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Brugge Brasserie
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10:30 pm
Sun 12 pm - 9 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
147 reviews for Brugge Brasserie
Review Highlights
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"preferably over their amazingly awesome frites." In 75 reviews -
"Love the variety of dipping sauces for the frite." In 32 reviews -
"Get the tripel de ripple and some fries." In 12 reviews
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147 reviews in English
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Review from Lorand M.
Indianapolis, IN
4/30/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Well...I haven't had the problems the erudite Trevor G has had...nor do I possess his colorful and flowing language..but he does have the best fucking reviews !
however....it does seem a fact that the service in this place is lacking to say the least...although there is one guy that does a pretty good job..albeit a bit clumsy at times
Mostly I have been here in the company of lovely young ladies...thus the hit or miss service was never an issue during my mesmerization...
although I was often distracted by the loveliness ...i did notice....patrons were doing the uncomfortable looking around for a server squirm...
I think the food is quite good and authentic...and very reminiscent of small pubs in the Flemish countryside....
now...if I could get 'em to offer crawfish in the same boils and with the same dippers as the mussels...mmmmm!
....and I would agree....not one employee could pass even the most rudimentary drug test...unless of course...it was a visual identification test...much like the former Greatful Dead and Phish veterans at Barley Island.....where smoke breaks were of the one hitter kind.
BTW.....the Beer Museum in Brussels is scam ! -
Review from Ron S.
Indianapolis, IN
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Try as I might, I just can't be more than lukewarm about this place after about three visits. The ambiance and the beer selection and of course the frites bring me back, but many things seem to detract from the experience.
First, the service is slow and the waiters and waitresses do not appear that cordial. In addition, the entrees (but especially the sandwiches) always underwhelm me and they are overpriced. The meatball sandwich was the lone entree I have enjoyed here but you can get a meatball sandwich anywhere really.
In spite of this, I do intend to come back for more because of the great selection of beers and the frites with the sauces bring me back to Europe. The red curry and Dijon mustard are my personal favorites but definitely experiment. Overall, I think this place is mostly hype but I think this is a good place for an afternoon tipple with the buddies to share a large bowl of "frites" -
Review from Andrea K.
Indianapolis, IN
4/2/2012
I want to go to Brugge right now just because I'm thinking about it now. This place has a love/hate relationship for me in the beginning, but we worked out our differences. I was told to go here for the frites and dipping sauces, and yes, you can make an entire day of eating nothing but the frites and dipping sauces (I recommend pesto and the garlic aioli mixed, you're welcome). I just couldn't seem to find that one dish that was a great go to since the fare isn't your standard steak or burgers. Instead you find pleasantly surprising savory crepes, or the bucket of steams mussels, of this chicken sandwich which I finally found was waiting for me in the shadows all along.
The beer is great, but I do recommend getting a taste before you committ, just to make sure you make the right choice since some, like Bad Kitty, kinda live up to their name. The Trippel though, you can't go wrong with it. Get that with frites and you will be very happy.
Also, be sure to get a dessert crepe. O. M. G. The nutella crepe. And this is why I will be going this weekend because for the rest of the week I will think of nothing else but that crepe and frites and my chicken sandwich.
So while you might take a little bit to really figure out what you want to eat here, once you do you find yourself drawn to it, like a moth to flame.
Another quick note, they fill up fast on Friday and Saturday nights. So don't the the "surprised" person with a group of 10 at 7:30pm with an hour wait. It's Broad Ripple and I know you are just jealous of everyone else happily eating their frites and drinking their Trippel. -
Review from William C.
Indianapolis, IN
3/16/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This is a difficult place to review. On the one hand, murderously good beer: after drinking Sun King's by-no-means-un-delicious Velvet Fog (a Belgian quadrupel style) at Flatwater, I walked over to Brugge for a Tripel de Ripple nightcap. The TdR was, on this night, bready and yeasty (pear-y and apple-y) and rich and wide and deep on the palate and just plain superior to the beer I'd tasted earlier.
The experience reconfirmed my long-held opinion that Brugge Brasserie produces the finest Belgians brewed 'round these parts.
On the other hand. The food here is not quite equal to its liquid counterpart. The frites + sauces are to die for, but the sandwiches and dinner crepes are, without qualification, inferior to [less expensive{!!}] Goose the Market and Three Days in Paris, respectively. In the new order of Good Food, where "how' counts more than "what", Brugge is noticeably behind. The prominently featured mussels are fairly good and unique in Indy (I think), though they too somehow seem to deliver more of a rote satiety than an exciting dose of culinary fulfillment.
Basically, 5-6 star beer (I must mention that the guest tap list is limited but irreproachably inspired), 5 star fries, 2-3 star other food. It's near the ideal experience, but not quite touching. -
Review from Kristi M.
Streamwood, IL
5/8/2012
Found this place because we had dinner and chatted with some locals about local breweries....off the beaten path down a cute walking path. Best sour I have ever had!!! Great bartender and wonderfully helpful staff! We did not eat here so i cannot comment on food but the beers were AWESOME and we took this trip to try all the craft brews in the area so for us, it was the best find of our Indiana trip!
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Review from Todd F.
Indianapolis, IN
5/3/2012
I love the overall atmosphere of Brugge, and the frites and dipping sauces are as good as advertised, but I've gotta tell ya -- my entree left something to be desired. I ordered the hangar steak (medium rare), and while the inside matched that description, the outside was burnt to a crisp and tasted like charcoal. I realize that some may like their steaks to be cooked this way, but for me, it took away all the natural flavors of the steak. My friend ordered the mussels -- that seems like a better way to go.
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Review from Benjamin H.
Indianapolis, IN
1/3/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Brugge gives me that "running into your ex that you never liked in the first place, but you hang out anyway -- then end up getting drunk together and screwing" vibe. I want to love you, but I think we have conflicting pheromones.
I think the beer is top notch and they always have a few excellent guest taps, but the restaurant just rubs me the wrong way.
I've always received incredibly slow and somewhat hostile service here and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I've never tried the food, but I've heard good things.. I'll probably give it a shot at some point.Listed in: Smoke Free Bars
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Review from Nick H.
Indianapolis, IN
1/11/2012
I have only been here a handful of times, and I need to visit more often. The fare is rooted in French and Belgian cuisine with an American twist, and it's delicious. The downstairs area is casual and cozy with the upstairs having more of a sports bar vibe. Brugge is great for three things: mussels, beer, and fries. The impressive selection of moules frites (mussels) is accompanied by varying sauces which everyone should try; especially the Provencal sauce. If bivalves aren't your thing, then choose from the assorted sandwiches and dinner crepes.
Main courses aside, one should never leave Brugge without having some fries and some beer. The fries are great by themselves, but you should make some selections from the menagerie of tasty dipping sauces. Good beer is a highly subjective topic, so I cannot advise which is best nor would I attempt to do so. However, the Triple de Ripple is my favorite. Alas, the establishment strictly enforces its two drink maximum for this beer due to its potency. If your hunger is not completely obliterated after your meal, then order a dessert crepe. Once you leave Brugge, the only indulgence you will be wanting is a cigarette. -
Review from Tom A.
Carmel, IN
4/11/2012
141 reviews and counting. What else is there to say right? My personal favorite beer (Triple de Ripple), pommes frites (with 12 sauces), and the best mussels (in Indiana).
My family headed down for pre-Easter festivities. I've been there plenty of times but it was a first for my sister and her husband and the comment she made to me was, "this is where the cool people eat, isn't it?". I'm not sure when Brugge became the spot to be in Broad Ripple, but it is. My personal favorite is sitting on the upstairs patio, the upstairs bar portion is a little to loud to hear yourself think. Its a little expensive, but not outrageous. -
Review from Matt G.
Indianapolis, IN
3/20/2012
I really like this place, but there are a few things that bug me. I come here a lot though so I figured I should review it.
The excellent: The frites + dipping sauces are incredible. They've pretty much ruined "steak frites" for me at any other restaurant. The beer here is great too, with some things you won't typically see elsewhere (e.g. some great sours). On a nice day, it's hard to beat sitting outside on the patio with a beer and a cone of frites.
The good: Aside from the frites, nothing else from the menu jumps out to me as incredible. The mussels are my favorite thing to order, especially in the Provencal sauce. The steak frites are solid (more for the frites than the steak). But I'm not in love with any of the sandwiches or crepes.
The so-so: The service is highly variable - just depends on who you get. It can get fairly expensive. And I've had a few things happen that rubbed me the wrong way (like the time I got only a half-portion of steak, or the time our "frites" were just a cone full of burnt tips). If I was there for the first time I probably wouldn't have known the difference, which is probably what they were counting on. Not cool.
Overall this place is definitely worth checking out, but after lots of visits I think I like it better as a "grab a beer and snack on some frites" place instead of sitting down for a full meal. If you are going to eat I'd recommend the mussels (two pots per three people is the ideal ratio - you don't need a full pot for yourself). -
Review from Bill S.
Carmel, IN
3/14/2012
Locally owned. Great location. Great fries. Reasonably priced wines and of course their own microbrews. Sit outside upstairs and watch the Broad Ripple street scene. Recommended.
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Review from Matt F.
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
We love to travel and a trip to Brussels and Brugge was on the agenda for next summer.
Then my wife got knocked up.
And when I catch the guy who did it, there will be hell to pay.
Fortunately, we can still head to Brugge Brasserie for some tasty grub and brew. Well, my wife will have to wait a while longer for the brew. The beers are a good example of the style and the Tripel De Ripple usually finds itself in my mouth (hey, I didn't know it was that kind of review).
I could probably eat a cone of their fries and delicious sauces for every meal. Don't let my physique fool you...I'm not yet to that level of gluttony.
As Rachel said, the seating situation is often a mess. The dining area is small and there is often confusion about which tables are ready and who is next in line. Just go when the weather is nice and sit outside. -
Review from Diane E.
Updated - 9/1/2011
Finally! I can now say that I've experienced the elusive mussels that Brugge is so famous for. 3rd time's the charm.
One of my besties from California is visiting for the labor day weekend and my Indy daughter is moving to NYC, we decided to celebrate at Brugge.
We ordered the frites...with all the dipping sauces...which ended up being way too much for 4 people, so my son-in-law took the leftovers home to enjoy over the weekend. Then, my friend and I shared the classic brugge mussels while my daughter and her husband shared a salad.
Plenty of wine...beer...and we had a great server. This ended up being a great night.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/24/2010
I'm knocking them down a star. This was my second trip to Brugge in about 4 weeks...both times they… Read more »
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Review from Sara L.
11/22/2011 1 photo
My first time to Brugge was a sexy love affair. Brugge and I fit so comfortably together that to the casual observer it might have seemed as though we'd always known each other, always had this easy intimacy....but this is not so. One night together and Brugge and I uncovered new territory for both of us, made memories I'll never forget, and got slick and slimy with some mussels.
I went here this past Friday night with my boyfriend and one of my best friends. The plan was to have some AWESOME FREAKING FOOD and then go out and party. We did have AWESOME FREAKING FOOD! and we did go party. the boyfriend had the meatball sandwich and for his dipping sauces he had pesto and the curry. He was a fan of both. My ladyfriend and I had mussels, noir with sweet chili dipping sauce and the mustardy syrupy dipping sauce. I liked the mustard better than the sweet chili, not necessarily because of the flavor but because dipping fries into oil feels weird, and the sweet chili sauce is oil.
For an appetizer we had a medium fromage plate. The first cheese was a creamy and rich cow cheddar with brown butter and caramel. The second cheese was a goat cheese topped with apricot preserves. In a perfect world, I would be able to have a lemon pound cake filled with that goat cheese concoction. It was decadent, it was dreamy, it was my muse. I pounded it hard and ate it like a huge boss.
A lot of beer was had. The black beer, I dug it, and Harvey, a blackberry beer which I lurved. The boyfriend had the sour beer which he didn't much care for because it tasted like pickles. But it wasn't a bad beer, it just wasn't his flavor. My ladyfriend had an ale and something else, but I don't remember what. What I do remember is that we were pretty buzzed and enjoying our tasty beers.
The food ws delicious. The mussels were perfect and covered in cheddar and bacon. The bread, dipped in the mussely juices in the bottom of the steam pot, was just over-the-top awesomeness.
I see people going on about the service. here's the deal: some chumps cut in line at the bar and I was sort of shitty but didn't say anything because I started out having a bad night and didn't want to be a mean guy, but the bartender noticed and served the other people first, and that's uncool. Our waiter was boss hog and knew a lot about cheese. He was prompt, courteous, easy to communicate with, and emptied out the used up mussel shells like a huge boss. I had a great time! Frankly, I can't wait to go back and try the thai mussels.
so this place is not bush leage, oh no. it's the majors and it is grand. you should go.Listed in: Sexy Time.
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Review from Len L.
Highland Park, IL
11/25/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is where you want to eat. I've been here a couple of times and been pleased with each visit. This time I had the fish stew, a mixture of cod, mussels and potatoes in a light dairy broth. I think I would have been happy with just mopping up the broth with the bread. Yum! The fires are, well, the best ever. There is a tight selection of Belgian food on the menu that I would really love to try. Need to go back and do it!
Don't forget that this is a brewpub. The Belgian-styled beers are well made and delicious. There is a good selection of guest beers too.
Head upstairs in the evening for shuffleboard and darts. Be careful what you order upstairs though. I was playing shuffleboard with mu buddies upstairs and ordered the giant cone of fries. When the delicious fries arrived we became so distracted eating the fries that some women who wanted to play shuffleboard nicely and politely asked us to choose between eating the fries and playing shuffleboard. We happily handed over the pucks. -
Review from Patricia N.
Indianapolis, IN
10/13/2011
Let's start with the fantastic and trickle down to the decent things: Triple de Ripple, Duck Confit (minus the stale French bread), Mussels (Provencal), frites, then dipping sauces. Overall, I was less impressed with food once I tried it, but the beer was fantastic.
My sandwich could've used better bread that was more toasted and warm, other than that the duck was superb. The mussels were plentiful but lacked some flavor. The fries were ehh... maybe because mine were cold and stale. And I was unimpressed with the dipping sauces, they were just watery and flavorless. (Best to worst: sweet chili, salt and vinegar, pesto, ketchup) -
Review from Kyle B.
Indianapolis, IN
3/20/2012
I never thought that service could ruin a restaurant for me.......congratulations Brugge! I have eaten at this restaurant many times and the service is always terrible (one server in particular). Two nights ago we had dinner at the Brugge and had the pleasure of being served by the same miserable guy that serves us almost every time. He was rude and pushy through the whole meal and as he was cleaning the table he spilled sweet chili sauce all over me and my girlfriend's shoes and legs, which is even more concerning now that I have read through the reviews and seen that this has happened to another. The server did not apologize and did not offer a towel, he simply said, "I hate when that happens." The next day I tried to contact a manager and both times I called I was told that I couldn't talk to a manager, and that I would have to email her. I would NOT recommend this restaurant and I will NEVER be returning!
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Review from Ron R.
Phoenix, AZ
8/24/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Another favorite of mine when im back in Indy. This place offers some delicious foods and brews their own beer. Their fries, or "frites" as they call em are fresh cut and always fresh. They are served with your choice of sauce. They have like 12 sauces or so. Their main courses are mostly crepes but they also have some delicous and unique sandwhichs as well as oysters.
If you live in Indy, give this Gem in broadripple a try...you wont regret it. If you are there later at night, try to get a spot upstairs as they have a shuffle board, dart board and an all around different feeling up there as they do downstairs. -
Review from Trevor G.
7/17/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I hate this fucking place, so why do I keep giving it chance after chance?- Oh, right: The food is good, and the beer is great. Too bad the service is completely abominable. No establishment that I have ever been to has had such consistently bad service. Brugge- Where do you find these people? What is your hiring process? Does one have to do a certain amount of cocaine each week to be considered Brugge material? Every host, every server, every cook, and almost every tender seems to be high on something or hungover.
The hosts: No one ever seems even remotely happy when a customer walks in the door. They seem preoccupied and more often than not annoyed that they have to do anything at all. It actually seems as though they are in pain all the time. When they disappear behind those shiny metal doors to the kitchen are they being beaten by the cooks? Berated by the managers? Or are they reliving how humiliating it was to be fired from them promising career as a sandwich artist at Subway?
The Servers: Even the servers at Brugge that are good are so damned weird that there is no way that they could get a job at any other restaurant- the way they saunter about like 90-year-old men regardless of their age (yes, all of them), their consistent distractedness, their complete ignorance of common server courtesies.- When I am done eating and I stop ordering beer there is a distinct possibility that I want my check. Oh, you need to go to the bathroom to do another line? I guess it can wait.
But perhaps I'm being too harsh. Maybe these awkward folk are simply the victims of a hostile work environment. I have hated jobs before, but I have never looked as miserable as these people (at least I hope not). Maybe the owner is beating them with whips? Maybe he is doping them with horse tranquilizers? I don't know.
If you have to go to Brugge, go upstairs. There, the service is typically rude but prompt. If at all possible sit outside. The fresh air must do something to these people.- My single pleasant experience at Brugge was outside. If you order food the mussels and the stews are phenomenal, but don't ask for more bread.- You might make your server cry.- Seriously, it almost happened to me. I don't know why. It's not like I was asking for free bread. Extra bread is on the menu. It costs $0.75.
The beer is truly something you won't find anywhere else in Indy. Too bad they have had so many bottling issues. I would much rather just buy the beer somewhere else. Harvey, Very Bad Kitty, the Tripel de Ripple are hard to beat and almost always on tap. If you get there at the right time of year you might be able to find something extra special as well.
Brugge also has a handful of guest taps that won't disappoint. I've found Upland, Founders, Bells, Dark Horse... just name a few.
Unfortunately, until the owners of Brugge start hiring competent servers and hosts (or start providing them with affordable mental health care) I will not return. I am tired of spending $20/person for such pathetic "service."Listed in: Indy Craft Beer Stops
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Review from Rachael W.
Indianapolis, IN
7/19/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I can't decide if I should give them 1 star or two. The beer and the "frites" are great and that is where the greatness comes to a screeching halt. The service is the worst I have ever experienced in my 30 years on this planet. Generally when approaching a host stand someone is there with a smile and greeting. Well, not so here. I have had to walk the host through this on multiple occasions.
Me: Cocked eyebrow, "Hello? There will be 2 of us for dinner......We would like to sit outside."
Host: Continue holding blank stare, check.
Once seated, (fingers crossed that the table has been wiped off!) you can expect a wait from 5-15 mins to be acknowledged, It's a crap shoot, literally. Hopefully you won't get the server that looks as though she will burst into tears at any moment.
Me: "Can you tell me about the beers you have on tap tonight?"
Server: Crinkled up eyebrows, trembling chin, "B-b-beers.....?"
I don't want to pay $20 per person for HORRIBLE service no matter how good the meal or beer. I find it highly unlikely that I will be back. -
Review from Jon C.
Brewpubs are becoming so popular that there's a lot of different types now. Some are old-school brewpubs: burgers, fish-n-chips, wings, and the beer. Some are high-end: steak frites, crepes, charcuterie platters, and the beer.
Brugge serves steak frites, crepes, charcuterie platters, and moules (mussels) frites. And their beer. And guest taps as well (all craft).
Their beers are always very good - particularly the Black. (See BeerAdvocate for beer reviews). If you like something beyond the "IPA greater than all" beer world, Brugge is your place. Most of their beers are Belgian styles - but NOT banana-bombs like some Belgians.
The food is stellar, outstanding, amazing. There's numerous choices for steaming liquid for the moules, and lots of dipping sauce choices for the frites. And the frites are outstanding!
Service is always good, and usually the music they're playing kick ass too! -
Review from Lizz C.
Oh Brugge.. how I love thee.
If I lived closer to Indianapolis, this would truly be dangerous for me.
I love beer, specifically good craft beer. To be very specific, I love sour beer and Brugge always has 1-2 of them. My husband loves their Black.
So, our plan of attack is usually to get the Black and whatever sour is on tap.
The food can vary, but Oh my!, it's delicious.
The moules frites (Mussels and fries) are delicious, you can choose from what seems like hundreds of sauces but is probably only 16. I'm easily overwhelmed in the face of excellent choices, especially when it comes to seafood.
Our other favorite is their charcuterie and cheese plates. There's almost nothing better to my palate than good cheese, good beer and good meats.
I'd do a review of their crepes, but I can't eat much wheat. That's fine by me - moules make me happy every time!
We don't go at prime dinner hour, well, except once - and the service has always been friendly and as prompt as possible considering the busy kitchen area.
This last visit (which was twice in one day... *whistles innocently*) we sat at the curved bar area overlooking the kitchen staff's domain. We chatted a little bit with the busy cook - and though he was rushing around cooking food for what seemed like hundreds of people, he was friendly and witty.
Go for the beer! Go for the moules! The crepes are probably good - and I think next time we'll *finally* get the steak frites (mmm... how I wish it wasn't 8am on Friday.. that does sound good right now...)
(Ted? If you ever see this - I love you =) I love your beer =) Keep being wonderful!) -
Review from Rowan H.
Indianapolis, IN
9/28/2011
First, they brew some of the finest beers I have ever tried. The Triple and Black are my two favorite beers from anywhere. Period. The Black is smooth and heavy and a great beer to enjoy in the Fall or Winter. It is perfect. The Triple has a great sharp flavor that goes down easy. I like it better than Chimay or Duvel or any of the other great Belgian fine ales.
I will have to admit that the last couple times I have been to Brugge, the triple was served warm. Not room temperature warm, but lukewarm. It was actually undrinkable. When I asked the barkeep about it, he gave me some lame excuse and acted very inconvenienced to get me a different beer. It was strange and I won't hold it against them, too much.
If you get anything but the frittes and Mussels, you will probably be disappointed. The other food isn't bad, but it is just average in my book. The Mussels are fantastic...you can't go wrong with any of the flavors. I enjoyed the Provencal and Red Curry, but I have heard that the Classic Blue is fantastic, too.
The Poplar Syrup + French Dijon is easily the best dipping sauce. It is sweet yet has a nice kick with the mustard.
Great place and I am never disappointed! -
Review from John S.
2/10/2012
Wow, absolutely tasty. But it's hard to believe that French / Belgian food is this oily though. The crème brûlée is the treat!
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Review from paige c.
9/27/2011
fries and beer = meal
A lot of sauces delish
Everyday death snack
I have to admit that the only things I've had here are the fries and beer (twice!!) Check that---the GARGANTUAN fries with ALL the saucen and beer. I'm pretty sure there are other things on the menu (like mulles frites and waffles and stuff), but a glorious cone of fries, about the exact size and shape of america's next top model's torso, and lazy Susan of sauce is what hits the spot for me.
Late night with friends, the munchies begin to attack, this $13 monster snack comes to the rescue.
And the beer... What can I say? It's high class snobby hipster goodness soothes my skinny jeans wearing body and soul. If only they had pitchers...Listed in: BEER
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Review from Jeremy R.
Denver, CO
7/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The stars are for the food. The fries, mussels, and crepes are mouth-watering! However, the service is hit or miss and more often than not, it's miss. On this particular evening, the waiter was outwardly annoyed that we came in at 10pm and disgruntledly sat us. He carried this attitude throughout the entire meal and made no attempt to even fake niceness. 1 star for service.
I'd still come back for the food, though. -
Review from J T.
Indianapolis, IN
12/21/2011
I don't know, the ham and Swiss crepe was pretty damn good. Its in Broad Ripple so that's a plus. Its got kind of a college bar divey feel I don't mind. The tables are big and woodish. Its not exactly like Brugge, but even Brugge isn't exactly like Brugge. I could hang out here some more I think.
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Review from Mark H.
Indianapolis, IN
5/26/2011
Brugge is a great choice simply for the quality and flavor of their foods. Amazing frites, mussels, and some ingenious crepes. The duck confit crepe is close to heaven on a plate.
So why the 2 stars?
Well, on multiple occasions Brugges has failed to deliver the food in any manner which could be considered pleasant. While dining or attempting to dine at Brugge I've encountered ambivalent hostesses, a phone that goes unanswered, no take-out service, and wait staff that would rather flip the table than smile at you. Makes it pretty tough to drop $20-30 a person if your service is laughable.
Unfortunately I have simply crossed Brugge off my list when entertaining friends or looking for a date night dinner.
I really wish the owners of Brugge would fix this problem. It's nothing too difficult to solve. Just staff your establishment with people who understand that Customers are valuable. Offering take-out service would go a long way as well. At least then I could skip the aloof attitudes and just enjoy a great tasting meal. -
Review from Emily U.
4/27/2011
I know this is a harsh thing to say to anyone or anything, but I think Brugge needs to grow up. It was a real contender on the Indianapolis dining scene when it debuted a few years ago; it offered a unique concept, specializing in local brews and something outside the sports-bar-and-grill-type food that's ubiquitous in central Indiana. But nothing seems to have changed since then, and a lot more establishments are challenging the status quo.
Each time I've been to Brugge, I'm a little less enchanted by the experience. And that's hard to do when one of your central offerings are French fries with myriad things to dip them in. I do still like the fries, though I've never drooled over any of the sauces I've tried (though the Dijon/maple syrup one is pretty good). The veggie crepes are just so-so. The last time I went, I sampled the Portobello, artichoke, roasted tomato crepe, which was not served crepe-style, but more like a taco salad with the crepe as a bowl, and the flavor was completely overpowered by the acidity of the tomatoes. It needed some kind of sauce and different proportions and to be served like a crepe, not a stew in a crepe basket.
While waiting for a table, the bartender declined to give me a taste of a beer I was considering ("we're not allowed to give samples"), which is the first time I've ever heard that anywhere and which seemed especially unfriendly in given central Indiana's current climate of microbrew-fanaticism. I'm not a huge fan of Belgian-style ales (too sweet; get me drunk too quickly) and, if I'm not in the mood for one when I'm here, I usually have a tough time picking out something to imbibe. But I had to cast my lot with the IPA I was not allowed to preview. That just added to the general blah vibe that characterized the bartender, our server and the place in general. No one seems to smile here. I do kinda get why people love Brugge, but it's starting to seem overrated to me. -
Review from Brittany L.
Indianapolis, IN
Come here with 4+ people, order L'Enorme, and be happy with the best fries in the city, which you can make even better by dipping into one of the 12 house-made sauces. You may also consider having the 2 lb pail of mussels. It's available in like a dozen flavors, and I love having the variety to choose from.
If you can't come up with 4+ people who want to go here and drink Belgian beers and eat mollusks and frites, get the large frites and be exciting with the 3 sauces you get to choose. I prefer the roasted garlic aioli (you'll dream about it), the pesto, and I'm trying to make my way through the rest of the list one at a time.
Wait here can be long, and I'd say the menu definitely lacks that "something for everyone" quality. If you're not into crepes, swiss-ish cheese, or mussels, you may find yourself out of luck. There is nary a burger to be found.
Kids are allowed downstairs and on the patios. Upstairs, in the bar area with common seating, expect to be sharing your table with strangers and keep in mind you order from the bar. No kids allowed upstairs. -
Review from Dina K.
Indianapolis, IN
2/5/2012
The mussels are good but I'll pass on the cold fries that weren't crispy.
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Review from Drew D.
7/9/2011
Brugge is the closest yer gonna get to Brussels here in landlocked Central Indiana. The beers & frites are the stars here, comparable to what you'd sup on near Grand Place, except here you're neighbored by a McDonald's and the corner liquor store instead of 17th century gilded architecture and omnipresent waffles. Alas! The tripel is their most known brew; you'll only need a couple, which is good, since you can only get a couple. Lately, their forays into sour beers (a rare breed in the States) have been hitting the spot, pungent-yet-fruity, tart-but-refreshing. Try one! There are generally a black, weizen (lighter style, boasting notes of banana & clove), and guest taps as well.
The frites come with an array of dipping sauces, so you won't have to be too choosy. Crepes are served with a small salad of greens, and are often sizable enough for two. The nutella raspberry crepe is surely one of the greatest combinations around. I find the sandwiches (and service) a bit dry. A more pliable, fresh bread would do wonders, and truly evoke the street sandwiches of Belgium, where you can't go outside in the morning without witnessing a myriad of bread trucks zipping around. -
Review from Tim W.
Order the Sausage Board and you may not need a meal. (of course I had both and made it through, but just a warning on the size of the food). The Sausage Board had several thinly sliced varieties of meat like prosciutto as well as some wurst. Served with crusty bread, and toppings such as mustards, caramelized onions, pickles, and olives, I was easily able to make several perfect bites.
I LOVE meatloaf and Brugge has a delish 3-meat meatloaf sandwich that was crunchy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside.
My lunch companion had the duck confit sandwich which I tasted and loved.
Dessert was the Nutella crepe which we shared and fought over. It's drizzled with creme freche and topped with raspberry sauce that was not too sweet and mixed well with the Nutella.
The frites were a little underdone and not as special as they were the last time I at here.
The place was full with a wait, but the servers were fast at refills and while they didn't spend long with us, they did answer questions thoroughly and the staff seems to have full-court defense strategy and we were cared for by several different people at the same time. -
Review from Bryn K.
Indianapolis, IN
9/10/2011
Great Mussels and Frites with so many dipping sauces it's mind reeling. My son loves their duck.
Broad Ripple itself is a fun place to go out and have a great evening. This place shows Broad Ripple's uniqueness! -
Review from Byron J.
Indianapolis, IN
It's typically a pretty mind and taste bud blowing experience when I go here. First my one qualm, they run out of Triple de Ripple far to regularly for my liking. But out side that I can spin a beautiful tale of epicurean magic from fibers woven out of the most incredible duck sandwich, unbeatable frites, legendary beer and enough mussels to bench press the titantic.
My first draw to Brugge was born from my love of shellfish. I sought out the mussles of which I had heard great tales. I have to tell you friends, the steam pots of the flavor intense little buggers are the things inspiration is born of. It was clear to me this would be the one thing I would order exclusively from Brugge, so many flavors I had to try.
But alas one evening my attention was drawn to the sandwich section I had discovered a decadent duck dish that changed my culinary life! The fresh compote that gently coats the foul is the key to a door that leads to the promised land.
When you add in a glass of Triple De Ripple and the frites and sauce you can't really do much better in Indianapolis as far as I am concerned. I reccommend the sweet chili sauce, the horseradish sauce and ALWAYS the poplar mustard.
This is one place where service does not even play into my equation, as long as someone brings me my food, I am happy, I have no comments on the service, honestly because I never even pay attention to anything but the food. -
Review from Andy N.
Westfield, IN
1/5/2012
I really wanted to like this place, good reviews on yelp and I'm a huge beer geek...
Went in and sat at the bar. Bartender we had was the "shy" type that you had to play 20 questions to find out what was good. We ordered some beers and the cheese sampler. Asked which cheeses would best pair with our beers he says "our beer is good with any cheese"... cheese plate was best thing we got. Wife got chicken sandwich and her pesto spread tasted like fish (to the point that later she said something I and swore a carp just swam into the room). I got sausage & peppers sandwich and it was pretty much a store bought brat (homemade perhaps but didn't taste like anything beyond store bought) thrown onto a roll and topped with fries. Eating my way through the fries the sandwich was still not one you could just pick up and eat (and shaved Italian beef sandwiches, the kind that fall apart as you eat them are one of my favorite things).
The atmosphere is just lame. It's got some really cool elements, but no music and I think alot of the staffs friends (or people with the night off) were just hanging out in the bar having their own little party too.
So bad service was alot of this review, but food & beer wasn't anything to go back for either. Parking is very difficult there as well. We ended up stealing a spot at a nearby bank - a shady looking guy was trying to solicit $5 from everyone as they parked (parking fee) but we dodged him ;)
This is mostly a pub, not a food place - all of the beer is their homebrew stuff. My wife got the "very bad kitty" which wasn't bad. I got a pilsner and it had sediment in it (which means their brewmaster is a lazy or doesn't pay attention to detail. -
Review from Theresa K.
Indianapolis, IN
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I tried Brugge last night for the first time ever. It was alright. I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe I wasn't really expecting anything... Or maybe I was expecting more without really expecting anything in particular?
I had heard that the mussels were delicious. I LOVE mussels, but I was alone in that boat, and the 2 pounds of muscle portion seemed like a bit much for me at the time, so I figured I would come back another time. I ended up ordering some sort of fruity beer. It was pretty good. VERY sweet and bitter. Almost wine-like, but good. After I had gorged myself on my dinner, I was glad that I had gotten the fruity beer because I don't think I would have been able to continue drinking any other type of beer with my stuffed belly.
For dinner, well, the menu didn't leave much for me to actually give you a name of what I had. So. For dinner, I had some sort of meatball, and something (beer?) swiss cheese blah dee blah. Yeah. That was the name of it, or soemthing like that. Thank you for giving me a name to call in for short. And ordering it? Do I call it meatball and you just know before I finish? Or do I finish the whole name (or rather, construction of the meal) of it?
All it all, it was okay. The bread was a bit stiff, as it was toasted, and swallowed the meatballs, cheese and sauce.
The fries (OH, SORRY! Frites!- They were fries, really) were not special. The sauces were special, though. I ordered horseradish and sesame mayo. I usually feel kinda bad getting mayo- like I should be making a more healthy choice for myself, but I LOVE sesame. The horseradish was good, but man, that sesame mayo was GREAT!
Really, the food was eh. The beer was pretty good (I'm sure I'll like the regular wheat. Actually, I tried the black wheat, and it was really good! )- The ambience was nice- I liked the atmosphere a lot, even if we were getting eaten alive by mosquitos and had several visits by either separate spiders or the same one.
I might change my mind when I go back for the mussels, but I thought the food was pretty mediocre. I had heard so much about the frites, and eh.
They ARE open 'till 12:30, though. I like that, so there's more chance to win me over. I'm a late night diner, and I'll be back to give it another shot. -
Review from Nick K.
4/18/2011
We drove through Indianapolis, and my wife found Brugge Brasserie as a nice stop for dinner. This is a Belgium brew pub, and the description did not disappoint.
The house beer was amazing, but they also had a few craft brews available as well. They are known for their pomme frites- basically fancy French fries- that were amazing and crispy, and you can choose from a ton of dipping sauces (try the sesame mayonnaise). I tried the steamed mussels, which is another of their specialties, You get a 2 lb serving in a pot, and they have every combination of toppings you could imagine. I tried the bacon and blue cheese, and at first I was squeamish about what it would taste like, but once they placed that pot in front of me with fresh baked roll for dipping, I couldn't stop eating- yum! My wife had the duck sandwich, and it was also amazing.
The other deliciousness they have here are their crepes. We had a dessert crepe with Nutella, and it was awesome. They had other dessert crepes, and sandwiches made with crepes, too.
Honestly, I saw nothing come out of the kitchen that didn't look fantastic. And the area around it, Broad Ripple, is a great place to take a walk and do some shopping. -
Review from Colin G.
10/15/2011
I've been here several times now and plan on coming back in the future when we're in the area.
First off, let me say that I really like them overall. One of their major strongpoints is their house beer: fantastic. I ran across their Tripel de Ripple at Bazbeaux and was blown away. An excellent representation of that style based on what I've had from this country and from Belgium. Their other beers are pretty true to the style of the latter country, with a few twists. They even have at least one sour on tap most times, which is tough for most people to stomach but is only good news for a beer snob like myself. For those uninterested in the Belgium house beers, their guest taps are always excellent and provide a nice variety.
As far as the food goes, this is one of the few Belgian restaurants in the state that I'm aware of so, although you certainly can't compare it to what you find in Belgium, I think they still do a very good job. The sandwiches run about $10 (Urban Spoon has $$$ for this place, which is another reason not to use Urban Spoon) and come covered in frites, which are pretty much fries except they're much more brown, thicker and are not crispy. You can choose two dipping sauces for your frites, many of which are good, all of which are interesting. The sandwiches are served on a nice, soft roll. The ones I've had have all been excellent. The frites are also excellent. I directly compare them with the only other Belgian place I know of in the state (New Albanian Bank Street in New Albany, which also brews its own beer), and I would choose this place for the food. Kind of a toss-up on the beer. New Albanian is damn good.
The one star gone is for the service. The service is always terrible here. I feel somewhat bad when I bring people here to try the food and beer and then they get pissed off about the service. Hey, it sucks, but you deal with it. I just wish the restaurant would deal with it instead of having the customers do so. I also dislike that the patio is so smokey. If it's a nice day but you don't feel like having a side of carcinogenic ash flavor with your sandwich, then you have to stay inside. They have both an upstairs and a downstairs patio, so it would be nice if one was non-smoking. That may be wishful thinking in smoke-happy Indiana though.
Parking is also an issue but, hell, it's Broad Ripple, so that's just a given and not worth bitching about.
I would encourage anyone to come, particularly if you're a fan of beer or you're familiar with Belgian brasserie style food. -
Review from sassy l.
Cloverdale, IN
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
The last three times I've been to Brugge, it's been lunch. So, alas, no brews.
I thoroughly enjoy sharing a bucket of mussels. Outstanding! Delicious & tasty! Remove about half of the mussels to get down to the broth- that's what the bread is for - to dip into the broth. Really yummy!
