Bistro Du Phare — Restaurant in Bruges

We were on a walk to Damme when we came across this little gem on the way back to our hotel. The restaurant is absolutely delightful and the food was mouth watering. However my friend and I left very upset. Just to make it clear we don't expect people to speak English but at least a smile or some kind of friendly gesture is enough.The waiter we discovered did speak perfect English. My friend just asked if there was meat in one of the starters. The answer we got was nothing but a scowl. After more questions we still didnt know what the dish was. She just ordered the fish soup. Looked lovely. We asked another waiter for more drinks and they arrived with a smile. I had ordered extra fries which didn't arrive with my main meal. We were a bit reluctant to ask and when we did again the same scowl. He didnt believe we had ordered fries. He checked his machine to see if we had ordered them and didnt say sorry i will chase it up. Nothing! Not a word. When they did arrive they were thrown on the table. Everyone else had mayonnaise with theirs. I asked for mayonnaise. You'd thought I'd unplugged the canal the look he gave us. I told him not to bother. He then went around the corner and all i heard was laughing. After that he gave us over dramatic, sarcastic comments. I'm not one to complain or be upset but it's our last day and we were in a lovely restaurant and he ruined it by being so dam rude. Maybe he's unhappy in life idiot. Not a good employee for such a lovely place. A shame and disappointment for my...

We were looking for a place to eat waffles, and there were waffle places to go, but this restaurants has the most fantastic view of the square. The sound the the bells ringing every one in a while, creating a melody in the air.

So we were hesitant as, straight up, the price is not cheap. However we thought why not give it a try, so we approached and the staff was excellent! Smiling and welcoming, we sat near the entrance underneath the gas heater which kept us warm on this crisp day.

We quickly chose the waffles and the special hot chocolat. The waffles were great, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside with a fantastic vanilla ice cream. The Nutella one did have a negative as it came in a little packet like in budget hotels, however that could be because they don’t sell many and keeping an open pot of Nutella probably isn’t the best idea.

Then the drink, it was special alright, a massive surprise as it nearly knocked me off my chair. The special was a shot of alcohol to give it kick that will warm you right up. My fiancée could not finish it’s it was to strong for her.

So why the five star? You might be thinking, One of the waffles was not perfect and drink was to strong. The reason is simple, I would put a 4 star for our meal, but the staff were brilliant, very kind and open to teaching you a little Dutch.

I would recommend, just remember you are paying for the food and the location, you can soak up the atmosphere and just...

This bistro was recommended by a local shop owner for its good food, ample seating and locals focus. They got it right on every point. We stopped in on a Friday evening, and it was filled with families and friends having their weekly get togethers. Even without a reservation, they seated us quickly. We had the option of the outside patio or inside, we took inside. Cosy and warm interior, with wood tables and plenty of candlelight. The staff is friendly and professional and constantly on the move. The Shrimp Scampi appetizer was awesome. My steak with fries and side salad was perfectly done, and my wife’s goat cheese salad was nice as well. Good selection of local beer and array of wine options. It was just what travelers, weary of commercialized eateries, wanted…some local home cooked fare in a...