De TonTon Club – Drink, Eat, Play
De TonTon Club… Where Adults go to Play!
Who says you can’t be an adult and still go out to play once in a while? Nowadays, in Amsterdam at least, you can even mix it with booze! In the TonTon Club you will find all kinds of arcade games, delicious snacks to nibble on, as much to drink as you like and – and this is the ultimate, best thing you will find in any pub, club, or café in Amsterdam – an adult ball pit.
So all those Friday and Saturday nights where you feel like you want to go out to play? You can spend them here. Whether you live in Amsterdam or whether you are just over for a visit; the TonTon Club is an absolute bucket list destination. Add it in, tell them we sent you, and see if you don’t have the best time you can have in the Dam without getting high…
What’s the TonTon got that Other Clubs Haven’t?
What? The ball pit wasn’t impressive enough? OK then…
The TonTon Club actually operate through three different bars/arcades/eateries throughout the city. The original (and the biggest) is located in the heart of the Red-Light District. It’s as central as it comes. They advertise that they are “in the midst of the girls of pleasure” – which is a lovely way of saying that while you are out playing in other ways, you might want to stop by for a bit of a break.
What sort of Amenities/Facilities do they have?
Well between the three clubs (we’ll go into them in more detail in a second) they have a focus on Air Hockey and table-top games at one, a focus on food at another, and a focus on fun at the original, central club. Their motto is ‘to Create and Recreate’ at the TonTon Club… and that’s kind of cool on its own.
All three clubs have access to board games, tabletop games (like Air hockey, table tennis, you name it), arcade games (inclusive of all the retro favourites *cough* Pacman & Street Fighter), and even pinball classics. They have some free-to-plays, so you don’t need to be loaded to spend some time in the place, either.
They also have different types of foods, specialty ales, and a bar in each one… who doesn’t love an arcade with a bar in it?
When is the Best Time to Visit the TonTon Club?
We don’t normally do a ‘best time to visit’ section but we spotted some reviews that spoke to our collective, Amsterdam-loving, soul. It’s worth pointing out that reviews are overwhelmingly positive for all three of these arcade-clubs. We want to throw ours into the mix too.
Any of the three destinations are ideal places to soak up some Amsterdam atmosphere… It’s fun, it’s creative, and it perfectly sums up everything we know and love about Amsterdam without bringing any plants into the equation.
If you want to play the games, the best time to visit the TonTon Club is daytime. All three of these clubs get busy from dinnertime onwards. If you want a chance to play, then go through the day.
On the other hand, if you want to drink, eat, and meet people, then all three TonTon Clubs are busy, most nights of the week. Put yourself out there. The worst that can happen is that you make a few friends.
The Three Different Versions of De TonTon
(“De” just means “the”)
There are three different locations you can visit, each with a slightly different focus.
This is the one you find in the middle of all the “girls of pleasure”. So much so that Red Light District Tours actually include it in their stops. It’s precariously perched between some vivid window displays but it does make for a bit of a relief in a sea of flesh. It’s one of the few places in the area where you can just get a beer, and nobody expects anything from you.
Legend has it that this place used to be a supermarket of sex. The seedy underbelly must have been really disappointed the first time they came through the doors and found an air hockey table, instead. Those with an eye for irony and a love for good, old-fashioned, fun, will love this place.
So what do you find in the first ever TonTon Club? This is where the ball pit is. You can lie in it and drink a beer… which is an experience you will definitely never forget. The array of games they have here is staggering. You can play everything from Jenga to Daytona USA on their giant Sega.
A single warning for this place… You need to book in advance if you intend to eat from their Dutch menu if there are more than 15 of you. This is a totally reasonable request. At this version of the TonTon Club you can compliment your food with some specialty Dutch Ales.
We took the liberty of translating their page into English for you here, if that helps. Central is open from 4-12 Monday and Tuesday, then from midday to midnight for the rest of the week.
The western and second branch of the TonTon Club is famous for both its arcade games – and its food. They present an exciting menu that has a unique Asian-American fusion going on. They have a Ramen Burger. A Ramenburger. Everything you love about noodles meets everything you love about American diners… They also have a full Ramen menu, a solid wine list, and a variety of beers.
The Westerpark TonTon Club has a whole room devoted to Dance, Dance Revolution – as if it is a shrine to the early 00’s. They have lots of arcade games… but we wanted a tangible list. In the Westerpark TonTon Club (and across the other two TonTon Clubs) you will find the following games:
- Air Hockey tables
- Pinball:
- CSI, the Walking Dead, Spiderman, Star Trek, The Addams Family and Whodunnit all at Centrum
- Attack from Mars, Game of Thrones, Ghostbusters and The Getaway all available at Westerpark
- Arcade Games:
- At Centrum TonTon: 50-in-1 arcade, Catch the Light, GTI Club, Hoop it Up, Manx TT Superbike, Metal Slug 2, Mortal Kombat, MS Pac-Man and Galaga, Photo Play, Sega Rally 2, Speed Basketball, Speed Fighter Pro, Speed Soccer, Street Fighter 2, The House of The Dead 2, Time Crisis 2, and Typhoon Air Hockey… what a list!
- At Westerpark: Bishi Bashi, Button Bash, Catch The Light, Dance, Dance, Revolution, Daytona Racing, Desperados Bumper Bar, Mariokart GP 2, Mega Tetris (it is rumoured this game has no end), NBA Jam, Pacman Battle Royale – 4 player, Sega Rally, Shark Airhockey, Streetfighter 4, Table Flip, Taiko no Tatsujin, Taito Groove Coaster, Terminator Salvation, and Time Crisis 3.
If none of those rock your boat, then you might be dead inside. Go see a doctor and join us again when you are better.
The Westerpark TonTon Club branch is open Monday – Thursday from 1 pm to 1 am. On a Friday and Saturday it is open later, until 3 am. On a Sunday the opening hours return to 1 pm to 1 am. It can be found at the Zuiveringshal at Westergas.
So we haven’t tried Three yet so we thought we would let them tell you about about their latest location, but it sounds awesome.
With TonTon Club 3 we go back to the original TonTon Club plan and build the funfair of the future. Think of a Big Lebowski Bowling course, Mario Neon Jungle, Sing A Long Bar, shooting gallery, Serious Mini Golf and Tons of Fun grapples!
Of course we have also reserved space for the Arcade, with Airhockeys, Bishi Bashi, Catch The Light and Dance Dance Revolution.
TonTon Club 3 is an ode to the game and a lab for innovation and ‘pin thinking’ in particular. We offer space to game developers and organizations to launch prototypes and meet players.
As you are used to from us, we will complete your experience with good food and good drinks.
Our kitchen is a pineria; modern, easily digestible pizzas based on an authentic Roman recipe. Perfect with a game of mini golf or dance battle.
The TonTon Club Conclusion
If we were only allowed one word to sum up the TonTon Club, then we would use the word “fun”, though it’s probably a little too boring to accurately describe the Clubs themselves. They are like little beacons of happiness situated strategically throughout the city. If you are looking for something different, ideal for a fantastic first date, or to take a corporate team-building day-out-with-a-difference, then this is one of our top locations in Amsterdam.
At the very least; the TonTon Central gives you a legitimate reason to venture into the Red-Light district. Steel yourself and make the journey. It is totally worth it in the end.
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