Pompstation — Restaurant in Amsterdam

After having reserved one day earlier, our foursome arrived with some expectation. "The best steak in town." The limited menu concept is good enough, but three courses are not enough for the two men. We were seated in an empty restaurant at hardly the best table dead center at the bar with plenty traffic eventually. I had asked for a wall table as I had seen the leather benches. When reserving I was first uncooperatively told to use the website (?), I had tried that but the website was blocked by my virus software as unsafe. After ordering and quite some delay, we were informed that a starter was not available. The chef hadn't ordered enough ingredients. The restaurant was at that time, we were there at 1800, hardly full. The alternatively starter my son had ordered, we learned after some time, was apparently also not available. Same chef. Same story. The main course was fine but very small piece of steak. Hardly any accompanying vegetables. Desert arrived, two choices available, we ordered 3 of one and one of the other but after a long time arrived in reverse. The missing two arrived in relatively short time, so the long wait seems strange. We were done more than 4 hours later for 3 courses. I do not out of principle order more expensive wine if you keep me waiting. So. Service is not up to my standard throughout. No friendly goodbye when my very polite son even says so in passing when two of the older guys sit at the large table at exit. Not a word either when paying the bill. During meal no extra bread offered or water. Surcharge for steak not explained but on bill. The only friendly type was the Venezuelan kitchen staff that brought the desert. I will not go here again and pay 300 euros for the pleasure. Such a shame. Maybe they don't realise I am born and raised Amsterdam? Did not feel...

Pompstation offered a well plated menu unfortunately mired by... everything else.

The food was hit-and-miss. My partner and I both purchased three course meals, their menu a matrix of rows by course and columns by protein (meat, fish, or vegetable). The meat dishes were the best of the bunch; the duck confit was particularly tasty. The seafood and vegetable dishes were quite bland. The fried cod plated with passion fruit really misfired. The cod itself was unpleasantly soggy and the passion fruit's sweetness overpowered the fish. Dessert felt like a bunch of leftover sugar items pressed into a cube - it was a confused combination.

The service is where this location properly fell flat. My partner and I were in no rush, but a three course meal served over more than three hours is insane. It was quite clear the other guests present were irritated too. Perhaps they were short staffed that evening, but the waiters proceeded with a frustratingly leisurely pace while the summer sun fell and and the short sleeve guests shivered waiting for their meals.

Had the service been prompt, the presence of lackluster dishes would've been perfectly excusable given a few strong suits. Unfortunately, I'm writing this review to caution guests about the remarkably...

We visited Pompstation in Amsterdam Oost and left with mixed, yet mostly positive impressions. The evening kicked off with a carpaccio that was nothing short of exceptional — tender, well-seasoned, and perfectly textured. A definite five-star dish that sets the bar high right from the start.

We followed up with the côte de boeuf, which was generous in portion and easy to share. While it was tasty, it didn’t quite reach the same heights as the starter. Solid, but not extraordinary — we’d give it three stars at best.

What truly elevates Pompstation, however, is everything around the plate. The ambiance is lively and inviting, with top-class live music that adds a special energy to the space. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, making us feel welcome from the moment we walked in.

We were there with our baby and were happy to find that a high chair was available. For parents dining out with little ones, we highly recommend going right after opening time — there’s more space, less rush, and the food tends to arrive faster, which makes a big difference when dining with a baby.

In short, Pompstation offers decent food with a few highlights, but it’s the atmosphere, service, and music that truly make this place...