Restaurant 't Zwaantje — Restaurant in Amsterdam

I have been a regular visitor to the Zwaantje (The Little Swan) ever since its opening night some 44 years ago and every occasion has been a delightful experience. Something akin to a cozy living room, the restaurant has remained in a time warp, with most of its decor unchanged over the years. Paintings and bric-a-brac adorn the walls and ceiling and elaborately decorated carpets cover the tables, a tradition dating back to the Dutch "golden age" in the seventeenth century, when these were imported by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and were displayed as a sign of wealth. Another Zwaantje tradition is the pinning of business cards from guests from all over the world to the walls, of which there are thousands. Predominantly Dutch and French cuisine, the restaurant largely owes its reputation to huge pots of steaming mussels from Zeeland, served with French fries and an array of dipping sauces. At one time these were strictly seasonal, but since the advent of rope bred mussels, these are now readily available throughout the year. Those wishing to sample Dutch dishes should try the Dutch shrimp cocktail, smoked eel and 'Snert', the traditional Dutch pea soup, followed by Grandma's Beef Stew, a melt in the mouth experience served with mashed potatoes, vegetables and homemade apple sauce, or the customary Dutch 'Stampot' consisting of mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables, served with bacon and choice of smoked sausage or meatball. There is a good selection of meat, game and fish dishes, but a more limited offering for vegetarians. Be sure to check out the "Speciality of the Day" menus on the blackboards. There is a well stocked bar and all the prices are extremely reasonable. Food here is really delicious, but be warned the portions are overly generous. If you still have room for a dessert, there is a a delicious selection, of which Dame Blanche, a mountain of vanilla ice cream topped with hot chocolate sauce and cream remains...

I am utterly appalled by the shockingly rude, arrogant, and condescending behavior of the staff and management at this establishment. From the moment we walked in, we were met with an air of entitlement and disdain that was beyond anything I’ve experienced in years of living in the Netherlands. What was meant to be a lovely dinner to celebrate my brother and his wife’s first night in Amsterdam quickly turned into a humiliating ordeal we will never forget.

As vegetarians, we were left with limited options on the menu and decided to order soup for dinner. Instead of accommodating our choice with grace and professionalism, the staff made it their mission to humiliate us in front of other patrons. Their sneering comments, dismissive attitude, and outright disrespect left us feeling belittled and unwelcome. It was clear they believed our choice to forgo mains made us unworthy of their time or basic courtesy.

The good reputation this place seems to enjoy has clearly gone to their heads, fostering an atmosphere of entitlement and arrogance. To treat paying customers with such blatant disdain is unforgivable, and it speaks volumes about their complete lack of respect for their patrons.

This was, without question, the worst dining experience I’ve ever endured. I wouldn’t wish such treatment on anyone. If I could give this place zero stars, I would. To the management and staff: you should be deeply ashamed of yourselves. This was more than just bad service—it was an outright display of cruelty and unprofessionalism. Avoid this place...

I hate writing less than positive reviews, but the existing reviews are so skewed and misleading that I feel compelled to offer a different perspective. We tried the food here, specifically the Grandma's stew and stamppot with meatballs. While it was not bad, it was also not very good and I certainly would not call it delicious or amazing like many of the reviews here (really perplexed by these). The mashed potatoes, vegetables, and meatball were very bland. On the other hand, the beef stew was salty without having much depth in flavor. We would consider ourselves to be foodies and like light savory flavors that are done well but this was just flat and one dimensional. Tbf, I did some research after and found that traditional Dutch food is supposed to taste like this - boiled and unseasoned with some jus on the side. It's supposed to be more "pragmatic" than indulgent, which is fine. But I think ppl need to be informed about what they're getting and have the right expectations, which is not accurately represented by the current reviews unfortunately. Service is ok - a bit slow and inconsistent but in keeping with the European norm. If you can't/don't want to make reservations, come after 8:30pm as they seem to take a lot more...