Den Artiest — Restaurant in Ostend

Looks like a run of the mill bar on the surface. We had a couple of great beers at the counter outside first night and not complaints. We went back for a lateish dinner - lots of places in Oostende close earlyish. This time we went upstairs to eat. The room reminded me of one of Amsterdam's old bruine cafes. Comfortable and roomy. I'll be honest, we weren't expecting much of the food, although the wood oven downstairs promised something good. The food is caveman stuff - at least what we ate. The mixed grill was a thing of beauty - meguez, picanha, lamb and more, all cooked to perfection. I had the ribs. Best I've ever had I think. Dry rubbed instead of bathed in a sweet 'barbecue' sauce, they were genuinely meaty and juicy and absolutely full of flavour. The fries were just 'vlamsch standaard' - that is excellent. More lovely beers and we stumbled back to De Ploate - just meters away.

Service was brilliant all round, but a special shout out to our server for dinner whose English was outstanding and who couldn't have been...

Dear Kiara,

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the outstanding service you provided during our recent visit to Den Artiest in Oostende, Belgium. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal, but it was your exceptional service that made the experience truly unforgettable.

Your knowledge of the menu and willingness to recommend some of your personal favorites really helped us navigate the extensive selection of dishes. And, of course, your warm and attentive demeanor made us feel welcome and valued as guests.

We appreciate the effort you put into ensuring that our dining experience was top-notch. Your hospitality and attention to detail truly exceeded our expectations. It's clear that you take great pride in your work, and it shows in the quality of service you provide.

Thank you again for taking care of us and representing Den Artiest so well to two foreign visitors. We will always remember our visit fondly and look forward to returning soon.

Warm...

I ate here multiple times in 2019. Most of the time, it is a great restaurant. Food is really good (I mostly got the filet pur) and the atmosphere is nice. Service is a bit slow when it's crowded, but that is understandable. The reason I am giving it 3 stars is this: from time to time, they will mess something up really bad. Not sure if it's a specific employee or I was just really unlucky. First time - they brought me a well done steak, when I had asked for medium rare. I can excuse a mistake, but I can't excuse wasting good meat. Second time they forgot to wash the salad. Sure, it was crunchy, but because of dirt not freshness. This was really close to being dangerous and there are a lot of other good restaurants in Oostende, so I stopped...