Café Old Wembley is a small, football-focused sports bar at Monnikenstraat 15 in De Wallen, a two-minute walk from Nieuwmarkt square. Known for wall-to-wall match coverage, cheap Dutch beer, and a loud, no-frills crowd of locals and expats, it’s a stop for live sport and casual drinking rather than food or design. Cash and cards both work; no reservations needed.
Quick Reference
| Address | Monnikenstraat 15, 1012 BP Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Neighborhood | De Wallen / Nieuwmarkt, central Amsterdam |
| Operating Hours | Typically 15:00–01:00 daily; hours extend on major match days and shorten on quiet weekdays |
| Price Range | € — Beer roughly €3.50–€6, no cover charge, no admission fee |
| House Specialties / Highlights | Live Premier League, Eredivisie and Champions League football on multiple screens; draft Dutch lagers; pool table; darts; bar staff known for banter and karaoke-style crowd energy on match nights |
| Nearest Public Transit | Nieuwmarkt metro station (Line 51/53/54), roughly 350 meters / 5-minute walk |
| Reservations | Not accepted or required; first-come seating, standing room fills fast during major matches |
Background and Neighborhood Context
Café Old Wembley sits on Monnikenstraat, a narrow street connecting the Nieuwmarkt square to the edge of Amsterdam’s red-light district. The name nods directly to English football culture, and the bar has built its identity around that connection for years, drawing a steady base of British and Irish tourists alongside Amsterdam regulars who come for the football schedule rather than the surroundings. The interior is compact and dim, with televisions positioned around the room so no seat misses the game, team scarves and shirts pinned to the walls, and a bar counter that doubles as the social hub on any match night.
This stretch of De Wallen mixes traditional brown cafés, sex shops, coffeeshops, and tourist bars within a few blocks of each other, a layout typical of the old medieval core of Amsterdam. Café Old Wembley functions as a landmark within that mix for anyone tracking down a place to watch a specific match without hunting through generic tourist pubs. It draws a mixed review record — Google reviewers rate it around 4.5 stars, while Yelp shows a thinner and more mixed sample, reflecting its status as a bar built for a specific purpose (football and drinks) rather than a universally polished hospitality experience (source: Amsterdam Local Gems, Yelp).
What to See, Do, and Order
- Match viewing: The main draw. Multiple screens carry English Premier League, Champions League, and Eredivisie fixtures. Arrive 30–45 minutes before kickoff for marquee games to secure a seat near a screen.
- Draft beer: Standard Dutch lagers (Heineken, Amstel) on tap at bar-standard prices for the area — expect no craft beer list or specialty cocktails here.
- Pool and darts: A pool table and dartboard give the bar a genuine pub feel outside match hours, useful for a quieter afternoon visit.
- Bar interaction: Staff lean into a loud, jokey style that reviewers consistently mention; this is a talk-to-strangers kind of bar, not a quiet-corner one.
- Food: Minimal to none — this is a drinking venue, not a kitchen. Eat beforehand or plan a food stop nearby.
Honest critique: the room is small and gets genuinely loud and crowded during high-profile matches, with limited seating and close quarters at the bar. It’s not a destination for atmosphere or décor — the appeal is entirely functional: reliable football coverage in a central location. Anyone expecting a scenic, historic Amsterdam brown café experience should look elsewhere; this is a sports bar first.
How It Compares to Other Amsterdam Bars
| Venue | Style | Price | Crowd Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Café Old Wembley | Sports bar, football focus | € (€3.50–€6 beer) | High during matches, moderate otherwise | Watching English/European football in a loud, informal setting |
| In De Wildeman | Classic beer café, 250+ beers | €€ | Moderate, steady | Beer enthusiasts wanting variety and quiet conversation |
| Café Hoppe | Historic brown café since 1670 | €€ | High on weekends | Traditional Amsterdam pub atmosphere and history |
| The Tara (Irish pub) | Irish pub, sports and live music | €€ | High, especially weekends | Sports fans wanting a bigger venue with food options |
Practical Logistics and Crowd Strategy
Weekday afternoons (before 18:00) offer the calmest visit, with space at the bar and easy access to the pool table. Weekend evenings and any night with a major Premier League or Champions League fixture bring a packed, standing-room crowd — arrive early or expect to watch from the door area. Both cash and card payments are accepted, standard for Amsterdam bars in 2026, though carrying some small cash covers any card-reader downtime. There’s no dress code and no cover charge; the venue is casual and unpretentious. Physical accessibility is limited — expect a narrow doorway and tight interior layout typical of centuries-old canal-district buildings, with no dedicated wheelchair accommodations advertised. Smoking follows Dutch law: permitted only in designated outdoor or ventilated smoking areas, not at the main bar.
Nearby Itinerary Pairings
- Nieuwmarkt Square — 2-minute walk; home to the Waag building (1488) and a Saturday organic food market, good for a coffee stop before or after the bar.
- Chinatown Amsterdam (Zeedijk) — 5-minute walk; dense strip of Chinese and Southeast Asian restaurants, useful since Café Old Wembley doesn’t serve food.
- Oude Kerk — 8-minute walk; Amsterdam’s oldest church (1213), open to visitors and surrounded by the historic core of De Wallen.
- Museum Het Rembrandthuis — 10-minute walk; Rembrandt’s former home and studio, a solid daytime pairing before an evening match at the bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Café Old Wembley serve food?
No kitchen menu is offered; it functions strictly as a drinks and sports-viewing venue. Eat at nearby Zeedijk restaurants before or after.
Do I need to book ahead for a big match?
No reservations are taken. For high-demand fixtures like Champions League finals or Ajax derbies, arrive at least 30–45 minutes before kickoff.
Is Café Old Wembley family-friendly?
It’s an adult-oriented sports bar with a loud, drinking-focused atmosphere, better suited to adult groups than families with children.
How do I get there by public transit?
Take the metro to Nieuwmarkt station (Lines 51, 53, 54) and walk roughly 350 meters, about 5 minutes, north into Monnikenstraat.
