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Belgian Cafe has turned me from someone who would barely look at a mussel to someone who will actually eat them on occasion. For that, they get high marks. Their french fry dipping sauce is also to be praised.
And of course, they serve my favorite: Monk's Sour Flemish Ale.
Overall, a good neighborhood spot where you can meet up with friends for a drink and dinner. Or, take a good book and treat yourself.
Really enjoyed my trip to the Belgian Cafe. Found free parking on the street relatively close to the restaurant and was seated relatively promptly. Beer list was really impressive - lots of interesting fall beers on draft, in addition to an endless list of bottles.
The thing that really blew me away, though, was the food. We went a little nuts and ordered a few appetizers - cheese plate (good, but pricey for the amount of stuff you get), fries (really special), and seitan wings (also good). For my meal, I had an unbelievable burger - the brewer burger. It had goat cheese and was on a very fresh bun. The burger was delicious, but was the only thing on the plate (doesn't come with fries or anything). Has we not gone nuts with apps, I might have been slightly disappointed in the amount of food I got. My wife got the beef stew, which was hearty and awesome.
The check was very reasonable. I think it was like $80 for 4 of us. Service was good. Would def go back next time I am in the neighborhood.
I love the mussels here. They are cooked and seasoned in just the right way. It is really a deal for under $10. Especially since they are served with delicious fresh cut fries and homemade aoli for dipping. Also, the cafe has a great beer selection on tap which change regularly.
Beers + Mussels = Perfect Combo
With that said the is wonderful, but the service is not that great. i came in looking for a hostess to get a table outside and could not find anyone actually working. They were too busy chowing down on food to do their job. I had to get a manager to seat us. Then our server took forever to notice the table. After bringing the food out she disappeared. We had to go into the restaurant to ask for her check after waiting 20 minutes. The restaurant was empty inside, so it is not like she was busy. Maybe next time we will get a better server and I will change my mind...
Atmosphere is cool. Beer selection was big - just not what I was going for. Food was REALLLLLLLY good though!
Good spot. Saturday night so it was packed. Waitress was a little frazzled, but she handled it well. We weren't ready to order when she originally came so we ordered drinks and mussels first, and she was a little slow coming back to take the rest of it. Mussels were both tasty, we got small orders of memlim (sp?) and van wyck (sp), the cheese plate wasn't as "gourmet" as some places around town but it wasn't bad at all. The fish stew with cheesy mashed potatoes was pretty tasty, duck salad had good flavor, but could've used more dressing or something wet, scallops appetizer was okay.
I have lots of great things to say about this place it is hard to know where to begin. To throw a curveball, I won't start with the beer.
I love Mussels, love them, since I was a kid. But since reading Bordain's Kitchen Confidential and a horrible mussel experience at another place (I reviewed), I am very wary of ordering them anywhere. Anywhere except here. In fact, it is all I ever get when I am here. Several choices to be had, and everyone I tried I enjoyed. Personal favorite: Van Eyck (with garlic sausage and herbs and Piraat ale). The 'frites' are really damn good too.
Also, Belgian beer is the best beer. They have plenty. Only I never order any true Belgians here. I always get a 750ml Allagash tripel because it is 12 dollars (I bet you can't even get it at that price at the foodery), and all the Belgians, although world class, are too expensive if I am going to eat, which I always will here.
This is the place I treat myself to lunch at in the summer when I can sit outside and pretend I am European. As a matter of fact, I have treated myself to lunch here at least twice by myself. I normally feel weird going out to eat alone, but the experiences I have had with the staff here is always great. Friendly and always offering conversation.
I just love it here. Now I want some Mussels!
I dislike The Belgian Cafe as much as I dislike The Bishop's Collar. Another place for yuppies* to sit outside for 4 hours with their chairs on a funny angle in order to ogle passers-by more efficiently.
*Note: I, too, am a young urban professional and I live in Fairmount, so I somewhat identify with this demographic. This is just an observation.
My good friend who lives right around the block brought me here for lunch. We shared the sweet potato hummus (YUM) she opted for moule frites and I had the salmon burger and fries. We were having one of those conversations where you are so caught up you don't really notice what is going on. My food was good but next time I think I need to focus on eating. Would be a nice day for a late afternoon beer (the list is 5 pages long) and some tasty fries with mayo+ketchup!!!
This place is owned by the same people who own Monks. Sadly, it pales in comparison to that fine establishment.
The Belgian Cafe has a similar menu to Monk's, but Monk's is just so much better! The mussels come with some kind of dry dinner roll that failed to satisfy. Our waitress was very rude the last time we were there, and barely paid attention to us the whole time. I would stick with the duck salad and a Chimay. I feel no need to return to the Belgian Cafe.
Can't believe I've never reviewed this place before considering how wonderful it is.
My first Belgian Cafe brunch experience occurred this past weekend. Two friends and I had walked in about 10 minutes after opening to find the place already pretty full considering they'd barely opened the doors. We all ordered the same brunch libation - a Belgian wit beer/OJ mimosa combo which was rather delish though a bit to fizzy (I prefer Sidecar's Hefe Mimosa).
After much debating over the menu -- several of the brunch items sounded divine -- I settled on the Garden Fresh Scrambled Eggs and wow, it was sooo good! Perfect fluffiness to the eggs, some sort of "sauce" (it was really thin so I think it was just juices from the eggs/veggies), and a smattering of whatever fresh veggies they had that day (peppers, broccoli, spinach, carrots, etc).
Their endive hashbrowns were also quite delectable -- when I first saw how few came on the plate, I was a bit let down but I was definitely a satisfied full upon finishing my meal, so any more of them and I'd've been overfull. And our waitress was a doll!
I've been here many times during the later hours and for dinner, too. Nothing on the menu is bad. The best sandwich I've ever had in my entire life was a reuben I had here. I didn't see it on the menu at brunch this past visit, so I'm guessing it's just a lunch/dinner menu item. But f'real y'all -- amazing. And obvi lots of fantastic beer, which just goes without saying. Although! I was disappointed that they didn't have any Leffe Blonde (or any Leffe at all!) this visit either. It's my ultimate fave.
It's a bit pricier than some of the other places around, but it's very much worth it.
I live right next to this place. When I am hungry and I just want to grab a bite to eat and I can blow 25 bucks on a couple of beers and a burger or croque, I pop in. Its a great place for that.
I suppose you could have a great time here if you aren't a local, it serves fantastic beer. The waitstaff are super down to earth and have mostly been friendly, knowledgeable, and good conversationalists.
I only stopped in for some beer after lunch and the selection was right on.
The Phils were on and ahead by 5 so the awesome bartender tuned between the Tour de France and the game. They had some craft beers from California which I tried and was impressed by. I hope I can return to get some food some time soon, but for now the staff was super friendly, the atmosphere relaxed and it seemed to be a good, chill spot.
Our waiter was perfection itself last time we ate here. He was so sweet, happy, attentive and full of great things to share with us about the incredible extensive selection of beers.
We felt like royalty there. Out in the sun along green Green Street. Sometimes Philadelphia feels so cold and you just want to go somewhere, enjoy yourself and have someone feed you, not with just food but with a smile and warmth. That's exactly what we got.
The food is always fresh, and the bread they serve is very tasty and high-quality. But we really come here for the beer.
That being said, it's really impressive the extensive vegan selection they have here - I say extensive, but there are really only 5 or 6 dishes, but where else can you go and find 5-6 vegan dishes in Philadelphia, at any restaurant? Anyway, I hope they continue to expand that menu and keep trying new things out - it would be great to have a few less fried things on the vegan menu and some lighter fare, even something raw?
On the inside of the menu, a note from the owners invites the Belgian Cafe's patrons to treat it as their second home. This is handy for me since I live right around the corner. The bartenders prompt service the first time I walked in wearing a bathrobe and ordered a Hennepin was a true sign of professionalism.
I've tried just about all the food on the menu, with the exception of anything that has "vegan", "vegetarian" or the letter "v" in its name. It's all good to very good, with the exception of the chicken fingers, which tasted more like chicken tempura to me. Standouts are the Croque Monsieur (an uppity grilled ham and cheese) and the burgers of various stripes.
The fries, excuse me, frites, are indistinguishable from their more famous Monks counterparts and the beer list is similarly expansive. My favorite reasonably priced options are Hennepin and Brooklyn Local One. The beer on tap rotates frequently, and it's worth trying everything at least once.
I was once sitting at the bar, minding my own business, when a car with Jersey plates pulled up. A man walked in, sat down next to me, and promptly ordered a Coors Light. The look on the bartender's face when she explained that they didn't serve Coors of any sort pretty much encapsulated all possible human pain and suffering. True story!
I really love that when you ask for good beer and mussels in the city, there are more than a few options. These reasons drove me to the Belgian Cafe one night last week. I've been here before, but only for drinks. I really like this spot, because it has outdoor seating, a nice bar, an open area if it gets crowded, and a nice seating area. Inside and out, it looks better than your average everyday restaurant. While atmosphere doesn't seem to add a lot, it's nice to sit in a comfortable area. Throughout the meal, our server seemed to leave us without beer for longer than I would have liked, but this is my only complaint. He was really knowledgeable about beer, and that makes up any small error in serving.
Looking at the beer list and menu, it's no surprise that this restaurant is a Tom Peters venture. The beer list is excellent, with a couple of Belgians on tap at $7 a glass, and a great selection from around the rest of the world and country. A taplist is available online, and although it's slightly outdated because they change beer quickly, it still can give you a good idea. I stayed domestic for the night with the Avery White Rascal (I'm really into Avery lately) and the Anchor Liberty Ale. I was dining with Rachel for the evening, and she was enjoying the Duchesse De Bourgogne. If you can't find something on tap you like, you're: A) likely crazy, and B) not going to be let down by the bottle list. Beer is easily the forte of the whole establishment (as it should be).
The menu leaves something to be desired. To be clear, the menu is not bad. But it seems like the exact same thing as Monk's, and if that's what I wanted, I would just go there. The Belgian Cafe serves up burgers, mussels, and larger entree dishes. After deliberation, we ordered a large pot of mussels in a sauce of of jalapeno pepper butter, cilantro, orange zest, and belgian wit ale. They were solid, and good, but not amazing. Still, it's a really nice dish to share, and comes with a (obligatory) order of tasty fries.
Bottom Line: It seems that my standards are getting too high. Where I would normally rave about this spot, I'm now inclined to tell you to walk up the block if you're in fairmount, or tell you to hit up Monk's if your craving the best Belgian spot around. Don't get me wrong, this is a good solid eatery. I think I'd just rather hit it up in passing as opposed to making it the main event for the evening. And if every spot seems to be crowded in the neighborhood, the Belgian Cafe still has room for you and your friends.
A Monk's by any other name would taste as sweet? I'd have to squint to tell the difference in the menu and beer lists, but I think what makes Belgian Cafe interesting is that it's a neighborhood bar rather than a center city institution, and perhaps this makes more sense. I went last night and got a beer and the steak frites salad (I didn't feel like getting mussels). The meat portion was small but commiserate with the price and I didn't feel like weighing myself down anyway. It was better prepared than I actually expected. The fries were standard Monk's fries with their delicious fry sauce. I've become awfully tired of fries lately, but I just can't stop eating that sauce. Also, there was plenty of outside seating on a pretty nice day at 5:30.
Note: I observed that the mussels were not served in a pot and I found this to be weird. If you must eat mussels out of a pot, be advised that you could be in for trouble.
If you read my review of Monk's, the "plusses" apply for the most part: great burgers, mussels, frites, beer selection. The Belgian Cafe has it's own unique upside though -- it is easy to get a table here! If you have to wait, it is less crowded and awkward. There is more seating at the bar, and in general I think.
The menu is similar -- there may be some small differences. I usually get the same thing at both BC and Monk's -- no discernible difference.
I think the bar staff at the BC is friendlier too. So I guess it boils down to where you are and what type of atmosphere you are seeking. I think I prefer the BC when I am out and about simply because it's a more relaxing environment. Belgian Cafe also has the ever appealing outdoor seating!
Okay...so my disclaimer is that I only came here once during my Philly trip.
I ordered the salmon burger, which was decent. My dish came with salad and sweet potato fries. I was pretty excited about the fries, except for the fact that they were on the fatter side and a bit soggy. I like mine thin and crispy.
Impressed with the beer list and the beers that were ordered come in big bottles (two regular pub glasses worth).
Interior: There's a difference in feel between the bar area and the dining area. Bar area seems dark and damp. The dining area is dimly lit, cleaner feeling.
Crowd: Visited on early Friday night. Not crowded. A few families were there with their kiddies. Bar crowd perhaps up to early to mid thirties.
I. Love. This. Place.
Two points: 1-Luckily for me my boyfriend is a beer drinker, I can be but have to be in the right mood; 2- The Belgian Cafe puts me in the right mood.
I've lived in Philly for almost 3 years and have yet to go to Monk's (insert collective *GASP*) mostly because it's always SO crowded and well, you know, crowds are so passe... right? So Monk's younger sibling can lose any inferiority complex and rest assured that while we all know your family name, you, my friendly, yummy neighborhood haunt, can stand on your own.
Why I like the Belgian as a neighborhood haunt:
1. Bar and dining room are separate with distinctly different ambiances so you can go to the bar for happy hour or a little later for dinner- a room for all times, if you will. Plus outdoor seating!
2. Evan. or Ryan. I forget. I asked him his name specifically so I could mention him in my review but that was like a week ago and well, I forget. Regardless... he's the best, most adorable waiter I've had there. Having been a waitress for most of my 20's, I expect a lot from a waiter/waitress, and in the general population I have concluded that there are more bad than good so I felt like he deserved props. Yeah Evan/Ryan!*
Why I like the Belgian as a source of nourishment:
1. Always a quencing Hefeweizen to be had.
2. The habit-forming Steak Frites Salad.
3. The pomme frites. The best. Hands Down. Anywhere, Ever.
Go. Just go. I promise it's worth leaving center city.
* It should be noted that all the waitstaff there is above par- I've never had a bad experience. Don't want to play favorites, that's not nice. I like to play nice.
Flies, flies, flies, and more flies. I ate there and there were at least fifty flies (both tiny fruit flies and big black flies) all over the windows. You were continually dive-bombed by them throughout the meal. I spent the entire time with my hand over my beer to keep them out, but still ended up with one doing the backstroke in my ale.
It can be a nice place, but if the dining room is infested I'm sure the kitchen is as well. I will never eat (or drink) there again.
I really, really want to like this restaurant but I just can't. The staff is very nice, knowledgeable, and friendly. The food is good.
Honestly, I just can't drum up any enthusiasm.
Love this place - great vegan and veg friendly options oh and not to mention, Cantillon Gueuze on tap RIGHT NOW. For an appetizer try the white bean salad, vegetarian spring rolls (cherry compote so yummy), and for the main meal, try the vegetarian reuben, it was perfect. Food has definitely improved here and the service was great! Check out the drawings of Brugge right above the archway before the bathroom - local artist.
My first time at the Belgian Cafe was for a beer dinner and I turned out to be very impressed by the quality of the food and the knowledge of the staff. A few month later, last Sunday, I went back for lunch, pretty sure to get the same quality.
I ordered a medium rare burger that came out totally well-done (I'm French, I like my meat with some juice in it and that was really disappointing). And I'm not the one to send anything back to the kitchen, so I ate it.
When our credit card came back (how complicated is it to split the check evenly on 2 credit-cards?), my customer copy was missing. Once again, didn't create drama but overall, iced the cake of somewhat disappointing experience.
To those beer and a burger kinda people; go to the Belgian Cafe.
Sitting in the actual restaurant, I was consumed with the quasi Mexican restaurant lighting and colouring paired with semiavant-garde artwork. The bottled beer list is a tome, while the draft list is approachable and varied. Tragically, the Maharaja Imperial IPA was out so I went with the recommendation of the waitress. Nothing memorable, but still delicious.
If you are going to have a burger, or any dish, named after the restaurant it has better be the best thing on the menu. Man Law. For this reason I went with the Monk's burger; caramelized leeks and blue cheese. The burger was perfectly cooked, with juicy meat and a slightly sweet taste from the leeks with a hint of brazen blue cheese punch. But it is the bun that makes these burgers; slight crisp and plump to absorb the juiciness of the burger.
Over all satisfaction guaranteed, the only star off is due to the simple fact that the Maharaja Imperial IPA was no longer available. It is simply the principality of me being a total IPA man-whore.
It's ok here. Pub Grub and a long beer list - alas I don't touch the stuff.
So food wise they have Fries with various mayo-based dipping sauces and grill up a decent burger.
It's a bar. Good - but not mind-blowing by any means.
I'd go again.
I have been to Belgian cafe twice and had an enjoyable experience both times. I did go at off times, though, so that could have positively affected my experience: the first was around 4pm on Mother's day (without my mom) and the second was around 1pm on the Saturday before the Philadelphia Marathon (with my mom), a day which I remember as being incredibly windy and unbearably cold.
The first time, I had the vegan BBQ wings, and even months and months later, I still get intense cravings for them. The dipping sauce they are served with is divine. And the fries! They came in a large basket and I couldn't eat them all (it seems they now offer a smaller "side" of fries as well), which made me pretty sad.
The second time, I had the vegan country breakfast (I forget its exact name), which was vrapple and toast and a salad and some fruit. I wasn't really sure what to expect with the vrapple (that would be vegan scrapple), but it was delightfully spicy and had a good texture. The small salad kept the meal from being too heavy and "brunchy," which is what I usually experience whenever I have brunch or breakfast out.
The first time I went the waitress was a little unnerving, but the second time the waitress was a total sweetheart.
I'd definitely go back, but probably not on a crowded night since my experience at off-times has been so great.
The Belgian Cafe is essentially Monks with less tourist traffic, and a reduced variety of Beers on tap. Come for the expansive beer selection, and enjoy the burgers and mussels. The outdoor seating is very nice, but our service experience was not very good. The staff was inattentive, but knowledgeable when it came to beer.The beer selection is good, but highly overpriced. We will be back..
This is my favorite Fairmount neighborhood bar. Without a doubt.
The beer list is extensive and glorious. There are always so many wonderful new International beers (including, of course, Belgians) on tap. The place doesn't get too crowded and there is lovely outside seating when it is warm enough. Also, the dining room has a really pretty mural on the wall. This is a great place to take some people for a casual, comfortable night of dinner and beer. Oh, the beers.
On the food, I've had pretty good meals. Note that although this is the new Monk's, the mussels just do not match up. You would think that they would use the same menu as Monk's because it is such a hit but I guess they are trying to establish the BC as its own unique place. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that the BC's menu is bad. I'm just saying that Monk's is better. Definitely still get the mussels. Definitely try out the vegan options.
But seriously people. THE BEER.
At night, I feel the quality of service that I receive is directly proportional to how cute I look. The cuter I look, the lower it plunges. Cleavage, I've found, has a similar effect, resulting in eye rolls from the European (?) hostess, which results in my walking out. (I must add there is one blond, curly haired vintage dress loving waitress who is sweeter than Dupont's Bière de Miel).
It breaks my heart, because I really do like The Belgian Cafe. Almost every other review is right; it is Monks II with a shorter wait time and a greater chance of actual conversation. Their food is on par, with slight variations.
The best experiences happen in the afternoon. Take the day off, and grab a beer, or two, or three. The bartenders happily talk about beer with grace during those select hours.
I concur with LaBan on this one. I was so excited about this place, since it is owned by Fergie and the dude who owns Monk's (two of my favorite places) and its less than a block from my apartment. But I have been disappointed way too many times.
First, it was undercooked mussels, which there is not excuse for since they take less than 5 minutes to cook. When I finally got properly cooked mussels, the sauce was basically brine, not worth sopping up at all. The burgers are okay, but not worth what they cost, especially since they don't comes with fries. The acoustics in the dining room are terrible, do not expect to be able to carry on a conversation without yelling over the noise.
Also, they always ask for ID at the door. I can't imagine there are very many teenagers sneaking into bars for $8 Belgian Tripels, but what do I know?
The fries are good, not as good as Monk's, though. Its an okay place to sit outside and have beer, but that's about it.
This review serves as my maiden voyage into Yelpdome. Pardon its length or brevity (whatever the case may be at its conclusion).
Belgian Cafe is a MAJOR step above the restaurant that formerly filled the space (Tavern on Green). First up the beer selection - the beer selection is absolutely amazing. If you are a beer connesieur, I highly recommend that you stop by and spend a few hours belly up to the bar.
The food is what you would expect if you have ever frequented Monk's. The fries are still delicious, the mussels are hit or miss (mine have always been a hit, but others have griped a little). If you are around on a Sunday, I suggest you try the Eggs Benedict for Brunch. The Brunch Menu also offers burgers, mussels and other tasty bits for the hungover and hungry hosts recovering from a Saturday evening of entertaining.
The outside seating is a plus as well.
Main point: Let me get the one negative remark out of the way because there's nothing else faulty with this place: the bar seating is kind of awkward and gets a little a uncomfortable when it's crowded - but this situation isn't too different from any other popular bar. Placing this aside, the restaurant area and outdoor seating in the summer quickly outweigh the bar atmosphere. The draft selection is constantly rotating, and the bottle selection is enormous - no Busch here, bro. Additionally, I can only speak for the vegetarian/vegan options, but the menu certainly caters to my type with a stellar vegan meatloaf and vegan wings. You can sure as hell find me here once a week.
In detail: I couldn't help but go into detail in the "main point," but there's so much to squeal about with the Belgian Cafe. Starting with the beer selection, there's always about a dozen ready to pour. The draft list is broken into a few Belgians (usually available in glass-size only and often pricey) and about eight additional drafts - always craft brews and many are from local micro sources. The bartenders are always friendly and most importantly know their beer - they figure out what you want and make a solid suggestion. The latter part of the list is offered in pints and glasses (12 oz. pours I assume), perfect for those who want to go a few rounds on some pretty heavy beer. Crammed into multiple display cases and lined up in a way that hypnotizes the beer snob, the bottle selection is unreal. Presented in a little red book, the available bottles come from all over the world - many conditioned in bombers for a hefty price. Prepare to spend some cash here, because you can't help but try more than one beer and order something from the menu.
In each of my reviews is an evaluation of the vegetarian/vegan factor. There's places with meatless items, and then there's places with straight-up vegetarian/vegan dishes. The Belgian Cafe is one of the joints with a menu designed not to alienate the veggies. Favorite items of mine include the vegan barbeque wings, vegan mushroom and barley risotto (if you aren't vegan then add the cheese), and the vegan meatloaf - the only place I've seen this. And the Belgian Cafe pomme frites can't go without mention.
Finally, the atmosphere. On a busy night (and the Belgian has many of these) the bar room can get a little hectic. Grab a seat at the bar if you can, because otherwise the options are wall-facing bar stools or standing in a large open space. There is a cafe space which may require a long wait when it's packed, and there is also outdoor seating - my pick on a warm night. The servers and bartenders, as mentioned previously, are exceptionally friendly and make the experience considering their knowledge of a special craft.
Things I've heard but haven't experienced: Brunch is on another level. Again, vegetarian and vegan (I think) friendly, the options are stellar and even better when consumed at a sidewalk table in the summer.
To conclude, as a lover of all-things-Belgian, the Belgian Cafe is not only my favorite Fairmount bar/restaurant, but my favorite place in the city. If you're looking for $1 draft specials of Coors and killer nachos, then keep walking. (That's not at all beer snobbery or elitism - that's me trying to get the hell away from your type. There's a TGI Friday's on the Parkway.) I priced this place as "moderate" - $11-30 per person assuming that you're there for a few rounds and food.
If you love to try different varieties of beer, you will enjoy their selections. I have to say I wish their menu would have more varieties like their beer. I only would come here for burgers and mussels. That is why I am giving it a 3 stars. I like varieties and the prices is quite high here so is really a place that I go for a treat.
When you go, stick play it safe with mussels, beer, and eggs. My steak was undercooked for mid rare and a good portion of it was very chewy. The service was terrible. The waitstaff seemed like they did not want to be there.
I decided to duck into here as the storm clouds overhead threatened to open up last Thursday. I was excited to try some of their vaunted beer collection and try their food.
The beer selection definitely lived up to the hype. I chose a Belgian brown ale with cherry as my first beer. It was very tasty, and presented in a glass that evidently was specifically for beers of that brand, which of course I cannot remember. The second beer I had was a "German" pilsner brewed in the U.S. Somehow I thought Pilsners were Czech in origin, but what do I know? The German pilsner wasn't much to write home about. It had some aftertaste that might have been due to an unclean line. But I"m not sure.
I ordered a Chimay burger, which was a burger with bacon and cheddar. I also got an order of fries and a house salad. I was irked that the burger didn't come with fries, but C'est la vie. The fries came out in a basket with two sauces, one that was a spicy mayonnaise type sauce and the other which was salsa like and yet not. Both sauces were good as were the fries. My only annoyance was that it was rather a small order for what they charged. The salad was good. The greens were fresh and the cucumbers were crisp and cool. There weren't too many tomatoes, but oh well.
The burger came out next. It came out on a Kaiser roll or some Belgian version of a kaiser roll. The first thing I noticed was that it seemed a little small. Secondly, I couldn't see any bacon hanging out from it. So I lifted the top to see. Yep, two small bacon strips crossing the burger, buried by the cheddar. The burger was slightly more than medium well, but at least it wasn't charred. The bacon was a little over crisp. While I"m not a fan of uncooked/undercooked bacon, neither am I a fan of carbon bacon.
The service was ok. I wasn't wowed or underwhelmed.
I"m giving it 3 stars for the beer mainly. The food was ok, but nothing that stood out from any of the other restaurants in the neighborhood, other than that spicy mayonnaise dipping sauce. That was damn tasty.
Okay so I can't pretend I don't work at the Belgian Cafe.
Obviously I'm biased, but here I am to lead you to a great time at our little joint on Green St.
Come sit at the bar and check out the draft selection. We always have:
Chimay Cinq Cent- the classic coppery, spicy tripel
LaChouffe- one of the best intro Belgians, a lil coriander goes a long way towards a fresh and appetizing ale
A Flemish Sour- we always have either Rodenbach Grand Cru (aged 24 mos. in oak and Rarely Seen on Draft) or Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour- our own private label brewed in Belgium by Van Steenburge (they do Piraat, Gulden Draak, etc.)
A dope American micro or four- recently we've had Sly Fox O'Reilly Stout, Bell's Two Hearted, and other tasty potables
So ask me or any other bartender what's hot, and we'll set you up with something good and buzzy.
A word on food: Craig Laban molested us in his Inky review. That sucks, cause the food at the Belge can be pretty killer.
Try: the Rubens sandwich, meat-ful or meat-less (seitan). This baby is not some pink, nitrate-processed corned meat. It's all homemade and grass-fed beef. Plus it's grilled in butter. Come on!
Chicken fingers- done in a very wet beer batter, these puff up like funnel cake. Do you savvy chicken funnel cake? oh yeah.
Mussels- lots of flavors, very big specimens. If you get a bowl with lots of closed mussels, TELL US! We want you to be happy, intoxicated if possible, and full. Let us fix it.
Come in and hang out. If you hated it, come back on Wed-Thurs. nite when I bartend and tell me about it. I'll feed you beer and try to improve your experience.
C'mon yelpers, give Belgians a chance to do it right!
Beer selection was incredible, if one can't find a beer he or she enjoys one shouldn't be going to bars. A nice mixed crowd of locals, happy hour seekers, and the traditional Monk's groupies.
We sat at the bar all night, which was nice and lively, but not overly crowded or stuffy. The restaurant portion certainly looked more reserved.
The mussels were very good, we went with the Von Elym (?). The mussels came with a small pomme frites which were good. The burger was average, could have used more blue cheese, they are also small for $8.50 and appeared lost on the platter.
Service was great, food came out timely and in order. By the looks of Felicia D's profile, she was our tender and was on point with everything. I would certainly go back so she can pour me a beer!!
Very fun place, came here on a Saturday night for dinner with friends. We were seated quickly and began to pour over their massive list of beers. There really is something for everyone.
Had the reuben (delicious) and the mussels, which were also good. The small size is more than enough for one person.
My only complaint about this place is the fries! Our fries were horribly over-cooked, and while the accompanying sauces were decent, where is the typical frite-sauce-mayo? I've had belgian fries in belgium, and these sadly could not compare. Which was truly disappointing, because I LOVE a good fry.
i hate chicken wings, and i don't like BBQ sauce. but i don't hate VEGAN chicken wings and this BBQ sauce. in fact, i plan to return so i can have it again and again. all "meat" with no bones and no grease. mmmmm.
i'm not even a beer person, and the booze was great. the vegan mushroom risotto was a tad bland, but this is a place i'm excited to return to, friends.
I like the Beer selection and the bar area. As common the Belgium beer is overpriced, though. If you share a big bottle it is a bit more reasonable. I do not like the inside dining area, it is basically a big hall.
Stay away from the food: I tried 3 times with 3 misses. Twice was steak salad with "medium" steak, which was either overdone or so rare that I could not chew it. When I asked to get another one for the rare one they just put it back on the grill, since it was sliced it turned into tasteless tough meat.
New Happy Hour
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Neighborhood: Logan Square
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Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Moroccan
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: American (Traditional)
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