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After Dark

Top 5 shisha lounges in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is not Berlin or London when it comes to shisha: good shisha lounges are scarce here, and the gap between a great session and a tourist trap is big. Below are the five spots actually worth your evening, plus everything to know before you go: nicotine or not, where you can smoke, what it costs and how to spot a good lounge.

Updated · September 2026

The top 5 shisha lounges

01

Club Smokey

The Rembrandtplein icon

Interior of Club Smokey in Amsterdam
Photo of Club SmokeyPhoto of Club Smokey
Photos: Club Smokey, Kayleigh Stockings · Google Maps
Rembrandtplein 18-20, 1017 CV Amsterdam (Centrum)
Mo–Th 12:00–04:00 · Fr–Sa 12:00–05:00 · Su 12:00–04:00
€€€

Right on Rembrandtplein, Smokey is less a lounge than an institution: part hookah bar, part cocktail bar, part club, with a front-row terrace on the square and the longest opening hours on this list by a distance — the pipes here keep going until four or five in the morning. That's the pitch: when the rest of the city's shisha spots have stacked their chairs, Smokey is just warming up. Be clear about what you're signing up for, though. This is the loud, busy, unapologetically touristy heart of Amsterdam nightlife, and the prices match the postcode. Come with a group, take the terrace, order a cocktail alongside the pipe and treat it as part of the night out — that's when Smokey is exactly right.

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02

Cafe Mazazik

The connoisseur's choice

Interior of Cafe Mazazik in Amsterdam
Photo of Cafe MazazikPhoto of Cafe Mazazik
Photos: Shishabar Mazazik Amsterdam · Google Maps
Sperwerlaan 27, 1021 EM Amsterdam (Noord)
Mo–Th 15:00–01:00 · Fr–Sa 15:00–03:00 · Su 15:00–01:00
€€

Ask Amsterdam's shisha regulars where they actually go and this Noord address comes up again and again. Mazazik does the whole ritual properly: well-built pipes, coals that get changed without asking, Egyptian-style tea that's strong and plentiful, and a halal kitchen that turns a smoke into a full evening — the chicken tawook is the move. It's a modest, unflashy room and it fills up, so come early or call ahead. Kitchen closes around midnight and closing time is enforced strictly (that's city policy, not attitude). A short bus ride from Noorderpark station, and worth every minute of it.

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03

BigShots Bar

The lively one

Interior of BigShots Bar in Amsterdam
Photo of BigShots BarPhoto of BigShots Bar
Photos: Big Shots Bar Amsterdam, Rubén Alvarado · Google Maps
Warmoesstraat 94, 1012 JH Amsterdam (Centrum)
Mo–Th 11:00–01:00 · Fr–Sa 11:00–03:00 · Su 11:00–01:00
€€

Right on the Warmoesstraat, BigShots is what happens when a proper hookah bar and a cocktail bar share a room — and it works. The margaritas have a city-wide reputation, the pipes are solid, and the crowd is buzzy without tipping into stag-party chaos. Photo-friendly decor, music that stays on the right side of loud, and staff who clearly enjoy the place themselves. This is the pick when shisha is part of the night out rather than the whole plan: start here, and the rest of the centre is on your doorstep.

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04

middleat

Dinner first, smoke after

Interior of middleat in Amsterdam
Photo of middleatPhoto of middleat
Photos: Omer Alabadi, Ayser Almhanna, middl.eat مطعم عربي ، شيشه واركيله كافيه · Google Maps
Reguliersdwarsstraat 21, 1017 BJ Amsterdam (Centrum)
Mo–Th 12:00–23:00 · Fr 12:00–23:30 · Sa–Su 12:00–23:00
€€

On the Reguliersdwarsstraat, middleat is first and foremost one of the better Middle Eastern kitchens in the centre — creamy hummus, proper baba ganoush, juicy skewers, generous halal plates — with shisha served on the terrace as the natural closing act. That combination is rarer in Amsterdam than you'd think, and it makes this the ideal address for a full evening in one place: long dinner, then a pipe outside as the street comes alive. Note the earlier closing time compared to the dedicated lounges; this is a restaurant at heart, so plan it as a dinner-plus rather than a late-night session.

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05

Hookah Lounge Amsterdam

The classic lounge

Interior of Hookah Lounge Amsterdam in Amsterdam
Photo of Hookah Lounge AmsterdamPhoto of Hookah Lounge Amsterdam
Photos: Hookah Lounge Amsterdam | Shisha and Drinks, abdullah sadawi · Google Maps
Kinkerstraat 346, 1053 GE Amsterdam (West)
Mo–Th 14:00–01:00 · Fr–Sa 14:00–03:00 · Su 14:00–01:00
€€

The name says exactly what it is: a dedicated lounge on the Kinkerstraat with modern, well-maintained pipes, an abundant flavour menu and mint tea that keeps coming. The room is intimate — cosy on a quiet evening, elbow-to-elbow when it fills up, so groups larger than three or four should aim for an off-peak slot. What you come for is the core craft: consistent smoke, attentive coal service and a laid-back crowd that's here for the pipe, not the party. If you want the classic lounge experience without crossing the IJ, this is the one.

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Nicotine or herbal: what are you smoking?

Shisha tobacco

The classic choice: tobacco with molasses and flavouring. Contains nicotine. This is what most lounges serve by default.

Herbal mix

A tobacco-free mix, often based on sugar cane fibre or tea. Nicotine-free, but you still inhale smoke and carbon monoxide.

Steam stones

Stones soaked in flavouring that produce vapour instead of smoke. Nicotine-free and the lightest option.

The rules in the Netherlands

  • Smoking indoors is banned in all hospitality venues, including shisha lounges, with or without tobacco.
  • Smoking rooms in bars and restaurants are no longer allowed.
  • You can smoke on an outdoor terrace, as long as it is fully open on at least one side. A closed conservatory doesn't count.
  • Since 1 July 2024, bars and restaurants may no longer sell tobacco; shisha lounges and coffeeshops are exempt.
  • Tobacco is 18+ only. Bring your ID.

How to spot a good shisha lounge

Coals get refreshed

Staff come by unasked to change the coals. A harsh, bitter taste usually means the bowl is too hot.

Clean hoses

Good lounges give each person their own mouthpiece and rinse the pipe after every guest.

An honest flavour menu

A clear menu with tobacco and nicotine-free options, and staff who tell you what you're smoking.

Truly outdoors

An open terrace where smoking is allowed under the rules, with heaters or blankets in colder months.

Shisha in Amsterdam: frequently asked questions

  • Does shisha contain nicotine?
    Usually, yes. Classic shisha tobacco (molasses) contains nicotine, and shisha lounges are allowed to sell tobacco. Nicotine-free herbal mixes and steam stones also exist. Ask the staff if you want to be sure.
  • Can you smoke shisha indoors in Amsterdam?
    No. The Dutch hospitality smoking ban also applies to shisha lounges, with or without tobacco, and smoking rooms are no longer allowed. Smoking is allowed on an outdoor terrace that is fully open on at least one side.
  • What's the difference between shisha, hookah and waterpipe?
    They're three names for the same thing: a water pipe in which flavoured tobacco or a herbal mix is heated with coals, and the smoke is drawn through water.
  • Is it 18+?
    Yes. Tobacco may only be sold to adults in the Netherlands; lounges may ask for ID.
  • Can I walk in without a reservation?
    Weeknights usually yes. On Friday and Saturday evenings it's smart to call ahead, especially with a group or if you want a terrace spot.
  • How long does a pipe last?
    Roughly an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the bowl and how often the coals are refreshed.
  • Is shisha less harmful than cigarettes?
    No. A session means inhaling a lot of smoke, including nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide from the coals. Herbal mixes also produce combustion products and carbon monoxide.

The framework

  • 18+ only.
  • Editorial list, no paid placements.
  • Shisha usually contains nicotine; smoking indoors is banned, on an open outdoor terrace it's allowed.
  • Rules checked with the Dutch government, NVWA and KHN (September 2026).