De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar — Restaurant in London

Im dissapointed with the lack of service we received today. The woman who greeted and served us really didn't care. No hello - just a blunt "can I help". There was no smile or friendliness there and we felt like we were a bother from the momemt we stepped in. She didn't explain that you have to order food at the bar, even though we were sat in a dining area that felt like it should have had table service. She was busy talking with her colleague behind the bar and having a coffee. So after 15 minutes I went up to her to ask if we could order food. I guess I interrupted her so got a blunt "yeah, what do you want". She then continued chatting with her colleague whilst placing my order and taking payment. I also found it strange I had to pay upfront for our food as again, we were seating upstairs in the restaurant area.

Next up - the food was shocking. We waited 35 minutes (!!!) without anyone coming to explain why the wait was long. My partner received a plate of burnt bitterballen (see photo). If a Chef cant deep-fry basi food, they shouldnt be working in a kitchen. My "stoofvlees" had about 5 small pieces of meat with a mountain of chips and salads (nice flavours there). No-one came to check if we were happy with the food, and no-one asked when they cleared plates. So we didn't raise the complaints - also, what's the point as we'd already paid anyway and I doubt the waiting staff were going to care. We just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Atmosphere and decorations are nice. But, no soap in toilets and it was freezing cold in the dining area so I put my coat back on.

They charged £18 for 2 pints of Dutch/Belgian beer served in greasy glasses with no foamy head to be found anywhere. They also served my Leffe in a regular pint glass when it should be served in a Leffe glass.

As a Dutch person who travelled into London to visit this place, I won't be recommending it to anyone. For both service and quality of food to be so lacking is inexcusable for any food establishment - especially if they also charge...

"Sunday evening visit - absolutely terrible service throughout. The staff member behind the bar was incredibly rude and dismissive. No greeting when I approached, just a cold stare. No 'please' or 'thank you' during the entire interaction. When I ordered a Guinness, she couldn't even be bothered to pour it - just put the glass and can on the bar for me to deal with myself. The Leffe wasn't poured into the proper branded glass either, which used to be standard practice here. I noticed other beers were being served in their correct glassware, so it wasn't a supply issue - just couldn't be bothered. Watched her treat other customers even worse. A couple ordered nachos, which she literally dropped on their table along with some napkins, then completely ignored the man when he tried to hand her empty bottles from their table. No engagement with customers whatsoever - just plain rudeness. Her colleague was equally unprofessional and disinterested. This place has completely lost what once made it a decent pub. The beer selection aside, it offers nothing positive anymore - certainly not courteous service. It's baffling why people choose bar work and then treat customers so poorly. When staff behave like they're doing you a favor by taking your money, it creates a miserable atmosphere for everyone. If this is the standard of service they're comfortable with, this place won't survive long. There are too many other options where staff actually understand that customer service matters and that paying customers deserve basic respect...

I don’t usually write reviews, but my experience at De Hems Bar and Restaurant was disappointing enough that others should be warned.

Drinks: I ordered what was supposed to be a classic cocktail, but it came out tasting weak and watered down, like it had been sitting on the bar for 20 minutes. Even the beers – which they supposedly pride themselves on – were flat and served warm. For the prices they charge, this is just unacceptable.

Food: Bland, overcooked, and clearly not fresh. My burger was dry and came out lukewarm, the bun was stale, and the chips tasted like they’d been reheated multiple times. My friend’s “Dutch bitterballen” were greasy and flavorless. If you're going to promote Dutch cuisine, at least do it justice.

Service: Easily the worst part of the evening. Staff were unfriendly and borderline rude. We had to flag someone down every time we needed anything – no one checked on our table even once. When we politely asked about a missing side order, the server shrugged and walked off. Zero professionalism, zero care.

The vibe inside felt chaotic and disorganized, and despite the central location, De Hems is definitely not worth the hype or the price. Plenty of better places nearby – I suggest you go to one of...