de Bijenkorf Amsterdam

De Bijenkorf is situated on Dam Square in a stunning building, and it’s an iconic landmark of the city, with five floors, including a food section on the top floor and free public toilets. The store reminds me a lot of Selfridges back home in the UK, which the company also owns. The store is laid out well and easy to follow. Going from the escalators up from the ground to the higher floors can feel like a bit of a grind, though, but no more than any other large department store. The layout of the store is clean and presentable, and they do have some nice products, including a selection of luxury designer brands. The food section could have been better; it felt more like a cafeteria than anything else, and working with different brands to improve the overall feel and selection could be an improvement for the future, although the view overlooking Dam Square from here was nice. The staff were friendly and helpful, and this store offers a break from sightseeing and other activities in Amsterdam and is one of the better individual stores in the city.

During a short 2-day trip to Amsterdam, I visited the well-known department store de Bijenkorf. I wanted to treat myself to something special and chose the elegant fragrance Aerin – Le Jour, which I immediately loved. I purchased the perfume for €268, I usually wear Chanel, Roja, Carolina Herrera, so I am familiar with luxury fragrances. The sales consultant was very pleasant and even gave me a complimentary Estée Lauder makeup bag and a small La Mer sample by the way, the skincare is excellent. This made me fully confident that my purchase was handled correctly. However, after returning to the UK and opening the box a few days later, I was shocked to discover that I had been sold a different fragrance — Aerin Le Soir, instead of Le Jour, which I had selected! At the time of purchase, I did not notice the difference, as the packaging was pink and I trusted both the consultant and the store completely. Imagine walking into a beautiful store in a great mood, purchasing an expensive perfume, and later realizing you received something entirely different from what you chose. This completely ruined my mood and my overall shopping experience. I contacted customer support via WhatsApp, hoping for a resolution, but unfortunately the outcome was far from what I expected. There were no apologies from the store, and I was denied both an exchange and a refund on the grounds that the perfume had already been opened. I would like to thank Maya for at least forwarding my case to the store. It feels as though customers are valued only at the moment of purchase. When a genuine issue arises on the store’s side, responsibility is avoided, leaving the customer with money wasted. This review is not written to damage the company’s reputation, but to share my experience and warn others. Please be very careful when making purchases and double-check your items, even in well-known luxury stores.

Wow, what a place for shopping and potential for spending some serious money. We bought a few small items but it was the top-floor restaurant that really impressed. The called is there after arriving at Amsterdam Centraal, on our way to our hotel (The Leonardo Boutique, close to The Rijks Museum) and we did the same on the reverse leg of our weekend. We both opted for the Asian stir-fry and it's fantastic to see the chefs cook it fresh then-and-there in front of you. Beautifully prepared food and a lovely choice of salads, Italian, pastries and desserts on offer. Well worth a visit 🫶

Often come here to shop, but this time came specifically for the Christmas experience. 🧑🏼‍🎄 We were definitely not disappointed, it is like paradise there!! So many magical things to choose from, all the trees carefully decorated. The place is neat and well looked after. You can find literally anything that you could ever want!! ♥️ The only problem was the 161818282929 people which I mean speaks for itself! I will definitely be back very soon, hopefully in a less busy time!

de Bijenkorf is a must visit in Amsterdam. A beautiful luxury department store with a great selection of high end fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. The layout is elegant, the space feels premium, and browsing here is an experience on its own. Staff were professional and helpful without being pushy. Perfect place for shopping, inspiration, and treating yourself while exploring the city.

I absolutely love this department store. So many great brands to choose from, and the atmosphere is always amazing. Every time I’m in Amsterdam, I make sure to stop by-it’s one of my must-visit places 🛍️

Came here the other day for a quick bite to eat on the top floor cafeteria of de Bijenkorf. I ordered from the Wok section and got a spicy chicken yellow curry with rice. It cost €18 and was a very large portion. I wish they had provided the option for a take-away or doggy bag as I ended up leaving over half of the meal. The curry was delicious and I was curious about the other sections e.g. Grill and Bar as the food and drinks coming from those booths looked incredible too! I had a Heineken with my meal but the beer was quite warm. Overall a very nice experience, I just wish they had the option to take your leftovers with you! Such a waste of food.

A nice shopping mall with very friendly staff members who are always there to help you out. I went there to look around and have a cup of tea. Highly recommended!

Selection seemed small but compare to the US, prices were cheaper. Not as cheap as Italy, but still better! Employees were nice and said hello upon entering. They also went out of their way to show me suggestions for what I was shopping for. Didn't find exactly the wallet I liked, but they were very nice, welcoming, non-judgmental despite being in scruffy vacation outfits.

Great staff!! I wanted a special bag and the service rep even held it for me when I said I would return the next day. They gave me flavored sparkling water while I looked around the store as well.

De Bijenkorf is one of the largest and most famous department stores in Amsterdam, located on Dam, right opposite Dam Square, the large building is an iconic landmark of the city with five floors, the top floor is dedicated to food, with terrific views of Dam Square and free public toilets. This is the flagship de Bijenkorf store in The Netherlands, it reminded me a lot of the Selfridges stores in the UK, which the company also owns. The store has a prestigious and premium feel to it, walking through, with lots of high-end and designer brands and smells good. It's fairly easy to follow the layout of the store as the escalators pretty much follow each other, although navigating the floors and getting out is a different story, but no more difficult than any other large department store. I do think the food section felt more like a high-end cafeteria with a view, it would have been nice for them to include a range of well-known and smaller brands, which you'd find in Selfridges locations back in the UK, such as London Oxford Street and Manchester Trafford. The staff members were friendly and helpful. If you're looking to take a break from sightseeing and other activities in Amsterdam, this might be the place for you to go, it is a good department store, although the name on Yelp needs a change, while Gucci does have products here, they don't own or sponsor the store. 4*

It's easy to have a panic attack if shopping here on a busy day (how I miss those busy days now). But take your time and meander through the store and you'll discover dozens of new things. My highlights are the Secrid wallets on the 4th floor I think. Also the bar on the 2nd - very classy but easy and casual. Not the cheapest place but it is in the heart of Amsterdam. Great bike parking underneath next door. Don't even think about finding a place for your bike above ground in this area. When I was here in January I couldn't even move around inside or out. Now it's temporarily closed and a ghost town outside. I did buy a nice Scotch & Soda coat in the late fall here - before all this mess starter. Good times and great jacket!

De Bijenkorf is a modern, sleek, and all-around pleasant European department store. It's a comfortable place to browse and window shop, and it's an even better place to drop some serious cash if you have a taste for fancy designer goods. I didn't wander in to shop, though. I came in because of a big old rumbly in my tumbly! On my last day in Amsterdam, I was getting sick of the same old food and was craving a salad. As is the case with most fancy department stores in Europe, this one has a cafeteria on the top floor -- something savvy travelers tend to know. What I didn't expect is that De Bijenkorf has a really great food hall. The food hall portion of the store is set up like a mini international food court / cafeteria, with Asian specialties, Italian dishes, gourmet sandwiches and salads, and even steaks cooked to order. While the pizza was tempting, I opted for one of the most gorgeous looking vegetable salads I had ever seen (see photos). Hubby got a large portion of Singapore rice noodles with fresh stir fried vegetables (told you we were craving veggies), and we each got a glass of champagne because, well, why the heck not!?! The food quality was top notch, and prices were reasonable. My salad had pretty artisan greens, large slices of fresh zucchini, plump tomatoes with pepper, and was topped with crunchy pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, and what was in the running for the most delicious fresh cheese ever. We both cleaned our entire plates. After lunch, we headed downstairs to peruse the designer goods. He was taken with several of the European watch brands and of course I was ga-ga over the limited edition Balenciaga handbag colors that are only available in Europe. Alas, our empty wallets meant that we left the store with nothing but full bellies.

So happy to see a big improvement and transformation with Bijenkorf. The products and customer have improved significantly over the years.

staff in the beauty section was very rude to me when I opened a drawer I wasn't aware I was not supposed to open (there were no signs indicating that this was not allowed). Very pretentious workers try to act like they're better than you, especially if you are a young person.

This store is amazing. On the main floor you'll find all the good beauty brands, jewelry and bags. Tiffany's, Gucci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton etc. My husband bought a great shirt from Givenchy and Philipp Plein sneakers on the mens department. So much cheaper in Europe. If you're on a budget, you will find cheaper brands like Topshop and Tommy Hilfiger. The womenswear was pretty conservative and little disappointing. Remember to claim back the sales tax (for non European citizens)

Free wifi and free bathrooms (especially important in Europe!) 6-story shopping mall at Dam tram stop. The top floor has a large cook to order cafeteria with an assortment of food. There are also frozen yogurt and create your own Magnum popsicle section. They have luxury brands and local European brands. If you are looking for Uggs, they sell them here in the shoes section with some designs made in Italy. Bring your passport if you want to get your tax refund in cash (with a fee of 3,50€) early. Head up to the 4th floor Global Blue refund lounge, just remember to mail back your stamp at the airport or they will charge your credit card for the early refund.

For department stores, De Bijenkorf reminds me of a Galeries Lafayette or KaDeWe- you have similar high end brands and a deluxe delicatessen on the top floor. What I specifically liked about De Bijenkorf was the lacking pressure from sales staff as one might get elsewhere. You are left to peruse and shop at your own pace. When you are ready for help, the staff is very attentive and helpful. I also liked that they had a "tax free lounge" for out of country shoppers like myself. I could also choose which currency I wanted to pay in at the point of purchase- my home currency or euro. I bought a pair of Louboutin shoes that are unavailable in my home country for less than they would've cost back home. They had homeware from my favorite designers, cosmetics, accessories for days, wide clothing variety for men, women and children. Anything you could need or want. Plenty edible goods on the top floor to buy as gifts for those back home. I left with adorable chocolate for the kids in my life as well as decadent treats for friends. De Bijenkorf is truly a luxury department store.

If you want to buy designer, this is *the* department store in Amsterdam. Wifi - we had trouble finding the free wifi, not sure if it was by store (at least on the ground level). Service - everyone was nice. I'm of Asian descent and people tend to be nicer once they know you're looking to buy. Hours - they are great, if you want to shop and sightsee. Unlike other places (e.g. France), they are open late on Thursday and Friday, and they are open on Sunday. Even over Easter weekend. VAT refund - they combined all of my receipts for me. I got my refund already, waiting for my forms to get to Global Blue though. It was a well oiled process - some waiting time but there was plenty of seating. Food hall - lots of options but we didn't eat anywhere. If there were signs we could understand, we may have sat down for a quick bite.

Every trip that the wife and I take oversees, without fail the wife always wants to check out the shopping in each and every city since luxury good items are typically cheaper and you get the VAT back. This particular location has most of the major boutiques and the staff here is extremely helpful and polite. If your looking for something in particular I would recommend coming early to see what they have in stock. Even if they don't have it, they can always have it shipped in from another store or at least help you locate it at another store in another city if your traveling around Europe. This place can be quite busy with all the tourist and its centrally located and easy to access by trolley.

Welcome to the Bloomingdales of Amsterdam. In this department store you will find the haute couture of designers and some tasty baked goods. Yup, I checked out the 300euro plus Stone Island gear, no problem for me if it fit my taste. Yup, I checked out all the Grant, Hilfiger, my boy Hugo Boss and all the other overpriced designer items. I checked out all the shades to look like you are a fighter pilot or a sketchy night-clubber. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For women, this is where you can pick up your Louis Vuitton and Longchamp bags, make-up, dresses and shoes. In the upper level are the housewares and furniture. I didn't explore each level but here's something neat I did come across on the third floor: Supposedly Nescafe or Nespresso machines that use K-Cups is a big thing, there is a whole department dedicated to different flavors. There is a line with people waiting to get their K-Cup Nespresso! The whole department is so neat. Matter of fact the whole department store is very neat also, expected for high end designer.

Well... if you get to Holland you HAVE to try De Bijenkorf .... not only for the nice shopping experience.. it is a very nice general store.. but also for the GREAT bar / restaurant. Each shop in any city has a great place for some nice food treatments... shopping can wore you out!! In Amsterdam, the restaurant is both at the bottom floor and on the top one... The top one is the one I prefer.. large.. fancy, trendy and most important.. YUMMY!!! Sushi, cake, dutch treats and wines are all of good quality. NOT cheap. There is also a big terrace on the roof from where you can see a bit of Amsterdam and enjoy some nice weather. Not cheap.... but a great relaxing and laid back experience!!

Rating: 4.5 This is a real department store, more toward the higher end. They carry a large amount of international brands and many of those brands have smaller stores within this Department Store(1st floor). All of the staff I have ever come in contact with have been brilliant! You can catch a quick bite to eat at the 1st floor snack bar. If you can grab a window seat, the people watching is outstanding The main reason I love this store: They support nation/local artisans. Shoes,boots and bags! I'll update this by the end of the week.

Your one stop for almost everything you need in Amsterdam!! This super store has everything from clothes to kitchenware!! Most high end brands are represented here and it's the closest nespresso shop in Amsterdam centrum. Great service and great place to treat yourself to something nice!

When I'm in Amsterdam I always stop by this store. Good place to go if you want to look around the big designer brands without shopping assistents bugging you (like in the PC Hooftstraat). They often have good offers in clothing and accessories but that is happening less and less since they're aiming for more high paying international customers. Trying to be more like Harrods in London. I must I am disapointed with the chocolats and sweets. They seem to be of a lower quality and I expect more for the price and from a store like this. The cakes are amazing though! Pricy but look just as great as they taste. On the top floor they have a restaurant thats serve great food. They change then menu once in a while to keep it interesting.

After a day shopping in de bijenkorf. I found iT a Good idea to stop bi at the restaurant in top of the builing in the bijenkorf. And I was write the food is super Good and very tasty. There is a lot of different types of food to choose from. And they even prepare iT in frond of you. The only thing was that iT was super pact so a place to sit was hard to find.

My happy place! :) Beautiful spot (lovely views from the rooftop terras), great department store with beauty products, fashion, shoes (oh my!), books (yes please, also great English selection!!) and plenty more. Though foreigners may think it is limited, it is as good as it gets in NL. (Until Harvey Nics opens in 2017)

De Bijenkorf has an incredibly wide selection of products, and I loved the simple layout of each floor. From my past experience with stores like this it is easy to get lost - here it was different in that it was very easy to navigate. I had to return an item that I purchased from this store and customer service was extremely quick in their response time over Facebook as well as email. They were able to take care of my particular situation and accommodate my return even though I had left the country. I was truly blessed to have received such fantastic customer care here. A huge thank you goes out to those who made my return possible! Rowan Meadowsweet

Amsterdam's biggest department store is the Bijenkorf. It sells everything from clothing to music to food and kitchenwares. This place is also popular with shoppers because of their clean toilets. I go to the Bijenkorf when I want to buy Nespresso, or for the home department. Sometimes I take a look at the clothingdepartment but I'm often more into vintage styles of just go to H&M. Bijenkorf mostly sells the more expensive fashion brands (their own brand also). What I like most about the Bijenkorf is the restaurant at the top floor. It similar to La Place at V&D but this version is a bit more upscale. Prices are similar. The food is nice and there are many seats in the restaurant. Great for coffee, lunch or dinner.

Upscale department store with all the designers, and a chic bar on the first floor. We found a very cool Dutch designer blazer for my husband yesterday. Bijenkorf handles the tax-free end of things in-house -- be sure to have at least a photo of your passport on you and you can get your refund on the spot, though you still have to get a customs stamp at the airport when you leave the country.

De Bijenkorf keeps getting better. The brands are more and more luxurious and high-end than a few years ago - it really has become a premium department store. But their staff isn't always consistent. For example, the last time I was here the ladies of the legwear department were extremely helpful and friendly, but the ladies of the lingerie department didn't pay attention to customers at all. Instead, some of them were chatting by the register and I felt I was interrupting when I asked where the fitting room was. Later on, I was checking out leather jackets at the All Saints corner. The sales representative did not greet me at all, even though I was the only customer. If he would've paid attention, he would've seen I was looking at leather jackets exclusively hence I was seriously interested in buying. During this visit I only bought some legwear, but I decided to take my other purchases elsewhere. For Dutch standards the customer service at De Bijenkorf is good. For American standards the customer service is just OK. Since I had some spare time before meeting up with a friend, I decided to have my nails done at the Koh Nail Salon on the 3rd floor. I was immediately seated for a mani to go which is supposed to take 25 minutes but in my case took about 40 - not sure why. The ladies here were friendly and welcoming, but unfortunately I wasn't too happy with my mani. I noticed this after I left the store. The problem is they don't cut the cuticles, they only push them back, then put some oil on them and they say the leftovers will fall off. Um... Yeah, no. My cuticles hurt for a good 2 days and they looked awful. Overall, love the brands here and it's a no-brainer if you're looking for quality stuff. Just not always happy about the staff. Needless to say, I won't be returning to the Koh Nail Salon either.

Go to the top floor for lunch. Yum. A cool store that has a bunch of departments and mostly everything is of good quality. Not somewhere to go if you're trying to save money.

De Bijenkorf. I'd say you were my favorite department store in town, but then I'd have to qualify and say you're the only one I've ever been to. I don't even know of many others in the true sense of the term, except V&D, which I have never gone into. The best and most succinct way I could describe this place is to say "Macy's, priced like Nordstrom". Americans will understand that perfectly. Once, during a poorly planned walk around town, which of course concluded in rain (as they always do), I paid €60 here in a pinch for an umbrella; I still use it frequently, eight years on. While I felt a bit ripped off at the time, it ended up proving to be a very good value, and one of my very favorite all-around things. It has sixteen ribs, and having finally come to terms with the cracks about it looking like a plaid Chinese parasol, I've grown to like it very much.

This is a very nice Dutch department store located at Dam. They have all of the European designers and luxury goods. Although, I still prefer stores such as Bon Marché in Paris because the assortment is greater. The store is clean and well-organized. The sales staff is sometimes hard to find, non-aggressive, and not very friendly. I found, however, a fabulous associate in Maje who was outstanding. I found the perfect dress for a very important event. I appreciated her kindness and assistance. The Global Blue VAT refund office on the fourth floor is very easy, convenient, and automatic. My dress (which was very expensive) had two sensormatic tags on it which where not removed by the sales associate. After setting the alarm off at the exit three times, being embarrassed and humiliated, and having two security men examine the dress and my receipt each time, the security officer tore the dress trying to remove the tag which I did not discover until packing and preparing to leave the country. The customer service has been horrible in trying to reach a resolution. Didi, the Support Agent's solution was to go to another store. Where and when?! Both Sema and Didi would not give any names or contact information for anyone who could assist and make a decision in this matter. Customer Service does not follow through and get back with a solution within a week. After two weeks and five LiveChats I was informed by Giselle that the Department Manager "was to busy" to respond to me. Thus, I wrote to the CEO but LiveChat would not give his e-mail address. (Giovanni.colauto@debijenkorf.nl and his assistant yvonne.taverne@debijenkorf.nl). This is a high-end luxury department store with no customer service to back up their merchandise or service despite their multitude of service failures. Buyer beware!!!! www.debijenkorf.nl

LUXURY SHOPPING IN AMSTERDAM --- THE DEETS: - Top designer brands all in one location - Tax refunds in house! --- OVERALL: - If you're interested in some serious shopping while in Amsterdam I would suggest going to De Bijenkorf. The selection is small but what is nice and convenient about this mall is that they offer tax refunds in house. After refund they give you a voucher for free prosecco! #480

Five stars for one of my favourite shopping places! They have all the upscale cosmetic brands such as Chanel, Dior, Kiehl's, La Mer, Clinique, YSL, etc. And some brands have shops in there such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Mulberry, and others. The Bijenkorf is the most popular and biggest department store in The Netherlands and it's very well organised. The staff in all departments are usually very helpful and willing to go an extra-mile for you. They have a great home department and book & gifts also, with all the good brands. They sell really expensive brands but also more budget friendly brands, which include their home brand (which is nice!) but generally all the brands are of great quality and designers. There are many sales through the year and usually in october they have a crazy 3-day sale that can go up to 70%! That's when the store is at it's busiest. You can also have good coffee here and sit outside by the terrace, that has a nice view and is great for sunny days. Or eat at their restaurant (although I think it's a bit pricey for what you get) and the food is pretty great. The bathrooms are free of charge and very clean and spacious, and at the top floor (where the restaurant is) they have the Rob Peetoom Salon (where they also sell OPI nail polishes).

I had high expectations of the food here. Years ago it used to be terrible, but the update look and trendy feel to the place brought me back. My brother and I had a burger and the wok noodles. Both were chosen specifically for this review as a comparison to La Place not 10 minutes walk away. The noodles were bland and tasted of granular curry powder. They were the cheapest of instant noodles and the vegetables had no bite to them. The only thing worth eating on the whole plate was the meat, which was very nice despite everything else. The burger was less than average and dry. The fries with it were very nice however. La Place serves these dishes at a much higher quality for a substantially lower price. I would not recommend bijenkorf as a good place to dine to anyone other than those who are there for the view or to be seen. This aside their sandwiches and coffee are of a high quality though they too aren't the cheapest in town.

I usually only head to De Bijenkorf when I need to pick up my Nespresso capsules, but I have also bought clothing here. It is a huge more upscale department store. There is plenty of selection and probably has all that you could ever need.

Biggest collection of luxury brands in fashion and lifestyle in Amsterdam. You can easily spend an entire day just checking out the stuff on sale. The discounts are frequent and the customer service great. Upstairs, there's a nice self serve restaurant which serves some of the most delicious pizzas in the city, made fresh right in front of you.

This review is mostly based on the experience I had with one saleswoman in the shoe section. She was superbly nice, patient and friendly, all of which wasn't exactly common among the salespeople in the shoe section. I don't like shopping so going to department stores, especially one as touristy as this one, is a nightmare but the saleswoman made my trip a little less painful :)

Happened upon this department store on a super hot summer day on our visit to Amsterdam. Has everything one could hope to find to add a touch of Netherlands at home. Here is what to focus on --stuff you can't find in US, at least not easily or cheaply-- 1. Pip Studio linens for bed and bath as well as some printed china. Bright, typically blue or red themes, and shabby chic, I guess you would say. 2. Blond Amsterdam- cheery hand-painted, often delft blue themed pottery 3. Royal Delft- some nice, low key pieces that don't scream "I GOT THIS IN HOLLAND!!!". I got a white bowl with just one small blue "button" near the top. I like to eat my cereal out of it. 4. Very nice furniture department. 5. As tourists, we really enjoyed having coffee and snacks on the rooftop terrace. 6. Clothing seemed mostly standard department store fare. There were a few northern european brands I was interested in investigating, "Cos" being one of them. I had a four-year-old with me, so that was not happening.

This place is kind of amazing! It had like 5 floors of everything you can imagine. And at the very top floor is a big food court which is very good. Definitely one of the best malls I've been too.

Pleasant although generic high end store. However, the fifth floor self service restaurant is a nice place to take a break from the crowds in central Amsterdam.

What a fantastic place! If you're after a high end shopping experience, De Bijenkorf is the place to go. Sadly as I'm not rich, I couldn't afford half of the things I wanted that I saw inside (Fendi sunglasses, you WILL be mine!! one day...) but I did enjoy having a good look around. As part of our iAmsterdam card, Scott and I were able to pick up a free gift from customer services. We had no idea what it was going to be. After a short wait, we were given a voucher to spend on a coffee and any pastry in the food court, which I thought was a great little bonus! We saved around 20 EUR thanks to that! It was incredibly busy, as we were there just before Christmas, but nothing on a scale that London gets to. It was a nice experience, and I look forward to going again.

this is my go to department store! they carry the make up lines i use which you can't find so easily here. i also like their paper goods section. i only wish they carried some more interesting apparel lines.

What a gem - a scaled down version of Harrods & Selfridges and so much better for it...it is a lovely experience to shop in... and the staff just could not be more helpful, pleasant or generous with their time and effort to make you feel very very welcome. We purchased a small and relatively inexpensive gift and they went out of their way to make it special including beautiful wrapping thrown in. What a joy !

I shop often at the bijenkorf and appreciate the "one stop shopping" approach which is hard to find in NL. Most of all, I recently bought an electric blanket online to be delivered which died after 2 days. I had already tossed the box and only had the manuals, AND the item was on sale/clearance, so I figured I would never be able to return it. However, I did take it by the klantenservice afdeling just to see what may be done with store credit or something, and after speaking with a manager they gave me a full cash refund. Outstanding customer service that will keep me coming back to the bijenkorf over other stores in the city!

The house wares section is great, they carry most of the desirable kitchen and serveware brands, fun product and impeccable merchandising. Great furniture and gift sections too....only the lighting section is a bit weak.

The couture is fabulous. Only the finest quality at this upscale department store. Staff are friendly too, no attitude unlike other equivalent haute couture magasins in London or Paris. Bring your partner and she'll be impressed. Visited May 2013.

top floor food court on site chef live cooking after order. dutch style department store i can see their wisdom of living. just look at the paper bag they design for shopper. the ribbon, the logo, the color, the size and the shape, all perfect and the best i've seen around the world. so i keep the biggest one as souvenir. ok back to the content :) huge floors, must wear a pair of comfortable shoes. bring passport with us 24/7 as tourist then wait for tax refunds. But I'm just ok with this city, it smells somehow like San Francisco in an unpleasant way and quite small.

So this is like Bloomingdales in Amsterdam. High End shopping department store. So being a huge fan of Longchamp, of course I need to do what came to do-SHOP! Theres two longchamps in De Bijenkorf, one being located in the first floor, another one at like the 3rd floor or something like that. You will come across it like I did when you are coming down from the rooftop food court. The first store has a highlight of each lines, and a whole bunch of le pliages of course , as being the best seller. When I went I really regret of not buying more bc I was going to Paris next so I waiting to buy it there, when it was having that Jan sale or Boxing day sale at De Bijenkorf!! it was super cheap.. Anyways so I ignored the first floor and went up to the food court to meet my hubby and came down the escalator to realized that theres another section for Longchamp on the 3r floor!!! They have more of the luggages and the unusual leather bags. So I picked up a purple le pliage luggage that cost me about $160 usd. The lady was very nice where she helped me with the VAT refund. Apparently you can pay $3 euros to do that in De Bijenkorf instead of the airport, which will save you alot of time.

Meh. Maybe I'm just a spoiled American used to Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom, but I don't love the selection here. The shoe department is quite limited. Lots of clothes but I've never found a single item I wanted. I guess it is nice to have everything in one place, but in this case quantity doesn't equal quality.

After having been to the high end department stores of New York and London, it is hard to impress over those. Same thing here. While the store is high end, it reminds me of what Macy's used to be; not quite upscale but on the borderline. Of course, Macy's isn't even that anymore. The store itself is bright an clean but appears to be more of a collective for teens and twenty-somethings with nothing better to do than window shop while chit-chatting with their crew. We walked a bit and saw nothing that would catch your eye or anything to entice you to make a purchase. The store was abuzz with activity, I just don't really know what the activity was. The uppermost floor had several food stalls for those lunching or snacking and this seemed to be the most popular area of the store, other than the free toilets. The store was easy to navigate with clearly defined labels. Overall you can make a stop in here on a long day and take a quick look around pretending you are interested in making a purchase then work you way up to the top floor and slip into the toilet, that way you feel quite as guilty for only using it as a pit stop before heading back into the crowded square.

De Bijenkorf, how I love you! This is such a splendid department store. It is my favorite store in Amsterdam. Actually, it is the only store I shop at for non-essentials while in Amsterdam. It is an upscale department store but the prices are not so obscene that it is out of reach for many. The store is set up with upscale designer leather goods and cosmetics on the main floor. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Mac, etc. they are all there. Currently, there is a seasonal Christmas section that has some really beautiful glass ornaments. Unfortunately, I bought a couple of ornaments and the cashier had no idea how to work the register?!?! There is also a chocolate counter and cafe. A great place to take a break or escape the weather. On the fourth floor you will find an amazing children's toy and book selection. The toys are all high quality and designed to aid in learning. Whoever is responsible for buying toys at De Bijenkorf is doing a stellar job. On the fifth floor there is a restaurant that puts other store food halls and courts to shame. There are Asian, Italian, meat, sandwich, Soup, dessert, and drink stations. All superbly done. The seating area is spacious and clean with many tables offering views of the city. My only complaint is the customer service counter. Slow as molasses. Take a number and prepare to wait at least 20 minutes. Even with the service issues I still happily dole out a five star review!

I love this department if for no other reason than the fact that you can accomplish lot of shopping under one roof. From housewares to electronics to clothiers and beauty products (including a salon on the top floor that carries some of the harder to find high end lines) this store has a TON to offer.

I feel at home at Di Bijenkof, like I'm in Bloomingdales! The contemporary women's department carries brands I am familiar with but are impossible to find elsewhere in Amsterdam. DvF, Rag and Bone, Frame,- like a consolidated Shopbop array with thrown in brands like Karen Millen, Reiss, SuperTrash and Tommy Hilfiger (which has a completely different meaning here than in the U.S.). The ground level also has a great bag section with Proenza Schouler, Phillip Lim, Givenchy, Chloe, etc and concessions for Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Mulberry, etc. The cosmetics section is no Sephora, but the closest thing you can find here. There is a lovely coffee shop on the top floor which has outdoor patio seating. There is also a buffet-style restaurant, as well as quicker coffee shops on the men's and ground floor. There's an amazing chocolate section as well!

The Bijenkorf has a bit of everything. Even though it's on the pricey side, I stop by every time I'm in Amsterdam and always leave with sweets. The bakery is my favourite spot in the store, but there is definitely a lot more to see. The make-up section is definitely worth visiting. Some brands are not available anywhere else in the country. The clothing departments are only for those with too much money on their hands. Even discounts don't make the clothing affordable. The other floors contain interesting trinkets, from cookbooks to gadgets. There's also a Nespresso corner where you can both buy capsules and drink them. The restaurant at the top floor is not of much interest, as the food is not very well prepared.