after reading reviews but it's ok. The Chinese touch is in the food and the staff. The biggest surprice was the bill knowing how good and how much we ate for just under 75 euros for our family of four. We would certainly recommend this place.

awful service, well, there was no service at all, even after 15 minutes waiting and waiters just standing there. really akward, didnt understand why. We just stood up and left with no reaction of the waiters. my feeling is that they hate tourists. Dont go to this place if u wanna eat.

Went here for early light dinner before moving on. Had wonton noodles and steamed oysters. Good size and number of wontons, but a bit overcooked. Slightly worse than the best ones in San Francisco, still pretty amazing for a place like this in Amsterdam. Oysters are a bit small, can't compare with the local pacific oysters in SF. Otherwise it is a great place to visit and try out other parts of the men.

had the fried noodles + veggies + mushrooms + beef = #166. was great! the people who run it aren't in a hurry to sit & serve you - but the food comes quick once you order = 15-20 mins after you walk in while i was there some dude raised a stink cuz of this & stormed out. he thought he was being discriminated against.

This is definitely the best Chinese food I ever had. Thanks to my friend who referred me to this place. I will definitely come back. Also, the staff is very friendly

Good selection and good food. We had the hot n sour soup, cashew chicken, mixed pork dish and veggies. All was good and the service was fast. Only downside is they don't take credit cards! We coverslip the bill with 2 euro to spare. Wheeeeee