Cafe de Bruxelles

One of my favorite mainstays over the years; I’d been going since before the current owner took over the place, so it’s been, what, 20 years?
Anyone know where the bartender Robert is now working? I’d love to go visit.

Yep — sorry to see it closed — I had always been amazed to see it staying essentially the same over the years, in a city where so many restaurants have a makeover (and name over) every few years.
Their cramped bar and interior decoration were so old style Brussels like. Their fries were rated best in the city once. And of course they had great Belgian beers on tap before it was so easy to get them everywhere.
Walking by 13^th street on the southern side you couldn’t avoid that great (if unhealthy) smell of fried potatoes coming out of their vent.

Very sad. They’ve closed and the chef is retiring.
I’ll miss this lovable, delicious local place where they were always warm and kind to all of their clientele.

Bad news. Bruxelles had a serious fire in the basement and I hear it remains closed. It is dubious that it will reopen as Bruxelles since there is a deal that someone else will open a pricey French place on that site this June. Serious setback for a city with a shrinking inventory of affordable 4 Unilocal!star rated restaurants. Bruxelles had possibly the best moules and pommes frites west of the Champs Elysee.
A sad day indeed.

This place served offal before offal was cool!
Seriously, I had sweetbreads here about 10 years ago, and it was amazing then and amazing now. It was the only place I remember seeing organ meat on the regular menu until just a few years ago
Its very old world and charming. Space is dark and romantic. Great place for a date. But make sure they are ok with lots of organ meat options. heh heh

On my last trip to Paris, I had a momentary lapse in judgment and decided that it would be a good idea to get moules a volontiers from Leon de Bruxelles. Yeah, all you can eat mussels on a summer night.
The other night when deciding what’s for dinner, I felt the familiar hankering from deep within for moules mariniere. Café de Bruxelles was an obvious choice — Leon de Bruxelles, Café de Bruxelles. Eh! [Kidding, Leon de Bruxelles is like worse than Applebee’s] Let me tell you, it was like I ordered all you can eat mussels again. The portion was huge, I mean, I’m not a dainty eater, but it was daunting. Two people can def share one, especially if you consider the room you need for the sweet sweet joy of bread dipped in the sauce. I chose the original mariniere while my girl friend had the provencale. Both are excellent options; the provencale restored my faith in variety when it comes to sauces of mussels previously shattered by Leon. The basil and cream combo works so well together. We will be back to sample the rest of the combos by sharing them. The fries were also the bombness.
While we enjoyed the bread [2 girls, 3 baskets], I have a theory that they either have two piles breads of varying freshness or the breads of special speedy staling powers. The first basket had a pretty steady balance of the croustillant and soft mie, but it became less distinguished with each new refill. sadface! The butter was mad good though, almost like French butter, which makes American butter taste like cooking spray.
Excellent selection of Belgian beer, however, the prices are a little bigheaded, imo.
We had the pâté de campagne [country pâté]. It was, indeed, very country. Would not order again.

My husband and I celebrated our 3^rd anniversary here — we ducked in after a long day on our feet, without any expectations other than seeing Zagat and Michelin recommendation stickers on the door. I loved the atmosphere: a very dated modern 80s deco, well-​loved, with the low rumbling of the train below. It reminded me of the New York I fell in love with as a child — the 1980s New York — but also of the cafes I haunted when I was in Europe. Cosy, a tad careless, but romantic.
I much enjoyed the meal — a salad with a mild dressing, Mussels Casino (traditional creamy white wine broth but with ham to deepen the flavor and tomatoes for the bite of acid usually provided by a citrus), a Belgian beer called Delirium Tremens (I’m not a beer drinker but this was the best beer I’ve had in my limited experience). Of course, I couldn’t get enough of the pomme frites that accompanied the meal and the foamy aoli. The pomme du terre seemed to be a buttery Yukon gold potato — or something similar — which was a very welcome change of pace and complimented the flavors of the mussels very well.
We ordered dessert, but I would skip it in the future — I ordered what turned out to be a hulking wedge of crème brûlée custard pie. I was completely stuffed with mussels and save for the delicious caramelized sugar on top, it was impossible to enjoy. The flavor of the custard was proficient but I can’t imagine anyone being able to save room for a dessert with the temptation of soaking the delicious mussel broth with the generous basket of sliced French bread.

I told my boyfriend that I would take him to have the best mussels in NYC, and this is it. My 4 star rating is based solely on the mussels. 3 stars for everything else.
This was my second visit to Café de Bruxelles, and upon entering the restaurant, what suprised me most was that the place was almost empty for 8.30pm on a Friday night. Café de Bruxelles is known for its huge crowds and long waits, so I was expecting a bustling room, as I had encountered on my last visit. Recession-​hit?
Nevertheless, I much prefered the quieter atmosphere. The restaurant interior resembles a cozy bar, a little rough around the edges, but meets the target for a casual date.
My boyfriend and I ordered the pâté, the mussels l’ardennaise and the roast duckling to share. And I am going to repeat myself, but if you’re going to dine at Café de Bruxelles, you have to order a plate of mussels– it is the main attraction.
And why? — the mussels are large, and of good quality. Portions are huge, although I swear they used to be much larger, but these times have most people cutting costs… also the broth is the highlight of the dish– I highly recommend getting a mussel dish w/​bacon in it– my boyfriend was initially hesitant since he’s into the «classic and conservative» style, but he loved it.
Roast duckling — Large, juicy leg cooked just the way I like it– tender on the inside, topped with a nice, crispy layer.
Pâté — Packed with ingredients, which i cannot describe, but it was delicious. I only wish it had come with a side of crackers/​bread.
Café de Bruxelles has a wide selection of beers. Some of the exotic beers are a little pricey, but the regular Amstel/​Stella is 6 bucks a bottle.
Desserts are served «grandma style» on a tray and you pick out what looks best to you. We chose the chocolate cake– it was good. but I could only manage a few bites of it because it was too rich (almost like eating fudge).
The entire meal came up to about $ 50 a person w/​drinks and tip.
Overall, I had another enjoyable experience. I would return purely to showcase the mussels here to another friend.

Café de Bruxelles is the site of the first dinner that I shared with my beautiful new bride the night after our wedding. How much better could life feel inside Bruxelles’ hearth with a bowl of mussels-​frites, several Leffe Blondes, and a poetic view?
And yes, while the obvious sentiment of the evening overwhelms any criticisms that could be stitched, Bruxelles itself would shine on even an average New York evening. Bruxelles fences together an atmosphere that feels comfortably familiar — as in hotel room service in a boutique hotel — and pairs it with the wry of the French-​Flemish, featuring exotic tastes under the blooming street lamps of the West Village.
So, yes, personal partiality comes in the way when speaking of Bruxelles, but what more of a testimony than to have this as the trove for this tender occasion?

So I wanted to find the best Mussels in NYC and many sources led me to this place. Well the mussels were wonderful with many different sauces to choose from but the service wasent great and the place needs a makeover. If you’re looking for great mussels and don’t care about the décor then this is the place.
Décor — 2
Food — 4.5
Service — 2.5
Price — 3.5

I actually didn’t mean to eat here. It was about 11PM, and I was just getting out of a Saturday evening performance of «West Side Story» at the Palace. Instead of drowning in the crowds swarming for a post-​show meal in Times Square, I headed to the West Village where I was fully intending on getting a burger at the Corner Bistro. It was so packed that I just walked away surmising that dining options would be sparse this time of night.
Alas, I walked by Café de Bruxelles at 11:30PM thinking they wouldn’t be serving any food. But they were, French-​Belgian dishes as a matter of fact, so they sat me in the dark bar area at a lonely table for one. They seem to want to create the illusion that I was a party of four since the portions were huge, including the bread basket upon which I nibbled to no end (see my photo, pre-​nibble). I moved to the hearty $ 7.50 Salade de Chicons du Nord, which consisted of Belgian endives, apple slices, watercress and walnuts in a light albeit salty Roquefort dressing (see my photo).
Tasty as the salad was, I was not prepared for the monstrous bowl of shellfish to be found with the $ 17.95 Moules a L’Ardennaise, which had not only a ridiculous number of mussels but also chunks of bacon, onion and mushroom — all swimming in a broth of white wine and cream, which pushed me to the bread basket again to sop it all up (see my photo). Sure, it was tasty, but I could hardly move at the end of the meal. I squirmed and belched so much on the subway home that I scared potential muggers away.
FOOD — 4 stars… plenty of meaty mussels for everyone… even if everyone is just you
AMBIANCE — 3.5 stars… a bit crowded and dark but enough elbow room for you to pluck those mussels out of their broken shells
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… quiet and stealth-​like but at least non-​judgmental about the quantities of shellfish being swallowed in my gullet
TOTAL — 4 stars… a nice late-​night alternative in the West Village (open until midnight on weekends) for the fat-​bellied, post-​theater diner

Went here with a large group of coworkers. We didn’t have a reservation and it was lunch time… Somehow, they were able to accommodate us. And they did an amazing job doing so.
I don’t generally like mussels, but we had several buckets of them and I felt compelled to try them. They were delicious. Tender and flavorful, and I loved dipping my bread in the soupy/​buttery leftovers.
Everybody loved the pomme frites, and my coworker and I loved our duck salads.

Our mussels were great and the pommes frites were excellent. I like a tad more garlic in my aioli, but perhaps that’s why I don’t get dates. The décor is old-​world charm, and I was delighted by the selection on Belgian-​style beers (oh, how I love Ommegang!).
The only drawback was the restaurant was having a slow night, and our waiter was ready to go home. It was evident in his tone and quality of service. In these tough times, my discretionary dollars should be treasured, not seen as an inconvenience.

Went here on a Friday night — service is great, and I like the ambiance inside. casual but nice.
I ordered the Mussels. which were $ 17.95 — actually a decent price given the large amount. one order will fill you up and more…
I actually don’t think the variety is that great though. most of the options include tomato sauce or white wine sauce… nothing exotic like Markt has — albeit this is better service and no snotty attitudes from hostesses.
I would definitely go back.

Good place for mussels but a tad bit expensive knowing that it costs about $ 2 per lb… none the less, lots of variety and range.
The first thing you notice when you walk in… the great smell. So good. I don’t know how anyone orders anything else based on this smell that craws up your nostrils within the first 5 seconds upon entering. What’s the point of coming here, seriously?
The service was a tad bit slow and they sort of jip you on the pomme frites (fries)… you’d think if you order one entrée of mussel you are paired with fries but we had 6 orders and only 3 fries. Thought that was odd but that’s it.
If I’m ever in the neighborhood I would consider going here but I wouldn’t come all the way to Greenwich just for this… I’d much rather spend $ 5 on ingredients and make it myself. Good mussels are good but not… TO DIE FOR. They are bottom feeders for crying out loud (I’m so kidding…).

I’m a dumbass — you come here to order mussels but I wasn’t interested since I wanted to go on a french fry eating/​Guinness binge.
However, after walking around for some time we finally decided that Café De Bruxelles looked like the best option.
We walked in without reservations and fortunately, the maitre ‘d said it would only be 15 minutes for us to be seated since a majority of the places were packed on a Saturday night.
My friend insisted I try the escargots and the thought of eating snails wasn’t really on my list of things to do on a Saturday night. However, she really wanted me to explore my options so I said ok.
We debated sharing a bowl of mussels but I really was hungry and I don’t think seafood was going to do it for me so I opted for the salmon fettucine dish…
My entrée came with fries or as they call it pommes des frites and mayonnaise (YAY — love that artery clogging goodness) and as soon as that plate arrived, I delved in.
The escargots were delicious and smothered in sauce. All misconceptions I had about escargots were erased as the dish was delightfully delicious.
The service was attentive and surprisingly delightful since I was so completely underdressed for this establishment (jeans and a t-​shirt) rather than the upscale clothing the rest of the clientele had.
Next time I’m around the neighborhood, I’ll definitely do the mussels.

I went here for a friend’s birthday and the first thing I thought was, «damn, we’re overdressed!» It didn’t help that every single person around us was decades older. It must’ve been a coincidence though because one of the resident Village girls made a comment about it too. But we got over it once we saw the drink menu. WOW. We all ordered a different beer so we could try them all. I started with my old fave Hoegaarden, but I really liked the Framboise Lambic (yes, I’m a light beer drinker =)
The mussels were sooo delicious. I split an order of that and the pork chops. The chops were okay, a little dry. However I had to get up suddenly during dinner due to a bad reaction to meds (vicodin + beer on an empty stomach = BAD NEWS). Yes, I shouldn’t known better, but it’s a celebration after all, so I wasn’t thinking straight. What was weird was that they removed my plate even though I only had a few bites of it and didn’t offer to bag it. My friends didn’t even notice when they took it away. Looking back, I shouldn’t care since I didn’t care for it that much. But still, if I’m paying for it, you should ask before removing it.

I’m not sure what everyone else is raving about, but here’s my assessment:
(1) Food — good/​no complaints. Had moules with mushrooms/​white whine/​lemon sauce. Large portion of mussels — nothing unusual about that as that’s the portion served in most French bistros, good sauce for dipping bread or fries in, mussels were fairly plump and no unfresh flavors (good). Had the crème brûlée tart — seemed tasty and fine, nothing special either. My wine was fair, but I expected more from the white bordeaux.
(2) Price — average French fare prices. Moules was 17.95, glasses of wine are 7.50−8, dessert was 7.
(3) Service — just plain awful. Waiters were nice enough, but they’d disappear constantly, not notice you looking for them, and just made our dinner last soooo much longer than it needed to. Here are some for isntances: when dessert came out, my friend’s tea took forever to get there (also did not get the promised pot of hot water — just a cup of hot water); I thought it was weird that between our two moules, we only got one cup of fries (which were just fair, nothing to write home about — some crispy, not eough salt, most mushy), which I thought was a mistake — although reading a review below, it might be customary for them just to refill them rather than clutter tables — yet if that’s the case, they could stand to be a tad more attentive, no? Further, I was overcharged for my wine (by just 50c, so I didn’t bother to complain).
(4) Décor — typical. Wasn’t crowded either, but we were by a radiator which made our night really warm and the floors were so slanted it was hard not to notice.
As much as I love French fare, I wouldn’t come back here. NYC has too much else to offer. I would definitely NOT recommend it either. There are too many other nice little places in the area you can go instead too.

Oh my damn. On monday nights I usually meet up with my brother and we go grab a bite to eat. Last night we hit Café Bruxelles and holy crap, it was SO freaking good.
ok. Reasons to love Café Bruxelles…
1. They have a prix fix meal till like 8pm every night for just under $ 25.
2. The mussels are incredible. We had the Moule Roquefort and they were fantastic.
3. Friendly service with a personal feel.
4. The Pomme Frites. Again, freaking incredible. And the mayo? Obviously homemade and so tasty.
4. Did I mention the Moule Roquefort? Cuz they were amazing.
This is the first place I’ve eaten in NY that I’d want to go back to before I leave. Also — totally reasonably priced. Under $ 50 for two people.

The restaurant itself was quite different from what I’d imagined, based on the reviews on Unilocal and the Beer Advocate, but somehow perfectly just as described. Cozy, comfortable, lack of pretentiousness, S-​shaped bar, full of beer signs, etc. I guess my mind maps things in odd ways.
As for the food, it was quite good. Perhaps not fully living up to the hype — mostly from my mind as opposed to the reviews, since I was really worked up about them mussels and fries — but very tasty.
I mean, when does anything live up to the hype or spurt up and over it? Well, Jason Bourne, I guess — watched the third installment before dinner and I wasn’t disappointed (but this leads to the discussion of levels of expectations in addition to hype, which I won’t really go into, other than saying that despite great hype, expectations can be reasonable and tempered when you know what exactly to expect; whereas with Café de Bruxelles, I really didn’t have a sense of what exactly to expect).
What exactly I ate, though, were some really good mussels. A few were not opened, so I left those alone, but for the most part, they were fresh and flavorful. An ample amount, too. The sauces — I had Moules au Curry and my friend had Moules Bruxelles — were both excellent, though clearly very rich and probably not entirely healthy. I almost preferred the Bruxelles over the Curry, since the Curry started to get a bit monotonous towards the end.
The fries were just as good as advertised. Thick cuts of potato double-​fried and «liberally salted.» Definitely on the too-​salty side for my taste, but despite that, I gobbled them up. I even liked their mayo, even though I don’t normally indulge.
The beers I tried were both very good. I started out with the Maredsous and followed it up with a glass of Delirium. Good stuff. My friend had the Troubadour and a Laffe and she enjoyed them — and she’s not really a beer drinker. It’s true that beers are priced a bit higher than they need to be. But, consider this: we all normally pay upwards of $ 5 for bad beer, so what’s an extra few bucks for some great beer?
The service was pretty much no-​nonsense, at times flirting with being friendly. We got there at 10pm and the place was real quiet: two old ladies dining by themselves in the main area, a man just finishing up his plate where we were seated, by the bar, and as we were picking out mussels from their shells, I noted two couples leaving. Our waiter didn’t smile once, as far as I could tell, but I didn’t get the sense that he was trying to be rude — just staying true to his style. He was also reading a Harry Potter book which we found to be highly amusing.
I would definitely go back. It’s easy to get to — A/​C/​E at 14^th — and I kind of want to try something other than mussels there. I saw one of the waiters eating liver and I got the feeling it would be pretty good — not the liver, but their dishes in general; I’m not a fan of liver and sweetbreads. Also, they seem to know what they are doing with their sauces. It was slightly sad to see a large bowl of sauce left at the end — I was tempted to ask for more bread and soak it up, but by that time, I was really stuffed.
Hmmm, mussels two nights in a row. .. ?