See Brussels in Beer Tourism for a full tour.

 

Poechenellekelder

5, Rue du Chêne

Tel: 025119262

Wonderful beer café, the best in Brussels I would say. It is situated just in front of the Manneken Pis so from the terrace you can see the bunch of tourists taking photos and hear their comments, ohhh, it is so small... (indeed, the one in the advertisement of the chocolaterie next door is much much bigger).

The pub decoration is based on puppets, marionettes as this kind of theater is very typical in Brussels and has an old tradition. There are also some nice murals and old adornments and collectibles from the Manneken Pis.

They have a great beer selection and the staff knows very well what they are serving. You can ask for advise to order your beer, 90% percent of the times they will make you discover your favorite beer.

The pub is quiet and cosy and it is generally not packed, to enjoy a nice beer with friends. You can also eat here, appart of the cheese, salami and paté portions if you are hungry I strongly recommend you the lasagna. It is very good and the portion is big, even difficult to finish.

It is open till late (2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday).

Moeder Lambic

68 Rue de Savoie

025391419

or

metro stop Annessens

The one in Rue Savoi is the old one and the one in Annessens is quite new. It opened last year, but it keeps the nice beer environment of the old one in a more modern way and it is in the city center.

They have more than 200 beers and there are a few guests in a blackboard always that change quite often. Here you can find very nice and special beers not easy to find and sometimes even on draught.

The beer menu is focused on small breweries and they have an extensive menu of 75 cl bottles.

It is also opened till late and if you wish to eat something you can order some cheese or salami portions or some quiche.

Delirium Tremens

4a Impasse de la Fidelité

025144434

This is a pub with more than two thousand beers. Yes, I am not kidding, I said 2000 beers. It got a Guinness record for this.

It islocated in the cul de sac of the Janneken Pis. Yes, we have the Manneken Pis and the Janneken Pis (feminin version) there is also a pissing dog statue in the city but in that case there is no pub in front.

To get there you need to take the street from the Galery Royal direction to "La Bourse"with all the restaurants for tourists (yes, all those seafood restaurant are for tourists, there is only an authentic one "Chez Léon". If you want to eat in that street this is the only one that has always been there and the prices are real.What I mean is that you will normally not get un unpleasant surprise at the time of paying the bill).

It opened recently, what I mean is that ten years ago there was nothing in that small street apart from the Janneken Pis. I thinked it opened in 2004 when it got the record Guinness with 2004 beers.

The menu is actually a book, till last year they had only two or three books and you had to ask for it in the bar or the table using it to pass it to you after. Now they have more and as many were stolen they sell you a copy at an affordable price. It is a an original souvenir for beer lovers.

It started with the underground floor only. After, it opened a small part at the street level. Then, they opened a huge space at the street level and finally they opened one more floor upstairs. Still, it is always crowded.

I used to go a lot when I arrove to Brussels four years ago, during the day, after work when is still quiet and you could get the big menu easily. If you wish to go to have your beer I think the best is to go on a Thursday as all Thursdays there are Jam Sessions downstairs. If you arrive in the evening early you will be able to take a good table and enjoy your beer before everybody gets there. The concerts start at 22h and they could be pop, rock, heavy...I always liked them.

The big menu is only available downstairs and at the street level they have minimum 15 beers on draught.

This pub has been so successful it has open in front another one with a huge whiskys menu and a part for cocktails. There a small one recently opened only for Tequilas, big book menu also.

And a couple of years ago at the corner in this small street, a Trappist Delirium has been opened. Trappist Beers...ummmm. You can find here very good beers and sometimes you will be surprised with one of the best ones on draught!

If you like beer you really need to come to this place, the decoration is incredible, there are big metal beer ads on the walls, beer trays on the ceiling and pink elefants (symbol of the delirium Tremens beer) for the small lights on the ceiling also.

Downstairs the area around the bar uses barrels as tables with tall chairs. Upstairs there are tables below beer kettles, very nice the decoration is really impressive.

Bier Circus

rue de l'Enseignement, 57

02 218 00 34                  

It is near MADOU (metro stop) and next to the Cirque Royale (concerts place). They have a very good selection of beers and you can always try something new. Have a look to the blackboard with the guests. You can as well have a look to the fridges at the end of the bar where they keep really nice beers.

Have a beer at the bar (take your right when you go in) or sit at a table to have a beer and eat something. If you are hungry they have some Belgian dishes and snacks.

It might seem a bit pricy but the selection worth a visit and it is still probably cheaper than many places in the center.

Feel free to drop by from Tuesday to Saturdays. They are open till late.

De Toone

Rue des Petit Bouchers

025113711

This pub is actually the old marionets theather. You see the old stage, and the seats and there are picture of all the different owners of this theater with the characteristic bonet in squares tissue.

Here you really should order a Kwack. Yes, the Kwack is the one of the original glass that looks like a laboratory flask. It does it matter if you know this beer already, I insist you should order one here. The Kwack in this pub in on draught, and it is much much better. Other reason to other a Kwack here is that the rest of the beers are more expensive that in other pubs

The theater still works, there are marionets shows more or less three times a week. You can find the program in the pub. They actually take the other door and the theater is upstairs. There are shows in different languages, some in Bruxellois (it sounds like a mix of French and Dutch, if you know a bit of both you will understand it). There are normally classics, "The Three Musketeers", "Doctor Jekill and Mr. Hide"...

 

La Porte Noire

Rue des Alexiens 67

This is a Celtic heavy music beer pub in a medieval cellar with big wooden tables perfect to party the night. It is not far from Central Station just on a street on your right before the Marollen.

There is always a very good selection of beers in the fridge and the beers on draft change quite often. Now they have also some dry sausages so that you can eat something with your beer and not get drunk so fast :-)

As I said it is perfect to go out. You will nor find it opened during the day.

 

A L'imaige de Nostre Dame

Impasse des Cadeaux 3

This is one of my favourites. The selection is not huge but they have very good beers, it is very cosy and have concerts on Fridays. If you are looking for a Kwak on draft, this is the place to beer.

It is nicely hidden in one small alley at the back of the Grand Place. There are three alleys, the three of them with a pub at the end but this is the best. I do not really frequent the other two because of the service and beer selection.

I visited this pub for the first time in 2003. It was a really old brown café. In 2006 it was taken over and there were not many changes in the interior. A couple of years ago it was taken over again and now it has been renewed keeping the main elements in its interior from the old brown café. It is small and cosy but much more clean and with light with the white repainted walls. There are a few small dark wooden tables and some old rustic decorative elements in the walls.

They have cheese portions and dry sausages to accompany your beers.

I prefer it during the week and on Fridays. The waiters are young and last times I went on a Saturday the music turned into a kind of techno that does not really go with the place.