In’t Spinnekopke

Very cosy and atmospheric little place. The service is quite polite and friendly and we felt very comfortable. Came in without a reservation saturday night and our waiter was accommodating and got a table ready for us within 5 mins. We had mussels and steak tartare. Mussels were delicious, steak tartare was prepared by the table (something we’ve never seen before, which was amusing) and was quite good overall. Both served with fries of course. Didn’t stay for dessert but would definitely come back another time. The surroundings alone are worth the visit.

3.5, but decided to round up for a couple of reasons. First, we were served this totally random complimentary chicken wing, which would have been tasty had it been fresh or warm, but it was served cold and almost felt like last night’s dinner. There’s a section of the menu which is a «chef’s recommendation» — a concept that I really dig because the menu is not in English and sometimes it’s best to simply ask your waiter what they like and recommend and go with that. Also, it’s apparent that this section changes because it’s not printed directly on the menu but is taped on — kinda ghetto, but I appreciate that their recommendations change every so often. Anyways, from the chef’s recommendation section, we ordered what we though was «scallop and foie gras» but in reality was just foie gras topped with a pineapple. Would absolutely recommend this starter nonetheless, as it was one of the most delicious dishes we had on our entire trip. For our entrée, we shared a plate of the mussels in white wine sauce. I wouldn’t say that it was spectacular, but honestly, when you order a safe, run of the mill dish, you should expect it to taste that way as well. But the mussels are plentiful, and maybe a little too over-​garnished in my opinion. Even though I’d give it more of 3.5, I rounded it up to 4 stars because of the good service.

(Australian visitors) We can’t speak french but staff were friendly and did thier best to help us. English, german, dutch and french menus available. The owners craft beer was worth trying and our mussells were great! Nice old building, gets warm though.

I so want to give this place a higher score. I used to come here quite a lot back in the days when I came to Brussels on business and have fond memories of it. I recall homely, Belgian food, decent service and a good selection of local beers.
First things first: I’ve read a few reviews that describe poor or unfriendly service. I didn’t experience this at all, quite the opposite. The staff were friendly and helpful, even given my appalling French.
It’s the food that disappointed. The starter of scampi in creamy tomato sauce had a tang of ammonia about it. Now, I’m no food scientist but when seafood tastes of ammonia I suspect it’s seen better days. The main course of mussels a la maison tasted fine, although I had hoped for a stronger set of flavours. The mussels themselves were of variable quality, with far too many tiny specimens and empty shells. Not what you would expect from the home of moules et frites.
Perhaps I made a poor choice, I certainly recall the food being better. Let’s hope those tangy scampi don’t come back to haunt me…

Meilleur Waterzoi testé sur Bruxelles.
Endroit charmant,

Lets start off with saying that the food is very good! Both main course and desserts. The food is four stars, but how we where greeted and treated would be no stars.
We reserved a table at 8pm, where seated at 8.15pm. A group in front of us, who also had reserved a table, where told to come back one hour later.
After sitting at the table for 20 minutes we decided to get the menus our self, we got a hold of one menu. 10 min later the waiter came and gave us a couple more. We got to put in our order 30 min after we where seated (that also includes drinks and we where never given any bread)
After sitting at the same table for one hour, we where asked to move table. When we hesitated the waiter told us that we didn’t have to move but we should think of the happiness of the other group.
The food came about 1 ½ hour after we where seated and even then they forgot to bring the French fries.
It’s a cozy place and probably used to be a good restaurant, but the service is so bad that I would not go back even if the food is great. It’s understandable that this place lost its Michelin star a couple of years ago, not worth going to unless you have better alternative.

C’était prévisible, mais l’expérience d’un dîner en famille sans chichis au spinnekopke fut loin d’être une réussite.
Sous la recommandation du serveur, nous nous vus servir un beaujolais lavasse, rapidement mis de côté au profit d’un pinot noir choisi par nos soins et nettement plus convaincant.
La carte des bières artisanales n’est pas trop mal fournie, on regrette l’absence de la Brasserie de la Senne cependant.
Les entrées furent la partie la plus convaincante de notre repas: tomates crevettes généreusement garnies avec mayonnaise «à part», fondus au maresdsous très corrects, etc…
Les plats sont, au mieux, corrects, mais pour ma part les moules crème ail m’ont semblé sans substance ni goût, et leur présentation assez grossière. En accompagnement, nos avons tous reçu des frites pas cuites…
En tout état de cause, le rapport qualité prix n’y est pas, loin de là.
Le service fut haut en couleur, assuré notamment par un garçon sympathique et drôle, mais clairement pas en possession de tous ses moyens… Quand vint l’heure des comptes, nous n’avons plus du tout rit en constatant que la surprise du chef (pas commandée) nous avait été facturée !
Bref, une adresse pour touriste d’un jour. Triste.

I stopped in for lunch today. I loved the location, because for the first time in Brussels, I felt like I wasn’t surrounded by tourists. That was super pleasant. There is an extensive beer list and many traditional Belgian dishes. I ended up getting the stoempe saucisson — mashed veggies and potatoes with sausage. I really liked the stoempe. It was really lovely, with carrots and celery mixed in with the potatoes. The sausage was good too. I felt it was a bit overpriced, especially because I was staring at all the other people in the square eating their much cheaper sandwiches and kind of regretting my choice. I think it would be a nice place to come with a group for drinks and dinner, though.

LOVE this place. I was living there and was introduced to this excellent restaurant. The Foie Gras is the best in the world. Food, amazing.
Atmosphere, charming and cozy. You wanna stay for hours! Do.

Et bien non, je suis contre. Grosse déception. L’attrape touriste. Pourtant j’y ai eu mes habitudes, mais avec un arrière gout de «ça va, mais ya tjs un truc qui cloche», pas super à 100%. J’y suis retourné après genre 2 ans d’absence en voulant laisser une seconde chance, et franchement bof: service au bord de l’hystérie courtoise (presque tous les clients sont «FORMIDABLES»), viande de qualité très moyenne style cuite et recuite, tête de veau en tortue (je sais, je suis sportif) trop grasse (bcp de bords de langue/​joues) et oubli des patates, bcp bcp de touristes, on sent FORT le graillon. Le point positif, les desserts, mais ça dépend lesquels. Bref, restez sur les ²⁄₃ plats que vous connaissez/​aimez, mais né vous risquez pas à l’aventure. Selon moi il y a de meilleurs adresses belges pour le même budget.

Estaminet traditionnel à la carte alléchante.
On y retrouve tous les plats traditionnels belges, le service est un peu bourru comme dans une brasserie parisienne.
Cependant l’addition peut être un peu sévère.

Toujours une valeur sûre de la scèné gastronomique bruxelloise, on y mange très bien, sans prétention, et l’équipe est sympa.

Petit estaminet sympa situé sur une petite place au calme, bonne carte, mais un peu cher

Don’t go here. I would avoid it. It’s not good.

As I was telling my fellow Unilocalers the other day, you have to actively anger me to get a one star review, and Spinnekopke actively angered me. A lot. Like woah, Spinnekokpe irked me to an extent that only my parents and ex-​boyfriends have seemed to be able to accomplish prior.
The service is abysmal and horrific. And flabbergasting. And made me want to break stuff. Seriously, the worst services I’ve ever had in my life. We did everything to get our waiter’s attention, the height of spectacular craptacularness being when one of our group actually got up, and got in the way of our waiter as he was cruising down the aisle at ludicrous speed to get back to the kitchen, and he STILL DIDN’T STOP. What? What just happened? Did he think she was trying to go somewhere else and just accidentally bumped into him? I. I can’t even.
The food. Yikes. Mega yikes. Okay, so my starter of foie gras was tasty, but I doubt it’s made in house and it doesn’t take a genius to slice a little brick of heaven and put it on a plate and make me eat it. But my main was just awful. I ordered the «steak,» generic steak. Cooked medium. Add Bearnaise sauce. Simple. I figured I wanted to play it safe after some raunchy mussels earlier in the day.
First steak came out as a well done brick. Now. Back in the day when I didn’t know better, I always ate my steaks well done. But now I know better. Also, I have braces, and well done steak brick and braces just don’t go together. It’s well-​nigh impossible. Well, crap. Now we have to flag the waiter down which we’ve already noted is more difficult than landing the Mars Rover. Thankfully, another member of the crew got someone else, I got profuse apologies, got another steak with MORE frites and MORE Bearnaise… Rare. Totally rare. I cut into the thing and my plate suddenly erupted into a bloody pile like something out of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Oiiiii vey, I give up. Rare (and unrested) steak tastes like metal to me and I just can’t do it. I tried to eat the edges which were slightly more like medium, but the meat was of such poor quality, I couldn’t even chew it.
So I ate a ton of subpar frites and a ton of Bearnaise sauce for dinner. Sigh. I literally threw my fists up at the Belgian food gods and said «WHY!!!» a la Nancy Kerrigan circa 1992. Avoid. Avoid like the plague.

What a disastrous night!
We came here on the recommendation of one of Peter’s friends. The place seemed cool. In an old building. Check. Traditional food. Check. Let’s go. The Unilocal reviews seemed mixed, but we had been to a place the reviews were great earlier and the food was mediocre, so we thought, why not?
Why not? The service. The atrociously horrible service. Five of us got there first, and they came by to take our drink order, we asked for the wine list. Which they brought then left. And never came back. We were probably sitting there at least a half an hour before someone came and took any of our orders. We ordered our food and drink all at once and waited. Against my better judgement, I ordered mussels again. After the lunchtime disaster with mediocre mussels, I thought against it, but last minute went for it. (I mean you’re in Belgium, eat mussels, right?)
To be fair, the starters came out quickly. And mine was really tasty. Fried cheese. The other half’s was also really tasty. Foie gras. You can never go wrong with that! Our mains were also fantastic. My mussels were incredibly tasty and I got them with a spicy curry sauce. By the time I finished the mussels, I was dipping my chips in it and then eating it with a spoon. It was that good. The other half’s main course was also out of this world. Head of veal. Which apparently is a stew with veal tongue and cheek in a rich, delicious sauce. Fantastic.
But again, the service. (Read Peter’s review for Nava’s ridiculous steak shenanigans.) Trying to flag down the waiter was pretty much impossible. Seriously. It was a nightmare.
The décor was interesting. Nava described it as «A Belgian Bennigans» as there were tons of posters on the walls for local beers (not that they sold them).
So if you’re willing to risk the bad service, go and have some really interesting and possibly delicious food in a unique setting. Just don’t order the steak.

Variable quality food, and some of the worst service I’ve suffered at a restaurant anywhere.
I came here with a group of London Unilocalers on a recommendation from a friend. The interior is fairly pleasant and old-​style, with wood, candles and retro metal signs adorning the walls.
Right from the beginning however the service was slow. I arrived some time after the rest of the group, yet no orders had been placed. I made my choice and we waited to order. And waited. In most restaurants I’ve been to, waiters will ask if you’re ready to order shortly after sitting down, or they’ll take their cue to do so as the discarding of menus by customers. Not so here. It must have taken at least 20 minutes after we were ready to order before the waiter ambled up with pen and paper in hand.
When the food arrived, it had a mixed reception amongst our group. The mussels were hailed as the best so far in the trip. The steak tartare was pretty good. And my stoempe was okay. But a steak ordered ‘medium’ arrived well-​done, with barely any blood to be seen. We each tried to hail the waiter to get it changed. And so began the most shocking display of table service I’ve ever seen.
First we tried simply to get eye contact. An average waiter will regularly glance over the tables he/​she is serving to check that their customers are okay, so this seemed a reasonable bet. No success — he ignored us despite regularly passing us to get to tables at the other end of the room.
So then I tried hailing him in French, ever-​more loudly. Again, ignored (?!!). Next, one of our party swivelled out of his chair, hand raised, right in the waiter’s field of view as he passed us on his circuit to the other tables. Again, no success. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so next my girlfriend got out of her chair and touched the waiter’s arm as he walked past. He turned to look briefly at her before defiantly and silently resuming his original direction to the kitchen, (WTF?) to loud exclamations of disbelief from our party.
The only thing left was to leave the table and track down a member of staff, which as the main French-​speaker in the group I did, informing another and seemingly more senior waiter about the steak. He apologised and offered to swap it. The other waiter returned, all contrite, but it was all too little, too late. And then when the replacement steak did arrive, it was bordering on rare. But by that point we’d practically given up.
From that point onwards the service was a little more caring, asking us if things were okay (we were too exhausted to make a scene) but still slow. So much so that we decided to skip dessert, despite me at least having been eyeing it up all evening.
It’s true that the waiter in question seemed to be on his own in serving the tables and therefore was pressed for time. Maybe, but that doesn’t excuse his frankly rude and inattentive behaviour. Most waiters in similar situations would have at least noted a table’s wishes whilst rushing around the room and promised to do something about it. And indeed, it’s the responsibility of the restaurant to ensure that tables are adequately staffed, so it seems perfectly reasonable to judge this Spinnekopke on its frankly appalling service.
This isn’t a place I’d recommend.

Ganz tolles Restaurant. Die Küche ist Super lecker und es ist eine gute Wahl, den Empfehlungen des Obers zu folgen. Ich hatte Die Crevettes und die Waterzooi und habe selten etwas leckereres gegessen.
Dazu eine tolle Bierauswahl. Der Wein war Ok aber nicht im umwerfend.
Relativ klein, so dass es sich empfiehlt, vor allem am Wochenende, vorher zu reservieren.

Resto type brasserie qui se veut typiquement belge. Service souriant et belle terrasse sinon, les plats sont d’un niveau moyen.

Une étape inévitable à Bruxelles ! Estaminet traditionnel où les plats sont tous plus alléchants les uns que les autres ! Et l’on vous conseil les bières à associer avec vos mets. Tout cela dans une ambiance chaleureuse. Service un peu brut de décoffrage parfois, mais rigoureux en toute circonstance.

Traditionelle Brüsseler Kneipe mit leckerem lokalen Spezialitäten und großer Bierauswahl. Urige Gasträume mit niedrigen Decken und schmalen Bänken und Tischen. Die Muscheln waren sehr empfehlenswert, der Service etwas langsam aber freundlich. Preis-​Leistung: 2 – 3.

Erst mal vielen Dank den drei Qypern, die dieses Restaurant vor mir geqyped haben: Ohne euch wäre ich bestimmt nicht hier gewesen.
Nach einem verregneten Tag in Brüssel sind wir hier abends mit vier Personen und ohne Reservierung eingetroffen. Glücklicherweise gab es noch einen Tisch für uns, aber eine Reservierung ist hier wirklich sehr zu empfehlen.
Leider gibt aber auch die Speisekarte auf englisch nicht alle Details preis, die man wissen sollte, daher sollten diejenigen die nicht auf ungebratenes stehen eher mit bedacht die Speisen auswählen (Vorsicht beim Steak Americaine!). Die Speisen sind sehr gut zubereitet, die Portionen ausreichend groß, und die Kellner aufmerksam und freundlich. Die Preise sind den Speisen angemessen.
Vielen Dank für diese großartigen Tip!

Great food! Really a genuinely good place with the real Belgian feel, only a few block from the touristy areas, but without the touristy price.
NOTE: RESERVATIONS are VERY Recommended!!! We didn’t have one, and got lucky! they were packed and right after we walked in, they started turning people away! We only had to wait 30 minutes for a table… well worth it!

Für den ersten Abend in Belgien (Brüssel) hatten wir uns ein echtes belgisches Restaurant herausgesucht: Das In t’ Spinnekopke als traditionsreiche Kneipe [] serviert seit dem 18. Jahrhundert Brüsseler Spezialitäten, u. a. Biergerichte. Der Laden liegt ein paar Fußminuten von der Börse entfernt, wo man eigentlich keine Restaurants mehr vermutet. Wenn man den Hund auf dem Bild sieht, muss man noch einige hundert Meter weiterlaufen.
(Siehe Foto unten)
Mein erstes belgisches Bier sollte ein wunderbares Abbaye de Boneffe für 4,50 Euro werden. Meine Begleitung hielt sich den Abend an das Betchard blonde für 3,90 Euro.
(Siehe Foto unten)
An der französischen Speisekarte bin ich fast verzweifelt und im Laden sprach kein Kellner Englisch.
(Siehe Foto unten)
Glücklicherweise stellte sich nach zehn Minuten heraus, dass sie doch eine englische Karte haben (leider nicht für die Tagesgerichte). Es war für uns schon vorher klar, dass wir ein Biergericht probieren möchten und so wählte ich Boulettes Gueuze und meine Begleitung das Carbonnades au Lambic für 15,50 Euro und 16,50 Euro. Um uns herum wurde viel Fisch, Muscheln und auch Fleisch gegessen.
(Siehe Foto unten)
Unsere Speisen wurden in zwei großen Muscheltöpfen an den Tisch gebracht, so dass man sich die Portion einteilen konnte, ohne dass alles schnell kalt wird. Dazu gab es obligatorisch eine Portion Pommes pro Person.
(Siehe Foto unten)
Die Hauptspeise war ein Gedicht, das Fleisch war hochwertig und lecker, die dunklen Biersaucen gaben dem Essen eine gute Würznote.
Es war fast kein Platz mehr im Magen, jedoch wollte ich unbedingt noch ein Biersorbet Dreierlei probieren. Ein perfekter Abschluss des Restaurantbesuchs.
(Siehe Foto unten)

Littéralement, In’t Spinnekopke veut dire «à la petite araignée»… enfin c’est ce qu’on dit. Car à Bruxelles il y a souvent quatre ou cinq appellations différentes et croyez-​moi, tout le monde a raison ! Surtout quand il s’agit de traditions.
Certaines demeures du centre de Bruxelles ont un passé des plus atypiques, voire même encore enfoui au plus profond des livres d’archives. Je trouve ça passionnant, car en apprenant sur la ville où j’habite, je m’y enracine peu à peu.
C’est sans aucun doute le cas de cette souriante maison du XVIIIème siècle.
Tout nous raccorde au passé: des banquettes en bois, quelques réclames pour des bières disparues depuis belle lurette sur les murs, et les garçons en long tablier blanc… c’est tout le charme préservé de cette auberge datant de 1762 !
Les mets sont originaux et résolument tournés vers le typique et local. Consultez la carte des menus, ça rigole pas avec la qualité. Réserver, c’est assurément la meilleure manière d’être le mieux servi sans attendre !

In’t Spinnekopke, la taverne-​estaminet bruxelloise par excellence. Le cadre, les mets, l’ambiance, la déco. Avec ses atouts et ses limites côté carte. Mais on n’y vient pas pour du 3 étoiles, juste pour un repas entre amis ou en famille pour humer le bon esprit bruxellois.
Mes amis de Unilocal vous l’ont présenté côté intérieur. Je l’aime aussi côté Place du Jardin aux Fleurs pour la grande terrasse et pour un verre simplement à toute heure quand le soleil brille. Ambiance villageoise qui sied bien au lieu. Ma place et ma terrasse préférée à 2 pas du centre !

On né vient pas au Spinnekopke pour être confortablement assis dans un endroit spacieux ni pour manger un steak béarnaise. On peut bien sûr, faire ce choix au menu, mais goûtez plutôt le steak sauce bruxelloise ou du chef. L’une de ces deux sauces est préparée à base de bière et de fromage: un délice.
Ici, la tête de veau en tortue est servie dans une vieille casserole en fonte.
Dans un espace confiné, assis sur de minuscules banquettes, à manger à la lueur d’une lumière tamisée on se sent comme une spinnekopke, une petite araignée qu’on voit bien tisser sa toile entre deux plaques métalliques ventant des marques de bière. Entre nous, si j’en étais une, je crois que je serais heureuse qu’un estaminet, à nul autre pareil, porte mon nom.

c’est le restaurant où j’ai emmené mes parents en visite à Bruxelles.
Ils voulaient du vrai bruxellois.
Bön, le Spinnekopke répond au cahier des charges du resto typique, dans son jus de vieille maison… mais sans plus en fait.
Les Plats sont traditionnels et bons, pas donnés quand même…plats à la bière, grand choix de moules, et la carte des vins est pas mal…
Les serveurs sont en gilet et grand tablier blanc, esprit brasserie.
Le truc le plus appréciable, c’est la terrasse, sur la place du marché aux fleurs, au soleil une partie de la journée.
Mais sinon, j’ai trouvé ça un peu.vieillot. Que ça soit le service et la clientèle.
Quitte a manger authentiquement bruxellois, je préfère les ambiances plus populaires, du Restobière, par exemple.

I cannot believe I am going to be the first person to review In’t Spinnekopke on Qype! While this is an honor, it’s also an indicator that Qype (at least for Brussels) is in its infancy.
In’t Spinnekopke serves up fantastic Belgian cooking and beers unavailable anywhere else (in particular, Cantillon beers). We ate here, ate here again, and tried to eat here a third time, back in 2005. This year I am making a special trip to Brussels just to eat here again. Tip of the hat to the people on the old Chowhound boards! And to Brian for taking me on the Cantillon brewery tour.