Amsterdam changes fast. One minute you’re looking at a historic brown cafe, and the next, it’s been gutted to make room for a sleek, minimalist boutique hotel that charges twenty euros for avocado toast. But then there’s Hill Street Blues. If you walk down Warmoesstraat—one of the oldest and, frankly, most chaotic streets in the city—you’ll find a place that feels like a middle finger to gentrification. Hill Street Blues coffee shop Amsterdam isn't just a place to grab a smoke or a drink; it’s a living, breathing piece of counter-culture history that has somehow survived the city’s massive "clean up" projects.
It’s messy. It’s loud. Every square inch of the walls is covered in stickers, graffiti, and Sharpie tags from travelers who were probably in their twenties back in 1995. You walk in and the smell hits you—a mix of damp stone, old beer, and heavy cannabis smoke. It’s glorious.
The Vibe That Most Tourist Guides Get Wrong
Most travel blogs describe Hill Street Blues as just another "coffeeshop," but that’s technically incorrect. It’s actually a "smoking bar." In the weird, labyrinthine world of Dutch regulations, there’s a distinction. While they used to sell weed directly, they transitioned into a space where you can buy a beer, sit on a couch that has seen better decades, and smoke what you bought elsewhere. This makes it a rarity. Usually, in Amsterdam, you have to choose: booze or bud. Here, you get both.
The interior looks like an explosion in a spray-paint factory. Seriously. From the ceiling to the floorboards, it’s layers upon layers of street art. It feels like a basement dive bar in Berlin mixed with a 1970s London punk club. If you’re looking for white marble and "Instagrammable" aesthetics, you are going to hate it here. But if you want to see the Amsterdam that existed before the influencers arrived, this is the spot.
I remember sitting there on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. The light was dim, the music was some kind of heavy trip-hop, and the guy next to me was meticulously rolling a joint while reading a battered copy of Kerouac. That’s the energy. It’s a place for people who don't want to be perceived.
Why the Location on Warmoesstraat Matters
You can’t talk about Hill Street Blues without talking about the street it sits on. Warmoesstraat is weird. It’s right on the edge of the Red Light District (De Wallen). Historically, this was the heart of the city's trade, but by the late 20th century, it became the epicenter of the underground scene.
🔗 Read more: Woman on a Plane: What the Viral Trends and Real Travel Stats Actually Tell Us
- The Proximity: It’s a five-minute stumble from Centraal Station.
- The View: If you head to the back of the shop, you get a view of the Damrak canal. It’s one of the few places where you can watch the tourist boats go by while you're tucked away in a dark, graffiti-covered corner.
- The Neighbors: You’ve got leather shops, condom boutiques, and high-end restaurants all within a hundred meters.
The "Hill Street" name itself is a nod to the old 80s police drama, which fits the gritty, urban aesthetic they’ve maintained since opening. While the city government has been busy shutting down coffeeshops left and right under "Project 1012" (an initiative to reduce crime in the Red Light District), Hill Street Blues has stood its ground. It’s a survivor.
What to Actually Do When You Get There
Don't just walk in and stand awkwardly by the door. The place is deeper than it looks.
First, grab a drink at the bar. Their milkshakes are legendary. I know, it sounds weird to order a milkshake in a dive bar, but trust me—the chocolate and banana shakes are basically a rite of passage for regulars. If you’re not into dairy, their fresh mint tea is the standard Amsterdam "I’m trying to stay hydrated" choice.
Once you have your drink, head downstairs or find a nook in the back. The seating is basically a collection of mismatched, worn-out leather sofas. They aren't "clean" in the surgical sense, but they are comfortable. This is a place to linger. You don’t come to Hill Street Blues for a quick ten-minute pit stop. You come here to lose two hours staring at the canal or talking to a stranger from New Zealand about their backpacking route.
The Graffiti Policy (Or Lack Thereof)
Can you add your own tag? Technically, the staff might give you a look if you pull out a fat marker and start tagging the bar top, but look around. Every surface is covered. The "art" here is cumulative. It’s a collective diary of every person who has passed through since the doors opened. It gives the place an acoustic warmth, too; all those layers of paper and ink seem to muffle the sounds of the frantic street outside.
💡 You might also like: Where to Actually See a Space Shuttle: Your Air and Space Museum Reality Check
Navigating the Rules: Booze vs. Bud
Let’s get the legal stuff straight because tourists mess this up constantly. Amsterdam’s laws are finicky. Because Hill Street Blues serves alcohol, they generally do not sell cannabis products on-site anymore. They are a "smoking-friendly" bar.
- Buy your green elsewhere: Stop at a dedicated coffeeshop like Green House or The Bulldog (if you must) first.
- Bring it in: As long as you’re buying drinks from the bar, they are usually cool with you rolling up.
- Tobacco Ban: Like the rest of Europe, smoking tobacco inside is a no-no. Use the herbal mixes they provide on the tables or smoke pure. The bouncers are pretty chill, but they have to follow the tobacco laws to keep their license.
It’s a delicate balance. The city has been tightening the screws on "combination" venues. The fact that Hill Street Blues still exists as a place where you can have a Heineken and a smoke is a testament to how well they run the place despite the chaotic appearance.
The Local Perspective: Is It a Tourist Trap?
Honestly? A little bit. Anything on Warmoesstraat is going to attract tourists. But it’s a "good" tourist trap. It’s the kind of place where locals still hang out because the music is consistently better than the chart-topping trash you hear in the more commercial clubs. You’ll hear everything from 90s hip-hop and reggae to obscure electronic tracks.
The staff are pure Amsterdam. They can be a bit blunt—some might say "rude," but that’s just the local charm. If you’re polite and know what you want, they’re great. If you act like a "stoner tourist" who can’t handle their stuff, they will have zero patience for you.
Survival Tips for Your Visit
If you’re planning to hit up Hill Street Blues, keep these things in mind.
📖 Related: Hotel Gigi San Diego: Why This New Gaslamp Spot Is Actually Different
Watch the stairs. They are typical Dutch stairs—steep, narrow, and slightly terrifying if you’ve had one too many. Hold the railing.
Cash is king. While they take cards now, having some small change for tips or quick drink orders makes life easier.
Mind your bags. It’s a crowded, dark bar in the middle of the busiest part of town. Pickpockets love the Red Light District. Keep your backpack in front of you or between your feet.
Go early. If you want one of the coveted seats overlooking the water, get there in the early afternoon. By 8:00 PM, the place is usually packed to the gills with a mix of stag parties, weary travelers, and local characters.
The Verdict on Hill Street Blues
Is it the cleanest place in Amsterdam? Absolutely not. Is it the cheapest? Nope. But Hill Street Blues coffee shop Amsterdam offers something that is becoming increasingly rare in the city: authenticity. It doesn't care if you like its decor. It doesn't care about your TikTok aesthetic. It provides a dark, vibrating, history-soaked corner for people to disappear into for a while.
In a world of corporate rebrands, Hill Street Blues remains stubbornly, unapologetically itself. That alone is worth the price of a pint.
Your Amsterdam Checklist
- Check the hours: They usually open around 9:00 AM or 10:00 AM and go late, but double-check if you're heading there on a weekday.
- Identify the "Smoking" vs "Non-Smoking" sections: Most of the bar is fair game, but always look for signs or ask the bartender if you're unsure.
- Explore the back room: Don't just stay in the front window. The real soul of the place is in the darker corners toward the canal side.
- Respect the vibe: It's a place for chilling. If you're looking to scream and shout, head to a sports bar instead.
The best way to experience it is to just go. Don't overthink it. Walk through the door, grab a milkshake, find a corner covered in 20-year-old stickers, and watch the world go by. You’ll realize pretty quickly why people keep coming back decade after decade. It’s one of the last bastions of the "Old Amsterdam" we all fell in love with.