We found this place when we were looking up a place for lunch on Yelp. The restaurant was decorated with a cartoon theme. Tables and napkins were cheerful colored. Their menu has four different languages: French, Dutch, German and English. The two of us ordered the Josephine burger as we found it to be different. The patty was made with ground duck breast and served with some Foie Gras and their special pepper sauce. It was French all the way. The bun was soft and the burger was cooked perfectly medium rare. My boyfriend caught that they had a food elevator sending food from upstairs. The other food came out of the kitchen looked really good too. I would recommend to give this place a shot if you are in the area. read more

Houtsiplou - the Josephine burger and the fries were very satisfying - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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Good mix of food (veg, non veg, Belgian, French, etc). Hipster vibe. A slight distance from the tourist center. Nice selection of beer (of course). Everyone enjoyed their meal; they have an excellent burger, good steak frites, and a huge vegetarian but entree plate. read more

Houtsiplou - Steak frites and salad - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

We really wanted to visit one of the Middle Eastern types of establishments before hopping on a train back "home". But we had a decision to make: "moules frites" (the so-called national dish) or Middle Eastern... I'm writing this review here so you know how that went. In short, excellent choice by us. The staff is very friendly (and goodlooking) and they serve a mean moules frites which in fact was the best we've ever experienced. Not to mention a damned good burger and fries... The ambiance is a bit "campy" so don't expect anything too fancy, but the place is nice enough. And since the train station is just a few minutes away, you'll be back on your way in no time (and hey, if you have time try stopping by one of those Middle Eastern places because you're going to walk past a million of them anyway back on your way to the train)... read more

Houtsiplou - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

The most succinct way to describe Houtsiplou: it's a manic pixie dream restaurant. The place is decorated with cartoons on the wall, kids toys, bright colored neon napkins, and menu/signage/staff that welcomes everyone equally. They have a chalk sign detailing how many Facebook Likes they have. Their dumbwaiter has a face painted on it, so when it opens, the mouth opens. The chairs are mismatched. OH, and of course, the food. OH THE FOOD. I ordered a salad because I'd been binging on heavy Belgian food. Too bad I ordered what was probably the least healthy salad ever - it had duck breast, bacon, and foie gras. But holy crap was it good. And it was piled super high. They also give you bread and a curry chickpea spread to start, which was lovely. There's seating outside, and upstairs. The staff is amazing, and it was one of my favorite restaurant experiences in Belgium! read more

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We'd read about Houtisplou via TripAdvisor (sorry Yelp!) and, after a touristy morning in the area trying to dodge the rain, we popped in for lunch. It's a cool, quirky place with some great colourful murals on the wall and plenty of 'flair' around the bar area. We were welcomed quickly enough and quickly seated, but service took a bit of a nose dive after that, as we had to prompt for menus and then experienced a bit of a wait for both drinks and food. Once we did get it, the menu is handily split up into French, German and English with a range of dishes available, plus their burgers - arguably what they're known for. So I wasn't going to say no. I had a beef burger with peppercorn sauce, and Kate W. went for the fish & chips. The food was good and I certainly enjoyed my meal, but it wasn't stand out; the burger held together well and cooked medium-rare (perfect) but the flavours weren't massively exciting. Perhaps that's my own fault for ordering something quite 'standard', but you live and you learn! Super dog and child friendly, which adds to the laid back atmosphere and makes it a great place if you're dining out with family or are just after a casual bite to eat. read more

Houtsiplou - burger with peppercorn sauce (2017) - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Ya know, I don't expect the waitstaff to bend over backwards or anything, but I do expect them to have at least a basic idea of what's on the menu, and unfortunately we really got off on the wrong foot with our server. She was pretty cold to begin with and there was a distinct decline that followed my attempt to order some sustenance. I knew as soon as I saw the chalkboard sign outside advertising their mussels that that's what I'd be getting, and seeing the mussels get top billing, front and center on their menu only reinforced that. When it came time to order, I was torn between which sauce option to get with the mussels (choice of marinara, garlic, or white wine) so I asked our server if she had a recommendation. Her response included an annoyed huff while she said (and I quote), "I don't know." Uhmmmm... okay. Isn't it her job to know? Plus, it seems like this menu item is something Houtsiplou is really trying to highlight, so why the cold shoulder on the dinner deets? I worked in restaurants for over a decade and it was always clear that we needed to know the ins and outs of the menu, and at the very least be able to describe them, despite our dietary restrictions. Makes sense, right? But apparently that's not a thing here, though. So I tried to pry some more info out of our server because if I'm spending nearly $30 on mussels, I want them to be the best they can be and to make the right sauce choice for me. I asked if there was a traditional way to get order them or a way that's the most popular. Her answer: "Get whatever you think you want." Again, not helpful beyond letting me know I should just give up on trying to get a recommendation. I went with the white wine sauce because at this point I felt like I needed a drink as well. My dining partner got their veggie burger, which tasted exactly like what I remember the burgers from Fuddruckers tasting like (only these were veggie). It was nothing mind-blowing, but it was better than i was expecting and a really tasty trip down memory lane. My mussels, on the other hand, were pretty forgettable as far as flavor goes. The presentation was gorgeous, it came with fries in the cutest little pot, and there was certainly no shortage in the serving-size department, but I was just expecting more. When we took the lid off the pot of mussels I was expecting some big, hearty smells steaming up in my general direction but it fell flat. I think chose incorrectly with the rather bland and flavorless white wine sauce. It might as well have been cloudy water. Of course, I still ate every bit of it, but it just didn't live up to all the hype of traditional Belgian mussels. Despite the poor service and meh mussels, I still think Houtsiplou deserves 4 stars. Their menu and the environment is colorful and varied and seemed a different in a good and much-needed way from many of the other Belgian brasseries we'd checked out. Also, they serve this incredibly delicious (and complimentary) bread to your table and their unique and delightful soup selection leads me to believe that I just chose wrong with my white wine mussels and that they absolutely have better things to offer... now, just to work on offering those items in a better informed manner. read more

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I had this place bookmarked for a while to visit and finally got around to it when my boyfriend and I had a taste for burgers but wanted to try a place we haven't been to before. I initially thought it looked like a cool place to check out based on reviews where it served more traditional Belgian food but with good vegetarian choices. When I saw the burgers they offered I knew it was time to finally go there! First off, I love that they place is typical Belgian at the heart but with a hipster twist! They offer a nice variety of Belgian dishes but with enough vegetarian and other options to make even the pickiest of eaters happy! We didn't order any appetizers as we thought they were a bit too pricey so we just got a main course instead (they also provide free bread and hummus so the appetizer was not missed at all!) I had a halloumi burger and my boyfriend the JCVD burger and we both DEVOURED ours!! We also shared a tarte tatin, which was good but not perfect. They also have a decent selection of beers, not fantastic but enough so that you can find something to enjoy... Atmosphere is 100% hipster and it draws a huge Flemish speaking crowd (I know there are a lot of students living in that area)...I love the murals they have on the ground floor, I hope I get to visit the first floor next time. Service is fine enough. So good we are even looking to go back today (in all fairness we have friends visiting and to me this is the perfect Belgian resto for visitors). Price is also reasonable, for 2 people ordering a total of 3 beers, 2 burgers and 1 dessert it came to about 55eur....not cheap but also not that bad. One tip: RESERVE! We didn't make a reservation and were lucky enough to get there early and when a table for 2 was free but all those after us without reservations had to wait sometimes a decent amount of time.... read more

Houtsiplou - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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I love this funky spot. Everything about it felt easy and uncomplicated. Casual food done well in a casual atmosphere. Extra points for the fun mural covering one entire wall. No, they don't have dozens of beers on their menu, but they have a small handful of well-chosen selections. The service wasn't "above & beyond" but friendly enough. They didn't ask if I wanted another beer when my glass emptied, but were quick enough to bring another when I asked, so no particular complaints there. We ordered the mussels and the burger with bacon & cheese. Both dishes were very good. The mussels were delicious, but only come in one size... 1 kg for €18.99, which is a good value but portion-wise, it's a LOT for a single serving. I gave it my most valiant effort but only made it half-way through before tapping out. The handy central location is great too. I'd definitely recommend this place. read more

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Far away the best burgers in town. Great service. Love the wall-art. Cosy restaurant. Ideal for lunch and diner. read more

Houtsiplou - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Ugh... Overpriced bland food with bad service. I ordered a hamburger with fries here. The staff literally couldn't care less that you've entered the restaurant. I looked around and saw only one other table occupied so I took a seat at a small table near a window. When the waiter finally came over he expected me to know what I wanted before I had even seen a menu. I ordered a hamburger and fries. I got the burger. No fries. I called over the waited and he just shook his head and pointed at my burger. Uhhh.... Okay? So... Fries? Nope. After struggling for 30seconds to get the point across, all the while having the only other table and another worker behind the counter stare daggers at me I decided to just eat the burger and get out. Well, let's just say I'm not surprised there were so few people here. The burger could most easily be described as having a sponge-like texture and tasting like a brick. Just bad. Oh, and a bun that was so greasy I couldn't believe it. The bun actually had more grease on it than the burger had in it! Well, then the bill came and guess what! They tried to charge me for the fries that never came. Nope. I just put the cash for the burger on the table and walked out. TL;DR:. Bad. Bad everything. read more

Me walking around this area of Brussels trying to find a nice place for late breakfast. I step in Houtsiplou and I see the colorful interior and meet the welcoming staff. It looks more like a bar/restaurant but I just love it. They have different homemade cakes and a breakfast menu, I've ordered a homemade tiramisu and a cappuccino. So here I am after my super breakfast staring at the nice art on the walls, one of the staff just told me it took five weeks to finish the paintings. I love this place! I can see the yelp stickers on the door and I'm so happy that I trusted my gut feeling about this place:-) The tiramisu was to die for, I wish I was still hungry so that I could order something for lunch hahah I checked the menu and saw all the pictures of the burgers and dishes they have and it all looks so yummy!! So yes, my yelper friends, come visit Houtsiplou, it's totally worthy:)) read more

Houtsiplou - Homemade tiramisu! - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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Awesome spot for a great burger! We were looking for something away from all the tourist places and this place was perfect. It has everything you could want in a small dinner restaurant. Great burgers, Steak and frites, and even vegetarian dishes (I tried some of the veggies and they were delicious)! I ordered the JCVD burger (I thought it would have fresh mushrooms but they were from a can but on the side, thankfully) and it was so juicy and tender, absolutely delicious! We also order the steak and frites as well as a vegetarian dish. It was all amazing! If you want great comfort food, then this is a great spot to visit. read more

Houtsiplou - JVCD burger with frites - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Coming from America I always like to see how other countries burgers taste. I took a tour earlier in the day and this was one of the local places recommend by my tour guide This place had a nice ambiance inside. I was seated immediately on a Sunday evening. Servers were attentive enough (service in Europe is definitely different compared to the US) so I would keep an open mind if you are coming to Brussels or anywhere in Europe. Burger was made perfectly medium rare( not too overseasoned the beef) and good enough size beef patty. Overall happy with my meal and experience at this place. 5 stars. read more

Houtsiplou - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Came here for dinner on a Monday evening. Short walk from Grand Place. Sat upstairs which was nice and cozy. Food 4.5 star They start you out with humus and bread. The humus was outstanding - light and creamy. A great substitute for butter. Ordered Le JCVD burger (with side salad). The burger patty was cooked medium but still was juicy. Not overly salted which is how I like it. I can't stand salty burger patties. The sauteed mushrooms and onions were divine. There was some sauce with the it that was spectacular (I ended up using it as my dressing for the side salad). And the cheese draped over the burger was finished it off well. Another plus was that the toppings/accoutrements/bun were fresh. Service 3.5 star Nice friendly servers who spoke English. My only knock on the service was that it was a bit slow and the place was not that busy either. Atmosphere 3.5 star Fun, quirky decor. Well-lit. It can get loud downstairs since the bar is there, but the upstairs dining room was a lot quieter. Would be great for bigger groups. All in all a great burger for 14 euro. To me it rivals some of the best gourmet burger joints back home such as Barneys and The Counter. If I'm craving for a good burger I would definitely recommend coming to this place! read more

Houtsiplou - Le JCVD burger - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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Came here for dinner. They ran out of the soup of the day, and our waitress was not very friendly. I wish we had the other waitress, who seemed nicer and more accommodating. The food was good though. In particular, the duck burger with four grad (same price as beef or chicken or any other burger) seemed to be of good value and was tasty. The bread is yummy and comes with some sort of hummus spread, though only about a tablespoon of it. Go here for a meal and then cross over to cafe Bebo for an awesome beer selection read more

Amazing breakfast, service, and coffee! I had the scrambled eggs with toast and bacon. Also an Americano. It was quiet in the morning when I went on Saturday and Sunday. Highly recommend! read more

Came across this fun place near Gare du Midi. The menu is super fun -- although hard to read -- and the decor is zany and cute. All of the burgers were amazing but the Milaneke (smoked mozzarella, pesto) definitely stole the show. We also had the Classico, and Seguin (goat cheese, pine nuts, balsamic) both of which were juicy and delicious. We sat upstairs next to an air vent that kept banging shut on its own accord but don't worry. After a quick scan with my phone's ghost meter, no supernatural beings were detected. It's a bit pricey for burgers in my opinion, but that seems to be par for the course in Belgium. Definitely worth a trip. read more

Houtsiplou - Milaneke burger + frites (€15.5) delicious! - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Cute lunch spot with decent food. I thought my burger was average, but my friend who got the pesto and mozzarella burger said it was one of her favorites! read more

Houtsiplou - Chicken sandwich - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

We walked in and it was empty, but noticed that most of the tables were reserved. We had to sit upstairs they said. Looking at the art on the walls I hoped it would be worth it. We looked over the menus and waited. A large selection, but nothing too surprising. Burgers are what they're known for, so it was the obvious choice. I wasn't sure what to pick, and so I went with the one with their name on it. Can't be that bad I thought to myself. But just to be safe, and because we were tiered and hungry, I ordered a soup as well. The soup was delicious. Delicate, flavourful, but not too strong. Warm, and accompanied by wonderful bread. The place started to fill up and the sound of youth echoed across the painted walls. The burger came, with the chips. I didn't like the chips. They reminded me of ones I'd had at les super filles du tram. The burger too. Though it was slightly better, it also cost a bit more. I liked the bread. read more

A friend in Brussels (who is not a Yelper) was complaining about not being able to find a good restaurant to try... I pulled up Yelp and off we went to Houtsiplou!! The Yelpers did not disappoint, as all 4 of us were happy with our meals. The beef burgers were, of course, completely overcooked - but we had come to accept this as the European standard by that point! We all split the cheese croquettes (mislabeled in English as beignets) which were delish, and each of us - 2 burgers, one chicken sandwich, and one veggie burger - enjoyed our meal. And the frites came in a flower pot, which was just adorable! We found ourselves exclaiming "Houtsiplou!" for the remainder of our time in Belgium simply out of how fun it was to say. Would definitely recommend!! read more

Great place off the beaten path, friendly staff, yummy burger. Just one empty table was available when we came at 1:45 on Sunday, the restaurant remained pretty full until the kitchen closed at 3pm. One large family-style table, then mostly 2-tops with a few 4-tops inside. Solid beer selection, mostly in bottles. The previous reviews drove me here, and I'll play them forward. I enjoyed my JCVD Burger - yes that's right, a burger named after the legendary comedic actor. She got a tartine with super-fresh mozzarella on it, lots of salad on it, pretty good as well. We've seen Stomp/stoemp listed on numerous menus, finally ordering it here. It's just not good, boring mashed potatoes with peas and butter. Not great. The place itself is nice, service very polite but slow, and definitely worth the walk from the Grand Place if you're staying in the area. read more

I think I agree with most of the other comments : waiters/tresses are really friendly, but a bit slow, that enable us to watch the wall art! place is really nice, deco is cosy and retro, a tall roof, what make the lot a bit noisy, especially because it's a place where people with kids like to come. Chips are good, but they HAVE TO be (we're in Belgium ;) Burgers are good. I haven't tried the other dishes, and if I come back I'll go for burgers again. It's a good spot for lunch or dinner in the neighbourhood, still quite close to Grand'place, and that make you smile and feel comfortable when you leave. 7 read more

I had the meatloaf and mashed potatoes, Salad, Potatoes with squash and zucchini. A fresh salad was rare on this trip so it was a nice surprise. T had the Linguine carbonara and I know she would have it again. We visited the location on a Monday evening around 8pm. We were immediately seated upstairs. It was probably the best meal I ate during the entire visit. The decor very eclectic. read more

It took me a fair bit of wandering in the rain to find my way here from the central train station but let me tell you: it was worth it! This tiny restaurant is brimming with character, the service is very nice (friendly, patient, and multi-lingual), and the food is excellent. The menu seemed to offer something for everyone from sandwiches to salads to burgers. My only regret is that I didn't save room for the creme brûlée! read more

Prior to our trip to Brussels, I read a positive blog post touting the amazing burgers at Houtsiplou. On learning that it was one short block away from the flat we were staying at, it became a "must do". We visited for lunch twice and both times sat outside to enjoy the lovely weather Brussels was having, so I can't speak to the interior of the restaurant. The staff often seemed slightly aloof at first, but had a solid enough grasp of English that I didn't need to struggle with my weak knowledge of French. The speciality of the house is their selection of burgers, though they also offer a selection of tartines, pasta and Belgian specialities. Portions here are extremely plentiful. On our first visit, I had the Josephine burger which is freshly ground duck breast topped with foie gras and a pepper sauce. It was as rich and delicious as it sounds, but most definitely a knife and fork burger. My husband had the Lola burger and found it to be meaty and juicy and also a knife and fork burger. Also, their frites were some of my favorite in all of Belgium. More steak fry-type than most friteries we visited, the frites were perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. On our return I opted for the moules frites and my husband had the steak Americain. The mussels were plentiful and fresh, although I did have better at Nordzee. The steak Americain, however, was amazing. Freshly chopped beef (raw) prepared with the perfect blend of seasonings, capers, onions and a raw egg and served with Worchester sauce and hot sauce to perfect your own blend of taste. A Belgian speciality done very well! Overall I would recommend Houtsiplou to anyone looking for a delicious, hearty and casual meal outside of central Brussels. read more

You probably want to get here early or see about reservations. Two of us popped in around 8pm on a Saturday and were told they were not able to accommodate us at any point that night! Must be good. . . read more

Good brasserie situated on a very pleasant square. On good days the terrace is definitely worth it. They have a truly massive range of mussels preparations, so be sure to feast on that. read more

Recommended by our b&b and did not disappoint. Place is adorable and the menu is thankfully presented in a few languages. We would have sat outside if it weren't raining off and on. When we arrived at about 6:30 it was quiet, but within the hour they were full. There is an upstairs eating area too. I think many had reservations. Shared a1/2 bottle of red wine and We ordered the croquettes(-beignets on the menu) which were delicious. I ordered fish burger and he had the classic. We both loved our food and the the frites were in a cute pot on the plate and very good. We finished with creme brule which took forever to come and was just okay. That would be my only complaint, if you can call it that. Our waiter struggled with English a bit( he's from New Caledonia, interestingly), but was really nice as were all the servers. read more

Houtsiplou is a great dinner spot walking distance from Grand Place. A friend and I recently stopped by while visiting Brussels and were impressed with their menu and friendly service. Their menu is largely comprised of burgers, all which sound delicious. There were also a few daily specials that looked good. Overall the food was tasty and the portions very generous. Burgers were about 15 euros. Also important to note, they serve breakfast and lunch, but are closed midafternoon. read more

Cute place with big and tasty burgers. Food is served with fresh hummus and bread. They typically serve bottled water at most places in London so be specific about asking for tap water if don't want to be charged. read more

Houtsiplou - Houtsiplou has a cute vibe and good burgers. - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Great spot in central Brussels, I came on Monday, plenty of empty tables. FYI many restaurants and museums in Brussels are closed on Mondays. Anyway, service was very good, got exactly what I was looking for on this rainy day, mussels, fries and a good Belgian beer . Wifi works well. Strongly recommend for laid back Belgian food. Also seems like a nice place to rest for a coffee or beer earlier in the day. read more

Houtsiplou - Mussels marineire. Served in a pot w fries on the side, standard fare in Brussels - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

We were looking for a restaurant near the train station, and found this little charming restaurant on a square by a fountain. Staff was friendly and polite. I tried the burger Akira, which I really liked - sauce was delicious. I definitely recommend the speculoos ice cream! read more

Had an amazing time with my wife on vacation (holiday). Her beef stew was great and my ribeye steak was even better! Wish we had a location back in the states. read more

Consistently: Great food Great service Reasonable prices A standout value I Brussels read more

I love this place! Awesome vibe. Cool deco. Nice terrace. Happy service. €2 for a 25cl pol beer. Nice burgers. read more

Houtsiplou - Awesome interior mural - Belgian Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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We loved this place. Showed up at 730 without a reservation and they made room for us. Whimsical decor (huge cartoon mural upstairs and down depicting Belgian history is adorable). Service was friendly and we felt very welcomed. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Belgian food but they had an extensive burger list with all sorts of toppings. I had a basic burger which was excellent. Husband had a Caesar salad which was pretty good (huge!), and our friend had meatloaf. Large portions of everything. The beer was good as was the wine. It's very family friendly and gay friendly. Just a good, fun place. read more

Excellent hamburgers and fries, salads, and veggie dishes. The mural in the wall is fully worth eating there. The terrace is just perfect as soon as the sun shows up in Brussels read more

This used to be my favorite place in Brussels. The burgers and tartines provided a varied and tasty selection for vegetarians, especially since you can order all burgers in a vegetarian variant. However, a while ago (I think early 2014), this restaurant underwent some changes, and sadly it declined. The vegetarian burgers are not home-made anymore, and the food in general went from excellent to average. read more

Only one thing you should know: go for the hamburgers. Dessert are pretty epic too (if still available).

Great food and atmosphere! The waitress was attentive and it wasn't too expensive. Amazing burgers and desserts. Would recommend to anyone.