Au Vieux Saint Martin — Restaurant in Brussels

Aux Vieux Saint Martin is known for serving "filet Américain" prepared according to the original recipe, as invented by Joseph Niels in 1924. Although I'm sure many people will try to lay claim to this recipe, there is no doubt that Aux Vieux Saint Marting expertly prepares the "filet Américain" , and that I at least image their preparation when I think of the classic dish.

We had "Tomates aux crevettes" as a starter, which had a generous serving of Oostende shrimp, and a delicious home made mayonnaise. The beer menu isn't huge, but has a couple of Belgian beer staples on there. We went with a Duvel and a Westmalle Triple. Our main course, the "filet Américain" of course, was accompanied by a big portion of Belgian fries and a crispy fresh green salad. The "Américain" came with all the condiments you would expect (Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper), and an assortment of pickles. The meat they used was high quality, and that translated in a delicate texture, and a savory flavor that wasn't overwhelmed by all the condiments.

The waiter was friendly and very professional. Be aware that you cannot tip via card, but that you can only tip in cash. We had no cash on us, so were unable to tip, but our waiter was very gracious and proposed we just come back another time, and that he would prefer that over...

Today 16/10/2023 : This is one of the worst restaurant experience I had in a long time.(and I do a lot of them in Brussels from 2 stars to brassees). Food : half cold. Ambience : very very noisy that you can not even talk with the person in front of you normally ... and if the waiter says that is because it is a brasserie, please change your name into brasserie ! Service : not a friendly word at all, quick ... even saying after you payed for a 2nd time 'are you waiting for your VAT?' while you are sipping on your very fine glass of wine (choose luckily a good one ... only good point of the evening) gives you the feeling : you payed, get out. Feeling: you are another table with money, as soon you leave others will come ... so you are not important. Price : I understand that I am at the Sablon ... but ... Overall: 2nd time I come here ... (1st time, I agree a long time ago, so perhaps not the same cuisine, I had overtimed green pepper on my steak) ... I will be very negative about this place for a long long time. Pitty I can not...

Visited Au Vieux Saint Martin - Bij d’Oude Sint-Martinus and oh boy… this one was a bit of a letdown. We had high hopes walking in—great location, beautiful outdoor seating, and a cozy, classy vibe. It looked like it was going to be a hit.

We ordered the beer beef stew and the shrimp croquettes, both highly recommended by our waitress and a couple of locals. But sadly, neither hit the spot. The stew was bland, and the croquettes didn’t have much flavor. Just didn’t do it for us.

Now let’s talk about the bright spots—the olive dish with bread and butter was simple but absolutely perfect. And the fries? Golden, crispy, and downright delicious. Easily the second-best thing we had at the table.

Maybe we just picked the wrong dishes or caught the kitchen on an off day. Who knows. The place itself is charming and inviting, especially if you’re sitting outside and soaking up the atmosphere.

We really wanted to love it, and while the setting was a win, the food just didn’t deliver like we hoped....