12 Best Nightlife in Jordaan, Amsterdam

Complete with Golden Age chandeliers, leaded-glass windows, and the centuries-old wooden ceiling, this corner café is one of Amsterdam's most charming spots. Once home to one of the city's first jenever distilleries, there's almost always a crowd at their canalside terrace, although the historic interior certainly has its charms, too.

One of the best cafés in the Jordaan commands a charming corner between Brouwersgracht and Prinsengracht. The staff are friendly, have a funky taste in music, and serve Indonesian-inspired bites. It's packed at night but is also the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon drink outdoors with a canalside view.

Having a drink at this corner cafe is reminiscent of the Golden Age, which makes sense since this quaint bar has been pouring beverages since 1624, making it the oldest bar in the Jordaan. The historic interior features stained glass windows and a wooden ceiling decorated with old ceramic pints.

A family business since 1966, Café Nol has a cozy living room feel where four generations of owners have welcomed guests for a biertje and the lively sounds of native Jordaaners singing folk songs while having the time of their lives. Looking for live music? Stop by on a Thursday evening.

Open to all “queer minded” people but catering mostly to lesbians, this traditional bruincafé has a modern interior, complete with pool tables, where plenty of drinks flow along with the music and conversation.

Founded in 1946, this center of the Dutch Association for the Integration of Homosexuality is the oldest organization of its kind in the world. Check the website for parties and events.

This mainstay along the Prinsengracht is blessed with a canalside patio and a perfect view of the Westerkerk tower and adjacent canal. While a bruincafé atmosphere prevails, their modern kitchen sends out simple, well-priced snacks and meals.

Stop by this intimate canalside café for a traditional Jordaan feel. Singing is encouraged, and (tipsy) patrons are known to belt out a song or two.

Open seven days a week, this dive bar is the place to be for rock, blues, and live music with a local vibe. Occasionally, local musicians are joined on stage by bigger names, fresh from their gigs at bigger nearby venues.

Amsterdam's best lesbian bar, as it's been labeled, started out in the 1920s as a brown café in the Jordaan and has since been modernized; today a "mixed" policy prevails.

Located along the Brouwersgracht since 1984, Siberie is one of the best coffeeshops in town, selling high-quality goodies like organic weed. Visitors can also enjoy its friendly staff and the changing art on its walls.