the Smisse — Restaurant in Damme

A nice backyard to enjoy on a sunny day. When we were there, it was the first warm day of the season, along with a public holiday weekend. This made the place super crowded, and the servers were very busy, yet they paid attention to most groups.

We ordered:

The house signature dish, a giant brochette "Swaenenhoeck," which came with an ordinary salad, French fries, and béarnaise sauce. For the price, we expected the brochette to come with high-quality prime cut meat. However, most of the brochette consisted of thick chunks of sausage and chicken. The complimentary salad was super salty.

Mixed croquettes (2x) consisted of one cheese and one shrimp croquettes. The cheese croquette was nothing special, while the shrimp croquette were filled with tuna. As someone who dislikes the smell of tuna, I had to give the tuna croquette to my partner and stay partially hungry, as there wasn’t much of an option for me as a non-meat eater.

For the quality, taste and options of food (especially if one is a vegetarian or a pescatarian), the place is highly priced. However, it’s a great place to enjoy some good...

We have been visiting for many years, first trip back since Covid. The rear of the restaurant has been extended over the garden. We waited 45 mins to get served, even then we had to ask. Then the food took an hour, again I had to ask where it was. One drink is all we were started with. The food was not as good as it was, the chips were not fresh and the steak was overcooked. The place was busy, but there were a few staff. There was a medical emergency after we ordered which may have delayed the food, but we watched other people arrive and leave while we waited. We got 'sorry but the ambulance' actually we were forgotten for 45 mins before that happened. Overall we're really disappointed in this place now, we used to visit 4 - 5 times a year, to have this as a welcome back...

“De Smisse – Where flavor meets financial ruin.”

As a proud (and now broke) Brusseloir, I thought I knew what expensive meant… until I sat down at De Smisse. The food? Absolutely great.

But dear future diners, be warned: this is not just dinner, it’s a full-blown investment. Halfway through the main course, I checked my bank app and started Googling “How much is a kidney worth in Belgium?” Spoiler alert: apparently one kidney covers an entrée and two sides in Knokke.

Would I come back? Absolutely—right after winning the lottery or launching my own crypto coin. Until then, I’ll be reminiscing about that perfect meal… while surviving on instant noodles.

Recommendation: If you want an unforgettable culinary experience and have organs to spare, De Smisse...