De Sluyswacht — Restaurant in Amsterdam

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars Visit here for the terraces and drinks - definite Amsterdam charm!

De Sluyswacht is another one of Amsterdam's spectacular canal-side spots! The drink menu is fantastic with great beers on tap and excellent non-alcoholic options. But the real star here are those incredible outdoor terraces - you can choose your view: canal-side in the back, along the side, or facing the city in front. Perfect for people watching on a warm day!

The inside maintains all the authentic character of this historic 1695 building, which is pretty amazing to experience. We focused on drinks this visit, but watching other tables dig into the bitterballen and appetizers definitely has us planning a return trip for food! Make sure you are sober for the trip down to the toilets with the steep Dutch stairs!

Big shoutout to the friendly waitstaff - genuinely helpful and welcoming (which honestly isn't always a given in Amsterdam). Pro tip: Come early morning or late evening if you want to snag a terrace spot - this place gets packed for good reason! Worth every bit of the wait though. Already planning our next visit! 🍻 #Amsterdam #CanalSide...

Racial Bias in Service

​My experience was deeply distressing and felt discriminatory.

​After being seated, I waited for 20 minutes. During this time, the waitress systematically took orders from other separate tables that were seated after.

I made multiple attempts to get the waitress's attention. She said "wait" then moved on to other tables and never came back.

​Frustrated by the obvious prioritization, I went to the bar to place an order. There were four waitresses behind the bar who all acknowledged me but continued to serve other customers who had just walked up.

​When I finally managed to ask one waitress if she would take my order, she dismissively stated, "We only take orders at your table." I explained that I had been waiting for a significant time, but she completely disregarded my explanation and walked away without offering any assistance or apology.

​The service was not just slow; it was an act of active, targeted neglect and refusal to serve that I can only conclude was based on my race. I felt profoundly unwelcome. This level of indifference and discrimination is...

Small, often very busy, but when the sun is out quite nice to sit down and have a bite to eat. I return every time for their tosti's, which are always good to eat.

The historic building adds a certain touch to the atmosphere as only old buildings in the middle of buzzing cities can, but also not entirely as there is very limited seating as to leave enough space between the tables to still move around. Of course this is understandable: guests as well as staff needs to be able to move around. But for some reason the building always feels a tad empty, as if all stories have packed up their bags and left the place a long time ago. As their beer is a tad pricey, I always just order a coffee which is quite well made, and the earlier mentioned tosti's. They are reasonably priced for what you get and they've never disappointed. Big, well filled with all kinds of ingredients, and served on rustic and very tasty bread. Those are the things I return for, not the building or the staff who are always polite but also quite distant....