Lokaal van de Stad — Restaurant in Amsterdam

I recently visited Lokaal van de Stad and had a mixed experience. While the food was enjoyable, the service left much to be desired.

Let's start with the positives. The food at Lokaal van de Stad was undeniably delicious. I tried their seafood risotto, and the flavors were rich and well-balanced. The seafood was fresh, and the dish was cooked to perfection. Additionally, their dessert menu offered a variety of tempting options, and the chocolate lava cake I ordered was decadent and satisfying.

However, my dining experience was marred by the subpar service. The staff seemed disorganized and inattentive, often forgetting to bring requested items and taking an excessively long time to attend to our table. It was frustrating to have to repeatedly ask for water refills and wait extended periods for our orders to be taken.

Moreover, the lack of communication between the waitstaff and the kitchen resulted in some mistakes with our orders. One of our appetizers arrived much later than the others, and one of the main courses had to be sent back because it was undercooked. These issues could have been avoided with better coordination and attention to detail.

Despite the service shortcomings, I must commend the kitchen staff for their culinary skills. The food itself was the saving grace of my dining experience at Lokaal van de Stad. However, the lack of attentive service left a sour taste in my mouth and prevented me from fully enjoying what could have been an outstanding meal.

In conclusion, while Lokaal van de Stad showcased culinary prowess, the disappointing service experience significantly impacted my overall impression. I hope they address the service issues and improve their front-of-house operations to match the quality...

2021 Update: The terrace seating is up and running. Loved how there was so much seating option here. The seating towards the Gracht is great on a sunny evening, but be careful as it is exposed to the wind and can feel a bit colder. There isn’t an option to easily book a table here, suggest just dropping by and checking for availability. Usually people do not sit way to long so you will be able to find a table pretty soon. The staff are super incredible as always. Many of the same faces which makes it a great place to come back to. The service is quick and the options of alcohol and food is broad. Note that last order is around 17:30 (the staff will inform you so you don’t miss it) and ideally you have to be away from the table by 18:00. It’s good to see them strict with this. There does seem to be sufficient distance between table on the gracht or there is a separator between tables. All in all, a good experience.

Update: with the new outside seating, Lokaal is fabulous. Just up to the banks of the water and such a great ambience to watch the sunset. Can get a bit warm towards the afternoon, but cools down enough later. The chicken here is fantastic. The service is also one of the best in town... super quick. Always love coming here.

An absolutely fantastic place to grab a quick bit and a drink. Seating varies from single to almost 8. The staff are super friendly and the beer is excellent. The food is brilliantly made and displayed even better. This place is worth a visit for an evening. If you just need a nice place to sit and chill. There isn’t any place better in this area. Very highly...

Fair warning: As an American I rate differently. I'll start with the most important line: don't order any drink. Period. The prices for soda or water are absurd - and if you attempt to order a water (the polite way of saying I want to have a drink without paying for it) - you'll be getting a (small) bottled water with an absurd nearly 4 euro price. The sodas (supposedly .3L but with - very literally - 3 gulps worth of soda) are also nearly 4 euro. I was told before going to Holland that the best "value" was in beer - but even many of the beers here were only 0,25 or 0,3 L. That all said the food is good here. I wouldn't say great; nor would I classify the portions as generous. I would say that the food - in quantity and quality - is fairly priced. The establishment itself is of the trendy-bar type setup - not particularly great if looking to actually have a conversation but I suppose good if you're in the age group that doesn't mind the noise. And the staff... if you're used to super attentive and responsive staff - candidly - you won't find it here. That is, though, my experience everywhere in Holland. In short - if you're expecting the type of service; portion size; and drinks that you'd get in America - you'll be disappointed but I don't think that unicorn...