De Kroon Bar / Club / Restaurant

Rembrandtplein, Amsterdam –

A blue light guides patrons up the lavish staircase to De Kroon (The Crown), a restaurant and bar that’s right out of an episode of Miami Vice.

The upscale interior includes ivory parlor chairs and a row of tiny palm trees lit by shades of pastel neon, as well as unusual touches like shadowbox displays of butterfly varieties, walls of lights, flat screens showing abstract nature clips, taxidermy, and unique, conversation-piece architectural details and wall treatments.

While De Kroon can be a quiet place to grab lunch during the day, the heat rises on the weekends as DJs spin music for a well-dressed Rembrandtplein club crowd.

The vast dining area is cleared of tables to make room for a spacious dance floor soon filled with spiffy guys and glamour girls showing their moves as club lights swirl and the music increases in volume.

Although the dance floor can hold a few hundred revelers, dancing is not required, and many patrons seek refuge at the long bar in the back. And since entrance fees are nonexistent, De Kroon attracts a clientele that would rather put its finances into the bar than into a cover charge.

Perfect as a last stop after a night of barhopping, the place is particularly popular with animated groups of friends looking to meet new people, let loose with their buddies on the dance floor, and simply enjoy the ample space.