I was lucky enough to live in Schiedam for a couple of months. It was meant to be a place to sleep and commute into Rotterdam. Little did we know the wonders that were on our doorstep. Not just the bars but the whole city is a Dutch wonderland. Here’s my list of the best bars in Schideam for you to enjoy.

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The Best Bars in Schiedam – 2024 Guide

The bars in Schiedam aren’t just traditional little Dutch cafes or bars. If that’s what you want, there are plenty of them, along with a Cuban bar, classy wine and cocktail bars, relaxing canalside bars and, the cherry on top, the bar that every Hard Rock Cafe tries desperately to replicate. Let’s start the list of the best bars in Schiedam with that one:

Podium Cafe – The most unique bar in Schiedam and possibly on Earth.

Where do I start with Podium Cafe? From the outside, it looks like a very normal place. There are some chairs along the canal so you can enjoy a small beer while soaking up the sun and watching the ducks go by. But once you head inside things start to change.

Once you push through the heavy revolving door you’re heading down the rabbit hole.

Go left and you’re into what looks like a study, until you look up that is. Hanging from the ceiling are hundreds of empty cigarette packets, each strung up individually. Nearly all of them are Marlboro Gold, as that’s the barman’s preferred brand, but a few random other brands are twirling around too.

You see, you’re not in a study, you’re in the smoking room, and as this is a Dutch smoking room, it’s not surprising that you can smoke more than just cigarettes in there without fear of persecution.

On weekend nights there’s usually quite a lively atmosphere there, for those that can deal with the haze.

If smoking’s not your thing, head back out to the foyer and enter the bar. This is what really makes Podium Cafe special.

At first, it’s all too much to take in. The walls and ceiling are adorned with the most random objects, most of which combine to create a spooky yet musical theme. Mannequin limbs are scattered about, surrounding brooms, dolls, guitars and enough brass instruments to start an orchestra.

The art on the walls is so surreal that you might find yourself gazing at it for hours. And that’s even without a stop-off in the smoker’s room en route. If you go there first, a night in front of the paintings is all you should expect! 

The original Hard Rock Cafe

To add to the unique paraphernalia dotted around, every table has lighting that belongs in a 1950s speakeasy. The bar is incredibly well stocked and manned by the 2nd-generation owner, who is full of stories of his wild youth.

To cap it all off, and what really makes it the original ‘Hard Rock Cafe’ is of course the music. They advertise up-and-coming gigs but that’s not where the music ends. Every night there is the potential to watch a band or listen to a jam session.

If you ask at around 8 pm if there’s music on that night, the answer is usually, “Maybe”. That’s because local musicians just turn up and play with each other when they want.

Live jamming sessions suddenly start around 1 a.m. and seem to keep going until they decide they’ve had enough. Rules don’t seem to exist at Podium Cafe in Schiedam. And that’s the way people seem to like it.

Opening Hours: Whenever the owner feels like it

Address: Lange Haven 28, 3111 CG Schiedam, Netherlands

La Cubanita – The best cocktail bar in Schiedam

This would definitely be classed more as a restaurant but you can just go for cocktails. And they do serve the best cocktails in Schiedam so it’s worth popping in one night.

The food menu is great too, so even if you go in with liquid-only intentions you’re likely to be swayed into ordering a tapas or two. Just to help the sweet cocktails go down of course. 

La Cubanita has a large terrace if you prefer to sip alfresco, or if you prefer to immerse yourself in all things Latin, you should head inside and enjoy the music and the authentic decor.

I say authentic, but I’m not lucky enough to have explored Latin America yet, so my authenticity level is based on these kinda places. The U.S. is just full of cowboys and Disney characters, right?   

Opening Hours: 17:00 – 22:30

Address: Broersvest 9, 3111 EA Schiedam, Netherlands

Juan les Pins – The best of the canalside bars in Schiedam

There are plenty of canalside bars in Schiedam. As I said, Podium Cafe even has a few tables outside, but they can’t win every award.

Just 100m downstream you’ll find Juan les Pins. A small traditional bar that boasts a huge canalside terrace. Not only does it have a terrace, but it also has a static boat too, so you can sit back in the sunshine and sip on a beer or a glass of wine while gently bobbing up and down on the tiny canal waves. The ducks don’t create many waves, so you’re unlikely to need a life jacket.

The finishing touch to this great little bar is the service. Each table has buttons.

We all love buttons, right?

These give you two choices. To order a drink or get the bill. Simplicity at its best. It’s only a small thing, but when you’re sitting way out at the stern of the ship it could be a while until the staff come by. With a button, however, you can rest assured that you can get another round of drinks as soon as your lips desire them.

Opening Hours: 14:00 – 00:00

Address: 8-E, Lange Haven, 3111 CE Schiedam, Netherlands

Tapperij het Weeshuis – The friendliest bar in Schiedam

Firstly, the beer selection is insane. How such small places can offer hundreds of different beers is some feat, but they can!

But it’s the level of service here that makes it memorable.

The owner, a big friendly bear of a man, went over and above from the moment we stepped in. First, he poured us a little bit of all the beers so we knew what to order. I was tempted to go in the next day in disguise to repeat the process.

Then he came out with a selection of crackers for us to accompany our chosen beverages. Even the jukebox got in on the act. As soon as my good lady started talking, her Dublin accent was noted and what followed was about an hour of Irish pop classics. 

Sometimes it’s hard to put into words what the overall feeling is like. You can often stumble into a local bar and get a very basic service, here it was as if they were welcoming home their long-lost grandkids. Minus any hugs and kisses, of course, that would probably have been too much……but those crackers were good.

Opening Hours: 14:00 – 01:00

Address: Lange Achterweg 18, 3111 JK Schiedam, Netherlands

Lucas Drinkwinkel – The classiest of bars in Schiedam

This classy joint is located in a picturesque little square, neighbouring a couple of other high-class establishments, namely Brasserie Stadhuis.

Both of these bars offer good old standard beer but it seems these are the places to go for a good glass of wine in Schiedam. You’re likely to find waiters with freshly ironed white shirts and fancy wine-pouring skills. 

The sun shines down on the square for most of the day and this is where you’ll find the biggest outdoor terraces in the whole city. So to have a classy afternoon or evening in Schiedam, head to Grote Markt Square.

Opening Hours: 11:00 – 01:00 (closed on Mondays)

Address: Grote Markt 15, 3111 NG Schiedam, Netherlands

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There are still many other great bars in Schiedam but these are the best of their class. As you can probably guess, I’m a huge lover of Podium Cafe. It’s still easily the most memorable bar I’ve ever been to. And bars would probably be my speciality if playing Mastermind.

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Are you spending time in Rotterdam too? If so check out my bar guide for there. See, I told you it’s my specialist subject.

If you’re hungry for more travel tips and stories head on over to my blog where I’ve got more tips and info, including these about Rotterdam…

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If you’re hungry for more travel tips and stories head back over to my blog. You can also check me out on Instagram.