Au Bon Vieux Temps

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

Visited: 8-18-08

Follow the Impasse St. Nicholas past the Kasteel, Dickirch, and Duvel neon lights to the Corsendonk sign. Then go a little further and you will find a hidden treat of Brussels' beer scene. This place is a real tavern complete with drunken old men locals, debating philosophers and footballers, and stained glass windows. The beer list is small but excellent and features Westy 12. I ordered 2 but found one of the bottles that came a bit suspicious. One had the yellow cap I have had several times before and came in a Westmalle bottle. The other came in a Trappist bottle and featured a cap that looked to be a bad forgery of a Westy cap. I ran into this sort of thing a few times so if anyone has any insight into this please BM me. At anyrate, the beers were excellent. The service was fine and came from a cool old woman. The atmosphere top notch. Seek it out and don't miss out on the equally weird bar next door.

09-12-2009 00:44:34 | More by DaPeculierDane

BeerTampa

Florida

2.11/5  rDev -45.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2 | service: 2 | selection: 1.5 | $$

This place hasn't been reviewed in a while.

Judging from the prior reviews, this place has gone downhill.

This is right off the Grand Place but was billed as a non-tourist zone. We went late in the evening, probably 23:00.

It was pretty much all tourists. There was a young Belgian dude there that was getting the email address of a visibly intoxicated young American.

Beer menu consisted of a few Trappist beers. In big letters and in English: we have Westvleteren, the best beer in the WORLD. 10 euro.

I ordered it. The 60 year old Bar Mom opened it on the other side of the bar, dumped it into a glass, and served it to me. Didn't see the cap. Could have been another Trappist beer with the labeled removed from the bottle. Who knows. It was good, but judging from their advertising and the touristy nature of the bar, I question if it was really a Westy.

06-06-2013 08:13:12 | More by BeerTampa

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +17.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Alone in Belguim ( I highly do not reccomend this, so much crime on the streets) I wandered into the bar next to it because my friends said they got Westy there. Of course i get in there but they don't so the lady said go next door to Au Bon Vieux Temps, they have it. So dickishly i straight up left. Then i got to Au Bon Vieux Temps and was nicely greeted by the female bartender. I immediately asked for the westy and she warned me of the price but I got it anyways at 10 euros. The place is old school inside, just a kick-ass old school pub. no smoking anymore anywhere in Brussels. I met some cool Flemish people and had a great time sipping on my Westy. This is the way I would have wanted to try this beer, among good company. I didn't even bother to critique the Westy, It was good, one of my 3 favorite beers, enough said. The real amazing part about this place is that the bartender let me buy 2 more bottles to go. With sincerity I really recommend this place, it is a must. No bar wtih this much character and charm should be forgotten.

08-03-2011 08:07:49 | More by crossovert

distantmantra

Washington

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $

Even though this is right near the Grand Place, Au Bon Vieux Temps is still off the beaten path and not frequented by most tourists. Once you make your way down the alley and into the bar, ABVT is reminiscent of what I figure Brussels was like prior to modernization. Stained glass windows, old wooden beems, tables and chairs, and extremely smoky. The beer selection isn't incredible, but what they do have is great. When we were there in April 2011, Westy 12 was even available in bottle. Well worth a visit if you find yourself in Brussels.

07-01-2011 02:04:39 | More by distantmantra

jrallen34

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$

I've actually been to this bar twice both, times I've been to Brussels and it is one of my favorite Brussels Bars. Most Brussel bars are way to crowded and noisy and appeal to the tourist. This place is located down some random alley so you really have to look for it to find it. Its small and authenic inside, tons of locals. The beer menu is small but has all the trappist beers and both times I've been here they have had Westy 12 at a very reasonable price.

If you're looking to escape the busy scene and want a great place to just chill and drink some good beer, this is the place to go.

11-27-2010 19:56:01 | More by jrallen34

Labtested

Australia

4.36/5  rDev +13.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Came here in June 2009
Great place with a superb atmosphere. As other reviewers have noted its a local joint with very few tourist as its a hard place to find.
The list is small but has enough of the good beers to please. We had a thoroughly wonderful afternoon with the owner and some locals discussing the merits of various beers from around the world. If you love beer and are a bit of a purist when it comes to them you'll love this place as its all about the beer. There is not much to eat so I'd recommend eating elsewhere then coming here to enjoy the afternoon.

We drank at many bars in Belgium and this was one of our favourite places. Mostly because of the staff and the wonderful surroundings.

07-20-2009 11:23:02 | More by Labtested

davedahl

Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +12.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $

I was fortunate enough to travel through Brussels a couple times a back in 2004/5. I found my way to this tavern on a recommendation from someone at my hotel.

The atmosphere is above average because of it's lack of tourists and plenty of available seating. After a discussion with the manager behind the bar I found out the building was originally a Nunnery in the 1600's but has been a working bar since the 1800's!

Selection's on the beer list are good. Not a fat book, but a good selection of Belgian's nonetheless.

Service was off-the-charts and here's why...

This is a place for locals. On a return trip to Au Bon I recognized one of the guys at the bar from my last trip - who is a spot-on Sammy Davis Jr. The middle-aged woman behind the bar didn't know much English, but when you try your French (as my wife did) she opens up. My wife and I were just returning from Italy so we knew a few phrases, and my Italian cigarettes prompted the bar-woman to tell us her husband, who had just joined us at the bar, was Italian. What resulted was a fantastic discussion about beer and travel all via broken Italian, French, a small smattering of English, and some Flemish translations for Sammy. We were instantly "locals" and the bar-woman began plying us with different beers from behind the bar that they were eager for us to try and discuss!

Very fond memories of a great Brussles locals-bar.

06-24-2008 10:22:32 | More by davedahl

tsmo

New York

2.7/5  rDev -29.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 1.5 | $$

Think of this as a beer bar and you'll hate it; your options are trappist or a thin selection from InBev. Your waitress doesn't speak English, or much French.

On the other hand, think of it as a neighborhood pub and you might fall in love. It's largely free of tourists, completely free of the tourist atmosphere, and either a couple hundred years old or doing a damn good job of faking it. Among the more beautiful bars I've set foot in.

The way I see it, Au Bon Vieux Temps makes a good (perhaps optimistic) metaphor for Brussels at large: old wood, stained glass, cobblestones and a Hoegaarden.

06-25-2007 20:17:25 | More by tsmo

Estarrio

Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

I felt that most places in Brussels were far too packed and far too touristy. The old world charm that could be witnessed in other Belgian cities just wasn't there in Brussels...Until we entered Au Bon Vieux Temps.

This place will not dazzle you with the beer selection. It does have solid, well-priced offerings but you will find no hundred-page menu here. I enjoyed a couple of Rochefort 8's during my stay.

What you will find is a magnificent old bar with some the most charming atmosphere in Belgium. When you turn off the main road and traverse the ornate arches in the alleyway, it is like passing through time. From the ancient, stained glass windows to the aged wooden beams, this bar is a page out of history. Words cannot describe the old world charm of this bar. Best yet, we were the only tourists in the place. We chatted with the older, local crowd and had a wonderful experience.

Unless you are really into the throngs of tourists and hustle and bustle of Brussels, this is a MUST stop.

03-08-2007 01:52:38 | More by Estarrio

Globetrotter

Virginia

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$

This is a dark hole in the wall in an alley off of a main shopping street just north of the Grand Place. As you go in, there are tables on the right and in the back, while the bar squares off the corner on the left. Lots of dark wood - ceiling, walls, furniture. Cushioned vinyl on the chairs and benches. Plateware, jugs and clocks on the wail, a couple of stained glass windows and a big ceramic fireplace/heater against the back wall complete the ambience. The place was 3/4 full on a Saturday at about 3:00, and filling fast. I sat at a small table towards the back and waited. And waited. And waited. I finally gave up and went to the bar, where I was served fairly quickly. I'd have said that there was only bar service, but I then noticed one woman did seem to be working the tables. Obviously not very quickly, though.

There were 8 or 10 taps, one of which was an awful lager from Luxemburg. The rest were quite respectable, if neither unique nor intriguing. I counted 24 beers on the beer list. The beers were served well, in their appropriate logo glassware and at the right temperature. Great atmosphere, this is a nice place to duck into to avoid the tourist crowds outside. Great by no means, but certainly worthy of a visit.

12-10-2006 14:10:13 | More by Globetrotter