Top Rated Nightlife in Brussels

Jazz-pianist Stan Brenners first opened this gorgeous bar in the 1940s and in the 1980s, a group of trendy young folks renovated and reopened the place, turning it into the quintessential Brussels nightspot. Hang out at L'Archiduc or take your place behind the piano if you dare. There is usually live jazz on Sundays at 5p and on Saturdays there's Le Jazz après shopping (Jazz after shopping), which you can enjoy for free. The owners offer excellent wines and fabulous cocktails.

This elegant establishment is housed in a 17th-century building overlooking the Grand Place. At one point La Maison du Cygne was a popular cafe where in 1881 the Belgian Socialist Party was founded. Now it consists of one of the finest restaurants and bars in Brussels, where elegance, class and style are standard. There are five different rooms—the most coveted seats overlooking Grand Place. The cuisine is classic French, and the wine cellar has a permanent stock of no less than 70,000 bottles.

À la Mort Subite, which translates to 'Sudden Death', is a strange name for a delightful 19th Century café. But Mort Subite is a famous Brussels beer (now owned by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries) and also the name of a 19th-century dice game played by local employees during their lunch break, adding some context to the establishment's name. The interior has remained unchanged and, so it seems, have the staff. Long wooden benches, high ceilings and an array of mirrors are part of the café's charm. The clientele is mixed, basic snacks are served, and the prices are reasonable.

This is, with little contest, the premier techno club of Belgium, hosting many of the leading DJs from around the globe. After some experiments with drum and bass, this big place near Gare du Midi has now dedicated its first (dance) floor to house techno music exclusively. Every weekend, the party is at Fuse.

The Wild Geese is a great place to unwind and relax, or meet people who stroll in from all over the world. This is the Eurocrat's favorite after-work drinking spot and it will be your favorite too after a long day of sightseeing or business meetings. Filled with wooden tables and benches, the pub offers plenty of room to saddle up at the lively bar or indulge in some privacy in the corner. This joyous establishment is packed with enthusiastic revelers and game-watching patrons throughout the week.

Dwelling in one of Brussels' many defunct fabric factories, Bazaar offers ethnic grooves to Brussels' hip and ever-restless clubbers. Try the Crocodile and then let yourself be pulled onto the dance-floor by the hypnotizing music or sit back and drink in the unique atmosphere consisting of indoor hot air balloons, monochrome portraits of men in turbans and ambient golden lighting. A fusion of many ethnic cultures, Bazaar offers a nice change of pace from your run of the mill nightclubs.