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Review by waltere kraus, 09-21-06 nice beer shitty hash

more a place to drink than smoke

Review by priapos, 08-22-06 titties and beer mid-july 2006

okay, no titties, and next year no beer. they will still have everything you really want, though. atmosphere, music, pro staff, volcano, and great gear.

Review by wee lisa, 08-22-06 why have we never been here before?

this was our first visit here in all the years visiting amsterdam and our only regret was we never found it sooner. its such a nice place to sit and relax, will def go back in september.

Review by a visitor, 08-16-06 top quality

the white widow was supreme and through a vapo bag - wow!!

Review by a visitor, 03-20-06 still great

best coffee shop in town. even better now they have got rid of the pool table. you can go to the toilet without the threat of a prod from the pool cue :-)

Review by stella, 11-28-05 only place outside my house i've heard 'get a little'

couldn't believe it! best place in the dam. we just seem to live there every time we go. i love the haze cos it wakes me up. he loves the maroc stuff. we both love the cats and the tunes. listened to the captain singing about how there ain't no santa claus on the evening stage and suddenly realised i'd been totally away. don't know where, like, but it was pretty good. bar stools seem high when you're 4'11' and high but it's part of the entertainment, isn't it? usually end up mumbling to my man about how frank was a totally underrated guitarist. then hear sone 'blue jeans' zztop. we just call the place the fz bar and have sent many poeple there from england. it's a haven, man. smoke fine weed and listen to the 'cafe cough'! only got how last night and want to be back there...

Review by dogbreath, 10-31-05 as good as always

this has been my favorite hangout place for many years. still is. same quality, friendly service. you really are made to feel welcome here, regardless of your age. this seems to be a place where folks of all ages feel comfortable. i'd rate it a ten, if that were possible. dogbreath

Review by mdk, 07-03-05 best in the dam

what can i say that hasn't already been said... this is the mellowest shop in the dam. the people are great, the music is great, the smoke is top notch and the drink prices are fair. you really couldn't ask for anything more. we tried just about every shop in the city and this is the one we came back to again and again. if you make this gem your first stop on your tour, you'll come away glowing

Review by sal, 07-03-05 good smoke, good music, nice view.

this was the best shop i visited. nice brown cafe atmosphere. the people there were just genuinely having fun, without any posing or pretense. i like rock music (we're becoming a dying breed), so their 'classic rock' tunes were a pleasant, and welcome surprise. they played jimi, led zepp, and dylan while i was smoking. i don't remember what i smoked, but it was great. grab a window seat. while you are getting high, you will be staring across the narrow street at this great pastry shop.you know it's good when so many other reviews mention it. when you get the muchies, just exit the place, take a few steps, and you're there. i was stoned, hungry, and had just been to the rld and shagged a perfect 10. the gorgeous food was calling. i 'inhaled' an incredible focaccia, dripping with melted chees and fresh tomato. incredible! my favorite place

Review by a visitor, 07-03-05 my fav shop

dekuil is always my first stop after exciting cs.the place is easy to find,there is a great munchie shop right across the alleyway,and dekuil has that vaporizer which can get your adventure started the right way.the staff has always been helpful.i have nothing buy good reviews for dekuil!!

Review by lydon, 05-20-05 my favorite in amsterdam

great place, nice staff, great music, great choice of sativas, and mike's a good guy.

Review by old stoner, 04-18-05 excellent

i found 420 cafe to be a mellow place for a middle-aged stoner like myself to comfortably fire up. dealer is a good guy who weighs the 'stuff' right in front of you. crowd was quite mellow.

Review by j.l.:], 03-26-05 what a cool place i love it!

went to the dam for the first time this year,and went into de kuil,well,would have loved to transplant that shop into my front garden.the sexiest skin head selling me lovely weed,chilled out atmosphere and cool tunes i will defo be back to smoke my little brains out soon.......

Review by michael veling, 03-18-05 are you kidding

we play a minimum of 15 minutes in the hour of f.z & beefheart. with the upcoming 10th anniversary of the demise of dean martin we have added some great music from the fifties and sixties that might not be recognized as 'classic rock'. so be it. thanks for all the nice reviews. michael, the proprietor

Review by a visitor, 02-17-05 not much zappa any more

they have removed all the albums and replaced them with a new-fangled audio server. so there's tons of music other than fz. they should take the 'f.z' off the name over the door - it's misleading. heard just one zappa track in tow visits. still a good atmosphere, the smoke's good, older clientele than many others.

Review by bob hunter, 08-19-04 just the best..

4 of us have just returned from the dam and must give this place a mention. we went here based on the reviews on this site and were not dissappointed. great smoke, staff, tunes, atmosphere, no pressure, very laid back. bring your own food policy (except smelly fries !) - even better when there's a munchie shop opposite. seem to always get a seat, could always get a game on the pool table, smoke top notch. do yourself a favour and get down here on your next trip.

Review by a visitor, 04-03-04 something to do before u get ready to leave dekuil

piss off the dealer and he will get this wild eyed black dude to come in and stare at you...its a trip...he gives the guy a gram of dope to do it. it doesn't take much, just ask the dealer to bring you another beer when he picks up your used empty glasses. oh and don't smoke to much if you go down to the lower level to play pool, its a bitch to make it back up those two steps......

Review by stemsnseeds, 02-10-04 home away from home

still my favorite in all of amsterdam. some folks may prefer the more coffee-shop themed places as opposed to the 'standard bar look' of de kuil, but for meeting folks, chilling out, music and service, i still think it's the best. highly recommended.

Review by seouleast, 01-28-04 again.........excellent!

hey there folks! i just got back with the wife from the dam and it was great. met quite a few channelites and ended up at de kuil. the manager, i think, printed up a copy of my previous post and asked if that was me. that impressed me. made me feel good, too! i love the parvatti fingers.....nice, dark, and stony. the nyc diesel they have is fantastic. i absolutely loved it! one of my favorites in the dam. anyways, the dealer this time was new, but that was it. same excellent service and smile that every dealer should have. they could do with some comfy tables and chairs, but that would keep shopflies like me there all day! anyways, go here.....and not 'there' for your meetings and friendly chats! cheers de kuil!

Review by scott, 01-07-04 de kuil rocks

have been here on many trip's to the dam, and it never fail's to be my favorite. if you are a infrequent smoker, and want something tasty that does not burn your throat on that first hit, then go with there creeper haze, no cough at all and you will puffing on that like your in a cheech and chong movie.............

Review by sky, 12-16-03 music is the best

lovely hazes,temple balls,etc. yummie

Review by a visitor, 12-08-03 nice atmosphere and good smoke

this place is going by the name 420 cafe as well as de kuil so dont get confused,they are the same place.i really enjoyed the hash from here,it was called pavarati creme and was only 12 euro a gram,it had a rich medicinal smell and the high was very up and enjoyable.i can not remember the weed we tried from here but it was no better than average.

Review by seouleast, 10-25-03 almost perfect

what a trip to the dam! i had gone this time for 10 days of pure smoking enjoyment. already done the other things on previous trips. hadn't been to de kuil, though. this time i made it my priority. the parvatti is definitely recommended for a solid stone. the dealer (the chubby one) was very friendly and even helped me roll a joint. always had a smile. the bartender was very pretty, too! she and i talked for over an hour. even got free drinks. i guess when you are friendly to them, they will be friendly to you, too! i gave them one of my peace pipes that i had brought from korea. they should have it up behind the dealer....check it out! anyways, the parvatti and some of their blonds ( i can't remember the names now) are very, very, tasty. the window with f.z. is now gone. some drunken twerps crashed right into it!

Review by dave, 10-24-03 well and truly vaporized

wow, what a place - just like everyone said - this is a very cool 70s rock gaff with a fab captain birdseye dealer, gorgeous barstaff, ultra-chilled vibe, and a volcano to die for. a very very cool and smooth way to get mashed, we trashed a coupla grams of their white widow in it. suffice to say things became vague thereafter. if you're in the dam, it's criminal not to go to de kuil.

Review by a visitor, 10-17-03 excellent

have just come back from the dam, was there weekend just gone, and what a top place. there where 12 of us lads there on saturday afternoon and we had the 4.20 , or purple haze, and we laughed ourselves silly on it. great atmosphere, nice beer, good service, the best. i will definately go back.we went back on sat night and watched people outside opposite the cake shop, brilliant viewing when stoned.

Review by siiedwards, 09-28-03 dekuil is so cool!

can't think why only two stars came up on my last review. this place deserves 5+! the best coffeshop in the dam!

Review by vetteboybri, 08-15-03 the best

been to shops all over amsterdam, by far the best i've found. while they might not have a huge selection like dampkring, i don't think you can beat the service and atmosphere. just a great place. going back in 3 weeks, can't wait.

Review by si edwards, 07-30-03 the only place to smoke.

the last review i submitted i did so in a bit of a hurry, so i thought i'd elaborate a bit. i've been visiting the 'dam for about 15 years and in all that time i've never found a better place to smoke than de kuil. there are seedy, crappy looking coffeeshops where you'll feel totally uncomfortable, and then there's de kuil. it's got a nice selection of high quality weed, the shiva and the blueberry are a must. plus, a good selection of the smoothest hash. it's got the best music, the owner is a massive fan of frank zappa, plus he likes all the best 70's rock and blues so you really can't go wrong where the music's concerned. a perfect accompaniment to some lovely smoke. there's a whole array of bongs and of course the vaporizer is also a must try. such a clean hit! there are board games and a pool table for your entertainment, should you require them. personally, i like to just puff on a fat one and chill out to some f.z. but if you need entertaining you can be. the only negatives for me are that the stools can get a bit uncomfortable after a while, some comfy seats would be nice. my only other problem is that one of the barmaids has got a voice like a foghorn, and when she's working the only thing you can hear is her. she overpowers the music entirely. but other than that if you want a nice smoke, in a safe and friendly environment, with no seedy scumbags around, and some good music and pretty, pretty barmaids, the only place to go is de kuil. oh and yeah, you gotta try one of those lovely srawberry tarts on display in the cake shop opposite. you'll have been looking at them the whole time you've been in the coffeeshop, especially if you got the window seats, so treat yourself and indulge! there's no better reply to them munchies!! enjoy!!

Review by si, 07-24-03 enjoy while you can!

you better enjoy this blinding little coffeeshop while you can, cos if the eurocrats get their way there's not gonna be any de kuil or any other coffeeshop for us to enjoy after the new year! don't you just love being run by brussels!

Review by si edwards, 07-21-03 the only place to go!

this is my favourite place on earth. it's where i discovered weed and frank zappa, all at the same time, and my life has never been the same since!! i visit amsterdam very often and i only ever smoke in de kuil! need i say more? plus, there's a cake shop opposite, heaven!! try it, you're gonna like it!

Review by trekknhil, 07-04-03 great shop...girl friendly

lots of room, pool table, vaporizor, great dealer...good shop

Review by lasthamlet, 06-06-03 oh, yeah...

we had a channelites meeting in dekuil in april 2003, and it was just fabulous. the place and their wares are always top notch... always... we smoked the place out for over 4 hours and had excellent service the whole time... did i mention they have a volcano vaporizer...a+++ to dekuil...

Review by rpdrake, 06-04-03 everything i imagend....its was like walking into a dream.

you can't really explain it. you expect to bump in mr mo joe rising himself. the american bloke with the beard serving the weed was like jim out of taxi. hugh selection of weeds and hash. very frendly service and knock out babes behind the bar. music excellent. always make this my 1st and last stop in the dam.

Review by a visitor, 04-22-03 we loved de kuil

what i love about this place is the good quality weed and the great location, it is the first stop from the station. the staff is friendly and when they weighed my kali mist or napal hash they always gave me slightly more. try the kali mist, its so smooth and gives a nice high, not sleepy effect. you can always find a bar stool here and the music is pretty good. mainly 70s rock tunes.

Review by a visitor, 03-15-03 should be your first stop when in amsterdam...

being a seasoned pro when it comes to vacationing in amsterdam, de kuil has to be, by far, one of the city's finest. tips: 1)try the phazer - good old school weed with a great mellow high. 2)try the volcano vaporizer with a chunk of blueberry. 3)enjoy the music. my only complaint is the amstel beer. weak and pissy. besides that, you can't go wrong with the friendly staff, and super laid back vibe. great place overall!

Review by a visitor, 02-24-03 one of the best

once again i rate de kuil as one of the best coffeeshops in amsterdam. the place was clean, the staff were nice polite and informative. the music was great and the beer was cold. the gear was all first rate. they even have a high powered microscope to check out the crystals on your purchase. ask to have the dealer fill a balloon up using the industrial strength vaporizier they have.

Review by richard townend, 02-14-03 friendly and pleasant place

we tried this after reading the good reviews of it but first impressions weren't that spectacular. not that it was bad, it was pretty good but it'd been built up to be much better. the bar itself is like a pretty normal pub bar which standard high stools and tables. the music was ok, pleasant and unobtrusive. plus it wasn't too busy and the staff were friendly. bongs were lent out for free and the vaporiser was available although i didn't try it as noone else in our group had the bottle to do so and i was already flying so daren't risk any more! we enjoyed this place and went back a few times and always got a seat for a chilled out smoke.

Review by james, 02-09-03 my favorite hangout

after doing the coffeeshop tour of the dam several times with different friends i find that this shop has it all. location, good weed, free vaporizer usage, microscope, pool table, good service, booze, friendly staff, high ceilings, not full of people standing in line to purchase there weed and run out the door. overall, the best of everything

Review by bazmeister, 02-04-03 the best coffeeshop in amsterdam

after a tour of more than 30 coffeeshops in one weekend, coming back to de kuil was the definate highlight. the weed was excellent, the staff were wonderful and the tunes; bob dylan, grateful dead, jimi hendrix, frank zappa and the rest just added the perfect ambience. there's nothing out of the ordinary about de kuil; no chemically altered super-weed, no psycho-delic weird wall-art, no bangin euro techno-trance, but it's the yardstick to which compare other coffeeshops. it's quite hard to find, but we identified it by the bright green sign outside which said 4:20. highly recommended.

Review by captain kirk, 12-09-02 nice place

the vaporizer is the best. alcohol is available and the people are cool. nice bay window to watch the people go by. one of the best in amsterdam.

Review by a visitor, 12-04-02 can't abide drunks

it's true the weed was good and the tunes were superior. it would have been perfect if they didn't serve alchohol. at one point i was the only woman in the place surrounded by drunk men - i hauled ass as fast as i could.

Review by pat the rat, 11-27-02 the best c-shop in the dam

this is the first place i hit coming from centraal station. being in my late-30s, this shop caters to folks like me who hate the techno-teeny-bopper crap found in so many other c-shops. classic rock. beer. quality smoke. pretty faces behind the bar. a great place to hang while doing yur laundry in a little place (watch for deadbeat crackhead scum) just across the narrow alley. de kuil has a big bay window in front where can hang, smoke a j or do a bong hit while watching the people go by.

Review by zeppelin, 11-12-02 cool atmosphere

de kuil is a great place. jimi hendrix was playing as we walked in, zeppelin followed. cool music, cool people. laid back atmosphere. good buds and hash. dont miss it.

Review by a visitor, 10-14-02 great place

reasonably large coffeshop with a good selection of weed and hash. the guys behind the counter were all nice. the window seat was the best place to sit. beer was cold and the music was 70's hippie music.

Review by gazman, 09-18-02 superb hash

only nipped in for a bit of solid for using with the bucket we had made in our hotel room.the guy workin at the counter was askin me what kind of stone i was lookin for, but i had already settled for the nepal temple ball, just a pure high he said...and what can i say..he wasnt wrong. very pleasent.

Review by dogbreath, 08-14-02 a class act

visited this shop again in august 02. must say this is a great place to hang out. mixed crowd...... lots of regular locals, a good mix of tourists, and a place where both younger folks and older folks feel quite comfortable. i find it became my 'default' coffee shop, the place i always seemed to end up, several times a day. and there are resident cats... dogs or cats in a coffee shop are always a good sign.

Review by lasthamlet, 07-16-02 top notch, without a doubt...

indeed a very nice establishment. they dont have 20 kinds of ghanja like some shops but lets face it, beyond 6 or 7 kinds it gets too hard to make a choice. all of their varities are very nice and perfect for smoking. i saw a silver pyramid shaped object behind the bud counter. i inquired about it and was given a full demo of it. it was a volcano-vaporizer. man that was one clean hitting machine. i sucked down 4 of them balloons, and man what energy. that is the cleanest way to consume your ghanja. it takes very little ghanja to get a primo high. i came back 5 times on my trip this time to hit the vaporizer. each time i was greated with a warm dekuil welcome. these people are simply wonderful, and very very friendly. this is the top shop in the dam. i hope you enjoy the music cd, my wife and i made for you. thanks greg, for all the friendly help. i will be back some day to buy you another coffee.

Review by a visitor, 06-27-02 best coffeeshop in town

been to amsterdam 9 times in 2-1/2 years, found this place the 4th time there, wish i had found it on my 1st visit. great tunes, beautiful barmaids, nice staff, and cold, cold amstel on tap. open 'till 3:00 am friday and saturday. for my tastes in music, smoke and atmosphere, it cannot be beat. the blueberry was the find of the last trip i took (feb 2002). hands down, my favorite place to hang when in amsterdam.

Review by nick edwards, 05-27-02 this place cannot be beaten!!!

i`ve been to amsterdam 13 times in 7 years and every time i`ve ended up in 'de kuil'.it is simply the best coffeeshop in amsterdam, bar none!! it has the best atmosphere of any coffeeshop i`ve visited. soooooo relaxed. the music is spot on. from (of course)frank zappa to led zeppelin to jimi hendrix and a whole lot more including some eclectic sounds (what can only be classed as stoner music).their choice of weed is limited compared to other more commercial coffeeshops but its of the finest quality and your sure to find a smoke that suits your needs.(the shiva is always nice).the coffee is good, the bar girls are beautiful and easy going, the weed seller is helpful and you can sometimes influence what music is played if you enquire about their vast music collection.you can play pool, drink a beer, smoke a spliff and have a conversation without having to shout.without a doubt the best find i ever made all those years ago.i couldn`t conceive of spending my time anywhere else. top marks!!!

Review by whitedog, 04-25-02 good music - good smoke

i liked this place. good service without an attitude. nice cold beer. zappa on the stereo. and the hazer was very wobbly.

Review by cooter, 04-25-02 need i say more

first place i go straight off the train. always good buds, good tunes, and good times.

Review by harry bud, 03-08-02 music i like

the coffee here is good and the weed menu is nice.the staff are helpful also,while i was there they let a group video tape a weed purchace as a souvioneer.i think the cat likes the contact buzz cause he seems to chill around whoevers smokin.oh yeh the music is at a nice volume and great selection of songs.

Review by dogbreath, 03-01-02 perhaps amsterdams best coffeeshop

the more i visit de kuil, the more i like it. it looks like a bar, and also sells beer in addition to weed and hash, but it feels like a coffee shop. the staff are service oriented and quite pleasant. this is a place where both the grey haired set as well as the younger crowd both feel at home. one finds both tourists and locals here. of all the coffee shops in amsterdam, this is where i seem to end up the most of the time, simply to hang out. :-)

Review by lazy stones, 02-15-02 luverly sticky black

went here finally on my 4th trip to dam. place has lovely old bar, plays rock tunes , barmaid very nice , smoke bloke sold me some nepalise which was very tasty and had a wee chat with us. if you dont know where to go when you come out of centraal station go here its only 5 mins walk max. one of the best for sure.

Review by damon, 01-18-02 my favorite

was in amsterdam in june 01 and just happened to stumble across de kuil (pronounced cowl for my fellow americans). i immediately felt comfortable and could not have been happier finding the place. good music from back in the day and at the perfect volume, loud enough to groove to, but not a deterrent to conversation. nice and mellow w/ cool and knowledgable employees. no teenagers trying to smoke themselves into unconsciousness which was a total bonus. still wondering what the fz stands for on the front window. coming to amsterdam for my birthday in march and this will be my first stop directly from teh train station.

Review by mike , 01-15-02 too much smoke??!

this place is really cool - it's like an old rock bar, good laid-back guitar tunes, an old wooden bar (serving tasty amstel if yer up to the eyeballs from drinking coffee!!!), plenty of tables & seats. i was surprised then to find the hash was very good quality...they put a bit of thought into everything!!!! the dealer was very friendly, showing me the two different varieties that interested me - i can decide a lot quicker when i see the product!! i sat at the bar & there was an american beside me at the bar trying (rather desperately & in vain) to chat up the girl behind the bar..i can't say i blame him...she says she's 37, but has the smile & face of a twenty-something - really classy looking bird too. i noticed he was covering his mouth with a scarf while he wasn't talking ( i began to realise that the smoke from my joint was blowing in his direction)...i overheard him (or rather he made sure that i overheard him)saying that he didn't know whether to cover his mouth or nose. i asked him (nicely) if he had a problem, to which he replied 'i don't want your cancer' - i told him that if he didn't want a kick in the teeth, he'd better change his attitude. that shut the git up - i mean come on, they bomb half the world the complain about a bit of hash smoke? where's the logic in that? next time mate, if you don't like smoke, don't go to a coffeshop...a healthshop is what you're looking for!! besides that, it really is a cool place for a beer & a toke - i'll definitely be back.

Review by cooter, 12-29-01 god i love this place

third time to a-dam and this place gets better every time. i got some blueberry and it was great. wonderful atmosphere and staff.really close to central station. always my first stop.

Review by tarheel, 10-08-01 our favorite

i've been to the dam several times over the past years and this is by far the best coffeeshop i've found in the netherlands. very relaxed, great tunes (at a volume where you can talk with each other), you can purchase a cold beer and blaze one. we've always found the weed to be good and at a reasonable price. this is really an adult coffeeshop, and the folks inside that i've met were really friendly (generally brits & americans & dutch) when in the dam, take the time to find this place and enjoy it. also, there is a really good bakery right across the alley!! perfect for a munch afterwards.

Review by headmixer, 07-26-01 your first stop must be....

the de kuil or the 4:20 as it is also called. walk out of the front of central station and straight across into the main street called damrak. walk up damrak, on the left is a pond type thing with a large brick building at the far end. as you come level with the large brick building you will notice you are standing at a cross-roads. the biggest choice of your stay in amsterdam happens now! if you were facing up damrak the road on your left leads to a large building with big writing near the roof. this is the greenhouse coffeeshop. it is noisy, full of youngsters, loads of souveniers, dodgy weight deals, and crowded out. but is is big and is easy to find. if you turn and take the road on the right however (oudebrugsteeg)you will find a heaven on earth about half way up on the left hand side. it has a green sign above with simply says 4:20. this is an adults coffee shop, the music is at adult volume and you need to be over 25 to have heard any of it before. there's loads of very comfortable seating, the coffee in great, you can have a beer, the weed service is excellent, great weed and hash weighed up in front of you and, so what if it's a little over weight, you don't pay any extra for 0.04 of a gram in here. the advice for those who need it is spot on and the woman working there when i went in was absolutely gorgious as well!!! if you want to act like a teenager, go to the greenhouse or one of the bulldogs. adults who enjoy a smoke without kids around should make the sensible choice.

Review by cooter, 05-01-01 This is what I expected

this is by far the best place I visited of the 8 or so coffeshops that I visited in the Dam. First of all located very close to the Center. Very relaxed music and very nice people. It seemed like the typical dutch place. Don't need togo here if you are expecting blairing house music all the time like most of the other places I went to. I fell in love with the waitstaff here. Beatiful dutch women that were very attentive and respectably dressed. Oh yeah the bud. Again the best that I had in the Dam. I had some of their shiva that was superb. Also got some of the Creme hash that rocked me. I didn't mind spennding a little more on the product due to the high quality and the ambiance. I can't tell you how nice, and fresh this bud was. I will come back to this place more than once. I would say a typical dutch place and don't go if you are looking for some crazy party.

Review by bob, 04-03-01 very cool

this place is literally right in the middle of the rld. nice, relaxing music, good menu selection, friendly staff. try the house hash.

Disclaimer. The reviews listed here are written by the visitors of The Channels website and do not reflect the opinion of The Channels.