Belgian themed food and bar. We wanted a snack while walking around Ashton Lane before dinner and something savory sounded better than ice cream. We loved the Shetland Mussels we had in Edinburgh and saw they had mussels and frites so we decided to come. They have large indoor and outdoor seating. Our first spot was too crammed so we asked if we could live somewhere more cozy and staff was kind enough to reseat us right away. Winter Spritz: amaretto, cranberry, lime, and prosecco. Nice and light and have a little buzz. Moles Frites: you can choose between flavors, we did the basic mariniere without cream. This took pretty long to arrive, I want to say about 30 minutes and came almost exactly when it started feeling awkwardly long. It was a good snack and the fries were well cooked, I just wish I got to eat more than the kids did. read more

See all

Plus points: parsnip soup, the lovely soda bread and the staff. The space itself is also really nice. Cons: the prawns were not good, the croquettes had very little flavor and the roast potatoes were a let down. I'd like to try the fondue next time so would go back for that and skip most everything else. Great place for drinks though. read more

See all

What a great spot on Ashton, a super fun little hidden lane in Glasgow. Lots of seating inside and out. Super service with a good list of beers and cocktails and snack food, too. The outdoor Brel garden is comfy and cute - check it out! Bars inside and out, too. I would return, for sure. Check out this spot and Ashton Lane. read more

Brel - Nice outdoor space - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Really enjoyed this spot on the lovely Ashton Lane. Got an indoor table and it was nice on a cooler night. The Camembert appetizer was an excellent choice for a small group to share as a starter. The tempura oyster mushroom burger was an amazing option! I've never seen that before and it was everything I wanted it to be! The mixed drinks were a bit inconsistent at our table but overall it was a great spot. read more

We were refused service because we were American. We felt very uncomfortable because we were not a university students. I can believe such a place exists in the 21st century. read more

My Glasgowian (did I get that right?) friend suggested we eat somewhere on Ashton, and since my mom's stomach was a little off following a day's worth of travel to get to Glasgow, we chose Brel. It's a cute establishment with lots of tables of varying sizes. Arriving just after 7pm , we were seated immediately inside, against the windows looking out to the beer garden, so unfortunately, we also got a lot of cigarette smoke coming over to us. Mum had the Mac n' Cheese, which was a soup bowl portion of baked, warm goodness. She really liked it. I enjoyed the peanut and kale curry, which was the perfect-sized meal: not overly filling, but very satisfying. It comes with one flat bread, which was a little less chewy/thick than naan, but had good texture and flavor. The side dish of light, refreshing mint yogurt helpes balance the heavier, thick consistency of the curry bowl. The waiter let us talk for a long while after clearing our plates, which was really nice of him since I was catching up with a friend. For more orientation: toilets are up a mildl, winding flight of stairs, tables get a tall pitcher of water, and if you pay by card, the waitstaff processes the transaction at the table. read more

Brel brel brel. So swell. I do enjoy the mussels and the assorted seafood delights. The highlight was the amorous belgian beer which I had a faint swig of. All in all, Brel is Swell. Brel for president. Brel. read more

I am immune suppressed and don't really get to go out much. My friend arranged for a secluded firepit and the staff were phenomenal. A minor mistake with booking got fixed straightaway. We were up on the hill away from everyone. The drinks were great. The staff friendly and accommodating. When the hill was shut and we were moved inside the staff gave us loads of warning and cleared us a table in the corner so we could take it before everyone else came in. Super super happy and grateful for my first night out since pandemic. Thanks brel. Hope I get to come back one day. read more

One of the best meals I had in Glasgow. Wish I had discovered it earlier in my trip. Excellent beer selection, friendly service, beautiful and popular outdoor area for dining or drinks. read more

It's been nearly 2 years since my last Brel review and not too much has changed actually - it's still one of the better places on Ashton Lane (my personal favourite being Ubiquitous Chip, and a lot of the other venues being G1 owned). I like the decor - part ski-chalet, part sunny conservatory and a beer garden for those rare really nice days. They're promoting the fact the menu has changed and I can't actually tell too much of a difference - it's still focussed on mussels and there's some tasty sounding other dishes on there as well. As we were in for lunch we got a seat in the conservatory and looked over the menu. They have a lunch deal of mains for £6 (a few with supplements). I ordered a mini mac cheese, Parmesan truffle fries and squid as I didn't really fancy anything on the main menu. Food arrived quickly and the mac cheese had a nice topping of extra cheese. Thankfully underneath it was still nice and cheesy, not just a white sauce. Overall I'd say it was a pretty decent mac cheese, not the best I've ever had but pretty decent. For £4 the mini version was very generous and I actually couldn't finish it. The Parmesan fries were also pretty good, a nice smattering of Parmesan and a good portion. The squid was disappointing though and I didn't finish it. It was meant to be crispy but it was really undercooked so just unpleasant to eat. Overall I quite like Brel and don't mind coming here for a drink. I'm not sure it's ever going to be one of my all-time favs though, especially with competition from somewhere as magical as Ubi Chip so close. read more

Brel has been my preferred Ashton Lane bar for some time now and the recent, subtle, refurb, rebrand and relaunch have only made it better. Especially when it comes to the food! I liked the previous menu, tapas-style small dishes as well as some good main courses, the new menu steps away from that approach to a more traditional 3-course style but the quality of the food we had last night was a definite improvement! My partner ordered the smoked haddock Mornay which was wonderfully cooked, in a delicious sauce with a generous helping of creamy mash on the side. I'm not the biggest fish fan but I'd have happily eaten all of that! I ordered the beef brisket with strips of steak with dauphinoise potatoes. The brisket was a tiny bit on the dry side to look at but was delicious and melted in my mouth! There were small fried bits of pancetta to help the dish along but the succulent steak strips were wonderfully cooked, all accompanied by some perfectly cooked dauphinoise! It really was excellent food. Around us the pots of mussels (wisely kept on the menu during the revamp) were being devoured and their burger looked great, a nice chunky homemade pattie! Given it was a Saturday we were surprised to get a table and the service was excellent, friendly, relaxed and efficient. I think the revamp was perfectly timed, and it certainly looks like they've followed the tired and tested "if it ain't broke don't fix it" method whilst improving in the right areas. If only they'd bring back West's Munich Red on tap! read more

Brel - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Fab French menu (yep, realised later it's a Belgian establishment), with a vast drinks selection of beer, wine and cocktails. It was heaving on Friday night and, oddly, they turn the music up super loud about 10pm. This was annoying considering most people were having a meal and trying to converse. OK, granny rant over. The food, on the other hand, was excellent. I didn't have a huge appetite sadly, but my French onion soup hit the spot and my companion's linguine was a textural masterpiece of walnuts, peas and pesto. Pecan pie and salted caramel ice-cream was sweet, sticky joy. Ear-splitting music aside, I was thoroughly impressed. I only wish I'd been hungry enough to tear into some of their moules frites. read more

Brel - French onion soup by candlelight - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

The Belgians might not be the most charismatic bunch, but if this is anything to go by, they know what makes a decent bar. Brel was one of the first places I ever went to drink in Glasgow, and it's one of the few pubs I've never really got fed up with. It's cosy, welcoming, and nice in summer when they open up the doors to the lane. There's also small gigs and comedy nights regularly, the content of which are exactly as you'd imagine of a Belgian bar in the West End. Oddly enough, Kettle Chips aside I don't think I've ever actually eaten in here, but going by it's reputation I'd expect it to be pretty good for that as well. read more

Brel - from official website - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

There is nothing like a sunny afternoon at Brel on the back lawn! I finally got to experience this beer garden in full effect (meaning it was a rare sunny day), and yes I was one of those people shifting positions on the hill as the sun was setting! Even on gloomy days this pub is still a good go-to, additionally they have a surprisingly good gin selection! I have only eaten here once and had the mussels, not the best, but definitely decent bar food. I think this is one of the better establishments on the Ashton Lane strip for an all around good time (lively, decent food and service). read more

This was my first Brel experience and I must say, I was impressed. I was a little off put at first by the Hipster Vibe, but that soon subsided. I do love Ashton Lane! The lights, the bar fronts, it's just so cute :) We had to wait 20 minutes for a table, but considering it was 7pm on a Saturday, this wasn't bad. Plus, waiting involved sitting under trees with fairy lights next to the BBQ! We opted for a picnic style, tapas meals. The fries were amazing! Sorry, not fries, Pomme Frites :P Camembert Fondue with a meat plater, Halloumi skewers, salt and chilli chicken wings, fried baby squid...which could have been a bit crispier, the batter kept falling apart, plus extra soda bread. The food overall was pretty good, certainly unusual. The staff were pretty accommodating and friendly. We relocated to the bar area for after dinner drinks, and I actually loved the style. The cobbles and street-vibe indoors was charming. Will be back soon! read more

Brel - Squid and fries - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

See all

I like brel and I don't like it at the same time. When I was a student, it was definitely the cool place to be. Made us all feel like we'd grown up a bit, and it was just cool full stop. Now, I have a bit of 'meh' about it. It's too trendy, it's filled in equal measures with yuppies and students, and all of the patrons are too good for anything, including getting out of your way. But, still, I go there, as it's probably the place I hate least on Ashton Lane. Beer garden out back, where you can enjoy the sunshine, but no matter what they've done in recent years to repair the damage of everyone sitting on the grass, they still end up having people sit in the grass. In fact, it reminded me of a popular advert on TV where there is only a little square of sunshine left, and everyone is crammed into it. I managed to get a seat outside, but it started to get cold, but then I couldn't get a seat INSIDE. At £2.90 for a pint of Tennents, I was left with no choice but to find cheaper pastures. It's not bad, but really, don't get your hopes up. read more

Brel - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Why hath I not reviewed here? Ahhhh... I did, but on itison. My first visit here (for food) was with the cheese fondue itison deal. It was £12 for fondue for 2 and a bottle of house wine. Cannae knock it! My friend had visited the week previously and advised to add on the £5 meat board, and that the house white was delightful. Now, he was spot on about the meat board; it gave my pickle hating companion something extra to nibble on, as with the blue cheese fondue 2 out of the 6 crudités for dipping were pickled onions and mini gherkins. All of which I felt the need to devour (I'm not leaving anything edible!) and ended up with pickle sweats. It was, however a bit sparse, but the small bits of chicken and sausage themed accoutrements were very tasty. The wine...well, looking back I think we got an off bottle but just put it down to being cheap and nasty, because a few weeks later, upon my return, we had the same wine and it was much nicer. Now! My return. Three of us, rather than the intended 2, ended up dining, so instead of the £6 Moules Frites deal we pigged out on two of the £20 deals, consisting of 2 Moules, 2 frites and a bottle of wine. We ate our weight in crustaceans, filled our tummys with frites and bread, and washed it down with a bottle of both the house white and red. A grand evening! The service has always been top notch, the surroundings warm and cosy (especially in the heated lean-to whilst the snow and hail are belting off the glass) the food fantastic and a great range of beers. Definitely one of my favourites of Ashton Lane. read more

See all

I only recently discovered the delights of Brel after being invited along for the relaunch when it was bought over and then again to sample their Christmas menu. The food was delicious both times, I particularly loved the ribs at the launch party and the beef brisket with truffle mash at Christmas was divine! I wonder if that might stick around on the normal menu or come back next year - I'll have to check it out soon as I'd love that again! They also had hot mulled cider which was so delicious and I was very impressed with the roast turkey (I tasted Roz's) as I would never usually order that on a festive menu but this was actually lovely, very tender and not at all dry! I can't wait for the summer when we can enjoy being in the beer garden, not just admiring the pretty lit up trees from the conservatory. :) read more

See all

i stopped in here with a friend and wasn't sure what to expect. We were both pretty hungry and were sat in the patio area of the restaurant after waiting at the bar to be seated by a member of the staff. Being students, we try to live on a students budget when we can, so when we realised this wasn't the cheapest of restaurants we could have chosen, we both went for pretty basic things. I ordered the chicken and chips, which, to my surprised for what it cost, was soaking in grease. The chicken was tasty enough, but because it was resting on the chips, the chips were literally sitting in a pool of grease, which put me off completely. My friend ordered a burger, his usual go to when we go out. He said it was pretty good. The restaurant itself is pretty great if you're looking for a nice place to eat. During the warmer days, they have outside seating, and even a grassy knoll to sit on if you're so inclined. I love the way the outside smells when walking by, as they do a lot of wood burning cooking here. The smell of wood burning is enough to attract me to anything! I'll need to go back from a proper meal when I'm not trying to waste time in between classes. It seems like it's always busy and people are always happy about being there. read more

This place has an AMAZING atmosphere! Great outdoor dining area! They have SO MANY great beer selections, too. Our food was delicious and beautifully presented. Our server was friendly and informative, but a little inattentive (my glass was empty for over 10 minutes). I can't wait to back! read more

Brel - Beetroot, quinoa, and walnut salad with goat cheese. - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

See all

I like Brel. Brel is a nice pub to be found on Ashton Lane. They have a decent menu (with decent portions, expecially the fish and chips) - for example, for a while they were doing lunches for £2.99 - burgers, fish and chips, chilli, etc. Pretty decent. Behind the bar can be found a wide host of alcohols, which is always good (watch out though, some of them can be extremely pricey!). I enjoy a quiet night drink here, and sometimes they have live music on in the back which adds to a nice relaxed atmosphere. On a nice sunny day however, go early to reserve a seat as by 1pm, the place is packed - inside and out - due to their outdoor tables at the front, and picnic benches and grassy lawn at the back. Personally, I think there's nothing nicer than chilling with a few friends in the sun, whilst sitting on the grass, with a Magners in hand, behind Brel... ahh, yes...a perfect summer's day. read more

Brel - Brel - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

The price is right for the menu, but not for the quality or service. Looking down the lunch menu the prices seemed to match the meals described but I fear that though the final meal was nice it was not worth the money. Service:- I waited 20 minutes for my starter of pâté which should have been served in half the time, I mean its a chunk of Pâté with a bit of bread and a few leaves of salad and it wasn't even that busy. When I finally got my meal they kept interrupting me to ask if everything was OK! I rate service as poor. Food - I started with the pâté and crusty bread, in my opinion the pâté was too salty and the bread was far from fresh or for that matter crusty - I'd put money on it that it was a cheap loaf from Greggs and was a day old. The main, a steak, was better and to be honest was the saving grace of the experience, I did however ask for some ketchup and Tabasco, the ketchup must have been stored in a fridge in a small pot and a skin had formed,very off-putting and the Tabasco bottle was sticky and dirty - overall food was average. The selection of beer was good however I do wish I had eaten elsewhere - probably won't go back again. read more

Brel - Belgian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Brel is fast becoming my favourite hangout in the West End. I have had food here once (a while back!) and it was amazing, but I can't remember it enough to do it any real justice (and Gordon M has already reviewed that particular meal - check it out!) but I really enjoy coming to this place. The service has always been great (apart from on Hogmanay which was expected so I can't blame them for that at all!) and we've always been lucky to get a nice seat (even if it's on a hill) outside if we needed one. For either a quick drink post-work or a nice chilled out Saturday afternoon in the sun, this place is most definitely the place to go on Ashton Lane. read more

Brel is located alongside a host of restaurants and bars in a great part of Glasgow. They offer all kinds of meal deals, seating with natural light and they have a great courtyard patio. A great place to drink wine with friends by candlelight.the food offerings were great, but the food itself was slightly lacking. Not bad for the price. Five stars for ambience, four for quality. read more

Jazz, West Beer and 80s/90s music... am I convinced? Screw it, why not? Not being the biggest fan of Ashton Lane, I do think it still fills a spot in the Glasgow night scene and Brel is as decent as place as any on the Lane of Ashton. Reasons to be cheerful: 1: West Beer on tap. 2: Jazz (nice) 3: it's probably the least shiny happy new place on the lane. Aye, so Brel is quite the nice wee joint. Hit it, smile and get me a beer in! read more

I ended up in Brel last week when the weather was all lovely for some beer garden drinks. On entry, Brel is so much bigger than you'd initially expect it to be. With an upstairs and a huge outdoor beer garden, you probably won't struggle for somewhere to sit. Colin and I, obviously if it was sunny, were going to head outside for a wee seat in the sun. You're not allowed to take glasses outside though, so it's plastic cups only. Feels like someone's back garden BBQ a bit! There's a decent looking selection of food offered here, and I might pop back in for some food, but I didn't get a particularly nice vibe off the staff. They seemed a bit dismissive and bored, which made me dislike the place a bit. Hopefully if I return then it'll just have been a one off thing! read more

Brel's had a facelift... In a good way. It had been some time since we were last in Brel. Before it was still under different ownership with a lacklustre beer garden and under-utilised space. We were meeting some friends for drinks, and I immediately noticed changes with the sign, bar, and back garden. All were positive improvements to bring warmth and atmosphere to the establishment. This particular weekend evening was heaving, but table service for drinks was spot on. However that could have been influenced by the presence of and sitting with a certain VIP. Typically favouring Finnieston or the City Centre, Brel isn't a bad shout when venturing along Ashton Lane. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the lights lit up next time in the beer garden. read more

Ended up here on a Saturday night for a friends birthday celebration. I have been around a few of the places here but somehow seem to have missed this one. We had reserved a couple of tables for 8. Arrived slightly late, thankfully our tables were still there. On arriving thought the place looks quite nice, inside was nice too. Although there seemed to be rooms everywhere. The toilet was a weatherspoons effort, 40miles away. Very cosey too. Would happily sit in here and have a few. A little pricey but thats what you get around this neck of the woods. Staff were all fine. There was a nice wee chilli plant growing beside us too. Never tried any of the food but others seemed to be enjoying what they were having and it looked nice. Hopefully our crowd did not put any of them off as it was a little weird to sit a party group in with people settling down for a nice meal. We tried our best to behave. One or 2 of us had been out for a majority of the day but I think we conducted ourselves rather well. read more

The range of beer in here is awesome. The price of beer in here sucks. It is pretty expensive, but I admire the range of beers that they offer, and the staff are (for the most part) pretty knowledgeable about their products. There is also Belgian-style fare on offer here, and what is more Belgian than mussels? The mussels are absolutely massive and delicious, and incredibly filling. A half pot will definitely do you for a lunch, and paired with a lovely pint of West St Mungo's beer, you could be fooled into thinking you are in Delirium in Brussels. Yeah OK maybe not, but it is a nice lunch! I visited last week and ordered 3 of their small plates for a £10. I have to say the bread and balsamic was good (it IS just bread and balsamic though!), as was their gruyere potato croquettes, but I got a endive gratin with hazelnut crust that I really should have set back as I could not eat it. It tasted of nothing and just tasted soggy, with not a crunch to be had. However, I would not hold this against Brel as the fabulous space outside is a dream in the summer, especially when there are live bands inside, and it feels like all the residents of Byres road have melted out onto Brel's backyard. Nommy beers, good tunes and sunshine. Nae bad. read more

Last time I went to Brel for food was a few years ago and I was very underwhelmed. I popped in the other night and loved it. The mussels were really good-I'm getting a main course portion next time & my two beef main was yummy. Try it for a pub setting with better than average food read more

See all

We'd heard good things about Brel before we came up, but I have to say I was seriously underwhelmed with the place. I started getting doubts as soon as we found Aston Lane, with the neon signed cluster of restaurants and bars with names such as Vodka Wodka (hmm...) making it look and feel like a knock-off Disneyland creation for p**sheads. Apologies to fans of this neck of the woods. Venturing inside, the bar was fairly busy but there weren't many people sat inside - that all became clear when I saw the massive beer garden on the terraced hill out back. The beer selection was a bit of a let-down too as I thought it specialised in Belgian offerings, but these seem to have been mostly forgotten about in favour of both commercial lagers and UK/US craft ales. Our group had a drink on some benches in the shade (as there wasn't a patch of free space in the sun available) and hastily left. read more

In all the years of frequenting Ashton Lane, I'd never been in here or Vodka Wodka. I don't know why, maybe just a mental block over the building and it's many doors and staircases on the outside. Plus, I'd always been a Curler's or Jinty's kinda guy. With time (and brain cells) to kill, I decided to plunge into Brel feet first. And boy, I'm glad I did. I had the opinion of Brel being a bit of a spirits bar, with not many beers available. WRONG! They have the awesome Williams Brothers Joker IPA with earns it 2 stars, instantly. Excellent service from the bar staff - guy that served me seemed to have at least 3 different hairstyles and called me any combination of big man, big chap, fella, buddy, mate, Jimmy and pal - always nice to be nice :) They also replaced a bottle of beer that a poor woman knocked over as she was picking up. Her fault, but the staff offered a replacement without being asked. I like that. I didn't realise how big the space inside Brel was. I also didn't realise there was a patio AND a beer garden. The stairs that go up the side of the beer garden? I've walked up those hundreds of times when my girlfriend at the time was a student at Glasgow Uni. I never put two and two together that the beer garden was Brel's. Probably an example of why I never went to Uni... But, I did like the look of the food I saw on going by from the kitchen, I *LOVED* sitting outside in the sunshine - where were you earlier on Eclipse day, Sunshine??? - with a really nice, perfectly chilled cold pint of a nice beer. It's somewhere I can see myself returning to time and time again. read more

Came here on Boxing Day and was happily surprised. Probably one of my favourite parts about Brel is the inside/outside space. It is a great place to hang out and have a drink. And on one of those rare sunny days, there is a nice patio for some outdoor time. They have a good beer and cocktail selection. I was impressed with the size of my cocktail, not one of those drinks you look at and then magically it's gone. The food was pretty good too. I went for a soup and it was a little salty, but nonetheless enjoyable on a cold day. Overall, this place is a fun spot. Makes for a good stop before or after hitting a movie at the Grovsner. read more

Brel is one of those Ashton Lane institutions. Hang out on Byres Road long enough and you will find yourself in here eventually. Aimed for Jintys and missed. I like it but it can put some folks off. The steel chairs and concrete can be a little cold. but no place has a summer venue like Brel. It is up there with Chinaskis and the Beer Cafe in the Merchant City. Those large doors open and the front wall becomes a great place to spend the summer evenings. Decent selection of beers in here. If you get tired of Irish Ales - shift over. Brel is waiting for you. read more

I know Brel really well having been a Westend resident for around 13 years, and Ashton Lane stumbler far longer. I've had so many good nights in here, its always held a special spot for me so when I had to plan a girls lunch, I chose to try out the new menu. Brel has been under new ownership for a few months now and the change is nothing short of dramatic. The menu is excellent, the space is fresh and inviting, the beer garden is pretty much perfect and if you look into the garden after dark, the lighting is just beautiful. I booked a table for 4 on a busy Saturday wintry afternoon and lucky I did as the place was very busy. We were attended to by two different waiters throughout our stay and they couldn't have been nicer. Excellent attention and great service. I opted for the halloumi burger with curly fries. The burger comes on either a bun or in a lettuce leaf, and given I'm not a huge fan of buns, I opted for the lettuce version. Topped with a portobello mushroom and generous dollop of pesto, the halloumi was salty, tasty and scrummy. I wolfed it down and also enjoyed tucking into the curly fries which were crispy and moreish. Ambience wise, it was perfect for a lazy ladies afternoon lunch, warm, cosy and so much so, difficult to leave. read more

I'd go back. An available table on a Saturday night? Never sure if that's good or bad. But, the mussels were great (I had the Guinness/Blue Cheese one) and the beers were fast. I thought the service was excellent too - thanks Molly!!! Two in our group thought the burgers were a little tough and the manager handled it well offering them something else on the menu straight away - so, in the end, everyone was very happy. With The Doors playing in the background (and not too loud at all) it made for a nice mellow evening. Like another reviewer said, the frites with the mussels are served in this cool artistic metal funnel with a built -in side funnel for the dipping mayo stuff. Delicious and kind of cool. And, like someone else said, the bread that came with the mussels was outstanding: fresh, heavy and delicious - perfect for dipping in the mussels sauce - yum!! read more

I'm not a mussel girl. Years of fishing off the dock and cracking open the shelly little guys for bait with my brother has left a scar, but when you walk into a joint (a little drunk) and there's a huge chalkboard screaming "We're famous for our mussels" You've just gotta try 'em. They didn't have Shiraz by the glass, so I ordered a bottle for myself (What? Perfectly acceptable) and a gooey cheese bacon appetizer. Delicious. I ordered the half pot of mussels in a creamy wine sauce and to my suprise, a pot of 50 came to my table. I conqured each one like a boss and devoured thier homemade soda bread whilst soaking up the yummy sauce. I give this place a A, even tough I was tortured with the entire Michael Buble jazz album. read more

Brel is one of my favourite watering holes, it has a superb range of continental tap beers, a superior beer garden and a lovely laid-back vibe. I very rarely eat here though. Why? Well I don't know, I made sure I booked it last Friday though. I had tickets for the Hobbit and being its Christmas I knew food could be hard to come by. We quickly got seated in the raised bit near the circular stair, and ordered our food. I went for the Langoustine Frites and the Beef Carbonnade, this place no longer specifically says its Belgian but the menu still is. The service was very friendly and very efficient. My slightly dear langoustines were perfectly cooked and the garlic butter made it melt-in-the mouth tasty. The beef carbonnade was also quite nice, but it's just a stew and a very rustic one at that, a hole-filler I felt it could be better presented. My father's Stoemp! looked rustically impressive too, the thickest sausages I can remember ever seeing, and his Moules Frites came in a very generous portion. The only major disappointment was with the soda bread, it was too sugary, stiff and crumbly. It fell into bits on touch and therefore got into everything else. So Brel is still one of my favourite watering holes, judging it on food though I'd be more critical. So 3 stars for the food, 5 stars for the bar, 4 overall! read more

I want to like this place, but I just haven't been impressed either time I've been in. My experience over the weekend might just have put me off the place for a while. We went in around 8 pm on Saturday; it was pretty full, but there were still a few empty tables about. We checked with the hostess and she told us we'd be seated in about 15 minutes. We wandered about for a while and soon it was time. She told us to sit at a table and walked away - immediately a different waiter came and told us the table was reserved. We explained that the hostess just told us to sit down and he let us be. (We found out later that they mark the dining tables reserved to keep people from wandering in from the bar area and sitting in the food service area.) That sorted, we went to figuring out what to order. We weren't dinner hungry but were looking for something to nibble on. They do label their vegetarian and gluten-free options; unfortunately, they are pretty lacking in munchie options for both. The waiter who'd just tried to kick us off our table came back and took our drink order; we were ready to order food too, and started to tell him, but after he took the other couple's drink order, he ran off as they were trying to order their food! Awkward. Then, when he came back and we tried to finish ordering, he told us it was better for the kitchen if we ordered everything at once; we told him we'd tried but he left mid-order! Also, he promised us a jug of water for the table "as soon as one was free;" we saw him take a jug to a nearby table about five minutes later. We never did get ours. We ended up trying the chips both ways (one is just plain french fries with aioli, the other is the the same chips with parmesan and truffle oil.) Our friends order a sharing platter which had a couple croquettes, ribs, chicken wings, bread and maybe something else... I wasn't paying terribly close attention as I couldn't eat it! The chips were chips, they were good but they were chips, you know? We ended up getting the check from a different server, and we were pretty happy to be on our way. It was just an uncomfortable experience from start to finish. read more

I've been to Brel numerous times over the years for food and drinks and I think it's one of the best places on Ashton lane for both. There's 3 main areas to Brel, the front area as you come in which has quite an odd layout with tables up a small set of stairs next to the bar. The bar itself is at the front and quite spacious. Through the back there's an indoor conservatory area which is laid out well with a log burning fire, ideal in the winter time. There's also a beer garden area which is packed on the few sunny days we have. Food wise, the standard is pretty good. There's a special £6 lunch deal which has quite a few items on it. Portions are generous at the price and the food is very tasty. Mussels are the specialty here, I'm not a big fan of Mussels so can't comment on them sadly! The drinks selection is ideal for beer lovers, with a huge range of Belgian bottled beers on offer. The prices for drinks I find on the steep side, but it's pretty standard for Ashton Lane. Overall Brel is a good place to go in the area, and fantastic for a drink on a sunny day out the back. One of the better places on the lane read more