The Seafood Bar
Family-owned seafood restaurant group operating six locations across Amsterdam (4), Utrecht, and London Soho, serving sustainably-sourced seafood and operating the Zum Barbarossa cocktail bar sub-brand; co-owned by the De Visscher family with no external investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Seafood Bar does
The Seafood Bar is a family-owned seafood restaurant group founded by Fons de Visscher in Amsterdam in 2012, evolving from his fishmonger heritage dating to 1984. The group operates six restaurants across two countries: four locations in Amsterdam (Van Baerlestraat, Spui, Ferdinand Bolstraat, Damrak), one in Utrecht next to the central train station, and one in London's Soho district at 77 Dean Street, the group's first international site opened in 2021. The core product is fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood dining, with MSC and ASC certified fish, additive-free preparation, and a menu spanning oysters, fruits de mer platters, grilled fish, fish and chips, and pasta. Adjacent revenue lines include private dining for groups up to 70, gift cards sold online, oyster-shucking workshops, and the Zum Barbarossa speakeasy cocktail bar sub-brand that operates in basement spaces in both Amsterdam and London.
The business is operated by the De Visscher family without external investors or institutional funding. Fons has retired; co-owners Fleur de Visscher (kitchen, menus, operations) and Pepijn de Visscher (expansion, new concepts) run the business alongside a management team including an Operations Director, Financial Manager, HR Manager, Marketing Manager, Quality Manager, Head of Technical Services, and location-level General Managers and Head Chefs. Headcount exceeds 250 employees across all sites. The Seafood Bar earns revenue primarily through one-time dine-in transactions, complemented by private event bookings, gift card sales, group oyster workshops (€60/person), and cocktail bar sales. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: physical restaurants accepting walk-ins, reservations (online and by phone), and event inquiries, with marketing through social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), a blog, an email newsletter, and earned media coverage in outlets such as the Financial Times, The Guardian, Lonely Planet, and NRC. Sustainability is a structural feature: partnership with the Good Fish Foundation and Marine Conservation Society, wind energy use, a zero-waste policy, and Purezza in-house water purification installed across Dutch restaurants since 2019.
The Seafood Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Seafood Bar
- Legal name
- The Seafood Bar
- Website
- https://theseafoodbar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Family-owned seafood restaurant group operating six locations across Amsterdam (4), Utrecht, and London Soho, serving sustainably-sourced seafood and operating the Zum Barbarossa cocktail bar sub-brand; co-owned by the De Visscher family with no external investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Seafood Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Seafood Restaurants
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)
Keywords
Where The Seafood Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
The Seafood Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining: One-time transaction revenue from dine-in meals at all restaurant locations. Customers pay per meal for seafood dishes, beverages, and specialty items including oysters, fruits de mer platters, mixed grills, fish and chips, pasta, and desserts. Also generates revenue from private dining events, group bookings, and gift cards.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Oyster Happy Hour promotion |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Seafood Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Seafood Bar operates an award-winning family-owned seafood restaurant chain serving fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood dishes across six physical locations in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and London. The core offering includes dine-in meals featuring oysters, fruits de mer platters, grilled fish, fish and chips, and pasta, complemented by a speakeasy cocktail bar sub-brand called Zum Barbarossa. Supporting offerings include private dining events, educational oyster workshops, and gift cards.
Product overview
The Seafood Bar is a family-owned restaurant chain offering premium seafood dining experiences. The core offering consists of the main seafood restaurant service featuring fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood dishes including oysters, fruits de mer platters, mixed grills, fish and chips, and pasta. Supporting offerings include Private Dining services for events up to 70 guests, Gift Cards for gifting, and an Oyster Workshop educational experience. The subsidiary brand Zum Barbarossa provides speakeasy cocktail bar experiences at select locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Zum Barbarossa: Speakeasy cocktail bar located in the basement of the Spui restaurant in Amsterdam, also with a location at 77 Dean Street in London's Soho district. Offers cocktails, DJ performances, and late-night entertainment.
Products and services
- The Seafood Bar Restaurant Seafood restaurant chain offering fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood dishes including oysters, fruits de mer platters, grilled fish, fish and chips, and pasta across locations in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and London Soho.
- Zum Barbarossa Cocktail Bar
Companies that use The Seafood Bar
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Seafood Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Seafood Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- PurezzaminorWater purification system supplier. Since 2019, Purezza water purification machines have been installed in all Dutch restaurants to provide in-house purified water, eliminating the need for bottled water transport and reducing CO2 emissions.
- Good Fish FoundationcoreThe Seafood Bar is a partner of the Good Fish Foundation, working together with numerous seafood companies to accelerate the transition to a sustainable seafood supply chain. They use both the Good Fish Foundation and Marine Conservation Society databases to verify product sustainability.
- Marine Conservation SocietycorePartnership used to verify sustainability of seafood products. The Marine Conservation Society database is used alongside Good Fish Foundation databases to certify sustainable sourcing practices.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Seafood Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wright Brothers: UK seafood-focused restaurant group (oyster bars and full-service seafood restaurants) with a strong sustainability sourcing story. Direct competitor in the premium fresh-seafood casual-dining category, particularly relevant for the London Soho location.
- Burger & Lobster: UK-born casual-upscale seafood and lobster restaurant chain with multiple London and international locations. Highly comparable premium-seafood, multi-site dining model with similar price-point positioning to The Seafood Bar.
- J Sheekey: Iconic London seafood restaurant institution operating as part of the Caprice Holdings group. Comparable seafood-specialist, premium-positioned, single-city multi-outlet operator with a long heritage brand.
- The Wolseley (Corbin & King): Grand European brasserie in London with strong seafood offerings and a similar upscale-casual heritage positioning. Relevant comp on premium European dining experience, atmosphere, and central-city location strategy.
- Loch Fyne Seafood & Grill: UK-based seafood restaurant chain (formerly part of Greene King) serving sustainably sourced fish in casual-dining formats. Closely matches The Seafood Bar's mix of full-service seafood dining and sustainability-led sourcing.
Broad incumbents
- Nobu: Global luxury hospitality brand with a seafood-forward Japanese menu across dozens of locations worldwide. Comparable at the premium seafood / experiential dining layer, though far larger and broader than The Seafood Bar.
- Le Bernardin: Internationally renowned seafood fine-dining restaurant in New York. Comparable on seafood specialism, family/independent ownership heritage, and global media prestige, though at a higher fine-dining tier.
Regional players
- De Plantage: Amsterdam-based upscale restaurant operator with multiple central locations and a similar premium-casual positioning in the Dutch market. Relevant regional comp for benchmarking unit economics and Dutch consumer response.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Seafood Bar social profiles
Digital presenceThe Seafood Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Seafood Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Seafood Bar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Seafood Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Seafood Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Seafood Bar
What does The Seafood Bar do?
The Seafood Bar operates an award-winning family-owned seafood restaurant chain serving fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood dishes across six physical locations in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and London. The core offering includes dine-in meals featuring oysters, fruits de mer platters, grilled fish, fish and chips, and pasta, complemented by a speakeasy cocktail bar sub-brand called Zum Barbarossa. Supporting offerings include private dining events, educational oyster workshops, and gift cards.
Is The Seafood Bar a public or private company?
The Seafood Bar is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Seafood Bar founded?
The Seafood Bar was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Seafood Bar based?
The Seafood Bar is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does The Seafood Bar make money?
One revenue line is on record: restaurant Dining.
Who are The Seafood Bar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wright Brothers, Burger & Lobster, J Sheekey, The Wolseley (Corbin & King) and Loch Fyne Seafood & Grill. Broad incumbents are Nobu and Le Bernardin. De Plantage is listed as a regional player.
Does The Seafood Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Seafood Bar.
What industry is The Seafood Bar in?
The Seafood Bar's product category is Seafood Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAE, Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAJ, All-Day Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5810.