De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar

Decent pub in Chinatown, serving Dutch beers. Can get very crowded from time to time but given it’s situation that’s hardly surprising. You can drink outside in a smallish roped off area.

Popped in for a quick lunchtime pint because I was encouraged to by all the Dutch fans in passing. Friendly bunch as they were all in town for England vs Holland. Nice pub. Not my favourite central though as a tourist place and quite expensive but good screens inside and good to stand outside if during day.

They do not allow dogs, as speciefied on the business info. We have gone today and the waiter had a really bad attitude when we have just asked for us having luch there with our dog.

Oh my goodness, thank you Unilocal for your existence. Without you, I would never have known that the pub literally a 10 second walk from my office served my favourite Belgian beer, Fruli!!! I have been working here for 4 years now… and never walked into this pub.
Leffe, another good Belgian beer, is also there! Woo!
So I asked a few fellow lawyers and lawyers in training to attend this amazing place and we loved it. There were quite some space to stand around, the barmaid was quite attentive (I am so sorry that our group took a while to decide what we were ordering) and she remained patient. The other patrons are all well dressed and noone was drunk, this is a good sign.
Sometimes you could smell tantalising food being delivered to patrons, the smell of jacket potatoes were so good. Next time I will definitely order food here if I had no other plans.
No wonder, that time after doing some filming as an extra in China Town, I saw Jason Statham walk straight into this pub. That’s a thumbs up from celebrity yo!

My absolute favorite pub in London! Nice staff, good music (Mike you rock), and yummy drinks! This is where I met and fell in love with FRULI the Belgium strawberry beer! It’s cozy upstairs just sucks that the toilets are downstairs but we love this place and can’t wait to go back!

I’ve been thinking of putting together an «round-​the-​world» pub crawl for a while and have been heavily researching places (the things I force myself to do!) in order to work out a plan. The premise is that we’d hit a number or bars/​pubs in Zone 1 with the restriction being they had to fully represent a country. For example, the Maple Leaf is a pretty solid Canadian choice, and likewise for the Dutch we have Des Hems.
In order to judge authenticity, I had to make sure to go with Sharon S, my token Dutch friend. Along with two other experts in drinking and crawling, we stopped by here for a refreshing pint of Dutch lager and an assortment of fried snacks. The Dutch lager (Oranjeboom I think) was light with a hoppiness that leaned towards Hoegaarden but not quite so intense. Very refreshing, it is a versatile beer that is equally at home with food or one its lonesome.
The variety of food (basically we ordered the sharing platter) was adequate as bar snacks and the bitterballen was definitely the highlight. In retrospect, I think I’d have stuck with ordering just bitterballen and more of it rather than the variety but it was interesting to try. These items are served with «fritessauce» which is basically ketchup and some brown sauce, both of which are good accompaniments.
The staff here are very friendly although sadly none were Dutch. One of the bartenders was practicing juggling bottles given that it was a slow Sunday afternoon and treated us to a demonstration of cursing when he dropped one which proceeded to shatter all over the floor. Who knew you’d get dinner a show here?!
It’s a good place to keep in mind at the edge of Chinatown and tends to get quite busy on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s on the list for the Round the World crawl coming to you in 2013!

This dutch bar definitely has a nice feel and atmosphere. However, was disappointed in the Dutch beer on tap. I can buy bottles easily in a store. When at a pub, I only want to drink draft off the tap, otherwise why bother? Instead had some local English beer which was on draft.
Cannot comment on the food as I did not have any.

Nice pub in the middle of Chinatown. A good selection of dutch and european beers. It can get a bit busy though, but given the location that’s not really a surprise. Nice for a little beer before a dinner in Chinatown or SOHO.

A traditional Dutch pub tucked away in the heart of London’s Chinatown district. My first impression on the pub before entering was «old man’s pub». However upon entering I was pleasantly surprised at the open yet limited sitting space available inside. The staff were pleasant and very apologetic once I pointed out that there was no sitting available.
There is a huge selection of beers, wine and food. I would say it is an all round good pub for those who want to indulge in different variation of beers.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this pub. It’s dangerously close to Leicester Square, which while easy to get to never fills me with joy. Usually, this means busy tourist trap. De Hems very nearly falls into that description.
But instead, it sidesteps into the ‘nice little boozer in Central’ category. It’s busy, without you having trouble to get to the bar. The Dutch beers are tasty and extensive and STRONG. I tried not to get drunk and realised I’d upgraded from 5.2% to 6.5% very quickly. At the time, I didn’t seem to mind one little bit. My head wasn’t best pleased the next morning.
There’s outside standing space so if it’s sunny or you’re a smoker, you’re pretty much set. And you’re right by Chinatown for drunken munchies afterwards. Late opening too (which meant I very nearly missed my last train). They do Leifmanns’ which is a cherry beer that actually tastes of cherries (rather than sugar) and still tastes of beer. Impressive.
Why only four stars? Well it’s not cheap. Once you’re in Dutch beer territory, don’t expect much change from a fiver for your drink. I like it, but it’s a payday pub rather than a regular haunt. Worth it for a bottle of that beer though. But Qype are not responsible for your hangover.

awarded this place the Best Pub in London for 2010. Really?!
The bar is nice enough — good range of seats, stools, tables and sofas — but it didn’t exactly sing out with originality.
There are a decent range of beers, well decent-​enough if you’re a fan of Dutch beers. I’ve been debating between giving the place three or four stars, and I think my temptation to give it three stars probably just comes from the back that I think the beers are dull. Now, I am all into speciality beers and bars, so it would be little hypocritical of me to mark them down for this. I will just have to admit that it’s not for me. I tried a lot of lagers (which tasted of, you know, lager) and fruit beers before eventually settling on a wheat beer.
Getting served was a bit of a challenge (and we were there early — I dread to think how long it would take when the place is crowded) but once I did get served, the barmen were great. I always like a place where people offer to let you taste stuff without you needing to ask.
Four stars seems a bit high, but three stars would be harsh. I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt until I next go back — the bar snacks did sound pretty amazing so, in the interests of a thorough review, I think I had better go try them.

Un pub qui sent la bière ! Quand on y entre, on sait où on arrive !!
Le personnel est roots, les gens sirotent des bières un peu partout, l’atmosphère est moite, mais pour autant, on apprécie l’endroit, la chaleur qui s’en dégage. La tarifs sont corrects, les bières variées, et la musique sympa.
Une halte agréable ;)

If you llike Belgian beer — this is your spot. De Hems is a solid Dutch pub located oddly in Chinatown. Great selection of Belgian beers and a warm, cozy atmosphere. In my opinion, it is one of the best spots for Belgian beer in London — along with Lowlanders in Covent Garden of course.
Tip: Try the Kwak and they’ll replace your shoe with a green Croc. I won’t tell you why… :) This is also a great location to visit before a night out in Leicester Square. Alternatively, you could probably use it as a nightcap.

What idiot seeks out a Dutch flavoured bar in a city full of wonderful English pubs? This guy. I just can’t help myself. Upon getting a rec on this place from my soon to be bro-​in-​law, my heart beat a little faster at the thought of Maredsous on tap and bottles of Vedett for the taking. I went to the doctor for my ticker condition and he said drink lots of fluids. Done, annnnd, done.
After a rainy walk through throngs of P. Circus freaks, popping inside here was a fantastic respite from the world outside. We were here on a weekday, so the crowd was healthy but we had no trouble finding seats downstairs. Candles, warm wood, and only hearing the bass lines of today’s top UK hits set the stage for a few fabulous hours nestled in the arms of De Hems.
The beer selection was very nice and heavy on the Belgians, though getting an order in may take some time at the bar as they can really get in the weeds at times. They have lots of interesting looking food on the menu, but we just went for some unadventurous chips, which were served piping hot and perfect.
Wavering on the 4 or 5 stars here, will have to go with the former until I can return. (WILL.)

Totally solid, outstanding beer selection (almost all Belgian, so how can you go wrong?)
«Only» four stars due to no fault of their own– it’s a good bet, right in the middle of everything so is often kind of mobbed and mad and with a definitely questionable music selection…
Order the Kwak with the special glass and they’ll take your shoe giving you a lime green Croc as a replacement. It keeps you from walking off with them, and you’re more likely to pay for it. Awesome.
Just watch the 9% beers.

With Nicholson’s pubs you either win some or lose some. De hems you definitely win, a lot.
#2 on the Theatreland Ale Trail just off a side street towards the beginning of Chinatown and the West Ends houses a wonderful Dutch pub. It used to be known as an oyster joint, with proof of something like over 100,000+ oyster shells covering one of the walls. Sadly, either to due to heath reasons or Nicholson’s the trophies are no longer there. (this really bummed me out, especially as they were removed only a few years ago I think, I’m big on history or old factor)
However, unlike the other pubs within the chain this one has a slight variety with their menu and drinks they offer. They have THE best side of chips with this amazing sweet onion sauce glaze thing. Sounds a little weird but trust me, share or order just for yourself and you will not be sorry! As it’s also a Dutch pub you can get delicious ranges of Belgian beer, including strawberry and chocolate. (tastes like a tootsie pop! But don’t have more than one glass or you’ll get sick from all the sugar)
It’s wheelchair accessible to the main bar only. I’ve also been carded every single time I entered. There is ok seating, a little tightly packed, it’s really made for groups standings around.
The upstairs dinning room is large, open and slightly gothic darkish. I haven’t had a chance to eat there, but it looked very elegant with a medium amount of space seating space.
The staff are very friendly, it’s defo in the top three of Nicholson’s I absolutely love to go and bring people too. (1-​The Black Friar. 2 is a tie between The Walrus & the Carpenter & Hoop & Grapes) Just be aware that due to its location it is usually packed after work hours or shows, with loud music and louder conversation.
Oh how I crave a pint of strawberry Fruli and a side of those glorious sweet onion chips!

I came here last night for a drink after a Unilocal event, and I really liked it!
Awesome things to note:
+ I had a Pimm’s and lemonade (thank you, Yee Gan O.!), and it was delicious!
+ The neighborhood is alive and happening!
+ Service is VERY quick!
A weird thing to note:
— So, two of the guys in our group ordered these beers that come in a special glass. The bartender made each guy TAKE OFF ONE OF THEIR SHOES AND GIVE IT TO THE BARTENDER as COLLATERAL! For the special glass! And in place of the missing shoe, they give you a bright green Croc to wear! WHAT?! Is this a normal thing they do in bars over here? One of the guys in our group wondered why they didn’t just hold onto your credit card, or… I don’t know… ask for a cash deposit? WEIRD!
Well, I guess the shoe thing works too. And it succeeded in cracking us up, so hey I guess that’s a WIN too!
Anyway, other than the shoe thing, this place is fun, the ambiance is great, and it looked like everyone else there was having a good time. Recommended!

I had only walked past this bar before tonight — I had worked out that it’s a Dutch bar by its name and by the sea of orange shirts spilling out of here on the day of the World Cup Final!
Tonight, Eamon led a few of us here for a quick drink after the YEE at Bincho Yakitori. Even though it was after 10pm, the balmy London evening meant that there were still lots of patrons outside as well as inside the bar.
We stayed indoors to chat. Service at the bar was swift. It was amusing to see Eamon and Tirthankar have to give up a shoe each (literally!) to get a special glass for their beer — they were given a croc to wear until they returned the glass!
Also nice to welcome visiting SF Elite Vivian C to London — hope the quintessentially English Pimms & lemonade went down well!
All in all, a nice place to chill out for a post YEE drink. Nice that they catered well for teetotallers like me too with a good range of non alcoholic drinks

Great atmosphere.
OUTSTANDING beer selection.
All you need to know. A+!

My brother and I were on vacation from the U.S. and were staying across the street from De Hems.
It was our last stop on the London Ale Trail, and we loved the place. I think its proximity to our hotel helped, and since we are both Dutch, and it was right next door, we loved it.
The service was good, and the orange decoration didn’t hurt either.