I'm usually not the biggest fan of Belgian or French food, but I figured I should try some of the more local cuisine while in Brussels. A few Belgian friends recommended we try La Quincaillerie during our trip, so we decided to give it a shot...and thank goodness we did! It was such a fun dinner, and I, shockingly, really enjoyed the food. The space itself is quite cute, with ample indoor and outdoor seating, plus absolutely gorgeous decor. It gets pretty crowded but mostly from locals vs. the surge of tourists in central Brussels, given this spot is a little bit out of the way. The service is remarkably friendly and attentive -- often asking to clear our plates within seconds of us finishing our last bite and refilling our water cups with a shocking frequency. Food-wise, we started the meal with the burrata. The cheese was creamy and rich, and it went beautifully with the fragrant sun dried tomatoes and peppery arugula. It was also topped with a few croutons -- which were tasty and clearly house-made, but I was a little confused on how to eat them with the cheese (vs. the more classic method of putting burrata on a slice of toast) -- and a flavorful sauce. All around a great combo of flavors and textures, making it the perfect start to our meal. For our mains, my friend got their duck and I ordered the pollock. They both had pretty generous portions, especially the duck. The pollock was perfectly tender and flaky inside, with a delightfully crispy skin / herb crust on the top. It was topped with fresh herbs and served in a super flavorful sauce -- truly could not have asked for a better entree. The dish was relatively light but extremely flavorful and filling, and the fish just fell apart in my mouth. I'm not quite a French / Belgian food convert yet, but I'll happily come back here anytime. read more

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An original restaurant in a former hardware store. The oysters and seafood platters are just delicious, and if you do not want fish as a main, just try the chicken Bresse (poulet de Bresse). read more

Sunday dinner. Packed. Had a great dinner " à deux ". Service was perfect - attentive but not over bearing. I did have a steak - not the best I have ever had; the sole looked fantastic. But- it dented the wallet. Would go again. read more

The service is impeccable - friendly, attentive, and just fussy enough that you feel special. We had the Belge Menu - a 3-course special with delicious, big, perfectly prepared mussels, a croquette for starters and waffle with strawberries and creme freche to finish for 47 Euros ($50 as of this review). Beef carpaccio was excellent as well. Extensive wine list, strong cocktails (try the Irish Coffee on a cold night!), and a quirky, unique decor topped off this delightful dinner! (Spoiler on the decor: the name translates as "hardware store"). read more

La Quincaillerie - Front entrance. - Seafood Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

Excellent food: the starter (burrata with lentils) was simple but well balanced. The main dish (octopus) was delicately seasoned and cooked to a firm but juicy texture. The bits off my partner's dish (crab) were spicy (but keep in mind this was a miniature crab, cut in half). Service is attentive (and remarkably kind despite the three floors they need to cover). However there is a real capacity issue - it took over half an hour for the second bread to arrive... The kitchen is overstretched... 90+ minutes between starter and mains... very disappointing The ambiance is lively; perfect for friends to come together to have a 'blast' - but don't expect a romantic candle light... kids were around even at 10pm.... The cocktails were a mistake to order... they set the wrong tone (think of a bar for beers before a football match experimenting with other basic cocktails) -- fortunately, the food made up for it read more

La Quincaillerie - Starter - burrata with lentils - Seafood Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

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This place has an amazing atmosphere, it is really cool and has 3 floors. We got in without a reservation and everyone was really nice and helpful. The food was really good and tasty. I would definitely go back to try more of the menu out. read more

La Quincaillerie - The steak was so tender, and the tomatoes, watermelon and cheese was really good and cool that they added watermelon - Seafood Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

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A restaurant where you need to book on Monday night is synonymous of interesting place. After one night with them, I confirmed this place deserves you visit. Warm staff, nice foot, amazing atmosphere. The kind of place where you can go regularly if you lived in the area. Special mention for the crab salad or more specifically for the giant Alaskan crab legs salad. read more

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3.5 stars La Quincaillerie is adorable, the service is quite good for Brussels, and I love that they do online reservations. For the convenience and the wow factor alone, I've come here three times with out of towners. The food has been a little hit or....not quite hit. I can't say there have been any complete misses, meaning I haven't had anything that was downright bad. The raw seafood has generally been delicious, except for the raw oysters I got at lunch once, which made me think they might save the old stuff to use with their lunch special. The carbonnade and the civet are quite good if you're in the mood for something really meaty and heavy. Overall, I would say it's a great place to come to impress people, but I wouldn't come here in search of the most satisfying meal. read more

Caveat. We were a large group on a set menu. The food was not good. The service was ok. If this is the quality I will never come back. Starter was lobster bisque. More like s broth with curry. No lobster. Spicy and watery. Not a bisque. I ordered the fish - lion fish. I returned it as it was tasteless and the texture was of undercooked and almost rotten fish. Replaced it with duck confit. The duck was undercooked and the skin instead of being crispy was soft and the layer of fat under it made it even more distasteful. The bed of endive was raw and edible and some of the duck could be consumed. Not a good dish. The dessert was the apple tart and it was good. The only redeeming part of the meal. Would I return? Maybe. But the quality was so bad that I do not think that it can be made up and really speaks to carelessness around quality and service. Advice. If you cannot handle groups then do not take them. The quality of your food is so poor that I am amazed your quality control allowed the food to be served. read more

This place is 100% worth the trip! It's a bit outside of Brussels but you will be so glad you went! For starters, the restaurant is gorgeous! It looks industrial and is designed to look like a hardware store (as the name suggests). Besides that, the food is SO DELICIOUS! I order the salmon and whatever sauce was on it was what dreams are made of. My boyfriend ordered the wild boar ragu and also loved it! Might be pricier than I'm used to, but this place is worth the splurge! read more

La Quincaillerie - This fish blew my mind away! Worth the trip just for the sauce! - Seafood Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

Interesting and cosy place. The entrence is grandiose and the balcony on the 1st floor gives you a private space. The food was avarage. I had a risotto as a starter which was delicious, but the main course was a turbo filet. It was dry and didnt taste too fresh (probably frozen). The worst thing was the waiting time. We spent 3 hours to get the 3 course menu. The service was incredibly slow. read more

A true Belgian institution, la Quincaillerie is the perfect lunch spot for quality seafood and meats. The list of specialties on the menu are long proven classics from the house. They cater to all pallets, including a small vegetarian selection. The atmosphere is fantastic - the architecture and design of the place makes it's special. Wine list is most excellent and they help you pair your wines well with their menu. Service is wonderful - we had a very pretty waitress who charmed us from the get go. The sole meunière was on point as were the Moules Frites. It was good to see this place hasn't lost its touch after so many years. read more

Good seafood and atmosphere. Mussels from Zealand with white wine were good. Entrecôte "Holstein", basically ribeye steak from a local breed, was quite tough. Tougher than typical USDA...good texture once you get over that. read more

A favorite of many in Brussels, especially among those who still remember it as the local ironmongery where they'd go with their parents to buy spare screws, nuts and bolts. They managed to keep much of the old feel when they converted to a restaurant now offering mid-range priced French/Belgian food. The food is decent but the reputations owes more to the location and history of the place than the quality of the cooking. I've been a few times over the last years and have yet to come out entirely satisfied. I usually get caught out by desserts that have every time been a disappointment. Starters and mains without dessert would be my suggestion. They have very good quality produce, so if you stick to the seafood platter or the fine cuts of meat you'll leave very happy. Not to say the rest is not good, I had very nice risotto as a starter last I was there and my partner's vol-au-vent was no bad, but somehow with all the hype that has surrounded this place you kind of expect more from those. I like the look and feel but can't say it would ever make my best 'eats'. Service was correct and the wine list is commendable. You might want to avoid the tables upstairs as they can be a bit too close together in some places. Good but somewhat overrated. read more

Well, to be honest it was not what I have expected. We had to wait for more than one hour to get the main course. I was not thrilled at all by the chicken with olives and lemon. The taste of the meat was very strange for me. The red wine was surprisingly very good though. Then we had to wait for another half an hour for the chocolate mouse but it's worth it because it was tasty. In conclusion I wouldn't recommend the place to my friends because it's overpriced, it's very crowded, there is no music and the service is poor for this price range. I will not go to that restaurant again. read more

Good, but not as great as people say. Perhaps it was built up too much before I finally tried it. Too many of the tables are really too squeezed in. At least the tables along the balcony which offer the most appealing view, were too close together and allowed the poor staff almost no space to pass by without bumping into people. Food is nice, but I think the location sells this place more than the cooking. The setting itself is still pretty special and it's worth a go. No comment on the customer service. read more

By far one of the prettiest restaurants I have ever been. Just look at the pictures and read a little bit about the buildings history. It's just stunning! Then the food. I wasn't in for a big meal or large portions of meat or fish. So I orderd a cesar salad and fries. My friend orderd a steak with grilled veggies and fries. The salad I had wasn't anything special. It tasted well, but it could have definitely been better. My friends steak tasted good, the veggies however were a little boring (grilled lettuce?). We shared a creme brulee, which tasted good. I am not a big fan of the French/Belgium cuisine, so this might have contributed to the average experience. Prices are steep, although I must admit that the pice levels at restaurants that I am used to in the Netherlands are generally a little lower that in Belgium. Service was very good, I must say! Overall experience was very good, mainly because of the stunning interior and the good service we had. read more

Nice place with beautiful atmosphere. We had one of their seafood platters which were really good. Very friendly service and good recommendations on the wine list. read more

The single best deal we got all summer was the lunch menu here - 13.90 Euro for a main and either a starter or dessert. **6 fresh oysters **octopus carpaccio (excellent) **steak frites with bernaise - and the sauce was particularly good **salmon with special sauce (also very good) **strawberry cake my kids went nuts over The interior is original Art Deco, old hardware store, nicely redone. read more

So. We came to La Quincaillerie because it was Michelin listed. We were not disappointed when it came to the food. We had lobster bisque, oysters (of course), asparagus risotto, seabass and beef tartare. They were all excellent. They were each packed with flavor and superbly presented. While we were met by Dmitri once we entered, the service was good. Not great, but good. Perhaps we expected a bit more from a Michelin establishment. The ambience was good and the locale very charming sticking to its roots. Worth the trip if you're staying in Brussels. read more

First of all, the restaurant is absolutely beautiful. I really appreciated the centerpiece of the clock and the staircase that led to the second and third floor. The design of the place is absolutely breathtaking. However, the food was mediocre and the service wasn't so great either. Since it's a meat/seafood heavy place, it was hard for me to find vegan options. They didn't let me just order sides so I got a butter lettuce salad without the dressing as well as sauteed greens in olive oil. My friend said her dish was amazing but the waiter wasn't very patient and friendly when she took our order. I would recommend the restaurant for the experience but not for the food itself. read more

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I was hungry and had been eating lunch at my desk all week. I deserved something nice, in a nice atmosphere, with good service, something to make it all feel worthwhile. I had been to La Quincaillerie once before for their lunch menu, and was impressed, so I thought to go again. With four colleagues we piled into their back room. The menu for the week had oysters on the starters list. It was an easy choice. As six of the cold crisp molluscs slid down my throat, and the house's white wine lined my belly, I began to relax. Today would be a good day. read more

The place is super cute and has a very nice ambiance! The service was average but it was a busy Friday night. I will agree with the other reviewers in saying the place sells itself more than the food. Nice place to get together for some oysters and drinks for sure read more

Food is pretty decent. Nice presentation of the food, friendly staff. Slightly crowded and tables are very close together, so it's not the best place for a working dinner, but great for a fun dinner where everybody is talking loudly anyways. read more

Nice place with a lot of character. Great service, large menu and good food selection from seafood to beef and their specialty chicken. I had oysters, the chicken and the tart for dessert. I sat on the second level mezzanine and had a nice view. The prices were inline and the food quality was good. I'd definitely come back. read more

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Had a fantastic meal here! I partaken in the saveur menu and it was fabulous. I started with the croquettes, the had the fresh fish. Finished with the figs and caramel ice cream. Historic location. Service is sloow... Expect that anywhere you go in Brussels. read more

A Brussels institution this restaurant housed in an old hardware store is a must. First of all the décor is gorgeous. The food is a bit hit and miss at times - we had some fantastic food there and some not so much. Still worth a visit to enjoy a bit of 1900s décor and Belgian food - our full review https://onfoodandwine.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/la-quincaillerie read more

We had a great dinner at La Quincaillerie. The ambiance is something special in an old art deco hardware store-- it feels both cozy and chic at the same time. The service was excellent and attentive, and we really enjoyed our food--particular the items on the specials menu. We found the food to be a modern twist on many traditional Belgian dishes and thought it was well-priced for the quality. A new favorite spot in Brussels! read more

If you have a long weekend ahead of you, have dinner on Thursday and you should be done by Sunday. You will certainly enjoy the food but might get surprised by the speed of service, or lack of both. It's a shame because the setting, the quality of the food, the presentation, and the taste are all overwhelmed by the general lack of interest in the customer. Sadly, this is my second visit. The first time, I was not impressed by the speed but certainly by the food. I opted to try to give it a second shot, and I have now learned my lesson. read more

The atmosphere is great. We were there with very big group, and everybody was happy. Just keep trying all the beers they have. I think this is standard. It is bit touristic, but you can try it if you are in Brussel for short time. read more

One of my favourite places in Brussels. The atmosphere in this former ironmonger shop is great (if you get a good place). They have fantastic seafood, but my weapon of choice is the "jambonneau", the pig's leg. Got to love the taste. the only disturbing thing is the fact that you might get a really Belgium service ... but then again, it's Brusels, no? read more

This restaurant was a complete surprise to me beautiful atmosphere wonderful staff and the food was splendid for this foodie and his hang of six. S must in Brussels read more

This is a great dinner spot in brussels where prices are reasonable and quality is gastronomic . Visited twice in the past three years and will definitely go back again read more

Excellent food in a memorable atmosphere. My last visit was so good, I stayed too long and missed my flight out of Brussels airport. Well worth a visit. read more

Had an excellent Saturday night dinner there a short while ago. I do believe the quality of the cooking generally lives up to the standard expected given the location and history of the place. read more

Nice venue, but bad service. Too many tables and too few waiters equals long waiting times. The restaurant has high potential but unfortunately the service brings the overall rating down. read more

OK atmosphere and food. Waiter for some reason thought it was acceptable to assume my friend didn't speak French (just based on looks -racism? and without actually speaking to her), and only spoke to my friend's husband before finally asking him if her wife understood French (instead of asking my friend directly, like she was a pet or child or something), which I found very rude. Shame as otherwise the place was ok. read more

this place is so cool and the food and service was amazing. loved sitting at the top and looking down at everything! found it recommended on a website for Moules Frites but they have an amazing seafood assortment! read more