Bistro de la Mer — Restaurant in Amsterdam

We had a reservation for lunch here and it turned out to be one of the best meals of our trip. You definitely need a reservation here — every seat was taken even during lunch service, and it’s easy to see why. From start to finish, everything was beautifully executed — both in flavor and presentation.

To start, the kitchen sent out an amuse-bouche of lobster bisque in a tiny coffee cup — rich, oceany, and so comforting, especially for us Arizonans who were freezing in the Dutch “fall” weather (probably mild for locals, but it felt icy to us 😄).

We each began with their special oysters (Gillardeau topped with O-toro tuna and Ossetra caviar) — fresh, briny, and luxurious. Each bite was a little explosion of the sea. The Beignet of Brandade was another standout: warm, bite-sized puffs topped with a generous scoop of caviar and a touch of sour cream — decadent and perfectly balanced.

We shared several small plates, each one a delight. The raw mackerel with wasabi ice cream and vinaigrette was a party in the mouth — tangy, refreshing, and surprisingly harmonious. The razor clam salad was vibrant and clean, while the pan-fried scallops were tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. For mains, my husband ordered the pike-perch — delicately steamed, served with chicory, ham sauce, and autumn truffle — absolutely divine. I had the squid with peppers, which was so tender with just the right amount of heat.

We skipped the dessert, because we had planned to go to get some cookies at Van Stapele after lunch. :) So we just ordered coffee and they gave us a couple of yummy madeleines.

We each had a glass of Champagne to begin, followed by wine pairings. The total came to about USD $360 for the two of us — worth every euro for the quality, creativity, and service we received.

A quick note: all the tables are high-tops with bar stools, but they’re quite comfortable, and it gives the restaurant a lively, open-kitchen vibe. Most diners at the bar seemed to be enjoying the set menu, but we went à la carte and were happy with our picks.

Service was prompt, efficient, and genuinely friendly, and the chefs clearly know their craft — each dish came out beautifully timed and confidently presented.

Overall, Bistro de la Mer is well deserving of its Michelin star — a cozy yet elegant seafood haven where every bite feels like a small celebration.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for refined seafood and modern creativity in the heart...

We never write reviews but solely for the service in this restaurant I make an exception. Please keep in mind that besides the fact that we eat in a Michelin/Bib restaurant at least monthly, I did work in a Michelin starred restaurant myself for a long time. The food was definitely not a problem, nice and fresh. The service to that matter was absolutely horrible. Our main waiter was nice and friendly, however the maitre and the sommelier (at least we think that were the supposed roles) were super arrogant and passive aggressive.

The story: we did reserve a table that did not have any time limitations. After an hour into our dinner, a foreign speaking guy with long hair came to our table questioning if we knew about the time limit. As we knew there wasn’t one when we made the reservation we gave him that feedback. 30 minutes later he came back and told us the problem was solved. In this 30 minutes we felt uncomfortable and were discussing how this problem which obviously was their problem became our problem. When we were ready for dessert the maitre came to our table, asking if we wanted dessert, but that we had to keep the time limitation in mind. We were confused and stated the following: It wasn’t there when we made the reservation The timing and pace of your service is not up to us but rather to be dictated by the service and kitchen teams. To be fair between courses we had a good long wait which they could have limited Your colleague came with the same problem and told us it was solved

The maitre then came back again saying that he solved the problem (weehoo well done you, do you want a sticker?) and tried to poach us in our final time spent in the restaurant (spoiler: it didn’t work). What happened here: they overbooked their system to generate $$$. They maybe didn’t know we wanted a luxurious evening and were willing to pay for that. They did not accept their own mistake and instead made it a problem of a paying guest. The latter being one of the most shameful mistakes in hospitality.

A shame for kitchen staff, food and the nice waiter that the other two completely knocked it down with...

Firstly, full disclaimer - we are world travellers and anyplace we go we attempt to dine in Michelin restaurants- from Bibi Gourmand to 3*. Tonight we came promptly according to our reservation , were promptly seated by the counter, which gave us useful insight into inner workings of the kitchen. After being served with bread and water it took 30 minutes for someone just bring us the menu. , and explain what’s for dinner. Finally, we ordered and we ordered all three courses and wine. The stuff brought the wine promptly, and the wait for appetizers started. Another 20 minutes later, we finished half bottle, they approached and informed that they messed the appetizer orde. Apologized. We continue waiting, another 15 minutes appetizers arrive. They are good, nothing extraordinary. Then second course followed more a less within as would be expected….and then things went downhill..third course whooping 1+ hour to come out, and only after a reminder, that they tried to remedy with the complimentary glass of Chardonnay . Finally, time for a final bill - turns out they overcharged for a Calvados I ordered as a digestiff. Now, as I alluded, sitting at the counter provided invaluable experience of observing the kitchen - nobody is wearing gloves, folks with bare hand prepare food , then they lick the fingers and proceed to the next order. Hygiene and COVID aside, they move in this fashion from preparing herring to cooking desert. Food was good, but not on the level expected from 1* Michelin restaurant. The night before we had dinner at Marie, Bib Gourmand restaurant in Amsterdam , which was much, much better…actually it was worth a star, while Bistro de la Met doesn’t even deserve to...