Abraxas
Spuistraat 51
1012 ST Amsterdam, Netherlands [Get Directions]
Phone: +31 020-622-6241
Hours: 9:00am-1:00am Everyday
Upon arriving at our hotel in Amsterdam, my wife and I were informed that we would not be able to check in for about an hour. Even though we were both beat after 19 hours of travel, it was 9:00am and I was ready to get high. Having no clue where any coffee shops were we just headed out on foot with no real direction. After about 10 minutes of wondering around we found ourselves right in front of the Abraxas coffee shop, my first ever Dutch coffee shop.
We walked in and right away I caught a bit of a negative vibe from the bud tender. I must of had clueless American written on my forehead. The shop was relatively small with seating for about 10-15 people. One cool thing is the entire shop is decorated in tiny custom mosaic tiles. Someone definitely put some time into the decor for sure and it was appreciated.
There was a spiral staircase in the far back corner but I was told that is was closed because the owner was upstairs getting ready for The Cup which started the next day.
Having bought weed from the medical marijuana dispensaries here in Southern California, buying bud at a shop from a bud tender is nothing new to me. I walked up and asked for the menu and the first thing that jumped out at me was the Cheese. When I asked the guy to see it he gave me a look like "Hmm, good choice. Maybe you are not a dumb American". Even before he handed me the plastic container that was sitting on the shelf right behind him I could tell the nugs were chunky.
ABOVE – Cheese
I bought a gram for about $10 and sat down to being the ritual I love so much that is breaking up some new bud. That is when it hit me, I have no scissors, grinder, papers, pipe, bong or lighter. Being an Amsterdam rookie, I had no clue that papers and flame were available at the bar for free. So I ask the bud tender where I can buy some papers. There went any credibility I had with him when I bought the Cheese. He again gave me a look but this time it was more like, "you idiot, there are papers and matches right here on the bar".
Using my frozen hands (it was COLD in Amsterdam and I arrived unprepared) I ripped up the gram of Cheese and wrapped up the entire thing in 1 fatty. I had heard the bud tender mention something to another patron about not being able to smoke inside. Turns out he was talking about cigarettes but I did not know that. I hold up my chub and as him if it is cool if I burn it inside. Big surprise, I get another look and dude says "of course".
I can’t remember the last time I burned a 1g joint so quickly. The combination of not smoking for 19 hours, having some killer Cheese and being in Amsterdam had me all hyped up. Poor fatty lasted about 5 minutes and definitely was not appreciated. Luckily I made it back to Abraxas a few days later and picked up another gram of Cheese and gave it a proper review.
All in all, Abraxas is a cool shop with with a chill vibe. I will definitely be making it back if for no other reason but to see what the second story looks like. –Chubbs
Grade: A
Pros: Location, Decor, Killer Bud, Good Selection
Cons: Punk Ass Bud Tender, No Credit Cards, No ATM, Small
Weed Map:
Sounds like a decent place.
A little better than decent. But not one of my favorite coffee shops by any means.
On my first trip to the ‘Dam about 15 years ago now, I also discovered Abraxas, found it to be a very pleasant enviromnet with a great menu, but I also caught a bit of attitude from the vendor (and I’m British, not American, haha).
I asked for Super Skuff and the guy all but persuaded me not to (“oh it’ll be too much for you” – but it wasn’t).
Mind you there was about six of us and we were all about 18 at the time, so I guess we probably weren’t their ideal clientele, although we did spend a lot of money there!
Abraxas was my fave coffeeshop in A’dam outside of the Grey Area, which any American who knows the scene hits up because it’s owned by Americans. But the Area is too small to chill in, so I prefer Abraxas. It can be a bit hard to find, but I found the peeps to be cool (budtender was kinda spacey but I expected no less.) Awesome “den” like atmosphere with pillows strewn about…interesting to hear about not smoking cigs in there. That must have changed since I was there in 2006. My friend bought a muffin, ate half and was out in 1/2 hour while I sat in our sweet little room overlooking the Herengracht and enjoyed my white widow. I’d go here over the Bulldog chain any day.