Restaurant ñ

In the heart of The Hague, an ochre-yellow corner building immediately catches the eye, with a terrace that is among the most popular in the city. The menu begins with familiar tapas such as Ibérico, Padrón peppers, marinated anchovies, and m...

good quality, good value cooking

It remains a pleasure to dine at Restaurant ñ in the heart of The Hague, housed in an 18th-century small corner building. Here, Spanish cuisine is served, and you order dishes that are the size of a side course, preceded by bites such as oysters, grilled green peppers with sea salt, shellfish in vinaigrette, Spanish cheeses, and freshly sliced Iberico ham. The seating is intimate, featuring old wooden tables and matching chairs, slightly wobbly candlesticks, dim lighting, and simple tableware. Yet the hospitality is wonderful, and it’s evident from every angle that the entire team genuinely enjoys working here and clearly has a passion for their craft. It gets busy and fairly noisy, as the acoustics aren’t great. We are quickly served a bottle of chilled tap water, and the menu follows shortly after. It’s hard not to order the entire menu, given how appealing the dishes are. We start with a plate of Iberico ham, melting in the mouth, alongside roasted pimientos de Padrón. A good beginning. The corvina ceviche is rich in flavor, accompanied by smoked pear cream and fried leek. Just as delicious is the grilled king oyster mushroom served with fermented plum cream and cavolo nero. Kudos to the service team, who are attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. Last but not least: on summer days, try to reserve a spot on the terrace at the front of the restaurant. Beneath the foliage of a giant tree, you’ll feel transported to the Mediterranean.

Located in a historic building in the heart of The Hague, Spanish cuisine takes center stage at ñ, and the menu features regularly rotating dishes. Start with bar snacks like perfectly grilled pimientos de padrón, tender clams in a light vinaigrette, Spanish cheeses, and freshly sliced charcuterie. The main courses are served in appetizer-sized portions and showcase an innovative culinary approach. Think fermented eggplant with pistachio cream or glazed veal tongue with sea buckthorn sauce and samphire. For dessert, it’s highly recommended to save some room, as every single one is irresistible. This isn’t the place for elegant dining or serious conversations. The candlelit tables draped in linen are placed close together, and the acoustics leave something to be desired. But the atmosphere is cheerful and laid-back, and the food is, in one word, divine. Pitchers of fresh tap water are brought out without you even having to ask, and the value for money is excellent. Last but not least: the young staff works tirelessly, is incredibly friendly, and ensures you lack nothing. On summer days, you can take a seat on the charming front terrace, shaded by a natural parasol—a massive tree bursting with green foliage. You’ll understand: reservations are a must!

From Tuesday to Sunday, you can enjoy the best of Spanish cuisine at restaurant ñ. It's certainly not a formal affair here, but rather a cozy jumble of small tables placed close together, each with a lit candle, somewhat uncomfortable wooden chairs, and a warm atmosphere. You feel as though you've stepped into a Spanish tavern. When it comes to the food, we can be brief: it's excellent in every respect. The menu is organized into 'bar snacks', think pimientos de Padrón, charcuterie, Spanish cheeses, and a plate of freshly sliced Iberico ham. The 'mains' consist of dishes that aren't too large, allowing you to order several. We indulge in juicy, slightly sweet razor clams in an anisado vinaigrette with lime and chervil, alongside glazed fermented eggplant with pistachio and pea cream, washed down with generous glasses of Albariño. The service is young and friendly, with staff skillfully navigating between the tables carrying trays laden with delicacies. We finish off with elderflower ice cream and sunflower seeds, served with fried sweet carrots and sherry cream. Particularly delicious. A little gem in The Hague city center, featuring a lovely small terrace on summer days shaded by a giant tree acting as a natural parasol. And, equally important: a fantastic price-to-quality ratio.

Knus Spaans, a cozy Spanish restaurant in the center of The Hague. Housed in an 18th-century building with a small terrace out front, protected by a large old tree. No frills here, just small tables and wooden chairs, lit candles, and incredibly friendly staff who ensure a pleasant experience. You don't sit here dining for hours; instead, you pick a nice bottle of wine and choose from tapas and medium-sized dishes. Everything is well-prepared and bursting with flavor. We indulge in generously sliced Iberico ham, grilled razor clams with an anise, lemon, and chervil vinaigrette, and white asparagus that is lightly roasted and then glazed with Pernod. Topped with fried capers and served alongside a pea cream. Delicious! In the glass, a perfectly matching Viña la Pelina Verdejo from Bodegas Bonifacio Fernandez Galan in Extremadura. Rich on the palate, but very much worth drinking. And we're not done yet, because roasted monkfish follows, served with pata negra mayonnaise, leek, and leek shoots. We finish off with Manchego cheese accompanied by dried grapes, walnuts, and fig compote. A little more comfort wouldn't be a bad thing, but it might just cost this charming eatery its unique appeal.

The location of the small restaurant Ñ, housed in an 18th-century monument with a picturesque terrace out front, contributes to a Mediterranean atmosphere. Don’t expect design here, but rather small wooden tables on a polished concrete floor, lit candles, linen napkins, and chairs you can't sit on for hours. But that isn’t necessary, because at Ñ you enjoy tasty bites before cheerfully continuing on your way. The kitchen is Spanish and eclectic. Alongside a “Bar Menu” featuring various tapas, small dishes are available to order. With two to four dishes, you can sample a wide range of flavors. The atmosphere is relaxed, filled with pleasant chatter. Without even having to ask, a pitcher of cool water soon appears on the table. The roasted kohlrabi with soybeans, radish, garden cress, and red peppers is beautifully presented. The kohlrabi comes in thin, crispy slices, rolled with pistachio oil and mushrooms. The asparagus is similarly served thinly sliced, and the tender lamb neck rests on softly sautéed turnip stems. Pure flavors on the plate. The wines are predominantly Spanish and of good quality, although the wine pairing leaves something to be desired. That aspect could use some improvement.

There are certain restaurants you’d rather keep to yourself. But this charming spot by Daniel Bisschop on the corner of Nobelstraat deserves to be brought into the spotlight. You come here to dine to your heart’s content and enjoy a selection of small Spanish dishes from the kitchen of Thomas Vandenhecke and Eli Kamishan, each one mouthwateringly delicious. Daniel Bisschop on the lockdown: "Personally, the quiet period came at a good time, but everyone had it tough. Everything we had worked for was suddenly gone. This crisis gave me the insight that hospitality is important to people." The atmosphere is relaxed; you can pop in after shopping in town, spend the evening having fun with friends at the eat-in bar, or enjoy an intimate meal for two (try to reserve a spot by the window). The wooden tables are set with linen napkins, candles are lit, and a welcoming menu drafted in both Dutch and English lies ready before you. The offerings include bites (From the Bar), sharing plates (Dishes), and desserts. And let’s be honest: wild fennel ice cream with a langoustine crumble sounds incredibly intriguing, doesn’t it? You’d want to bottle up the service too: so attentive, engaged, and genuinely warm.

A little gem in The Hague. From the moment you step inside, you know it: this is a great place. Warm, youthful staff greet you and take your coats, while relaxed guests mingle at the bar or sit at small wooden tables adorned with linen napkins and lit candles. Last but not least: the inviting menu, presented in both Dutch and English, offering dishes inspired by Spanish cuisine. They feature “bar bites”—a selection of starters and sharing plates where choosing three or four items creates a complete meal. A pitcher of cool tap water soon arrives at the table alongside a small bowl of spicy olives. Paired with a glass of softly sparkling cava, we make our picks. We sample delicious roasted pimientos de Padrón dusted with coarse sea salt and a plate heaped with paper-thin slices of paleta ibérica. This is followed by juicy grilled octopus with parsnip cream, confit Roseval potatoes, pomegranate seeds, and lime cress, a tender shoulder steak cooked on a plancha with garlic mushrooms and shallots braised in port, perfectly roasted monkfish with red and yellow beets and a rich, creamy langoustine sauce, and for the vegetables: roasted romanesco with yellow pepper cream, hazelnuts, pickled chili, and anchovy dressing. We hardly want to share the lightly sweet chocolate mousse made from slab chocolate and olive oil, finished with red peppercorns, coarse sea salt, and cinnamon cookie crumble—it’s simply too good! And all of this comes at a price that initially makes you wonder if there’s been a typo. We completely understand why this place is consistently packed. Welcome to Lekker!