Belgian Monk — Restaurant in Norwich

Have not been this disappointed in a meal since my last school dinner which was over 20 years ago. We had been to the theatre and at 6pm on a sunday decided to try the Belgian Monk for a meal. We were seated and waited a good ten minutes for someone to come and take our order. We received our drinks of orange juice and lemonade. These had not been mixed and the juice out of the bottle had not been shaken. We then waited over half an hour for our meals. I had ordered a pork roast, my other half the burger. We felt this was a long wait considering there was only one other table for food and hardly anyone in there. We would not have minded. But my roast came out. The plate was mainly filled with frozen peas and green beans that were cold. I had one carrot and one parsnip which were tasty, but would have been nice to have more. There was no cauliflower cheese. The pork and mash was cold the cabbage boiled to within an inch of it's life and cold. The roast potatoes were so burnt I could not eat them. All of this mess swimming in rubbish bisto gravy. My partners burger was dry, the chips were nice but the onion ring was greasy. Not once did a staff member come over to check if our meal was ok. Yet the table next to us got asked three times as they were happy and a regular. I could not eat most of mine nor could my partner. If we had not been hungry we would have left more. When the server came to finally clear our plates they asked if everything was OK. I said that no it really was disappointing. The server said he apologised and asked if we wanted anything else. I said the bill as we wanted to leave. He went with our plates. The server then began serving another table whilst his colleague did nothing behind the bar. Once he had served them he then went to chat to his colleague behind the bar. After waiting for about ten minutes for the bill I went to the bar and asked to pay. He handed the bill to me. It seemed rather much. I saw that he had had the audacity to automatically add a service charge. I asked why he had added this. He said for service. I asked for this to be removed as I felt I received no service. He removed this but offered no professional curiosity as to why I was an upset customer and how he could improve my experience. He didn't ask me what was wrong with the meal and could not have been less interested so I left very disappointed and angry that I had paid for what I felt to be a really terrible meal and experience. As a footnote the ladies toilets were in a terrible state. The toilet seat in one was hanging loose. There were cigarette butt's and tissue on the floor and stank of urine. I would expect this in a wetherspoons but not in an establishment like this. It's such a shame as I have had prior good experiences here but this was truly terrible and I will not return now. Considering they are charging £18 a roast this is despicable I know children who could produce better. If I could give no...

If you're a fan of Belgian beer and food, The Belgian Monk is an absolute must-visit! This gem offers one of the best dining and drinking experiences I've had outside of Belgium itself. Whether you're a seasoned lover of Belgian cuisine or a newcomer looking to try something special, this place won't disappoint.

First, let’s talk about the beer selection. It’s genuinely incredible. The variety of Belgian beers on offer is vast, and the quality is on par with what you’d find in Brussels or Bruges. Their Kriek Terdolen cherry beer is absolutely sublime—perfectly balanced, fruity but not overly sweet, and refreshing in every sip. They also have a range of other beers, from rich Trappist ales to lighter wheat beers. The depth of flavor in every glass is a testament to their dedication to authentic Belgian brewing traditions. Each beer is served in its traditional glassware, which adds to the authenticity of the experience.

Now, onto the food. The menu is filled with Belgian classics, and everything we tried was cooked to perfection. The highlight for me was the moules (mussels)—absolutely fantastic! They offer several preparation styles, and I tried the traditional garlic and white wine sauce, which was so flavorful I ended up dipping the complimentary bread to soak up every last drop. The portion sizes are generous, and the mussels themselves were fresh, tender, and delicious. You’d think you were eating them right by the Belgian coast!

The other food offerings are just as impressive. Their range of dishes includes authentic Belgian specialties that are rich, hearty, and packed with flavor. The accompanying sides and sauces are all thoughtfully crafted to complement the main dishes. It's clear the chefs know their craft and are passionate about delivering the best.

The atmosphere at The Belgian Monk deserves a mention too. The interior has a warm and cozy vibe, reminiscent of a traditional Belgian brasserie. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to help you navigate the menu or recommend a beer pairing. It’s the kind of place where you can relax, take your time, and savor every bite and sip.

In short, The Belgian Monk brings an authentic slice of Belgium to town. Whether you're here for the beers, the food, or the full experience, you'll leave with a smile and the kind of satisfaction that only exceptional hospitality and quality can bring. I can’t recommend it enough! If you’re craving great Belgian beer and food, this is the...

I went in for my first visit with lots of hope and unfortunately I was disappointed. To be fair the staff were all very pleasant and helpful but that is about the only positive I am going to add. Firstly the beer. I am a bit of a Belgian beer aficionado- especially the fruit beers l. They had a wide and varied selection on the menu but the first five chosen they had all run out of so I had to revert to a Kwak and then a standard Kriek. For a place that specialises in everything Belgian I would’ve expected that the vast majority of the beer menu would be available but the fruit beer was not. Secondly the food - we ordered the Tartiflette Espana - one for each of us. It was almost like two different dishes turned up. One had lots of lardons and hardly any chorizo, the other had lots of Chorizo and only one lardon. In addition to this these seemed to be the least cheesy tartiflettes I had every encountered - two sorry cubes were having a melting attempt on the top of the dish but they were very small. We would’ve had dessert here but having been so disappointed we decided to leave. It is also worth pointing out there is a service charge payable here on the bill - albeit discretionary. Having explained my disappointment to the waitress at the end of the meal I said I would pay for the meal but not the service charge as I really didn’t think it was worth it. It is supposed to be a specialist Belgian restaurant but please - get your beer supply lines sorted out and get your dishes consistent. On the way out I did notice lots of other people with tartiflette dishes all of which seemed to have very little cheese on them so perhaps it is just possibly the style of this restaurant but it is certainly not the style...