Bar Bukowski

My neighbor Daan moved to Amsterdam-Oost four years ago and Bar Bukowski is the reason he will never leave. He goes at least twice a week — once on a weekday evening for a casual beer, once on the weekend for a longer session on the terrace. When I asked him what is so special about it, he thought for a second and said "it is just my bar." And honestly, that is the best way to describe it.

Bar Bukowski sits on the edge of Oosterpark in Amsterdam-Oost. If you have never been to Oost, it is the neighborhood that locals love and tourists have not really discovered yet. No coffeeshop menus in English, no I Amsterdam signs, no waffle stands. Just a real Amsterdam neighborhood where people live, work, and drink beer at places like Bukowski.

The bar itself is unpretentious in the best possible way. Big windows that open up in summer, a long bar with stools, mismatched furniture that somehow works, and a terrace that overlooks the park. The decor has this lived-in quality — old concert posters, some art, nothing that was designed by committee. It feels like someone's living room expanded into a bar, and that is exactly the point.

The beer selection is good. Not Gollem's-level extensive, but a solid mix of Dutch craft beers and Belgian classics on tap, plus a longer bottle list. Prices are noticeably cheaper than bars in Centrum or the Jordaan — my neighbor says this is the main reason he will never move west of the Amstel. A beer here costs what a beer should cost. The cocktails are simple but well-made, and they do a decent gin and tonic.

What makes Bukowski special is the crowd. This is a neighborhood bar for neighborhood people. The bartenders know regulars by name. My neighbor has a running tab (which I think is both charming and slightly concerning). On a Wednesday evening you will find people reading books at the bar, friends sharing a bottle of wine, someone working on a laptop in the corner. On weekends it picks up but never gets obnoxious — good music, louder conversations, maybe some dancing later in the evening.

The music is worth mentioning. They play good stuff — indie, jazz, soul, eclectic mixes that set the right mood without dominating the room. My neighbor says the weekend DJ nights are some of the best in Oost, with actual taste rather than just volume.

In summer, the terrace is where you want to be. It faces Oosterpark, which is a beautiful green space with paths, a pond, and people walking dogs and playing frisbee. Sitting on that terrace on a warm evening with a cold beer, watching the park — it is one of those Amsterdam moments that does not cost anything extra but feels like everything.

They also serve food. Simple bar food — sandwiches, tosti's, some snacks — but it does the job when you are a few beers in and need something solid. My neighbor's move is a tosti with a beer around 6 PM, followed by whatever the evening becomes.

The only downside is getting there if you are staying in Centrum. It is a 20-minute tram ride or about 30 minutes walking from Dam Square. But that is kind of the point — it is far enough from the tourist center that it stays real. My neighbor considers the commute a feature, not a bug.

If you want to see Amsterdam the way Amsterdam actually lives, go to Bar Bukowski on a weekday evening. Sit on the terrace if the weather is nice, sit at the bar if it is not. Order a beer, watch the neighborhood go by, and realize that this is what people mean when they say Amsterdam is a city of neighborhoods. Daan will probably be there. Tell him I said hi.