Pesca Seafood Restaurant Amsterdam

Really enjoyed Pesca! The food was great and very hearty and well made! Their concept is also great going to the fish market and then to the wine market to get the perfect wine to your selection. Really enjoyed it. Recommend being a bit of a group as most dishes are meant for sharing. The guy that ran the fish market during lunch on the 28th was an absolute gem!

Cozy atmosphere and no fixed menu. The staff show you all the available seafood and explain how each dish is prepared. After choosing at the fish market counter, you move on to the wine section. Note: This restaurant does not serve seafood soup — the closest option is a dish of mixed clams in a white wine sauce. The minimum portion for clams is 300g in total(about 3 clams per dish). I really liked their sauce: mild, creamy, but not greasy — very well balanced. The oysters were fresh, and the red wine sauce paired nicely with the Dutch oysters. The staff were friendly and attentive. A perfect place to enjoy seafood, even if you're dining alone.

This is a right place for fresh seafood! We ordered king crab, cod fish, oysters, mussels! The way they cooked was so amazing! Oh, I wish to come again shortly! It’s incredible, the food is amazing good, we came again within 3 days, this is our first time to visit the same restaurant twice while we travel overseas.

Amazing experience!! The cooking style is indeed creative, considering they don't have a fixed menu. We finished two whole fishes between the four of us, with some extras. Totally full and satisfied. The price to quality ratio is very much acceptable, since it may vary based on your own choice.

Pesca Seafood Restaurant Amsterdam is a true seafood gem! From the moment you step in, everything feels carefully curated and full of passion. The service was absolutely outstanding — huge thanks to Rutger and his brother for creating such a warm, welcoming, and cozy atmosphere. You genuinely feel taken care of. As for the food — everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. Standout dishes: – The shelf crab was phenomenal — we ordered it five times! – The herring was beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. P.S. Just a tiny note — the scallops could be cooked a touch less 😉 But that’s just nitpicking in an otherwise perfect meal. If you appreciate top-quality seafood, amazing service, and a vibrant, cozy vibe — this place deserves a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

Our experience at Pesca was amazing from start to finish. The moment you arrive, you can tell it’s not your typical restaurant — the concept is unique and really fun. The seafood was incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. Everything looked phenomenal, and the service was just as impressive. Special thanks to Simon, who made our evening even better with his attentive and friendly service. A must-visit in Amsterdam if you love seafood and great vibes!

Pesca is, without a doubt, my favorite fish restaurant in Amsterdam – and it’s become my parents’ favorite too! Every time they visit me, it’s the one place we have to go. From the moment you walk in, everything feels just right: the atmosphere, the service, and of course, the food. Every dish is a celebration of freshness and flavor – perfectly cooked, beautifully presented, and consistently excellent. It’s one of those rare places where everything is simply perfection, every single time. If you’re a seafood lover in Amsterdam, this is the place to be.

While searching for a seafood restaurant during my Amsterdam stay I chanced upon this Pesca Seafood restaurant that interests me. I would highly recommend anyone who loves seafood to go and try as their seafood is so fresh and also delicious. Reservation is recommended as well to ensure that you have a table as we were there on a Wednesday evening and it was packed with people. I would certainly want to come and and try more dishes next time.

Really enjoyed it! Not a wine drinker and they weren't mad.. The service was lovely as well as the ambiance!

We had a very excellent meal here! The decor and theme of the place alone is worth a visit. It's fresh seafood but displayed in a 'movie theater' type of way and your show is the meal. The bathroom is even decorated in the theater style so be sure to stop in there too! We had a large group of 10 so they had created a tasting menu for us. The starter bread was delicious (but beware that if they offer you more and you say yes, it is an extra charge). The seafood was incredible! Started with raw courses with oysters, a tuna ceviche, and salmon/ikura - all were so good and the sauces accompaniments were amazing. Cooked/fried options were calamari sticks, salmon (cut in triangles), and then 2 grilled fish prepared a classic salt/lemon and in a red sauce. Sides we got perfectly fried thick cut fries, butter lettuce salad with edamame, and bruleed eggplant with ricotta and pomegranate (a little to sweet for me). Water is a little confusing in Europe too where they ask for still or sparkling, and is not free. You have to explicitly ask for tap water (another surprise on the final bill). You leave with getting to pick a mini ice cream pint to take home, which is a great touch! All of this food plus some cocktails for a group of 8 was about $75 per person. Stuffed and satisfied. A must when visiting Amsterdam.

Oh so extraordinarily satisfying big feast of my selected fresh seafood for dinner even I am by myself first time in Amsterdam! Superior service assisting in selecting your desired seafood & wine ! Attentive service throughout and cool vibe ! Crusted whole monk fish in Thai sauce Juicy Scallop Coconut lime Foam Grilled Giant Prawns Crispy yet moist Soft shell crab You shouldn't miss this Theatre of Fish!

Excellent fish, and a fun and unique atmosphere. Everyone who helped us was fun and all-in on the idea this is a fun dining experience. Everything is high energy!

Loved this restaurant! It started by choosing your fish, and we had the most adorable kid explain everything to us so we could get just what we would like. The food was delicious, and the whole experience was just so fun. I really appreciated the fresh fish selection.

Such a great and unique experience where there is no menu provided only verbal communication. Fish that is mostly caught locally and made on the spot in an environment that is conducive for groups all the way down to a single party.

This place was worth the flight from the U.S. to the Netherlands! The setup at Pesca is both inviting and invigorating! You enter the stage and make your seafood selections. While they send those to the kitchen, you select your sides and beverages. Everything is top notch from the cuts of fish to the wine pairings. Once all sections are made you are seated and can "watch the show" of your meal being prepared. Every team member we encountered was jovial and helpful! Every morsel of food brought to our table was delight for the tastebuds! So fresh, so flavorful! This is a high recommend and I legit can not wait to take my next trip to Amsterdam...I will forever be a fan of this place!

Good service and fresh food. A little bit crowded, but this restaurant looks really nice

Glad we tried to place before leaving Amsterdam. DH and I love seafood; so, seafood restaurants are always on our list to visit on our travels. This place did not disappoint. Every food served had robust flavors. It was like dining in a very expensive restaurant in US without the price. All our order was less than $300. Don't hesitate to try this place when in Amsterdam!!!

Unique experience. Highly recommend. Food is fantastic and you can tell ingredients are high quality and fish is very fresh. Service is great as well.

Came recommended and was certainly a different but fun dining experience. Make a reservation! You start in the theater and choose your own seafood offerings. Then you are told how it will be prepared. Then you move onto the bar for wine offerings. They had a great limoncello spritz. We ordered scallops, sea bass, green salad, and soft shell crab.

The marketing is great and they try to build up how this restaurant is different, but the food was overpriced and flavors were underwhelming. I've had better tasting "market-style" dining restaurants in the Asia where the focus was on the seafood father than on the drinks, wine, sides, etc. The service was as OK but not great, it took a while for me to get their attention that my table top was dripping on the floor from the melted ice from the oysters I ordered. The grilled cod & sea bass was underwhelming (had to ask for some salt!) while the grilled prawns were better from another restaurant that we visited. I definitely would not go to this restaurant if we ever come back to Amsterdam.

Pesca is a pretty participatory dining experience. You enter and are shuttled over to the "fish market" section of the restaurant where you select the seafood items you want the kitchen to cook for your dinner. Each protein has a different prep/sauce, and the fishmonger will tell you about each one. We selected 3 extra large gambas which were roasted and served with pesto sauce; 4 plump sea scallops to be pan seared and served with beurre blanc, a soft shell crab to be flash fried, a whole sea bass to be plainly wood grilled with salt and lemon, and a green salad and fries (served with the ubiquitous mayo). Then, off to the wine seller/cellar, where we picked a top of the line Chassagne-Montrachet for a pretty reasonable 124 euros. We were let to our table with the wine and a bottle of still water in an ice bucket. The waiter brought us a small loaf of freshly baked bread with butter that we were sure had some seaweed in it; an auspicious start. The shrimp were outrageously good; plump, sweet, and perfectly cooked. The scallops less so; they were very overcooked; we mentioned that to the waiter and they were promptly taken off the bill. The crab came and was great; crisp, greaseless, and served with a wonderful curry mayo. The fish itself was magnificent; fresh, flaky, perfectly cooked, with just a hint of woodsmoke. The fries were excellent, served with rich mayonaisse,, and the green salad was bountiful, fresh, and well dressed. The bill (taking into account the reduction for the scallops) was 195 euro, and 125 of that was the Grand Cru Montrachet we ordered. Highly recommended for seafood and a great atmosphere in Amsterdam.

Great wine selections, we chose Riesling for the win. Fresh seafood and prepared nicely! Kudos to Teis (not sure if I got the spelling right) he answered all my questions about the preparation and some ingredients... he's very accommodating. Great crew in this place. The food is amazing, the taste is elevating. We are from Las Vegas and we are spoiled here with top chefs and restaurants. This place and service I can rank up there with the big boys. We came in for lunch and first to be seated with reservations. I don't know how the service during rush hour. There's lag time in between dishes so don't expect things will come out all of the same time. Although, few dishes came out fairly the same time and waited a bit for the Sea Bass... not too shabby. The place is very clean and the ambiance is great. Overall win during our whole trip!

Delicious, and fresh food. Good greeting at the entrance. Comfortable and nice place, for dinner, meeting and dating with people.

I'm a year overdue in my review. I ate at this place literally a year to the day ago, and this was by far one of the most memorable cooked seafood experiences of my life. We were able to select our fresh seafood and wine pairing before having a seat. The servers were quick and friendly. I definitely would fly back to Amsterdam just to have a nice meal/ambiance. Definitely recommend getting reservations. We did not and had to return on multiple days to have a spot to sit.

One of the coolest restaurants I've ever been to, Pesca is an experience from start to finish. The theater of fish help you pick out what you'd like for dinner based on the catches that day, they explain how each fish is prepared then take you to choose a wine pairing. I had the hamachi, turbot and eggplant and every thing was 10/10. An unforgettable dinner

This place was the best seafood restaurant that i have ever been to, every dish i had was absolutely delicious. Loved the concept of no menu, picking my fish, and then eating it. Service was great in a casual non stuffy way. And the restaurant was beautiful though a little hard to find.

So much of what we experienced has been covered in these reviews. To us, the word unique best fits this place, from the way we selected our meal to the beverage room to the look and feel of the seating area with its communal tables. It was an exceedingly comfortable and enjoyable early lunch on a Saturday in early December 2024. The service was superb, from our welcome to the help we received selecting our fish and sides to the delivery of the food to the multiple stops by the wait staff to make sure we were doing OK. It was one of the highlights of a city that we would absolutely love to visit again.

What an amazing meal and experience! Lucas was our person at the fish market. We went with all of his recommendations and every dish was amazing. This is the best mussels, in Thai sauce, I have ever had. I'm still thinking about it this morning. Next was the wine pairing. We got a beautiful bottle of Albariño for our dinner. The wait staff were so friendly and fun! It's a dining experience worth the money! Don't eat your table number!

Great service, ambiance and food. It was highly recommended by our bar tender at Estherea Hotel. The staff was friendly and so sweet. Definitely would come back if I visited Amsterdam again.

Love the selections of fish, great meal. I personally love the sea bass. We ate fish & chips, prawns and scallops all delicious.

Amazing experience! Pick out your fish and it's perfectly prepared! Super fresh seafood. Friendly service and great music. I'll definitely be back! The turbo was the best I've ever had!

We had a really negative experience here. Went at a lunch time. The whole process is pretty frustrating. Sounds good in theory but there just isn't much transparency on pricing and what are you going to do when they take a massive scoop of something, tell them to put some back? The biggest problem is the time and service. It took nearly 2 hours to get a lunch, probably 2.5. Like why is it taking 1.5 hours for a fish to come out? Everything incredibly slow. The workers seem incredibly demoralized. The place is dark and feels dingy. Sadly this was essentially a tourist trap. Doesn't seem like it was always that way. And now they're going to open in Nice, Fr - ngl sounds like a pretty bad idea. Poor management is clearly evident

Came here on a Monday night. I was so excited for this experience but sadly, it did not pan out the way we wanted. The root of all our issues was in our fishmonger at the fish theater. We clearly communicated this was our first time and he just stood there looking at us and goes "what do you want to order"? Ummmmm, I said, well, there's a lot can you tell us how X,Y,Z is prepared? So he recites the preparation for the couple things I asked about and then just stood there staring at us. So we go okay, we'll take X. And he picks up a piece and goes, is this fine? And we said well what do you recommend for 4 people? And he said yeah that's enough. And then stares again and goes, what else? And this is how it repeated. Getting information out him was like bleeding a stone. What made is worse was there was a young blond guy with a cool hat doing the fish theater next to us and he was amazing! Reciting the whole menu, making jokes, being interactive. This dude we had really put a damper on our mood. The wine store was fine but again he goes "so what do you want to drink" and we had to ask again what his recommendation was based on what we ordered. For the food, we ended up getting sea bream, octopus, scallops, mussels, asparagus and salmon. The salmon was lovely. The sea bream was simple, just grilled, but also had a good flavor. The real star of the night: The Octopus. I wish I could eat that every day of my life!! Unfortunately, the scallops were TINY and less than memorable, and the mussels were served over pasta with a cream sauce that was boring, bland, and very very watery. It had absolutely ZERO flavor. Really disappointing. And the asparagus was mid, not great but not bad. They tell you up front the dishes will just come out as they are ready, but ours would come one at a time for the first three, then we had a loooong pause then the rest came out at once. The timing was just all off, and the order didn't;t make sense. You get these tiny little app plates and I'm putting mussels and sauce on there so it's covering the whole plate, and running all into the scallop cream sauce. Dishes are ordered in most restaurants on purpose, and I think that also detracted from the experience a bit. We did enjoy the chocolate and popcorn dessert immensely, and appreciated that they played a birthday song and brought an extra dessert for my friend. I would recommend this to people because the quality of the seafood was top, and I think overall the experience is better if you get a good fishmonger, we just didn't.

Amazing experience! From the atmosphere to the food! Love the creative theater of ordering from a fish counter and going to the wine shop. The Monk fish was a religious experience. Highly recommended.

The selection of seafood is crazy good. You can select your stuff. The setup was pretty cool and breezy. Well-prepared scallops!! The staff was always available and refilled our water without us asking (nice touch). Thanks to our seafood specialist at the start of our experience. He was very knowledgeable! Ensured that we had a balanced meal!! Check out these photos! Yes, You should give it a try.

Only one word explains it. Perfect!! Ambience cleaning, food taste, service etc is great. As Dutch systems it takes time. To adjust to enjoy and not run as in America. So advise if in a hurry as for the check in advance etc

Delicious food and such an interesting dining experience! The staff explained the cooking of the fish in such great detail, adding to the alternative concept of the restaurant.

This was hands down my favorite dining experience on my recent trip to Europe. Got there 45 minutes before our reservation and had a drink at the bar while we waited. When it was time to order we picked a few types of fish at the market in the front and sides. The worker was super knowledgeable explaining what everything was and how it would be prepared. The food comes out as it's ready in courses which helped pace the meal. We tried so many amazing things, but the scallops and hamachi sashimi were definitely my favorite. This was truly some of the best quality and freshest seafood i've ever had. We also got an order of patatas bravas as a side and it was a really good portion size to share. All the servers were really attentive and helpful and they even let you pick an ice cream to take home with you when you leave. 10/10 experience!

It feels like Pesca calls itself a theater because it's a bit of a scam. Not sure the point of picking out your fish if they only offer one way to cook each type of fish. They also make a big show of telling you how much you're paying for the fish, but then don't tell you how much you're paying for a bottle of tap water and a hunk of bread. Although the flavors of the scallops and tuna were good, both dishes were cold on arrival, and the waiter never checked in on us so I could tell him. I guess we should have expected terrible service with this kitschy "market."

The theater of fish proved to be more than just a flashy show for tourists, it turned out to be an amazing gastronomic experience from start to finish. Picking out the fish, pairing a bottle of wine with the meal, and the 5 star food experience was without fault. Every piece of food was prepared expertly with care and taste.

Along with outstanding service for our large (work) group and equally outstanding food, I really dug Pesca's clever "fish market meets stock market" approach to offering fresh seafood with a train station-like board for the prices! But, I gotta say: What's with the insanely salty popcorn in the bar area? Our group of Americans (of which I am one) and Europeans debated over whether it was "inedible" salty (our U.S. opinion) or just perhaps a "bit salty" (our European opinion). Small piece of advice: The sardine can with the number written on it to let you know when your table is ready is another clever touch. However, it might not be such a good idea actually open the can and eat the sardines. It could have been anything, but let's just say I had rather rough evening when I got to my hotel later that night (of which much of it was spent on the toilet).

It's a neat venue. The process of buying your meal is refreshing for the middle of Amsterdam. The only negative is the seating is tight. You will sometimes have to share a table. The servers were very helpful and very enthusiastic.

One of my middle school students suggested we try Pesca when we traveled to Amsterdam. She was right. We didn't have a reservation (get one) but were told to come back at 8 and they would get us in. It was well worth the wait. When you get there your seafood host gives you a knowledgeable show and tell about the fresh seafood being offered that day. After you select your choice, the incredible chefs prepare it for you. It was the best seafood dinner I have ever had. We enjoyed scallops for an appetizer and monk fish for our meal. They then pair a wine with your choice. Everything was cooked perfectly. The ambience was friendly and lively but it was easy to talk. The prices were reasonable. It ended a perfect trip.

Food and service were great! The miso salad had great flavor and was very fresh. The shared plates were a great way to create a communal feeling and then everyone could talk about the dishes together. Plus, the wine was great as well.

The food here was amazing. They provide an awesome experience where you essentially choose your own adventure with your food and wine choice. The service was amazing, from beginning to end. I never had any problems. I really enjoyed the communal eating area we were seated at, it gave a family feel while not being too crowded or lacking privacy for our small party. I would definitely recommend this place. The smoked oysters were my favorite

The experience of choosing our fish at their fish market was really fun, and the food was amazing! The fish was incredibly fresh and well prepared. Our waitress Mille was amazing as well, she was patient with our changes and very helpful. Love the concept and food. This is an experience you don't want to miss.

A new model that is truly a "theater of fish" experience. We enjoyed the overall experience as well as the order you progress through the selections of food and drinks. On our visit we messed up on the time and arrived over 45 minutes early for our reservation. The place wasn't crowded yet so we asked if we could have a drink in the bar first. They gladly accommodated us and told us they would come and get us when it started to get busy so we wouldn't have to wait in line for the selections. When we did go back into the flow, the fish sommelier (my term, not theirs) guided to the right selections and amount for us - and made the experience informational and fun. They truly try to avoid the over-ordering and food waste you see at so many restaurants. From there the wine steward helped us with our selections which were spot on and we were then taken to our table. As we sat there the large space filled up and got a bit noisy, but not too loud for us to talk between us - and even talk a bit with the couple at the next table. The place filled up with the dinner crowd and the service got a little slow at times - also, one of our dishes was delayed (like they forgot about it or delivered it to the wrong table), but that was eventually remedied. This did mess with our dining experinece a bit (it came basically when my wife was finished eating) - thus the 4 vs 5 stars. In the end the food was very good, the atmosphere fun and enjoyable, and the prices somewhat reasonable for a nice seafood meal. We certainly enjoyed our dining experience here and will definitely go back during our next trip to Amsterdam.

This is seriously a dining experience. If you don't go here, YOU MISSED OUT! Staff or artists(?) are beyond knowledgeable and welcoming. We checked in and were a little early so we got to hangout in the bar area they have set aside so that you get a one on one with your food and wine selection. One glass of wine in and they take you into the 'theater of fish' where you get to select your dinner in raw form by weight. The menu constantly updates as things sell out but every single choice and the way the kitchen prepares it is truly beautiful. Wine sommelier is in the next room to help pair a bottle with your dinner. This is a meal I will remember forever and I'll take every opportunity to come back!

Food: 6 Service: 2 Ambiance: 8 Visiting from the States and we were psyched about this restaurant. Not worth the hype - enter sad face. Pesca is all about ambiance and the "experience" of picking your own fresh catch. The experience ends at the theater of fish though. The process: check in with hostess and given a sardine can with your table number. Pre-order your dinner at the "theater of fish", ushered to the bar, order drinks, then ushered to your table. And then....you are forgotten. No real dedicated server. Slow. Slow. Slow kitchen. Overcooked and oddly seasoned dishes. Octopus was rubbery and flavorless. Oyster special had so much seaweed you couldn't enjoy the flavor of the oyster. The whole fish - turbot was so dryyyyyyy. I love seafood. And this place has all the appeal, all the appearance to satisfy every seafood-phile but they don't know how to cook the beautiful sea animals they so beautifully present. And the service was so bad, it took 3 hours for 2 of us to eat dinner. And we could only get 2 drink orders in. There was a span of 45 minutes we were completely forgotten. I'm all about "the experience" but it literally ends at the front of the house here. Goodbye.

The entire experience here was fantastic. You pick your fresh seafood as you walk in, then pick your wine. We had a tuna ceviche, monk fish and mussels and all were fresh and delicious. Service was very friendly. The atmosphere was lively and fun. I highly recommend!

The food is out of control delicious The experience is like nothing I've ever experienced

"Theater of Fish" concept was very well executed for an upscale restaurant. When you walk in, you are briefed of the seafood selection of the day and choose your own pieces. The seafood connoisseur then explain to you how the chef will be preparing your seafood of choice, which is a fixed cooking method. You then move on to the next station, where there is a wine connoisseur providing recommendations for alcoholic beverages based on the seafood options you have chosen. Our favorites were scallop (fresh with the BEST mushrooms and cream sauce I've ever had), along with the skrei fish. Definitely make reservation to come eat here - you will not regret it.

Truly one of the best dining experiences I've ever had - PESCA "Theatre of Fish" in Amsterdam. You arrive and delivered a chilled glass of champagne - ushered then to the fish market to pick out your fresh catch of the day and sides. You follow that by visiting with the sommelier and choose your cocktails and wines for the meal in the bar area. Then take to your seats - community tables yet plenty of room. Everything is family style and you're encouraged to keep your plates for sustainability reasons. Food starts to arrive and is prepared beautifully- our favorites were the scallops, sea bass and oysters. Exquisite concept and delicious meal top to bottom. Wine pairings were tasty and reasonably priced. Many to choose from. Finished with the cheesecake that could top any I've had in NYC. Go and go often.

This is an excellent restaurant with an interesting gimmick, first you pick your own fish , including shellfish, and veggies, and then you go to the bar and pick your own beverage, wine or beer or soft drinks. Everything is then cooked or poured and served. Barbecued prawns and monkfish were superb and super fresh. Service was excellent and the ambiance was very nice.

Amazing service, amazing food, great sectioned seating. Very top notch experience and fav restaurant in NL. Highly recommend

Visiting Amsterdam I didn't know what to expect when it came to the food. This restaurant was recommended by the hostess. The ambiance and restaurant was welcoming and a nice vibe. I had the steak , corn and coquito drink. Everything was delicious. I would definitely come back here again.

Absolutely amazing experience. Fresh seafood prepared to order with creative culinary expertise. Unique and brilliant concept. Staff outstanding and ambiance on point!