Dam Square is the heart of Amsterdam — and a genuinely good barbershop is closer than you'd guess. Here's exactly how to find it and what to expect.
Dam Square is where most people's mental map of Amsterdam starts — the Royal Palace, the National Monument, street performers, trams crossing in every direction. It's also, conveniently, four minutes' walk from a proper barbershop: Prime Barbershop Amsterdam at Nieuwendijk 85.
If you're standing in Dam Square right now wondering where to get a decent haircut without wandering into the first tourist-trap chair you see, here's the honest route.
The walk from Dam Square
From the square, head north onto Nieuwendijk — it runs parallel to Damrak, one street over, and is easy to spot because it's pedestrianised and lined with shops. Nieuwendijk 85 is a short, flat walk of around four minutes. You'll pass cafés, clothing shops and a steady flow of people the whole way, so it never feels like a detour off the beaten path.
Why "near Dam Square" doesn't mean "tourist-priced and rushed"
A lot of barbershops that lean on their Dam Square proximity treat it purely as foot traffic — fast in, fast out, whatever the visitor wants to hear. Prime works differently. Every haircut starts with an actual consultation: what you want, what your hair does, what will hold its shape. Barbers Mo, Zafri and Elvira each have their own specialities — Mo for skin fades and beard sculpting, Zafri for fades and modern styling, Elvira for classic clipper cuts and wash-and-style — so whatever you're after, someone here does it well.
What it costs
Prices are transparent and start from €40:
- Men's Haircut or Fade Haircut — €40 (40 min) - Scissor Cut — €45 (40 min) - Haircut + Wash — €45 (45 min) - Haircut & Beard Trim — €49.99 (50 min) - Head Shave & Beard Trim — €50 (45 min) - Haircut & Beard Trim + Wash — €60 (60 min) - Beard Trim only — €25 (30 min)
No experience-tier upsells, no confusion at the till — the price you see is the price you pay.
Open every day, including when you're sightseeing on a Sunday
Prime is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, seven days a week. That includes Sundays, which matters a lot around Dam Square — most visitors are there on days off, and plenty of local barbershops close on Sundays or Mondays. Here, there's no bad day to stop in.
Walk-in or book ahead
Walk-ins are genuinely welcome — you don't need an appointment to get seen. That said, if you're planning your day around Dam Square and want a guaranteed slot (say, before dinner or a museum visit), you can book online through Fresha and get instant confirmation.
What to ask for near Dam Square
If it's your first visit, the Men's Haircut is the simplest, most reliable option — a full consultation and a clean finish in 40 minutes. If you've got a beard that's grown out during your trip, the Haircut & Beard Trim combo at €49.99 tidies up both at once without eating your whole afternoon.
Making a day of the centre
A haircut near Dam Square pairs naturally with the rest of the neighbourhood. Amsterdam Centraal is a further four minutes past Nieuwendijk 85, and De Wallen sits just a few minutes the other way — see our guides to [Amsterdam Centraal](/amsterdam-centraal) and the [Red Light District](/red-light-district) for more on both. For everything Nieuwendijk itself has to offer, read our [Nieuwendijk guide](/nieuwendijk).
Book it
Check the full [services](/services) list for every cut and price, or reach us through [contact](/contact) for directions from anywhere in the centre. Nieuwendijk 85, four minutes off Dam Square — walk-ins welcome, daily 10:00–21:00.
Prime Barbershop Amsterdam Nieuwendijk 85, 1012 MC Amsterdam Centrum Phone: +31 6 4282 5105 Open daily: 10:00–21:00
