iOda — Restaurant in Saint-Gilles - Sint-Gillis

I rarely leave negative reviews, but our experience at Ioda was so shockingly bad that I feel compelled to share. I had indicated in the reservation that I’m vegetarian. When the restaurant called to confirm, I stated again that I don’t eat meat or seafood. Upon arrival, I was asked a third time about dietary restrictions, and I once again confirmed I was vegetarian and did not eat any seafood.

Despite this, my dish arrived with fish caviar. When we pointed it out, the staff brushed it off with a casual “sorry,” as if it was a minor oversight—not something that completely violated my dietary restrictions. No attempt to correct the dish, no compensation, not even additional care shown afterward.

Unbelievably, my dessert arrived with scallops. When I asked what it was, the waiter said “rice,” which was clearly not the case. This wasn’t just careless—it felt like they weren’t even trying to respect my dietary needs.

As if that wasn’t enough, when we asked to split the bill evenly, they miscalculated and overcharged me by €33. When I pointed it out, they told me to ask my friends to wire me the difference back—they wouldn't fix their own billing mistake.

When we calmly explained our concerns about the service and the serious errors, they called us "aggressive." We were stunned. This is not what you expect from a restaurant with Michelin recognition and glowing reviews.

Nothing about this experience was pleasant:

The food was poorly balanced—one dish was so sour I had to spit it out, another so spicy I couldn't finish it (with no warning). The wine recommended by the staff was harsh and acidic. The service was inattentive and dismissive at best, rude at worst. And for the price, it was beyond unacceptable. Honestly, this felt not just disappointing, but borderline unsafe for anyone with allergies or strict dietary needs. We left feeling disrespected, unheard, and incredibly frustrated.

Avoid this place if you value good service, thoughtful food, or basic respect for dietary...

The restaurant confused me a little at first, as it is called ‘Rotisserie Végétale’, but not everything on the menu is vegetarian, they also include seafood.

However, at our request, they made everything vegetarian, and oh boy were we blown away! The food was honestly both surprising and delicious! The ingredients were fresh and the combinations divine.

The service was friendly and down to earth. The only downside is that, even though we asked for a completely vegetarian menu, we were still served a broth made out of fish. When I mentioned (again) that I don’t eat fish, she said ‘but it’s a broth, is that also a problem?’ It seemed we had different definitions of...

iOda is the place i prefer to go to in Brussels for special occasions and when i have visitors who appreciate good food.

iOda really is a fun and surprising dining experience, they have an ever-changing and joyful tasting menu inspired by iodine-related ingredients. their menu is full of unexpected twists with creative ingredients unconventional combinations. mustard ice cream? capers in chocolate? the combinations are unexpected in the best possible way, whatever crazy dish you get it will all be super tasty, delicious and exciting. and yeah the pricing is attractive for the quality and quantity for what you get. and the waiter is super charming toooooo cant...