3 Typical Belgian bars in Brussels perfect for large groups
November 2023
Brussels is full of bars. There are romantic wine bars for dates and typical tourist traps your office colleagues can’t shut up about. But there are also bars that tick all the boxes required to be perfect for a large group of people. After all, the whole point is for everyone to sit in the same place and for each person to order a different beer. So the place has to be big and the selection of beers has to be wide. Here are 3 of our favorite neighborhood bars in Brussels that are both easy on your wallets and easy to get to from one of our Comenstay properties.
La Morte Subite
Brussels’ renowned brown bar, A La Mort Subite, has been a local favorite since 1928. Despite nicotine-stained walls, the preserved fin-de-siècle decor adds to its charm. Enjoy a diverse selection of Belgian beers, including the amber Mort Subite Gueuze Lambic, known for its sweet-and-sour taste. The bar’s name stems from a dice game shortened to accommodate lunch breaks, reflecting its historical significance. Owned by the Vasson family and renowned for its cherry-favored beer (KRIEK), A La Mort Subite offers light snacks like kip-kap (pig cheeks) alongside beverages, including wine and coffee. As an additional benefit, it is also located right next door to our MONDRIAN apartment. There will be no issue with finding your way back home, no matter how inebriated you and your group are at the end of your amazing evening.
What to get: The cheese platter and the cherry beer
Address: Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 7
Website: https://alamortsubite.com/en
Cafe Maison du Peuple
To say Café Maison du Peuple is the heart of the hipster Parvis Saint Gilles area would not be any kind of understatement. Its bustling terrace is constantly scattered with people with their novels, cigarettes, and dog leashes, even under the frequent Belgian light spring shower. From brunch to sunset, patrons revel in the warmth with a fresh IPA or a delicious brunch. This bar adapts its ambiance throughout the day, offering a calm and family-friendly atmosphere in the mornings and afternoons, and seamlessly transitions into a vibrant mood with local DJs spinning vintage funk vinyl records and alike during the evenings on the weekend. Its 4-meter-high ceilings and 200 m2 of continuous space also provide a sense of conviviality without giving off the feeling of crowdedness. With a diverse selection of cocktails, beers, wines, and affordable tapas to share amongst friends, Café Maison du Peuple could be considered the ideal spot for large groups to share a couple of drinks.
What to get: Anything from their wide selection of local Belgian beers
Address: Parv. de Saint-Gilles 39, 1060 Saint-Gilles
Website: https://www.cafemdp.com/
Le Roi de Belges
If La Morte Subite is old-school and the Maison du Peuple is the new kid on the block, then Le Roi de Belges would fit perfectly in between. Situated in the heart of the popular area of Saint-Gery frequented by both tourists and locals, it is a traditional Belgian brown bar with the traditional mirror-plus-wood wall paneling set up but also boasts a dreamy smoking room upstairs with a swing dangling from the ceiling. It is frequented by young crowds during the weekend but if you come during the weekdays you will see old regulars reading the papers while sipping coffee. The atmosphere, however, is always refined and relaxed. It has always recently become a regular spot for jazz and blues dancers thanks to its regular free live bands during the evenings. No food service there, and rightly so, as it is located right next to several superb Thai and Indian restaurants.
What to get: Anything from their wide selection of local Belgian beers
Address: Rue Jules Van Praet 35, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
