Walk onto the Grote Markt on any given day, and you’ll find hundreds of people relaxing on a large tree-lined square in the heart of The Hague. It’s where you start your day in tranquillity with your first cup of coffee, sit down for a good plate of Thai, American, or plant-based soul food, treat each other to cocktails, and grab a beer after work.
The atmosphere is no-nonsense and informal, and encourages guests to do as they like. The staff of the 6 pubs & restaurants surrounding the square are 1 big family, enabling you to order from any menu regardless of where you’re seated. At night, The Grote Markt is just as lively as during the day, and several times a year the square transforms into a festival site for Popdistrict events. Never want to go home? Stay the night if you like.
When the evening falls we clear the tables and we watch bands, we dance, we party and we drink.
Jazz, DJ’s, festivals, bands: there’s no limit, several days a week.
Check the calendar.
Traditionally, there is always something going on at the Grote Markt. We kick off in March, with the largest St. Patrick’s Day festival of the European mainland, and continue with a wild ride of festivals throughout the rest of the season: The Hague Beer Market, alternative music fest Sniester, soul & classical highlights at Summertime, American roots hootenanny Wild Rooster, Oktoberfest, a tequila-drenched Dia de Muertos, and, when winter starts, the Rock A Rail street snowboard spectacle. But the live action doesn’t stop there – several days a week you’ll run into jazz jam sessions, salsa dancing, quiz nights, DJ’s, and bands playing anything from soul to ska to sludge metal.
Of course, all of this is currently on hold. We’re eagerly awaiting the day that the ongoing carnival that is Grote Markt nightlife can get going again.
Did you know you can rent a penthouse with a hot tub on the Grote Markt for the night? Or crash onto bunk beds with the 4 of you? Oh, and allow us to introduce you to our latest blonde: Cold Turkey, the first Grote Markt-brewed beer. This square has been the living room of The Hague for 400 years, and has yet to see a dull moment.
There’s more to the Grote Markt than food & drink. At Strand Zuid, our beach pavilion, you can get married, go for a swim, and celebrate with your feet in the sand. For private parties and meetings in the city, the Blue Room (de Blauwe Kamer) is our best kept secret. Another recent addition is De Bakplaats, where you can grab a stone oven pizza topped with local ingredients to enjoy at home or anywhere on the terrace. Or, drop by for a LikIt gelato, freshly made in our brand spanking new ice cream kitchen.
The Grote Markt gift card is a great way to treat someone special to, well, anything they like, really. The card’s owner can spend its credit anywhere on the Grote Markt. Whether it’s on early morning oat lattes, pancakes, loaded nachos and Mexican beer, Singapore Slings, or all of the above, it’s entirely up to them. The gift card is available at the Boterwaag bar – you’re free to choose the amount of credit, and we’ll provide a festive presentation.
