please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Traditional, atmospheric two-room pub. There is a large main bar as you enter, with a smaller room on the right. The pub was packed on two separate visits, but on both occasions we managed to secure a table in the smaller room. We had the excellent Nick & Simon IPA on both visits. Other beers sampled included Cantillon Cuvee St Gilloise and Rose de Gambrinus - not cheap but delicious. A good selection of beers and for me the best pub of the trip in terms of atmosphere.
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Superb pub with a great selection of bottled and draught lagers and beers. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. A great place to relax and sample some of the range.
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my favourite pub on the continent.
superb service, superb beer selection on tap and in bottle form, beautifull dutch building, and great atmosphere in the evenings.
due to its central location you may have to burn a few extra euros, but its not offensively expensive.
love it!
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The previous two reviews are correct in that the bar is now certainly better than simonroest described last year. However he did make some valid points as the bar did go through a bit of a rough patch which was put right to a very large extent by the recent change of management responsibilities in the bar. Certainly worth a visit.
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Paid a timely visit last thing on Friday 20th March at the end of a splendid Amsterdam crawl. Pub, beer range and quality of service unchanged since a year or so ago, and there was a lively mixed clientele of regulars and discerning tourist drinkers myself included who were there for its renowned reliability.
I totally agree with the last reviewer - staff very friendly and helpful to everyone, and if you ask for a specific taste you fancy, you will be sure to get a beer to your liking. When asking "welke bier heeft de meeste hops alstublieft?" I was rewarded with Flying Dog, Doggy Style which certainly gives Hophead a good run for its money! Of course the staff are well versed in English as well.
I continue to highly recommend this venue.
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I am curious about the "review" here from 17 Apr 08. I would be interested to know whether any more regular visitors to this place go along with "Simonroest" 's rant? I suspect the posting is by someone with a warped sense of humour.
I have been going to In De Wildeman for about 10 years now. I tend to visit Amsterdam 2 or 3 times a year spending 3 evenings sampling Belgian/ Dutch/ German beer. IDW was the first Amsterdam bar I ever experienced and for my first few visits I didn't go anywhere else. I have since extended my horizons slightly and now usually also take in Arendsnest, Cafe Belgique, Pilsener Club and, most recently, Gollem (2, south of Heineken brewery rather than 1, off Spui).
I just don't recognise the points made about the IDW's recent decline. I have always found the IDW bar staff helpful, patiently answering my dumb "What's that like?" questions and offering samples. I never got the impression that I was being palmed off with the beer that was not selling well. I don't recall ever having problems with bad quality beer. Their prices seem to be comparable with the other bars I go to (see above). I can't recall ever having problems being over charged (anyway, the bill is now an itemised till receipt). Although I don't know them by name, I always seem to see familiar faces among the bar staff and customers, belying the suggestion that the place has been taken over by tourists and abandoned by locals who know better.
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I returned again in the summer on what was a very hot day in Amsterdam. Place was empty apat from a few tourists mulling over tourist guides. Tried the De Koenig which is one of the better examples in Amsterdam. I do like this pub, but, is it the best in Amsterdam, definately no but certainly no where near the worst either. Give it a try, worth a visit
MX321 - 26 Oct 2008 07:40 |
This WAS one of the best bars in Amsterdam, and well deserved its reputation. However, for the past three or four years the place has been in steady decline. It is now unsafe to rely on bar staff's reccommendations as often they simply "push" the beer moving slowest. The fabric of the bar and its dispensing infrastructure is now showing its age (particularly when compared to other beer bars in the area). This often leads to a less than acceptable example being served. Prices continue to rise as the quality of service falls. It is a sad shadow of its former glory, and needs a good shake up. One last piece of advice is to closely check your bill, as often the staff seem to apply a somewhat "unconventional" version of arithmetic. The reason it seems there's more tourists in the bar than before (See previous posts)is simply that a number of their locals have migrated elsewhere. If you've not been there before DO visit, but try and see through the flim flam peddled by the staff. It may save you a euro or five! Enjoy.
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I stumbled upon this place one lunchtime during my stay in Amsterdam, February this year. Like all places in Amsterdam a very warm and friendly welcome. I was the first in and was offered what can only be described as a wide choice of draught and bottled ales. Tried several, but was the worse for drink when I left so cant be too specific only to say that, I cant wait to return during my next trip in the summer. This pub has a non smoking room at the rear of the bar. Apparently the barman tells me that this pub is twinned with another pub in Nottingham.
MX321 - 23 Mar 2008 13:40 |
Easily the best place to drink beer in Amsterdam
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Had a quick beer in here a couple of years ago at the end of a long weekedn in Amsterdam. Could have spent hours in here. Brilliant place and will without fail return when I am next in town
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A magnificent end to my "crawl" last night (24/03/07). After the IJ session and a pizza near Dam Square, the evening ran like clockwork! A swift tram ride to Niewezijdsvoorburgwal, and a few steps away lay the welcoming doors of the Wildeman.
What more could you ask for? Completely unchanged since my last visit, the pub was buzzing, and as friendly as ever. Yet again, speaking some Dutch helped, and very interestingly so. I had got into conversation with a group of English tourists in their 60s from Portsmouth, sitting at the table opposite me. One guy made no secret of the his view that it was 'not necessary' to learn ONE WORD of any foreign language, ie Dutch as there's 'no need'. At that moment, my eyes met those of a local Dutchman with whom I'd exchanged a word or two before joining his table.
When the English group left, the Dutchman and I began conversing in Dutch (to the best of my abilities). We knocked glasses several times as he expressed his delight at anyone trying to speak the lingo and thus see more of Holland than Dam Square etc.
I had to resort to English several times though when describing the beers I wanted to drink - one amazing thing about this pub is you can "shop by taste". One excellent smoky German beer, "Smoky George" was excellent, and there was a hoppy pilsner from a micro-brewery that was also delectable. Both of these were better than De Koninck, the starting beer.
The bill came to just six euros for the three beers, indicating that people had been "friendly" in other ways too!
The Wildeman, partly due to its location and in part by its reviews in sites such as BITE alongside worldwide beer literature, is attracting more tourists than before. This is a mark of success as it's not full of Fosters/Tizer drinkers but discerning ale enthusiasts. It deserves to continue to succeed.
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Visited 2/11/2006 and was serving English ale straight out of a keg on the bar - Ramsgate No.3 Pale Ale & it was very well kept. The rest of the continental beer range is impressive & the barman extremely friendly. We were lucky that a table was vacated shortly after we arrived. The interior is traditional & warming & there's a nice "buzz" to the place (or maybe that's just Amsterdam in general!)
Definitely one of, if not THE best pub in central Amsterdam, just off the main pedestrianised shopping trail. Fully deserving of its high rating, be sure to give it a try.
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Numerous vists since my last posting but I just have to state that NOWHERE that I've ever been to takes BEER so seriously. The staff are unbelievably good. They have a knowledge of beer to put any 'expert' to shame.
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Great bar, great atmosphere, great staff and - most important - great beers.
Looking forward to my next visit!
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Gorgeous pub with a very atmospheric decor including an impressive stack of barrels at the rear.
Beer was exemplory and we were spoilt for choice, prices very good for the very central location.
Hidden just far enough off of the main thoroughfares so as to avoid over-crowding. Very nice indeed.
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An absolutely fantastic night! Just returned to my hotel after a delightful session at the Wildemans. A very friendly couple initiated conversation shortly after my arrival, encouraging me to speak Dutch; finally getting me a beer in at the end. The staff are as friendly as they have always been, and when I asked for a quality dark beer was afforded an exquisite German dunkel which would give any English stout a run for its money.
I cut short a session in the Hague to get here before closing, and it was well worth it - I'd do the same again.
I cannot understand why I only gave it 9 out of ten last time I reviewed it - 10/10 this time.
Excellent!
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The only drawback of de Wildeman is that it can be a bit chilly. There was a gap in those doors! The staff are excellent, the beers are even better. Where else can you buy a beer and the sediment comes in another glass for you to choose whether to use? Along with Gollem there are no better Beer Bars in Dam.
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This pub is simply fantastic. The staff are very knowledgeable and in a friendly way. Have visited several times and have thoroughly enjoyed the well kept beers, snacks (cheese and mustard is gr8) and smoke free atmosphere.
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Unchanged since my last visit, a proffesionally-run pub for the discerning drinker. A large range of beers both on draught and in bottles is available from the friendly staff behind the bar. English spoken, although knowing a little Dutch also goes a long way!
This is a MUST, along with the other Amsterdam pubs I have recommended in BITE.
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There's a truly wonderful beer range with 18 on tap and 200 in bottles but no changes have been made to that list for about 2 years. Bring a space suit as there's no atmosphere.
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Visited it at lunchtime with the mates. Quiet & comfortable with a wonderful selection of beers & ales, and great tapas-style plates of salami & cheese for 3 euros (2003 prices). A good restful period before the afternoon party in Louis' Cafe de Dam (Damstraat).
Johnnie Walker - 22 Jul 2003 21:39 |
A CLASSIC! I will be paying a (5th) visit to Amsterdam between 20th and 23rd March in which a visit to In de Wildemans (and Gollem - a must) will be included. I wonder if "frank" visited Brouwerij het Ij on his Amsterdam visit?
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Wonderful beer cafe with huge choice of dutch/belgian ales.Within walking distance of many bars similarly inclined.
frank - 15 Nov 2002 09:52 |
