A lovely old fashioned bar, wonderfully atmospheric and full of character. The first three rooms of La Fleur have protected status, right down to the furniture and the nicotine stained walls covered with pictures, prints, paintings, newspaper clippings, diplomas and the odd poem. In the mid 20th century this used to be the hang out of artists, writers and politicians - Magritte and Hergé (of Tintin fame), for example, were regulars - and there’s a photo dating from 1953 which shows some of them gathered outside with the café’s founder, Geert van Bruaene, an art dealer also known as le petit Gérard. Another black and white photo fills one wall in the airy conservatory room at the back. They have a reasonable range of bottles plus Leffe on tap and serve snacks and traditional basic meals such as croques and spaghetti bolognese. There are also some sausages hanging over the bar but they may be there as part of the protected status – they certainly looked very old and leathery. (Visited 2 October 2012).

We visited here on Saturday 27th October 2012. It was a little busy when we ventured in here at about 3pm in the afternoon, this was a shame as owing to sheer numbers we sat in the covered conservatory type area at the rear, which was admittedly very spacious and light but lacked the character and interest of the front bars. The front bars (from what I saw) were quite dark and quite tight with a few nooks and crannies and plenty of old blackened woodwork. The bar staff who served us was a friendly and pleasant sort. Beer list decent enough but not huge, I had Zinnebir as I recall. This is close enough to other good places to make this well worth a stop, I liked it but just wish I could have been in the front part.

One of the most atmospheric bars in Brussels, provided you keep to the nicotine brown, rickety old front part. Lots more seating out back in an extension with a tardis-like but less authentic feel. Magritte and his cronies hung out here and and (apart from the rear extension) I doubt it’s changed much since. A couple of draught lambics spice up an otherwise decent but unexceptional beer list. But it’s really more about the place than the beer range here. Just a few doors from Porter Noire and pretty close to both Moeder Lambic Fontainas & Poechenellekelder so there’s a good chance you’ll be passing, or at least in the immediate vicinity, anyway.

Tiny spot, stopped in briefly. Small selection, locals everywhere. Had some out door seating, service was moderate. Nothing special but nothing bad.

Small old-school cafe, everything wood and frames and faded pictures. Old guy running the place was friendly, helpful. Very low selection, some nice draft-lambic though for dirt cheap prices. Favorite part was the space out back with the huge gaudy white-walled painting within a painting infinite thing.

Tiny old bar, with a great old style atmosphere inside. Just a few beers available, but at least a few bottles of Lambic, and a bag-in-the-box of Oud Beersel Oude Lambik. Tried one sausage, and it was poor quality.

Wonderfully atmospheric old pub up the road from the Porte Noire. Small beer list but does include the rare Oud Beersel Lambic from a plastic polypin! Service can be slow.

Lovely old time atmosphere. 2 draught lambics. Small selection otherwise, but nice.

Small and cosy bar with okay selection of Brussels beers. But nothing you can’t find anywhere else.

Great bar with a very quiet atmosphere, and once you go in you really step in into another realm. Somehow, it seems to be a Flemish niche in the middle of Brussels and you can find a great array of Girardin beers along with excellent Girardin infused praline. I prefer the 1st part of the bar which has this very Brussels estaminet atmosphere loaded with old paintings and objects. The second part of the bar is a covered outside area with some comic strip pictures a big comic strip mural. This is a place that has a soul in itself along with a crowd that is definitely not touristy.