- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 11:30 pm
Fri 4:30 pm - 2 am
Sat 11:30 am - 2 am
Sun 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
216 reviews for Brussels Bistro
Review Highlights
-
"Vol au Vent: rich and creamy but with a light flavor." In 8 reviews -
"De koninck ale: Belgium brew." In 37 reviews -
"All the cheese and french fries you could want." In 20 reviews
Loading...
215 reviews in English
-
Review from Chloe C.
Irvine, CA
5/23/2012
scrumptious.
hearty portions
steak tartare is a must have.
if you're less risky, go for the burger.
save room for dessert.
&if you were to eat fries at only one location for the rest of your life, this would be the place to go.
I'd love to buy their french fries in bulk please.
beer. -
Review from Christopher M.
Long Beach, CA
5/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
My Belgian grandfather loved his heritage, god bless him, but he didn't do a good job introducing us to the food of his homeland, other than ham relish, Lukken cookies, and some sort of pickled fish. So trying out a belgian restaurant was kind of an eye opener.
A lot of folks will come here just for the beer, and that would be enough. Our server was very informative regarding their daily specials and beer selection. They have an extensive list of beers, with some tried and true favs (Stella. Hoegaarden), as well as some lesser known heavy hitters (Piraat, Delirium). You can order a tasting flight to get a range of samples before committing to your next beer.
We tried a few things here: Kumamoto oysters, Charcuterie plate, Belgian onion soup, and mixed croquettes. But the go-to item to have here is their Mussels, Casserole De Moules. You can customize the order with a special sauce, ranging from Bleu Cheese to Provençale. As an entree this is a big ol bucket of mussels swimming in broth. And they are delicious. We sampled the Curry and the Nature (White wine and garlic), and they were both great. Nature was a bit more traditional, but the curry was an unexpected change of pace.
I should also mention their onion soup. This wasn't like a brown french onion soup, but more like a thin cream-based soup. The onion flavor was melted throughout, no chunks left swimming about. But it still comes with a chunk of bread and cheese on top. Between a beer, a bowl of soup and a bucket of mussels, you can't go wrong.
Definitely worth trying out. -
Review from Matt F.
Los Angeles, CA
5/5/2012
Two stars for FOOD. Escargot was average; not worth the price. Crepes and waffles were average; not worth the price. Etc.
The point is... nothing on the menu here is horrible, but it's just not amazing.
On the other hand, the waiter was very nice, and I do like the "vibe" of the place. That alone doesn't warrant more than two stars though. -
Review from Juls C.
Irvine, CA
5/16/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Nice little bistro in Laguna Beach. Note: it is not an "elegant", candlelit little bistro to take a date to, its more like an East Coast, hip, very casual, dive with good food and fun euro beats. Food was legit, beers are the way to go (do not order wine here), full bar, and a fun DJ after 10:30pm.
I'd recommend it -
Review from Sara K.
Irvine, CA
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Kay and I came here for dinner last week. This place is pretty simple looking, a buit low key... but the food made me incredibly nostalgic.
She ordered the CARBONNADES DE BŒUF À LA BIÈRE DE LEFFE ET SES LÉGUME which looked incredibly quaint as it was served in an oldschool pot. The taste of it reminded me of when I was a little girl in London and my grandmother was making beef stew on a cold winter's day. It warmed me up.
I ordered the: VOL AU VENT DE POULET ET SON CORNET DE FRITES
This reminded me of the vol au vent's my mum cooks. Can you imagine a pakistani-londoner cooking french food? I was spoiled as a child! Mum makes them best, but this place did a bang up job. A very hearty meal that hit the "seeking comfort food" spot. -
Review from Tessa C.
4/23/2012
My husband is Belgian and was missing some classic Belgian dishes. We came here for crevettes grises which you can't seem to find anywhere in the OC or LA area.
We made a reservation for 6:30 and we got there early at 6PM. We were seated in the outside heated patio. He ordered the Vol au Vent - the European version of a chicken pot pie. I ordered the Tomates Crevettes entree - it's a classic Belgian dish - fresh tomatoes hollowed and filled with grey shrimp. It's not very big for the price, but it comes with fries. Unfortunately the fries are Belgian frites quality. You can tell that they aren't double fried and fresh cut. The Tomates Crevettes were decent. The grey shrimp were tasty, but not a sweet as they would taste if you were in Belgium. My hubby enjoyed his Vol au Vent - creamy mushroom sauce, nice pieces of white chicken meat, and flaky pastry shell.
Overall - it was decent, but not excellent. But the only place you can find crevette grises in LA and OC counties.
Super popular place for drinks. -
Review from Lillybeth G.
Santa Ana, CA
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
This review is only for the night dancing =)
My husband and I love coming here to drink dance to some good house music and chill. I love that this place is small but fun. It's not your typical hipster place. I won't be finding those shuffle kids around here =) Drinks are good! Come here to watch DJ groupd BA2LA ;) -
Review from Brian L T.
Los Angeles, CA
4/10/2012
Came here for a party on Saturday night and it was pretty rockin'. The drinks here are a little overpriced but strong, and the food decent. I am a big fan of their Euro-inspired food and craft beers. It definitely occupies a niche the Laguna area needs, and execute it well. Considering it was raining cats and dogs that day, they had a pretty decent turnout.
The best part about this place is their DJ, Tim Koranda. Best house spinner ever. It was pretty bumpin'. If you see him at a line up for one of their Fri/Sat parties, you'll be in for a good time! -
Review from Kay A.
5/5/2012
Checked out this place with S because I heard they have a REALLY good burger and ahi tuna. However, we didn't order either so can't confirm, haha. It was a chilly rainy night so I ordered the beef stew and S got some creamy chicken mushroom dish with puff pastry and belgian fries. Both were pretty darn good. Also waitstaff was very attentive. Our water was filled, our table cleared promptly, etc. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable. Cute and quaint!
-
Review from Phil S.
Aliso Viejo, CA
5/8/2012
This is my favorite restaurant right now. Everything from the food to the atmosphere to the whole area. I'm sure a lot of the other places in the area are great, but if I go to Laguna to eat, I'm going to BB. I have some friends in town for work and we're going tomorrow. I'm already excited!!!!
Hats off BB, you've got a killer experience! -
Review from Brooke M.
Los Angeles, CA
I just strolled in and enjoyed their molten lava cake which bursts tons of chocolate in your mouth!!
-
Review from karla f.
Laguna Beach, CA
3/3/2012
I don't know who is reviewing this place (tourists who haven't had other places in Laguna?) or if they were at another restaurant, but I went here for the first time last night and thought it was pretty much AWFUL. Another reviewer on here with 1 star said that they sat by the kitchen and saw microwaves, and that the server said some things have to be zapped...that pretty much explains the food and I agree with him.
We were seated by the entrance and my husband kept getting bumped in his back because there's literally no room. Our not-the-nicest server approached and we ordered a beer....when he brought it back we asked to be moved away from the entrance, so he slammed down the beer (didn't open it for us) and said -- I don't know, I'll ask the hostesses since we have a lot of "reservations". Mind you, 1/3 of the tables weren't filled. He came back and said we could move and we carried all our own beers/waters to the new table and he handed us off to a new server who was actually very nice (dark hair, accent -- thank you for cheering us up a little!).
The food was b-a-d. The appetizer fries were nothing special at all -- being this is a Belgian place, you'd think the fries would be a standout? They were like fries you'd get in any diner, served in a pint glass with Heinz ketchup and mayo. We ordered some sausage combo for our meal and it was served with warmed up Motts applesauce on the side. I'm pretty sure it was just applesauce since I have small kids. The potato was supposed to be twice-baked, I think, but was warm on the outside, cool inside which makes me think it was microwaved, too. The sausages were okay -- nothing special.
The best part of our meal was the Delirium beer for $19 that we could have bought at BevMo.
I just don't get at ALL why this place has anything higher than maybe 3 stars...I would not return with other good options in Laguna. The only way I would come back is just for a beer at the bar. I take that back. If I wanted to go to a bar, I'd go to K'ya Rooftop or pretty much anywhere else. If you want dinner, go to Nick's, at least the food is good! -
Review from Kimberly M.
Indian Wells, CA
4/28/2012 1 photo
Hip little restaurant with Yummie unique food. Pretty Belgium music and quick friendly service. If you like to drink well they have that part covered too!
-
Review from Kiana B.
Mesa, AZ
4/7/2012 3 photos
When visiting Brussels Bistro for the first time, I was quickly greeted and seated. The server was extremely informative when it came to explaining what some dishes were. I had curry and cream mussels, two half shell oysters and Belgian fries. The combination was delightful. Overall a great experience and hearty menu. Also the beer is amazing. Would I suggest this to someone who wants to try something new? Yes. Would I be back again? Not likely.
-
Review from Dana G.
Costa Mesa, CA
2/2/2012
I seriously need to get out of Newport more - this place was so FUN! Downstairs "underground" vibe with house music brought me back to my late-90s raver-day youth, including smiling faces and NEON GLOWSTICKS (wait, maybe that's because I came here on a neon party bus, but that's a different review).
Nice outside patio area for fresh air; bathrooms were a little gross but the stiff drinks made them less noticeable.
Check this place out for some body-shakin' dance tunes, laid-back Laguna crowd and a fan-freaking-tastic Friday night experience.
Will have to come back sometime to review the food :) -
Review from Paige F.
Laguna Beach, CA
I love this place for their beer selection and their great menu. My roasted stuffed quail was AMAZING. I felt so big eating such a tiny drumstick! Service is always wonderful and it would benefit making a reservation on Fridays or Saturdays. They have live music on the weekends which creates such a classy upbeat environment. Stop in, you won't be disappointed.
-
Review from Scarlette H.
Laguna Beach, CA
5/10/2012
Awesome place to grab a drink.
-
Review from Kevin N.
Irvine, CA
2/12/2012
Wow! Yummy. Had the croquettes as appetizer as well as frites. Frites are to die for as are cheese croquettes. Shrimp croquettes, not so much. Skip 'em.
Meatballs awesome, duck awesome, Mac and cheese awesome. Wonderful coffee and you have to have the apple tart AND a Belgian waffle for dessert. Bring friends and family and share! -
Review from Billy H.
Huntington Beach, CA
5/7/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
good food/great service/casual atmosphere
-
Review from Jim H.
Aliso Viejo, CA
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
The wife really wanted a nice night out, so we came here. I had been once before for food, ages ago. We really liked it, so we went back.
Last time I had been, we were seated on the outside patio. This time, we were in back, right next to the pass to the kitchen. This probably ruined the night for me.
Right after we ordered, I noticed the microwaves. Two of them, right inside the pass, and the constant flow of food into and out of these microwaves. I was truly concerned, so I asked the waitress. She said that a couple of the pastas were reheated in the microwave, since they didn't have room to boil water in the kitchen. Mmmm'kay. I should have walked out right then, but I was hungry.
The first thing that arrived was the appetizer cheese board. What a shame. $15 for five eighth of an ounce cheese samples, that could have easily came from Trader Joes. The slices of cheese were literally smaller than a saltine cracker, and just as thin.
My meal came, it was the sous-vide pork belly with carrot leek 'baskets'. The pork belly was tough, definately had seen the inside of a microwave. The 'baskets', basically won-ton skin wrapped bundles of shredded carrots and leaks, were soggy. Also nuked, I suspect. My wife had the mussles, and, well, it was mussels. Except for the 4 or so that weren't opened. Shouldn't someone check and make sure the unopened mussels don't make it to the diner?
This place is a place to see and be seen while drinking $12 beers, not the fine dining establishment it has pretentions to be.
Will not be back. -
Review from Reema H.
Irvine, CA
Ah.maaaazing! Goodness we were in for a surprise at this place. Looked it up on yelp, saw fries, 4 stars and we were sold! Hey starving on new years day with our first choice being closed, we were desperate.
We ordered of course the fries, delicious. Onion soup, 10 oz beef burger gruyere and caramelized endive, grilled veggies w/ balsamic vinegar, and the duck tacos. Everything was so beyond heavenly. Maybe more when your hungry? But seriously all the food blew us away!
Onion soup had this cripsy toast with melted cheese placed in the onion soup, it was so light and addictive. Onion soup, not heavy at all, and oh so yummy. And I'm not really a fan of onion soup usually.
Burger was heavy, but full of flavor. Only order if your starving a la our group. Grilled veggies were also really good, you'd think bland and boring? You'd be wrong!
And for dessert, even though we were stuffed with goodness, had to try the dessert. Thin apple tart with vanilla ice cream, crispy, light, did I mention heavenly already? It just kept getting better at Brussels Bistro. We couldn't get enough.
We are DEFINITELY coming back! Must try the mussels, and the beer tasting trays we saw them serving other guests. It's like they kept coming up with great things to lure us back for! Oh and the servers are just these two guys, who are great, so polite and funny. You'd never guess this hidden away place would be such an amazing bar/bistro; but you're missing out if your in the area. -
Review from Sandy M.
Newport Beach, CA
10/6/2011
Dinner is always good, excellent choice of food, with great specials. If you are looking for the perfect draughts, Brussels bistro is the place to go!
Unfortunately, it is a bit expensive for a bistro style. For example, the other day for lunch we had 2 appetizers and 2 draughts for a total of $45, but we had fun and the food was excellent! -
Review from Amy C.
Tustin, CA
12/28/2011
This place is a must when visiting Laguna Beach, located "downstairs" at "Art Gallery" row. Very nice little Belgian Bistro place. Ive heard so much about it but never tried it until now...the wait staff were very friendly and enjoy their job. They were able to give suggestions and recommendations and are very attentive.
We did the beer sampler and our waitress was very helpful in recommending the beer and the order to drink it in.
We had the appetizer size of the mussels (yummy) 6 half shell oysters and creamy chicken and mushrooms in puff pastry, this came with Belgian fries. Finished off with a Apple Tart for desert. I'm not a "apple" pie, dessert fan, but this was good!
I would definitely come back here again... -
Review from Kendra A.
Foothill Ranch, CA
3/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I love this place. Great food, great beer and excellent atmosphere. Brussels is great for an evening out or having an afternoon beer and forgetting you're in the OC.
-
Review from Dan F.
Trabuco Canyon, CA
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was like they knew I was coming! Best Belgian beers, and the Vol au Vent was amazing!
-
Review from Ellie L.
Newport Beach, CA
3/11/2012
Loved the food and service
-
Review from Travis F.
Irvine, CA
12/25/2011
I've been coming for the Bistro for the past few years and have worked the bar for a few days. First off, the beer: some of Belgian's best, on tap and in the bottle, beers you won't find in other OC bars, beers you would have to go to LA to find in a bar. The food, I haven't walked the entire menu, but I've tried the obligatory Belgian dishes and I have yet to be disappointed, even slightly. The dish to try... The steak tartar, it is INCREDIBLE, out of this world good. Now I'm a very adventurous eater, so this wasn't a big leap for me, and it was one I was very happy I took; however, my girlfriend is scared of not only raw fish, but cooked fish, it took me 4 years to get her to try sushi. With that said, when she finally mustered up the courage to try the tartar, she was simply amazed and has eaten nothing else there every single time we go back.
I have a few euro-trips under my belt, and have visited Brussels several times. The atmosphere and design of this place is very European and very cozy. It's personal and intimate; you can come here Saturday afternoon with a significant other, enjoy a peaceful meal and return at midnight for a very upbeat, DJ infused club scene, that is a very lively place to be. Also, there is something satisfying about enjoying tastey and hard to find Trappist brews instead of Apple 'tinis and Cosmos. It is quite a place to behold, very unique, well executed, and great service.
I highly recommend it.
FYI: I do not work here, in fact I was not hired after a few day trial, because my lack of experience and I still love this place and stand by my review. -
Review from Hazel Q.
8/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had been to a dancey-clubby-shortskirt kinda night at Brussels before, but never had the chance to go for an afternoon-happyhour-fewbeers kinda time until recently. And I've gotta say, everything that is meh about the club is totally made up for by how awesome the restaurant/bar is.
Happy hour ends at 7pm and some of their fancy schmancy Belgian beers are a measly $4. F-O-U-R dollars. Cuatro. In case you're wondering, that's one helluva deal. And the beer is glorious, I mean, it's Leffe. And it's on tap. And it's cold. How much more could a beer-lovin' gal want?
Oh, you want some of the best french fries you'll ever taste? Okay, technically Belgian fries or whatever, but they are amazingly tasty. I could have probably skipped the unexciting trio of dipping sauces, but I'll tell you this much: I can NOT wait to come back here for an actual dinner, but hanging out for a couple hours at the bar with some super friendly bartenders suits me just fine. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Orange County, CA
Talk about amazing service accompanied with amazing food. I was lucky enough to stumble upon this particular place when it's like restaurant city on this street. We were looking to catch a quick dinner before Pageant of the Masters and Brussels was one of the few restaurants that had no wait.
Our waiter was so cute and friendly with his cute little accent. I couldn't make what it was but it was very charming. We ordered the pommes frites which came with a trio of sauces, one of which was infused with some alcohol. There was nothing special about the fries but the alcohol-infused sauce was mighty delicious. I definitely ate more fries than I usually do! It wasn't greasy and it didn't give me that heavy feeling.
The duck tacos were to die for. Besides the good ol' Mexican taco, these were probably the best tacos I've ever had. The duck meat was so flavorful and tender. The vegetables gave it a nice crunchy texture but the taco was mostly stuffed full of the duck meat. The sauce is a definite must because it adds a sweet and sour flavor to it. I'd go back to Brussels just for the duck tacos!
What in the world?! This place has AYCE mussels on Mondays and Tuesdays I hear! It looks like I went on the wrong day. Anyways, we ordered a small pot of their mussels just to give it a try. The mussels were a decent size and they were all so juicy! It was marinaded in a garlic buttery sauce which gave it such a powerful aromatic punch in your mouth.
Brussels Bistro isn't your normal bistro. It's more of a pub/bar ambience but the food is definitely kick ass. I would definitely suggest that you go out of your way and give this place a try! -
Review from DaveVivian K.
Long Beach, CA
11/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
How have I not written a review for you Brussels Bistro?
I love your belgium fries and dipping sauce duo. amazing....
mussels and bread are also a must have here....yum
TIP: don't mind the sassy waiter or the smell of urine (if you choose to be seated outside), the mussels and fries will make up for it. -
Review from Sandee T.
Beverly Hills, CA
9/1/2011
Food:
- Belgian fries
- Beef boulette **
- Pesto salmon
Rating:
Def 4 stars for all dishes, with beef boulette (think ginormous sauce-laden meatballs) as star of the night.
When:
Aug'2011
Crowd:
Beach-goers, young & old
Interiors & Service:
Simple, clean -
Review from Mimi L.
Irvine, CA
8/22/2011 3 photos
I luv mussels :D Hence the chosen spot since my friends & I were in the area checking out festival of the arts.
Holy macs we were all so blind for we could not find this bistro at first. We looked high & low at each corner streets of Forest & PCH. We finally realized it was not on the corner street but on the inner street of Forest. Brussels is located underneath a gallery store & directly across from this bistro was the candy store we were shopping at. duhhh.... :\
We came here on the weekend & were able to get a seating around 9pm after a 15min wait. Not a huge place but it was filled with great energy & a fun vibe to dine/hang out at.
We shared the following:
+ + Assiette de Charcuteries & Fromage en Des
Went great with our beer & wine
+ + Escargots en Coquilles Au Beurre D'Ail
So buttery & yummy!
+ + Loup de Mer et Petits Legumes En Papillotte
The sea bass was baked to perfection. The shredded veggies beneath was delicious.
- - Hamburger Gruyere et son Cornet de frites
Hmm....we all concluded it wasn't all that. It was just a-ok & same goes with their belgian fries. Nothing special in our eyes.
+ + Casserole de Moules in Mariniere
I was so sure we had order this in garlic & cream but instead we got the Mariniere (celery, onions, butter). I hate celey with a passion! =\ Regardless the mussles were awesome especially when you dip the complimentary bread to their buttery broth at the bottom of the pot! YuM!
+ + Lindeman's Pêcheresse
Such a fruity beer but so tasty & refreshing!
Just to note: Hard to find parking on a weekend nite! Be prepared to park far, walk a bit & enjoy the fresh ocean breeze :) -
Review from Neen M.
Irvine, CA
2/25/2012
After asking the hostesses for a recommendation and being sold into getting the mussels.....I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed with my order choice. I ordered the mussels with the mariniere sauce. The sauce was delicious but what was the disappoint was the portion size and the overall size of the mussels. I mean, I could have gone to the store for the price I paid and bought 3x as many mussels and they would have not been skimpy little ones. What made up for it, believe it or not, was the hamburger and the belgian fries! haha! SO BOMB! Overall, I love the vibe and scene of the place. Will totally come again and order the hamburger and belgian fries (OBVI)
-
Review from Tawin K.
Irvine, CA
7/17/2011
Whenever I order Mussels anywhere else it's hard for me not to think of Brussels Bistro. This is my go-to spot for Mussels, not only because they have All-You-Can-Eat but also because of their variety of flavors.
The Mussels here always seem to be in season. I don't know how it's possible but they always have fresh plump Mussels to filling the pot and your stomach.
If you come on a Monday thru Wednesday you'll be fortunate enough to order they AYCE special which comes with fries and Beer/Wine for just $25.
My favorite flavors for the Mussels have to be the Curry and the Provencal. I've never had Curry Mussels before but who knew Yellow Curry could synergize so well with Mussels. The Provencal is a tomatoe based sauce which can be found at other restaurants too but at Brussels Bistro its very flavorful and great with their fresh Mussels.
The fries are cut thick so they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The house mayo is definitely a big plus.
Don't forget they also have a great selection of Belgian beers so be adventurous and give them a try.
Parking can be hard to find but that's Laguna Beach for ya.Listed in: Top Restaurants, My Fave 5
-
Review from Mike T.
6/15/2011
On Monday-Wednesday nights they have all you can eat buckets of mussels. My girl had 3 pots of mussels and we kinda shared them. They have a whole bunch of sauces you can get w/ the mussels, so we decided to try a few buckets.
The first was a garlic-white wine type of sauce which was pretty good. It wasn't too thick and was pretty light.
I can't recall the second sauce but it's a thick white pastey sauce. I wasn't a big fan but it was ok. The third bucket was a red basil-based sauce which was definitely my favorite.
The all you can eat bucket comes w/ a free beer or wine you can choose from. All the sauces that came w/ the mussels were pretty good; I'd even recommend dipping your bread in them or drinking the sauce - lolol.
I ordered the meat soup which was pretty good. It was thick and had lots of meats, veggies, and potatoes. Perfect for men - lol. Once again, the soup was great for dipping bread.
They have great selection of beers too. I had the Krierkand St. Barnardus. Overall we had about 3 buckets of mussels, 4 beers, and an additional entree, and the price was pretty reasonable, about $70 bucks. Definitely recommended if you're in a mussel mood.
I'd probably only come her M-W for the all you can eat mussels bucket. Definitely recommended. -
Review from Tehmin L.
7/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
We came here for dinner just before going to the Pageant of the Masters. First thing that came to my head when I saw this place was Jean-Claude Van Damme..aka the Muscles from Brussels. So naturally we had to get the mussels.
I was really looking forward to the mussels since everyone talks about it in their Yelp reviews. Honestly, I wasn't that impressed. First of all we ordered the one with white wine / garlic and instead got the one with the onions / celery / butter. We didn't realize it was the wrong one until we ate a few already so we didn't bother to say anything. The mussels were a decent size but the sauce unfortunately was kind of bland. I was expecting a lot more flavor. For dinner, I got the Hangar Steak and my wife the Salad with the grilled vegetables and anchovies. My steak was ok, but once again the sauce had no flavor. My wife's salad was ok too but the anchovies were warm which threw me off...definitely wasn't expecting warm seafood on a salad.
Pros
- Good selection of sweet, fruity Belgian beers
- Fries come with EVERYTHING!! We had like 5 basket of fries...totally got Frite out
Cons
- It was really loud inside. I had a hard time hearing our waiter
- Not a lot of flavor in the sauces
- Kind of pricey for what you got...dinner for 4 was over $200 -
Review from Vinnie N.
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
When I hear Belgian, I think beer; and this place delivers! I credit Brussels Bistro for introducing me to Mort Subite Blanche which is now tied for first place as my favorite beer, alongside Hoegaarden.
Fries failed to impress. Maybe we got the bottom of the pile because most of the fries were soaked through in oil and super crunchy, almost burnt. Crunchy: good; Oil soaked: bad.
I was disappointed I came here on a full stomach. Would have loved to try the $25 AYCE mussels. That's something I'm coming back for next time.
Till we meet again Mort Subite Blanche -
Review from Joel A.
Los Angeles, CA
12/26/2011
I so wanted to love this place! The beer selection is good and it actually had a European feel! I should probably or hope the owner reads this, I don't want you to fail but seriously, have you ever been to Belgium? Frites, get them everywhere in Europe. They are fresh sliced, cooked a little different than here, I don't know how but they are awesome! And the mayo in Europe is different. These "frites" where grocery store bought frozen fries served at independent owned fast foot places. Served in a paper towel in a short water glass with regular mayo. Why didn't you just use miracle whip? So lame. 7 bucks. I ordered the chicken stew puff pastry. Have you ever had chicken a la king out of the can from the grocery store poured over toast? 21 bucks?! I think you can buy 18 cans of chicken a la king with that! My woman had pasta with tons of cold salmon semi mixed in it! The look on her face made me not even try it!
I liked the host up top, I think he my have been Belgian even. The waiter seemed to know everything and knowledgeable about the food and menu, I wonder if he actually ate it! I think a real Belgian would freak out at this place! All the 5 stars below? Are you all serious? Have any of you ever left the Orange zone? There is great food out there in the rest of the world! I LOOOOOVE Laguna Beach, but please people, I know you can do better than this! It is NOT good there! I WISH it was! Also, it is high to pay 20- 26 dollars a plate but if it is amazing, no problem! Unbelievably high priced for not very good food. -
Review from Richard C.
Huntington Beach, CA
1/27/2012 Seated via OpenTable
What can you say about Brussels Bistro that does it justice? Excellent if small selection of beers, super good food...all the variants of mussels are always good but branch out pas them and past the steak tartare and past the steak frites and try something like the meatballs with gravy that has onions and raisins...raisins!!!
-
Review from J R.
Laguna Hills, CA
9/9/2011
One of the better restaurants in Laguna Beach, one of the best in Orange County.
AMAZING filet of sole, flown in from Dover, served with European butter sauce.
The escargot are a bit tame, but if you have sophisticated tastes, or enjoy simple food well done, this is the place.
Very European, (be prepared to carry on a conversation with the people at the adjoining table).
We dined next to a multi-generational family with a precocious 4 year old who became my new best friend...it's that kind of place, you will be happy no matter what!
I'm pleased to have found this place...our waiter (Kevin) works at Watermarc, and told us about this one.
It's a KEEPER!
Read more reviews for this business:
French (1)
