http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32660 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32660 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32082
A bar/lounge/restaurant on Prinsengracht, one of the main canals that make up the city center, Bo Cinq (I have no idea what that means - will have to check with them on my next visit) is a great spot for a drink or a bite to eat. Lined with red bricks on both sides of the long, low-ceilinged interior, this place just makes you 50% cooler and relaxed as soon as you walk in the door. The low-slung couches and chairs invite you to lean in or get close to people. If that's not your thing, the other room has a long bar made for standing and mingling.

The ambiance is great - toeing the line but staying well on the good side of pretentiousness, with good tunes and good-looking people hovering near the 30-year-old mark. The vibe is good for groups and singles, though you won't feel like you're in a meat market. Subtlety is the key to the place, in the food and the mood. Later in the evening, it fills up and the energy follows suit.

They have other things going on each week, including a canal boat tour that leaves from just outside its doors - check out the website: bo5.nl/index.php

It's not cheap, mind you, with pricey cocktails appetizers that are a little too precious for my taste - they quality is great, but one might prefer some heartier fare when having a few drinks. But overall it's well worth a visit.

(Tip: if you want to use your phone here or you're waiting for an SMS that hasn't come, head outside for a moment. Inside, you're surrounded by too much brick and only the heartiest of mobiles will have a signal).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32082 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24171 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24171 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23345
Genever is one of Hollands most traditional products and Bols is the oldest. The experience includes: History, tasting experiment, video of yourself flaring and a cocktail of choice.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23345 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23185 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23185 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19565 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19565 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18748
And once you've bought some for later, why not pop into Café Gollem to try a couple on tap and maybe a Kaasplank (literally a plank with cheese & bread on it). Very satisfying. There's also a second branch of Café Gollem right by the Albert Cuyp Market in the Pijp district.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18748 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17998 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17998 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16638 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16638 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14816 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14816 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14195 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14195 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14184 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14184 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14098 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14098 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14037 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14037 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13995
The food is rich and Mediterranean, and drinks are pricey, but the artsy, cool crowd are surprisingly unpretentious. The cosy bar beneath is done in similarly lush style with mirrors, pillars and couches completing the sultry effect.

Live DJs keep playing until late and the measures in your cosmopolitan are maximalist not minimalist. An absolute must for all visitors to Amsterdam.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13995 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12284 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12284 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11137
Tucked away in a side street, there are hundreds of Belgian beers on offer to satisfy the connoisseur, yet the hip young crowd and funky sounds keep away the crusties and coach tours.

If you have to drink mass-produced Heineken, don't worry, there's hundreds of other cafes to choose from.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11137 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11134
Very cool (but not "too cool") and the staff were friendly.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11134 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10843 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10843