O'Donnell's Irish Pub

If you are the kind of person who needs to know where to watch the game when you travel, stop looking. My buddy Mark has been going to O'Donnell's every match day since he moved to Amsterdam, and at this point the bartender knows his order before he sits down.

O'Donnell's is on Ferdinand Bolstraat in De Pijp, which is not where you would expect to find one of the best Irish pubs in the city. But there it is, right between the trendy brunch spots and the vintage shops, a proper pub that does not try to be anything else. Dark wood, pub mirrors, the smell of Guinness — it hits you when you walk in and it feels right.

The Guinness here is poured correctly. That sounds like a small thing but if you know, you know. My friend Dave, who is actually from Dublin, says it is the best pour in Amsterdam. Coming from an Irish guy who has opinions about Guinness the way Italians have opinions about pasta, that means something.

On match days this place comes alive. Premier League, Champions League, Six Nations — they show everything. The screens are big enough that you can actually see what is happening, which is more than I can say for half the "sports bars" in this city. My buddy Mark says the atmosphere during a big Liverpool match is better than some actual pubs in England. The crowd is a mix of expats, tourists, and Dutch people who got into football, and everybody is into it.

The food is something people sleep on. The fish and chips are legitimately good — crispy batter, proper chips, not the frozen stuff you get at most places. My coworker ordered the Irish stew on a cold November evening and said it was the most comforting thing she had eaten in Amsterdam. The burgers are solid too. This is the kind of food you want when you are three pints deep and need something substantial.

The staff are friendly in that genuine Irish pub way. Not over-the-top, not performative, just actually nice. My buddy has been going long enough that they remember his birthday, which I think says everything about the kind of place this is.

A few practical notes: it gets packed on big match days, so show up 30 minutes before kickoff if you want a seat with a good view. Weekday evenings are much more relaxed — good for a quiet pint and some pub grub. They do a decent pub quiz some nights too, which my friend's trivia team has been going to for months.

One honest thing: if you are looking for a Dutch experience, this is not it. This is an Irish pub. But sometimes when you are traveling, you just want a Guinness, a plate of fish and chips, and a good game on TV. And for that, there is nowhere better in Amsterdam. Mark would fight anyone who says otherwise.