Such a solid brunch spot by the beach that you can take your family or your partner to. Having visited Belgium for a day last year, I wanted to see if there was a restaurant that would stack up. This restaurant was easy to walk to, dependable, and delicious. I've been here 3 times and it always hits the spot. The servers here are super attentive and friendly. The outdoor seating is also super sweet; you can get a view of the boardwalk while you eat. Moule in white wine sauce, 9/10: Star of the show for sure. Mussels are cooked nicely. They come piping hot in the pot with the white wine garlic sauce that perfectly accompanies the natural flavor of the mussels. So smart to serve it in the small pot since it keeps the mussels hot and you can scoop the sauce with the shell. They taste fresh and not slimy at all. I appreciated how you can choose the quantity of mussels you want. Frites, 9/10: Pretty much exactly how it tasted in Belgium. Slightly thicker cut fries with mayo and ketchup. Seasoned well and the inside of the fry is still pillowy and warm. Bolognese, 8.5/10: Well-rounded bolognese with a good amount of meat sauce; they did not skimp out on it. Very well-seasoned dish that pairs well with the parmigiano and chili flakes. It also serves as a good pasta dish to eat with the mussels. My only gripe is the noodles could have been a bit more al dente. read more

Brussels Bistro - Moule in white wine sauce and bolognese (in the back) - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Service 10 Ambiance 10 Beer Options 10 Food 1-2 (Fries best part) Long time customer. Laguna Beach native. Don't know if it was just an off day/night the food was underwhelming. The escargot a favorite of ours. Re-used shells ok whatever but at least put a bigger piece of meat in there. The shells were filled with oil and some greens but the meat of the "escargot " was a little bit bigger than a pea! The fresh bread was great. Salad Endive - ehh chunks of ham??? Couldn't parent it better or just cheap meat? Steak was very tough. I had to spit a part out bc of the sinew. Then the frozen garlic butter hockey puck!! How do you expect people to put this or use this when it's frozen solid? The meat isn't hot enough to melt it. Overall you need to do better. Won't be coming back anytime soon unfortunately! read more

This was really difficult for me to write, but I feel it's important to share my experience. As a person of color, I did not feel welcome here. My concerns have nothing to do with the food itself, but rather the way I was treated in the after-hours Boiler Room space. I was already hesitant about coming, and being the only person of color there made me feel uncomfortable. Being asked to leave for sitting too long felt unfair and, honestly, came across as racially motivated. I was especially disappointed with how Phantom private security handled the situation--it did not feel respectful or appropriate. In a place like Laguna Beach, I expected a more inclusive environment, but instead it felt heavily biased. Because of this experience, I would not recommend the nightclub to other people of color. I've also experienced much better DJ scenes in Anaheim, Newport, and Los Angeles. Overall, I would not return, and I hope the management seriously reflects on how guests are treated. read more

This review isn't regarding their food or dining space, this is for their nightlife space and house music boiler room type setting. Saw this spot all over Tik Tok for house music and a fun time and it sure was! I walked passed it at night because it's underground, there is a line to get in with security and you walk down the stairs to the bar. It's a small space but fit more people than I thought. It was $10 to get in! Drinks were super expensive but the vibes were great. We listened to Dawson Duncan who was a great DJ. He went in on the deep house! Bathroom was really dirty and there was pee or water all over the ground. The line got really long for this too. I would definitely come back for the vibes and location near the beach. read more

Brussels Bistro - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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I've only ever been to the San Clemente Brussels location but this location was also really nice. It's an underground restaurant so it's down the stairs. Because it's down the stairs the restaurant feels really cosy to eat in. The food was great, all of us had a great meal and no complaints upon leaving. Service was awesome and everyone was really friendly. read more

Visiting friends and they recommended this place. It was a busy Saturday night but they seated us right away. The service was excellent and attentive. The steak frites with the red wine shallot sauce was the star of the evening. The fries were served in cones so you know it's the good stuff. Despite a full crowd, the place wasn't that noisy and able to have a conversation. 5 stars read more

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Great food. Great service. Great ambiance. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Brussels Bistro. Parking is a little bit of a challenge but our wonderful hostess advised us of a great parking garage 5 minutes away. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance of both the indoor and outdoor seating areas. The food was delectable, and the service was both professional and warm. We particularly appreciated their mushroom soup and the trout, which was expertly prepared and presented. However, the side of ratatouille was not as impressive as we had hoped but still decent! read more

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Quaint and cozy; indoor and outdoor dining available. We chose outdoor dining. Attentive service; lovely and kind staff. Very welcoming! Didn't know what to expect but ordered a few entrees and appetizers (sharing with my family, party of three) and the food turned out to be delicious! The entrees were very good, flavorful and delicious. The portions were just right. My favorites would be the Lasagna, Branzino, and the Salmon and Shrimp Pasta! Very flavorful and incredibly delicious! There were no leftovers. Brussels Bistro is definitely worth trying -- all of their entrees are incredibly delicious. Best meal that I've had in the Southern California! I would highly recommend if you're in the Los Angeles area! *****FIVE STARS***** read more

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It's been awhile since I dined at this long-standing Laguna place right on Forest in a subterranean space. Now that Forest Ave is closed to cars, they have nice street patio, plus their lower level patio and indoor dining space just past the urinating cherub fountain. They also have a location in San Clemente. I came early, so it was Happy Hour, which has a small menu that can be enjoyed anywhere in the restaurant. Of course, they have tons of Belgian beers, many on tap, but I'm not a beer person. From the Happy Hour menu, I enjoyed a strawberry margarita as well as the Mariniere mussels and fries. They offer 11 different mussel preparations, but only Mariniere on the HH menu. Tasty with a simple but flavourful broth. The Belgian fries were fantastic, I believe fried in tallow, so crisp! Served with ketchup and aioli. Off the HH menu, I ordered a chalkboard special, pate de campagne, a pork pate served with bread, mustard, cornichons, caramelized onions and a small salad. Delish. A very pleasant meal right in downtown Laguna. Great if your in the mood for something other than Italian, Mexican, Chinese or Japanese. My only niggle: the disposable McCormick salt and pepper grinders, the kind you can get at the supermarket, are a little low-brow. read more

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We got the mussel and fries off the happy hour menu (only 1 choice for the sauce), meatballs, Mac n cheese, gratin dauphinoise from the regular menu, and ended with the crepe mikado. Everything was delicious. Everything came out hot so it was perfect for a cold day. There were alot of mussels even in the small order. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The Mac n cheese was very cheesy. And the potatoes dauphinoise was so creamy and delicious. The crepe was a bit thick for my taste but the chocolate sauce made up for it. Services was good, pretty attentive. The restaurant has 3 seating areas, the basement level inside, the basement level outdoor/indoor sort of set up and the street level outdoor. There are several paid lots and metered spaces within 3 blocks. It was $3/hr when we went. read more

Even two years later, I will still fight LA traffic on a Friday night to eat at Brussels Bistro. I ordered all my usuals but this time they also had lamb shank as special of the day. I'm a big fan of lamb, so I had to order it. It is served with vegetables and a side of your choice. The meat was so tender, the sauce was great. 10/10 I hope they make it a regular menu item! read more

Brussels Bistro - Lamb shank - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Came here with a party of 4 last Sunday. It was a last minute invite from our friends to hang out in Laguna which meant too late to make a reservation at Nick's so we ended up here. I have been here before probably over 10 years ago for Mussels. We sat outside which was nice. Service was prompt and friendly. The food? Unfortunately, left a lot to be desired. 1 ordered pork hock and 3 of us ordered fish (salmon, trout, branzino). While the presentation was great and the portion was generous, there wasn't much flavor. Not sure if it was an off-day but we left disappointed. read more

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Overall the apps weren't as good as the main for me Bread + burger was tasty Fries + mushroom soup was good, but not amazing Id come back to try other items! Service is wonderful, quite attentive. Better to make a ressie for outdoors rather than inside. ====== Belgian fries 3.5/5 are crunchy outside, soft and pillowy inside. Stayed crunchy throughout. Flavor wise was good, but not anything out of the ordinary. Preferred the garlic aioli over the truffle sauce Escargot 3/5 Bae loved these, I thought they were fine. I prefer a snail with larger meat that's a bit more substantial, theirs was smaller. The butter they used was ok in flavor, wasn't as pronounced compared to other spots. Bread that came with it is very fluffy and this was yummy dipped with the butter sauce. Mushroom soup 4/5 is pretty good, but tasted better as the puff pastry became saturated in the soup. Puff pastry could be flakier as it came out, the color wasn't as golden. For a more simple soup, it's earthy and creamy. Burger 4/5 $20 Comes with a different bread, not the typical burger bun but overall really tasty esp with the Gruyère, ketchup, and caramelized onions. Meat was good to share. Service The waiters are all efficient and attentive. Very polite as well! $94.53 with tip and tax w/ a beer read more

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First off, great location! We walked up and down to see what restaurant to choose and when we spotted this, we liked it for the menu. We were greeted instantly by the nicest host who sat us immediately. Our server promptly met us, took our orders, brought our drinks and checked up on us regularly. He will definitely never be ignored at the bistro. We had two burgers and the mussels plus some fries. Honestly, the burgers were just OK but my son loved the muscles. The fries were really good. Perhaps it was our fault because we ordered the burgers medium well I think instead we should've done medium. At the end of our meal, Pascal came out to check up on us and greet us. We definitely plan on returning with the rest of the family and will ask for Pascal since we'll be able to order in French with him and get the full Belgian treatment. If you like Belgian beer, this is definitely for you! read more

Brussels Bistro - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Have heard a lot of good reviews about this place, and finally had a dinner here. The food was delicious, well-flavoured, and nicely served. Attentive servers and very cosy atmosphere on a cold evening. Belgian beer on tap added a pleasant tasting experience! read more

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Top notch spot. Plenty of good beers and great food. Don't get a beer you know live a little. I got the beef bourguignon with potato croquettes. The bourguignon was fantastic. Rich and flavorful and super filling. Definitely had to take a nap after. Plenty of good European beers to choose from. Also a lot of other good looking dishes. I'll have to try some other when I come back. read more

Brussels Bistro - Duvel Tripel Hop 9.5 - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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If you're feeling peckish along downtown Laguna beach, call Brussels and place an order for tallow French fries. They're fluffy, fried in tallow, and served with ketchup, aioli (for an upcharge) and Dijon mustard. They're truly the best!!! read more

Brussels Bistro - Salmon - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I came here on Wednesday evening to celebrate my birthday with friends and this place never disappoints. I've been here a couple of times prior and as a Belgian I can vouch that this is very authentic Belgian food. They have a long list of imported beers all served in their proper glass. I opted for the Mussels with Blue Cheese and fries. The blue cheese is not overwhelming it is always the perfect amount. We also got a side of the Belgian Mac and Cheese and escargots for the table to share, all very delicious. At the end of the evening they surprised me with a chocolate mouse and took a Polaroid picture for the birthday celebration. Always a great experience here! read more

Brussels Bistro - Pork shank - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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I have been here at least 3 times and have sat inside and outside. The food is solid and the service is too. I have had the Niçoise salad and the tuna was good. I would definitely return and sit outside so I can enjoy the beautiful sunshine in Laguna Beach! The AYCE mussels are a great deal and so fresh and delicious! read more

Happy to have found a pretty authentic European cafe in the heart of the fake Orange County housewives territory. Was (of course) expecting decent Brussel sprouts coming from a Brussels based restaurant, their Brussels were the best I've ever had plus definitely worth the $18 price. Love that they had bitterballen as it's hard to find in the states. The almond crusted trout was cooked to perfection. I very much appreciated the slight attitudes of the wait staff as it makes the restaurant more European but could see an Orange County Karen not having a great time. They also have a decent selection of imported beers. Can't wait to venture back, proost! read more

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EASY 10/10! Stopped by for dinner and sat in their patio section because we brung our little pupper. The had heaters which helped keep us warm! The staff were quick and friendly. We ordered the escargot, fries, Belgian onion soup, mushroom soup, bolognese pasta, steak tartare and boeuf bourguignon. Everything was flavorful and absolutely delicious. My favorites was the boeuf bourguignon, the soups and the escargot! If you're in the Laguna Beach area, stop by and give this place a try, you will NOT be disappinted! read more

This is located on the walk only part of forest you can eat outside at street level or go downstairs. We come here every year when we come for the art shows. Near the beach and plenty of paid parking. The mussels are the best. Frites are great and make sure to order bread to soak up the sauce. Great selection of beers read more

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I highly recommend this place, we were able to get a reservation for five people the week before our friend's birthday. Food comes out very fresh and pretty quick, but that did not diminish the quality of the food! I highly recommend starting with the escargot and the baked brie, they were absolutely fantastic and came with a wonderful crispy baguette. As for the food, we decided to share multiple plates of food. We had the boef bourginion (great flavor and we added the pasta on the side), the cream and garlic mussels (incredibly succulent and oh so worth it), the marinier mussels (not as good as the cream, but still good!), the mac and cheese (an absolute MUST try, it was so good), and the fries with all of their sauces. I also highly recommend their drinks (all of them) as they are incredibly well balanced and paired well with all of our food! This place is a must for birthdays, they celebrate you and make you feel incredibly special. I would come back in a heartbeat! read more

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I can't say anything about the food, but we went in for the "Boiler Room" on Friday night and it wasn't a bad experience, but it was definitely meant for an intense night out (so we left early). The place is small and surprisingly in the basement which I feel like I don't see a lot on this coast. I appreciate the "dive bar" vibe usually, so I would recommend it if you're having a wild night out/want to get some dancing in. read more

Quaint, cozy sitting. Good limited beer selection. The boef bourguinon was done perfectly! Of course the cone of fries are so tasty. Great little place ti drop in on read more

One of our fav places in Laguna to eat !! We come for holidays , celebrations. , birthdays and date night !! Bought family from Holland , and Canada and friends !! Always incredibly service and the bitterbollen always amazing and my fav the spicy tomato mussels !! We tried the Bolognese this night it was delicious so rich and savory with the endive salad!! We be back soon !! read more

Quaint atmosphere, cozy seating. Wait staff attentive and knowledgeable. French bistro style fare. Escargots delicious, soups in crocks with puff pastry so very good. Also split a burger which didn't disappoint. read more

came in on a thursday during happy hour & had a couple of beers. Christian the bartender was really chill and he recommended the st bernardus dubbel which ended up being my favorite! read more

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I was feeling light today and tried the salmon and I feel like the waiter was trying to warn me it comes in a creamy soup. Maybe that surprised some people because it definitely was more soupy than I imagined in my head when ordering, but I was very pleased with the dish overall. I love salmon and they definitely cooked the fish perfectly. It was moist and roasted and went well with the creamy soup and there were some kind of veggie noodles inside the soup which helped fill me up as well. Definitely enjoyed this dish and recommend it to any salmon lovers read more

Brussels Bistro - Salmon and asparagus - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

It had been a while since we dined at Brussels Bistro so we retuned for a date night dinner. Overall it was not a pleasant dining experience with an extremely slow service and two underwhelming entrees. I had the burger, the burger had no seasoning and tasteless. It severely lacked topping such as tomatoes and pickles. All I tasted was onions. The salad also didn't have any seasoning and a very light drizzle of salad dressing on the top 2 lettuce leaves. My husband got the 1 lbs muscles with a side of baguette and fries. His muscles arrived with my burger but no baguette or fries... meanwhile as he started eating some of his food he noticed a lot of the muscles were closed and inedible. He asked our server if they could just bring him a few extra muscles, they took his whole dish back. Meanwhile it took 20 minutes to get the bread and a lot longer to get fries and lastly his food. By that time I was done with my food and we practically ate our foods by ourselves. No apologies or acknowledgment from our server either... overall not a good experience! read more

Went another time and had salmon and Ceasar salad . The salmon was interesting. - was in a mild coconut leek sauce, very tasty. Really disappointed with the Caesar salad and for $15 it should have been really good. No flavor in the dressing and was pretty dry. The potato croquettes were good and order a Chimay green label beer - very good read more

Great food and service! Authentic Belgium food with a French flair! Huge portions! Wish I lived here to visit more often. A 10 in my "foody"opinion! Liz, NY read more

I don't remember how many years we are going here . I believe over 5-6 for sure. We love mussels with fries and pasta carbonara here. Also they have nice wine and beer card. Staff is always super helpful and friendly. Thank you for your business! read more

Visited Brussels bistro after maybe 10 years and nothing had changed (other than the prices). Great selection of Belgian beers and signature cocktails. Great delicious food and a great cozy atmosphere. I had their IPA beer with 9% alcohol and their French baguette with butter. The I had their famous pork shoulder for my main course with fingerling po. To be honest was a bit underwhelmed with the pork but tried my wife's burger and it was delish! Afterwards around 10, they cleared out the tables and brought the DJ equipment out but we already had decided to leave. read more

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Ate here for the first time with my friend for her bday. Neither of us have been here cute location in San Clemente. If you plan on coming Sundays be prepared to come early and park the farmers market is in full force and busy! I was also told behind the restaurant is another lot. The food was great the waitress was accommodating and the vibe was positive. I highly recommend read more

I went on Mother's Day and it was packed. One waiter had the whole downstairs and did a great job. The problem was the food. The fries came out within 3 minutes of ordering them and were just ok. Belgian fries are thinner but these were thick. I got the steak and it was inedible. Most parts were chewy and had to be spit out as they were impossible to chew through. The salad and asparagus that came with it were great though. I will not be back. read more

My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday afternoon and we were able to be seated instantly. The servers were very quick to ask what they could get started for us, and our food was brought out shortly after we ordered, with our appetizer first, then our entrees. - Oysters: Delicious, very fresh and plump. Was a great way to start off our meal - Carbonara: Creamy, yummy. Nothing too special but it was still good. - Burger: Tasty but bread was too crispy and hard to bite in my opinion. I did not really enjoy the mixed greens but I think it was just the dressing that I wasn't a fan of. Other than that I think the burger was pretty good. Seating was outside, shaded by umbrellas. At times the sun would move directly to my face but that had nothing to do with the service and I think I just sat in a bad spot. The total was a little bit on the pricier side for what the food was but was also understandable because we were in Laguna Beach. Overall, I liked it here but would only come back for maybe a quick brunch before the beach. read more

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Unreal staff, unreal food and an unreal ambiance. For someone who's lived in both Belgium and France for over 5/6 years, this is the closest I've ever tasted and experienced to being back in both Belgium and France in SoCal. When you order a medium rare burger you're getting a medium rare burger. The half & half combo of fries and salad reminded me so much of my time there. As a European, it made me feel like I was back. Thanks to Danny, Luis, Annabelle & Francois. Merci. read more

A fantastic place to grab dinner before a show at the Laguna Beach Playhouse. If you like mussels and Brussels food, this is the place to go. They are an extensive menu, but we ordered a couple of fries and mussels dish. All are very savory. We added a side of pasta which complimented the dish perfectly. We also ordered the bacon wrapped brie, which was fantastic. Also, the salmon dish was very good. They have a decent line list as well as a full bar. That makes some pretty good drinks. Highly recommend if you are in the area. read more