A friend of mine had been trying for weeks to get a dinner reservation at Osteria Bolognese. She was finally able to snag one for 9:15 p.m. on a Tuesday. It wasn't ideal, but we were all happy to get in. We were immediately impressed. The service was fantastic, even for our group of six. The wine selection was perfect for the food. The seasonal menu was relatively small, so we decided to order one of every appetizer and every main, and to share everything. Everything was good, but these were the standouts for me: *Asparagus *Truffle pasta *Vegetable pasta *Clam linguine We could have done without the burrata, the lasagna, the cheesecake and the tiramisu, which were OK but not great. However, we cleaned every single plate, and we left overall feeling very happy and satisfied. BUT ALL WAS NOT AS IT SEEMED.... I woke up the next morning with no appetite. I thought this was no big deal since I'd eaten a massive late dinner the night before. Around 10 a.m., I started getting a killer headache. I thought I might be hungover, even though I hadn't drank that much the night before. In the middle of a meeting that morning, I started getting really nauseous, and then projectile vomiting. I let my friends from the previous night's dinner know I wasn't feeling well. It turned out another had been vomiting profusely all morning, and another felt very sick as well. The common thread was Osteria Bolognese. Unfortunately, since we all basically ate everything, it's hard to narrow down with precision which dish was the culprit. We suspect the clams. I obviously will not be going back here. read more

The first time I walked by the Osteria, it was closed. The second time, it was a Wednesday (when they don't take reservations) good luck getting a table. The third time I made a reservation 2 weeks in advance, the reservation was made a few days before my last day in Brussels. Thank goodness I made that reservation! I've never been to Italy, but Osteria Bolognese was the best Italian meal I've ever had. My friend and I shared a few dishes. The ragu, a popular dish, was light and flavorful. The tortellini were perfectly filling. The spritz was a Bolognese take on Aperol and it was delicious. The founders claim that the ingredients are flown into Brussels daily from Bologna and I have no reason not to believe them! When you go, expect your dinner to last all evening and make friends with the staff. Don't miss this place next time you're in Brussels! read more

Osteria Bolognese - Truffle tortellini - Italian Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

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Great new place to get a true Italian homemade tagliatelle and wonderful wine! As an Italian, I have high standards when it comes to Italian food abroad. Normally I even have a rule: I don't eat pasta outside of Italy, because I always get disappointed. But I'm glad I made an exception for Osteria Bolognese. Giacomo is a friendly owner and the board is always full of little surprises! The tagliatelle al ragù are divine and the antipasti generous and really yummi. The wine list is short, but it's just another sign of quality. Let yourself be adviced by Giacomo on the best one for your taste. Try the tigelle - you can't find them almost anywhere else outside of Emilia-Romagna!!! Definitely the best Italian I can recommend now in Brussels. And it's just around the corner from all the great bars of Saint-Boniface. So if you want to continue the evening, you don't even have to walk too much. And you can always come here to take away your favourite mortadella for a nice home meal. read more

Osteria Bolognese - Tagliere di antipasti - Osteria Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

Simply some of the best Italian food we've ever had. After a week in Amsterdam and Brussels, we were feeling the frites overload, so we decided to try some Italian. Went as soon as it opened and got a table, but they were booked solid from 18:00 on, so we knew we needed to eat quickly, which was fine with us. I ordered lamb bolognese and my husband ordered beer gnocchi. The bolognese was amazing, but the gnocchi was show stopping. It was the first time I had gnocchi that truly were pillows in your mouth. The service was spectacular, as was the food. Would eat here again every time I am in Brussels. read more

Went with son to have dinner. Enjoyed the food. I had everything the waiter recomended. I was not disappointed. My son had mushrooms with cheese sauce for appetizer which was delicious followed by lasanga. Everything from the pasta to the cheese was made in house. Very tasty. We also loved the deserts. read more

Osteria Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Ixelles, BRU

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as you can see from pictures, the pasta is well proportioned. however, get ready for a rise in your cholesterol levels. cuisine that relies on butter and cream sauces and cheese toppings is not fine cuisine, nor is it Italian. fills your stomach, but go elsewhere for authentic Italian. read more

My favourite Italian restaurant in Brussels. Seasonal menu and a good choice of wines. I am Italian, live around the corner and have made a habit of eating there at least once a month. Big focus on service. Lots of specialties from Bologna,including great cold cuts and fried bread. Good tiramisu and usually at least a couple of vegetarian options. I love their asparagus, as well as the pasta sganapino. It's small, which makes it really cozy, but given its popularity that means you need to reserve well in advance. Unless you plan to go on a Wednesday, when they do not take reservations =) Usually closed on weekends. read more

True Italian! I have been here several times since it opened. The food is always delicious. Get a shared platter of cold cuts, spreads and cheese and then a plate of pasta. A good red wine from the Bologna, a digestive and/or coffee and you have a perfect Italian meal! If it's your first time, try the classical tagliatelle! Lately I tried and liked a lot the pasta "romagnola" with lemon zest: a nice discovery! It's very often full, so you need to reserve! On Wed they don't accept reservation but you then need to go early or be very lucky! read more

After spending a month in Italy, I seriously don't understand the hype of this place. The staff was friendly and the food was fresh. The asparagus and mushrooms were good. The house pasta dish was less than pleasing. Very bland. I didn't eat half of it. 70 euros for 2 small pasta dishes and 2 small appetizers. No thanks, def not worth it to return. read more

I love this place! It has a reputation that's totally worth it. The food is delicious, slightly on the expensive side, but then again definitely not overpriced! The staff is also extremely friendly, I really felt I was transported to a small Italian village!!! read more

It's really difficult to book a table there due to the size of the place and high demand (apparently) and when you do get a table you expect it to be very good. I was not impressed by the quality or taste of the food. First, the antipasti we ordered tasted like something you would get at a grocery store and second, the pumpkin tortellini we ordered (the waiter actually recommended this to us) was not cooked properly (... I know the concept of Al dente this was not it) and the sauce was too salty. Maybe it was just bad luck but I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone. read more

The food is like Italian home cooking... By which I mean it's way below what you might expect from a restaurant and more what you expect from a not so gifted cook who means well. I had the lasagne but if you blindfolded me I would have never guessed it was a lasagna. It was just some pasta with roux the tomato sauce which is supposed to be the star of the dish was mostly missing in action, very dry and flavorless. If you don't speak Italian be prepared for an half an hour lecture about each and every ingredient they've ever had. Some people like that and some don't but since I didn't need the translation I got to watch some other guest taken hostage, knodding his head and trying to maintain eye contact while the owner goes trough his presentation not picking up on social cues, it's quite an entertaining show. Now I gave them a 3 star review at first which I think is fair for what is the worst lasagna I've ever eaten and yes I include ready meals from the supermarket in that but the owner decided that wasn't good enough and replied with some pretty discramatory slurs. So you have bland, overpriced food and an owner who discriminates and is abusive. So my advice is get over the hype (yes I know it's highly regarded but I think that's more reviewers taken in by the charm of the place and the guy than people actually using their taste buds) and look for another Italian restaurant, there's loads of them and I can almost guarantee that food will be better and more honestly priced there. read more

Would love to comment, but my mom and I walked 20 minutes out of our way to get there and was denied a table (even though there were 8 open ones) because we didn't have a reservation. Supposedly they are booked 2 weeks in advance. Make reservations! read more

Excellent food. Funny staff. Try making reservations or better come a little early as the restaurant is rather small and quite popular. Would go there again. read more

Real Italian just like an Osteria in Bologna, mama mia!

Amazing! Truly Italian food, actually from Emilia Romagna region. Authentic, tasty, friendly. Fully recommenced!

This place is a must!! I love it so much that I am already a frequent customer :). Haven't been there for dinner, but for lunch oh yeah! Everything about this place has a "home" touch. Their business card are hand-written by their mama! The past is super fresh and whatever you ask on the menu will be fine, so just take a risk and order without looking at it. Btw, prices are fair, but don't expect an "Italian" size portion. read more

Absolutely my favourite italian restaurant in the city. When we entered, the owner directly brought us a glass of prosecco to the table and he explained patiently the whole menu. We followed his recommendations and we were not disappointed! The menu is small and basic, but the quality of the products is just amazing. We had antipasti, a lot of wine and each a delicious plate of pasta and we didn't pay much. In the end he brought us some limoncello and made some time to talk to us. I would strongly recommend this restaurant: the food is delicious, the service very personal and the setting is authentic. make sure to book in advance! read more

One of the best Italian restaurants in Brussels. The team is so really, and the food amazing! We has the antipasti misto (so fresh and delicious), ravioli stuffed with cheese and topped with roasted pinenuts, and the famous tagliatele al ragu. Everything was perfect! Felt like an evening in Italy :-) read more

Service was superb. My friend and I arrived and the restaurant was full. (Not a problem, as we did not have reservations.) The server asked if we didn't mind waiting at a small table outside, and we were offered two glasses of Prosecco in the meantime. We were seated in 10 minutes and our server was the owner. He was very attentive, and explained the plates to us with great detail, in English. I do not expect English in a foreign country, but the added bonus of patient, English-speaking host was a plus. I had penne with beef and panna cotta, which were both excellent. read more

A true Italian place in Bruxelles!!! I was there yesterday and I had a very good experience. All the starters were amazing (a selection of salami, mortadella etc.) supertasty and superfresh. As for the main course I tried the lasagna and I stole some gnocchi and maccheroni with chickpeas from friends. Everything was exceptional in terms of quality, presentation and taste. The only problem was the lasagna was not warm enough, but the waiter promptly took it back and gave me a warmer piece. We took the wine of the house which was good and finally they gave us some digestives for free. A very nice italian experience. A place that I recommend fully. They offer take away (good option if there is no place inside). read more

After reading lots of positive comments we booked and when to this restaurant. I'm afraid that their quality is starting to weaken. Our pasta was really missing salt and two out of the 4 dishes were uncooked and I was with true Italians that thought the same. I hope that they will continue to grow their business but pay more attention to the food; Staff very friendly! read more

A gem in Brussels. Friendly and fast service, delicious authentic home made food -- what more can you ask for? It's also vegetarian-friendly, vegetables were piled on my part of the shared platter and my ricotta tortellini with brown butter sage sauce was fantastic. Book in advance or go early on Wednesday evenings, the one night they don't take reservations. read more