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| - I will say that I do go here, though very sporadically. I gave it two stars, but it's because of my tastes, which I will explain in detail.
When I do go, it's always early in the evening. I don't like going to this bar when it's crowded, as it's excessively crowded. It's worth a trip if you're into the scene or are visiting Phoenix and want to experience the scene. This is definitely one of the Valley's landmark bars. If you're going alone and don't mind spending the evening by yourself (i.e. people-watching) it really isn't that bad. If you want to mingle with people, this bar isn't a great atmosphere for that. People generally go in cliques and you'll notice that the bar is full of clique-clusters. It definitely is not one of the friendlier bars in the Valley. It also seems to have an "instant snob" effect on people.
Now, for pluses... Amsterdam does have a beautiful outdoor area, which is suitable for smokers. You can not only take your drinks out there, but there is an outdoor bar at which you can get drinks. It's a nice area to have drinks in the spring, fall and early/late summer. Most of the summer it can still top 100 degrees even late at night and winter nights do get chilly. Amsterdam does have a nice interior as well. They also have an extensive, unique drink menu.
Amsterdam does have a different crowd earlier in the evening than it does late nights. If I were to focus solely on the evening atmosphere and if that were my only experience, I could honestly give Amsterdam more stars. The dense crowds aside, the "pretentious" environment and "go to be seen" atmosphere make it harder to enjoy. I've largely gone to bars based on the general environment and comfort, which is why it's harder for me to make Amsterdam a focus-point on a night out. If I'm in the area and feel like a drink, and it's early in the evening, I might be more inclined to stop in.
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