Amsterdam Cafe

My wife took a large party to the restaurant last night. She came home and was sick last night. Two people at her table had the same item, both were sick. Crab cake avocado sandwich, something she has enjoyed many times in the past, and probably the main reason she talked 9 women into using this restaurant.
At my urging she called them today, the manager was dismissive, telling her «our kitchen is clean». Nothing was offered to compensate for an evening of violent nausea and vomiting, causing her to miss work the next day. She has not called her remaining friends to inquire if they were sick but we know for sure at least two.
I’d say that would be the last time we give Amsterdam our money, Hamilton’s a couple blocks down is way better anyway! If the manager had simply apologized and offered another try in a few weeks he would have comped one plate, and sold plates to the rest of my family but instead I am prompted to tell everyone I can that Amsterdam café will give you food poisoning.

I really wanted to like this place. The service and the atmosphere was great! The food however was very underwhelming. I had the salmon salad and the sweet potato chips. The salmon on the salad was cooked perfectly and had amazing flavor, my main complaint was the amount of lettuce, mango and walnuts on the salad. For $ 12, I expected more that a quarter cup of lettuce and a few mango chuncks. The sweet potato chips were bland… zero seasoning. I would go back because of the service and try something different from the menu.

Lobster Egg Rolls are a must!

I had the best blackened chicken salad ever for lunch. Cody was the server and he was great. I am going again soon!

Today was our first time for dinner at Amsterdam Café, and we will not be returning. We didn’t have very high expectations walking in anyway, but we were still disappointed by just how sub-​par the quality of their ingredients were — especially for the price. That was the biggest issue with our experience there: you could taste that the food is not freshly prepared and that they use low-​quality, cheap ingredients. I gave this review a second star for atmosphere only, since the outside seating section is really quite cute.
I ordered the Sweet Tea Fried Chicken, which came with a biscuit, collards and mac & cheese. The breading was the better part of the chicken although it was a little salty — it was the actual chicken meat that was an issue: it was clearly a low-​quality, badly prepared piece of chicken thigh. The skin underneath the breading looked like it had been previously grilled — I suppose for the Chicken Carbonara dish on the menu, which also uses the sweet tea brined chicken. Simply slapping some breading on it will just not fly in the south. If you want some better fried chicken in Auburn, go to Acre for their lunch chicken & waffles — even KFC would probably be a better choice. The sides were quite underwhelming as well: the biscuit was pale and blah, the mac & cheese was not cheesy or particularly flavorful, and for some reason consisted of about 50% ham (Jim&Nick’s are a lot better).
My boyfriend ordered the Steak Frites with a bone-​in ribeye, cooked medium-​rare. I did not try the meat, but he reported it was an extremely tough and chewy piece of meat with lots of ligaments. Again, we take it as a sign of low-​quality ingredients. The fries were the only thing we both enjoyed and finished. Needless to say, we passed on dessert.
We walked away with a 72 $ check (adding a tea and a glass of wine to the above mentioned entrees), and felt like we had eaten at a fast-​food place that had a bad day.

Amsterdam Café has been a local favorite for as long as I can remember, at least 15 years, and there is a reason why. The menu changes fairly frequently, but the tried and true classics (e.g. Crab cake sandwich, turkey wrap) stay put. The prices are very fair. Lunch or dinner, you always have the option of the sandwich menu. They also do a nice job with drinks… creative cocktails, craft beer, and a great wine list. The atmosphere is somewhat festive, yet still would be perfect for a date. I love their patio. They also have a wonderful back room that is more intimate and perfect for large dinner parties. And valet, since parking is a mess. It’s one of our favorite places to go when we are in town visiting family.

I have only been to Amsterdam twice. First visit, the appetizer, meal, wine selection, and dessert was all phenomenal-​totally worthy of five stars. Unfortunately, I didn’t write a review until today. I returned last night for dinner with my husband and the mussels appetizer and Santiago salsa were great! The filet arrived rare when asked for Medium, and this is a quirk of mine. I know cooking times can vary based on the thickness of the steak, heat used, etc. But after cutting into the steak, the juices run out as it is cooked more… bummer, and the pomme frites (fancy named French fries) were cold… double bummer. The waitress was great and recognized meat was undercooked and took it right away. The scallop dish is what my husband ordered. The scallops were severely over-​salted. There were 4 large scallops and I nugged through one, and my husband got through two. I didn’t care for the accompanied rice, it tasted like mint was infused. The smoked carrots that accompanied were great though.
They gave us a $ 25 gift card for the hassle, so we will definitely give them a go again!

The wife and I decided try Amsterdam’s last Saturday night. No wait, restaurant was almost empty. Our server Camron was good and knowledgeable. We both opted for the steaks she getting the filet and I getting the ribeye. Presentation was lacking and portions were a little too much. The steaks were cooked perfect and had a good flavor.
We will definitely go back to try the lamb, duck and scallops.

On our way from Atlanta to Montgomery we were looking for a good lunch spot. After passing lots of suspect highway sushi and hibachi places we spotted this place on Unilocal.Though the reviews were good we had no idea what to expect in this part of Alabama.
Overall, we we really happy with our experience, from the service to the food we ate. The only negative would be the overall cost of our meal. It was overpriced.
We got the lobster egg rolls based on a lot of positive reviews, but we couldn’t detect any lobster in them. They most likely grind it up into small bits and then mix it with other stuff. They were tasty, but didn’t warrant the $ 13 cost when they tasted like regular egg rolls.
We had this squash bisque that was excellent. Topped with pumpkin seeds, this soup tasted like fall in a bowl ($ 8).
We split a crabcake sandwich that was excellent. I’d easily get that dish again. At $ 13 it was a good value with lots of crab.
Our server, Lauren D, was really great as well. Exactly what you’d expect for Auburn Alabama.
We’d definitely stop here on another roadtrip through Alabama.

Wow! The food here is FANTASTIC! I’m so glad we stopped in on our way north. The YardBird blew me away! The chicken was so perfectly tender. The white BBQ sauce was bomb, the spiced pickles and pimento cheese perfected the sandwich! My husband had the burger and loved it as well! Don’t skip the lobster egg rolls! They are awesome! Service was friendly! I look forward to passing through in the future!

I’ve been here once and had the salmon croquettes for lunch. The entire meal was not memorable except for the fact that the croquettes were pretty bland to me. I had to take everything home and kind of tweak them to be more palatable. I definitely want to give this place another try because it has such good reviews.

Lobster egg rolls. That’s really all you need to know about Amsterdam. The crab cake is good too, as is the burger, but just come for the egg rolls. Reasonable prices and great service.

I was treated to lunch here right before Christmas. The food was great and the staff was wonderful. While looking over the menu, I noticed how pricey the dinner items were so I am glad we were there for lunch! Only negative was that I asked for no ice in my drink and the server forgot… nothing to get my feathers ruffled over though. Overall, great! I’ll be back!

First visit to this restaurant, and it’s definitely worthy of a return visit.
The lobster egg rolls were very good, and I’d order it again, but next time, I’ll ask for the sauce on the side. As served, the egg rolls are way too overwhelmed by the heavy, sweet sauce.
The Santiago salsa also was good, and it’s a dip worthy of ordering again in the future. Next time, I’ll add chicken.
The rum salmon salad (with salmon blackened) was excellent, and most definitely worthy of ordering again. Salmon was really good quality and cooked perfectly, and the mixed greens were nice and fresh. The pecans really complimented the salmon. Delicious!
The baja chicken enchilada soup was just ok (a little too thick and rich, yet not necessarily the most flavorful), so I probably wouldn’t order it again. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t great either.
The server was exceptionally good; she was attentive and extremely courteous. Really great customer service.
Looking forward to returning the next time I’m in Auburn for another game or visit to the area. War Eagle!

Great place. The service is awesome and very accommodating. I had the sweet potato ravioli. Every bite was leaving you for more. I would recommend.

Overall, dining at Amsterdam was a pleasant experience. We were seated immediately and given menus. The wait for drinks and ordering was a little too long given the restaurant wasn’t busy. Our server gave great descriptions and suggestions. We enjoyed lobster spring rolls as an appetizer. Every one of our 5 entrees was delicious. One of my pet peeves is dirty dishes left on the table at the end of the meal: guilty. The atmosphere was charming and we will definitely be back.

Meal was good and the atmosphere was pleasant. Appetizers and entrée were delicious and mac & cheese maybe the best I ever had. Bread pudding was more like a muffin than bread pudding but ok.

My favorite place in Auburn. I went twice during our visit to AL and loved it both times. The service was phenomenal; our waitress went above and beyond to accommodate my fiancé’s love of sugar-​free Red Bull and vodka by actually sending someone to the corner store to buy some.
The first time we had the lobster rolls as appetizers and they were great. My fiancé’s filet was one of the best he’s had and my lamb burger stuffed with goat cheese was delicious.
The second time, however, was extraordinary. He loved our tuna tartare appetizer while I loved the guacamole and crab salad that it came with. As entrées, he stuck with the great filet– it came with white asparagus spears, which we’ve missed since we left Germany and truly pleased us.
As for me, I got a truly phenomenal pork chop bursting with apple flavor, and the sweet potato chips were addictive. The only downside was the mac and cheese– rather strange and sour tasting with odd bits of smoky meat (perhaps bacon?), but it doesn’t bring down the pork chop. I could rave about that pork chop for days– buttery, and yet apple-​y, with a stewed slice of plum on top.
If this all sounds amazing, the highlight was still yet to come– dessert. The chocolate pot de crème was truly to die for. I won’t describe it further because I might never stop. I get it every time and never have enough.
Do not miss this place if you’re in Auburn.

Everyone loves the crab cake avocado sandwich… I don’t really see why? It was OK, but hardly worth the rave reviews. I much preferred their Apple Brined Pork Chop. It was much better. The mac & cheese that came with it was a big letdown though.
Overall, Amsterdam in nice. Good service, the food is good quality, the drinks are nice, and the décor is pleasant.
I’m not sure it deserves the accolades it has been given, but is still a good overall experience. I wouldn’t make it a go-​to, but I’d definitely come back.

The strong reviews for the Amsterdam Café are for the most part warranted. However, I am holding back a little on my visit and will explain a few reasons why.
The location of the restaurant is not far from downtown, but not walkable either. The parking in front is pretty sparse if busy, which was the case on the night dined in. I waited for a space to open up and was lucky enough to grab it at around 7:30 PM. This was my second time attempting to try them with another time it being just too busy inside that I elected to go else where rather than eat outside on a humid Alabama night.
I thought the outside was appealing with it’s green awning and clean front walk. But the surrounding area did not really seem to fit a high end restaurant. The strip itself has a tattoo parlor and a gas station is beside it.
I went inside to check in and found it busy enough that I decided to dine outside on their patio this time. I was immediately shown a table on the patio adjacent to the building. Only one other table was occupied. They have done a nice job with giving the exterior space some ambiance with a vine arbor and greenery on the iron fence to block out their neighbors.
The waitress arrived quickly and provided dinner specials. I did not hesitate to request the lamb special and if I find it on the menu it’s my first choice and I did not even ask the price. My water arrived shorty after my waitress left and a basket of bread which was scrumptious.
I found the timing of the meal coming out was very good, around 20 minutes. The dish visually was stunning on the plate. Grilled lamb w/​peas, green beans, tomatoes, pickled mustard seeds and chic peas. The meal had a lot of depth to it and I applaud the chef on his creativity. The waitress told me this may be something that is added to the regular menu. I found every morsel scrumptious and cleaned off my plate.
I was also in the mood for desert and understood they had Crème Brulee. The turn around was also excellent and out within ten minutes. A dug right in my Blueberry delight and it was a very strong desert. I loved the balance and enjoyed the Blueberries very much.
The check was delivered and I was a little surprised the special was $ 30+ for the entrée. I thought the price was steep for the amount of lamb, just seven medallions and a ton of veggies and beans which cost almost nothing (see pic). It was very good and I am not disputing this. In my opinion the value did not hold up.
I had a really great meal and experienced terrific service. The location to me for it being a higher end venue was not great. Also, the price of my dish was more than what I would have expected. The atmosphere was pleasant on their patio. I really can’t comment on the interior. I would return.