De Japanner – Your Japanese Izikaya in Amsterdam
By Seger Abels
De Japanner de Pijp: Albert Cuypstraat 228, 1073 BN Amsterdam, Netherlands
De Japanner West: Bilderdijkstraat 203, 1053 KS Amsterdam, Netherlands
De Japanner Strandeiland: Pampuslaan 505, 1087 HP Amsterdam, Netherlands
You know what feels like an impossible task? Opening three restaurants with the same name in Amsterdam, and making them all household names for 10+ years. Some tourist traps might be there “since 1910” but no local will recommend you to step foot inside. Yes, some places are grown together with the city but too often it’s only the name that stays the same and then the same can’t be said about the quality, vibe and overall experience. Bring in ‘De Japanner’.
This izakaya-inspired Japan-meets-Amsterdam food bar opened its doors in 2015 on the world
famous Albert Cuyp market, just a sushi throw away from de Andre Hazes statue. In the meantime, multiple locations are opened but for me, this location is the OG in multiple ways. I can vividly remember the first time I went there. It must have been around 10:00PM which meant at that time (and kind of still does) that your only food options were FEBO or kebab. De Japanner still serves food until late and was one of the first to do this. This experience was new and amazing; I took a seat at the bar, ordered a high ball with Japanese whisky and dove into the bowl with Maldon-salt-covered edamame. Ten years ago having a New York- or London-like experience like this was an anomaly and current day its still tricky in Amsterdam. So it was very pleasant to see that De Japanner has not changed this.
De Japanner is the brainchild of Tosao van Coevorden and Guide de Bruijn. A Japanese food bar was their dream already in high school and a late-night food spot was something they truly missed themselves. Tosao learned to cook from his mom and in multiple Japanese kitchens throughout the city. Guido learned to draft beers and crack “bad jokes” behind the bar at the Leidseplein area. ‘Amsterdamse gezelligheid’ meets Japanese bites; De Japanner was born. You came for the Japanese food and stayed for the always ‘gezellig’ atmosphere. Again…not much has changed.
Visiting last week was just as fun as visiting 10 years ago. Same menu, same cool-looking plates, same young and enthusiastic staff (oke not the same of course, but you get the idea). Even the chef’s menu is priced at a friendly €39,5 per person and will get you ‘the best of’. What to expect (and certainly to order): wagyu gyozas, sashimi of hamachi, tataki of salmon and beef. Their world-famous-in-Amsterdam spinach salad and perfectly crispy squid fries. Chicken katsu with barbecue sauce and amazing nigiri’s and uramaki. Our pro tip would be to bring friends as you will want to taste it all.
Thank you De Japanner for not changing with all the hype and flukes that Amsterdam is so rich off. I am already looking forward to my next visit and eating that spinach salad.
De Japanner
The Place: Japanese.
The Space: Classic Izakaya meets the Albert Cuyp.
The Base: €50-60 pp
The Face: Locals and tourists (the kind that knows where to go).
The Ace: Sit at the long bar later in the evening with a high ball and chicken katsu.
The Veg: No problemo.
Opening Hours: De Pijp: Sun-Thurs 18:00-00:00, Fri-Sat 01:00
West: 7 days a week, 18:00-00:00
Strandeiland: Fri 17:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 12:00-22:00, Mon-Thurs closed
Images from dejapanner.com, De Japanner
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