The best music and entertainment bars Bruxelles - Brussel

Press the Archi's doorbell and enter another world where nothing, apart from the customers' attire, has changed since the 1930s: architecture, decor and comfortable original Art Deco armchairs that invite visitors to lounge around sipping a pisco sour. In 1953, jazz pianist Stan Brenders took over the establishment. His piano is still there, as are the jazz concerts, every weekend in the late afternoon. In the evenings, a motley crew gathers here, and after a certain hour, it's time to dance. L'Archi is a Brussels legend!

Bonnefooi ("by chance" in the local dialect...) is defined as a dance bar with DJ sets every opening night and free concerts on Wednesdays and Sundays, to the delight of a young audience. Local artists of all stripes perform here, and many international stars have also made a name for themselves. Enchanting setting and intoxicating music of all kinds (electronic, jazz...)... open until 8 a.m. on weekends! Upstairs, you can privatize the entire restaurant (50 pers. minimum) or reserve a few tables.

The Greenlab is a real gin bar opened by Sophie Barrière and Leslie Moreau. Not far from the world record with more than 150 gins, the staff gives good advice and proposes a seasonal cocktail menu. The syrups and infusions are made in-house. The bar organizes events related to the cocktail world (Brussels Cocktail Week...). It is possible to privatize the mezzanine of 30 places. You can also take advantage of the snack bar in collaboration with the cheese factory La Fruitière, with sausages from the market, small vegetarian snacks...

Right in the middle of the square, where a superb kiosk takes pride of place, this local bar stands out from the crowd. In an old-fashioned bistro atmosphere, locals and workers from nearby offices come here for a bite to eat, a coffee or one of the fifty beers on the blackboard. Among the speciality hops are many from Brussels (Grosse Bertha, Delta, Zinnebir...), gueuzes and krieks, Trappist beers and Ginette. The brick walls support a warm, vintage decor. Beautiful garden at the rear.

At the Bizon, you can order a beer but also twenty kinds of juniper and of course vodka, including the one with bison grass... bison grass, of course! With its dark and smoky old pub look, its blues and rock concerts, its sports broadcasts and its experienced bartenders, one starts to feel a certain nostalgia for this type of establishment that is resisting the lounge wave. In short, the Bizon is a bit different in this neighbourhood where the cafés tend to be a bit formatted... and that's all to the good for diversity!

The audiophile bar concept is coming to Brussels, just a stone's throw from Altitude 100 in Forest. It is a bar but designed to listen to music. The acoustics have been thought out, as well as the sound system, to measure. During the day, it's the vinyls of Thomas Mamakis, the boss, that turn on the turntable and we enjoy while drinking a coffee. On weekend evenings, a DJ adds to the atmosphere while you eat delicious, well-prepared dishes with natural wines. The interior is simple but the bar with its Art Deco lines steals the show.

The conviviality of the Daringman is well established! The house dates back to 1942 and is said to have been home to a boxing club, Daring Brussels, in the 1950s and 1960s. Since 2000, Martine has been at the helm. A typical Brussels corner café, where Dutch-speaking and French-speaking people drink together. Sort of thebruincafé of our Dutch neighbors, the place is tiny but its reputation has made it a veritable institution. You go there as if you were visiting old friends, and commune over the divine beverage with other beer brothers.

Le Grand Café is in the tradition of these fine boulevard brasseries. For centuries, it has boasted a magnificent terrace with a breathtaking view over the Bourse and the pedestrian precinct. This venerable establishment is a restaurant, but above all it's a café with a pleasant decor, all the more so as during the 2020 confinement, the whole place was given a facelift and its magnificent awning was restored. A classic menu, with moules-frites of course, steaks and other meats, savory waffles, a wonderful sauerkraut in winter and many other dishes.

Located in the Saint-Géry district, this café offers, in addition to a rather impressive drinks menu, petiscos, the Portuguese tapas. Hot (feijoada, Madeira cubes...), cold (Portuguese cheeses, tuna mousseline), sweet (pasteis de nata), there is plenty to enjoy. Without forgetting a whole choice of very caliente cocktails (a good fifty). You can also simply enjoy the warm and relaxed atmosphere of Floreo or go and browse through the collection of board games for a little game with friends.

If you want to soak up the Brussels culture that is so dear to our hearts, this would be the one. It's hard to remain unmoved by the glibness of the puppeteers, who revisit the great classics of the French, English and Dutch scenes. The Brussels accent is proudly proclaimed here and one is delighted to be able to spend a colourful evening in a place that has almost disappeared several times. A true institution, Toone has been handed down from generation to generation, so much so that today it is Toone VIII that is in charge.