Brussels Bistro

The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was excellent. We can’t recall our server’s name, but he took great care of us during our visit on 7/17. We loved the Belgian fries and beer, the fresh loaf of bread, and the mussels frites were incredible!

A wide variety of Belgian beer brewed by Trappist monks. The mussels and fries are phenomenal, but the real star of the show for us was the Boeuf Bourguignon. The beef was roasted for 24 hours and the bacon added crunchy umami punch and boosted the whole dish. The carrots and onions absorbed the succulent flavors to create something absolutely delicious. It’s clear they take pride in their dishes and culture - I’m glad that I had the privilege of eating their food.

Burger and salmon & shrimp fettuccine were delicious. Burger bun was a good match with caramelized onion with cheese. The generous amount of fettuccine, along with plenty of shrimp and salmon, was great.

Amazing food and amazing service. This place is definitely a hidden gem. Starting off with oysters on the half shell they were absolutely worth it. Followed that with mushroom soup with a puff pastry topping, which might’ve been the star of the meal. Finish with a small order of mussels and a piece of baguette. I would definitely recommend trying this place and I’ll be coming back for more.

Love this place, great Belgian food. The mussels were perfect and the white wine sauce was amazing. They also make nice escargot. The beer list is fantastic. Lots of Belgian beers to pick from.

Been coming here, every time we're in Laguna, for over a decade now, and it never disappoints. The meatballs with raisins were surprisingly good and the lamb shank with asparagus and ragout simply divine... oh and the mussels, always on point. For me a feather in their cap is beers like Chimay, Duvel, Tremens, etc. on draft...

Visited Brussels bistro after maybe 10 years and nothing had changed (other than the prices). Great selection of Belgian beers and signature cocktails. Great delicious food and a great cozy atmosphere. I had their IPA beer with 9% alcohol and their French baguette with butter. The I had their famous pork shoulder for my main course with fingerling po. To be honest was a bit underwhelmed with the pork but tried my wife’s burger and it was delish! Afterwards around 10, they cleared out the tables and brought the DJ equipment out but we already had decided to leave.

The mushroom soup was one of the best I’ve ever had, and it came with a puff pastry that paired so well with the soup I thought of ordering a second bowl. 100% recommend! The mussels were cream with the garlic, very tender and easy to consume. The garlic was very light, while the cream was full. Everything was served piping hot and perfectly cooked. Fries are cooked in beef tallow for a rich crispness, and thick cut for the Belgian flare.

A fantastic place to grab dinner before a show at the Laguna Beach Playhouse. If you like mussels and Brussels food, this is the place to go. They are an extensive menu, but we ordered a couple of fries and mussels dish. All are very savory. We added a side of pasta which complimented the dish perfectly. We also ordered the bacon wrapped brie, which was fantastic. Also, the salmon dish was very good. They have a decent line list as well as a full bar. That makes some pretty good drinks. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

I highly recommend this place, we were able to get a reservation for five people the week before our friend's birthday. Food comes out very fresh and pretty quick, but that did not diminish the quality of the food! I highly recommend starting with the escargot and the baked brie, they were absolutely fantastic and came with a wonderful crispy baguette. As for the food, we decided to share multiple plates of food. We had the boef bourginion (great flavor and we added the pasta on the side), the cream and garlic mussels (incredibly succulent and oh so worth it), the marinier mussels (not as good as the cream, but still good!), the mac and cheese (an absolute MUST try, it was so good), and the fries with all of their sauces. I also highly recommend their drinks (all of them) as they are incredibly well balanced and paired well with all of our food! This place is a must for birthdays, they celebrate you and make you feel incredibly special. I would come back in a heartbeat!

Everything was perfect! The mussels,oysters and crab cakes were all exceptional. Everything has a FRESH and light sauce. Each sauce was so special. Of course the Belgian Frite were spectacular. Everything is made with daily harvested vegetables and spices! The SERVICE is also exceptional! We have always had THE BEST and delightful and knowledgeable service. The specials ARE! The drinks frosty cold! Of course the Ambiance is delightfully located on Forest Ave, open for foot traffic only. Wonderfully entertaining people, pup and child watching, and often live musical entertaining, not too loud, so people can converse.

Visited Brussels bistro after maybe 10 years and nothing had changed (other than the prices). Great selection of Belgian beers and signature cocktails. Great delicious food and a great cozy atmosphere. I had their IPA beer with 9% alcohol and their French baguette with butter. The I had their famous pork shoulder for my main course with fingerling po. To be honest was a bit underwhelmed with the pork but tried my wife's burger and it was delish! Afterwards around 10, they cleared out the tables and brought the DJ equipment out but we already had decided to leave.

Great good and fun experience. I have not yet tasted something I disliked. I recommend the muscles and also the fish in papillote that was memorable.

Came in for dinner on a Friday night and had an amazing meal. The atmosphere inside is warm, cozy, and comfortable. The service was quick, friendly and attentive. We got the bacon wrapped Brie and it was phenomenal with the crispy baguette and side of honey. We also had the mussels with the creamy garlic sauce - it was so yummy and a generous portion of mussels. The fries it came with were cooked to a perfect crunchy crisp. We'll definitely be back to try more dishes!

My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday afternoon and we were able to be seated instantly. The servers were very quick to ask what they could get started for us, and our food was brought out shortly after we ordered, with our appetizer first, then our entrees. - Oysters: Delicious, very fresh and plump. Was a great way to start off our meal - Carbonara: Creamy, yummy. Nothing too special but it was still good. - Burger: Tasty but bread was too crispy and hard to bite in my opinion. I did not really enjoy the mixed greens but I think it was just the dressing that I wasn't a fan of. Other than that I think the burger was pretty good. Seating was outside, shaded by umbrellas. At times the sun would move directly to my face but that had nothing to do with the service and I think I just sat in a bad spot. The total was a little bit on the pricier side for what the food was but was also understandable because we were in Laguna Beach. Overall, I liked it here but would only come back for maybe a quick brunch before the beach.

Outstanding service and food. The owner, Pierre came to our table and introduced himself and made us feel at home in this cozy little place. Our server, Jeraldo was amazing & the food was delicious. We will be back soon.

Went here on a busy Mother's Day and was seated pretty quickly. Off the bat, service felt kind of slow. Granted it was a Mother's Day. My finally got a flight of ales followed with some single orders. Overall pretty good I think. When it comes to the food, overall I'd say the food was pretty great. My favorite bite was probably the mushroom soup with the puff pastry. My entree, pork shank, was pretty good, but felt like a lot of the same flavors. I can't complain about the amount of meat I got, but I couldn't finish it because it got pretty salty and heavy over the course of eating it. Where I have to dock points is near the end of the service. We needed some boxes and the check and it took like 10-15 minutes and asking two servers to get those boxes even though we were sat as close to the servers as possible. It felt weird that servers we asked for boxes kept passed us by multiple times without getting them. But, you chock it up to a busy day.

This was probably the busiest restaurant in downtown SC, so make sure you make a reservation! The place is quaint and the food is delicious. I enjoyed the smoked salmon and shrimp fettuccini, and this might sound insane, but my only complaint is that it had TOO much smoked salmon. Service was excellent, and I feel like you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I'm trying the mussels and fries next time for sure!

I've been coming to Brussels Bistro many times a year (for many years) and can't believe I've never written a review. The food here has always been great, and I've never had a bad meal -- though I did have a minor issue last night -- one that was quickly resolved. When we arrived, Pierre (who I believe is the manager, as he was the only one not in uniform) greeted us at the host podium. The restaurant was quite busy, and I joked, "How many hours is the wait for a table?" Pierre laughed and said, "24 hours," to which I responded, "See you tomorrow." After that, he seated us at a nice table inside. We started with some drinks and ordered the yellow curry mussels. Unfortunately, about 50% of the shells were empty. After checking the bottom of the pot for the missing mussels (they weren't there), we mentioned it to our server, who didn't seem particularly concerned. We then flagged down Pierre, who quickly came over. Once we re-explained the situation, Pierre immediately had a new pot brought out, which contained fully occupied shells. It's unclear how we ended up with a half-empty batch the first time, but Pierre took care of it right away. We also learned that Pierre had been working at Brussels Bistro for 11 years, which is quite impressive. He obviously has mastered the "customer service" part of the business. Following that, we had the hangar steak with asparagus, which was cooked perfectly. The garlic butter that comes with the steak was delicious, and is something I must try and recreate at home. Over the past few years I've noticed a slight increase in prices (understandable with inflation) and a small quality drop in some areas. However, these are easily fixable, and the overall experience remains excellent. Running a one (or two) of a kind restaurant is no easy feat, but Brussels Bistro continues to impress. It's still one of my top recommendations, and I'm confident they'll keep delivering great food and service for years to come.

Came here for a lunch with the family. Let me just say the food was fantastic. Wish I took pictures to rally capture all varieties of plates served. The service was excellent, all friendly staff. Though we sat outside, ambiance was a great idea to enjoy the fresh air.

This review is a tad strange because while I have a lot of food allergies and can't quite order from here, my dad loves this place. The staff has always been so kind to us, and given us great drinks, and given him great food! It's also located right on Forest Avenue, which has incredible Laguna night life. My dad loves the fried Brussel sprouts and almost everything from here, and the location/ambiance is lovely. (Try their 'empress' drink if you haven't already!)

My wife and I had a fabulous meal here during a walk about through Laguna Beach. What a neat place. The ambiance is very European and takes you away from being in the States. Tons of beer and wine options, with a specific emphasis on Belgian ales. With a few chalkboard daily specials and an extensive menu, you'll have many European influenced options. Since Belgium is right next to France, you'll have many French inspired dishes, as well as Dutch and German items to choose from. There are at least eight mussel and fries dishes...each uniquely designed for your taste. I went with the whole grain mustard, cream, bacon, Cognac and fennel flavor but I was debating between several others. My wife went with the beef bourguignon which served in a Le Creuset pot, was slow cooked to perfection for 24 hours. It melted in your mouth and had flavors reminiscent of grandma's famous home cooked meals. For a started I went with the French onion soup and my wife had the asparagus soup that was served inside a puff pastry. Both were rich and full of flavor. A great experience, (food, interior, service) both of us left very satisfied and looking for our next visit back.

Such a cool and different place! It feels like a little escape to Europe with the decor, menu and ambiance. The food is Ah-Mazing! You have to at least try the fries with the different dipping sauces. And (I'm already drooling), the chocolate mousse!!! My goodness, it's THAT good. I've also had the meatballs, the burger, and the Mac and cheese. ALL outstanding and super tasty. Their beer menu is extensive and different which is fun. Oh yeah, birthdays there are really cool too ( I won't give it away)! I can't wait to bring more friends and family- you'll love it!

I grew up in Belgium and this restaurant really makes me feel home. They have a good selection of Belgian beers and an extensive menu with a great mussel section. Bonus points: Their menu also highlights which dishes are gluten free! We had requested a table outside in the reservation notes, which was honored. It was nice and sunny, it was perfect for an early dinner. We started with a few appsletizers and each got our own bowl of mussels. The beet salad, it was surprisingly tasty and well balanced. The garlic shrimp did not disappoint and tasted pretty close to how my mother makes it with lots of garlic and lots of lemon juice. The cheese croquettes were a hit according to my friends. I could not try them because they have gluten. The mussels were absolutely fabulous. Make sure to dig in for the sauce at the bottom of the pan and mix it well. They also come with BELGIAN fries which are made the traditional way fried in animal fat which is much tastier (and healthier). I was happy they had samourai sauce as well, which I have never seen outside of Belgium. I'll make the trip down to Laguna Beach any day to eat there again!

We recently visited Belgium and missed their food. Who would of thought that my family would miss Belgium food?!?! When we came home, we did a quick search and found one with great reviews right in our backyard! My wife and I decided to visit this place with our family members to relive a bit of our memories. I must say, it was close to being spot on with what we experienced back in Brussels! Food was delicious and the servers were so engaging with our table. Loved their recommendations and personal thoughts behind the dishes. Made the evening quite pleasant when your server is mindful of taste, portions, and flavor recommendations. The curry mussels will require you to request more bread because that sauce is amazing. Don't let it go without additional bread to dip! There's one factor that we wished was a little better was the fries. Had it been a bit meatier with the cuts and perhaps offer various sauce to shuttle it... would have been solid. If there was a recommendation to push this place further, it would be to focus on the fries and sauce options. Would have been all around stellar! Regardless, food was enjoyable, restaurant had that nice rustic vibe to it, and service is top notch awesome. Would love to take our parents here now that we confirmed its deliciousness in case they miss Belgium food like how we did.

The food and signature cocktails are delicious!! The service is always great, very friendly and accommodating. Reservation aren't required but recommend.

Strolling along Forest Avenue, I happened upon Brussels Bistro. This eatery offers both underground and patio dining options, I opted for the patio. The wooded furniture hailed a faint sheen, as if laced in a fine coat of California sunshine. The hostess was kind, and the waiter was polite. I ordered a Mediterranean salad with garlic shrimp. The garlic shrimp was faintly flavored by garlic , and the salad was light and scrumptious. This is a lovely outdoor dining establishment, perfect for a summer's day in Laguna Beach.

It was a busy Saturday in Laguna Beach, we got hungry and decided to have a lunch. We were seated quickly, even though we were ready to wait, which made us even happier. The food we ordered was delicious, we loved both the lasagna and pasta with chicken! Not a single complaint! Ambiance was wonderful too... There's nothing better than sitting outside, eating good food knowing that the ocean is nearby...loved it! Not to forget this, as the sun was going down, it became a little bit cold outside. The waiter overheard me saying that it was a little bit coldish, so he turned on the heater immediately next to us! Really nice from him!

Came here on a holiday weekend. The streets are packed but some portions of the side streets are blocked off for outdoor seating. Came here early around lunch time so not a lot of people walking around. the Bistro has a basement level that is really cool and nice. Bar guy was good. got some really nice drinks. Tried their crab cake and asparagus soup. Nice portions and savory. All in all an enjoyable experience

My friend took me to this restaurant tonight, and I felt as if I were in Europe! Two of us sat down by the little fireplace. It was cozy, private, and charming. The service was excellent. First, we had fun tasting the variety of beer by tasting flight. Then each of us picked our favorite beer and ordered mussels. Wow!!! A generous number of mussels came in the special bowls that kept warm throughout the meal. The mussels were sweet, fresh, juicy, soft, and melting in mouth. I picked Marinière flavor which brought the best flavor of mussels in my opinion. I loved the crunchiness of celery in the broth. Everything was out of this world, and I am extremely thankful that my friend introduced me to this very special restaurant!

Mushroom soup was very good!! had a variety of food such as the salmon, lasagna and even some pasta. Wasn't too salty and very filling! sort of in this underground nook which really pulled me in and enhanced my experience in the restaurant. would come again

One of the better food option in the area. It was surprisingly busy for a Monday night but I had a great time. Food is pretty good - ordered the mussels, beef tartare, and carbonara pasta. Portions are great, they definitely don't skimp. Mussels were delicious and my favorite dish of the night. The beef tartare was good but not something I'd order again. Lastly, the carbonara is more like a bacon mac n cheese. Service was phenomenal, everyone I interacted with was very pleasant. Outdoor seating was a great option to enjoy the summer evening. Definitely recommend.

Had amazing dinner to celebrate my mother's birthday last night! Staff was so accommodating and attentive! Alexia and her team rocked! Food was on point! Curry mussels, garlic mussels, fries were fresh and super satisfying. But we also ordered the Beef Bourginon(sp?) which was simply perfect. A mouthful of joy with each bite! Had to get bread to dip in eveything. Beautiful restaurant with fireplace and great bar. Happy hour specials are great as well! Tuesday night unlimited mussels and fries was a score to try more varieties. Can't wait to come back again!!

This place was pretty cool. Me and my dad came in here for appetizers and drinks. Service was good food was just ok this place it great for a quick bite.

We really loved this cozy place with a veranda. On a cool day, it was the perfect decision to order the cream of mushroom soup and mussels in a creamy sauce, served with French fries. The mussels were so tender they melted in your mouth. There's a huge selection of beer, with an option to try four different kinds for $18. A special thanks to our waitress Alexia, who helped us with our choices and was incredibly friendly and kind. Highly recommend visiting this place!

We went in to the restaurant on a lark, with no prior knowledge and having read no reviews. What a delight! We ended up arriving during their Happy Hour and they had me at the bartender's choice special: the Bee's Knees! My all time favorite drink and I usually have to either beg a bartender to make it or provide the recipe to them. This guy was OFFERING it and it was delicious. My husband had the Debuisson pêche beer which was also tasty. Appetizers: Brussels sprouts.....so delicious, only wish there were more. Cheese croquettes, nice crispiness, slightly bland cheese sauce, but a great combination of textures and adding lemon juice gave them some punch. Dinner: we shared the Chilean sea bass and it was sublime! Cooked perfectly and the julienned carrots and other vegetables serving as it's bed were also so yummy. Staff: our server Brittany J. was excellent, attentive without being intrusive, and knowledgeable. Also a great sport in dealing with my husband's corny jokes. The bartender brought our drinks to us and he was also very personable. The staff in general were super friendly. We had a great time! Thank you!

This restaurant it's so amazing, I'm French and I can confirm that it's good food there ! The service it's great I recommended at 100%

This spot is fabulous! We sat in the downstairs space which had a nice, cozy vibe. There's a little bar and some handwritten specials on a whiteboard above it. The style did remind me of being in Europe - they nailed it. The food was tasty and it was reasonably priced, at least for what I've come to expect these days (especially for a spot in Laguna). Service was phenmoenal. Here's what we had: Brussels - these were ok. Not quite what we were expecting and not our favorite, but unique and I'm glad we tried them Mussels in white wine - absolutely yes, delicious! Fries - another yes. So warm and yummy! Escargots - flavors were perfection! buttery, peppery, yummy! Texture was a tiny bit on the chewy side Waffle - ok, so the waffle itself was way too crispy, but the ice cream and chocolate sauce were chef's kiss. I could eat a bowl of that and be perfectly content We will definitely be coming back. I can't wait to take my husband for a date night - this is right up our alley!

.what an amazing cafe! Right in the intersection of PCH and forest! Adorable great service fun atmosphere a wonderful outdoor patio. I recommend the appetizer menu! Good times, arrive early!!!

Mussels, Belgian fries, and beer in a basement. What's not to like? Many choices of sauce for the mussels.

Pretty FULL dinner with a heap of leftovers. Everything was as expected / exceptional. The pork shank is sous vide for 24h and then finished in the oven with a mustard/panko finish. I subbed red wine sauce instead of the mustard cream and wish I would have had them do no mustard on the shank, but that's purely a personal choice not a restaurant faux pas They are underselling their brussel sprouts. Way more of an experience than the menu would indicate

When ordering the main course last night, the waitress knocked my wife's entire glass of wine onto her dress! She was completely soaked! The waitress slowly returned with a towel, barely apologized for what she did, and didn't even comp my wife's glass of wine. Any decent restaurant would have comped her entire dinner. It was crowded and the place was beyond its ability to serve properly. The main attraction to this place is the location.

We were just walking around on a Sunday afternoon and decided to step inside of Brussels bistro for lunch... They were quite busy but we managed to get two seats perched right outside the restaurant so we could people watch. We had one of the most amazing Belgian lunches, ever! We started off with their brussels sprouts with crispy ham with a creamy mustard sauce and onion sweet jam. " The best flavor combination ever!" We had the kale goat salad with cranberries, The salmon dish with leeks coconut milk in a veggie broth it was sort of like a salmon stew... amazing! And because I'm such a veggie nut we had the roasted vegetables on the side... We decided to linger for a while and people watch on a Sunday afternoon. I highly recommend you go to Brussels bistro for an amazing meal we can't wait to go back and try their trout almandine...

Love the vibe and the open concept. Brings me straight back to Belgium. The beers on tap are fantastic and the prices reasonable. Servers gave good suggestions and were very friendly and helpful. The mussels were fresh and the portion size fantástic! Love the escargot and the pork! It's a cozy, intimate spot, perfect for dates and small gatherings!

5 star: waiter service 4 star: Ambiance 1 star: If your table is near the entrance where their speaker is located, the environment is a one-star experience. 0 star: food 0 star: beer We were shocked by their speaker when they sang a birthday song for a customer. The speaker was so loud that it shocked us as if we were having a heart attack. It was an unpleasant, unacceptable, and careless experience. How do you call a Belgian restaurant that can't even make mussels right and serves beer that tastes more bitter than a bitter melon with over-the-top air bubbles? ---Beer flights: One is more bitter and sour than the other. I'm not sure if I'm having a beer tasting or medicine tasting. There aren't many white beer choices, and their tap beer has received mostly bad online reviews. There is also no beer like Hoegaarden available. ---Belgian fries: If you grew up in Benelux, don't even bother. The fries stick together, it look as unattractive as they taste. They're limp. --+ Bitterballen: The taste is similar to Dutch bitterballen, and the herb usage is right. However, there is an unknown powdery texture inside the bitterballen. It's hard to ignore the weird texture. --+ Cheese croquettes: They go perfectly with lemon. Without lemon? I would probably return this chunky, tasteless, boring bite. -++ Mushroom Soup with Puff Pastry: The highlight of the night. However, it tasted like Knorr or Maggi Cream of Mushroom Soup package with a dash of truffle oil or a pinch of truffle powder. The puff pastry is soggy and lightly baked. It's as limp as their fries. ---Creamy Chicken: What was I thinking? So boring. ---Mariniere mussels: The worst mussels in my entire life. To compare them with their own previous mussel experiences, the mussels were cooked with spoiled white wine. The mussels are stale, and they tasted bitter. Not just one or two in the pot, but the entire pot. The beer is bitter, the mussels are bitter. Only the service is sweet.

My husband and I love eating here almost every Friday. The service is great, and the atmosphere is so relaxing

It's been years since I've been here and it was everything I remember it to be. Thank you Tomasso for your wonderful food! We will definitely be coming back with friends!

Absolutely great food and great people. The very best waffle in OC. And,of course, the whole menu is five stars. Add to that Pierre's professional staff and it's our go to place in Laguna for a casual and fun experience.

PHENOMENAL!!! The mushroom soup is out of this world; I can't explain how amazing it is even in the middle of the hot summer, the mac and cheese is on the same level! We also got the white wine mussels and blue cheese mussels... both total knock outs. We will be back here no doubt

Only came for a beer and some fries as a snack, but wound up impressed with the great array of Belgian beers and the option for flights. Really nice patio was great on a very sunny day in Laguna Beach. Server was friendly but didn't know that much about the beer offerings which was a little surprising, but we managed just fine. While we didn't order much food, what was coming out looked good, and the tables around us all seemed like they were really enjoying themselves.

Delicious and authentic (shrimp croquettes ) We love that place for everything: food people and ambiance and we go with our kids pretty often. There are all super nice at both locations.

We dined here last evening and I have to say what a nice experience it was. The food was excellent and the service was friendly and top notch. Our server Gabriel was just amazing. He went out of his way to take care of us!

Great location, tasty food, and good service. We found the service this time to be impressive. It has made a significant improvement compared to previous times. Meatballs are really good. Great selection of beer. Tasty appetizers. Trout almondine was not edible. The only reason I am giving 4 stars is because I was charged for a dish that I did not like. Usually, other restaurants would take it off the bill or offer a replacement.

We stopped here for dessert and enjoyed crepes, chocolate mousse, and beer. The crepes were very good and the mousse was better than average, but the ambiance of this place is what makes me want to give it close to 5 stars. We ate outside, which was lovely but the interior seating made me feel like I was in a cafe in Europe. We were celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary so the manager brought us a celebratory dessert. The entrees that I spied looked very good so I'd like to come back to give them a try

Midway down the promenade on forest in artsy Laguna Beach, you'll find this very interesting restaurant nestled sub level to an art gallery with cozy and dimly lit spots and a warm fire place serving savory dishes and fine drinks giving off this unique European flair. We started off with two highly recommended drinks: the Green Breast and Enchantress (definitely for the ladies). Along with the ever popular Escargots and Bacon wrapped Brie. These alone could've comforted me for the evening. But without regret I also ordered the small cream and garlic mussels and a hefty serving of boeuf bourguignon. Both were so delicious. You'll definitely leave here feeling fulfilled. It was wonderful coming for dinner, but I can easily see myself coming back to Brussels Bistro during their lunch hour.

My friends and I just stumbled across this place on a trip to CA. Service was great and the food was so delicious. Would go back in a heartbeat.

I ordered the Hanger Steak medium-rare, and it came out PERFECT. Rachel did a great job of explaining the menu and the food came out quickly with a smile. Dining here was an absolute treat. Will come again!