North End — Restaurant in Leiden

Despite having numerous wonderful evenings at North End during the 7 months I have lived in Leiden, I will no longer be returning to this pub.

On Tuesday 29th March 2022, a group of us went to the bar to spend the evening there. As a large group, some paid as they went and others added drinks to the tab for the table.

At the end of the evening, over €150 was left on the tab. A horrifying sight considering that most people had paid their share each time they ordered.

At several points during the evening, members of the group noticed that there was an inconsistency between the functioning of the point of sale system and the debit amounts on their bank accounts suggesting that there continues to be an issue with the technology that the bar uses - it should be noted that the bar admitted that such issues had existed previously.

We were made to feel like criminals and we had to argue over every line left on the bill (most of which, I will add, the staff ended up conceding as they remembered charging for the transactions).

It is clear that either the technology is failing or a staff member is deliberately taking advantage of large groups to double charge.

Please avoid using tabs at this bar if you decide...

I’ve been a regular at North End since August, 2022 but I had one of the worst experiences ever today. I came in here with a group of 20 of my friends and since we were the only ones here, Ralph (who works here) was kind enough to allow us to play our own music. While all of us were having a good time, what happened next was completely rude, uncalled for and bordering assault. As I was changing the music on my phone which was behind the bar (where I was after getting permission from the rest of the staff) Dam, who works here, suddenly approached me in an aggressive manner and started verbally abusing me and threatening me. He even asked me to leave the bar even though I was celebrating something with my friends. Honestly, the way I was attacked, it would not have been the same if I was a local.

Overall, I had a bad experience and in fact, I was told that that’s how he usually behaves. I believe that irrespective of the situation, there’s a way that a customer should be treated especially in a student town like Leiden. I did not raise my voice or do anything wrong, but to be attacked like that seems completely unreasonable...

I’ve always enjoyed my time at this bar and have had many positive experiences in the past. However, on the night of April 11, 2025, I had a very unpleasant encounter with a female staff member. A blonde waitress with light-colored eyes, dressed in black, approached me in an extremely rude and aggressive manner, demanding that I bring my glass inside.

While I would have been happy to comply with a polite request, her tone and behavior were completely unacceptable. She proceeded to insult me, calling me offensive names. I’ve never been treated this way in any bar or hospitality setting.

Customer service is all about respectful communication, and unfortunately, this staff member’s behavior undermined the welcoming and friendly atmosphere I’ve come to associate with this place. It was a deeply disappointing experience, and I believe someone who treats customers in such a way should not be in a customer-facing role.

The bar itself is great, but interactions like this one can really ruin the experience for...