Heeren Van Aemstel

72 Nieuwe Oeverstraat , Arnhem, 6811, Netherlands

 

Overall: NR    Food: NR    Drink: NR    Atmosphere: NR   

Click to enlarge

While we do our best to ensure all information is current please bear in mind that we don't have any description of this particular premises by the owner and so are unable to vouch for it's details or that it is still open. If you own or manage this premises you are entitled to provide a free description of Heeren Van Aemstel and the information that will allow you to be seen on our map. This will ensure that you are seen on RatePubs.com (one of the most visited sites in the world) as well as all other relevant sites in The RatePubs Network. Entering your details will also give you free spotlight exposure throughout the network (including the front pages of many sites) and will ensure your details are available on our popular download service. To avail of this free, no-commitment service (or simply to learn how The RatePubs Network can help your business) click here

Join The Conversation In Heeren Van Aemstel

The RatePubs Experience

It was a cold Tuesday of Christmas week in Arnhem when I found Heeren Van Aemstel. Walking down the street I was attracted by its bright red sign on the corner. From the outside it seemed like a quiet place, perfect for a quiet drink. Walking in I foundthat first impressions can be right.

Heeren Van Aemstel is a smallish bar which holds maybe 200 people – and that’s at a stretch. It’s decorated in the style of an English country pub with dark varnished wood on the walls and bar, and a faded wooden floor. The room itself forms a U around the bar in the center. I took a seat there, ordered a drink and looked around.

Being Christmas week, the decorations were up. Heeren Van Aemstel does a good job, with a huge amount of decorations, but these are very much in the style of the bar itself and weren’t overpowering. In addition to the bar there are tables at the windows on the facing wall and some spread around the wider ends of the room. These are tall tables of dark varnished wood and brass with matching wooden stools. Combine this dark wood with the dim lighting and the candles on each table and you have a very warm atmospheric bar.

I ordered a Palm which was just over 3 euro. They also have Amstel on tap, and a reasonable selection of whiskeys and other spirits. Palm is a nice flavoursome drink and the quality in Heeren Van Aemstel was well up to standard.

I settled myself comfortably in the corner and divided my time between reading a magazine and watching the locals come and go. On this afternoon there were two groups in for an after-work drink as well as three people seated at the bar. These were joined over the next hour by a smattering of others who were obviously regulars and who chatted amongst themselves in a relaxed way. While I did not join in the conversation (not speaking Dutch) I didn’t feel unwelcome or in any way like I was intruding, which is a problem in some neighbourhood bars. And I’m sure that if I did speak the language I could have joined in the easy-going nature of the conversation.

Half an hour after arriving I was pleasantly surprised to be offered some satay meatballs. These were offered to everyone in the bar. Other than those I didn’t see any other food or a menu and don’t believe they do food here. But the snacks were a pleasant treat.

A trip to the toilets showed them to be clean and provided with all the necessities such as toilet paper, soap and hot water.

Music selection suited the rest of the atmosphere and consisted of laid-back classics such as Billy Joel and The Eagles mixed with Christmas standards like The Pogues, Slade, and Jona Lewie. The volume at which it’s played is loud enough to hear but allows plenty of room for conversation.

The only negative I could find was a slot machine in one corner. My own feeling is that these detract from a bar but this is a personal feeling. The one in Heeren van Aemstel is out of the way and no-one seemed to have an interest in it anyway.

I enjoyed my visit to Heeren Van Aemstel. It’s the perfect place to visit on a cold winter evening and is the perfect example of what a good neighbourhood bar should be. I’ll be back when next in Arnhem.


Do you think our experience reflects yours? Leave a review or discuss it in the Conversation Corner

User Reviews Add a review

We don't have any reviews for this premises yet. Be the first to review and/or rate it!