Things to do in Amsterdam for groups

Belt your heart out

The Duke of Tokyo karaoke bar is legendary in Amsterdam, and best of all, you can hire a private booth to serenade your friends without fear of strangers cringing on the sidelines. Taking inspiration from the backstreets of Tokyo, this bar is fully equipped with zingy cocktails, sake and spirits to keep you singing all night long. Booths hold 4 to 25 people, so if you wannabe the Spice Girls or sing butter than BTS, there's plenty of space to rock out.

Read this guide to the best karaoke bars in Amsterdam for more places to make your voice hoarse.

Solve cryptic riddles

If you love a themed event and cryptic clues, team up for an escape room adventure. Amsterdam is home to all sorts of experiences; find hidden notes and puzzling conundrums in Xitroom, or help a Soviet scientist finish his invention in Back to USSR! There’s something for every imagination.

Rent a boat

Cruising Amsterdam’s canals is the best way to see the city, and if you’re celebrating a special occasion, or you want your own space, hire a boat to sail at your own pace. Cruise companies like Those Dam Boat Guys offer private tour packages with a knowledgeable skipper, while Mokumboot lets you navigate the waters yourself. 

Get competitive

Take on your friends or colleagues in the more laid-back settings of The Poolbar or Mooie Boules, where you can engage in some light teasing over your pal’s unfortunate petanque technique. Do you want to decide, once and for all, who’s the better gamer? Challenge your friends at some of the city's retro arcade and game halls like TonTonClub, full of retro arcade games to test your dexterity and dance mat precision or head onto the battlefield at Paintball Spaarnwoude.

Get lost on a walk

Take a headcount, pack some snacks and step out for a group walking tour around the city. Amsterdam has plenty of options for discovering the city on foot, from alternative walking and cycling routes exploring the Dutch capital’s counterculture to an LGBTQI+ history route or a green and sustainable route. Be sure to decide on a meeting point should someone lose their way…

Perfect for sharing

For a more informal affair, Amsterdam has countless restaurants ideal for shared dining. From Lebanese mezze to the Venetian concept of ‘Cicchetti’ or the Indonesian Rijsttafel, find beautiful tapas plates and abundant food-laden platters in all corners of the capital. Check out our restaurant guide for shared dining, or head to the colossal food hall at De Foodhallen in Amsterdam West, where you're sure to find something that suits everyone.

Smart restaurants for groups

If you want to impress your guests, some of Amsterdam’s top restaurants in gorgeous settings offer enough space and special menus for groups. Take, for instance, Hotel de Goudfazant on the waterfront of Amsterdam Noord which is massive, making it a great choice for larger group dinners (30-50 people). See more restaurants for groups

Places to drink

You won’t be short of places to take your group for a drink in Amsterdam, from brown bars to grand cafes and everything in between. Here are some of our spacious favourites:

• Proeflokaal van Wees is a canalside tasting room for the van Wees Distillery. Here, you can sample a range of locally distilled jenevers paired with bar snacks that will give you the perfect introduction to traditional Dutch cuisine.
• Serious beer fans are also well catered for in Amsterdam, thanks to its many microbreweries and tasting rooms. Brouwerij Homeland has become a hub of additive-free, honest beer with fresh flavour combos to be enjoyed on a large waterfront deck overlooking the Eastern Dock. De Bierfabriek is known not only for its world-class, house-brewed beer but also for its hearty dishes. Better yet, its self-serve tap tables make it ideal for stress-free get-togethers.
• Head to spacious summer terraces such as Hanneke's Boom or Waterkant in the summer for sunshine, tropical drinks and snacks.
• Café Americain, located in the famous Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American, is the oldest grand café in the Netherlands, dating back to 1902. As well as a beautiful antique chandelier-lit interior, it boasts a large terrace to soak up the summer sun on Leidseplein.