Papa's Loft House — Restaurant in Amsterdam

Disappointing Experience – Underwhelming Food and Service

Our visit to this restaurant was unfortunately disappointing. The risotto was a real letdown—it tasted like overcooked instant rice soaked in bland broth, overloaded with spongy mushrooms. There was no trace of Parmesan, neither in flavor nor texture. Instead of being creamy, it was watery and slimy, with liquid visibly pooling on the plate.

The Steak Frites was slightly better—the meat was okay, but the fries were far too salty. With a little more balance in seasoning, the dish could have been enjoyable.

At first, one staff member was very friendly, which gave us a good impression. Unfortunately, she disappeared after a while, and from that moment on, the service noticeably declined. No one checked on us after the food was served, and it took an unusually long time for the plates to be cleared. When someone finally asked if I wanted something else, I had already lost my appetite. Mistakes in the kitchen can happen, but there was no real effort to acknowledge or correct the situation.

To top it off, when we received the bill, a staff member jokingly asked, “I hope we weren’t too slow with the service?” Given that only two other tables were occupied, this question didn’t seem genuine and left a bad last impression.

Since we were staying at the Hotel Element, we had expected at least a certain level of effort in service. Unfortunately, this experience was disappointing enough that we wouldn’t consider booking this hotel again.

For future guests, I would advise managing expectations when dining here. The food quality was inconsistent, and service...

Staying at Element for 2nd time and didn’t have chance to visit Papa’s last time but given it was a Sunday evening this time and I couldn’t be bothered venturing too far, I thought I would give Papa’s a chance as really just felt like a burger & beer anyway.

Too windy to sit outside this evening (but perhaps nice on another night) so took a table near a window with lots of natural light. I noticed a couple of solo guests also sitting up at the longish bar which I particularly like from the US.

Google reviews of the food were low so I had limited expectations coming in. Plus they are openly advertising for a new head chef! I also lived in NL for a few years so I know you don’t go there for the food (or the weather). BUT I was pleasantly surprised. Decent burger that was cooked just right, good fries, and a selection of local draft beers. The two waitresses were also switched on and friendly, paying attention to all guests, plus cleaning the bar in quieter times. Thank you for...

On 25 February 2024, we had lunch at Papa’s Loft House with my partner and baby. We purchased 2 teas afterwards. Since the water was not warm enough I asked the waitress to refill the half glass cup with new warm water. They refilled it but charged me a full new tea price!! This is very funny, I did not get new tea ☕️ with a new cup and cookie. It was only half cup. When we rejected this, they were so rude and said they charge extra and consider this is a new purchase! I think this is a terrible customer service. We already had our lunch and it was the restaurant’s fault serving not warm water. And charging extra for water?! Really ! How can you gain new customers like this? Even though we liked the environment ( it was our first time), after this treatment we are sure that we will not go there anymore and will not advise it to anyone. Small amounts make...