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.
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.
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.
Located on the edge of the city center, this bar draws a local crowd and maintains a relaxed atmosphere for enjoying a beer. Beer enthusiasts gather here because of the quality and quantity of Moeder Lambic's selection. While the bar usually has a laid-back atmosphere, it does become more lively on weekend nights. If you're looking for a mellow bar with a wide selection of rare beers on tap for a fair price, then Moeder Lambic is your stop.
Whether you want to spend the evening laughing out loud as you attend stand up comedy acts, bob your head to either jazz, blues, pop, folk or rock music or be amazed by the fine performances of theater artists, Caliclub has something in store for everyone and is highly reputed as a power-packed entertainment venue providing a complete experience. Housed in the restaurant Calichezap, beat those Monday blues or celebrate the beginning of the weekend by dropping in with a couple of friends and sipping on flavorful, delectable cocktails at the cocktail bar. With dark undertones, a stage reserved for the act of the night and neon lights, sit and revel in the long night that lies ahead of you.
Located on the edge of the city center, this bar draws a local crowd and maintains a relaxed atmosphere for enjoying a beer. Beer enthusiasts gather here because of the quality and quantity of Moeder Lambic's selection. While the bar usually has a laid-back atmosphere, it does become more lively on weekend nights. If you're looking for a mellow bar with a wide selection of rare beers on tap for a fair price, then Moeder Lambic is your stop.
Chez Moeder Lambic is easily one of the best places to enjoy a beer when in Brussels. The main seating area is designed in a basic modern style but the bar area steals away all the beauty. With an elongated line of taps and glasses hanging from the ceiling in an artistic manner, you would prefer to settle yourself near the bar than at a table. The bar serves local food that will adequately complement your brewed beer. At any given point of the day, the place is filled with tonnes of beer aficionados wanting to try both Belgian craft beer and beer that has traveled to Moeder Lambic from other breweries of the world. If you are in the mood to try some delicious brews, then Chez Moeder Lambic is a great place to begin.
Belgium and beer connect the way France and wine do. If you haven't ventured into this zone, you can have a safe start at Café Bizon, which serves some of the best beer this country has to offer. Each beer comes in its own glass, making it unique. To add to the experience is live music, played by local and international artists on certain nights. It has the strategically positioned giant plasma screen, which makes sure that you don't miss out on your favorite sport while indulging in one of the amazing brews of the world.
Kolya is the restaurant / bar situated in the ultra-chic Hotel Manos Premier and provides a swanky atmosphere in a cushy lounge alongside classic cocktails. The restaurant area is quite elegant with a roof that is entirely enclosed in glass, allowing natural sunlight to stream in and add beauty to the overall feel of the place, which lays emphasis on all things natural. The menu, though mostly French is very diverse, from Dungeness crab ravioli with Madras curry to duck breast à la Brabançonne, both of which are in house specials offered amidst the wide array of lip smacking seafood. And for the kids, the restaurant provides a room for them to see short films or cartoons in order to keep them entertained, while the adults can perhaps indulge in some 'us time' alone! The service is impeccable, and if you are a cigar smoker, the lounge has an enormous variety of cigars from around the world. So aft er dinner, help yourself to some Armagnac near the smoldering fireplace and light up to finsih off a well deserved meal.