De Japanner
Amsterdam's original izakaya: sake, skewers and noise on the Albert Cuyp.
Ten-plus years in and still the loudest, happiest room on the Albert Cuyp after the market carts roll away. De Japanner was Amsterdam's first proper izakaya, drinking den first, kitchen close second, and the formula hasn't needed fixing: small plates of sushi, charred aubergine with miso, garlicky fried things, all built to be passed around a sticky wooden table while the sake keeps arriving. It's since spawned siblings in West, Zuid and even Strandeiland, but the De Pijp original keeps the essential scruff. Kitchen runs to 23:30 on school nights and past midnight on weekends, which makes it the correct answer to 'where do we eat at 11pm that isn't a shame spiral'. Service is quick, unbothered and knows the menu cold. Come with four people, order double what seems reasonable, argue over the last gyoza.
The miso-charred aubergine and whatever's on the fried-garlic end of the menu, with cold sake.
What to order
Full menu- Herring sashimi€11.50
Dutch herring gone izakaya, shiso, ginger ponzu. The dish everyone mentions.
- Pork chashu bao€6.50
With kimchi and spring onion; the review-thread favourite of the baos.
- Crispy rice€11.50
Fried rice cubes under spicy salmon or beef tartare, the menu's own crowd-favourite claim holds up.
- Beef tataki€11
Seared, thin-sliced, garlic chips and sesame ponzu, order it early, it goes fast.
- Chef's menu€42.50
Let the kitchen drive; the easiest way through a long small-plates list.
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