Best Belgian Bars In Washington Near Me

Alex Drexel: Had some time to kill before a brunch reservation this last weekend so we stopped by The Sovereign to get a couple of drinks. The bartender was very friendly and the cocktails were excellent. The basement bar area is beautiful and had a great atmosphere. We liked it so much that we decided to come back at night to check it out then. In the evening we sat upstairs and had a variety of great Belgian beers and some great food. All the drinks were reasonably priced as was the food, definitely a great spot worth checking out.

Zach Feig: This restaurant has a really cool speakeasy vibe! The drink menu was also very impressive. It's been a really long time since I've been to a restaurant and seen beers that look really creative and new. This place serves a step above just craft brewing. The appetizers were also quite good!

Jack Kelly: Wow - what a place. The beer menu is incredible. A clear Belgian / Belgian inspired focus with gorgeous wild ales. A little pricey but these are beers I’ve seldom seen anywhere else. The menu is strong, with the beef short ribs particularly good. Service was excellent. The waiter we had (who’s name I didn’t get) dealt with our large group superbly - we were never waiting to place an order and never left long between ordering and the food / drink coming.

Mischa: An awesome hole-in-the-wall, but upscale bar with both a modern and old vibe to it. There are some very good beer options here, as well as Belgian beers of course, and the food was very tasty.

Dana Hyde: Great ambiance. Wouldn't have known about it if my son had not taken us there... it's tucked away down a cute little alleyway in Georgetown. We had our first taste absinthe here which was an interesting and unique experience. We had already eaten elsewhere before he took us there so we only ordered drinks.. and an order of fries which were some of the best around. Would love to go again sometime soon.

Carl Poblete: Had the steak tartare it was really good very earthy and has a green and herby flavor profile. The bread was just a nice crunchy toasted bread that complimented the dish very well. Didn’t take away from the flavor but gave it that texture to contrast the chewiness.

Dave Baker: This is a legit Belgium pub. They’ve got a huge lineup of spirits and great draft and bottled Belgium style beers with experienced bartenders to guide you if needed. The food is incredible and I’m bummed to have just missed their brunch, so I’ll come back for that tomorrow! I had the onion soup and pork belly sandwich. The broth was deep and flavorful full of onions and topped with a thick layer of Gruyère cheese. The slow cooked pork belly was tender and had an incredible crispy crust. It was topped with watercress and sauerkraut inside a baguette with the mustard aioli on the side. The pork was so juicy, I reserved the aioli for my nicely crispy, piping hot fries. I had four 4 oz glasses of different beers. All were different, but very good. You’ll likely want a reservation, but seating upstairs in the bar is first come.

Besart Ç.: One of Georgetown's top bars – and the best spot in DC for absinthe and pastis selection! Great ambiance, food is fire too. Happy hour from 4-6 is pretty sweet too.

Anastasios Kapsalis: The kind of place that has me thinking about a quick trip back to DC! The food and beer here is incredible. Great Belgian beer, steak frites, onion soup, and burger. Tucked away in the back of a Georgetown alley, the dark atmosphere and modern pub style makes this a cool place. Impressive!

Ukiyo: Superb service and an even more super food, which was different than any other food I tried before. My favorite dishes turned out to be the mussels in the white wine sauce and the marinated eggplant. The scallops were really nice too. This restaurant is perfect for a business dinner as it does not get too loud. I would recommend to anyone who wants a nice unique dinner in a peaceful environment.

nivethitha jayaraj: Impeccable service, impressive taste. The menu is just a single side and what they say about restaurants that have small menus is true- almost everything is bound to taste good. I saw just one chef in the open kitchen and he was doing an amazing job on the dishes. Nutella French toast was really light and flavorful French toast with Nutella on the side- heaven! The Belgian waffles were outstanding and barely needed the syrup on the side. Crab cake Benedict was a good size dish- the crab cakes were crisp and the eggs were poached right, but the vinaigrette served on the side salad stole the show. The frites were excellent and there were three aioli choices- the Thai flavored one was yummy!!The egg skillet was great with crisp potatoes, onions and cheese and really good bread. Hot chocolate was decadent and we had a cheesecake dessert- this was not exactly a cheesecake but whatever it was, it was delicious !!

Margarita Pineda: We went here for brunch to celebrate our anniversary and were so happy we picked this place. 1) Service = The service was great. A few mentioned that service wasn't so great but we did not find this to be the case. Ralph was extremely attentive. The bread was brought out warm and the butter was very easy to spread. 2) My husband ordered the classic mussels and biscuits and gravy and he says both were VERY good. 3) I ordered the steak frites and it was also very good. The steak was tender, the sauce was tasty, fries were crispy and the watercress was good. 4) Ambiance = Everything was nice, we sat outside for the lovely weather and had an umbrella for shade. 5) I recommend getting the bottomless mimosas!

Arash E: Great experience having dinner in a restaurant after 3 months! The patio seating was used, no indoor seating. The servers (as well as the customers!) were a bit confused about the situation and you could not be sure what to expect in the service vs. safety balance. But the food tasted great as always and the hosts did their best.

Jacquie Beveridge: We enjoy a meal here every time we visit DC. The service was great! I was disappointed the octopus wasn't available, but enjoyed the modules, as always.

Jacquie Beveridge: My mouth was watering as I made the reservation for dinner here with my cousin. We'd eaten here five years earlier and were excited to return. The octopus was the best I've ever had and tonight was no exception. Our server, John, shared just the information we wanted to hear to select several plates to share. The octopus was as good as we remembered. The eastern oysters were not too briny and the mussels with wild mushrooms and truffle cream were excellent! My cousin has now converted to become a mussel and oyster lover! We look forward to returning!

Brown Bear Life: I didn't know what to expect based on the name except for French based cuisine and Brasserie Beck did not disappoint. You have a lot of options on the menu, nice wine list, and the cocktail menu was pretty extensive also. Knowledgeable wait staff, the presentation was well done, and the atmosphere was cozy and relaxing. Bon appetit!

Erik Johnson: Brasserie Beck was great both times I visited. Happy hour offers a half dozen oysters for $9, and is more than worth it. The beer selection is small but exactly the right beers for the place. A dinner of mussels was more than I could eat after the oysters - the mussels were both large and delicious. Service was a tad slow in the bar on an early Friday evening but very friendly. Will return soon!

Nikolaos Moropoulos: Great food, great atmosphere, great service, good value for money. Do you want more? We had oysters from california, octopus, steak tartare and a salad with smoked salmon. All were of great quality, well prepared and served. The atmpsphere of the brasserie invites you to enjoy the eating and drinking experience. Service is great, the people serving the drinks and the food know their wares and truly help with selections. Finally, the price is right.

Lateef Abney: After being closed because of the pandemic, St. Arnold's has returned in full force. Freshly remodeled, the place still has its same original charm. They have plenty of European beers on tap that come in 3 different sizes as well as imports in bottles and cans. If u make it there in time try the mussels of course, if not stay for the hospitality. Lorraine is usually behind the bar, and she is an amazing hostess and bartender.

Elena Anderson: This is a hidden neighborhood gem. From the street it looked closed but once you walk in, it's a very lively place where you can have a tasty lunch and catch a sports game. The actual mussles were nice and meaty and the service was prompt and friendly. For my order, I added shrimp. For the $5 upgrade, I literally had 5 pieces of meduim-sized shrimp. But overall, I was well-pleased with the mussels and the variety on the menu.

Michael Mcginnis: Back and better than ever! Friendly service and wonderful mussels. Some of the best in the city IMO.

Adam Ford: Every time I come to DC, I have to go here. They have 20 different types of sauce. You can order it by the pound. Usually I go with my spouse, and will order two different kinds and share them both. Get extra bread.

B. Mansouri: I have tried many of the menu items and everything tasted great. The service is always awesome. Everything is cooked to perfection. I have introduced this place to my friends and everyone loves it. In addition to the variety of mussels you can find something that you would like here.

Andrew Wong: Great selection of mussels! No shortage of options for beer and mussels, this used to be our go-to happy hour spot. They recently increased their happy hour prices which has caused our group to start going elsewhere. The food is good quality and the ambience is small-pub style, although seating can be limited during peak hours, so you might need a reservation if you have a group. Friendly, quick service. If they kept their previous happy hour prices we would have kept this our weekly meeting spot.

Adam Pusateri: Reopened! One of my favorite places and so looking forward to many return trips!

Tom Knier: If you enjoy mussels, beer, and a laid-back dinner experience, St. Arnold's is your place. Located a few steps down from Jefferson St near Dupont Circle, this cozy spot features numerous Belgian and German beer options, as well as some other rotating brews. If you're not into the mussels, try their chicken sandwich. The duck-fat aioli served alongside the fries is amazing.

Kylynn Fontaine: Tons of selection on the menu for mussels. I had the "house" mussels which were very good. The fries were also well cooked and come with all the mussel dishes. Large selection of primarily Belgian beers, which typically aren't my favorite but I found a sour I really enjoyed. Small cozy atmosphere, and good service.

Ray Moreno: I have eaten here more than two dozen times mostly though it’s become my weekend early breakfast routine. I’ve had 80% of the breakfast/brunch menu items & am never disappointed. The waffles are amazing ( what you’d expect from a Belgium restaurant), the mushroom toast is so well seasoned snd a delight. The green eggs a really nice twist & I could go on… I loved the poached eggs with salmon and if you’re looking for traditional American you can get it there too. I’ve also had the Flemish stew and mussels. The stew is extremely flavorful (a top notch culinary experience) and who can go wrong with a mussels in a white wine, garlic butter sauce with plenty of herbs to add the “wow” to the flavor. I am not a drinker but I did enjoy a really nice glass of Cabernet with the stew and it was an incredible match. They have a wide selection of wines. Overall if your looking for wonderful food experience, you’ll have it here. The service is also always great and Omar is my go to server. He adds a nice mix of professionalism/home style treatment. Amongst the best DC spots!

Leo Liu: Lovely restaurant, very cozy rooftop brunch destination. I was super impressed by the buttermilk fried chicken and waffle. It screams aesthetics. Four stars because the servers weren't super friendly. We made a reservation ahead of time for our one year anniversary brunch, but we had to be squeezed in and seated at the bar upon arrival. Overall amazing food, so I would still come back!

Alexander O'Neill: Eastern market is such a great place for food. Belga is one of neighborhoods more upscale haunts with a great selection of Flemish and French dishes. You can’t go wrong with the entrees though you may have more fun splitting a few of their many apps. The cocktails are also delicious!

Kel Millionie: What an incredible place to eat. Open concept kitchen with fantastic Belgian food, great service, fantastic cocktails, relaxing upscaled vibe, and and an exhaustive wine and spirits list is sure to please anyone. A wonderful spot for a date night but casual enough for dinner with friends for no special reason. Go for the steak tartare or escargot... Stay for any of the specials and you won't be disappointed. Check out the speakeasy on the roof you access through the alley, their cocktails are spot on.

Brigitta Danyi: The coddled egg in the bokaal! That was my order on the picture ! First time I had brunch in Belgian restaurant ! The place was full, then the owner come to welcomes us and try to find a table where we all can seat down. After a min. we was at the bar what we don’t mind. People very friendly there, I was surprised food arrived soon fresh hot and yummy . (We all order different brunch) Coffee latte was great then I saw the lady at the bar made the Bloody Mary so my friend order for us too! If you are in DC we definitely recommend this place ! See you, and thanks for the excellent service!

Mark Orebiyi: My girlfriend planned this extravagant day for her and I and it included Brunch at Belga Cafe (which is from 11am-3pm on the weekend). The restaurant fits a descent amount of people. Their drinks are awesome, I recommend the Bellini and B’Mimosa. Their service was great. I had the Lamb and Chorizo Burger and my girlfriend had the Fried Chicken and Waffles. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Mehmet Esen: Great atmosphere for brunch! The waffles were delicious. No wonder the place was packed. We will return when the weather is better to enjoy sitting outside.

Anna V (Chapacatt): To keep it short, the cafe is good but overpriced for what it is. It was nearly 18$ for an avocado toast and an over dressed “side salad”. While the staff and outdoor seating are nice, the price was just not worth it. For 18$ I would have expected even better service, higher quality ingredients, better coffee, and an atmosphere more conducive of a cafe (blasting the top 40 at a cafe just isn’t the vibe). The toast was very “instagramable”, but I would have preferred something with more flavor.

Dwayne Thomson: Streetside seating is charming, and the menu has many options. Not sure how much of it is authentic Belgian, but the venison tomahawks were fantastic. Would have enjoyed the drinks options to reflect the Belgian theme too, but the house cocktails, more Heartland-American than anything else (mulled wine, apple cider, bourbon), were quite decent.

Hui Min Cao: Great mussels, even for non-seafood lovers because of the sauces. Happy hour from 5-7 is a great time to try them. The mini mussels on the menu are a half order of the regular. There are solid beers to pair with the mussels.

Fred Pineau: You must visit this fascinating and unique bar/restaurant. You will love the many Belgian beers that they have on tap. You must also try the mussels and fries; they are second to none!

Bill Bentaieb: The absolute best mussels and fries in this world. Real perfection. The service is super friendly. The place is perfect for a messy dinner of delicious mussels and amazing frites.

steve drake: This quaint little bar is 5 stars all the way . Mussels are the name of the game. Chowder and Thai style are the must orders. Double cooked fries are super crispy. The wings are Smokey and just a little spicy. Incredible beer list. Date night or friends and family night , great spot. Can't wait to be back.

Igor at skvltd.media: Fantastic local restaurant and bar! Great food and excellent staff. Beef stew, gnocchi, sandwiches, and poutine are full of flavor and amazing!

Soph B: I am SO GLAD Granville Moore's in its original incarnation is back. I have been going here for who knows how many years, and it felt a bit like coming home to sit at a table and have their unbeatably delicious Thai Curry mussels and a trappist beer. I can't recommend Granville Moore's enough. Chef Ryan, who also heads The Queen Vic a few doors down, is a master at everything he touches. I worked with him at Hook Hall over the summer and he runs a tight kitchen and is super kind to his staff. Stop by and support a local and delicious restaurant!

Andrew Vincent: This is that rare spot that looks and feels like a hole-in-the-wall but has top-tier food. My wife and I came here for dinner before catching a show at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. The place was a bit tricky to find, but it was exactly what we were after: great food, well-groomed beer selection, and good atmosphere. The steak was perfectly prepared, the crab cakes were meaty, and the portions were generous. I didn't try the mussels, but I wish I had. I recommend making reservations if you want to sit at a table; most of the space is reserved for the downstairs and upstairs bars, both of which were filling up by 6:30pm.

Austin Lynch: Eat all of the mussels! The Bleu cheese and pork belly one was unique and amazing! The smoked grilled wings are charred to perfection! I've never had a reuben on a roll before but I'm in love now, so tender and the red kraut was really tangy. My sister had the corned beef has and it looked so good. She said it was. Lots of beers to chose from, and the staff was spot on with their recommendations. Jason did a wonderful job keeping up with our 8 top. Would definitely make this a repeat stop when my wife and I come back.

Charlotte Taft: Oh my! Second visit finally reviewing. The bar staff are fab - discussed what I was drinking, what I thought of it, then - unsolicited- made a great rec for my next one. Good brunch, even better mussels. The atmosphere is wonderful.

Jonathan Isett: Top notch selection of craft beers in DC. Also one of the most extensive whiskey/ bourbon catalogs around. Atmosphere is good, and the food comes through. The homemade tots are a must have. Great location on 14th st close to Logan circle. Stop and have a beer or two.

Rossukon Jandech: Beer Brunch Event on June 25th, 2022Great event, great employee, great service.Meet famous brewers there as well, so awesome.

Jeremy Krantz: During a week-long trip in DC, I spent most, if not all of my evenings at ChurchKey. As a craft beer aficionado, this is pretty much a mecca when it comes to beer and their selection is hard to match. You may wonder what's so special about this place and let me tell you straight up that it is their beer. There's little point is coming for wine, or cocktails (although they're not bad at all!) but really what sticks out is their craft beer. They have 50 taps and 500+ of bottles available as well as 5 rotating casks. It's hard to beat. My wife and I got to know the staff really well after a few trips there and they were all super friendly, knowledgeable and they made our experiences there very memorable. I cannot wait to return for many more trips when in town. One pro tip I recommend to everyone is to ask for their master beer list known as "The Bible" which is frequently updated and will allow you to figure out what's available since their selection is so extensive.

Taylor Friedman: I love churchkey but the service here needs improvement. I’ve been twice since they reopened with the latest being a Saturday night around 11:30. Busy but not crazy. Was able to find a seat at the bar. After I sat down it took at least 5 minutes just to get a bartender to acknowledge me. Was handed food and drink menus. After that probably another 5 minutes to get my order in. I thought it was weird that the bartender didn’t provide water when I sat down. I feel that it’s customary to do so at a bar as so not to make people drunk quickly. After I ordered my second drink I placed an order for food as well and was told the kitchen closed at midnight. That would have been helpful to know as I got there at almost quarter til so that was annoying. Shortly before I left there was also a guy at the bar who was passed out and one of the bartenders slammed a bottle really hard on the counter to wake him up and I thought that was kind of unnecessary. All in all, definitely a craft beer Mecca but just keep in mind service can be kinda spotty. (P.S.- they made the place brighter after they reopened so you can actually see going up that long flight of stairs and the menu once you’re inside!)

Levi Wasmundt: It's easy to get overwhelmed by the vast selection of beers on tap, but their menu organizes them well and the bartenders are very helpful in pointing you in the right direction. Ours also offered us samples before we ordered full pours. Good job ChurchKey. Cheers!

Tom W: Great list of beers. Nothing I was too interested in and I love me some craft beers. But that’s not their fault, that’s my palate. The issue was the service being absolute trash when the bar wasn’t even busy and they had ample staff. Drinks took about a half hour to come out so we ended it early and just left.

Joe Perretta: Unfortunately, churchkey is the best beer bar for 100 miles. The beer is exceptional and it has reopened without missing a beat in terms of selection. The service is some of the worst for 1000 miles. And let's not blame a worker shortage, it's bad training. Nobody really knows the bottle list, most servers don't know an ale from a lager. I'm glad I had my wine key on me after my own bartending shift elsewhere because my server, who was very kind and affable, couldn't open the bottle I ordered. One of the worst staff training programs in town. I also had to convince another server that I didn't want a taster or full pour, because I had ordered a bottle. Fortunately, the clientele is, mostly, as ambivalent as management so there's no real impact to any of this. But it's just the most amateurish beer institution on the east coast. I'll continue to begrudgingly give NRG my money, but man oh man does it make you hateful to have to open your own bottles after a long shift. I really so hate churchkey.

A small cat (cat): We sat upstairs and it had a better vibe. It does have the same menu as downstairs. There were regular booths, high booths, and bar, tables. Good water. Nice decor. Great atmosphere. We ordered the tator tots - good flavor, wish more crispy on the outside like a thicker layer of it, more like mashed potato inside, salty but not too salty. The chicken and waffles were good but not my favorite. They probably just weren't my flavor profile I like. My husband loved them. The music was loud but not too loud. There were TV's at the bar. A great place to go hang out and have some grub.

Robert Last: Loved this place. Lot's of good beers. Great bartenders and service. I didn't get to try the food this trip.

Ray Moreno: Wonderful lunch! I was greeted like I had just come home after a long trip…would have gotten a kiss had I not had my mask on. The beet salad with grapefruit was an amazing start and the bolognese was a perfect match with the Pinot Noir. I am not sure what took me so long to come. I will be back. Eat your heart out Le Diplomat!

Kim Darwaza: Always a great meal at Et Voila! Belgian French Restaurant in the Palisades Neighborhood of DC. The sole is buttery goodness, and I loved my Smokeypolitan which is a cosmo with Mezcal.

Mara Catherine Sippel: Outstanding cuisine and service. Outdoor seating available. Indoors has lovely ambiance. It’s more quiet after 7:30. But really it’s about the food. The cheese plate is outstanding. The beef tartare and mussels the same. Portions are enough to share. Will return undoubtedly.

P. S. Murray: Excellent food - mussels are a specialty.Outside seating. Excellent staff.I will go again.

Figueroa Esq: Waiter Was Professionally Condescending! GREATER: Was very good and ensured to make our brief wait comfortable. WAITER: Seemed not interested to be working. Was very knowledgeable of the menu. But, attitude was one not tolerable for a customer service provider. Just one example: (Our group was celebrating a personal life milestone of one of its members). One of the members of our party asked what were the specials for the night. ARE YOU READY FOR THE ANSWER!? "Well if you want to hear them (with a look of disbelief while posturing his body and with a, why are you bothering me with this? What, you come here without knowing that basic information... and shaking his head briefly). If someone doesn't want to hear the specials, the person wouldn't ask. Why treat a person, who is spending money at your place of business in such a manner? Then almost every time we would ask a question he would answer in his condescending attitude with his body language backing up his discomfort. Enough of the waiter, to avoid spoiling the evening. FOOD Everyone enjoyed their dishes. My dish was the Beef stew in beer. Alone it was salty, in a high blood pressure way. But when the mashed potatoes were added, then the flavors came together. The beef would melt in your mouth. And the different textures made sense. I would definitely tone down the saltiness of the stew. Each dish has to be able to hold on its own. Onion Soup, glorious. A sure winner. BATHROOM: Clean and well decorated. BUT, need to have someway to open door after you wash your hands. To dry your hands, you use the Dyson blade dryer. But then you have to open the door with your hand. WTH? Following your waiter's Condescending attitude, can't you understand that we are still living a pandemic and this has a simple fix? RETURN FACTOR 80% RECOMMEND A FRIEND FACTOR 50% Even though the food was good I can't recommend a person since I fear that person could face the same condescending attitude from that particular waiter. FINAL WORDS Management, make sure your personnel wants to work, they are motivated to work. They are the face of your business. Thankfully, we all decided to not let this attitude destroy such an important night for one member of our party. I want to go back to try again with a different waiter.

Robert Pollock: Nice experience. I could have made a meal on the complementary french bread and sweet butter, but the mussels were absolutely amazing - picture perfect and plump. A friend enjoyed a generous portion of sole. Good atmosphere. Professional service. The waitress was gracious about a miscommunication in one entre order. Chocolate almond tart with raspberry sauce was a bit too sweet and not to my taste. Stick with the crème brule.

Besart Ç.: Loved the food and the desserts, the waffle was a highlight. Their espresso martinis were also excellent: perfect foam to drink ratio. Highly recommend this spot.

Jassett M: Had the day off so I decided to treat myself. It was worth it. Absolutely delicious. Already looking forward to my next visit to try something different.

Frank Fayer: Very impressed with this place, and I don’t say that lightly. As someone who prefers fish instead of steak for dinner, I’ve had a lot of branzino from places all over the world and this was one of the best I’ve had in my life. We also shared the mussels which of course were delicious, and the rigatoni pasta with veal and pork was perfect, worth elaborating on. The sauce has the full flavor, hearty and homey, the tomato so robust it’s popping out, but blending so well with the recipe and the softness of the pork and veal. Strong recommend for soft quiet elegant refined atmosphere, and quality food at appropriate prices.