Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ambuluwawa Tower
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
Hesperus Mountain.
Hesperus Mountain
Miniature Collection at Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
U.S. Air Force Capt. Samuel “RaZZ” Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, passes over the flight line at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, July 9, 2024
Who Swarmed Langley Air Force Base With Drones?
Our producer Manolo Morales would spend his final days perusing the shelves at Book Off.
Where Would You Go to Wait for the Apocalypse?
This event showcasing the bounty of the Traverse City region’s amazing agriculture, craft, and creativity culminates with a Grand Tasting on August 23.
The Atlas Obscura Guide to Traverse City’s Event Season
She’ll get you and your little dog too.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Explore Witch History Without the Kitsch?

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the Netherlands Amsterdam Sea Palace
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Sea Palace

Europe's first floating restaurant is home to a hilarious legend.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Zairon/CC BY-SA 4.0
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  Zairon/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Ben Bender/CC BY-SA 3.0
  Bootuitjes/CC BY 2.0
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  coljay72 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A large three-story floating Chinese pagoda is perhaps not the first thing that one expects to see when exiting Amsterdam Central Station, but despite all expectations, that is indeed a huge floating restaurant docked in the water. 

The aptly-named Sea Palace was built in 1984. The massive building was then considered the world's largest Chinese restaurant, capable of seating 900 people at once.

The whole project cost over 5 million gulden (about 4.3 million Euro, in 2021) and was financed by a group of businessmen from both Amsterdam and Hong Kong. It was the first of its kind outside of Hong Kong, which has a long history of magnificent floating eateries. 

Tour guides often point out the Sea Palace as a curiosity, and over the years many of them have started to repeat a legend that is definitely untrue. 

The most popular one is that the restaurant was never able to hold the 900 people as advertised.  This came down to a claim that the water in the Amsterdam canals is less salty than Hong Kong's harbor, thus reducing the buoyancy.

On Sea Palace's opening night, the story goes, only 700 people could enter before it started to sink. 200 people had to wait outside. The owner allegedly felt bad for these people and had his cooks make them food that was packed in boxes to take home, thus creating take-out. Considering that take-out is much older than 1984, this is one story that doesn't hold water.

Related Tags

Boats Food Restaurants

Know Before You Go

Check restaurant website for opening hours.

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

Collector of Experiences, coljay72

  • Collector of Experiences
  • coljay72

Published

January 18, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://amsterdamcircleline.nl/en/blog/floating-chinese-sea-palace-restaurant/
  • https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=2%7C20e_eeuw%7C1980-1989%7C1984%7C&query=sea+palace+&coll=ddd&page=2&identifier=ddd:010961791:mpeg21:a0209&resultsidentifier=ddd:010961791:mpeg21:a0209&rowid=10
  • https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=2%7C20e_eeuw%7C1980-1989%7C1984%7C&query=sea+palace+&coll=ddd&page=2&identifier=ddd:010628282:mpeg21:a0133&resultsidentifier=ddd:010628282:mpeg21:a0133&rowid=7
Sea Palace
Oosterdokskade 8
Amsterdam, 1011 AE
Netherlands
52.375771, 4.906282
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Paternoster Lift

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

In't Aepjen

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

Koninklijke Wachtkamer Amsterdam Centraal

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Places 76
Stories 6

Nearby Places

Paternoster Lift

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

In't Aepjen

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

Koninklijke Wachtkamer Amsterdam Centraal

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Places 76
Stories 6

Related Places

  • Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.

    Rome, Italy

    C'è Pasta... E Pasta!

    Fried artichokes and other Roman–Jewish classics are executed with care at this no-frills cafeteria.

  • Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.

    Rome, Italy

    Giano Restaurant

    Inventive Sicilian specialties are executed with flair at this restaurant overseen by chef Ciccio Sultano.

  • The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.

    Rome, Italy

    Cesare al Pellegrino

    Chef Leonardo Vignoli subtly updates Roman classics in a storied space.

  • Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.

    Rome, Italy

    Flavio al Velavevodetto

    For one of Rome’s finest renditions of cacio e pepe, head straight to this osteria.

  • Tripe is fried to a crisp.

    Rome, Italy

    L’Osteria della Trippa

    Everything from fried brains to stewed lungs are on the menu at this nose-to-tail spot.

  • Pizza al taglio is done right here.

    Rome, Italy

    Fratelli Trecca

    Roman-style pizza al taglio arrives here with magnificent, crackly crust.

  • A slice of cake is the perfect coda to a meal at Piatto Romano.

    Rome, Italy

    Piatto Romano

    Once the home of a renowned slaughterhouse, formerly working-class Testaccio is still the place to go for Roman offal dishes.

  • Khao soi, the popular northern Thai noodle dish, comes with a richly spiced coconut broth here.

    New Orleans, Louisiana

    Budsi’s Authentic Thai

    Dine on Isan-style specialties lovingly rendered in all their fiery, umami-loaded glory.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.