't Brugs Beertje

Dukeofearl

California

4.33/5  rDev -4.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4

As other reviewers have said, this is the local place to hit in Bruges. Found it on Tuesday night, and thank goodness, because they were closed Wednesday night! Not as hard to find as it sounds here (or maybe because the Beerfly makes it so easy to find), but it is well worth it. 300 beers is more than enough (even after having seen 2004 beers at Delerium Cafe in Brussels).

I really enjoyed all aspects of this place, warm, cozy, comfortable feel, with lots of people to talk to (both visitors and locals). I was surprised that they only had 5 taps, of which 2 were for Stella-level beers. Chouffe and Floreffe on tap- not bad, but not a large selection. But the bottled beers make up for it.

Food selection is small, but if you want a light dinner made of snacks, it's perfect. I had my 3 or 4 beers accompanied by a nice cheese platter that was good local cheeses with nice breads (2 types).

09-13-2004 19:55:15 | More by Dukeofearl

LarryKemp

Texas

4.22/5  rDev -7.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4

Atmosphere - a nice cozy place that had a lot of locals. Most if not all spoke English and the patrons knew their beers. The bar tenders were willing to talk about the city as well as recommend great beers to a couple tourists.

Quality - They had many beers to select from and many were on tap. The beers were served at the proper temperature and the only thing that detracted from the beer was the smoke in the bar.

Service was good. The bartenders were knowledgeable and willing to share insights with us.

The selection was outstanding.

07-11-2004 04:03:23 | More by LarryKemp

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -13.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5

Nice little café near the Grand Place in Brugge. The place is located in small alley beside a main shopping street, which limit the number of tourist that just happens to find the place. The place is really cosy with some nice classical music being played in the background. The selection is quite extensive and presented in a book with all beers split by region. The waitress/owner can sometime be a bit rude and may pretend not too speak French or English even though she perfectly does. The plate of cheese to accompanied beer is really good. I guess this is a must if you pass by Brugge.

06-29-2004 14:54:59 | More by Phyl21ca

Beermaninpa

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5

Atmosphere:
Two rooms, a little dark and dingy. A little overdone with all the adverts on the wall for me. You can tell this bar has been around for a while, not that is a bad thing. It can get a little crowded and cramped at times.

Quality:
Food is always solid, the beer is always in good shape. They know what they are doing with the beers here.

Service:
Prompt, informative and courteous. What more can you ask?

Selection:
Probably the best in Bruges. Good tap selection, extensive bottles, consult the staff they will help. One of the keys here is to try beers you have not seen before, this may be your only chance.

Food:
Solid and hearty. Pretty basic menu, everything I have had I have enjoyed and not regretted.

Overall:
Every I go to Bruges ( 6 times and counting ), I always stop here at least twice for a beer or two. My personal preference in Bruges is De Garre, but that's because I generally like a quieter, more mellow bar. Beertje is a little louder, boisterous and better for larger groups.

05-07-2004 02:00:24 | More by Beermaninpa

JohnW

United Kingdom (England)

4.36/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

This very small bar is a must for any serious beer drinker, and is a delight. To say it is a bar or pub would give the wrong impression, as this is for beer drinkers only who want to sample the amazing range of beers in the menu of about 150 or more. Quiet classical music, sensible conversation with like minded beer lovers, cosy atmosphere, contemplation of the beers, makes it a place to go. This is NOT for those who just want to drink any old lager, get drunk and cause embarrasment to others or the staff who run it.

Can be very crowded, and standing not encouraged, you need to sit down and be served by the staff. The list of beers can be daunting, and you may need to already have some idea of what you want to try (or have a reference book!) but the staff happy to recommend something, if you give them some idea of what you prefer. Beer is the menu - not for food!

Had two visits while staying in Brugge, and enjoyed it very much both times, though on the second visit there was a crowd of fellow English visitors, who had come from watching some football match and just there to get drunk and ruin the atmosphere - they obviously knew nothing about beer from what they were drinking. The bar staff were not too happy with the noise and upset they were creating, and were probably asked to leave sometime after we left - feeling embarrassed by our fellow countrymen.

If you find there is no room to sit, go back again in about an hours time, you may have better luck second time around.

04-06-2004 11:43:32 | More by JohnW

francisweizen

Australia

4.72/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5

Ah, The Bruges Bear, an awesome little pub off of the main street towards Brugges Grand Palace. The atmosphere is awesome! Classical music playing, old beer posters on the walls, great beer glasses on display...This is a clean, OLD, friendly place to drown some brews. The quality of the brews was exceptional! I had a three fountains gueuze, and a girardin (black label) gueuze here and both were spot on fresh! The service from Daisy (the owner) was attentive and nice. A few UK tourists were in the place, and she recommended excellent beers to them in perfect English! The selection is 200 strong and nicely layed out by region (West Flander, Waloonia, etc...). An awesome bar, beaten only by the Kulminator in Antwerp (who are friends with the owener of this place, I believe...)

04-01-2004 01:23:11 | More by francisweizen

wbthink

New York

4.5/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4

This is an old world style bar with beer signs & trays galore. Its 2 room layout make this a nice warm place to enjoy some terrific bottles. The Brugs Beertje has lots of West Flanders bottles, including those by Regenboog, that are not found elsewhere. Friendly patrons and gracious hosts make this one place not to miss while in Belgium.

10-18-2003 17:40:54 | More by wbthink

zerk

California

4.16/5  rDev -8.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4

As you enter 't Brugs Beertje, you see a small bar, a few tables, and a doorway to a small room full of tables. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, with dark wood everywhere and quite a selection of breweriana on the walls. The one thing I found slightly annoying was the very loud classical music... I like classical music and all, but this was a bit overbearing.

Our waitress was friendly and helpful, but not terribly prompt.

The selection is very good, with a menu boasting page after page of Belgian ales, sorted by region. I was utterly speachless when I looked over the list, taking probably 15 minutes to decide where to begin.

This is a must visit if you're going to Brugge!

09-05-2003 17:06:05 | More by zerk

bierman2000

Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev -13%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5

A smoky loud place but an excellent selection. The service is okay you may wait a long time for beer number 2 but the beers are delicious and only bottled when I was there in Feb. 2000. A good place to hang out with friends and just discover new tastes.

02-24-2003 13:27:12 | More by bierman2000

Longstaff

Massachusetts

4.66/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5

I visited 't Beertje in September 2002 and this was an awesome place except it got real smokey when they closed the door at closing time. Good thing is, they will let you sit and drink after they lock the door. The front door said they had 300 beers, but I counted only 200 on the menu - what a ripoff ;>) only 200 Belgian beers to choose from. The local patrons and the owners who also serve you were real friendly. The Hobbit next door is real good place to eat. If the ribs are included in your entree, they are all you can eat, and tasty as well. After your meal here cross the street and enjoy the best beer bar in Brugges.

11-13-2002 08:04:15 | More by Longstaff