What an epic experience to see Fleet Foxes here! This is a…read morehistoric location and venue! This place is known for its exceptional acoustics. The Kings of Leon recorded a live EP here. There are 3 levels and if you arrive early you can get seats in the rear, otherwise you are standing the entire show. Go here to see a live show!

Only a very lucky human being gets to see one of her favorite electronic groups while traveling…read moreoverseas. Just think of all the factors that must fall into place - the band's tour dates, availability of tickets, and proximity to the venue. It's pretty much the ultimate trifecta of coincidence. As it turns out, I am that lucky person - someone who was gifted a Hot Chip ticket to a sold-out Saturday night show in Brussels! Because I wanted to live like a local, I took the metro instead of a cab. And then walked. And walked some more. Gosh, Belgian maps are difficult to read. Of course, I found it. Ancienne Belgique is this beautiful, contemporary music venue that feels spacious with its soaring ceilings but in actuality, the capacity makes it quite intimate. In fact, I didn't think I'd have a shot at running into some new friends who were also going to the show but alas, I found them by the first bar I set my thirsty sights on. Luck strikes yet again! The sound quality is superb. If you prefer to drink while watching your favorite band take the stage (yes!), then angle for a space on the floor near one of the doors. That's how the savvy Belgian boys do it anyway, and I was right there to capitalize. If you'd rather take a seat, there's 'romantic' seating in the back and then there's also two levels of terrace. The bars work on a token system so make sure to head there first. And if you have a coat or anything else you'd prefer to dump during the show, head downstairs and grab a locker for €1. So convenient! Hopefully sooner than later, I'll be back.

A sunny day, and a new place to discover. That's how we ended up here. An old "tricoterie"-…read moreknitwear factory, the building was abandoned until a cooperative of passionate people took it over and transformed into a "Fabrique de liens" - factory of connections. Lots of events, cultural offer, social meetings and of course: BRUNCH. The system is simple, you can order a big or small brunch, and choose between coffee/tea, bread and sweet pastries. Or you can order something on the lunch menu (we had a fantastic burger, that came with all sort of side vegetables). Then you get buttons to receive what you ordered. It's all self service, no table service. If you like the place so much, you can even become a "tricoteur", a member of the cooperative: you pay 50€ per year and get a free entry to a concert/event, a free juice every time you order brunch and other discounts. We liked the light, the relaxed atmosphere, the spacious place and the yummi food. All the products are fresh, bio and organic!

the place is nice, with a lot of things to do, from brunch (++) to biomarket, massages, sundays…read moreworkshops, and so and so... be careful : many many kids between 12AM till 2PM during weekends : brunch is lasting till 4PM, so wake up even later than usual, and come after the crowd. really liked : they give you colored buttons as "ticket" for the different buffets. I think I'll go back there for other events than brunch.

Cool basement spot. Wide range of drinks…read more Bit damp. Close to city centre. They have beer........

La Porte Noire was not on our drinking crawl in Brussels. But it was highly recommended by our new…read morefriends from Beer Projects and since we always looking for places to drink, so we decided to venture into the dark..... La Porte Noire felt like the the perfect place to drink and to get drunk with a bible of bottle beers, 11 drafts and choice of whiskeys. The underground cave like dungeon feel could be cozy for some and devilish for others. I think my Yelp Friend was hoping one of the Hobbits or Gandalf would walk in and sit next to us anytime. Or a group or dwarves would start dancing on top of one of the tables. Don't bother with your phone... you won't get any signal: no Yelping, Untaping or Whatsapp. So now you can look and talk to your drinking buddies for a change! I can assure you that they carries good beers as checking Ratebeer might not be necessary. Asking your friendly bartenders or fellow patrons might be a better way to go. What to drink? This is always been the question and the answer: Taras Boulba by Brasserie de la Senne (Beer Advocate :90) V Cense by Brasserie Jandrain-Jandrenouille (Ratebeer: 92) Avoid the backroom if you are not a smoker then you will have a good time.

Music, drinks and foosball! Had a great time last night. I found out about this cool little…read morepub/venue on an app while looking for some live music. An Irish band called Seafoam Green was playing folk rock while I sipped some spirits and chilled with some new friends of the world. The staff are friendly, helpful, and attentive. The best part is I got to also introduce a local Belgian I met at a cafe to this spot who was also looking for something to do. A fun time and will come back someday.

If you're in Brussels and need your Metal fix, this is the place to come…read more It's the premiere Metal bar in town and has a decent selection of (mostly Belgian) Ale's for reasonable prices. Nothing too outstanding here but as with most Belgian bars that I've visited, the quality of the beer is very good to outstanding. Where this place shines is with regard to the atmosphere and music selection. It's dimly lit and cavernous in feel. It's oblique shape tends to make it feel more spacious than it really is. This is the only place I've ever visited on this planet that actually played "Bonded by Blood" by Exodus on vinyl. How cool is that? A former bar maiden there (Jessica) also spun "Mercenary" by Bolf Thrower for us one night. Again, this place really shines with regard to Metal "nuggets" and every time I come to Brussels, this place is a must visit destination (much to the chagrin of my travel partners...) Drop in, Start drinking Duvel and get your Metal groove on...

Note: I'm one of the ancient relics of the swing dancing era of the late 1990s/early 2000s...so…read morethis review is biased. Tuesday nights at Madame Moustache is Lindy Hop night, perhaps the truest form of swing dancing(youtube it). I don't speak French, but dance and jazz music is universal...and plus all the ladies I approached for a dance spoke English well enough, and fortunately none rejected my offer. The DJ played all the best jazz songs from the 20s-60s. The hardwood dance floor is smooth and spacious, so its never too crowded. The friendly bartender served cheap draft beers and moderately priced cocktails. The ambiance is charmingly vintage but casual at the same time. No cover charge... I love it! Wednesday night is college hip hop night...this is a bit weird for a 40 year old, but being American I went along with it. Plus there was no cover charge. If I was 15+ years younger, this would've been awesome. Hopefully Tuesdays will still be Lindy Hop night the next time I'm in Brussels...Au revoir Madame Mustache!

I got to Brussels around midnight on a Wednesday, dropped my stuff off at the hostel, and…read moreimmediately went out to start drinking Belgian beer. Madame Moustache was the only place poppin on a quiet night with a crowd of people outside the door so I decided to check it out. My goodness... what I walked into were great vibes, dance JAMS, a friendly crowd, and everyone just really enjoying themselves. Marj C. was right when she wrote this bar was a mix of "vaudeville meets rogue pirate hangout." It was awesome in every sense of that description. On top of that, the number of different types of beers and shots available was astounding and cheap! Beer on tap was 2€. "Fancy" Trappistes Rochefort beers were 4€, and they mixed countless shots-- including SPECULOOS SHOTS! SO GOOD! **BONUS: The next day I found out that Inspectah Deck, (yes... from the Wu-Tang Clan), did a show there minutes before I walked in. So random. SO FUN!

Food was blah. Experience wasn't that great either. Just avoid it. It's more of a bar that has a…read moretiny bit of bad food than it is a restaurant that has some alcohol.

This was our stop on the walking tour, but I also came back later in the day for a better look…read morearound. It's more bar than cafe with a small kitchen but also a lot of beers on tap with live music. It seemed a little smoky to me even though no one was smoking. There are outside tables which were very nice in the afternoon.

Avoid this place like the plague! The manager, Didier, is a complete a**hole (my opinion) who…read moredenied our PAID IN ADVANCE reservation and let people without reservations have seats ahead of us (fact). When I pointed this out to him, he got violently angry with me (fact), and threatened to physically throw me out if I didn't "sit down and shut up" (in the bar stools at the back of the room, with the view blocked by other patrons without reservations who Didier also let in after us). My opinion: you make an online reservation / bank transfer with this guy at your own risk. He will take your money and may or may not honor your reservation - probably not if you don't speak perfect French! Don't let jerks like Didier make a profit by treating customers like dirt! If a band or musician you love is playing here, wait until they come to a different locale - it's not worth the hostile atmosphere and maltreatment.

What a beautiful landscape to walk the grounds and simply admire the beauty with a coffee in hand…read more The gardens are so well kept and perfect to admire all the different vegetation they keep maintained. The various sculptures and fountains had me in awe. I noticed there was a strong affiliattion for koi fish at each one. After some sleuthing it was apparent that artists in Belgium also saw koi fish as a sign of good luck. We accessed Botanique by strolling the adjacent park close to our hotel and it made for a wonderful morning. There are plenty of benches and of course you can hang out on the steps of the Botanique. I felt like I was on an international episode of Gossip Girl tbh #IYKYK.

Arrived around 11:30 on a Friday just to walk around the grounds. It's pretty underwhelming, as…read morethere was not much to see. It's basically a big garden with a greenhouse and fountain at the end. It's a bit far from the city centre so if you're a tourist just looking for things to do, you can probably skip it. I have a feeling it's more for locals to get away from the noise of the city.

Consumed by 'la jeunessse' but better because of it, this is the bar to start chatting with whoever…read morecatches your eye or ear. From English to French to Dutch to chimay bleu, Le Tav is a neighborhood favorite for its casual vibe and cool crowd weekday and weeknight.

* Great, lively front patio - especially in the summer, especially late in the evening (when it's…read morestill light in Belgium) * Young crowd -- in some cases, disturbingly so, like with braces. (Drinking age for beer & wine is 16.) * Gruff bartenders * Reasonable choices on draft * Weird upstairs bathrooms