THE BUTCHER Social Club — Restaurant in Amsterdam

I really thought about this one but two start is all I can give them...

First the good parts: the place looks great. Well thought out mix of concrete and warmer materials. A variety of seating styles; bar stools, poufs and even booths for the romantically inclined. Nice wooden floor and a very pleasing interior in general. Great location too: the Amsterdam Tower is gorgeous.

The very young people that served us were sweet and tried their best. First minus though: very few spoke Dutch. And even though almost all Dutch speak English, we're still in the Netherlands. Disrespectful to the locals imo.

Our group of three had a hard time finding a regular chair, one with a backrest. We ended up going upstairs. Nice view into the connecting open space down below. Also letting the noise up though.

The selection of main courses is great and quite original. But when we wanted a starter, the best we could do is order a side of fries. No real starters. And the drinks are very expensive. 4 euros for a small beer and 6/7/8 euros for bottled beers is a rip off. The beers were served at the table. First main letdown: we were given a remotely controlled buzzer. I know these things from the many coffee places in Seoul, where your latte is rarely more than a couple of feet away. Not the case for our food. We had a 3-4 minute walk to our foor, including a large staircase or an elevator to get down to the ground floor. And then the food handout was in the corner. Our food was way too cold by the time we got there. We had to go down for every (food) order we made.

Even though it was far from hot, the food was well prepared and tasty. Though not cheap. Nor were there any side dishes included. So if you want them, be prepared to pay even more.

And finally we felt that no one cared for us at all. No one checked on how we were doing, asked us if the food was ok, asked us if we wanted more (expensive) drink. Nothing. So when one of us finally walked up to three people chatting together behind a bar, halfway across the place, she was told she should ask the restraurant staff (as they were hotel staff). This made the situation even messier.

So: ambiance: great staff: kind but having not much of a clue drinks: expensive food: tasty but cold and expensive

So come here and have one draught beer and be amazed at this wonderful example of fuzziness and...

Been here three times. The food is really good but the service is terrible. The staff always thinks in problems, not in solutions. I have never felt really welcome. The first time they didn't open the terrace but the sun was bright and shining. It was my birthday so I was really disappointed. The second time the terrace was open but it feels like the staff only cares about themselves, to make their jobs as easy as possible. The third time did it for me. It was 11.30, they didn't know if they were going to open the terrace. Kitchen would open at noon. At noon they came to us saying the kitchen would only open at 12.15. We didn't get drinks until noon. The terrace did open luckily but after an hour in the sun we were hot so we asked if they could open the parasol, but they couldn't do that. When we asked for the bill, the guy ran to the cash register and walked back and showed us the bill on a device without saying the amount, just nothing. He just pushed it in our faces. I need a receipt for my employer, so I asked if he could get my receipt after payment and he said yes. Just "yes", not something like: Of course, I will get it for you. So after payment I asked again because I wasn't sure he would remember but he thought that was irritating so he said to me: I am not stupid. You know what, if he would actually communicate to us with more words, I wouldn't have had the feeling to ask again just in case he would forget. I am embarrassed for my company because apparently he felt I didn't say it in a nice way enough way. This wasn't my intention. But you know how many servers, forget, and then when I forget too, I have a problem with my employer! I don't think I will...

During my recent visit to the restaurant, I had the opportunity to try one of their burgers. While I was excited to indulge, I encountered a couple of setbacks. Unfortunately, my burger arrived with an unexpected addition – a stray hair and a tiny insect. This was a letdown and affected my overall impression.

Despite the initial disappointment, I continued to explore the menu. While the food was decent, I found it slightly overpriced for the quality it delivered. It's important to strike the right balance between price and flavour.

The restaurant's ambience had its own challenges. The music from the speakers was rather overwhelming, making it difficult to engage in conversations with fellow diners. Clear communication is essential for an enjoyable dining experience.

Furthermore, the transition to a digital menu through QR codes was an interesting concept. While it aligns with the modern world's trends, it did leave me longing for the simplicity of a physical menu. Navigating through options on a phone felt a bit cumbersome, unlike the traditional menu's straightforward layout.

In the end, my visit was a mix of highs and lows. Addressing these areas could significantly enhance the overall dining experience and make the restaurant an even more appealing...