Billie's — Restaurant in Antwerp

During our recent one-week trip through Belgium and the Netherlands, I visited Billie's Bier Kafétaria in Antwerp with my wife and in-laws, who had travelled all the way from Venezuela to spend time with their daughter and celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday. I’m a hospitality professional from Spain and a passionate beer enthusiast – this was my third time in Belgium, a country I deeply admire for its beer culture and cuisine.

We chose Billie's because we wanted to enjoy a special meal and try some local food made with beer. Unfortunately, despite the high expectations, the experience was disappointing in terms of service and attitude.

The food menu offered only three main dishes, so our plan was to order all of them and share among the four of us. This seemed to bother the waiter, who told us the dishes were not meant for sharing – which felt unnecessary, especially since we were clearly there to enjoy and try new things, not to "save money". He said he’d check with the kitchen to "optimize" the plates for sharing. If there had been a fourth option, we would have ordered it too.

I also tried to order chicken wings, but was told they were sold out – yet minutes later, the table next to us received some. It’s possible they ordered earlier, but it still left a strange impression.

We ordered 3 pilsners and 1 Rodenbach, and were asked “Large?” – a normal question in the industry, but again, it felt like we were being pushed into ordering more. We agreed because we truly wanted them, but the tone wasn’t welcoming.

Things escalated when the food arrived: only three sets of cutlery for four people. When I asked for an extra set, the waiter said he had already brought them, as if suggesting we didn’t need more. He finally gave me a fork, but no knife. I can’t help but feel this was tinted with prejudice – maybe towards Spanish tourists, or simply outsiders.

Despite all this, my wife convinced me to stay and order dessert for her mother’s birthday. We asked for a coulant with ice cream and I ordered an old lambic with rose petals. Again, only one spoon arrived, and the waiter asked sarcastically “Who is this for?”, making light of our habit of sharing food – which is common in many cultures, and not something to mock.

When it was time to pay, we chose to use a card. The waiter seemed oddly pleased, thanking us enthusiastically – it felt out of place, like he hadn’t expected it from us.

Let me be clear: the food and beer were excellent, and the experience didn't ruin our evening. But the condescending attitude and passive-aggressive service left a bitter taste. As someone who works in one of the world’s top tourist destinations (Spain), I believe nobody should be looked down on – especially not guests who make the effort and sacrifice to travel and support the local economy.

My wife is a medical director in Madrid; we’re not cheap tourists. We came to celebrate and enjoy. Unfortunately, we didn’t feel welcomed here.

That said, I still highly recommend visiting Flanders – the culture, beer, and scenery are world-class. Just be aware that not every place reflects the hospitality Belgium is known...

We had a special meal tonight here! We started with some very special beers, a rare Geuze and an unusual Tripel. We ordered meals, both off the evenings specials and from the regular meals. My wife asked for and received solid advice and got the pork cheeks, and I had pasta, clams and shrimp. I was then about to order a Flemish Bruin for my wife but the owner suggested that it was exceptionally sour. We ordered her a unique and delicious wit, and I later got the Oud Bruin. It was more like a dark Lambic - great for me and not my wife. Great advice, friendly service from all the staff, great food, and an awesome beer list! I will go back and suggest you visit as well.

Don’t let the unpolished appearance chase you away. This is a special place that deserves your attention. The clientele is not as varied as the beer list, but that would be amazing. It tries to be. An older/younger mixed crowd open the place and it shifted younger as the evening proceeded when we visited. Closed Tuesdays, they are open today, Monday, a sometimes difficult day to...

Billie's Beer Bar is a great destination for beer lovers visiting Antwerp. Cozy interior in old school Belgian style, really friendly and helpful staff (whassup Jupp!), and a great selection of beers. Styles were all over the place when I visited, from a nitro German pilsner to IPAs, Geuzes, Tripels, kettle sour, even a Flanders Red on nitro. Just check out the pics to see the variations. And that's just the taps, they have a pretty extensive bottle list as well.

I sat at the bar and made some new friends (hallo Anna und Till!) and of course tried beer after beer... and soon it was time for food. The braised beef cheeks were fantastic, much like the classic Flanders beef stew. They even have Vegan Bitterballen, and at least one vegan main course.

All in all this was a great visit and I'm looking forward to coming...