How to save on nightlife in Amsterdam
Going out in Amsterdam is one of the highlights of any Euro trip, from the pubs and dance clubs to the coffeeshops and the sultry Red Light District, it’s easy to have a fun night on the town.
But how do you do it on the cheap?
Here are some suggestions to let the good times roll… without rolling out too much dough.
Related:
• 8 Affordable Amsterdam restaurants that locals love
• 10 Simple ways to save in Amsterdam
• 5 Tips for navigating Amsterdam’s party scene
1. Brown bars are your best friend
The brown bars, or bruin cafés, are classic hang out spots in Amsterdam. Much like an old-school pub, they’re dark, dusty, and seeping with historic charm. This is where the locals drink refreshing biertjes, small Pilsner beers on tap like Heineken, Amstel, or Grolsch with a frothy head in tall, skinny glasses. They’re a perfect spot to order round after round and watch the world go by. House wines are also cheap, with choices of beers and wines starting around €2 or €3 per glass.
These pubs are a cozy choice for an evening out, but they’re also open all day starting at 10 am until well after midnight.
2. Clubbing? Buy tickets online in advance
If you’re headed to one of the country’s well known electronic DJ gigs or even a special club night in the city, buy your tickets online for the best prices. Even with a Ticketmaster or credit card charge, tickets at the door can jump up 30%.
An even better tip is to download the app TicketSwap if you’re looking for a safe way to buy sold-out tickets in the second-hand market by concertgoers who have to cancel or are selling extras.
3. Coffeeshops: Get local
Smokers should steer clear of coffeeshops located in the Red Light District, Rembrandtplein, and Leidseplein. These shops are usually run by not-so-savvy clerks who are selling overpriced bud. Instead, do your research and find the ones who’ve been “Cannibis Cup” winners in the past and have a reputation for truly loving and knowing their products.
Some tops choices for Coffeeshops are Barney’s, De Dampkring, Greenhouse, Grey Area, Kadinsky, and Katsu.
Related: Coffee Confusion in Amsterdam: Cafes, coffee and coffeeshops
4. Festivals deal with “muntjes” as money
Did you score a ticket to a summer festival? Most events and major clubs did away with money handling ages ago. Now patrons change in their currency for something called “muntjes”, little plastic chips that act as festival money. The catch is that one chip always is more expensive than one euro, so figuring how much you’re spending on food and drinks gets confusing, fast. It’s annoying for everyone, but something you should be prepared for.5. Cocktails can add up fast
Whether it’s a fashionable Negroni or a simple gin and tonic, liquor drinks are expensive in Amsterdam and rarely will you find a happy hour to take the pricey edge off. Long drinks start around €6 because you’re being charged for a shot and a mixer separately, and classy cocktail bars are a trending ordeal, so it’s impossible to escape an order without putting down €12 to start.
What to do? If you want to cut the cost of a rum and Coke in half, for example, pour half of the Coke in your first round and save the rest for your second. And for the cheapest cocktails in town, the laidback Café Cuba on Nieuwmarkt usually has the best deals.
6. Live music can be free
Amsterdam has a lot of live music options every night, and some of it’s free. Jazz spots like Café Alto and the Bimhuis have free entrance nights (check online), and other boozy and bluesy jam and rock bars have covers for €5 or less like Bourbon Street, The Last Waterhole, and metal bar The Cave. Café Mulligans is an Irish pub with free gigs nightly, also spots like Skek, Pacific Park, Roest, Nieuwe Anita and Graceland host live music by bands passing through, or open mic nights, or events at donations price.
One of the best perks about nightlife in Amsterdam is that many of the usual dive bars and pubs bring in DJs to spin fun tunes into the late hours, from disco to funk and soul.
7. Hotel bars are expensive (but not hostel bars!)
Some hotel bars offer happy hours, but it’s probably better for Cheapos to look elsewhere for a drink. Our solution? Hostels! They have some of the best drink deals in town. Quite a few have their own bar and cater to backpacker budgets with 2-for-1 deals and pints for half price.
Some hostels require that you be a guest to enjoy their bars, like the Flying Pig and StayOkay, but others open their doors like St. Christopher’s at the Winston and Hans Brinker.
8. Skip the main square bars
Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are the party squares of the city, but don’t settle for a round at the first bar you see. Most of the cafes and pubs around these squares are tourist traps.
However, there are authentic and affordable choices that are usually only a block or alley away. Check out some of EuroCheapo’s favorite affordable bars and online review sites like Yelp, Spotted By Locals, and TripAdvisor for a quick overview to see where the locals go. If you like beer, check out these Amsterdam bars pouring great pints.
9. Buy half-priced last minute tickets for concerts and performing arts
If you want to catch a performing arts act but don’t want to pay the €20 or more ticket to see it, LastMinuteTicketShop.nl is your go to for half-off tickets to acts that haven’t fully sold out the day of show. Listings for available tickets go live around noon, and buyers can purchase deals on the website. You can either print your ticket or save it as PDF so it is scannable on your smartphone. From theater to classical and jazz, event listings change daily so there’s something for every taste.
10. Get home, sans taxi
It’s late, the bars are closing, and public transportation looks like it is shut down. Or is it? There are a few things to know before hopping in a cab that can’t wait to cash in on a late-night weekend fare. First, there are a dozen late-night bus routes that leave from Amsterdam Centraal Station and pickup/drop off at Rembrandtplein, Leidseplein, and many other neighborhoods in the city. The trip costs about €4.50. Here is a PDF map of the night routes.
Alternatively, the European headquarters for Uber is in Amsterdam, so finding a driver is never an issue and is still usually cheaper than a cab.
