Bar Bulot ANTWERPEN - BE

The restaurant's service and food exceeded my expectations entirely. I went in expecting a decent dining experience, but it surprisingly blew my mind. Everything was near perfection. This is now my favorite French restaurant in Antwerp. The dishes were prepared flawlessly—each one bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. The staff's attentive service matched the quality of the food, making the entire experience truly memorable. The duck leg and the pheasant were our dishes of choice for the evening, and they clearly were outstanding dishes.

Amazing food and service! We enjoyed lunch at the beautiful terrace in the summer. Dishes are carefully prepared and have sophisticated flavors. Staff is attentive and professional. Only minor downside is that dishes took quite some time to come especially considering its lunch.

I didn't have any expectations when I came here but I just want to try a restaurant that I haven't tried before in Antwerp. The food was good but it's on the pricier side compared to the restaurants around the area. It's upscale brasserie Flemish dishes with beautiful plating and their own interpretation. However the wine is horrendously expensive. Some wines were with markup of 300-400% compared to the prices by the importer. Another point is that I can't understand when restaurants serve filtered tap water at bottled spring/mineral water prices. That's a big rip off. The service staff certainly miss a smile on their face as they are not the friendliest out there. There's some hits and misses here but I did enjoy my Vol-Au-Vent dish very much.

Our waiter was very friendly and the food was good. However we felt very uncomfortable sitting at the bar. The young lady chef was preparing dishes right in front of us. Very stern and unfriendly, not a greet, not a glance, basically ignored us. Even when we were leaving she just walked pass us and not even a word. I feel like a 5 star restaurant of that caliber should teach their chefs to at least say “hello” to the dining guests who is paying for a 5 star experience.

We were sitting the 2 of us at the kitchen which was really cool, while also the rest of the restaurant is very spacious and elegantly decorated. Everyone very kind and good flow in the evening with some great dishes (scallops, entrecote with pepper sauce), although some of the other dishes were a bit disappointing (shrimp croquettes, Dame blanche), knowing that Gert De Mangeleer is behind in principle... Also the level of the waiters is a bit mixed, from very good to just good. Again, critical assessment, but such a place and name creates lots of expectations. We will still go back, as it was a very nice evening. Thanks a lot

Delighted with our choice of a kitchen counter table, we savored the exquisite bar bulot. The culinary experience was stellar, boasting top-notch ingredients and delightful flavors. While the lively ambiance typical of the kitchen counter was absent, the overall dining experience was superb. We look forward to returning.

We have been here twice, and it isn't easy to write a conclusive review. The 1st time it was a good experience, good food and attentive service, very friendly and professional. The latest experience was not as positive though. There were a couple of big tables, which can cause problems to provide a flawless experience. We are aware and have understanding that it can be challenging. But particularly in such situations, the attitude towards the customer is key. When the main dish is still nowhere to be seen 1 hour after having served the starter, you do not get to be surprised or dismiss the delay because of a big group. The elegant way forward is to understand that accepting large parties is not the customer's problem and proactively address the situation (not only when prompted). It can be as simple as offering a drink, or simply ask for the customer's understanding acknowledging that there's a glitch. Acting surprised when prompted if there is a problem with our order is just not ok. Food was good again. Service was generally attentive, but clearly overwhelmed and I regard the above as a management issue, rather than the staff, who were friendly (albeit unprepared perhaps). This is a harsh review tainted by one suboptimal experience. The 1st time round it was far more positive, so I think a relatively high score is still fair, and I'm positive that any other night without large parties would still be enjoyable. The last experience was on a Monday evening, when admittedly quite a few restaurants are close. This could have also been a contributor.

I visited Bar Bulot four times during a three-day stay at the nearby hotel, Botanic Sanctuary! (Apparently, I've broken even the owner's record.) It truly is 5-star. The kitchen and servers make a top-notch team. Being in the Botanic Garden "compound" provides a lovely, upscale, but friendly atmosphere for inside and outside dining. The food is beautifully presented and each item served at perfect temperature to thoroughly enjoy one's meal. During a month traveling in Europe, my experiences at Bar Bulot bring back charming memories. I hope to visit again - soon!