Cafe Old Sailor
Posted on: Juli 28, 2023
Cafe Old Sailor In Red Light District of Amsterdam
The Old Sailor is located in the middle of the Red Light District (Oudezijds Achterburgwal 39-A). If you want to have a drink with a nice view on THE canal where everything happens, this is your spot! If you like people watching, go here! Back in the days, Old Sailor used to be a pub for sailors, but nowadays everyone comes here: tourists, locals, football supporters, businessmen.
Good to know: Usually, Cafe Old Sailor attracts more men than women.
Dutch Brown Bar in the Red Light District
Old Sailor is a typical Dutch brown bar (traditional pub) with a big bar and decorated with a lot of tools which were used on ships like steering wheels, meters, clocks etc. This definitely contributes to a cosy atmosphere and makes a tribute to the name of the pub. Furthermore, there are soms screens on which a lot of football matches are being played. Outside is a big wooden bench where you can sit as well to catch some sun in the afternoon.
Cafe Old Sailor is definitely one of the most famous bars in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. It sits on a corner, right in the heart of the Red Light District and surrounded by brothels. So yeah, a great place to people watch. 🙂
A lot of different drinks are being served during the day and only drinks: Cafe Old Sailor doesn’t offer food or any kind of snacks though, which is kind of disapointing. Another downside, is that the music is pretty loud and commercial. But hey, the more you drink, the less you notice, right? 🙂
During the night, it’s forbidden to take your drinks outside of Cafe Old Sailor. Old Sailor is ideal if you want to sit first row to watch all the people passing by on the hotspot of the Red Light District. And this bar is just 5 minutes away from Amsterdam’s Central Station. Five minutes by foot that is.
The video below was shot in front of Cafe Old Sailor in Amsterdam. It shows perfectly how fun things can be in the Red Light District:
Did you visit Amsterdam’s Cafe Old Sailor before? Let the world know it was, by posting a comment below.
Lesen Sie auch 35 Fun Things To Do in Amsterdam und Bars In Amsterdam Red Light District.
6 Responses to Cafe Old Sailor
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Missing drinking Guinness in old sailor won’t miss my plane like last time best pub in Amsterdam see you soon mr Guinness merry xmas
Popped into the bar with a mate for a quick drink last Wednesday (24th May 2017).
Great pub plenty of atmosphere. We were there at about 1:30 in the afternoon just as the Ajax fans were really starting to enjoy themselves.
Really good fun though, certainly plenty going on both inside and out. Football fans singing songs and a firework parade outside on the bridge.
Thanks for your useful comment, Paul.
This was one of my regular bars when i was working in the Krat and the Kerksplein peepshows 1993-99.
I was doing the live sec shows with a girlfriend.
Great bar; great beer. great atmosphere; and great people
Stayed there in 1971- back then when you arrived by train in Amsterdam , there was a kiosk outside station where u could “bid”on available rooms . All rooms continued to increase as they were scooped up .
I got one at “the institute for tropical studies” hotel . Believe it was high , around $15.00 a night . I had just come from Spain/Greece/Germany where my average nights cost was around $3.00 (.65 cents in San Pedro Spain for a nite).
Anyway , went drinking and ended up at Old Sailors place where I met an American service person and
asked where he was staying ? Reply Old sailors place $2.00 a night including breakfast !
Gave the bartender $6.00 and asked him to save me a room – I would return next day .
Checked out (leave by 11 am) of my “expensive room” (which had now increased to $25.00 /nightper bidding system). Woke up next day freaking hung over and started second guessing myself as I cabbed over to OSP.
All the ladies on the “red light “ day shift were cleaning up their respective “offices” as I arrived.
Got my room – shared bathroom but nice clean , very minimalist room.
Went down to bar/eating area and had a great table service breakfast . Linen table cloth , all dark wood , large windows looking out over canal .
Very nice place and location , I did a lot of “window shopping” over the 5 days I stayed there.
Best pub in Amsterdam. If you sit next to the door you can see the incredibly lovely working girl in her window across the alleyway. Again, best pub in Amsterdam.