Helling 7 — Restaurant in Amsterdam

Helling 7 is a beautiful spot in NDSM, and one of my favourite places to dine at! I like to come here for special dinners (with a reservation), and sometimes just cocktails (walk-in).

When I arrive, the first thing I notice is coming straight into the hustle and bustle of the restaurant which I find very impressive! You are quickly taken care of, either to your table or to the bar which serves great, generous cocktails.

The food is great — sizeable portions made for sharing and delicious. My friend has perfected the art of making steak, so much that he hates ordering steak out now, but Helling 7 is the one place he makes an exception. The fire in the kitchen, besides looking exceptionally cool, probably helps with that.

The interior and the atmosphere is fantastic — look at the photos! All glass and while the daylight with blue skies is charming, I have a soft spot for when the sun goes down and you see the reflections of all the lights and candles in the glass. It’s a very beautiful place.

I rated service 3/5 because while the service is very knowledgable, welcoming and friendly, we did struggle with a gluten allergy (celiac disease) the second time we ate here which is hard to overlook.

The first time we ate here, the allergy was remembered from the reservation and even gluten-free bread was provided. We were so impressed with the service and the attentiveness that we came back because it is, sadly, hard to find good spots for gluten allergies (and trust me, it is not a choice to be a celiac!).

The second time, we stated the gluten allergy at reservation and arrival and when ordering, but a couple of dishes (including the tartare) came out with gluten. This was quickly rectified when my dining partner had to flag waitstaff to double-check if something had gluten in it or not. Dishes were replaced after first being asked if we could just “move away” (no!).

Helling 7 is a restaurant I love going to, and always try to eat there with visiting friends to show them something outside the centre! However, I would be very hesitant to go there again with somebody with allergies now. While the first time was excellent and accommodating, the second time felt very blasé and I was a bit nervous for my dining partner.

That being said, every time he comes to Amsterdam, Helling 7 is the place wants to go to, so the food for him is always top. ;-) For subsequent visits, I think if there is consistency in service regarding allergies, this would improve the overall impression.

tl;dr Definitely worth the visit. If you have an allergy, you need to be extra vigilant and do not be afraid to ask them to verify and/or replace the dish.

(Photos from a...

Last week Sunday my family and I visited this restaurant for brunch. We were the first ones to arrive and the first thing we heard was “Do you have a reservation, if not you have to leave”.. Luckily we did have a reservation, they made us wait about an hour to be seated while they sat other people who arrived later in the meanwhile. They literally moved us two tables further and it took another hour for the appetizers. One might think it’s probably because they were busy, but in the meanwhile other customers came around and they were served first. At one point we were waiting for the main dishes to come but once again we were waiting for another hour. We decided to cancel the order and instead of being apologetic, the waiter was rather rude and careless. Not once he said sorry nor he explained himself, instead of agreeing on the wait and understanding our reason to cancel this order, he just said “the order already went through and it’s being prepared” as if we would have to suck it up regardless the waiting time. Eventually the floor manager shown up with mediocre food saying it was on the house because the wait, yet without a valid explaining why it took so long. At this point our brunch was already ruined, and we didn’t really enjoy the experience. Another thing that was rather annoying is that most of the staff seemed to be 15 years old and not polite at all, all very indifferent and unprofessional. Even we left nobody said goodbye or mentioned the inconveniences. If you are looking for a true Dutch experience, with average overpriced food, long waiting times and mediocre service provided by hungover waiters, this is...

Heiling 7 offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, enhanced by its unique and thoughtfully designed décor. The ambiance is undeniably captivating, creating a memorable visual experience.

However, the service fell short of expectations. On multiple occasions, servers inadvertently bumped into my partner’s shoulder while passing by, and empty wine glasses remained unnoticed for an extended period. Additionally, small but significant details were overlooked, such as the melted candle on our table, which was not replaced. The most concerning aspect was the prolonged wait time it took approximately an hour for our entrée dishes to arrive.

Given the premium pricing, we anticipated a culinary experience that would impress. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The ribeye steak, requested medium rare, was overcooked, resulting in a dry and flavorless dish. On a brighter note, the chocolate banana Oreo dessert was exceptional and undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, followed closely by the flavorful steak tataki entrée.

In summary, while Heiling 7 excels in creating an enchanting dining environment, it struggles to deliver the refined experience it aspires to provide. With improvements in service quality and culinary execution, it has the potential to meet the standards of a true fine dining...