BARBOUNIA — Restaurant in Amsterdam

I recently had dinner at Barbounia with 6 friends from Paris, and we were all absolutely blown away by the exceptional quality of their dishes. From start to finish, every bite was a revelation. The Koulouri Bread & Mezze was the perfect opening act—fresh, flavorful, and paired with dips that were simply divine.

The Octopus Carpaccio was unlike anything I’ve ever had, with the tapenade and spicy mayonnaise creating a delightful balance of flavors that left me wanting more.

The Gnocchi ai Funghi was pure perfection—delicately soft gnocchi paired with earthy mushrooms and a harmonious combination of flavors that made it unforgettable. The Mushroom Tartare, with its paprika aioli and shawarma spices, was an exciting and unique dish that left a lasting impression. And the Grilled Aubergine, with its rich tomato salsa and tahini, was a vegetarian delight that perfectly balanced smoky, tangy, and creamy elements.

The standout for me, though, was the 48-Hour Marinated Chicken Skewer—so tender it melted in my mouth, with flavors that were both comforting and complex. And the Whole Turbot à la Meunière? Truly a masterpiece—perfectly cooked, delicate, and full of flavor.

A special dedication to the chef: your artistry in the kitchen is unmatched. The passion and creativity in every dish are palpable, and you’ve truly elevated dining to an unforgettable experience. Thank you for sharing your talent with us.

Barbounia has set a new standard for dining in Amsterdam. I can’t wait to come back and...

The new mediterranean concept of Barbounia in the lobby of the Conservatorium Hotel is a big success. The vibe is there, the service impeccable, the food very nice. We went on a sunday evening and it was busy, but not too much, we got all the attention that we needed. The great thing about this location is that its so high that the sounds travel up, so it doesnt matter how busy it is, you can still have a perfectly normal conversation with your dinner partner, without the sounds starting to ring around the restaurant and you don't hear a word anymore of whats being said. This is the downfall in my opinion of most restaurants in Amsterdam, the acoustics is the last subject to be budgeted and thought of - if at all, and when its not busy its perfectly fine, but when it gets busy its horror. We had as an appetiser the oysters which were very good and tasty - a la mignonette - and the tiger prawns, which I liked very much that they opened them for us allready, so you dont have to wrestle with them. We also had a greek salad which was very good but on the small side, but o.k., its an appetiser. We drank Negronis throughout the dinner, which were excellent. As a main course we both had the Sole au Lemon, which was great and very tasty. Overall it was a superb experience, it all adds up, the ambiance of the Hotel, the waiters which were very polite and always in the background available, to the nice smelling liquid soap in the toilets, it's all perfect! Can't wait...

Positives - pretty restaurant setting in a glazed courtyard - has the potential to be ambient.

Needs work - the service was not good. We were the only 2 people in the restaurant for an hour and then only 3 other parties joined. This is not a good sign for a premium hotel on a Thursday night. We were having drinks we had brought into the restaurant from the bar and so were not in a hurry to order food. We were asked around 6 times if we were ready to order. The last time was by an extremely curt waitress who rolled her eyes at us and was aggressively pushing us to order. She left our table and a few minutes later we made our order with her colleague.

I noticed my napkin was stained so I called her over to ask for another. She did not come straight away but when she did I mentioned we had already ordered and was about to ask for a new napkin. Before I had a chance she seemed irritated and said that she had rushed over to take our order (as if she was doing us a huge favour). I asked her if there was a problem. She said there was not. I asked her for a new napkin (which was also stained by the way).

Rude service, average food, empty restaurant, stained linen for €153 (without alcohol). I would not return nor recommend. Save your money. There are far superior places...