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I lived in Utrecht for a little over a year while obtaining my Master’s there, and as such, I frequented many, many bars in that year.
Utrecht is a student city, so it is very far from having a shortage of bars.
I did however have a bit of a hard time finding good places to go out in the beginning because I didn’t speak any Dutch. So, I thought I’d pull together a list of my favorite bars that I would recommend for any newcomers to the wonderful city of Utrecht.
There are lots of other bars, of course, but here are the 15 I remember most fondly and that I frequented the most (in no particular order).
Table of Contents
1. Back and Fourth
I almost only frequented Back and Fourth on Wednesdays. This was probably their most popular night because it’s Jazz Night.
This cozy little place hosts live jazz music every Wednesday! The crowd is mostly young, which was really surprising to me. In the U.S., it’s mostly an older crowd at jazz clubs, but I found that it’s much more common for young people to go to jazz bars in Europe.
That’s not to say that there weren’t older people, but most of the spectators are students and young professionals. When we didn’t have papers or exams coming up, my friends and I made a habit out of going there every Wednesday.
2. Lebowski
This bar is notorious among internationals living in the city, and it is certainly unique when it comes to its décor. Very unique. Like, decorated-with-an-assortment-of-taxidermy unique.
A bar filled with dead, stuffed animals may sound creepy, but it’s actually a very cozy place! You’ll find comfy couches and cheerful chandelier lights giving this quirky place a welcoming vibe.
The star of the bar’s taxidermy display is definitely the giraffe. It looms over the space from where it is attached to a wall, cut in half and looking like it just stepped through the wall. For a long time I thought it was fake, but a bartender confirmed it is indeed a real, dead, stuffed giraffe. Just hanging out at a bar.
There’s not much room to dance, but that doesn’t stop anyone on weekend nights when there’s a DJ. Lebowski also hosts music bingo nights- just make sure you bring a Dutch friend with because some of the songs are in Dutch.
3. Biercafé Olivier
This may be one of the prettiest and unique bars in Utrecht. Why? Because it’s located in a former church.
If you look up you’ll feel like you’re still in a church. The incredibly high ceilings, the organ and the chandeliers loom above. As your eyes wander down, however, you’ll see the pews and alter have been replaced with tables and a bar featuring a ridiculous amount of Belgian beers on tap.
You’ll also be hearing the loud chatter of people, some drunken, which is not a sound associated with churches. And if you’re around for a FIFA match where Belgium is playing in the finals, like I did, you will hear lots of cheering fans as the match appears on large projection screens.
I can see how some people may see this as blasphemous, but I think it’s awesome they found a way to preserve an old, historic building by finding a new use for it rather than knocking it down.
Many Dutch people may not go to church anymore, but they sure still love going to bars!
4. Winkel Van Sinkel
Housed right by the Oudegracht and in the grand building of a former department store, Winkel Van Sinkel is hard to miss.
It’s especially a great place to hang out on a sunny day. The tables lining the front of the building the best place to sit on by the canal to people watch with a cold beer.
At night, it turns into a nightclub inside. I’ve only ever been there in the day to drink outside, but I heard that it’s a great place to go dancing.
5. De Bastaard
This is the bar I most often frequented, so it holds some great memories for me. It’s located near a main street in the city center, but it’s nestled in a quiet side street.
Perhaps for this reason, it doesn’t get as crowded as some other bars, and it’s a great place to sit down to talk. If you don’t want to talk, you can play some pool with friends or even strangers.
The best part is the outdoor terrace in the back. With the canopy of green leaves and garden lights strung up above, this is one of the bars in Utrecht for a perfect, cozy summer night.
6. ACU
This was actually the first bar I went to in Utrecht, and it happened to be on a night when there was a live music in the back room. ACU often has lots of live performances, meetings and other activities.
It’s a political-cultural venue, so chances are you’ll stumble upon something awesome happening there! The great and unique thing about ACU is that’s run by volunteers, so it’s an independent and non-profit venue.
7. ‘t Oude Pothuys
This is the cutest little place, and is at the top of my list of favorite bars in Utrecht. This is because it is located underground, and it certainly feels like it. The stone ceiling and walls make you feel like you’re in a cave, but a very cozy cave. One that you wouldn’t mind spending an entire evening with good company.
You can also step out to the terrace they have outside right on the canal. The patios lining the canal are unique to Utrecht, as other Dutch cities, like Amsterdam, don’t have that.
Most of the restaurants down next to the Oudegracht are busy, overcrowded and loud. ‘t Oude Pothuys is located farther away from those in a quieter part of the city, so it’s a very relaxing place to enjoy this historic canal- with a drink in hand.
8. Chupitos
Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots!
This is a shot bar with over 100 different types of shots. You can choose from a very lengthy menu pretty much every shot you can think of.
My favorite one is the Harry Potter one, not necessarily because of the taste but because 1) I’m a massive Harry Potter fan, and 2) it’s on fire (like, literal flames)!
It does get crowded though, so it’s not really a place to stay all night. Just squeeze in for some shots and then head somewhere else.
9. Florin
Located near Janskerkhof, Florin is a nice place to sit down for a chat. It has an old, cozy vibe to it, and it wasn’t very crowded the few times I’ve been there. I passed Florin almost every day on the way to class, and I always thought it was a cheerful building, its bricks painted white to make it stand out from the rest of the brown brick buildings in the city.
It was also one of the few bars in Utrecht that screened FIFA matches. It’s also a convenient place to hang out when there’s a festival on Janskerhof Square (and there’s a few every year), since Florin is right next door!
10. Café Tilt
The greatest thing about Café Tilt is the fact that it serves alcohol earlier than any other bar in the area. This is the main reason why I found myself there several times, sitting outside on nicer days.
Disclaimer: No, I wasn’t an alcoholic, but I was a student who liked joining friends in rewarding ourselves after exams…even when they were in the morning.
11. De Beurs
This red building off of Neude is a fairly classy restaurant by day and early evening. On weekend nights, however, I was very surprised to see that the tables in the elegant interior were removed to make room for an energetic and rowdy dance floor.
If you’re looking for a classy place to sip on wine, don’t come here too late on a weekend. You’ll find that it has transformed into a wild and completely different place!
12. Soia
This bar is only open during the summer (the website currently says it’s closed from October to April), but it’s the best bar to spend a sunny summer day.
Why? Because it’s beach bar!
Order your drink inside (or bring your own beers) and head out back to lay down in the sand. It’s located on a piece of land that ends where canals merge on either side of it, and from here you can spend a lazy afternoon watching boats pass by slowly.
13. Mick O’Connell’s
This bar made the list because it’s a great place to watch a soccer (or football, for non-Americans) match. The FIFA tournament was going on while I was living there, and since I didn’t have a TV, I often found myself at O’Connell’s.
It also has a homey feel to it. It feels as if you’re in someone’s cozy living room rather in a bar. This is thanks to the comfy couches and fireplace next to the pool table. It’s very much an Irish Pub, complete with Guinness on tap.
14. Ekko
The reason why Ekko is so popular is not for the bar that you first enter into, but the doors behind it that lead to the nightclub in the back. Here you can find a wide variety of DJs playing tunes for people on the dance floor.
From my experience, it’s one of the best places in Utrecht to go dancing (although certainly not the only- see Tivoli for the biggest dance parties). I love that there’s a separate bar area where you can find some quiet to make conversation and take a break from dancing.
15. Café Vredenburg
I actually went to this bar for the first time ever on my last night before moving from Utrecht. It’s a shame, because I passed it literally even single day on my way to class, yet always overlooked it. That’s because it’s not a popular location to hang out, despite being located very close to the central station.
It has the feel of an old, authentic Dutch bar- nothing fancy, but cozy. It’s an especially nice place to sit outside and enjoy a beer while people watching, as it’s on a busy street and right across the street from Tivoli, a huge party and concert venue.
If you have any other recommendations for bars in Utrecht, leave them for us in the comments- I know I’m leaving a lot off this list! 🙂
Spending some extra time in the Netherlands? Here is a list of places you need to visit!
