Poechenellekelder

SevaTse

New Hampshire

4.09/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Decent enough place. Huge bottle selection, and three drafts, which were all quality (had them all). They bring you a chex mix type snack with your beers. A nice spot to sit outside right across from the Maniken Pils. Good people watching/ relaxing atmosphere. Even cooler inside, but I wasn't gonna sit there on a nice day like that. Just like other places in the vicinity, it's close to major tourist attractions, and thus won't require a special trip.

They do not accept credit cards, so plan accordingly.

05-31-2010 04:11:24 | More by SevaTse

dirtylou

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

cool spot - location is adjacent to the Mannekin Pis - that pissing little statue gets a ridiculous amount of visitors. Poechenellekelder provides a wonderful oppurtunity to drink lambic on the sidewalk and watch the idiot tourists (note: i guess i am one of them)

on our first visit we sat outide and had a Cantillon Kriek and Geuze. on our second visit we sat inside for some 3 Fontein and Boon lambics. service was OK, but nothing special on both occassions. i guess when you speak different languages, that can happen.

the interior and exterior both provide strange vibes revolving around this silly pissing statue - the inside is kind of a shrine to the boy.

beerlist was strong, good amount of cantillon to choose from and lots of other belgians. there is a waffle stand outside of this place that is pretty divine too.

05-30-2010 22:35:34 | More by dirtylou

ViveLaChouffe

Georgia

4.36/5  rDev +7.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visited 10/2008

Poechenellekelder is a two-tiered cafe located within spitting distance of the most overrated tourist attraction in the world.

Still giddy from the Cantillon tour, we ordered up a 750 ml bottle of Rose de Gambrinus to split. Poechenellekelder is a classic Belgian brown bar but full of Mannekin Pis replicas dressed in little outfits created for the real one over the years. Marionettes hung from the ceiling and walls and the requisite beer signs were plastered over a glassed in square. Service was good but expect to be left alone. We snacked on the little crisps they made available and leisurely enjoyed our lambic. Prices were average for Brussels.

Beer list was good, both bottled and draft and lots of lambic, well north of 100 beers offered. Definitely worth a visit and not too far fromthe Cantillon brewery.

05-27-2010 12:46:43 | More by ViveLaChouffe

gfreed

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

A great place for a number of reasons, some of which actually relate to beer. There are puppets hanging everywhere; some are monks, some are clowns; I saw death hanging just over my own table. And it's dark, so don't expect to be able to read your phrasebook or your map. This evening, the music selections were interesting: lounge-jazz renditions of 1970s hits like "Smoke on the Water" and "Stairway to Heaven." Well.

If you get a table in the front, you can watch the hordes of people taking pictures and posing in front of the Manneken Pis which, for whatever reason, became the symbol of Brussels many years ago. I am a former adolescent boy, yet even I fail to see the attraction. If there wasn't a fence around it I'm sure people would be lining up to drink from the stream. Prove yourself a real grown-up: skip it and head here instead.

The food offerings are limited: cheese, soup and a few pasta dishes. I had the spaghetti Bolognese, which was packed into a small, attractive dish and buried under a blizzard of parmesan cheese. My daughter would have loved it. The sauce was light, the pasta was well-cooked and the cheese was... well, cheesy.

Excellent beer list, both tap and bottles. I had a Forest Blonde (bottle) and a Slagh lager (tap); the waitress didn't know who made it. The former was a pale ale that tasted nearly like a German lager; the latter was rather eh-- somewhat like a fair Pilsner but a lot fruitier.

The service is spare-- you'll be left alone once you order, so if you want another round you'll have to make yourself known. The Sunday night I was there it was quite busy; even so I managed to stay for a hour with nobody pushing me out the door. This is clearly a local favorite, based on the number of children and dogs in the restaurant. Very homey. Everybody smokes and the ashtrays are full. At first I thought the smoke might ruin the beer for me but I soon found that it only added to the atmosphere. Absolutely put this on your beer tour.

11-15-2009 18:03:36 | More by gfreed

Travlr

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Just off the Grand Place. Puppet theme with a strange collection of costumes and props. Good beer selection, not huge but very well chosen with occasional rare finds. Very decent food, lots of good cheeses, staff have good recommendations for what cheese goes with what beer. Mostly young and inexperienced waitstaff, but very friendly, especially by Brussels standards. Don't bend down to pick up the two euro coin on the stairs - it's nailed down! Great for watching tourists go berserk over that puny ridiculous statue.

11-08-2009 02:23:39 | More by Travlr

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

After a lovely morning touring and drinking Cantillon, Elaina and I went to see the Japanese tourists taking photos of the Manneken Piss and buying overpriced chocolates. The Poechenellekelder's large patio gave us the perfect vantage point for this and better yet it came with large bottles of La Moneuse.

The Poechenellekelder's atmosphere was impressive. In addition to the large patio and humorous view, the tavern boasts a comfortable though lively bar area and a cavernous cellar complete with its namesake puppet theater. I also enjoyed a giggle or two at the painting on the wall featuring a Waffle with a large red X through it and the motley decorations found inside the establishment. Service was exceptional to the point where I felt compelled to photograph our waiter. We had a nice chat with the friendly fellow who was good enough to keep our glass full with one of our most favorite beers. The tap list was good and the bottle list extensive. Highly recommended.

09-16-2009 01:23:08 | More by DaPeculierDane

steeltown71

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Across the street from the most famous statue in Brussels, Poechenellekelder is my favorite bar in the city. This is much more low key than the Delirium, and is a great place for a relatively cheap bite to eat as well as a superb bottle list.

I visited around 2:00pm and had some lunch (spaghetti jambon-fromage) and a Cantillon Kriek. The menu had an impressive list of Lambic, Gueuze, and trappist/trappist-style ales as well as sours, etc. Also had some vintage bottles such as Cuvee van de Kaiser from the last couple years and Cantillon Lamvinus. I didn't see Westy on the menu although they have a few crates of empties on display so not positive if they have a regular stock or not. My Kriek was served in a Cantillon glass at the perfect temperature.

I liked all the seating areas - patio outside near the Manneken Pils, the upstairs tables, and a downstairs which might be for parties. For the volume of tourist traffic coming through this area, I was stunned at the completely reasonable prices and lack of overcrowding (at least when I visited). Staff was very cordial and more than happy to make recommendations.

I wholeheartedly recommend a visit and enjoyed my time here more than the celebrated Delirium Cafe.

07-31-2009 00:12:36 | More by steeltown71

adamette

Ohio

5/5  rDev +22.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This place, just feet from the Mannekin Pis, is not to be missed. Classic Brussels beer bar and a Beer Advocate must see. Here is the breakdown of my visit on 6 28 09:

Atmoshphere: Could not be improved. Mannekin Pis costumes of the past, Belgian beer signage, oversized bottles of beer from around the world (with an emphasis on Belgians), great tables with a place marker near most seats with prior benefactors listed, great little metal winding staircase to say nothing of the incredible outdoor seating for about 80 again just opposite the Mannekin Pis. Not only it is a BA must see but it is not easy to miss, so close to a tourist stop like the Mannekin Pis.

Quality: Cannot be improved where I can see with about 400 beer bottles served in appropriate glassware in the highest class way.

Service: Excellent introduction to beer provided by our mutilingual waiter who was patient and right on in his assessment of their available beers. Much of what he had to say was already understood by me but it was very nice of his to provide the overview and I thought to myself if I had not known anything about beer this would be the ideal introduction. Bravo!

Selection: As stated, 400 bottles and (possibly..I did not check) a few taps with a concentration on Belgians. Need I say more?

Food: Did not attempt. I am not even sure that they offer food. I was so entranced by the beer there.

Value: Just fine. My wife and I each had a beer and it was something like $10 USD.

Notes: Special thanks to BA (again) for being able to know about this place and look for it. You came through again!

07-05-2009 12:37:02 | More by adamette

EatsTacos

Yukon (Canada)

4.59/5  rDev +12.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

This is in my opinion the best pub in Brussels for many reasons. The atmosphere of the interior is great; cozy, warm, interesting, not overly touristy. The patio is also fantastic. The servers mostly speak good english and are more than happy to give advice on beers and make recommendations. More often than not they're happy to see customers come there to get quality beers and are happy when you don't order a leffe blonde.

This is above all a beer bar and there is a good beer menu. You could spend quite some time delving into the menu and discovering some not-so-common Belgian beers. They also have rotating taps.

06-02-2009 11:42:08 | More by EatsTacos

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

So, you are looking at the little guy peeing with all the tourists gawking...turn around and look to your left and that is where you want to be.

Poechenellekelder, the puppet cave, is about as good as it gets when it comes to Belgian beers. You can sit outside on a nice day and watch the tourists or go inside and enjoy the atmosphere. Inside you'll see lots of things dedicated to beer, Mannekin Pis and puppets. Its a pretty awesome mix to be honest.

The beer selection is outstanding. You name it and they've got it including daily specials. We had a bunch of different things but what stood out was the fresh and aged Orval presented in different glasses for comparison's sake. It was just perfect.

We also had some Chimay cheese that was served with the traditional brown bread and really hit the spot. Does it get any better than great cheese, bread and beer. The monks have it right on.

Definitely not a place you want to pass up in Brussels. In fact, if you only have time to go to one, screw Delirium and check this place out!

05-27-2009 01:26:57 | More by indiapaleale