BEL

I don’t know how I missed this place since I walk past it to get to Safeway. but regardless, I «discovered» it two weeks ago and decided I just HAD to go and check it out.
I went with a roommate during their sour night for SF Beer week. While most people were only drinking, we also got dinner. It really wasn’t too crowded so service was pretty quick. I got the mussels in the white sauce and my roommate got the carbonades flamandes. The presentation was nice and they gave a good number of mussels, though they were quite small. I was largely disappointed in how little of the broth they gave me, this may have been because it was served in a flat bottom pot though. The broth could have also been more flavorful and/​or buttery. My roommate said that the carbonades flamandes sauce was really good though the beef a tad more dry than she would have liked. The portions were fairly large and the fries were also tasty and served with mayo, ketchup and a housemade herb sauce (can’t remember what herb). The fries though, are served in a paper cone placed in a glass cup, which causes the fries at the bottom to get all soggy — not cool. They should think of getting wire holders to let the fries «breathe». Oh, and they gave us bread towards the end of our meal, I’m not sure it they were supposed to and forgot, but someone else, not the bartender, offered us some. shrug.
Overall, I thought Bel was a nice spot. Maybe it’ll just take some time to get more attention. I’ll need to stop by on a normal night to see what type of beers they serve.

We had dinner here a few days ago, as we were looking for a restaurant near an AirBnB we had during our SF stay and found this restaurant on Mission St. Having worked extensively in Belgium some years ago, I was interested in how the owner put together this restaurant. So: nice first impression of a brasserie atmosphere, prompt service, and an informed menu discussion with the server. We both like a southern French casserole called cassoulet, which is on the menu (not a common menu item). After a brief discussion, the server said she could ask the chef to come out to discuss his preparation. This is was an unexpected, and a pleasant surprise. We ordered this dish and enjoyed it, plus moules and frites and three different Belgian beers. No room for dessert for us. Opinion: well worth a complete meal or just beers and starters. We will eat here again on our next visit.

Great customer service with fun and knowledgeable staff! My wife and I the cheese plate, Foie terrine and Fries and had some great beer! I’d def return

Great space, great service, great food and great beer selection. Definitely get the pasta and fries. Bring a date or bring a crowd of friends. Nick is great at what he does — he is knowledgable, has great recommendations, attentive and funny.

This is one of my favorite spots to go in the neighborhood. The food is high quality and great paired with a beer! I love the rotating selection of beers. The staff are friendly and know their beers. They will help you find one you like. Every time i visit I feel they put in extra effort to make sure I have a good Belgian beer experience. I am very happy this place opened up in the neighborhood.

A diamond in the rough!!! Wow, Belgium beer heaven and the food/​desserts is simply FAB. My new favorite hot spot in San Francisco!!!

A Belgian restaurant! Who knew? Love Belgian beer? There is plenty and oh so good. We had the mussels, tarragon sauce (plenty of them and very tasty), the endive au gratin (also excellent) and the fries with the three different kinds of dipping sauce. All awesome!
Server also gave us samples of some of their vast array of beer and the one we choose was perfect (la Choufette, I believe). We got a chance to talk to both owners (one was the chef, one was our waitress) at the end of dinner, great to see such passion.
If you’re looking for a place to eat in La Lengua, happy hour or dinner, go to BEL. We’ll be back!

Bel is like stepping into a little bar in Europe. Our waitress was extremely helpful and attentive. She was most interested in pairing our tastes with their beers. The vast array of interesting beer was eye opening. As a wine snob I was skeptical but pleasantly surprised to be exposed to the bold new world of exotic European beers.
The food of course was perfectly matched comfort, pub food. Deep rich flavors in every dish were balanced by Bel’s fascinating brews. And don’t forget to try the light fruit flavored beer as an apéritif. We were also given a sample of surprising chocolate tones!

If you are in the mission, don’t be afraid to cross Ceasar Chavez street to check this place out. It is excellent. I got the salad ardennaise and the brussel sprout slaw (apparently I really wanted vegetables) and stole lots of bits from my boyfriend’s chicken and mushroom dish — can’t remember the name but it was excellent. Everything was really flavorful, and the bartender recommended some delicious beers for us. The ambiance is also amazing — with beautiful pictures of Belgium adorning the walls. We will definitely be back!

Bel is a good place to get overpriced food and small quantities of beer at high prices. The food list is miniscule, but at least you can pay $ 9 for a bottle or a similar amount for a 6 oz. pour of draft beer. Save your money and go down the street to Rosamunde for beer and sausages or across the street to the Royal Cuckoo for Chimay; at least they’ll spot you a selection of nuts.

Stopped by here yesterday with our bona fide Belgian friend to try out this new spot on Mission. I have passed by the restaurant many times on my way to get burritos, but I’ve never stopped inside before.
We were seated immediately when we arrived Friday night. The spot is still relatively new so I didn’t expect it to be too busy. After taking a look at the menu, I decided to order the carbonade which is a sort of beef stew with mashed potatoes ($ 20).
After taking a few bites, I have to say that the carbonade is quite good. The beef almost melts in your mouth and the mashed potatoes goes along perfectly with the stew. The stew was a little salty for my tastes, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly salty.
Overall I thought the food was pretty good at BEL, but it is kind of expensive for the amount of food you get. I was still pretty hungry after finishing my dish so I ate a lot of the complementary bread that they provided (no shame). My Belgian friend wasn’t overly impressed with the food, but he did say that it is true to what Belgian cuisine actually is (not just Belgian waffles).
It’s difficult for me to recommend BEL over all the other well established restaurants in the Mission, BUT I do think it has the potential to become a great spot. BEL is unique in a district that is dominated mostly by burrito and pizza places so it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. I will probably come back again to try other dishes and update my review then.

Went here last night after being told there was a two hour wait for a walk in at Emmy’s across the street. We love Belgian food and had been meaning to try this place.
The service was extremely friendly and attentive and provided a great beer recommendation. Food was tasty and came out pretty quick.
A welcomed new addition to the neighborhood. Look forward to making this one of our regular local spots!

Love this new addition to the neighborhood!
Came here on a Friday night with a rowdy toddler and it wasn’t too busy yet.
I must say, the service was outstanding (I hope they’ll keep it up once they get busier)
We ordered the mussels in white sauce and sadly, we really didn’t like it. Totally our fault, I didn’t listen when the server explained the ingredients. Had I listened I would have known I wouldn’t have liked it.
Jen (owner?) totally changed them out, which I really appreciated.
Everything else was superb. Frites were excellent, so was the pasta for Junior. The beer soup made me wanna lick the bowl, I refrained from it since we were in a public space…
I’m happy for them to be here and i will definitely be back.

Great selection of beers! I would stick to drinks and frites!
Ambiance is okay; the space is a bit awkward, part pub, part bar, part restaurant and the front is drink/​waiting space. The steak was good, but overpriced for the kind of joint Bel is.

Bel is a casual, friendly neighborhood gastropub, with a great selection of belgian beers on tap.
The food was good, but a little pricey. The mussels were small but the fries were delish. Loved the foie gras platter!

Straight to the point:
Excellent carbonnades, I was (initially) really surprised by the choice of beer for the stew (usually we use darker, thicker beer) but the chef’s (Rich) choice of going with a fruity and more acidic beer totally paid off: a totally awesome dish. The brisket was a great cut choice. Doubled-​fried fries were really good tasty and perfectly done.
The foie-​gras terrine was excellent and their curing of that american-​sourced foie-​gras probably had a lot to do with it. The pickled shallots enhanced the dish even more.
The mussels (with Chimay Red and tomato base) & shrimp croquettes (deep fried) were very tasty and light (for being deep fried).
The beer selection was very good both on tap and bottles.
I wasn’t a huge fan of their desserts but I do not have a sweet tooth at all so neutral on that one.
The atmosphere was relaxed & ‘bon enfant’; the service was very attentive and all smiles.
Will definitely go back and bring the crew; I already have planned my future order!
disclaimer: I’m belgian so I might be biased when it comes to belgian food and beer :-D

This is a great new place in the La Lengua area of San Francisco. Belgium food, wine, and a interesting décor complete with streetlamps, a foot-​rail on the bar with rescued Muni tracks, and even a replica Mannequin Pis! The restaurant is in what used to be Locavore’s space, but very nicely redone, right across from where Valencia hits Mission. The long bar, tin ceiling, and handy monitors showing the beers on tap make for an inviting and cozy spot to spend a few hours.
I’ve been here twice so far to eat dinner and both times was delighted with the food and service. On the first visit, we came as a large group with four adults and five children, so I’ve been lucky enough to most of the items on the menu. First — the beers. Yum! As a long time lover of Belgian and American-​made Belgian style beers, the offerings were right up my alley. Allagash’s Four, Fort Point’s Pi 5, Ovila, Delerium Tremens — all on tap. There seems to always be at least 3 Belgian and several American made Belgian style beers on the lists. My wife loved the saisons and sours. For starters, the beer/​cheese soup is especially good and is great for dipping a crusty piece of bread in. The foie gras terrine is scrumptious (thank goodness foie is back on menus in CA). The Adrennaise Salad, with kale, duck, and bacon, is designed to please. My favorite might be the Brandade, a salt-​cod gratin which nicely showcases the fish without being salty.
For entrees, I’ve tried pretty much tried everything. The moule frites and steak frites reminded me of Belgium and the waterzooi (fish chowder) is especially tasty. The confit duck is wonderful — super tender, but my favorite so far is the Carbonades Flamandes — a super rich brisket cooked in a Flemish ale.
The ambiance is nice and friendly and reminded me of the long beer-​fueled afternoons and dinners I’ve had in Belgian towns. It’s good for both kids (if you come early), after-​work drinks/​snacks (they open at 4) as well as more sophisticated or romantic dinners. I’m eager to go back.

Finally made it to BEL and it did not disappoint. The space feels casual and refined all at the same time and works as just a bar with snacks or as an elegant restaurant.
We aren’t huge fans of Belgian beer but the selection was impressive. Hubs had an Anchor Double Liberty and I had a Kolsch.
We started with the beer cheese soup which was incredibly rich and delicious but still very delicate.
Then I had the mussels with white sauce, which were incredibly fresh & delicious. The sauce was super good, I almost wish there was more of the broth. The fries are a thicker cut, which might be disappointing to some but they were really good. I would just toss them into the broth to soak and then fish them out later. Very yes. Much wow.
Hubs had the duck confit and holy quack… it was incredible. The accompanying frisée and cranberries made the dish feel light and yet hearty. It was perfect.
I really love this spot and I look forward to trying out everything on the menu.

As a Belgian-​American, I applaud and support the opening of as many Belgian bars and restaurants as possible. So kudos on opening Bel.
On the beer selection: a good selection of specialty beers. If you like Trappists and Gueze-​style beers, you will find you liking here. If you’re looking for Stella, you’re out of luck. (Which is not a bad thing). One thing missing are the brewery specific beer glasses.
The food tastes good. The spaghetti is as advertised and it taste brought me back to my student days of living on beer and «student» spaghetti :-). The sauces in which the mussels were cooked tasted great as well.
Overall a great new Belgian bar with lots of potential.

3.5 STARS
Me: «So…it’s coming up on 3 years now and I’m not getting any younger.»
Mr. NSS: «Well, we need to go out less than and YOU need to stop over ordering.»
Me: «Ok, let’s just grab a drink at Bel, share an app, then go home to eat.»
Mr. NSS: «Ok, sounds good.»
*Walks into Bel, gets seated, and peruses the menu*
Mr. NSS: «I’m going to the restroom, order me the Steak Frites.»
Me: «I thought we’re only getting apps and by the way, that’s the most expensive thing on his menu… What happened to the convo we had earlier?!»
Mr. NSS *shrugs*: «What convo?»
Men.
Argh.
Ok, back to the review.
On our way home from work, we decided to stop by Bel, a Belgian gastropub/​restaurant from the Pi Bar folks that took over the Locavore space. Grand opening was on 5÷25÷15.
I’m not familiar with Belgian food as the only other Belgian gastropub/​restaurant I know of is La Trappe in the Marina (Frjtz doesn’t count). However, the menu looked rather enticing: Beer & Cheese Soup ($ 9), Shrimp Coquettes ($ 10), Housemade Hopwurst ($ 12), Foie Gras Terrine ($ 18), Salt Cod Gratin ($ 11), Moules Frites ($ 18), Duck Confit ($ 17), Steak Frites ($ 28), etc. Being a gastropub, lots of beers to choose from with a handful of wine selections. Draught beers were $ 6-​$ 9 a glass.
Since we were apparently having dinner instead of just sharing apps, we started with the Foie Gras Terrine ($ 18):
which was delicious. You can never go wrong with the luxurious silkiness of Hudson Valley foie gras. I just wished there was more than just 2 slices. Or maybe, if it was shaped differently (I usually see it served in a thicker puck size), it would have looked like more?
Given the depressingly cold weather we’ve been having, I thought the Seafood Waterzooi: Fish chowder ($ 22) would be perfect entrée to warm me up:
. Sadly, it lacked substance. The shallow bowl had 2 shrimps, 4 tiny mussels, 2 one-​inch pieces of white fish, and several tablespoonfuls of chowder. It was good but I just wanted more of it.
Mr. NSS’ enjoyed his Steak Frites ($ 28):
. The NY Strip was a perfect medium rare with a nice smokiness from the char but I thought it was several dollars overpriced for the size. The frites were a golden and crunchy. Addicting and I liked they provided a trio of dipping sauces: ketchup, mayo, and pesto (?) aioli.
I washed everything down with an awesome glass of Chimay White ($ 9). I’m a beer noob so all I could say that it was very refreshing with a slight sweetness.
The staff was really nice and checked in with us several times. Food came out fast. We were in and out in 40 minutes.
Space is casual with European café influences (paintings of Belgian cities) and lots of counter seating. Communal table seating is good for large groups and there’s more than a handful of two and four-​tops for a sit down dinner.
Parking in the area sucks after 6 pm on the weekdays and all day on the weekends.
Since it’s near home, I would definitely return for their delicious frites and beer but it’s bit too pricey for a casual weeknight dinner at a gastropub.
One shared app, two entrees, two beers, and one soda was $ 110 including tip.
Men (Mr. NSS).
Argh.