Gollum. The Old Centre.

this place was literally my first stop in amsterdam after leaving the dirty south of portugal. on "the west coast of europe," i'm known as somewhat of a tall man. but you should have seen me in this isle of anglos trying to push my way through the sea of 9-foot dutch trying to get the bartender's attention. once this somewhat impossible feat was accomplished, i felt very at home in my elf-like appearance in this very tolkien-esque bar. i passed the pipe to gandolf and asked him what news he had from gondor.

Feel like a hobbit crammed into a corner of the most extensive bar I've ever seen when it comes to beer. Candles and flimsy wooden tables only adds to Gollum's appeal, where a moderately dour Dutch bartender will serve you one of the 20-something beers on tap. If you want a bottle, just look around: there are empties of the more than 100 varieties you can buy surrounding the room! A nightmare when it's crowded and a godsend on those cold and rainy Amsterdam nights, Gollum's a spot you just can't miss if you're in town. It's also conveniently located near one of the best coffeeshops if you need a change of pace.