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. read more

Our first time and we all enjoyed our food. I liked how the chicken sandwich was prepared. Often times, the chicken slips out of the bun, but theirs is shaped to fit the bun so no slippage. I presume the staff is not engaging as those that I experienced at 230 Forest, but perhaps due to the culture. Iced tea with refills for $3! Cute passport tab bill that I kept as a souvenir. read more

This has been and is my favorite restaurant in Laguna Beach. The food is amazing. The restaurant has the Belgian feel. Staff is extremely friendly. I have had many of their mussel dishes which are all tasty. I had the grain mustard with cognac and frites which I hadn't seen before (and I use to work in a Belgian restaurant in NY). The flavor was very delightful. The tartness and sweetness were well balanced. The thicker fries were double fried and cooked to perfection. Sandy was an extreme delight to talk with. Very charismatic and friendly. She made my experience that more pleasurable. My only compliant is there isn't a location more towards LA where I live. Maybe one day. I do try to make a point of stopping in when I'm visiting my family. Keep up the good work! read more

I don't remember how many years we are going here . I believe over 5-6 for sure. We love mussels with fries and pasta carbonara here. Also they have nice wine and beer card. Staff is always super helpful and friendly. Thank you for your business! read more

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! read more

Brussels Bistro - Bacon wrapped Brie. - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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My boyfriend and I came here for happy hour, and at first, everything seemed great. I ordered a margarita from the happy hour menu, and the waiter asked what flavor I wanted. He never mentioned that the flavors weren't listed on the menu or that there would be an upcharge. When the check came and we asked about it, he simply said, "I forgot to mention there's an upcharge," and walked away. I usually love leaving positive reviews, but the way this was handled left a bad taste in my mouth--both literally and figuratively. Sadly, I won't be returning after this experience.... read more

Brussels Bistro - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Make a reservation for the weekend! I had the cream sauce mussels and they were really good. It is cramped inside, and the table next to me had a big group, including someone who sat at the head of that table, basically blocking me in. Some of the seating is underground, which is a little odd. But the food was great, and I'd like to come back when it is less busy. read more

This is only for the nightlife club. i waited in line, paid the cover. i had one drink and stepped outside for a cigarette. they said i could smoke across the street. when i tried to come back they said i had to wait in line again even though i already paid and had the hand stamp. so i had to go to the back of the line even though they already took my money. and the line wasn't even moving. me and my friends left, never going back read more

I sat outside in the patio and wait staff kept bumping into my chair (I'm not a big person). They didn't excuse themselves either. My partner and I were sat very close to other people. I used the restroom and it was unkempt. The interior of the establishment had a weird divey feel. I had the salmon with ratatouille. It was a big mistake. About 4-5 hours later, I got horribly sick with gut-wrenching food poisoning. I should have known something was off when I kept trying to re-season it with salt and pepper due to it being bland. If you're around, I'd skip here. read more

I've been a HUGE fan of Brussels Bistro for as long as I can remember. Their service is top notch, food is exceptional, their drink options are phenomenal and if you love Belgium Beer, I can assure you they have the rarest of the rarest! read more

Brussels Bistro - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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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! read more

Brussels Bistro - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Great ambiance, great service & great foods . Love my cream of mushroom soup everything was delicious!!!!

This place was great! Perfect place for a date night. The outside dining area was lovely, heated and not overly crowded like some outdoor places. The service was very attentive and kind. Our server also had some good beer and wine recommendations that went perfectly with the food I ordered. Everything on the menu looked really good so it was hard to decide....fries in beef tallow, definitely a five star order...everything turned out really nice and we will definitely be back to try the rest of the stuff on the menu. read more

Came here for Mother's Day, the service was so quick and so efficient. Really love the energy, the decor, and overall location. I recommend coming in around six or closer to sunset for the best experience. It's absolutely stunning. The food was delicious. And those fries are a must. overall for $22 for the portion you get and how tasty the carbonara is. I would definitely eat this again. read more

Brussels Bistro - Carbonara Portion of Belgian Fries. Smoked Salmon and Shrimp Fettuccine. - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

.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!!! read more

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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. read more

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. read more

Brussels Bistro - Muscles - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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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 read more

Brussels Bistro - Enchantress. Zen & Tonic - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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. read more

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I got food poisoning after having their hangar steak! I had a horrible sickness for two days read more

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! read more

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Good atmosphere, actually does have the feel of a typical restaurant you might find on a side street in Brussels. The menu was intriguing with lots of interesting choices, the food was excellent, and the service was perfect. There is an amazing variety of Belgian beers to choose from. The location is right in the center of town and is convenient and walkable from most Laguna Beach hotels. This was our third visit. We'll be back. read more

My friend enjoyed the mussels. The french fries that came with it Were crisp and hot. My lasagna was not to my liking. I have never had lasagna that had deli sliced ham layered into the dish. Why Chefs feel they have to make something different when basic lasagna can be so good. I didn't even eat it all because I didn't like the ham slices in the dish. Waiters were pleasant Probably won't go back read more

We love this place! Have eaten here for years, it's always spot on. It feels like you're eating at a pub in Belgium :)

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... read more

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Had a great meal with family last night. Ordered mussels Provençal - delicious and a must order for all you seafood lovers. Brussels sprouts were good. Daily catch excellent. Meat balls were good. Overall an excellent meal. Our server was tops. Will definitely go back for more. read more

We were in Laguna to check out the tide pools and the kids wanted mussels for lunch. A quick search took us to Brussels Bistro. It was everything we were looking for! The service was excellent, the mussels and other items we ordered, delicious! The bar tender let me try most of their beers before deciding on the Maredsous. We will definitely return next time we're in Laguna. read more

Brussels Bistro - Escargot appetizer - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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I'm not the one to review somewhere but this felt necessary.... Food was bland to say the least. Absence of flavor is an understatement. I ordered the Brussels sprouts and beef carpaccio. Don't make the same mistake I made. They also sat me right next to the staff section where they store water and other stuff so constantly people walking behind me and talking behind me. Super disappointing super expensive for the quality. Don't go read more

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! read more

Brussels Bistro - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

A server offered my party's table bread and butter to start without mentioning it was $6 then charged me for it. I told him we thought it was on the house, and that he should've told us that it wasn't free ahead of time, and he just let out a quick sorry. Other than that, it has a cool underground vibe going on. As for the food, I tried the lasagna. It was just alright. They drowned it in a lot of this thick, creamy, oily, cheesy tomato cream sauce, which wasn't bad, but not very flavorful. Mostly just creamy. Service was good, besides the server that charged me $6 for a small loaf of bread that I only got to try one slice of. To be fair, it was good bread. Not $6 good, but still good. read more

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! read more

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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. read more

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. read more

Brussels Bistro - Excellent service vs worst mussel in my entire life - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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. read more

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 read more

Brussels Bistro - Pork shank - Belgian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Food was terrible, service was terrible. Waste of money and time . Ambiance was mediocre . Never coming back

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. read more

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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. read more

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this place is more like a 3.75 stars out of 5 stars. They have indoor and outdoor seating. i really enjoy the fact they shut down the street so that restaurant can operate on the road. we ended up getting the cream and garlic mussel (small), which comes with fries. An order of bitterballen and potato croquette. i really enjoyed the garlic mussels and all the food i got was enough for 2 people. The soup the mussel was cooked in was great, it wasn't over powering. I would recommend getting bread so you can soak it into the soup and enjoy it. I would skip the potato croquettes, as it's really simple and just similar to fried mash potatoes. The bitterballen were also nice, as it reminded me of my trip to Amsterdam. Its like a fried beef snack. after all the food, i was actually too full for dessert. However, if i had some room left over, i'd definitely try the belgium waffle. I still dream of the waffles i had back in brussel, belgium when i last visited the country back in 2017. belgium waffles are light, fluffy and sweet... really tasty! parking might be difficult on busy weekends, but there are parking lots 2,3,4 blocks away. i would recommend downloading the Laguna beach app for ease of payment. read more

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Laguna beach late afternoon few customers. Terrible service. Never asked how we were doing. Had to ask for dressing that was missing from salad. Vegiburger was under cooked. Have eaten there several times in the past with good food and service. read more