Service is really slow but the staff are lovely and the food is just fabulous. If you are a fan of their mussel pots but hate eating with your fingers. ...try the roasted platters .... and eat with a knife and fork - what's not to love :-). read more

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Belgo Centraal was surprisingly busy for a weekday lunch! After a while, we (me and my girly friends Angharad and Sarah) were guided downstairs to the underground restaurant, and seated at our table. The rumours we true: the waiters are Trapiste Monks (ok, not real ones, but still: mighty cool). I didn't get a photo of it, but they also had a CAGE OF BEER. You have to see it to believe it. We chose light lunches from their express lunch menu (one main meal plus Cristal beer/house wine/soft drink, £7.95 a head). Angharad was taking it easy with a goat's cheese salad and a water, Sarah went for the beef carbonnade and a coke, and I chose the spit roast chicken with chilli and ginger sauce, and I had a Cristal (they wouldn't let me substitute it for a kriek, and I even offered to pay more!!). We made a valiant effort Angharad was pleasantly surprised by her salad (that goat's cheese looks delicious), Sarah used her beef carbonnade as a dipping sauce for chips, and I ate nearly all of my chicken. read more

Belgo Centraal - Belgian Near Me - London, XGL

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Went with a large group and received horrible service. Note tip is automatically added to the bill as well. It was an especially busy night but even so, service was well sub par. Overall good selection of beers and well prepared food. The arched ceiling of the beer hall provides a unique casual ambience. read more

This place is great if you fancy some mussels and a different flavored kinda beer. Came here last year for a mates welcome home dinner. Place can seem a little crammed but could be due to the layout but can feel nice and cosy too. Food is great and you will be satisfied too. I always go for the big bowl of mussels to share as a starter although you can have this for main. Then I had the lamb shank which was amazingly soft and just fell of the bone. Dessert is another yummy too.. check out my pics.. read more

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So I finally got around to visiting Belgo Centraal. Not being much of a beer drinker and not even a huge fan of mussels in meals in the past, I wasn't expecting much. When I entered, I was surprised by the industrial vibe going on. I thought to myself, 'Where is the dining room'. I walked over what appeared to be a bridge overlooking a kitchen. 'What's that down there?' We went downstairs after speaking to the host, where the restaurant opens up into an industrial-style canteen, with the open-plan kitchen as a centre point. The place was loud and festive. I looked over the drinks menu and was taken aback by the sheer number of beers on offer. All the fruity beers piqued my non-beer-drinking interest, and I opted for Mongozo Banana Beer. The Husbatron Prime ordered Chimay Bleu, seasoned Belgian beer drinker that he is. Since we were at a restaurant known for its mussels, I decided to order a mussel pot traditionelle to do a litmus test of tastiness. (Husbatron ordered the duck.) One word. Delicious. The Mongozo Banana Beer was so exotic and exciting to the non-beer drinker in me that I wanted to try all the fruity beers on the menu and then some. The mussels were above average, so much so that I'm now interested in returning for some of the more inspired varieties on the menu. The frites that came with both meals were obviously frozen food-service chips (I had my suspicions and then I saw someone pour them from a bag into the fryer on my way to the toilet), but they were as enjoyable as any deep-fried potato would be, really. Speaking of the toilets, I found them a bit confusing. They were virtually communal but segregated toilets with a central (although more toward the men's toilets than the women's ones) carousel-looking sink. Two bathroom attendants were present, with the usual array of cheap colognes and a completely obviously placed tip plate. I really don't like toilet attendants. I can wash my own hands and really prefer not to return to my dining companion smelling of cheap hooker. And then I have to go and be all guilt-ridden for not tipping them for squirting some soap into my hands and handing me a towel since I was caught unawares having gone to the toilet without any money. Oh yeah, we also got dessert, which, refreshingly, didn't taste like simply an afterthought on the menu. The bread and butter pudding was scrumptious. I think it was better than the Husbatron's Belgian waffle, although he would probably say he enjoyed his just fine (dessert envy). I have to be honest when I say that most of the stars for Belgo Centraal are going toward the sheer volume and breadth of Belgian beer offerings on the menu. Because of my visit here, I'm inspired to visit Belgo's more bar-like Bierodrome on Kingsway, which will probably result in me getting good and hammered, since I want to try, like, every beer on the drinks menu. read more

It has to be said that a chain that makes its living off belgian beer and frites should, at its core, be serving up some very tasty beer and frites. Belgo is halfway there with a nice selection of beer on tap, but the frites here sadly leave a lot to be desired. These supposed frites are glorified steak fries sadly, and not very good ones. Soggy, not crisp and not terribly tasty. Having remembered this place after having been impressed by Belgo in my late 20s, I can say that either my tastes have improved or things are rotten in the state of Denmark, and Belgium too, if judging by the frites. I can see what I did like about the place though --a festive cavernous dungeon-like beer garden setting, almost like a nightclub, loud music, fun beer hall vibe, decent mussels options, etc. However, not such very desirable frites, sadly. BTW, we had a terrible service experience, which is, no doubt, coloring my opinion. (Although the frites were still a failure, regardless.) We were seated by a nice hostess, then told brusquely three minutes later by a bullying floor manager, that we should have known better than to seat ourselves in a four-top as a family of three when they have many other guests waiting for a table for four. Huh? When got our footing, we pointed out that a Belgo hostess sat us here and we were just following orders. Then did the floor manager apologize or try charm us for her error? Nah, as you might expect she simply ignored the comment altogether and continued to insist we move to a shared tight seating situation with another party, on a fairly small table. While I don't mind communal seating, hitting elbows and plates and possibly jaws with the neighbors isn't my favorite way to eat --the table turned out to be unusually close quarters for a family and another couple on a date. All the while, the floor manager maintained the same annoyed fashion, that we were in the wrong, throughout. Meanwhile, the table we were booted from remained empty for almost our entire meal --over an hour. Later, we did have the original hostess come back and offer a round of snapps and an eye roll about her colleague's attitude, but at that point, we were pretty deflated. read more

Mussels, frites, belgian waffles w/belgian chocolate sauce, and belgian brews on tap- what more could one need? You can't go wrong with the mussels here but be forewarned that each mussel pot order is a kg (~2.2 lbs) not counting frites. I've tried the traditional and green thai- both very delicious. For starters, the grilled goat cheese is devine and the salmon fishcakes are good, though a bit on the fried/breaded/carb-loaded side. If you have room for dessert (or just want a food-coma), definitely get the belgian waffle w/ice cream and chocolate sauce. They don't skimp. As for brews, you can't go wrong with a pint of Chimay, Hoegaarden, or Leffe. For sweet lovers, they have Strawberry Fruli. Also interesting to try (at least for me) was the honey beer and the chocolate beer. The main seating area is in the lower level and its canteen-style with its long tables & benches. The servers are dressed as monks. The beams have hooks so you can hang your coats. The lighting is dim, and the ambiance is lively and boisterous. For Friday nights and weekends, bookings should be done. For bigger groups, bookings a must. Now, it does take quite a time to have a full meal here, so don't come expecting a quick lunch. My going-away lunch here took us about 2.5 hrs and we had about 15 or so in our party. I wish there were Belgian places like this in the US. read more

On the back leg of my fantastic honeymoon, we once again found ourselves in the midst of an 8 hour layover in wonderful, sunny London! That's right, 80 and sunny! So you wonder why we spent the better part of 2 hours in an underground Belgian restaurant? That's what I thought, until Mark started bringin' the beer! My bud Shoe left us an email that this is the spot we should hit up during our brief stay before heading back over State's side, so we ventured over to Covent Garden. After looking around like the idiot tourist we were, I finally spotted the red flag posted on the side of a discreet brick building. Why the hell would shoe send us here? I mean, cool interior, nice lunch crowd, but kind of looked like another chain from the US of A. Not so fast. We sat down at our communal table and Mark asked us what we fancied. We opted for what their known for (at least what Mark said they were), mussels and fritas. Mmmm, delish! The mussels were cooked perfect, that is, falling off the shell, and the fritas were long and crisped to perfection. But enough with the food... On to the main event! My first beer was the one I fell in love with at Holly Bush, Stella. Des opted for a Delirium, which is now one of her faves (not sure if its for the beer or for the mug with the purple elephants!) I then moved onto a Chimay Reserve after my 2nd Stella. I don't remember what Des went for next (hey, a couple of Stella's followed by a Chimay and nearly 5 years ago will do that to you!) But hey, maybe it was the 4-5 samples Mark insisted that we try during our stay! So this is why Shoe sent us here! As the room started swaying, I think it was Des that talked Mark into parting with a couple of his purple elephant Delirium mugs! Not to make the same mistake we did on the leg over, we left Belgo happy and 3 1/2 hours before our flight. We took the Underground back to Paddington, arriving about 2 hours pre-flight. "I'm so happy we wont be rushed this time" An hour and twenty minutes later, the train arrived. 2 trains delayed, we hopped on board, now extremely nervous. 1/2 hour trip, and 10 minutes to storm Heathrow until we miss our flight. As the train approaches the terminal, we ready ourselves at the door, like sprinters in the blocks, and... BOOM! Doors open and we sprint to the security line. Des begs the person in the front that we now have 8 minutes to make the flight. He feels bad, and lets us pass. Next the escalator. Actually, I can't quite remember if this was before the security check or after. Hey, I was about 6-7 beers down and this WAS 5 years ago, so who cares! I fly up the escalator, with Des in tow, when I hear a shatter. I turn to look, and see her souvenir mugs all over the floor! They had fallen out of her backpack and were now spread all over the floor of Heathrow! She looks up...she looks down at the broken mess... 5 minutes. "RUN!!!!" I scream. And she does. We sprint down the terminal (again) and just catch the Gate checker closing the gate. "Wait! Wait!" "Oh, there you are! The Gallaghers, I presume?" Ahoy. On our way! Oh yeah, the plane had a technical difficulty and we sat on the tarmac for another 45 minutes! read more

Tastiness! I've been to Belgo Kingsway, and this Belgo Centraal blows Belgo Kingsway out of the water. I ordered the moules frites (of course) Provençal as well as the chicken liver parfait as a starter. The mussels were obviously fresh as can be. Not a fishiness to a single morsel and not a single unopened sucker. The fries are fantastic and crunchy! The Provençal broth was lovely and light, but super flavorful. Chicken liver parfait (read: paté) was delicious as well, but somewhat irritatingly, they give you a rather large slab of it but only three little pieces of bread to accompany. Actually, they seem to be a bit stingy on bread in general as most moules frites kinda places will give you some bread with which to sop up the broth, but not at Belgo. The service was spot on, and our waitress was wearing a delightful monk-ish getup. Lots and lots of space, no wait on a Sunday evening just as shops were closing. Here's a little tip: if you go to the loos, there's a pedal underneath the communal sink that makes the water run. I had about as much enjoyment as possible watching people trying to figure it out (there's only so long you can giggle at people in the toilets without coming off as creepy) before I tipped them off. read more

Who likes mussels? I like mussels! I love mussels in fact! Belgium is not a country that fills me with joy (trip to Antwerp in my first year of uni, Antwerp really wasn't the new Capital if Fashion that I was promised. Didn't see much fashion but did see heroin needles in the street, a man pissing in a plant pot in the middle of a shopping centre and a small dog pulling poo out of it's own butt!), but Belgo's has vastly improved my opinion of this country. I don't know if I would want to go back to Belgium, but I keep going back to Belgo's. Each of my three visits has been really different, but good times were had by all on each of them. Different dishes, different locations of the restaurant and varying times of the day, so I really feel like a Belgo connoisseur. Visit 1. Late night evening meal after much boozing with my ladies. Got to sit in side bunker area, all dark and atmospheric, thought the waiter in his strange giant rubber apron get up was from a horror film and was coming to kill us. Moules Florentine and frites were to die for. I think I actually licked the plate. Visit 2. Early evening civilised eats after work. Good food, good service, good friends. Tried the Moules Portuguese. Nice, tomato-y, new potatoes, healthy option. Bit sad to have just missed the beat the clock offer, but food here is always worth the full price money. Visit 3. Day date for my birthday. Had goat cheese salad (just to be a bit different). Nice and tasty. The man (who is a massive talker and is very rarely ever silent) was so in love with his food he became mute (until the plate was scraped clean, then the talking was back on!). Fishcakes and duck and a variety of different beers all got the thumbs up from him.Coffees finished it all off nicely, but felt service was a little lacking this once. So it's official. Belgo's rocks my world. Loves the food, loves the drinks and love, love loves the building, urban metal and brick tunnels and school type benches to sit on really make this place stand out. read more

Absolutely love this place... found this place before i went on a trip to London.. Yelp once again never disappoint me!!! First of all.. for all the visitor this place is located at a very CUTE neighborhood. it's a little bit hidden, the sign isn't too noticeable but just follow the address # you will be fine.. The place is spacious, first thing I notice was they are specialize in mussels ( many different favors) they are all good. they have lunch special too.. They also specialize in fruit beer.. AMAZING.. loved it.. MUST TRY.. MOST IMPORTANTLY.. LOVE THE DECOR....TOTALLY EUROPEAN STYLE.. can't find in U.S!! read more

Doh! This place has so many specials. 7.95 for lunch with beer. On mondays get a whole kilo of mussels for 10 pouds. For dinner, depending on what time you ordered your entreé, pay 5-6.30 for your entree (M-F) between 5:00-6:30. And what do we do? We come in on a super busy Saturday night when there's a ton of people and no specials! Ugh! Brilliant. But i had a craving... hee hee hee I'd still pay the full 12.95 for just an order of mussels and fries. As we were eating our mussels i noticed a few other dishes I wouldn't mind sampling. The servers are quick on their feet and zoom by. I need a stop sign. Ooh maybe there's an App for that! read more

Loved it. You Yelpers were spot-on. From the weird, sunken underground trail to the dining rooms to the massive beer selection, to the waitrons in Belgian costume, we had a delicious meal. Bonus: healthy and tasty children's menu plates. read more

I love a little Belgo. Chains are often a good thing. They typically provide a certain consistency and quality. That is an admirable feat in my opinion. They often also provide good value for money, because a lot of the overheads and running costs are cetralised... leaving a little more for lunch deals etc. I feel that Belgo is a good case for this. I prefer Belgo Noord. Nothing major, just small touches, like the natural light. read more

While not my best meal in London this place is a reliable source for a good meal. From 12-5 they have a lunch special. We had the traditional mussels with frites and beer. They give you mayonnaise and ketchup for the fries; try them with the mayo. It's not bad actually. the seating in the basement is interesting, with long tables surrounded by copper tubing. We enjoyed checking out the Covent Garden neighborhood as well... it's a very busy area though. read more

Every year Belgo's has an annual 'Lobsterfest' which has become a bit of an institution for my boyfriend and his friends. The lobster's are half price and served with chips and mayonnaise- a marriage made in heaven. It's incredible to watch as the lobster's arrive to the table and a hushed silence suddenly falls. Everyone is concentrating so hard on reaching that last delicious scrap of lobster from its shell that there is no time to socialise. The boys find it a very primal, manly affair. In fact, they regress so much I wouldn't be surprised if one of them asked to keep the carcass as a trophy to warn off other lobster's... During the rest of the year, Belgo's makes an equally fun night out and it's moules frites are unbeatable anywhere in the capital. Being a popular spot for a good feed it can get very busy and I've known it to take 45 minutes to get a table. However, this wait is easily spent sipping one of the many beers they have on offer in the bar upstairs. Really, there is nothing they haven't thought of! read more

Alright. Here's the deal...literally: 1. Arrive at Belgo between 5-7, (M-Fri) preferably right at 5 2. Get escorted past the 'kitchen army' slaving away cooking and serving delicious mussels 3. Sit in the biergarden section and order the mussels & frites special, with a Cristal beer to wash it down 4. Receive a bowl of crispy delicious frites and steaming mussels in a delicious both 5. Savor, eat, drink 6. Pay for what you get, at the time your ordered....5pm = 5 quid! Best deal in Londontown. And while it's not so cheap during the weekend (around 12 quid) you can get a bigger bowl (i think it's acutally a cauldron) of other varieties of mussels, that are a lot bigger and arguably more delicioius. I liked the cream and wine variety the best....although it was more of a splurge when I was trying to 'Beat the Clock'. There are a few other locations, but I like this one best for eats. read more

Impressed with the lively atmosphere and modern-artsy-industrial decor! I ordered the salmon dish which was perfectly seasoned and left me fully satisfied, just enough food and no feeling of food coma. Will definitely come back after work hours to try the beer and mussels! read more

Went here twice in two weeks. It's hard to find good food in London in my opinion. This place was recommended to me by tons of people, so it had a rep to uphold. It did so. The mussels - I've had the tomato based and the traditional one, both are great. I've had the lamb, the duck, the chicken, and the sausage. Lamb and duck were probably my favorites. The wine sauce with the duck complimented it well. Of course, it has to be said that they have an extensive list of beers. I tried several I've never had before and I don't remember any of the names. They were pretty good and VERY alcoholic. Watch yourself with those 9% beers! I've had every desert menu item (yes, literally) and my favorite is probably the apple mango crumble. I'd give it a 5 but I think the food and definitely the beers are a wee bit overpriced. Oh yeah, lastly, the bathroom, while interesting in design (you'll see) , is very annoying. Sometimes there is a person there handing out paper towels and giving you soap, with a tip tray nearby. I'm sorry, but this place isn't fancy enough to warrant that. read more

Came here on a Friday night with toe friends and had a great time. They called me in the morning to confirm my booking, which was a nice touch. It's all underground in a sort of warehouse-stylie set-up. The staff were really friendly and made lots of good recommendations for beer, which was great as I'm more of a wine girl, but you can't go to a place that serves over 100 different types of beer and get a glass of claret. I had the mussels in a tomato sauce, which was delicious. My companions both cleared their respective plates, so I'm guessing their food was sufficiently tasty. This review is slacking in detail because, in all honesty, we all got absolutely smashed and I don't remember a whole lot. There are photos on my phone of me crouching down in an abandoned suitcase in the street, so you know it was a good night. However, I do remember thinking that this place was the dog's cojones. read more

My dining experience at Belgo was one of the best I've had in London. The atmosphere is lively with an industrial feel of exposed bricks and pipes and the hustling kitchen on display from the above entrance. The place was packed but we got in with no reservation and no wait. Service was attentive and food came quickly. I got the mussels which were terrific. Had a bite of my dad's lamb, which was superb- cooked perfectly with great flavor. They have tons of beers to choose from including the fruity beers that Belgium is famous for. I had a banana beer, which was surprisingly really good. My mom had a coconut flavored beer -also tasty. Great price for the atmosphere you get. read more

I went for the the beat-the-clock deal where the time that you order is the the price you pay (if you order at 6 you pay £6.) Unbelievably, the deal included the mussels I ordered along with a beer and a shot. Both the mussels and the Belgian white were very good and so was the service provided by staff dressed in monk outfits. read more

Each time I visit my relatives in London, they always take me to this restaurant. The first time I came here, I had the salmon fillet and it was delicious! The sauce on top of it was perfectly made--not too sweet and not salty, just plain savory. We also had the salmon cakes appetizers and they were so freakin' good. If I didn't want to look like a rude and greedy pig, I would've ate all of them myself. The last time here, I ordered the roast duck breast and I was just plain disappointed! I expected the texture to be like a juicy peking duck but I realized this place isn't a Chinese restaurant. The duck was slightly chewy and the plum sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking. Since my friend ordered the salmon fillet, I dipped my duck in her sauce so I can finish chowing down and move on to dessert. We all shared the creme brulee and it was decent--nothing special. For the price, I recommend getting dessert elsewhere. Also, my niece and nephew's food was free because for every adult ordering a main course, each child eats for free. Is it just me that thinks this special is super cute? Their specialties are mussels, chips, and beer. Chips were pretty good but nothing amazing. Mussels aren't my cup of tea so I can't give you my opinion but my cousins LOVE them here. Beer? I definitely have to try it next time. Overall, this place is okay... I think I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't so expensive but hey, it's London. read more

Frickin' delicious! I enjoyed a perfectly cooked half chicken in a lemon cream sauce with new potatoes and my companion had a lovely steak frites with peppercorn sauce. They also offer shots of schnapps in a wooden board called a stick. I had a 4 stick that had apple, melon, some berry type thing, and a cream liqueur. So delicious and unfortunately when I tired to go back a few days later they were fully booked! Highly recommended and the staff were great! read more

Great place! Great service! Cool downstairs restaurant. Really liked the croquets and the chicken

Different. Great for a fun, casual drink/meal. Perfect for groups. I did not 'beat the clock' but I recommend you do -- come sometime from 5-6:30 and your meal will be the price at which you came. Neat concept! I had one of their dark beers- the aroma of barley was so strong and it tasted as good as it smelt: full-bodied and smooth. I had their beef carbonnade - a little too sweet for me and the sauce a tad overdone, but overall pretty good. Next time I will have to try the mussels based on all the reviews below! read more

Belgo is one of those places I walked by 4 years ago shortly after moving to London and thought "hm. Interesting. The boy might like this" and then forgot about. I remembered it last Friday night after we'd been out for some drinks and it was raining and all of Soho was full up. "There's the mussels place in Seven Dials." I said. My husband looked at me like I'd just made the idea up. "It's in the basement of a building. Trust me." So we went. And it was so so so good. Did I realize it was going to be cafeteria style? Nope. Did I care? Nope. We were seated at a big table with another couple who arrived about the same time. Lobster bisque = amazing. Crab cakes = divine. Roast chicken = tasty. Moules traditionelle = yummmmy. AND they carry Lindemann's lambics (& other fruity booze) Those things are so hard to find. I'll be going back just for the fruity stuff, but am looking forward to trying the "snobby" mussels in bisque. Mmmmm. read more

The food here sucks. I came here with an out-of-town friend, and I was hoping to show him a unique dining experience and that contrary to popular belief, food in London is progressive and delish. Alas, the Green Thai Mussels were small, mealy and in a mediocre sauce. The beer-battered haddock was disappointed-battered. The waitstaff was disorganized (starters come before the main course? no!). On the upside, there was a large selection of Belgian beers and the ambience was unique - slick entrance and tables in a mod cafeteria style. Perhaps this place was decent back in the day (given the number of positive review here) but the food quality is reminiscent of McDonalds, and the service is far worse than anything I've experienced at the golden arches. read more

Belgo Centraal is a fantastic option for theatre-goers in centraaaaaaaal Laandun, for four main reasons: 1. It takes bookings, but even when the 'reservation area' is full, you can turn up and get a seat pretty quickly if you get there early enough as there is a lot of seating space. 2. If you do get there early (which may well be the case if you are indeed planning on catching a show) then the Beat the Clock deal (pay the time [between 5 and 6.30] for your food) is fantastic. Warning: not all mussels are part of this deal, as they curiously seem to be in the Northern branch - something to do with north/south divisions, probably. 3. The service is quick quick quick. Ok, so I eat my food too fast, but I had finished my meal less than half an hour after arriving!! 4. It does what it says on the tin i.e. it's centraaaaaal. That means you can walk to Shaftsbury Ave or the Strand in less than ten minutes. Winner. Other than that, the food is really tasty (and some of the mussels are heeeooouuuge) as well as the massive list of beers for pre-show oiling. read more

Setting - Good setting though quite cramped as the table's are close together but the lighting is nice and bright. Service - Friendly service though nothing special. Food - Very, very good. I had a bacon and duck starter which was lovely, very nice light starter. I had beef carbonnade as a main and it was lovely if a little sweet when you bite into a plum. The chips were top notch and mixed well with the food. Drink - Had a chocolate beer which started off nice but didn't hold it's flavour all the way to the end. Wouldn't have it again. Overall - I would go here again and have already recommended it to a number of people. read more

I suppose it's a bit odd to review a place that specializes in mussels when the thought of eating one makes me queasy, but honestly Belgo is more than that. I have been a fan of Belgo for years and have kept up with my free meal punch card despite the fact that I live in America. I am one punch away for a free meal! I think Belgo has the best value in the city with all of their promotions, the clock-watcher promo, the express lunch, and best of all the food is actually good. Usually a place that offers so many gimmicks and discounts does so because they have no other way to draw in customers. I love the roast chicken and think the frites are some of the best in the world. I have also enjoyed a rabbit dish and had some very good wursts. My mussel eating friends have raved about the freshness of the mussels and I have deigned to dip my bread in the various mussel sauces at the edges of their plates and found it to be very tasty indeed. All of these factors combined with a central, although somewhat hard to initially find location and waitstaff dressed in monks robes and you have a winner on your hands. read more

I'm very much a fan of the beat the clock menu. £7 for moules frites and a cheeky beer? Yeah, sign me up! I'm very much a fan of working my way through the beer menu. Thanks Belgium! (About time you pitched in). read more

Came to belgo centraal for beat the clock before our long outing with jude and hamlet. Managed to arrive and order by 5:30pm, so our meal cost a whole £5.30- which was pretty cool. I had mussels and chips- the mussels were 1/4 massive, 1/2 ok and 1/4 stringy and the "soup" was pretty tasteless- basically water (not even salty water!) with a few bits of celery floating in it. Z had the mushroomy chicken- which was massive, but had trouble eating it with her knife and fork because it was so dark that she didn't really see what she was doing. Chips are ok, but tooootally undersalted (not sure if my taste buds were affected by my holiday, I might be feeling extra salty at the moment). Both of us had kriek beer on tap- not very cherry-y, but we didn't feel like forking out a fiver each for a fruit beer. So far, so 3 star. Unfortunately the evening was ruined by the staff desperately trying to usher us out of the restaurant despite there being a few empty tables around, and we were done and dusted by about 6:15. Actually, I quite like to slowly enjoy my beer and pick at the remnents of my chips without you hovering to the point of us leaving just so that you will leave us alone. Minus 1 star. With beat the clock it came to £10 each, which isn't that cheap. I'd rather eat and be somewhere else, which would explain why I haven't been to this Belgo for over a year. read more

I've been really wanted to try Belgo for ages (well months... two months), and I finally got the opportunity over the Jubilee weekend! My friend was in town, and we went to Covent Garden. After deciding we were ready to eat, I convinced him to check out the menu as I really wanted some mussels and chips. He's not the biggest fan of mussels, so I was concerned, but he found something on the menu so we went in. The decor is strange. My friend has been to Belgium, so I asked if they decorated places in the slightly strangely rustic/industrial way that Belgo Centraal was decorated. The answer was no, but I still didn't mind how it was set up. I went for the tradionelle and he had what basically equated to bangers and mash (hey, he's in the UK, why not bangers and mash, even if it's at a Belgian restaurant?). We ordered the bread and the croquettes. Well the croquettes came out, and I was expecting something potatoey like most croquettes are. These were small nuggets of fried cheese goodness. Seriously tasty. The mussels came out and looked amazing. The bangers and mash were also quite tasty looking. The mussels were hot and succulent. Seriously. Perfectly cooked and delicious. The garlic/wine sauce wasn't overpowering, but just enough to add a nice flavor to the mussels. I even convinced my friend to try them, and he may be a mussel convert. The chips were nothing special, but they weren't terrible. I'd definitely go back and try the varieties of mussels. So many choices, so many mussels! I felt a bit bloated after eating so many, but I just couldn't stop! read more

My wife found out about Belgo Centraal and suggested we went along after struggling to find somewhere to eat on a Friday night without a long wait. I went in knowing very little, but left with an urge to hurry back! When I heard the terms "Belgian mussels restaurant" I had imagined a small, quiet place where we would be served a handful of mussels for an extravagant amount of money. I was pretty much wrong on all accounts. First of all - Belgo is a massive place. Endless rows of bench seating, a back room (which had a big party going on; a birthday or Stag night I assumed), and the longest kitchen/counter I have ever seen. I like being able to see the kitchen, and you couldn't miss this one, with scores of chefs and servers managing pots and pots of steaming delicious mussels. Belgo takes up an underground floor which must be a good portion of the full length of Earlham Street, and had that "undergound" feel with exposed piping, brickwork, and low ceiling arches. I like this look. First choice I had of course was ordering a drink. I didn't expect such a range of Belgian beer options, so it took quite a while to decide. I opted for a less-familiar lager; though many house names are available from the extensive drinks menu. Then onto the food - again a superb choice and not all mussels-centric. Of course, it makes up a significant portion of the menu, but given the choice of moules pots, bowls, and platters, this is no bad thing. I opted for the "Traditionelle" kilo pot - standard white wine, garlic, and celery - and a kilo is a LOT of mussels for under £13! I struggled to finish them after a light crab cake starter. My wife went for one of non-moules options; there was a decent choice here too, and was impressed with her starter of lobster bisque; and the rotisserie chicken main was good if not amazing. Given how tasty that bisque was, I wished I had ordered my mussels in a creamier sauce, but that was my choice and I do not regret it. It was a tasty introduction to mussels done properly! The waiting staff were very quick and friendly; especially commendable given how busy the place was. Also, despite this being a very busy time, we were never rushed and were allowed to take in the scene and the delicious Belgian fare. I will definitely be returning in the not-too-distant future to sample some richer cuisine and rarer beverages! read more

moules + frites + beer = perfection I've never been let down by Belgo. I've been here a few times because it's good, quirky, and conveniently located in the heart of Covent Garden. The seating is located in a basement area, which surprisingly has an 'open' feel. Come here if you want a casual fun dinner! (...that kind of sounded like an advertisement, but I swear it's not) The moules are always fresh and perfectly cooked. I would personally recommend the Snob and the duck confit salad. They serve Fruli here too which is HUGE a plus! read more

This place was really cool. I took the wife and two young kids. Everyone was super nice and accommodating with the children. We ordered two pots of mussels to share -- the garlic and herb one and the tradittionale one. Both were really yummy, but could have been just a little bit better. It's like the smallest something was missing that I just can't put my finger on. We got frites as the side for both orders of mussels. And why wouldn't you? They are really, really, really good. Crispy and flavorful, they hit the spot. Second only in London to FlatIron I would say. The restaurant itself is massive yet inviting. It's a really cool setting. The rock music is a little loud, but it works. They gave my son a free ice cream cone at the end which I really appreciated and which was super nice of them. I would definitely visit again for the amazing frites and really good mussels. read more

Most people find my descriptions of Belgo to be fabricated fantasies born of an overactive imagination: 1) the bathroom is uni-sex and the communal faucet is like a fountain! 2) all the servers are dressed like monks! 3) you pay based on what time of day it is! Right-o. However, I will say that Belgo is a pretty A+ place to bring out-of-town visitors and faboo for group outtings. The novelty of the restaurant is sure to charm your companions and the beer selection is eggggggcellent. Now that they've got a loyalty card, expect me to show up more often. Mmm mussels and beer (I initialy wrote this as "muscles and beer", haha oh ME!) read more

I had arranged a team Christmas dinner here upon recommendation by a colleague. The booking staff went out of the way to accommodate the party of 17 at fairly late notice and were prompt with offering a variety of options for those with diet restrictions. Most interestingly, we could place our orders from the Xmas set menu after reaching the venue, rather than having to pre-order the main course, which saved a lot of headache in terms of coordinating the team dinner. The bar upstairs made for a good hangout before dinner and once it was time, we were ushered quite promptly onto the benches and served a variety of schnaaps to warm us up. The waitress came around and took our orders quickly and voila, in a few minutes, we had our starters - I was clearly a Belgo novice. If I had known better, I would have gone for the Thai Green Mussels which looked like a delight even from a distance (noted for my next visit). My chicken liver parfait with cranberry and port chutney was nice but seemed somewhat underwhelming as an entry into a Christmas meal. Those who had ordered Belgian beer croquettes (with piccalilli & fried parsely) & chilled beer asparagus (with vinaigrette) seemed to have polished off their appetisers rather quickly - not sure whether it was because it was tasty or that they were served in smaller portion sizes. For mains, I had ordered the beef carbonnade, beef braised in sweet Gueuze beer with apples and plums, with a side of frites and I absolutely loved it! It was a definite score for the right blend of tender meat and sweet after-tastes. The portion size was just right, filling but it didn't leave me feeling stuffed, like Christmas meals tend to do. Another sign of me being a Belgo novice is that I did not even look at the beer menu - what was I thinking, right? I just went for a glass of the house red which paired well with the beef. Among my colleagues' orders, the half rotisserie chicken was served in generous portions, the sausage & mash looked alright but a tad on the scarce side and the salmon fillet looked like a good order too, but the winner seemed to be the moules, yet again. For dessert, I had a light dark chocolate mousse served with a coffee Anglaise and as promised, it's light and not very sweet - a satisfying even if a safe choice. Those who went for the winterberry pavlova (wth fresh cream+mulled wine coulis) seemed very happy with their choice too. I have also noted that I will want to try their Belgian waffle the next time I visit. Service was prompt and friendly and the tasty food kept me occupied enough to not mind the usual tiresome banter amongst work crowd :P At £24.95/set before service, it was a reasonably priced fare. Definitely coming back for the moules+frites! read more

My friend counted 72 mussels in a 1kilo I usually visit this place, perhaps once a year,i.e. someone overseas comes over and we want to go to somewhere that's casual. let's talk positive. The mussels and beer never disappoint you. You get around 7 favours of mussels and yummy beer. Is a bit noisy but relaxing to say, last time I went, I was with a business delegation who were desperate not to talk about business, so down the beer and we start bitching about the boss. The financial controller was determined and start counting how many mussels are there in a pot. So it is 72 (not some statistics Belgo will give you or know) There was a the beer o'clock that runs to 6-ish, now it stops some ridiculous time, but it was nevertheless good value Ok the negative. I hate flies, I hate anything that flies. If I see even a beer fly I need to kill it before I stop thinking about it. Problem with Belgo is their wall is full of beer fly. The light is dimmed, so the person facing to the wall can't see, but if you are sitting next to the wall, the constant beer flies above my head and near me made me so ill that I need to get out of the place as soon as possible. So if they can get the beer flies out of the place I'll give them the 1 star that is lacking (don't worry, the beer flies don't fly into your food, they just irritates me) The other star goes to this cheap eats still cost me £20 per head. read more