I've been trying to make it out to this little Dutch pub I heard so much about for the last two months and I'm glad I finally did. Some friends and I decided to visit Rembrandt's before going to the House of Blues for a concert (I read the cafe had free parking!). I was pleasantly surprised when we walked into the place on a Saturday night. Immediately the atmosphere felt inviting and welcoming. The place was a lot bigger than I expected, yet it felt cozy. We sat at the bar where the bartender made a suggestion to try one of the European beers they have on tap. \r
They have a great selection of beers, wines and liquor, including Absinthe with the actual ""worm wood"". The bartender poured me one using the traditional method which includes a slotted spoon and a sugar cube. \r
Then I proceeded to ask what he would recommend on the menu. Following his suggestion I ordered the seafood chowder (home made) and had the Dutch burger as entree. My friends ordered the tenderloin and fish and chips. The food was fantastic (better than you expect from a pub). After dinner I had a freshly made cappuccino. Then I switched to beer. I was going for a Hoegaarden, but the bartender told me that they don't carry that anymore and offered me a substitute. \r
There was a variety of different people of different ages present and a lot of them seemed to be regular patrons, all with one thing in common; they seemed to be having a good time.\r
After a while someone who I assumed was the manager or owner came up to us to see if we were doing alright and asked us if this was our first visit to Rembrandt's. He mentioned that they were planning on booking some live music soon. \r
We enjoyed our visit and I believe that this hidden treasure could be the new non-pretentious neighborhood pub of the Victory Park area. It's right by the House of Blues and not too far from the American Airlines Center. Great place to go before and after a show/game. And hey, the free parking is a plus!\r
Pros: Atmosphere, great patio, staff, beer selection, free parking
Cons: Hard to find, but easy to get to.
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