De Heeren van Liedekercke

De Heeren van LiedekerckeDe Heeren van Liedekercke
De Heeren van LiedekerckeDe Heeren van Liedekercke
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

33 Kasteelstraat
Denderleeuw, 9470
Belgium

+32 53 68 08 88 | map
heerenvanliedekercke.be
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.59
Reviews:
26
Ratings:
38
pDev:
8.06%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.55 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Aug 18, 2017
 
Rated: 4.85 by YvesB from Belgium

Jun 22, 2017
Photo of ArrogantB
Reviewed by ArrogantB from Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.75
We took the train to Liedekercke and then a short walk and it was worth it. Great food, I had the shrimp scampi with curry. Enjoying a bottle of Fou Foune outside on their patio cannot be beat and the service was great as well. Definitely worth a visit, I know we will be back.
Jun 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.33 by epyon396 from Pennsylvania

Oct 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.76 by halo3one from Georgia

Sep 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by HopBelT from Belgium

May 17, 2015
Photo of treznor
Reviewed by treznor from North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -15%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.75
Headline: Really good food, really good beer, pretty bad service.

Came in on a Thursday night late afternoon, shortly after 5pm. Left around 9pm having managed to order three rounds of drinks, with our glasses sitting empty most of the time as we couldn't get more ordered.

The beer list is very solid, with Heerengeuze, Anniversary, and Crianza on the list, plus a number of other Belgians and a very solid lineup of Geuze and Lambics. Apparently there's a vintage list, particularly for Tilquin and 3F Vintage. There possibly is more on the list. I wouldn't know because even after asking for it 3 times over the course of 1-1.5 hours I could never get anyone to bring it.

All that being said, the space is interesting, the food is solid (probably the best food we had in Belgium), and the beer (when you can get it ordered) is very good.
May 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.7 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Mar 05, 2015
 
Rated: 5 by cmrillo from North Carolina

Nov 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by spycow from Illinois

Nov 28, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Matagal from Brazil

Nov 19, 2014
Photo of JonahNW
Reviewed by JonahNW from California

4.9/5  rDev +6.8%
Awesome, you must visit it at least once esp. if you're a lambic / geueze fiend. Had the unicorn-like Heeren Geueze, assorted lambics, some super funky old Orval. More lambic in the food, used to cook rabbit in. Off the beaten path, so a rental car was helpful. Wonderful, unpretentious, though pricey place...
Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Brabander from Netherlands

Aug 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by MattSweatshirt from Texas

Jul 31, 2014
Photo of jdense
Reviewed by jdense from Oregon

4.83/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
The Holy Grail, White Whale, you gotta do this of all the beer restaurants in the world.

Certainly a bit of the beaten path, a good hike from the nearest train stations with very sporadic bus service stopping about three blocks away. The atmosphere is superb. A converted house, old wood floors and siding throughout. The bar area is pretty small, two communal tables, but I was fortunate to have some lively conversation with the people I sat with, an 'outlaw' biker who kindly shared a bottle of Giraldin Black Label Gueze as an appertif. There is a 'special' room in the basement which can be rented for special occasions.

The quality of the beer and the food is absolutely stunning. The affalable host, world-class beer expert Joost, has amassed an amazing array of vintages of beers, including a seriously crazy vertical of Orvals, for whom he serves as an Ambassador, a very high honor. While there are some outstanding beers on tap (Rodenbach Foederbier !) you owe it to yourself to dig through the encylopedia-like beer book to pull out something special. The food is on parallel with the beer offerings. Joost, brother, Tom, mans the kitchen, and to say watching him work from the chef's table was like poetry in motion in an understatement. With the help of a solitary sous chef, he made sure every diner's experience was memorable. While the Brasserie menu features tasty sandwiches for lunch, a range of pasta dishes and traditional Belgian food fare, Tom has *two* special menus, a monthly menu, November features wild game, a six course prix fix affair featuring pheasant pie, duck, hare, homemade ice cream, each paired with a beer by Joost (included in the meal!), and a 'suggestions' menu, with most dishes made with beer.

The service was quite good. Joost kind wife managed the front end, with a young, energetic and attentive staff keeping everyone happy. Note that if you are in a hurry to eat, this probably isn't the right place to come. Instead you should plan on spending the entire evening working through the beer and food menus and enjoying your company. For those bent on the whole experience, there is a small guesthouse behind the restaurant, and the prices are quite reasonable. I availed myself of this lodging, a necessity since we stayed up until about 230am sampling some American beers I had brought for this special occasion. Prices were about standard for Belgium, the beer prices were democratic.

For any Beer Advocate traveling to Belgium, I can't recommend this place highly enough. When the history of Beer Restaurants is written, this will be the standard that all other places need to be judged against. World Class.
Nov 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by phingdong from New Hampshire

Oct 18, 2013
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | food: 5
I believe Epic is the word.

Epic was the journey to get here. After a few minor mishaps on the train we arrived in Denderleeuw. We were travelling from Ghent, but got on a direct train to Brussels accidentally so had to circle back.

Chances are you're reading these reviews and debating whether its worth the effort and sacrifice to track this place down from your Brussels or Ghent hotel. The answer is yes. Don't try and talk yourself out of it.

I had directions from the train station in Denderleeuw to De Heeren, at least I thought I did. What I actually had was directions from somewhere else closer to the center of Denderleeuw. We wandered around for about an hour and then somehow finally stumbled accidentally onto the proper course and were able to follow my directions. It doesn't have to be that hard, but I think the degree of difficulty only added to the experience.

The beer lists are silly. HUGE props for having an up-to-date printed vintage cellar list which includes the quantity on hand. We drank a lot of beer between the 3 of us and there was never that dreaded moment where the bartender (Joost, in our case) states they are out of stock. They dont get enough credit for that - its extremely appreciated.

So there are 2 lists, a normal menu of "standard" Belgian offerings that they presumably will always have in stock and then the aforementioned printed menu with a dizzying array of vintages of all your favorite lambics and also dusty bottles of everything from Chimay to Rochefort to Still Nacht and beyond. Pretty unbelievable.

Over the course of our stay we split the fantastic Herengueuze (600 bottle blend, 50% Cantillon and 50% 3F, brewed in 2008, bottled in 2011 and released in 2013) and I consumed my first 3F Golden Blend, followed by a delightful 2008 Still Nacht and a Hannssens Cassis. There were 1000 alternative routes I could have taken with the same success. Pretty unparalleled.

HEY. This is also a restaurant. In fact, it's the best restaurant I ate at on my entire trip. I opted for the leg of lamb which was so incredibly tender and flavorful. Each component of the dish was prepared separately in a different beer. Really memorable.

Leg of lamb slowly cooked for 12 hours with rosemary and Kapittel dubbel
Baby carrots steamed with Piraat – Charlotte-potatoes in Affligem Patersvat

Joost was a great host - he thanked us for our patronage and ambition in finding the place. One of the definite highlights of the trip, which places it high on the list of highlights of my illustrious beer drinking career.
Aug 31, 2013
Photo of Mages64
Reviewed by Mages64 from Washington

4.61/5  rDev +0.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5 | food: 5
To answer everyone's burning question, "can I buy Roze, Blauw, Crianza, Millenium, etc to go or to drink there?" Nope. They closed their cellar for just those beers and are no longer offering those beers to go or to drink there. Major bummer but then again, they upped the price to 120 euros before shutting the cellar so I saved a lot of money. Personally it doesn't matter. Here's why:
-incredible food
-insane vintage list of beers
-amazing tap list
-great people
-great house beers

A great restaurant with a great cellar but all you whale hunters might want to skip it because you can't get those hyped beers anymore. However if you want to try beers that haven't been available for decades and try 5 star class food, make the trip out to de heeren. The Heeren gueuze is available to go if you buy two 20th anniversaries with it for a total of 200 euros... I passed. Just go and relax and don't worry about "whalez" and you'll have a fantastic time!
Jul 24, 2013
Photo of ManforallSaisons
Reviewed by ManforallSaisons from Belgium

4.73/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Arriving on a chilly winter's evening, entering was like coming into a farmhouse kitchen to warm up. OK, it's a (small) town center, not the most evocative location, but offers a cheery interior of light woods, country-kitchen heart wreaths, and bands of hop flowers. And that was with with the big stone fireplace unlit. Clientele included tourists and Flemings out for a nice meal or just popping in for a few at the bar area. Four languages in close vicinity of my corner table. On seating, confronted immediately with a page-long seasonal (Christmas) beer list, a table placard thingy of a few drafts, and a 12-page list of vintage offerings, annotated to show the available stock. Already a career's worth of tasting, before the main list arrives along with the food menu. The five dishes for our party were all hits of hearty seasonal fare, built on slow cooking, complex sauces, but simple presentations. They included a carbonnade rich and glossy rather than greasy; a sort of tartiflette with Orval cheese (sorry, too much novelty on the drink menu to pair with its associated brew) going way beyond any Alpine refuge's ambition; and a generous cut of pork with mustard-Chimay sauce. Beer, of course, was at the center of all, making it fun to play with the pairing of food and beverage. Opened proceedings with an unusual De Troch lambic on tap -- only ever found it at the brewery, and it's a pity that they never let it out, because it's a very quaffable, soft lambic with banana and citric flavors, way better than the regrettable fruit-drink stuff they make for the grocery stories. Later tried both of the house brews -- solid, not transcendent, with a blonde ale and a somewhat thin and malty dark-amber ale. Also had a Smisje off the Christmas list, another nice find considering I don't often see it in Brussels, less than a half hour away. Service was multilingual, personable, helpful and offered specific recommendations and explanations (despite being a bit understaffed). Expectations surpassed, I have a new favorite beer-specialist resto in Belgium.
Feb 17, 2013
Photo of Sarlacc83
Reviewed by Sarlacc83 from Oregon

4.88/5  rDev +6.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
I spent 2 weeks in Europe and I did not find anywhere that I want to return to more than DHVL. Absolutely outstanding in every way.

Simply put: I believe this is the bar we've all been searching for. Relatively quiet and homey, where all the locals congregate after work to have a glass or two (or four for the group next to us), but which also awes us with the beer selection. I spied numerous people come in and give each other a familial greeting before they pretty much pointed at the servers with their standard order. I couldn't help but long to be a regular at this place just because of the camaraderie. (Liedekerke seemed to be a very quiet town where most people take the train in to Brussels for work.)

And then there's the beer lists. I came in with a game plan because I didn't realize how absolutely expansive and reasonably priced the bottle list was. It took me 20 minute before I could order. And I was happily blown away when I found out that I could purchase a Rodenbach Alexander which has been my #1 want for a long time. (Ended up being 28.50 Euro, an admittedly pricey amount, but which I thought was completely fair for a 1998 vintage of a beer never to brewed again.)

But even the tap list is unique and worthy. My wife and I tried both the house beers (Heerenbier and Sodalitas), and I was torn between the lambics sent to them from Cantillon, Girardin, Boon, etc. How awesome is it that they constantly have special kegs of straight lambic?

And then there's the food. I cannot say enough about it. We did not have a better meal in Europe, and I have not had anything to match in the United States. The Coq-a-la-bier was divine. Bacon and beer will make any menu amazing, but the chef took his ingredients above and beyond. The kicker is that a large portion was around 14 Euro. Reasonable, really. It was also excellent to have the recommended beer pairing listed on the (newly-printed) English menu.

Our server was helpful and patient, and I found that we received more prompt service when we waved down our servers with our order. (The locals did it as such, so why shouldn't we?) I spent a few minutes talking to Joost, but with how busy they were, I didn't want to take up too much of his time.

This is a pretty gushy review, but for good reason. We spent 5 hours here, spent far too much money, but had an experience to last a lifetime. Worth every penny and the standard by which I will judge all other bars/pubs/restaurants.
Oct 20, 2011
Photo of DaveJanssen
Reviewed by DaveJanssen from Germany

4.1/5  rDev -10.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
De Heeren has one of the more epic cellar lists i've seen. A good selection of aged trappists and wild ales. The service is a bit slower than typical in Belgium. And once you order you may not be likely to get your beer soon. But everyone there was quite nice and the selection can't be beat. The food is more high end but there are less expensive options that are still quite good. Beers off of the vintage list are served at cellar temperature.

They played some amazingly cheesy/bad restaurant music (the titanic theme song comes to mind).

As a side note, after our first visit my friend and I started asking for our geuze in the brewer/blender's wine glass rather than the typical geuze glass, which they readily accommodated. I know the regular one is historical, but it is illogical and if I am going to drop $50-100 on one bottle of beer i want it in the glass that best allows me to taste/smell it. Places like 3 fonteinen have already made this glass switch with their vintage geuzes/the Armand 4 series. This might be a good idea if you are going to order something like the J&J beers or Millennium geuze (they are already doing it with Crianza).
Jun 27, 2011
Photo of bceagles39
Reviewed by bceagles39 from Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
While in Brussels for a few days, my wife and I took the train out to visit De Heeren Van Liederkercke which exceeded our expectations.

The atmosphere was amazing, we sat in the beer garden out back. It was mostly locals (and outside was very family friendly, with a playground for children) but there were also some (other) American tourists there and potentially others. It did help that we had a perfect spring evening in which to enjoy the experience.

The beer list was excellent, we enjoyed a tasting of Orvals with various amounts of aging which was nice. The menu was very extensive and many of the beers were available from the cellar as well as the fridge. Trappist breweries were fully represented.

The highlight of our experience was the service. Everybody was proficient in English and made us feel right at home in their family establishment. Our server, wife of the chef, was highly hospitable and during our meal we were offered an amazing paella compliments of the chef, and several of our beers were accompanied with complimentary cheese. I enjoyed the Stoofvlees which came with an awesome apple side made with fruit grown on site. The food was solid and a great value. We enjoyed beer ice cream to end the meal.

As other reviewers have stated, the whole experience did proceed at a very leisurely pace, though the service was excellent. If you are planning on taking the train out (we walked from Iddergem station, about 10-15 minutes away on foot) be sure to be conservative as to which train you might take back.

Overall, our evening at De Heeren Van Liederkercke turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Belgium and I highly recommend checking it out if in the area.
Jun 05, 2011
Photo of beerpirates
Reviewed by beerpirates from Belgium

4.3/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Outstanding beer-restaurant and pub. Great beerlist of over 300 Belgian beers and lots of great aged beer, Trappists and Gueuzes. The interior is warm and cosy, and the restaurant is brasserie like. The food is from a very high level and the diches are inovating and always with a wink to beer. Joost and his brother are running the place and the staff is very friendly and professional. If your looking for a great beery place with a gastronomical touch "de Heeren van Liedekercke" is the right address.
May 03, 2011
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

4.78/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Stopped by for lunch with The Big Dooper last weekend. We'd heard about this place as being a beer "Mecca," so it was high on our list.

This is pretty much exactly how I want a beer bar to be. It was "cosy and homely," for lack of a better expression. There were families quietly enjoying their lunch, as well as a few patrons around the bar. Doops and I sat at the barrels near the front window, and a couple guys sat down just before we left and made small talk. Needed a touch of well chosen brewery swag perhaps, but it was well decorated and very relaxing. Even had a playground out back for the kiddies.

Jessie was there serving us that afternoon. A very friendly woman who really enjoys her craft. She had lots to tell us about her retaurant and her beer list, and even smelt my cellared Rochefort 10 before she served it. A nice touch.

The beer list is fantastic. There are a few things on tap that rotate regularly and lots of Belgian bottles on the list. There are the well known gueuze that were brewed specifically for the restaurant, as well as an extensive cellar list. Perhaps the best I've seen outside of De Kulminator in Antwerpen. We also appreciated that De Heeren only offered cellared beers they'd cellared themselves. You never know where the beer has been when you buy it from a third party.

De Heeren serves the best sandwich in Belgium. This creation has won an award on several occasions I think, so Doopie and I were quick to order. It was a really interesting idea. A longer piece of bread was split into three compartments: tuna and pesto, ham and cheese, and salmon and mayonaise. Jessie instructed us to eat it from right to left, so we'd go through the three stages of culinary delight in the right order. I can't say whether or not it's the best sandwich in Belgium, but it was certainly delicious and very original. I may have to make up a copy of my own.

Price is right here, for both the food and beers, and the atmosphere and service is first class. Definitely worth a stop if you're in Belgium, and I hope to get back again sometime for a second round. Maybe I'll get my game on and dominate that playground in the back next time too.
Mar 09, 2011
Photo of doopiedoopiedoo
Reviewed by doopiedoopiedoo from Netherlands

4.78/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
One of those legendary places. Stopped in for lunch together with Jeffo March 5 2011.

Located on a very normal street. Was able to park right in front of the door. We were welcomed right away by Jessie who offered us a menu, beer list and vintage beer list in English.

Recently de Heeren was all over the news in Belgium becuase they serve the best sandwich in Belgium. Guess what we had?

Before the sanwich we were offered a rather fancy appetizer. The sandwich it self was awesome. Had to eat it from left to right. I found on my sandwich Tuna with pesto and olives, next to that Smoked hame with melted Camenbert and next to that Salmon with a mayonaise of goose liver. Don't know if it was the best sandwich in Belgium because I haven't had them all but this was pretty good.

Since I was driving I couldn't drink. Jeffo picked a 10 year old Rochefort 10. Served with the dust on the bottle and poured by Jessie who was kind enough to smell if the beer before bringing it to the table. She was clearly passionate about the beers they serve and took pride in the quality of their products and beers.

Oh yeah, they also sell th J&J blauw, Crianze Helena and Roos to take away. There is a bottle limit and a good price tag on these bottles.

Overall a great place to stop. Food was excellent and the beer selection is amazing. Staff is friendly and seem to enjoy running this great restaurant. Wherever you are in Belgium this place well worth the detour. If you are into sour beers this is your Mecca.
Mar 06, 2011
Photo of psiweaver
Reviewed by psiweaver from Washington

4.83/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Went here with Yapi who was kind enough to drive us all the way from Bruge to here.

Had an absolutely amazing time here. They had one bottle of 1998 Cantillon Loerik and we had that and a Fou Foune. The food was amazing as well having the special pasta which is bacon egg and a cheese type sauce.

The Cellar list here is just amazing. They have Sour's and Trappists back to the 80's and especially when compared to Brussels at very very reasonable prices. They have the Millenium Gueze for 60 euro.

They also sell the Blauw and Roos as well as Crianza Helena. Would strongly recommend going as the service, food and beer were all world class.
Feb 14, 2011
Photo of jrallen34
Reviewed by jrallen34 from Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -24.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 1 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Enough time has passed, the wounds have healed, I can fairly rate DHVL...Located about 20kms from downtown Brussels its a quick ride in the car. Located in a small charming town, you come across it on a random street, looks like a restaurant. Easy street parking, we walk right in. Inside is small and charming. Typical small town restaurant feel with plenty of beer decor throughout. We arrived around lunch time, this is a total local place. We were clearly the only American's there...After all the wonderful reviews this place had I was expecting to greeted with world class service by Joost or Jesse. Sadly, Joost stood in the corner chatting to locals and ignored us the whole time we were there. We had planned in advance to come and stay at the inn and I had emailed with Joost several times how excited I was to come and drink their beer. We sat for 45 minutes waiting for our room to be ready with no one talking to us. When Jesse finally came she was nice. After settling in we sat down for lunch. The menu looks awesome, at least as awesome as a menu in all French can look. I guess I should say the food smelled awesome as my mouth was watering basically the whole time we were there. As we sat for lunch we asked for suggestions the server didn't really give us many suggestions... The beer list is pretty awesome. They have about 20 standard Belgian beers, then the special list that included Blauw, Roos and Crianza. I knew this beers were going to be here, heck I wouldn't have come otherwise. I begin to order my Roos when the server interrupts me and begins to explain a five minute story as to why I could only order the regular beers. Apparently over three weeks ago, well before I booked my reservation and emailed Joost several times about all the beer I was going to have, DHVL flooded. The server told me all those beers were off premises and we could have none. I basically was in shock. I understand accidents happen but Joost should have told me advance, and he should have come and told me himself, instead of sending the nervous server. Needless to say I was beyond pissed off and decide to spend my vacation elsewhere. I realize my experience is once in a life time but I can fairly score this establishment. The atmosphere, food, and rare beers (when there) are awesome. However, the world class person and service I heard Joost to be was false.

I personally would never venture to this place again. However, as much as I would like to say skip it, if you're in the area its a place you need to check out.
Jan 16, 2011
Photo of TurdFurgison
Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Finally I've made it to De Heeren Van Liedekerke. The first time I came here (April 2010) I made the long journey only to find they were closed for a few weeks for vacation. Europeans!! In honesty, they have a star chef so they couldn't expect customers to eat food from someone else while he's on vacation.

If you're coming from Brussels you can catch a local train from Brussels Midi or Brussels Nord, it should only take 20-40 minutes depending on stops.

Laid out as a restaurant, and when I stopped the main tables were all reserved by others for dinner. No worries, there are 2 large tables with 8 seats each in the bar area, and also some stools along the bar. The atmosphere was relaxing, much better than bars like Chez Moeder Lambic, quiet classical music and quiet people enjoying fine food and beers. I was the only American there, but the various Belgians at the table were extremely friendly and talkative.

I ordered a Belgian specialty involving potatoes and diced vegatables with bacon and sausage laying on top. Very good, reasonable prices for such well put together food too. It was like breakfast for dinner, I love eating Belgian and German cuisines.

The beer list is extraordinary, and the prices are not bad, even when they get pricy (35 euros for J&J Roos onsite) they aren't as bad as you'd expect. The only real problem was choosing what to buy on the way out, based on available luggage space to take home in check baggage. Good problem to have.
Nov 02, 2010
Photo of uno99
Reviewed by uno99 from Canada (ON)

4.5/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
Well, thanks to BA member "Beerpirates" I was able to get a ride from my hotel in brussels to this lovely little resteraunt. We came the Monday after their beer festival for lunch, and we were the first to enter the resteraunt that day. Many locals soon followed.

A: Much more modern inside than I would have expected. Almost like a semi-modern country kitchen. Tables and chairs were all comfortable enough and bathrooms were clean and easy to get to while drunk. :D

S: Service was adequate, although not as chatty and engaging as I expected. One thing I loved was that my wife and I ordered a single appetizer to split, and the kitchen split the order onto 2 plates. Incredible. I've never seen a resteraunt do that for customers.

S: Selection was incredible. At the time I didnt know how rare crianza was, so I didnt order it, but it was quite alot cheaper here than anywhere else of course. I had a 2000 Cantillon gueze which was VERY sour. and a 2006 panepot oak aged. Which I could have stayed and sampled more. I loved the fact that thier cellar inventory was presented to you with the beer menu. I love not having to ask what beers a place has.

F: Food was incredible. We were given a little amuse bouche for free after we ordered, which was delecious, and our appetizer and mains were made with love, and skill... and beer!

This place is HEAVEN! go there! If your staying in brussels there is a train that drops you off very close and its very cheap!
Sep 09, 2010
Photo of callmemickey
Reviewed by callmemickey from Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
If you like Belgian beer, and rare lambics in particular, this is quite possibly the best bar in the world. Blauw, Roos and Crianza Helena were all made specifically for De Heeren, and there is a good reason that Drie Fonteinen and Cantillon did so: Joost, Jessie and their staff are fantastic.

The wife and I stopped by for a few hours recently during our European honeymoon trip. It was getting late at night, and Jessie was kind enough to drive us to the train station to make sure we got their in time and so that I wouldn't have to carry the box of beer we bought the two kilometers to the station. A previous reviewer has received the same treatment in the past, and even knowing this, it was completely mind blowing that she would do that.

Jessie and Thomas were working the bar, while little Helena was running around playing with beer glasses and bottle caps on the floor behind the bar. One day she will be quite the beer expert I am sure.

Atmosphere: A tiny bar area with just three seats at the bar, but two large high-top bar tables provide for a social atmosphere. We met some nice locals who were kind enough to buy my wife a beer right before we left.

Quality: The complete package. Great food. Great beer. Great owners. Great employees. Can't say enough good things about the place.

Service: Some people might find the service slow... but that is not because the staff isn't paying attention or don't care... they are a small staff manning a busy operation... plus, its european... no one is in a rush. Plus, when the owner drives you to the train station there is no way you can complain about anything.

Selection: Roos, Blauw, Helena, Millennium Gueuze, and just about every other Belgian beer you can ask for makes this place any Belgian beer lover's mecca. They also serve their lambic with a small bowl of malt to munch on. I love it!

Food: We didn't eat dinner but we had some dessert... and it was wonderful. I had a Belgian waffle with ice cream. The waffle was light and crispy and the ice cream was fresh and delicious. The wife had some awesome chocolate cake... our only regret was not getting the dessert sampler that we saw another couple order after we finished our food. It looked divine.

I must visit if you are in the Bruxelles area.
Aug 22, 2010
Photo of rvdoorn
Reviewed by rvdoorn from Netherlands

4.58/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
Well, don't need too many words to described this place I guess. I was here last weekend, nicely sitting, eating and drinking in the beautiful garden behind the restaurant. In ordered the "menu of the month". The food (all prepared with beer) is simply fantastic. The beer list impressive, they have some really rare sours in the basement (like 3 fonteinen and cantillon brews). I had such a great evening, will go there soon again. The only negative experience that evening was the long waiting time in between the courses, sometimes more than 40 minutes, which in the end made me stay there for almost 5 hours. I guess the restaurant is a bit too big for the capacity of the kitchen.
Jul 29, 2010
Photo of Goldorak
Reviewed by Goldorak from Canada (QC)

4.7/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 5
For my sort-of unofficial honeymoon, my wife wanted to see Paris, as it was one of the last remaining areas of France we haven't seen. But being this close to Belgium I just couldn't resist a quick stop over in Pajottenland. We e-mailed the owners to ask for a B&B or hotel nearby, and were pleasantly surprised that they have two guest rooms on premises. The rooms were brand new, spotlessly clean and in a quiet spot in the rear.

The best way to describe the place is modern estaminet meets upmarket restaurant. I knew right off the bat we would enjoy ourselves here. But it definately is more Beer-focused restaurant than Beer bar.

The selection list is pretty hard to beat, and is on Kulminator-like levels. A couple of well chosen taps, large bottle list, and don't forget to ask for the vintage list as well. Ended up having a Cantillon on tap, a Crianza Helena, an aged 3F, an aged Orval and a Kriek, which seems like a lot, but spread out over several hours.

The food almost stole the show for me, as my salmon mi-cuit with gueuze sauce was great - especially with the paired Beer - but my wife's Orvaliflette was just out of this world. Highly recommended. The dessert, a sabayon made with Westmalle dubbel served with speculoos ice cream, was delicious too.

Service was very good, even though the restaurant was packed, but you could clearly see the miscomfort from the language barrier, especially from us Francophones, as it is a touchy subject in the area. But we stuck with English and the staff was super nice. Prices were decent, unless you want to take away Beers, but it's only fair.

Definately a must-stop for any fan of lambics, Orval, Beer and food in general, this place deserves all the hype it gets and then some.
Jun 24, 2010
Photo of koopa
Reviewed by koopa from New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 5
I had the absolute pleasure of spending one day and night at this world class establishment in Belgium on 4/25/10. After emailing Joost directly, I booked two rooms that are available for the date. Each room had a double bed, was a decent size, and was quite nice. There was 1 bathroom with a shower to be shared between the two rooms. The cost was 50e per night for each room and was well worth it. Breakfast was included in the price and was left at the door the evening before (around midnight). As nobody was staying in the room the next day and we had a really good time with everybody, Joost and Jessie informed me that we could sleep in as late as we wanted and leave the next day whenever we were ready! The rooms were located in a separate building that was only 30 feet behind the Cafe building. The Cafe has a nice outdoor patio with about 8 tables and an outdoor grass area with 1 table, a swingset for the kids, a tranquil water fall / fountain area, and lots of nice beer paraphernalia throughout the yard.

The cafe itself has very high ceilings, uses lots of lighter colored wood than I expected which brightened the place up considerably, was adorned with beer art and memorabilia, had about 20 tables, and a bar area with 2 massive square tables that allow a couple to sit at each side. There was an additional basement seating area that I didn't explore but saw people going into when the upstairs was full.

Joost was manning the bar, Jessie helping host, Thomas was serving us, and all was well in the world! Joost's brother was making fantastic food in the kitchen (which you can view through a nice observatory window). I had a traditional Belgian Stampoot (mashed potatoes / spinach / carrots w/ bacon and sausage) for lunch and a braised pork cut with a mushroom and reduced gouden carolous sauce and chocolate drizzled on top. My buddy had the Co Co Vin prepared with Chicken and Beer (instead of Duck and Wine) and it was the best plate of the night.

The beer list was phenomenal indeed! Lots of vintages and some seriously great choices. I sampled Oude Kriek de Cam 07', Crianza Helena, Blauw, Alexander Rodenbach 98', and Millennium Geuze! Plus they gave me a Sodalites bottle and a Heerenbier bottle (both of which are made exclusively for the cafe just like the blauw/roos/crianza).

The service and hospitality were just great as were the many patrons we had conversations with. I'll definitely be back again!
May 14, 2010
Photo of tendermorsel
Reviewed by tendermorsel from Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
This is the greatest beer bar I have even been to hands down.

It is a bit off the beaten path but well worth the journey.

A gorgeous looking bar. Very traditional looking for a Belgian bar restaurant. Lots of wood and beer related decorations. A great family run place. It seemed to attract tons of locals and many cases entire families. No smoking (which i find to be a good thing) My party of 4 decided to sit at one of the table tops at the bar rather than take a booth or table. I am glad we did as shortly after we sat a local family of four sat and we shared hours of great conversation over food and beer. It was a wonderful experience indeed as we were asking questions about Belgium and the were asking questions about America.

The service was impeccable. The entire staff spoke great English and was very accommodating to our every request. They even stayed open late for our party so we could have a few beers late night. The head chef even came out to talk to us at the end of the night. The staff even offered to take us to the train stop the next morning.

The beer list was freaking insane. Obviously they have the lambics that exclusive to them (J & J and Helena). These were the tip of the iceberg indeed. Some of the beers I tasted/shared over the 6 hour visit:

two flat lambics on tap. Cantillon and DeTroch. 1984 Stille Nacht. 1994 Stille Nacht 1998 Rodenbach Alexander. 5 year old Orval an mid 1980 Vondell 750 ML. The cellar list was like the list to a beer museum.

The food was great two. They do a 5 course set menu. I wasn't able to convince my traveling partners to do that so we all ordered off the menu. I had pig cheeks braised in a brown sauce with mushrooms and pasta, some shrimp croquette and a wonderful raspberry lambic sorbet. it was all great.

I cannot recommend this place highly enough.

2 suggestions for the traveler coming to this place.

After e-mailing them to book reservations and asking for a local hotel Joos (the owner) recommended that we say in the chambers there. I was very glad we did. It was 50 euros for a two bedroom chamber and they have two available. The chambers were very nice and clean. A breakfast was even included in the cost.

It was only a 60 Euro cost to get from Aalst train station to the restaurant. It was totally worth it as the place was pretty far from the Leidekirke stop. It also gave us an excuse to spend a few hours in Aalst which was a pretty cool city too.
Apr 06, 2010
Photo of jgasparine
Reviewed by jgasparine from Maryland

4.6/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
This place is a total gem. Off the beaten path, here you will find some of the best lambic beer in Belgium. De Heeren Van Liederkercke not only stocks a wide range of lambic and other Belgian beers, but they also have their own exclusive line of beer, produced on occasion for them by industry leaders throughout Belgium. It certainly doesn't hurt that the service is good and that the food is outstanding!!

Atmosphere-
This is definitely a local's place in the town of Liederkercke. It is a large establishment with an obvious specialty in beer and cuisine a la biere, as indicated by the large antique wooden casks out front of the building. Inside, there's warm wood everywhere, and an inviting ambiance. It is set up more as a restaurant than a bar, which is fine... because you would be crazy not to eat whilst enjoying the beer here!

Quality-
Attention to detail, and extreme care are a constant theme here through the appearance of the establishment, the storage and service of beer, and the preparation of food. All beer is served at appropriate temperature in appropriate glassware. All tap lines produce "clean" beer. Quality is definitely a top priority here, and it shows... yet all the employees seem so casual about it!

Service-
We had a wonderful waitress that spoke great English. She was able to get us a menu in English, and she was very responsive and friendly throughout service.

Selection-
A wonderful beer menu was presented to us- rich in world-class lambic. Plenty of other Belgian blondes, brunes, abbeys, trappists and more were available either on draft or in bottle. The real treasure is their exclusive beer list... featuring their Hereen Bier (house beer), J&J Blauw Gueuze, J&J Rooze Gueuze, Crianza Helena Gueuze, and MORE... All world-class beers!!

Side Note: You MUST try their Belgian Chocolates made exclusively for them with Orval, Hanssens, Lindemans, and other beer-based ganache's.

Food-
Perhaps the best food I had on this last trip to Belgium. Most of the food is cuisine a la biere... and it is INCREDIBLE. You must wait while it is prepared, but it is worth the wait!
Mar 24, 2010
Photo of Brickstoredave
Reviewed by Brickstoredave from Georgia

4.9/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
With out a doubt, the best dining experience I've ever had!. So it all started when my business partners & I ALMOST took a $120 cab ride from Brussels on Tuesday afternoon. Luckily, Mike saw that it was closed on Tues. & Wed. Sooo we waited until Saturday night to go (our last night in Belgium) and spent the $120 then instead. So here is what happened. We were in Belgium doing research on beer cuisine (seeing as how we are in the extreme beer bar business) when we arrived @ 7 p.m. and were asked if we had reservations. We did not! So, panicking, $120 and all, ask if there was ANY way we could eat & we explained the cab fair and the fact it was our last night in Belgium and we were in the beer/ restaurant business and came all this way blah, blah, blah, so I guess somehow we charmed our way into having them get us a table. Let me tell you how lucky we were. We were promptly sat and, having heard of their "cellared beer list", were fortunate enough to score some big winners. Mind you, they don't offer the reserve list, you must ask for it. We started with a '97 Westy, '95 Gouden Carolus, some vintage Cantillon, De Dolle , and Rocheforts. We opted for 2 price fix meals( without the suggested beer pairings because we wanted the vintage obviously), and 2 a la carte meals...STUNNING! The entire menu was built around beer and beer suggestions were given for every menu item.( special note, the menu is entirely in Flemish so beware). Every dish was perfectly prepared and exceeded our every expectation. Though a bit pricey, easily worth it. As far as service goes, it looks from past reviews that service is not their strong point, however on this night, service was taken to an absolute all time high. So we're eating this perfect meal and drinking these amazing beers that might be available at a handful of places in the entire world, and are yucking it up with our servers and one of the owners for a good 3 or 4 hours, when we realize it is 1 in the morning and, apparently, taxi's don't run in Liederkercke that late so you know what happens? Jess, the owner, after we're finished explains the cab situation to us and proceeds to DEMAND on driving us back to Brussels in her own car, wouldn't let us tip her servers or give her gas money for her trouble. Are you kidding me?! I must repeat that it didn't hurt that we were in the same business but it doesn't change the fact that in this particular situation, service was so far above & beyond it's silly and will never be surpassed!!! I could go on and on and on about this dining experience and chances are, NOONE will have the same. The stars were completely aligned this particular night and I am so glad I was sitting there when they were. I have to say that if you have only had half the stars it would be a fantastic experience. Cheers to you Jess and your fantastic staff and to a night the Brick Store boys will never forget!!!!
Mar 21, 2007
Photo of GreenCard
Reviewed by GreenCard from Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -24.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Great little place in a quaint little Flemmish town. We ventured here after a long day-trip through East and West Flanders. Originally we had tried to go to De Gans out in Huise, but after I had spent all of my cash at De Dolle (on a case of beer), we couldn't dine at a place that didn't take plastic.

Alas, De Heeren van Liedekerke seemed to be quite promising. It was a beautiful, mild evening which really complemented the summer-cottage-like interior of this restaurant. It was a bit tough to find a table at first. Not because it was packed, but because a quarter of the tables in the place were reserved. The entire garden section was filled.

Service is one step up from atrocious. Not that the wait-staff (of which there were three) is bad at what they do, just that it would be nice if they did it more often. It took about 20-30 minutes before we could order drinks. Then another 10-15 minutes to get the drinks. Then another 20 minutes before we could order dinner. And so on. We're used to going at a slower pace over here, but this was beyond slow. On top of that, I ordered another beer when they finally brought dinner, but it never arrived. The staff probably think they're over-worked, but it seriously wasn't even that crowded. I've seen one or two people give much faster service at a packed Bier Circus. There was a lot of standing around and even more of me being really thirsty!

That rant aside, the food was great and somewhat reasonably priced. I had the hammetjes met groentjes (I think that's what it was called) which is basically a huge ham-hock on a pile of cooked vegetables. Very rustic and tasty. My special lady had some shrimp in a sauce made with Tripel. The beer selection is quite diverse with several different methods of organization in the menu. For example, a long list in alphabetical order and then three or four sections broken down into style, flavor, color or by brewery. I had witte lambic on draft (didn't realize I was ordering some Mort Subite swill) and a Heerenbier for dessert. This beer, I think, is made for this restaurant by Brouwerij Boelens. Quite good; woody, tart, and complex. The beer that never came was a De Graal blonde.

Not sure if I'll head back anytime soon because the service was so poor, but perhaps on a weekday when there is NO ONE else there it wouldn't be so bad. I mean, 3 hours to drink two beers and have dinner?!
May 03, 2004
Photo of TheLongBeachBum
Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

4.4/5  rDev -4.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
We stopped at this excellent establishment on our way back to Poperinge at Easter 2000. I like all kinds of Bars, and what I enjoy, respect and sincerely admire the most about Belgium (apart from the Beer!) is how well the new is always so sympathetic to the old, and how they can often stand side-by-side, or even be fused together to create a genuinely diverse range of high quality outlets for their Beers. The Heeren Van Liedekercke falls into this category as one of the new breed of “Modern” Specialist Belgium Beer Cafes. This description sometimes puts people off visiting them, it really shouldn’t. For the Gentlemen of Liedekercke, is a very spacious building that has two floors, and a simply Awesome Beer List. Of the Two floors, the Ground floor, is very modern in its décor, spacious, slightly minimalist and was where most of the people who had meals were seated. However, due to the size of our party, we were ushered downstairs to the candle-lit Cellar Bar. This was very warm and inviting, and the many wooden tables gave it a “Drinking Den” feel. We were seated and browsed the Beer Menu of some 300 beers, with many lambics (yippee) including the very rare Lindemans Fond Gueuze. Like Gamblers studying the current horse-racing form we poured over the menu, when I had chance to spy the very well-stocked legendary Beer Cellar, as the door to it is also located down here and opened often to reveal Pandora’s Box. All I can say is that if I got in there, a sour lambic death would have been quick and far from painless. The food menu is equally impressive and diverse, everything from snacks to Cuisine-a-la-Biere. The only annoying thing was the fact that the Staff collated the cost of the beers for all 30 or so of us into one bill, rather than issuing a bill for each Table as was repeatedly requested. This took a lot of sorting out. Probably one of the best of the new “modern” Cafes in Belgium.
Oct 13, 2002
De Heeren van Liedekercke in Denderleeuw, Belgium
Place rating: 4.59 out of 5 with 38 ratings