We visited from California and wanted a place away from the tourist lane. So glad we found this spot. It's a quiet cozy restaurant. The owners/mangers were so welcoming and you could tell that they love what they do. The mussels were a hearty serving and so tasty (homemade Mayo). We'll definitely be coming back to this memorable spot. read more

La Boussole - Tasty mussels and fries! (Moules frites) - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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So.... I like this place and would return. However, we did NOT have good mussels here. Their excuse was that it is the wrong season; they struck me as not fresh or over cooked (or perhaps a mix of those three). The steak tartar was very good. Service was very French; a little slow. Draft Maes beer on tap was fine. All-in-all, affordable and good (good frites). Their steak plate and seafood dishes that others were eating looked good as well. Indoor and outdoor seating on a nice square/plaza and slightly further down from all of the other more heavily tourists spots. read more

They said, never leave Brussels without trying the Moules et Frites, thanks to Yelp we were able to find this place. The restaurant is situated at Marche aux Poissons, a lovely walk if your hotel is nearby. The ambiance is friendly and casual and since the weather was lovely, we decided to dine al fresco. As soon as we were seated the waiter served us with olives, bread and butter to nibble on while waited for our Mussels and Fries, paired with a nice bottle of Chardonnay. The dinner was delicious and sumptuous, the portion is actually good for two people, we would probably order one to share next time and order something else to share. This is a great restaurant to recommend if friends or family are visiting Brussels, the customer service is solid complemented by a nice neighborhood. read more

La Boussole - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

This is a completely touristic place. There was not one Belgian in the entire place; and for good reason. Locals know better than to eat here. How on earth this place has 4 stars is beyond me. I'm giving 2 stars in an attempt to help give a more accurate average. This place is, at best, 3 Star. My husband had the moules & frites. My husband said "They're good. The quality of mussel is good and they're steamed so that's good." And the fries were not the way we have seen them typically made in Belgium. I had the chicken dish with Taragon sauce. I had more flavor in the sandwich I had for lunch. The sauce of this dish was incredibly plain. I had to add salt and pepper to try to help. The chicken was cooked fine but the dish had ZERO flavor. If you want anything remotely close to good food with flavor and a sense of Belgian culture then keep walking. I'm seriously disappointed in Yelpers who rated this highly because it's completely ridiculous. What a disappointment after coming for the 4 star rating. Ugh. read more

This was a lovely family owned restaurant that put their customers first. Definitely make a booking if you want to dine here. We were warmly greeted and served quickly. They have an average drink menu but if you're only getting a glass of wine you will either choose from white or red. It was understandable given most groups were large and ordered by the bottle. We shared the entree of lobster bisque which was too large a serve for one. It went well with the bread. However I would have preferred it with some cream as it was very strong in flavour. Our mains were the grilled steak which came with chips and a small salad; grilled calamari with small potatoes and salad. Good value but I have had better quality elsewhere. Some parts of the steak and calamari were slightly chewy. We were not offered any dessert but too full to continue eating! Overall it was a special dinner with many tempting items on the menu. A nice change from chain restaurants or tourist traps. read more

La Boussole - Grilled steak with frites and salad - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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This was a nice little restaurant. We ordered the bucket of mussels and a plate of beef tartare to split. The beef tartare was amazing!!! 5/5 stars! The mussels were meh. 2/5 stars. read more

La Boussole - Beef Tartare - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Friendly service, great quality food, nice cozy atmosphere. Myself and another diner were actually in search of moules-frites when I logged on to ye olde internets and typed in a generally overreaching quiery that read "Best moules-frites in Brussels." I was rather disappointed to find that most of the answers I got back wanted me to either visit overpriced tourist traps or one of those moules-frites establishments that offer over 50+ varieties of "broth" in which the moules-frites are cooked, which seemed like a hassle to hack through unless we were on some god-forsaken quest to try all fifty. I then stumbled upon one of those "top ten dinner spots in Brussels" articles and stumbled upon this La Boussole, which was listed as a sensible choice for moules-frites, served other food, and best of all, was not in the overly crowded part of town. We got to La Boussole at around 6.30pm expecting having to wait, but to our surprise we were immediately seated by the window. We ordered the moules-frites as advertised, and also ordered the Filet américain as we were both very curious about how the preparation of this dish differed from the way we've had it before (both of us had tried the Russian and Korean counterparts of this dish.) Both dishes were very well-prepared, and as expected, without any bells and whistles; there was absolutely negative about our dining experience here--quite possibly the most straight-forward meal we'd had in Brussels--but nothing quite stood out for me to merit this as a five-star experience. Maybe I should try the lobster next time. read more

La Boussole - No nonsense moule-frites. - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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Not sure how I missed it before as I go fairly often for food and/or drinks around the square. It's a little gem: - lovely interior - great background music - awesome food and quick service - super sweet slightly elderly couple running the place. Def will go back and would recommend! read more

Great restaurant all around The interior here is very welcoming and homey. The staff here is very nice and helpful and really try to make your experience enjoyable. The food here is very fresh and delicious, and they have a good variety of seafood on the menu. The Mussels were delcious, fresh and flavorful. The bass was delicious, filet was fall off the bone, good seasoning. The lobster bisque was amazing, true lobster taste, good consistency. Overall this restaurant is a great place to stop in for delicious food and great service read more

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Inside of the establishment cozy. The "welcome" reminded me of the typical hate you get from a Parisian waiter. Glacial. For a fairly well rated restaurant, wine by the glass choices nearly non-existant. And no draft beer, despite the draft taps installed (this is Belgium). Food ok but not what I'd write home to Mom about. Plates cold. I would say La Boussole a perdu le Nord. There are plenty of others to try here. read more

We wanted moules et frites so we decided to come here. Rather traditional atmosphere and seemed to us like an old neighborhood favorite with a very welcoming staff. Got beer recommendations which we enjoyed with our meal. The food was good, but I'd definitely check out other seafood joints next time we're in Brussels. read more

La Boussole - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

I love seafood and this restaurant was recommended for it's seafood and entrecote. It's a family owned business, the daughter and father were serving the tables. The father is Greek, and the mom Belgium. The restaurant is cosy, and filled up fast on a Friday night by 9:00pm. While definitely not a Greek restaurant per say, there was soft Greek music playing in the background. We reserved in advance and had a table in the main area near the kitchen. We only noticed one other table that was "obviously" from out of town like us, otherwise it seemed to be a local affair. You could hear a mixture of French and Greek being spoken. I felt right at home as those are my two languages besides English. The service was incredibly friendly, one table was curious about the entrecote, and the owner came out with the large slab of meat they were slicing from to show them! The top items being ordered from the menu by others were indeed the entrecote and mules + frites. The entrecote looked fantastic. But, we opted for the seafood. My husband took the fresh fish, and I the moules + frites. We ordered a starter of lobster bisque soup, and a bottle of white wine that the owner recommended to go with it all. I would definitely not order the soup again, it wasn't great. But everything else was a clear four star winner. We ended by sharing a house chocolate mouse dessert, which was OK. Overall, a very lovely meal. read more

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I first came here for moules et frites and returned another day for grilled calamari as I saw another table enjoying the mollusc on my way out! Highly recommend. Away from the tourist row and a find! read more

La Boussole - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Next to St. Catherine cathedral is a row of restaurants. We walked by each one and choose this one because of a trip adviser sticker. The service was excellent, menu in French and English. I recommend the grilled octopus that is sprinkled in olive oil and comes with a filling salad. There are about 12 great beer selections and several 1/2 liter bottles of wine to select. Be sure to try the nettle soup appetizer. read more

La Boussole - Goes well with the seafood dishes. - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

This is a very centrally located restaurant popular among locals. It has a neighborhood vibe. We ordered Belgium's specialty, steamed mussels in a pot, a steak with fries, and sodas. We paid around 60€ total. It was a nice experience. read more

We were recommended by another traveling couple to have mussels in Brussels (has a good ring to it doesn't it). We were in BRU to celebrate our 6month anniversary and though it was a happy occasion the overcast that day ushered us into the nearest decent looking restaurant advertising mussels. Just for variety in case we didn't like the mussels I ordered garlic steak. The mussels came in a huge black pot and the two of us could barely finish it together. On the other hand the steak was small maybe the size of a deck of cards and we wished there was a little more steak and a little less mussels. In addition the mussels were pretty bland and we had to ration the couple lemons to add flavor. The fries like most fries in Europe weren't as salted like we were used to in the States but they were decent! Given the weather circumstances, this was probably the best we could get, but had it been a sunnier day I would've been willing to venture further to have better food at the same price read more

La Boussole - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Looking for Mussels and Fries around Sainte-Catherine? You're spoilt for choice really. So among the many, which rises above and beyond average when it comes to the national dish? La Boussole would be a strong contender. At first glance you'll be forgiven for thinking you were not at the right address. A bit off from the main restaurants on Sainte-Catherine, it does not look like much from the outside. Inside is not that much different, it is a rather simple setting with nothing fancy about it. You'll find a few locals and some casually dressed waiters, including the owners. Looks aside, what makes this place tick are its reputation for a good portion of 'moules frites' (mussels and fries) and a generally good selection of dishes executed in a simple family cooking way. I appreciate the very relaxed atmosphere. I know I'll come out having spent around 25 euros tops, completely full and very satisfied. This is good value no nonsense food. Fish is the main ingredient here beside mussels and fries. The seabass, sole and other fishes are all very good. Sometimes you feel it is a little lost in its simplicity. I won't complain about it, but if it weren't for the mussels and fries then I'm not sure I'd go four star for this establishment. So, the real reason for coming here: mussels and fries. These are excellent! Standard moules marinieres, nothing unordinarily fancy. The broth is delicious, the mussels carefully sourced and the portions are good (though a tad under compared to what you'd get at some other places). Accompanying mussels are the fries. They equally important to get right. As in any symbiotic relationship, if one fails then the other does too. Fortunately for them, they get it right. The fries are just right, sufficiently crispy they can get a dunk in the broth without losing too much integrity. Sure you'll find better fries elsewhere in Brussels, but probably at a 'fritekot'. But this place does a very good combo! One that I always feel requires a slightly crispier fries (but that's just me) Service can be a bit slow. They throw in bread and a small nibble to entertain you but what I appreciate is the good nature of the place. The waiters and owners are a talkative and friendly bunch and the relaxed atmosphere is just what I like when sitting down to a moules frites with a pint of beer. For any newcomer to Brussels, or simple tourist, I'd recommend you try 'Moules Frites' here. PS: Good for groups read more

I really want to give this place more stars because the service is excellent and the people there are all very kind. But unfortunately, that is not enough to redeem the food. I actually went here twice, giving this place a second chance because of all the good reviews. The first time I came around dinner time and wanted a small snack because I was still full from a big lunch. So I ordered the shrimp croquettes, and although the portion size was just what I was after, the shrimp filling was VERY fishy. Bleh. It did come with a nice little salad on the side though, which I thought was good. Second time around, I went for the mussels and fries. The fries were fine, as was the homemade mayonnaise, but the mussels were chewy, had a lot of grit, and overall didn't taste that fresh or good to me. I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of mussels, but I've definitely had much better elsewhere. The beer selection is decent, pretty much par for the course for all restaurants I visited in and around the city. Overall though this was one of the low points in my dining experiences in Brussels. read more

This restaurant was recommended to me by my hotel owner as I was staying round the corner and love seafood. Very reasonably priced place with homey feel. I had the mussels in white wine. delicious!! I was alone so found the serving are little large but it was totally worth it. For €20, it was fresh, easy and served with a smile. The owner was going around talking to the customers - many of whom I would say are regulars based on his familiarity of talking to them = good sign!! read more

La Boussole - Mussels in white wine! Yummy - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

La Boussole! God how I miss you!! Oh the garlic cream mussels, lobster bisque, cold orval beer, and seabass. This was a meal from the heavens. The staff was phenomenal. They believe in their food quality and taste, and were so helpful! Gave beer selections, food pairings, and were so very generous. Nothing disappointed. Nothing at all. I wish we went back, but were on a mussels mission allover Belgium lol. read more

We went there for dinner because of the reviews. The food is good but the service is very slow. If you're ok sitting and waiting and not in a hurry, then this place is right for you. If you're trying to get a quick meal, this isn't the place. But then again you can speed up the process by sitting right in front of everyone's view, and just going up to the register to pay. read more

Service was good and attentive. We were starving and looked for a place since Nordzee was sadly closing. We ordered so much food eager to eat. When we got it the sea food was fresh but the dishes lacked depth in flavor. It was good for being good. Mediocre. I would not come back here. Between 6 people we each paid 20.30€ since we all shared. read more

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Amazing Mussels and Fries. The servers are terrific. I highly recommend. I wanted M & F as my last meal in Brussels and this place did not disappoint. Just off St. Catherine's Square. You'll love it read more

La Boussole - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Really wonderful, family business. Huge portions of superb food. Our sea bass and steak tartar were perfect, as were the fries! Great friendly service. Romantic atmosphere. Recommended. read more

La Boussole - Tartar! - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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Stopped in on a Monday for lunch looking for mussels. We got the mussels in garlic cream sauce which was really good. The mussels themselves seemed to be of good quality and were quite large. The waitress spoke minimal English but enough to get by. The mussels and fries meal was slightly more expensive than other places but well worth it. This place is slightly away from the main tourist area if you want to get more of a "local" experience. read more

La Boussole - Garlic cream mussels with fries - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Very good spot, particularly for their mussels. Service is good, typical and predictable menu for Brussels but everything is very good. Greek salad is great! read more

My new wife and I came here on the first night of our honeymoon at the recommendation of our hotel's concierge. It was one of the two best meals we have shared. The chef sent champagne to us right as we arrived. I had the bouillabaisse, and it was perfect, with large pieces of fish, a small assortment of shellfish, and lots of vegetables. It came with a saffron mayonnaise to stir into the soup, and my wife stole it when I was done with it to dip her frites in. She had the greek salad, and said it was extremely well balanced. We shared a pear tarte tatin with ice cream and chocolate sauce for dessert. Even though everything was in French and neither of us speaks it, we left feeling well fed and well cared for. If you need a quiet special dinner out, this is a great place for it. read more

EDIT: I got food poisoning after eating the moules frites at this place. Food was good and of good value but after becoming quite sick after eating here I would not come back and cannot give the place more than one star. Original review in Swedish below. Åt moules frites (19 €) och avslutade med crème brûlée (7 €). Bland de bättre moules som jag någonsin ätit, inte för vältillagade så de blev sega utan de smälte bra i munnen med en fin smak av vin och vitlök. Musslorna kom med väldigt bra pommes tillsammans med en hemmagjord majonnäs. Till efterrätt åt jag en crème brûlée som i sig var en av de bättre jag ätit men som tyvärr var alldeles för bränd ovanpå vilket var tråkigt när själva cremen var väldigt bra. Servicen var helt ok men lite oengagerad. Genomgående var upplevelsen bra men saknar det lilla extra vad gäller mat och service för att förtjäna en femma. read more

I discovered this place through Yelp. It appeared that this was the place to eat mussels in Brussels so I decided to give it a go. They have a special of mussels and frites for 19,90 euros so naturally we decided to go with that. When I tell you this was the biggest pot of mussels I've ever had in my life I'm not exaggerating it's probably the biggest pot you will ever get at any restaurant in the world especially for only 19 euros! The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive very refreshing compared to the other service that we had received in other parts of Europe. The mussels were delicious and so were the frites. Fun Fact: The city of Brussels is the real originator of fries. They gave us bread which I didn't touch because I was so full by the mussels alone. I paired it with a beer that was similar to Stella because they didn't have Stella on draft. I left feeling very full and satisfied. I concur with everyone this is the place for MUSSELS in BRUSSELS! read more

La Boussole - Mussels & frites - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

Great dining experience. I had grilled pass which was done perfectly.The mineral water was also excellent.

Loved this place. Small and cozy. They start you off with olives and bread that go well with Belgian beer. As an appetizer we enjoyed the seafood tapas. Eight generous tastes of different seafood presented beautifully. Boulliabasse was to die for. The best I have ever had. Chock full of seafood in a delicious red broth seasoned perfectly. Don't miss this hidden gem. read more

Delicious fish stew, scallops and mussels! This is close to the main plaza but far enough away to keep it from being overrun with tourists. The evening we dined here we seemed to be the only tourists. We had very nice service, too. The frites were fine, nothing special, but that did not detract from our overall enjoyment of the place and the food. We would go back. read more

I'm gonna have to agree with another review posted below. I really want to give this restaurant more because the waitress was great and extremely kind. However, the food is just not good. The lobster bisque tasted like canned soup with lobster bits in it. Steak was absolutely undercooked and very chewy. I will say the mussels were very well done and the frites were good but can you really go wrong there? Nothing really puts this restaurant over the top in terms of standard Belgian Brussels has some good eats, unfortunately this is definitely not one of them. read more

Our group of four arrived at 7:30 or so on a Wednesday evening and the place was basically empty. No reservation, but no problem and they sat us right away (about 45 min later, the place was full, so we were clearly rather on the early side for a July evening). The place looks like an old man bar, but in the best way. Servers were very friendly, spoke English, and were probably not at all surprised that all four of us ordered moules frites, though it isn't on the normal menu, but the specials board. No garlic options that the others on yelp spoke of, but no matter. The frites were nothing special, but the moules were very plump and sweet. My glass of house white was only 2.50, so that's a steal. Overall, decent value and nicely prepared, very simply seafood. read more

My family and I wandered upon this restaurant not knowing what to expect. We all were truly surprised at the gem stumbled upon. Everything we ordered was outstanding -- the mussels, squid, risotto, and sole were shared amongst us all. Truly a great place!!! read more

Yes, you come for the moules frites and you walk away with a full happy tummy. La Boussole is a charming little restaurant and located on a neat street away from the huge crowds (at least when I was there). The decor is simple and rustic. The staff are friendly and welcoming. I had the moules frites and my husband had the bouillabaisse (both not on the menu online but is listed on the special menu in the restaurant). We both enjoyed our meals and left nothing on our plates. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is very relaxed. Had a great dining experience at La Boussole! read more

La Boussole - Mussels and fries. - Brasseries Near Me - Brussels, BRU

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Seaford was fresh, local and terrifically prepared. Service was very friendly and place was not touristy. Really enjoyed it while on vacation in Brussels. read more

I wanted to have an authentic Belgian meal before I left for Paris and this was highly praised. When I arrived, I was immediately seated neat the window which was great for people watching. Being in Belgium, I had to order Moules Frites. I ordered it Marnieres which I 've had many times elsewhere including Paris. I had high hope but was immediately disappointed. As soon as the lid was lifted off the pot I knew something was wrong. The pungent shallot and garlic smeall was missing. It was not at all aromatic as I've come to expect. They cooked the mussels in a broth made entirely of leeks. I was definitely disappointed. read more

Food was incredible. I had the fish which was cooked to perfection. Service was fast and friendly. Great atmosphere as well.

The 'risotto' was just some steamed rice in a broth, we ordered wine but the waitress refused to give us a carafe of tap water as well. Then in the end we wanted to use some spare change and she refused to take the smaller coins as well. It would have been overpriced even if the food had been half the price. We honestly don't know why this place got soon many good reviews from other people. One of the worst dining experience we've had. read more