Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse, a 14,000-square-foot brewpub, retail store and lakeside extravaganza
Name: Amsterdam BrewHouse
Neighbourhood: Harbourfront
Contact Information: 245 Queens Quay W., South Building, 416-504-1020, amsterdambrewhouse.com/, @amsterdambeer
Owners: Amsterdam Brewing Company and Urban Dining Group
Chef: Avaughn Wells
The Place: The mega-complex houses two dining areas, a sports bar, a retail store selling limited-edition brews, four separate patios and a fully functioning craft brewery that’s visible to diners through a glass wall.
The Food: Simple pub food, like chicken wings, salads and burgers, all with suggested beer pairings. Beer also shows up in braises and batters.
The Drink: Home-brewed Amsterdam beers, including seasonal and small-batch releases, plus creative cocktails made with draft beer, bitters and booze.
The Numbers:
• 20,000 bottle caps make up the silvery mosaic hanging on the west wall
• 14,000 square-feet is the size of the sprawling complex
• 800 seats, with 500 indoors and 300 spread across four patios
• 7 beers on tap
• 3 sides of the brewpub are completely surrounded by water
223162 The brewpub is located at 245 Queens Quay West, next door to Harbourfront Centre (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-intro/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-intro 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223152 Two master brewers run the glass-walled craft brewery, which offers tours and tastings (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-07/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223156 The entire complex is 14,000 square feet (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-11/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223153 The 60-seat north bar with multiple flat-screen TVs (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-08/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223154 Seven Amsterdam beers are available on tap (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-09/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223151 The Natural Blonde mosaic is made up of 20,000 bottle caps and aluminum scraps from flattened Amsterdam cans (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-06/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223148 The south patio with waterfront-facing Muskoka chairs (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-03/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223150 The west-side covered patio seats 100 and has its own bar (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-05/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223160 Parmesan chicken salad with baby arugula, grape tomatoes, cucumber, sherry vinaigrette and lemon-caper sauce ($16) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-15/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223269 Bacon cheeseburger with fries ($15) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Amsterdam-new-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Amsterdam-new.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Amsterdam-new.jpg 656 450 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-new/ amsterdam-new 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223159 Hoisin-glazed short ribs with garlic-mascarpone mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus ($26) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-14/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223158 Beerwurst sausage Scotch egg with jicama remoulade, beer-infused gravy, mustard and cumin oil ($9) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-13/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
223146 The Beer in a Bag: a Natural Blonde tall boy wrapped in a paper bag and accompanied by a shot of whiskey ($12) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse Introducing: Amsterdam BrewHouse https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurants/slide/amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-01/ amsterdam-brewhouse-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
I would avoid going here for a while until they get their act together. I just went there on Saturday afternoon and have never seen a restaurant so disorganized. Plenty of staff but lacking in training and leadership.
…and my mediocre burger was cold
Toronto’s waterfront needs a serious revitalization when it comes to restaurants…the selection is just awful and frankly its embarassing that locals can’t go down there to enjoy a good meal AND good service (right now you can’t get either). I really hope this place works all of its kinks out and doesnt become a tourist trap like the rest.
I’ll have to agree, I had a terrible meal, got terrible service from beginning to end. The leadership was not around, the servers were complete bitches and never have I seen people speak to customers that rudely. We tried to chat with our server and she just ignored us, said some rude comments back and got all our orders wrong. Not a thank you, not a smile, not a peep. We decided to not get more food or beer and leave. Won’t be returning here for a while.
I have to admit I was REALLY looking forward to this place opening. I’ve been 4 times now and each time I’m trying to convince myself to like it b/c I live right across the street and it would have been a great local. The last time we went it just did us in, the hostesses are not ‘allowed’ to tell you how long the wait is, they are only allowed to tell you how many tables are ahead of you and then somehow the customers is supposed to figure out the size and seating of the other parties to know how long they will be waiting. I won’t even get started on the overprice food..our pizza came out with one side thick and doughy crusted and the other side was thin and burnt!! I talked to a few people in my apartment building out of the 8 couples that have been there not one person had a good experience. NOT ONE! So now I’ve resorted to just going there in the evenings for a drink at the bar..cause I’m not sure how long I’ll have to wait for a table….
The food is good, the beer amazing but the costumer service is really, really bad, from the waiters to the bar tender, I leve cross the street and I have been there for 6 times and always the service is crap.