Brussels at night: Monk Bar

A very important aspect when visiting a new city is definitely its nightlife charm. Some cities like New York or Belgrade (modest much, I know) never sleep, while others have a peculiar clubbing culture. In fact, when I moved to the heart of Belgium three years ago, I was quite surprised to see that there is no clubbing culture at all. Indeed, people still go out in clubs, but they spend waaay more time in famous pubs and bars, sipping their favourite strong beer and snacking some frites. Therefore, it is no surprise that quite a lot of articles about Brussels ma belle will be dedicated to, quite obviously, bars. Allow me to begin and present you with a gem called Monk Bar.

Monk Bar

Rue Sainte-Catherine 42, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Monk Bar is located in the very center of Brussels, in the charming and adorable area of St. Catherine. The bohemian quarter and this old-school bar is something you cannot really miss. Just the view alone over a famous church gives this bar so much deserved grace, but not only that.

What you will notice at first is that Monk Bar is quite an old-fashioned, elegant bar, with walls covered with wooden panels. I remember when I walked in that bar for the very first time three years ago for St.Patrick’s Day, I thought the bar would not fit my celebratory spirit of a student. But I was so mistaken. Monk Bar is great for parties but also for a more chill vibe. The atmosphere is warm and cosy, so you would not want to leave this spot in the winter months. Very friendly staff and the huge variety of beers and hard liquor will definitely make your visit to Monk Bar memorable. The beautiful piano throne in the middle of the hall will make you feel as if you travelled back to the early decades of the 20th century.

Moreover, just like in most of the bars (which is a great perk), Monk Bar offers a variety of cheese and sausage plates for all of us who get hungry while sipping their favourite beer or wine. What is peculiar about Monk Bar is that they take this offer to a whole new level. Here you can try the upgraded version of the snack plates with a wide choice of local products such as: several types of cheese (Orval, Chimay, cheese with gueuze, cheese with hazelnuts), pâté de campagne, white pudding, black pudding, rillettes, bread with beer, ham of Ardennes and many many more. Are you hungry yet?

Finally, if you are ready to hear the best part about this bar then I will tell you that despite its location and polished look, the prices in this bar are really average. So what are you waiting for? Head to this bar now!