Bistrobar Boreas — Restaurant in Bruges

We had just arrived in Bruges after a long drive from the UK, and you know what it's like when you're in a new place for the first time, you don't really know where to go, which places are tourist traps, where you're going to get ripped off etc, and we stumbled along this little street with quite a few bars and restaurants on it, and Bistrobar was on the corner.

We chose it mainly as it seemed quite busy with locals having a drink after work, which for us is a good sign. We sat down with the idea to have a beer, and then figure out where we wanted to go for dinner.

Well, maybe it was the nice beer or the amazing waiter Sil, but we ended up staying for dinner, dessert and more drinks!

We loved the local beer - Zot, and it went down very well after a long journey with the cubes of cheese, and mustard/celery salt. Celery salt isn't a big thing where we are from but we absolutely loved it with the cheese, and we actually bought some from a supermarket to take home!

When we decided to stay for dinner, it was no problem to move us to another table, and as there was a chill in the air when the sun goes down, Sil was very attentive to making sure we were warm, informing us they'll turn the patio heaters on soon etc or he could move us elsewhere etc. Very good service!

We all decided to have the 'STEAK WESTFLEMISH RED' as we didn't really know the cut but it looked delicious and it really was. Cooked perfectly, and with a choice of sauce, but actually, the beef was so good that actually I didn't touch my peppercorn sauce! It didn't need it. It was that juicy and beefy that it felt wrong adding anything else to change the taste!

For dessert we had the really rich but so delicious chocolate crème brulee that had that perfect crisp crunch of sugar on top, and a lovely Bailey's coffee.

With the rounds of drinks (Hendricks G&T was superb by the way!) we spent about 60 euro per person but we did have a fair few drinks!

Sil is a true hospitality star, and a huge asset to Bistrobar. People who have never been waiter but think it is easy or takes no skill should watch Sil in action. Speaking multiple languages, making jokes in those languages and recognising the vibe of each of the clients whilst always checking if we needed more drinks or if everything was ok - that's genuine talent, and not all hospitality staff have that natural charisma and skill level. He also gathered without being told that one of the group was hard of hearing (legally deaf in fact!) and adjusted his behaviour to make sure everyone was involved in the conversations.

So all in all it was a great first night in Bruges experience - great service, great drinks, great food, in a wonderful outside courtyard setting. It didn't feel like we were being taken advantage or or unwelcome which sometimes you can feel in some cities!

Definitely worth a visit, even if for a drink and to soak up...

We visit Bruges every New Year's, but this year was extra special as we found this place, my partner found it online before we went as the menu looks good and it was open on New Year's Day, I would recommend booking as it's very difficult to find somewhere to eat on New Year's Day where you can just walk in. From the start to the end, we felt very welcomed and well looked after. I had the chicken burger and on recommendation by our waiter Sil, my partner had the short ribs. My chicken burger was the best burger I've ever eaten, cooked to perfection and very very tasty, I'm a very fussy eater but this was faultless. My partner let me have a very small taste of his ribs which was absolutely delicious, he didn't want it to end, usually he inhales his food but this time he took his time and enjoyed every mouthful. Our waiter Sil was such a delight and very attentive, you could clearly see that he enjoyed his job and was very good at it. We asked for the bill as we were having a drink after our meal and he said that he could see that he enjoyed his job and was very good at it. We asked for the bill as we were having a drink after our meal and he said that he could see that we wasn't finished and that he will bring it to us once we had finished which I thought was very nice. We will definitely be going back to this place and...

We were there with a child. We sat down at a table for four. The waiter with an impudent face asked us to vacate the seat. We simply went to a neighboring establishment, where we were happily accepted.

UPD:

Dear Manager,

Thank you for your response and for standing up for your team and the reputation of your restaurant. I respect your commitment to ensuring fairness and providing good service to all guests.

However, let me clarify the situation from my perspective. When we arrived at the restaurant, one waitress escorted us to a table and handed us the menus, and we were ready to place our order. At that moment, another staff member approached us and, unfortunately, without respect or friendliness, asked us to vacate the table. This happened after we had already settled in and were about to order a few drinks.

Perhaps the information your employee gave you was not entirely accurate, as the situation looked different from our side. It would have been much better if we had been informed in advance about the need to choose another table, especially since it was your staff who seated us there.

Thank you for your understanding. I hope this incident will serve as an opportunity to improve customer interaction in the future.

Best...