Cafe Gollem

rudyarmand

Georgia

5/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Cafe Gollem is just plain outstanding. The only thing that I didn't like was that they opened at 4:00 pm and I was waiting with such anticipation that by the time I was seated I was in a frenzy and drank way too much. The choices and selection were unsurpassed. The location was excellent and the bar tenders were friendly and knowledgeable. I tried so many beers and ales I can't even remember all their names. I had a great time conversing with the bar patrons who were a blast.

This establishment is a MUST visit to all beer lovers. They have so many choices its amazing. The value was very fair compared to other places and my friends and I can't wait to go back.

FIVE STARS!!!!

05-02-2006 22:28:12 | More by rudyarmand

CBA

British Indian Ocean Territory

5/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Another great bruine kroeg in the same vain as De Garre. Be foreward this was the most "bruine" of them all. Get there early though and share a few glasses with locals on their way home after work, minus the copious amount of smoke with the after dinner crowd. Excellent service, pricing very reasonable and a wide selection in bottle with more limited tap selection. Although I could drink the draft LaChouffe all night. I spied a few bottles of Pannepot in the cellar from my seat at the bar. Although not on the list the barman was more than willing to get it for me.

The best part of the place was the bar cat - Snoppy who took a shine to my coat and everytime I came in for a drink he'd be my companion as long as he got to sleep on my coat.

Word to the wise - take the steps slowly to the washroom, least you end up flat on your back as (edit) I did.

If I moved to Amsterdam, I'd ensure this place was on my route home from work.

01-13-2008 17:05:39 | More by CBA

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

5/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

I love this place from the floor to the rafters ( especially the rafters as they are covered in blackboards consisting of all the beers they stock)

Yes it is old worldy with dark wood and there is not much natural light due to the sidestreet it is in, but the atmosphere on a busy evening is fantastic.

Me and friends talked away with the locals who recommended some great dutch brews and the bar staff were also fantastic with their knowledge and recommendations.

Each beer glass was rinsed and cleaned in front of you and the beer always served in the appropriate glassware.

The bottled and tap selection is unbelievable, with prices i would say average, westvleteren 12 going for 9 euros a bottle.

Hope to return very very soon!

03-03-2008 20:03:38 | More by seanyfo

lingates

New York

5/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This was one of my favorite places in Amsterdam....nice crowd where you can have great conversations with the bartender or the person sitting next to you. Excellent selection of beers, particularly Belgium all though I had a Mug Bitter there which is from the Netherlands (and enjoyed quite a bit). And of course, they have Westleveren there. If you get a chance, stop by Cracked Kettle across the street where you can buy many of the great beers that you have at De Gollem.

Even though the place may seem crowded you can still usually find a place to pull up a chair. I look forward to returning to this establishment.

08-05-2008 13:50:26 | More by lingates

ComicalAli

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +8.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Another great, tiny beer bar in Amsterdam. Come here to try the Westvleteren 8 or 12 for 12 or 14 euros, respectively. 200 beers are advertised, I was in no condition to examine the list scientifically but it appeared that most or all were Belgians. Lots of trappist ales. The service was attentive and fast if not overly friendly. I give this place only slightly lower marks than the Wildeman because it is smaller and much more cramped, but then again if you come on a night when it's not crowded your experience will be different. Highly recommended.

05-31-2009 15:23:34 | More by ComicalAli

joedon

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

Small, friendly and inviting pub. The kind of place you might envision if you were writing a story about the perfect old European pub.

Located on an alley just off a quiet street several blocks from the busy downtown area of Amsterdam. Gollem occupies the main floor of a very old building. Lots of dark wood, narrow stairway, a black cat sleeping on a bar stool, brewery advertising and sitting on the end of the bar is a vending machine for canned olives!

First class selection of Belgian beers all served in proper glassware. I had two draft ales: a Tripel Karmeliet and a La Chouffe dubbel. Both were fresh, properly cooled and poured with a perfect head in the correct glass.

The barman was very friendly and knew about every beer on tap as well as the many (dozens) bottled beers available. He offered free samples if requested. Because the bar (in fact all Amsterdam bars) prohibits smoking, he needed to slip out to the alley for a smoke about twice an hour.

The patrons were friendly as well. On my left was a Dutch working man [who spoke perfect English] and on my right were a couple of American students on a semester abroad college program. In the loft were two more students and a Dutch couple. By the way, this pub is pretty small. About eight seats at the bar and maybe room for eight more at tables in the loft.

I didn't order any food. Other than the canned olives, I'm not sure if any food is even available.

Prices were about average for an Amsterdam pub. Tripel Karmeliet in a "medium" glass (about 25 cl) was 3 Euros. Most expensive beer was the Westvleteren 12 bottle at 10 Euros.

This is a must-visit for any beer lover in Amsterdam. I can hardly wait to go back.

Update: October 25, 2010: Cafe Gollem is closed. Don't know if this is temporary or permanent. All I could learn was that some sort of dispute with the licensing authorities had taken place. The doors have been locked for about one month.

03-18-2009 01:17:34 | More by joedon

raoulduke37

California

4.8/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

A gem in the Jordaan area of Amsterdam. This place is quiet, has a gigantic selection that is well-priced, a kick ass decor (think Toronado) and they played music from Sade to Radar Love. There are six taps here, well chosen, and it looks to be about 160 bottled beers. While here I sampled a Corsendonk Agnus Dei, Saison Dupont, and Westvleteren 8 and 12 (No, I didn't drive home). The bartender was awesome, letting us sample some other Dutch beers and their Dutch gin, whose name slips my mind right now. This place is definitely not to be missed if you want a non-pretentious, small, quiet awesome bar with an incredible selection of Belgian beers. A +

07-08-2009 09:13:22 | More by raoulduke37

jesperm

Sweden

4.8/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

I've walked passed Gollem several times, but I only visited the place for the fist time a couple of weeks ago. My mistake!
I was slightly overwhelmed with the selection of beers (Belgian in particular) to be honest.

I visited on three different nights during the week. The Sunday night I went in on my own. It wasn't a particular busy night and I had plenty of opportunity to talk beer with other guests and the bar man. This was a really pleasant experience.
On the Monday I went with a friend. This night was plenty busy, but the girl in the bar excelled by being observant and responsive despite all the distractions.
Then I went back on Thursday night. Again quite a busy night and I was on my own, but it was a nice crowd and easy to find friendly people to chat with.

All in all a very nice beer bar, definitely worth more than one visit!

10-06-2009 11:44:38 | More by jesperm

NatsnSkinsDC

Maryland

4.71/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This place was pretty cool. It was very small, intimate atmosphere. The group that I was with managed to snag a few chairs along the window. The beer menu was written on the upper walls of the establishment. They had their own section for the Trappist selections which I thought was pretty cool/helpful. Gollem also had some interesting stuff on tap. I got into a couple of conversations with other Americans, one of which was using BA as a reference via his Blackberry often. Pretty cool.

The bartender was awesome. He was very helpful to the other members of the group and me. He learned our names and everything, making us feel welcome and valued patrons.

They had a ton of Belgians and Trappists which I really enjoy. They also had the Westveleterens!!! I was able to try the 8. I couldn't get to the 12 because it was pretty late in the evening and they had sold out by that time. The impression that I got was that Gollem is supplied by a beer store right across the street which I thought was interesting. Overall a great place to chill and drink some quality beer. I was happy to run into some fellow Americans who seem to make a point of stopping there whenever they travel to Amsterdam. Consider me a returning patron if I get a chance to go back to Amsterdam.

06-11-2010 21:11:48 | More by NatsnSkinsDC

kwdavis

Belgium

4.66/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

Great little beer bar not far from the Dam Area. Atmosphere was nice and the service was friendly. The crowd was a mix of locals and tourists. The price is what you would expect from a bar in the city center.
The wife and I stopped by after a trip into the Broken Kettle across the street. The selection is impressive and the menu covers the upper wall on a number of chalk boards. The first impression is of a small dive bar. Do not go off of your first impression. The place is small with two levels, a word of caution there is only bar service and the stairs are narrow.
The place is well worth a stop while walking around the city and I'm sure we will be back next time we are in Amsterdam.

06-05-2010 08:01:45 | More by kwdavis