Haxenhaus Zum Rheingarten, Cologne

I visited haxenhaus around 15:30 on a Saturday afternoon with my son. Only about a third of the tables were occupied and most customers were just ordering beer. We sat at a table, and waited. And waited. Even though they weren�t at all busy.

Eventually a waiter came and threw a menu at me. When I said we only wanted a drink he told us we had to sit at the bar. It seemed totally ridiculous and unnecessary:

- it was well after lunch and long before dinner
- there was more than enough space
- most of the other customers had finished eating and were just drinking beer

This is the only pub in Cologne where the barstaff have been unfriendly to me. And the koelsch - at 1.70 euro - was 20 cents more than anywhere else (50 cents more than the cheaper pubs). I certainly wouldn�t go there again.

5 Sep 2006 15:24

De Bekeerde Suster, Amsterdam

Brewing restarted at the end of 2004. They regularly brew Blonde Ros, a 6% blond ale.

27 Apr 2006 22:47

't IJ Proeflokaal (Brouwerij 't IJ), Amsterdam

The Ij beers aren't lagers but ales, roughly in the Belgian style. Even their pils, Plzen, is top-fermented.

All of their bottled beers are on sale to take away, at prices lower than you'll find anywhere else.

The quickest way to get there from the city centre is a number 22 bus from Centraal Station. It takes about 7 minutes and stops right outside. You can also take a number 10 tram from the Leidse plein. That too stops right outside. It's easy to work out when to get off - just look for the windmill.

27 Apr 2006 20:13

O'Reillys, Amsterdam

A typically crap fake Irish pub with over-priced, unimaginative, mass-produced beer (Guinness and Kilkenny). Wouldn't it be nice if an Irish pub sold an Irish beer that didn't come from Guinness, Heineken or Scottish & Newcastle. There are small breweries in Ireland, why doesn't someone support them.

I suppose it's bearable for watching the football, if you can't find anywhere better. I almost forgot - their "pint" glasses look awfully like half litres to me.

27 Apr 2006 20:00

Onder de Ooievaar, Amsterdam

Utrechtsestraat is one of the city centre's rare unspoilt neighbourhoods. Ooievaar is just one of the excellent pubs on the street.

Beer drinkers will be pleased to learn that it has five draught beers. There's always something from local microbrewery 't Ij and Brand Urtyp Pilsener, one of Heineken's few decent beers. There are also 4 bottled beers from 't Ij.

27 Apr 2006 19:49

Cafe Lexington, Amsterdam

Unfortunately the Lexington's beer selection isn't great and there's not much more than Westmalle Tripel that's worth drinkimg.

It's also a lot smaller than it looks from the outside, with the conservatory providing half the floor space. I won't deny that in good weather, if you can get a seat, it's a very pleasant spot to while away an hour or two.

I once spotted former international footballer Wim Kieft here.

27 Apr 2006 19:38