Point Brugge Cafe — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

I was the third table (5th person through the door) seated at 11:00 on a Sunday morning. Initially they refused to let us sit in a booth and after a few moments of awkward silence, another employee came over and said it was ok. Seriously, the place is empty and we can’t have a booth? Their wooden IKEA style chairs are horribly uncomfortable. Our waitress was “indisposed” as the substitute waitress said when she approached our table. We immediately placed an order for one house Bloody Mary, confirmed it has the spicy rim which really adds a punch to the cocktail as well as one coffee. 10 minutes later waitress returns to take food order and assures me my Bloody Mary will be right up. Meanwhile the bartender is chatting with people sitting at the counter who just walked in and sat down, making them drinks as well as sending drinks out to other tables. Waitress returns to refill coffee at which point 22 minutes have passed. I tell her if my meal arrives before the Bloody Mary, I am walking out. The staff, some waitresses included clearly were not mentally checked in for work today. The bartender brings the drink over and puts it in the table and simply says “ I won’t be charging you for this”. I point to the drink and ask for the spicy rim on the drink. He preps a new glass and pours the existing drink into it and returns. There was a one inch length of spicy rim on the glass. I turn the glass around and look at it. I thought he brought the same drink back for a moment. After putting it on the table, he turns and says loudly to the waitress “I am just going to scream”. Half of the tables heard his little meltdown. The place has been open for less than 1/2 hour and he’s “ready to scream”. But for dining with someone, I would have just walked out. The apathy and indifference and bad attitude was palpable. My omelette was delivered with the topping missing and the wrong side dish. Three more deliveries from the substitute waitress (guess regular waitress was indisposed again?) of the topping, the correct side dish and salt and pepper shakers rounded out the meal. The food was good as usual but the service and attitude that went with it was a big fat 0 on a scale of 1-10. They need to get their act together. We won’t be back. Too many other great cafes...

Once a Belgian Gem — Now a Disheartening Experience

We’ve been visiting Point Brugge Café for years, drawn by its once-distinctive Belgian fare and welcoming charm. Sadly, the restaurant has undergone a steady decline — and our most recent visit confirmed that what was once a gem has become a shadow of itself.

Despite the restaurant being nearly empty, it took 15 minutes to place our order, as our table was overlooked by a disengaged group of waitstaff. Service remained slow and inattentive throughout the evening.

More disappointingly, the culinary experience no longer reflects its Belgian roots. The Moules Frites — once a standout dish — arrived with bland, pub-style fries instead of the signature Belgian frites. Presentation was careless, with metal containers stacked directly atop the food. The accompanying bread was clearly stale and reheated, only replaced after we raised the issue.

We overheard other diners being told of additional specials we were never informed about — a troubling inconsistency. Dessert options were limited and underwhelming; the bread pudding was oversized and unimpressive in flavor. And while the restaurant advertises La Prima coffee, it offers only drip coffee — no espresso, which feels out of place for an establishment positioning itself as European-inspired.

The ambiance was further marred by a staff member whose loud voice carried across the entire room, detracting from any remaining sense of comfort or intimacy.

We had once hoped the decline was temporary. Sadly, it appears that Point Brugge Café has traded its identity for mediocrity. What was once a unique and authentic experience now feels indistinguishable from an average American eatery — with service and food...

We were really looking forward to this restaurant. The 5 of us each ordered different things. The 2 we expected to be great were the fries & mussels, exceptional in Belgium. They were terrific & worth the stop in their own right. One ordered the day's special, Mac n cheese with bacon- really good. The prices are a bit high for lunch, but we expected that for the area. One ordered a chicken sandwich on a French baguette. It was ok, but she had trouble with a sore mouth so she didn't even eat the bread. One ordered a chicken dish that sounded like a piccata, but it turned out to be hard fried breaded chicken breast topped with arugula & a bit of lemon dressing. They did remake her meal when she told them it was inedible. My salad with goat cheese & asparagus had a out a Tablespoon of goat cheese, mixed greens, cut asparagus (good) & a nice vinaigrette. It was good, but not worth $17 not even adding a protein.

The restaurant has only street parking. If you are in a wheelchair, this may be challenging as it's an older building with steps to the 2nd floor. The bar is on the first level with a few tables, so not impossible, but I believe there were 2 steps at the door as well.

We all drank water on a hot afternoon, so I cannot speak to drinks or even coffee. I would say that if you love mussels, they serve PEI clean mussels in a lot of garlic, wine sauce. There are 2 other options of sauce. It comes with a baguette & the large cones with a few fries. By the way, fries are served with basel mayo for dipping, delish. If you're ok paying about $20 for a sandwich or...