Avond Leidseplein
How to spend a full evening at Leidseplein, Amsterdam
Leidseplein is the kind of square that makes evenings easy. Within a few minutes’ walk you have live music venues, theatres, a cinema multiplex, a handful of decent cocktail bars and, if you know where to look, some of the best food in Amsterdam’s centre. The challenge is not finding things to do. It is knowing how to combine them into an evening that actually flows.
This is a practical guide to doing exactly that, based on the neighbourhood we have been part of for years.
Start with dinner earlier than you think
The most common mistake on a Leidseplein evening is leaving dinner too late. If you have tickets to Paradiso, DeLaMar or Pathe, most shows start between 20:00 and 21:00. That means dinner needs to be done, not just started, by 19:30 at the latest.
A 19:00 reservation gives you ninety minutes for a relaxed three-course meal. It is enough time to eat properly and walk to any venue on the square without rushing. If your show is at 21:30 or later, a 19:30 or 20:00 reservation works comfortably.
At Steak Club Leidse we run a dedicated Leidseplein Experience every Thursday: a 3-course menu for €60 per person, timed precisely for this kind of evening. On other nights, the regular menu serves until late, as the kitchen does not rush last seatings.
What to see at Leidseplein
The square and its immediate streets contain four of Amsterdam’s most-visited entertainment venues, all within a five-minute walk of each other.
Paradiso
Amsterdam’s most iconic music venue is housed in a converted church on Weteringschans. Paradiso programmes everything from international touring acts to local club nights. The main hall holds around 1,500 people while the small hall is more intimate. Check the agenda at paradiso.nl, since most shows sell out.
DeLaMar Theatre
The largest commercial theatre in Amsterdam, at the corner of Marnixstraat and Leidseplein. DeLaMar produces Dutch-language musicals, cabaret and theatre with a mainstream programme running year-round. Good sight lines throughout; the bar opens an hour before curtain.
Pathe Leidseplein
A nine-screen multiplex directly on the square, showing mainstream releases and international films. Pathe Leidseplein tends to show more English-language films in their original version than other Amsterdam multiplexes. Convenient for a spontaneous evening without advance planning.
Melkweg
A short walk from the square on Lijnbaansgracht, Melkweg (‘Milky Way’) is a multi-venue cultural centre with a concert hall, club space, cinema and gallery. The programming is more alternative than Paradiso and the venue has a loyal following for its club nights and smaller touring acts.
After the show, what is still open?
Steak Club Leidse stays open until 01:00 on weeknights and until 03:00 on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen serves throughout, meaning a late dinner after a 21:30 show is entirely possible. More often, people come for drinks: our Cocktail Hours run every Friday and Saturday from 22:00 until midnight, with every cocktail at €10. After midnight the full bar continues until 03:00.
The Velvet Vixen, our upstairs cocktail bar, is the quieter alternative to the main bar. It is better for conversation with the same cocktail quality and no cover charge.
A practical evening template
- 18:45 — Arrive at Steak Club Leidse for drinks at the bar or café terrace
- 19:00 – 20:30 — Dinner (3-course Leidseplein Experience on Thursdays, full menu every evening)
- 20:30 – 20:45 — Walk to Paradiso, DeLaMar, Pathe or Melkweg (5 minutes maximum)
- 20:45 – 23:00 — Show, film or concert
- 23:00 onwards — Return to Steak Club Leidse for cocktails, late drinks or a late supper
Getting to Leidseplein
Trams 1, 2, 5, 7 and 19 all stop at Leidseplein or within one stop. From Amsterdam Centraal, tram 2 or 5 takes around fifteen minutes. From De Pijp, trams 3 and 12 connect to Leidseplein in around ten minutes.
If you are arriving by car, the P1 Leidseplein car park is directly on the square. Evening rates apply from 18:00.
Where to eat at Leidseplein & why we recommend Steak Club Leidse
We are biased, obviously. But the reasons are concrete: we are open late, the kitchen runs until the end of service (not until 21:30 then bar snacks only), we have an actual bar worth staying in after dinner, and the food is built around dry-aged beef which is not something most Leidseplein restaurants are doing.
We are at Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 11H, just one minute from the square. Reserve online or walk in for a terrace seat at Café Leidse.
Planning a night out? Reserve your table here to ensure your evening flows perfectly.
