Oosterparkbuurt, near Beukenplein
Cocktails priced for the neighborhood, not the Centrum
House Bukowski blonde by Brouwerij 't IJ
Our Take on Bar Bukowski
Bar Bukowski faces the north edge of Oosterpark at Oosterpark 10, where the Oosterparkbuurt meets the café row of Beukenplein. It has anchored Amsterdam East for a decade, named for Charles Bukowski and decorated with a wink toward his twin loves of literature and alcohol.
The room works a full day shift. Mornings run coffee and an extended breakfast and lunch menu, and I amsterdam's listing tracks the evening switch, when the lights drop and the same tables turn to cocktails, wine and beer with music to match.
The house pour is the Bukowski, a strong blonde brewed for the bar by Brouwerij 't IJ, Amsterdam's standard bearer brewery in Oost. The cocktail list keeps to well made standards at neighborhood prices rather than Centrum theater.
In Your Pocket files it among the city's reliable east side rooms, and the crowd skews local, students, park walkers and Beukenplein regulars rather than tour groups. Friday and Saturday run until 3am, late for a café bar this far from the center.
Take a window table at dusk as the park empties and the bar fills. For more of the city, see our Amsterdam cocktail bars guide, the best cocktail bars in Amsterdam, and the near me bar finder.
The Move at Bar Bukowski
The Word on Oost
- I amsterdam describes the day to night shift as the bar's signature, coffee and lunch turning into cocktails and the necessary tunes after dark.
- In Your Pocket lists Bar Bukowski among Amsterdam East's dependable rooms and flags the Bukowski blonde from Brouwerij 't IJ.
- Yelp reviewers praise the laid back service and reasonable prices, with the window seats facing Oosterpark called out repeatedly.
Read the Room
- East side locals who want one room for the whole day
- A low key cocktail night without crossing the Amstel
- Skip it if you want a formal cocktail counter, this is a neighborhood café bar
When To Visit Bar Bukowski
Dusk is the sweet spot, when the park empties, the lights drop and the room shifts from café to bar. Window tables go first.
Friday and Saturday run until 3am and the last hours draw the Beukenplein crowd. Weekday mornings are the quiet study hall version of the same room.
Inside Bar Bukowski
