Esh Pitabar — Restaurant in Amsterdam

Clearly I selected a busy day, Saturday and they were almost at capacity but was able to get a table without a reservation. But I recommend that you book if you want to ensure you get in as people were soon turned away. These are my opinions and understand it’s based upon my visit. The outside is very unassuming and unless you are specifically looking for this restaurant, you wouldn’t have any idea what the name is by looking from the street. No clear signage. There is outside seating, but I don’t think the kitchen has the capacity to take care of both inside and outside, at least when I was there, as there were empty glasses and plates sitting at outside tables the entire time I was having lunch. Greeted by a hostess after entering what I thought was a service entrance as it was stacked full of kitchen supplies and food service deliveries. Not a good first impression. Seated at the door and given menus. Simple orders was taken and it took about 30 minutes for the snacks to each table. The servers were efficient but nothing special as it was very busy. The atmosphere was a bit kitschy but it looked more like grandma’s living room with dusty ceiling lights rather than a restaurant. It needs some work… The food, it was ok, but not amazing as you see in so many reviews. The simple pita was very doughy and not anything like a traditional one. Again this is my opinion the hummus tasted “watered down” as it lacked some depth of flavor. Kitchen, step it up and don’t assume that making the same recipe doesn’t need to be tasted before sending it out. Overall, it deserves a mediocre review, as it wasn’t bad, just needs to step up the organization of the kitchen and do...

I was curious to try this restaurant given the positive reviews, but unfortunately we didn't have a very good experience:

1. Upon arriving, we were informed by the waitress that our reservation would only be for 75 minutes and that after that we would have to leave or continue our meal outside as there were other reservations to follow. Fine for us, although it was a short slot, this had already been communicated at the time of booking so we agreed.

2. We asked about the Chef Selection menu for 2 people, but the waitress said that we couldn't choose this option because our reservation slot didn't allow enough time to serve everything. It seemed ridiculous to us that they would put an item on the menu that can't be eaten during the reservation timeslot. Keep in mind this is their standard reservation timeslot, it was not our choice.

3. The most surreal part was when we wanted to order dessert and the waitress mentioned that we only had 15 minutes left and that we could order dessert but we would have to finish it outside to make room for other guests. It is important to mention that at that moment the 3 tables next to us were still empty and there was no one waiting to be seated. We decided to cancel our order and leave.

We did not feel welcome and we thought this was a terrible way to treat the customer: 1) we are adults, we do not need to be reminded 3 times about our slot and 2) we actually wanted to consume and were prevented from doing so by your staff. I do not believe that it is the fault of the waitresses but probably the management. Today they lost 2 customers and we will not recommend...

Disappointing Experience – Poor Service

I had a disappointing experience at this restaurant—twice. Despite advertising as pet-friendly, they clearly are not. On our first visit, we were given one of two tall tables, even though over 30 normal-height tables were available. On a second visit, I called ahead requesting a regular table. They said they were fully booked and only offered a couch. When we arrived, we were seated at an uncomfortable low couch table—while six normal tables nearby sat empty the entire time.

They also claim to offer gluten-free options, but it was frustrating and concerning. One of our group has celiac disease, and the waiter had no idea what was safe. She went back and forth to the kitchen five times for answers. It was clear there was no proper system or training in place. Worse, the waiter became visibly irritated, even though we were just trying to ensure the food was safe.

To top it off, two of us ordered the same dish—falafel pita—and they came out noticeably different. One was missing tomatoes. When we politely pointed this out, the staff responded rudely. It may seem small, but it reflected a total lack of care.

Overall, the restaurant fails to live up to its promises and lacks basic hospitality. I wouldn’t recommend it, especially to anyone with dietary needs or expecting...