Bluebird

Nikolaï sent 15 May 2023
Small and cosy coffeeshop with multiple sitting areas, terrace and a couple of seats with a great view on the street and the Zuiderkerk bell tower. The place has been rebuilt during the Covid but keeps the original vibe intact (except maybe for the tobacco being banned inside). Staff is friendly and welcoming, from the smiling barista to the 250lb bouncer :-) Hash is sold in small, individual plastic cases that I didn't find really convenient to use - but whatever. Standard drink and prices, qualitative soundtrack, overall a really nice place to enjoy the first spliff in the morning.
> Parvati at 12.50€/0.9g (13.80€/g) First-class hash, dark, soft, oily, a bit sticky, with a subtle, spicy smell. Rolled easily in threads, burns quickly in a sweet, tasty smoke. Pure sativa effect : clear, dreamy, numbing but not tiring, full-headed buzz, fitted for day activities. Nice alternative to the Manali since imports are slowing down those days. Worth 100% of the price.
> Nepal at 12.50€/1.5g (8.30€/g) - update 05.12.2023: price changed overnight to 12.50€/0.9g (13.80€/g) Deep black hash with a beautiful texture and the rich, musky/earthy signature smell from Nepal region. Batch was a little bit dry/hard and needed some light pre-heating to roll (it was the only hash of the trip I had to cut into crumbles instead of making a thread). Sweet taste, relaxing effect that will send you ever so gently to a wonderful bubble of peace and harmony. Absolute banger at the initial price; still alright after increase (new batch looked a lot like the previous one but I didn't taste it TBH).

Rafiki from Germany visited 2015; sent 16 Jun 2019
Visited the shop in the evening. Located behind a church-building. Spiral stair up to the counter. They did have a volcano. Got some regular Cheese that a super friendly French budtender recommended, super compact and easy to smoke. See you next time?

Cody from USA sent 5 Apr 2019
The quality of the marijuana is top notch. This was the first coffee shop we stopped at and was the last before we left. I went to a few shops while in Amsterdam, and in my opinion Bluebird has the right prices at a top notch quality. We're coming back and Bluebird is at the top of the list.

Fomochel from Germany sent 24 May 2017
Best coffee shop I've ever been in my 4 visits of this beautiful city. High quality products and acceptable prices, I absolutely recommend the different types of their hash, in particular the Temple Ball, and, of course, their wonderful freshly made milkshakes. Furthermore very comfortable wooden furniture. On my next visit in Amsterdam I will go straight to the Blue Bird, I really love it.

Sam from Wales sent 26 Feb 2013
Good weed and decent staff n seating areas.

Atxxim from Portugal sent 25 Feb 2012
Very friendly staff (how about that?) nice weed and hash.

Atxxim from Portugal sent 22 Feb 2011
Blue Cheese is top 5.

Half-Pickled-Turnip from UK sent 17 Jan 2011
Well cool decor, like being in a jungle or something. Staff nice, not that packed but that was nice (would have thought more people would be in there though as this place was brill!) Only place we found a bit of spotnik! Had very cheap ice hash as well. Volcano's Cyprus Hill playing, rosebud tea, perfect :D Wish we'd found this place a lot sooner as would've stopped for a wake and bake every day!

Paul from USA sent 2 Mar 2009
My wife and I patroned Bluebird at least 4 times on our honeymoon (we tried to go to different places all the time but this place!). Let me just say that Bluebird is nuts! Steep stairs leading to the budtender on the 2nd floor can be a challenge to navigate if you are already stoned. The place is always busy, always, period! I've been there at 2PM and 2AM and it never slows down! The hash menu is located on a shelf along the wall on your left as you approach the bar. Be prepared to look quick, it's busy and people aren't necessarily patient. The hash menu is extensive and I tried some Mexican Ice and Nepalese Pollen which were both pretty good. Their space cake tastes fantastic, I bought two pieces and by the time I ate them I was too inebriated to tell if they were effective but they were tasty! Bluebird sells cool schwag and I bought an awesome beanie. It's so warm and snuggly, just perfect for the cold Amsterdam spring nights. Bluebird was a cool place, and the Café Tisfris across the street is exceptionally good!

B&E from USA sent 11 Oct 2008
I've been to this place the past three times I've been in Amsterdam. It's a big tourist place, but it's a quick way to get some herb and smoke a joint. It gets very crowded and the steps can be dangerous if you get really stoned (I remember falling down them in 1997). I like the second floor area though and it's a nice place to meet other travelers if folks are being talkative. There is outside seating here as well.

Micky W from UK sent 17 Sep 2007
Went in here on recommendation and because it has a good reputation and must say I don't know what the fuss is all about. The staff were rude and didn't seem like they could be bothered, but as the place was packed I thought I'd make a purchase and feel the vibe. Got a gram of Northern Lights and a bottle of coke and found a seat. They were playing the Appetite for Destruction album by Guns n Roses which would have been great in 1992 but a little out of date to be playing in its entirety in 2007. The place was full of American students slouching around the place in a stereotypically American student type manner saying things like "this is good shit" and "yea man" whilst appearing completely stoned out of their minds, at least they were happy. Unlike me. The shit was no good man, bad taste and as chokey as I've had anywhere, coughed my guts up, gave remainder of shit to American guy and left. Never to return.

Chris from UK sent 31 Mar 2007
This place came highly recommended by friends and being near our apartment we thought we better check it out. I had heard loads of people raving about their "Blue Cheese" grass so I duly bought some. It tasted pretty nice although not like Cheese more like NYC Diesel but not quite as sharp and was a pleasant stone. The shop itself is on 2 levels with some nasty stairs. It was quite a young crowd when we were in which made it quite lively with techno music (argh) pumping out. The dealer wasn't particularly talkative but not rude either. And the hot chocs were ace. Overall not really my scene but a nice shop with decent weed. 7/10

Got lost in Adam (s+f) from Germany sent 9 Oct 2006
Nothing changed there since years. Every Coffeeshop-visiting-traveller in Amsterdam should have seen the book of gods and the book of dreams! They have a great and big choice of weed, Moroccan and black hash. We bought some Nepalese, which was good, like everytime. Smoked a bong there, a big, clean acryl one, like everytime. We chilled on the couch upstairs and ate some well tasting ham-cheese toasts.

Stygian23 from USA sent 21 Sep 2006
Though there is a small seating area just within the door, the shop lies up the usual steep stairs. To the left is a lounge with a sweeping couch and the right holds a small bar and some tables. The buds were pretty damn good (I was particularly fond of the Kushage) when I was there in May. Stopped in here quite a few days and relaxed a few hours without anyone hassling me. Good shop. Will return.

Doody from USA visited May 30-June 7; sent 18 Jul 2006
Hadn't been in this shop for a couple of trips, still the same good ol' place w/ the "functional" hooka on the coffee table upstairs. The "G-13 x Haze" is really very, very good, even if a little high in price at 12 euro a gram. Menu still has examples of all the choices in a big book, fun to sit and go through. Service was very nice, played a game of pinball, got a fresh squeezed OJ, sat downstairs, watched football, rolled a big puur fatty, and shared it with a fellow from England. Very good time and "cheers" if you are reading this.

Tyler H from USA sent 16 Jun 2006
This place was pretty cool looking from the outside, but looked even cooler from the inside. I was thinking it was gonna be amazing, so I climbed up the stairs to get to the shop and it was hotter than blazes up there, had to be 90*F at least. The people working there were more interested with locals than us, and the weed was only average. The guy working did play sweet techno trance music on request rather then some stuff he had on when I walked in that sucked, which was cool.

Jonathan from UK sent 18 Apr 2006
We got there and it was extremely crowded, but the menu was so attractive and my friend had been talking it up for so long that we had to stay. After I rolled a spliff standing, the couch opened up and we jumped on it immediately. We blazed bare zoots and then we all had a craving for some black hash in a bong, but neither me nor my 3 friends could move from the couch. The coffeeshop dude came by and I gave him a 5 euro tip to get us a bong and he was happy to do so. Once we were stoned out of our minds from some nice ice-olator and array of squidgy black hashes the dude proceeded to bring us about 6 or 7 free vaporizers and we got nailed to the couch for the rest of the night. Their Lavender and Blue Haze were both particularly nice.

Matt from USA sent 15 Mar 2006
Exceptionally friendly people, where more than willing to make you feel at home, although the music selection wasn't what I would normally listen to (techno something or other). It was worth the stop just to be treated like a human and not a source of Euros! Highly recommend you "Fly by, fly high"!

Beth from USA sent 15 Mar 2006
It was really crowded when I went, but I still loved this place. Granted, I didn't appreciate the whole 'you can't smoke what you didn't buy in here' policy, I still bought a t-shirt and had some great bud. The menu is long and diverse, and I loved it. They even had some named Star Warz. Now, who could beat that? Plus, it is two stories and offers a good view at passerby.

Enrico from Germany sent 8 Jan 2006
Good stuff menu, this shit little shop is everyday from morning to evening overfilled.

AzLaker from USA visited 10/20; sent 24 Oct 2005
Next stop after Amnesia. Multilevel, bought a nice gram of G-13/Haze. Sat on the nice big comfy couch, had a coffee with the wife and chilled. Place got busy real fast, but guy behind the counter kept it moving nicely. Ask the lady if I could buy some coasters, and she turned me on to 5 or so, super nice, I had to give her a euro.

Ross from USA visited Aug 23-30; sent 8 Oct 2005
The best coffeeshop I visited in my 7 night stay in Amsterdam! The selection of weed was by far the most amazing. The weed menu with samples to look at, was a stoners fantasy. The dealer was incredibly sweet and helpful. Very crowded when I stopped by, but still very cozy and friendly atmosphere. The next time I am in Amsterdam, I will be sure to make it my first stop!

Valo from England sent 17 Jun 2005
Home of my favourite weed from my recent (May 2005) trip - the Blue Cheese! The shop was fairly busy at the time I paid a visit, but if there were more space available I would have been happy to spend some time here as it hosted a happy, social atmosphere. A bit ugly in terms of decoration I thought and not my type of music (dance or whatever it's called!), but I can't let that spoil what I thought to be a trip more than worth the effort.

John & Jo from England sent 16 Dec 2004
Excellent weed menu, got very busy, heavy trance music but didn't find this a coffeeshop to chill in. Brought 1.3g of Super Skunk for 7 Euros.

Dave B from Wales sent 30 Nov 2004
This was the first shop we entered, walked through the entrance and up the stairs. Its very cramped but with a nice sofa and table with a sheesha pipe. We looked through the menu book, but it seemed to have more hash than weed. My friend ordered the Double Zero, and I just asked for some light green to start me off. The Double Zero looked great, but my tiny bag of brown weed smelt rubbish and cost about 7 Euros for a very small amount. The dealer was not friendly at all, and I'm sure he slipped me this rubbish weed on purpose so we left. If you go to that area there is another coffee shop called Reefer that has some great Bubblegum and Isolator hash.

J.C. from USA sent 19 Nov 2004
This is probably the best run shop in Amsterdam. Great coffee, great Sage. They worked very hard to clear the tables and serve everyone well. And a beautiful place with good music too. Tons of Red Hot Chilli Peppers one day. If the kid from Kentucky feels like they didn't like his accent, it might be because everyone knows the South is a bunch of Bush-loving, radical religious extremists. Or maybe they were just mildly amused and he was a little bit paranoid.

Patrick from USA visited March '04; sent 6 Nov 2004
As you walk in to Bluebird, there are several seats downstairs and upstairs is the bud. And since I was born and raised from Kentucky, I do have a Southern Drawl. And I felt real uncomfortable after I ordered, because I could hear the people making fun of the way I talk. My accent is usually a conversation starter, but not this time.

Rob from USA visited 1-10 Oct '04; sent 12 Oct 2004
Happened across it one afternoon, and recognized the name from this website. I had not gotten hash yet on the trip, so I got the Wachter (sp?) Cream hash from Nepal, and it was sooooo nice. Made me warm as toast on the inside. Sat upstairs by the window and people-watched. Great coffee, too. I really recommend this place as a daytime chill spot.

Chris from USA sent 6 Aug 2004
They had a great selection, the staff was helpful and the Ice-o-Lator was some of the best ice method hash in the city.

Kane and Hannah from UK sent 25 Jun 2004
The coolest thing about this place was the menu; it was two binders, one for the weed and one for the hash, and it had little samples of the product on sale laminated onto the pages. I can't say more about the place though, as it was so full that we purchased some Kali Mist and left as there was nowhere to sit (or stand!). The Kali Mist was killer, though.

Peter from France visited 16/04/04; sent 22 Apr 2004
I start the night with a pack of withe weadhow!! So good, so hard! Because we can't smoke good quality weed in France, it was a great change to smoke a good quality of weed! Very nice coffeeshop because only local people go there and no tourists like us!

Dabong from England visited Mar 04; sent 7 Apr 2004
Cool atmosphere, cool seats and amazing smoke on offer. First night I arrived, stumbled into the coffee shop straight away about 10 o'clock on a Thursday evening. Place had only a few customers in so was able to get the comfy couch and some jetlag as recommended by the dealer. Nice smiley high and the best cup of coffee in the dam. ...and the isolator, wow, a big thumbs up. Made my trip to the dam very interesting.

Lisa and Darren from UK visited Feb 28; sent 7 Mar 2004
After a mad battle through the airport and train station touts we finally arrived at our favourite coffeeshop. This is a medium-sized coffeeshop, in comparison to the rest, and by far the best for your selection of bud as well as snacks (munchies). Bluebird's staff are friendly and hospitable, the shop consists of two floors with the counters situated upstairs to the right of the shop. They have the cheapest and best selection of bud for the quantities provided. We purchased some Sweettooth on our arrival and two large hot chocolates with fresh cream, v. nice :) The coffeeshop's location offers a bit more peace and tranquillity as opposed to some others and is definitely a must either on your way into or out of Amsterdam. Basically no trip is complete without visiting Bluebird!

Doody from USA sent 23 Jan 2004
There are two levels inside the Bluebird; the main entrance floor, where they have several stools to sit and relax, then an upper floor with a main weed/coffee bar, tables with stools to the right, and a chill out area with a nice couch to the left, complete with huge windows to look out and a Hooka water pipe on the coffee table!!! The coffee bar also serves teas, several juices and energy drinks, try the fresh squeezed OJ. They also have light food available. They don't serve bier or alcohol, but just North (right out the front door) on the Nieuwmarket square is cafe "t'loosje" and "Cafe Cuba," both have bier, and the best mojitos I have ever had at the latter!!! My first visit to the Bluebird back in 2000 I tried the "Poison" hash, it was a black type of hash, excellent. This time around back in August I tried and highly recommend two wonderful indicas; "Warlock" (mix?) and "Star Wars," both are worth it!!! Another bonus at the Bluebird is the pinball machine, not many in town have them. The staff was very friendly and informative, ambiance was good, weed was killer, juice spectacular, I give Bluebird 4 stars.

Natasha from UK sent 20 Jan 2004
Great place to get a snack and a smoke, recommend.

Ady from UK sent 2 Jan 2004
This place was very nice; we spent a lot of time in there as it was close to my hostel. The big sofa, the big bong in the middle of the table is great and it's a very nice place to have a chill and a big spliff, the staff were cool the skunk was good, didn't try any hash from here. But a good coffeeshop.

Rob from USA sent 24 Nov 2003
(10/10): Another favorite, and just behind Anyday. At Bluebird they have great couches for sitting, some really great hash (King Hassan) for puffing, and another great staff. One local worker gave me some herb to try that has no name and isn't yet available in shops in Amsterdam, and let me tell you it was the most potent mind bending buzz of the trip. I loved it. Great people, generally a place to sit, oh and Flintstones Pinball which is surprisingly great after sharing a joint with new friends on the couch.

Michael from Austria sent 16 Nov 2003
A great menu, that let beat the heart of a cannabisseur higher. The shop has 2 stages, always when I visited the shop all seat places were occupied. The music of the shop and the ambience wasn't my taste, what has always moved me to leave the Bluebird as soon as possible. Rating: Mixed

Coolnout from USA visited Sept 2003; sent 26 Sep 2003
Nice place to hang out with a very helpful staff that will guide you to a wonderful selection of hash and marijuana. My request to the dealer was for something strong and his recommendation was for marijuana called; Jet Lag. A sweet, smooth smoke with big "ass kicking", properties!

Brew from USA sent 2 Aug 2003
Out of the way but great selection in the photo album sample menu. We got some Bubblegum and it was delicious and stony. Interesting Star Trek/a la 1970's interior design. On a sour note, a dreadlocked employee (male) scolded me for accidentally stepping over a yellow line that delineated the dealer area from the public area and grumbled at me in broken English "I hurt you if you cross dees line again" .... I wasn't sure what to think of this whether he was being funny or not but it will make me think twice before I step into Bluebird ever Again. A prime example of the rude treatment that non-Dutch get in some shops.

Jeremy from USA sent 15 Jul 2003
Located way down towards the end of the Damstraat, the Bluebird in my opinion simply isn't worth the walk. Their place is huge with at least two large levels of fun and games. The thing I don't like is the menu or "Bible". Basically it showcases each type of hash and weed by placing a small sample in a baggy within the book. You then pick what you like based on looks (not smell) and make your purchase of pre-packaged weed. The problem I had was the samples didn't seem to be too fresh and non-representative of the actual product.
As I mentioned they have a large place that is decorated and maintained very well. I believe they were another full service bar also.

Noel from England sent 6 Jul 2003
It's been a couple of years since I was last in Amsterdam and Bluebird. For me it remains one of the best coffee shops to visit. As an occasional user of cannabis I was most grateful for the advice to use just a half piece of the superb Space Cake. Sensible advice from very friendly staff.

John M. from UK sent 18 Jun 2003
Went in here on our last night. Still a nice place to go, gets a bit busy in evenings but luckily when we went there was seating downstairs. I went upstairs to look through their bibles of weed and hash, I bought a drink and a slice of their space cake which was fresh for me and my wifey (can actually taste the weed in this) then decided on some S.A.G.E cost about 10 euros for 1 gram, I wasn't disappointed was real nice high. The dealer was OK, looked hacked off but was still polite, so another S.A.G.E with Super Afghan spliff later we decided to go, Definitely worth a stop. I'll be going back next year for some of their goodies.

J.C. from USA visited Mar 20-27, 2003; sent 24 Apr 2003
I went one day and tried the AK47. It was good, but nothing to write home about. The dealer wasn't that cool. But I really liked the place because they have a lot of windows on a busy street and it was great to just sit there and watch the world go by. The music was good too, a welcome respite from all that techno crap. Since it was a nice place I went back another day to give it another try. There was much nicer dealer working, and after talking with him and one other guy I decided on the Star Warz. An excellent choice. They said it was a double indica with a nice flavor and I found it to be all that and more. What a physically comfortable, and way spacey buzz, I loved it and put it near the top of my all-time favorites list.

Jamie from UK sent 9 Apr 2003
[10/10]: If you are going to visit one coffee shop in the whole entire city of Amsterdam let it be the Bluebird! Discreet and unimposing in its location, once inside it's doors your eyes will feast upon the 'birds beautiful and psychedelic wall paintings and drawings. The entire coffee shop is awash in colour including the L-Shaped maroon sofa that everyone pounced on whenever they saw someone leaving! I'd go to Bluebird's just for the art that is on the walls and presentation of the shop generally. The atmosphere is relaxed and a good vibe buzzes through the entire shop. The decor of the shop and the mood it stirs in you is truly unique to the Bluebird. Once you climb the stairs from the main entrance, that consists of a few stools, you'll see a non alcohol bar to the right, a large maroon sofa to the left that is opposite large windows that have stools placed all the way along for people to enjoy their smoke and finally, and almost most importantly, to the left of the stairs is a pin ball machine that had me playing on it in a stoned haze for at least 45 minutes. The Bluebird, unlike most coffee shops, has a "Bible of Dope" which is a folder with a sample alongside its name of every hash, skunk, and weed in the shop. This is a good way, but not an entirely accurate one, of seeing what the texture and potency of the smoke will be like that you purchase. If you're still in doubt about what you want to smoke having consulted the Bible (there is an extensive selection) the dealer, who was more than friendly and accommodating when I was there, will be very willing to hear what kind of high you're looking for and will recommend you the best weeds for your needs. I'd recommend the Kali Mist (a fantastic Sativa high) and any one of their teas, coffees or juices (although the prices are steep for drinks which is a shame because the dope is reasonably priced). We bought 3 different skunks here and 2 hashes and were not disappointed by one although in fairness the effects eventually became a complete blur! However I'd recommend when you go to the Bluebird you tell the dealer the kind of effect you're after and the potency you want and he'll point you in the right direction. Overall I implore you to at least give Bluebird a try. I've never met anyone who has been there who hasn't fallen in love with it. It's also been recommended to me by a few coffee shop owners and their employees themselves which is surely a sign of true strength.

N_Mo from USA sent 21 Dec 2002
The Bluebird was special because of their good selection and price, along with a cool dealer and a good place to sit and smoke on both floors--2 is for the locals and Euro smokers, 1 is mainly for tourists to enjoy the clean air of the lower floor along with amazing buds. Really, a great deal on every page of the notebook filled with strains (veterans know what this means). Definitely up in the top 10, easy.

B-Li from USA
This is hands down my favorite coffeeshop in Amsterdam. In all my trekking through this grand city and the sampling of her wares, I can truly say that I have never had a bad experience at this well-run establishment.
For nearly twenty years, The Bluebird has been a staple on the cannabis circuit, known for its total package of selection, service, atmosphere, and location, all at a reasonable price.
Located on a busy shopping street just off the edge of the Red Light District, this two-story grass delicatessen is calmingly decked out in murals and blue tones throughout, emitting a soothing ambience to sit back and get zonked in. The upper level is the nerve center of the operation, where all commerce takes place.
The 'Bird has two huge binder books, one for hash and one for grass, each crammed throughout with pictures, descriptions, and even a sample bag glued right to the page so you can get an idea ahead of time of what your guilders will be going for. In addition, the dealers are very personable and always happy to lend a hand if you know the kind of high you're after but not quite sure how to narrow the playing field down to one particular variety.
As for food and drinks, they also excel in this department. At least half a dozen organic teas, good coffee and a multitude of soft or fruit drinks are at your disposal, and are pretty darn cheap to boot (at fl 2.50, their coffees are among the cheapest in town). Their orange juice is incredible, and like most establishments in Amsterdam, it's freshly squeezed right on the spot before your very eyes. If the munchies are striking, you can choose from mini vegetarian pizzas or samosas, and occasionally, sushi. A perfect dirt-cheap option for a mid-afternoon snack or meal to keep the body humming during the epic drug orgy that's taking place inside it.
If you like up and energetic sativa highs, then make sure and try their Kali Mist. It's cheaper than anywhere else in town and just as potent, although you do sacrifice compact solid buds for a more broken up mixture of small buds and pieces.
Finally, they also sell Space Cake and Space Bons that are perfect for the long plane ride home for fl 7.50.
If you're looking for a scenic place to perch and watch the bustling, ever-constant action of Amsterdam, with excellent smoke, good snacks and a laid-back, customer oriented vibe, look no further than the Bluebird for satisfaction. You won't be disappointed.

Brian from USA sent 30 Sep 2000
Lots of folks recommended this place, and my wife and I stumbled across it last visit. Pretty nice except I believe you have to buy 25 fl minimum, and I got some Kali Mist, and really didn't like it at all - tasted like soap to me - so I left it in someone's tip jar.

Don from UK sent 2 Jul 1999
Nice place, I like the idea of having the "business end" on the 1st floor, - nice and light, amazing settee! - good ambience. I like this place.